Post main event brawl? Check.

Ratings down 30%? Check.

A high priced free agent ready to flee after defeating the high priced free agent that was just signed? Check.

Ugly and boring fights? Check.

Highlight of the evening was being uncomfortably close to one of King Mo’s dancers without a wad of one dollar bills? Check.

That looks like the makings of a complete and total disaster,and what do you know? That’s exactly what happened on CBS on Saturday night.

The monumental news of the evening was the melee that broke out in the cage after Jake Shields defeated Dan Henderson to retain his middleweight title. Was this hooliganism between Henderson’s corner and Shields’ teammates? Nope. But it did resemble something straight out of The Warriors.

A surly Jason “Mayhem” Miller snuck into the cage to confront Jake Shields during the post-fight interview. Miller said, “What’s up? Where’s my rematch buddy?” which seems like an innocent enough question, one that any fighter trying to sell a future fight would ask but this wasn’t a normal fight camp.

Miller quickly found out he punk’d the wrong crew, as the entire Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu team converged on “Mayhem” like a pack of velociraptors.  From there all mayhem broke out (sorry, I had to use it once). Jake Shields threw a punch as did Nick and Nate Diaz. Someone from Shields corner started curb stomping Miller when he briefly hit the mat and once the fight had been broken up another member of Team “Crazy”Gracie attempted to climb over the cage to chase Miller down but luckily, he was pulled off the cage after reaching the crest.

CBS announcer Gus Johnson tried to diffuse the situation saying, “Gentlemen, we are on national television. Gentlemen! We are on national television!”
I am glad you brought that subject up Gus. This event was on national television and considering the fact that MMA is still striving for mainstream acceptance (a photographer on site not attached to a MMA website told me that this really is human cockfighting) and its checkered past on CBS *cough Kimbo Slice cough,* the instant reaction was, “well, there goes Strikeforce’s network television deal.”

CBS officials were clearly not happy with how the card ended but they tried to put on their best face.  Programming vice president Kelly Kahl told Dave Meltzer that he didn’t believe the post-fight brawl would be an issue. And therein lies the double edged sword facing Mixed Martial Arts.

If the brawl is not mainstream news, then what does that say about the cultural relevance of a MMA card without the UFC logo? On the flip side, it’s actually better for MMA that the busy sports weekend might result in this unfortunate incident being brushed under the rug. The last thing MMA needs is a Helen Lovejoy, “oh, won’t someone please think of the children!” moment.

To a tee, all of the fighters involved were dazed and confused (for the record, that wasn’t a Nick Diaz pot joke) with what happened. Heading to the post-fight press conference “Mayhem” Miller was leaning against the wall checking his Twitter account and marveled out loud, “wow, I just got 700 [twitter] replies.” When asked about what happened he said it was “funny” though he later apologized on his website.

I would have asked the Diaz brothers about their involvement with the incident but was afraid that a question like “why did you feel the need to kick him in the face?” would be misconstrued as an insult and I like not having a broken nose.

While the brawl became the “it” story Strikeforce’s Nashville event wasn’t exactly peachy to begin with. Strikeforce’s big free agent acquisition, Dan Henderson, lost to Jake Shields. In the first round it looked like Henderson was going to pick up right where he left Michael Bisping, who now becomes a free agent. That sound you’re hearing right now, that’s Dana White salivating.

Shields and Strikforce CEO, Scott Coker, were both muted on the possible contact negotiations but Jake is a hot commodity in MMA and with Zuffa’s deep pockets it would come as no surprise if they swooped in and grabbed him.

The Shinya Aoki – Gilbert Melendez was a painful twenty-five minute affair. Put it this way, once Aoki resorted to butt scooting and Gilbert gave ground you knew you’re in for a long night. Melendez won a unanimous decision and retained the Strikeforce lightweight title; though he would end up landing more power punches in the brawl at the end of the night.

For DREAM lightweight champion, Shinya Aoki, the fight represented a battle of national pride for Japan. If the fight were an episode of Pacific it was, well, let’s just say that Japan lost World War II and leave it at that.

“King Mo” made his own Strikeforce champion ring in anticipation for his victory over Gegard Mousasi. Lawal must have known that Mousasi went to Josh Neer takedown defense school as “King Mo” spent an exhausting 20 minutes on top of Gegard. Lawal didn’t have a choice as the second the fight was standing Mousasi peppered him with punches causing Mo’s left eye to swell completely shut. But King Mo was able to shut Gegard down to win the wrestling.

Hands down the highlight of the evening was witnessing “King Mo” Lawal’s entrance. The Texas native hired a host of local women from a nearby watering hole to escort him to the cage. One young lady threw rose petals for his majesty to walk on while another woman held an umbrella I assume to block harmful U.V. rays inside the stadium. The rest of the crew danced, and I use that term loosely, along the catwalk to the delight of fans.

* Champ Jake Shields def. Dan Henderson via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-45, 48-45). Shields retains Strikeforce middleweight title.
* Champ Gilbert Melendez def. Shinya Aoki via unanimous decision (50-45 across the board). Melendez retains Strikeforce lightweight title.
* Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal def. Gegard Mousasi via unanimous decision (49-45 across the board). Lawal wins the Strikeforce light heavyweight title.
* Jason “Mayhem” Miller def. Tim Stout via TKO (strikes) – Round 1.

The Jake Shields vs Dan Henderson after fight a black eye for CBS is a post from: AroDrive

While Saturday’s much-hyped UFC 112 event was coming to its anticlimactic ending, the night’s real drama was going on Octagon-side and continued during the post-fight press conference.

UFC president Dana White was so disgusted with middleweight champion Anderson Silva’s circus act that he handed the belt to Ed Soares, “The Spider’s” manager, in the 4th Round and told him to wrap the gold around Silva’s waist because White wasn’t going to do it.

The brash promoter immediately stormed off backstage, leaving well before it was announced Silva had earned a unanimous decision victory over Demian Maia.

White’s anger only intensified as the night grew longer. He stated at the presser that he was “disgusted” with Silva’s antics and repeatedly apologized for the “embarrassing” show his organization put on in their Middle East debut.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more embarrassed in the 10 years I’ve been in this business,” White said. “It was the first time I have ever walked out on a main event.”

It was the Brazilian’s 12th consecutive win and bumped his record to a dominant 26-4. It was his seventh straight 185-pound title defense, however his last three have left a lot to be desired.

Below Dana White interview:

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UFC 112 Bonuses

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On a night that saw the crowning of a new lightweight champ, saw the crowd turn on another champion, and the fall of another Gracie, the UFC handed down $75,000 dollar bonuses to Mark Munoz, Kendall Grove, Rafael Dos Anjos, and DeMarques Johnson for their efforts at UFC 112.

“UFC 112: Invincible” took place on Saturday April 10th at the Concert Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The event drew in a reported 11,008 spectators to the first ever outdoor event for a gate total of approx. $3.5 million, which works out to about $317.95 per ticket.

Munoz and Grove earned the “Fight of the Night” honor for their two round see-saw battle in the first televised bout of the event. “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” was in trouble in the first round but managed to hold on and turned on the ground-and-pound in the second round to finish Grove via TKO at 2:50.

Dos Anjos was awarded the “Submission of the Night” for sinking in an arm bar on opponent Terry Etim late in the second round. Etim attempted a submission of his own in the opening minutes of the bout, attempting a guillotine choke for 30 seconds, Dos Anjos waited for patiently for Etim to tire and eventually slipped out. In the second, Dos Anjos attempted several submissions moving from a north-south choke into a kimura attempt, and then securing an arm bar at 4:40 for the victory.

Johnson, a “TUF” 9 finalist, earned the “Knockout of the Night” after a come from behind victory over opponent Brad Blackburn on the preliminary card. Blackburn earned the first two rounds of the fight and had Johnson on his back in the third, but the welterweight managed to fight his way back to a standing position landing a kick to his opponents body to end the fight.

Dana White disgusted with Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia Fight is a post from: AroDrive

The fact that UFC 112  is being held Saturday in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, is really like something out of Laurel & Hardy. Here’s hoping there’s nothing wrong according to Sharia law with paying to see two men hit each other.

As for the actual fistic business at hand, this has card-of-the-year potential all over it. Pound-for-pound impresarios Anderson Silva and B.J. Penn defend the middleweight and lightweight titles respectively in bouts that will either continue to nail down their status as all-timers or turn the rankings into a jigsaw puzzle. Batting behind the double headliners is a funky collection of violence including the return of the wrestling Paul Bunyan, Hawaii’s second favorite son and some guy who comes from this Gracie family I keep hearing about.

In preparation for this Saturday’s pay-per-view mega-card, you know you best get some knowledge in your system in time for the fights. So get reading and remember that if you hated me that much, you wouldn’t keep reading.

Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia

The Breakdown: Circumstance is a funny thing in fight sport. Demian Maia finds himself in the position of challenging arguably the greatest middleweight of all time, despite the fact that he wasn’t supposed to. Vitor Belfort was supposed to be the man making the trip to Abu Dhabi to face Silva for the middleweight title, and when injury forced him out, Chael Sonnen was supposed to be waiting in the wings to take his spot. Injuries did in Sonnen the same as Belfort, though. Now Maia’s so-called luck has him in a position to either make himself an instant legend or an instant highlight clip for the reigning and defending UFC middleweight champion.

Normally a bout of this caliber would be a bit more nuanced than a simplistic striker vs. grappler archetype, but the fact is that Maia will get the Phinneas Gage treatment if he doesn’t get Silva down with the quickness. This is where it gets interesting. Scoring takedowns has never been a problem for Maia, as he’s quite adept at closing the pocket and either pulling guard or using throws and trips to take top control.

Closing the pocket on Silva is theoretically a good idea the same way building the Large Hadron Collider is a good idea as long as it doesn’t explode the universe. In Maia’s perfect world, he gets inside on Silva, quickly executes a takedown and goes to work on a submission before his notoriously clumsy striking gets his head lopped off. The first step of that perfect fight is fraught with pain potential, though. Silva excels at catching fighters trying to crowd him, and even when opponents do get their hands on him, Silva’s Thai clinch does more rhinoplasty work than a Hollywood plastic surgery clinic.

Closing the pocket on Silva is theoretically a good idea the same way building the Large Hadron Collider is a good idea as long as it doesn’t explode the universe. In Maia’s perfect world, he gets inside on Silva, quickly executes a takedown and goes to work on a submission before his notoriously clumsy striking gets his head lopped off. The first step of that perfect fight is fraught with pain potential, though. Silva excels at catching fighters trying to crowd him, and even when opponents do get their hands on him, Silva’s Thai clinch does more rhinoplasty work than a Hollywood plastic surgery clinic.

Continue Reading>>>

Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia a Clash in Arabia – UFC 112 is a post from: AroDrive

Former light-heavyweight champion Chuck (The Iceman) Liddell says Canadian Georges St-Pierre did what he had to in beating Dan (The Outlaw) Hardy on Saturday at UFC 111.

Despite scoring a lopsided decision over Hardy in Newark, N.J., St-Pierre has drawn criticism from some quarters for not finishing off the English challenger. There were also complaints that the fight lacked drama because St-Pierre elected to take the Brit down to the ground rather than stand and trade blows.

The judges scored the bout 50-44, 50-43, 50-45 for the welterweight title-holder from Montreal.

“GSP did what he was supposed to,” Liddell told a conference call to publicize Wednesday’s kickoff of Season 11 of ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ “He went out there and won the fight, and tried to finish it. He didn’t give a guy with heavy hands a chance to hit him.”

Liddell said he had hoped for better takedown defence from Hardy “so it would have been more of a fight. But GSP, he’s a stud.”

St-Pierre (20-2) took Hardy down 10 times during the five-round fight.

Tito (The Huntington Beach Bad Boy) Ortiz, Liddell’s rival coach on TUF Season 11, praised St-Pierre’s performance.

“GSP is the bomb. He is a badass fighter. One of my favs,” he said via Twitter.

Other fighters wanted more from the main event, or opted to compliment Hardy for his showing.

“Was hoping for more excitement from GSP vs Hardy,” Josh Burkman tweeted.

Mike (Quick) Swick, denied the title shot when he lost to Hardy in November, sent congratulations to the Brit for his gritty performance. Hardy refused to tap twice in the fight to St-Pierre submission attempts.

“Tough Fight Man But U Held Up Better Than Most Of His Past Opponents! True Warrior Bro,” Swick tweeted.

“Just became a dan hardy fan,” DaMarques Johnson tweeted.

Liddell argued that St-Pierre went after submissions.

“It wasn’t like he was just laying and praying on top of him,” he said. “As a smart fighter, I can’t fault him if the guy’s not a threat on the ground and he is a threat on his feet. . . . If he can’t stop the takedowns, it makes no sense to stand and bang with him.”Liddell added: “Don’t get me wrong, it would have been more exciting and I would probably have liked it better if he stood up and exchanged with him. It would have been more fun to watch, but would it have been considered a smart move? No. And if he had gotten caught, then what would you guys have been saying?”

Liddell also praised Hardy for his toughness.

“I thought (St-Pierre) was going to break his arm a couple of times.”

UFC 111 may not have been packed full of all the bombs expected, but still offered a great sold out show.

Here’s the complete report:

Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek

The first round was easily given to Jim Miller as Miller controlled the round for the most part and nearly submitted Mark Bocek. The second round however was all Mark Bocek, as most of the round consisted of Bocek attempting submissions on Jim Miller’s back. The third round was extremely close, but did end with Jim Miller getting Bocek’s back and nearly locking in a submission. The result was Jim Miller winning by a unanimous decision.

Jon Fitch vs. Ben Saunders

This was a fairly easy three round victory for Jon Fitch. Jon Fitch controlled the pace and position of the fight. Fitch took Saunders to the ground at will. There was a lot of booing in this fight as the newest of fans comes to see striking fights and knock outs.

Kurt Pellegrino vs. Fabricio Camoes

This was an incredible fast paced battle. Position and transition changes were non stop. Kurt Pellegrino did however seem to always gain the upper hand no matter how close it was. Kurt Pellegrino eventually got a rear naked choke at the end of the 2nd round winning by submission.

Shane Carwin vs. Frank Mir

Shane Carwin closed in on Frank Mir fairly quickly, clinching, and attempting dirty boxing. The ref, Dan Miragliotta, controversially separated them even while action was happening. Carwin eventually tagged Mir with a short bomb sending Mir to the ground. Carwin then knocked Mir out with some ground and pound.

Dan Hardy vs. Georges St-Pierre

It was no surprise to anyone that St-Pierre kept this fight on the ground. Hardy never gained an offensive position in which he was able to utilize any of his strengths, or even anything threatening to St-Pierre. St-Pierre had two nasty submission attempts on Hardy, surprising everyone. Hardy, however, was able to escape the submissions and survive all 5 rounds. St-Pierre won by a unanimous decision.

Georges St-Pierre did what he had to – Chuck Liddell is a post from: AroDrive

Georges St-Pierre did his best on Tuesday to make Dan Hardy sound like the most fearsome welterweight he will ever face. And Hardy did his best to convince the assembled media that he agreed.

The two were part of a conference call hyping UFC 111, to be held March 27 in Newark, New Jersey. St-Pierre and Hardy will fight for the welterweight championship. Although the odds have settled somewhat, St-Pierre is still a 4-1 favorite.

Also on the card, Frank Mir and Shane Carwin will fight for the interim heavyweight championship.

Mir and Carwin were comparatively sedate next to St-Pierre and Hardy. The normally loquacious Mir was low-key, analyzing Carwin as if pondering a math problem. Carwin, who still works a day job, maintained his salt-of-the-earth persona and seemed humbled to be on the call at all.

Here are the fighters’ condensed thoughts on their upcoming bouts.

The welterweight champion (19-2) is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, one of the UFC’s top draws and a crossover star. GSP has beaten all the top fighters in his weight division. However this fight has drawn comparisons to St-Pierre’s worst defeat – a TKO loss to massive underdog Matt Serra at UFC 69.

On being a martial artist: “I call myself a martial artist because I come from a different background (than most fighters). When I am going to fight, I am not going to make a brawl. I want to win a beautiful fashion. When somebody who doesn’t know this sport watches, he knows (I) use a beautiful variety of techniques.”

On pressure: “I have a lot more pressure than Dan Hardy, of course. That’s good thing. All the fights I had a lot of pressure: BJ Penn, my rematch against Matt Serra. Matt Hughes. In all those great fights I was under pressure. When I’m under pressure I’m more nervous, more awake. So that’s a good thing for me.”

On Hardy: “A lot of people underestimate Dan Hardy and that’s a big mistake. He’s very well-rounded. He is a smart fighter, a thinking fighter. He is a great counter-puncher. These guys are the most dangerous guys. The worst thing I can do for this fight is underestimate him. I learned from my mistake before. I am the best Georges St-Pierre for this fight. I trained to fight an army of men.”

Click here for the complete conference call on FightMagazine.com

UFC 111 Georges St-Pierre – Hopes to win with Class is a post from: AroDrive

Frank Mir issued a formal apology for envisioning Brock Lesnar’s death from fighting-related injuries, but Mir still isn’t sure what the hullaballoo was all about in the first place. From his conversation with SI.com:

“When I got called in and they told me, ‘Listen man, this is an issue,’ I kind of had a smirk on my face the whole time. I was like, ‘You’re kidding, right? This is a joke, right?’

“I’ve heard people say that this is to the death. I’ve heard people say about an opponent, ‘I’m going to kill him.’ I heard Brock say he was going to put his hand up my rear end to pull out a horseshoe. I didn’t hear anyone get too upset about that.

“No one’s been able to explain it to me yet. I thought we understood that what we say on camera is part of the entertainment aspect of our sport and we kind of get a little artistic license. It’s not like I said this to my neighbor, that if his dog shows up in my yard one more time I’m going to kill him. That would be bad. That’s a problem. I didn’t understand it, but hey, it came my way, I said it, and I can’t cry about it now. I’ve just got to deal with it, I guess.”

Brock Lesnar Response

“I feel really good. I’m back to training, I started main camp last week and I feel great. Everything is on track. Starting to build the base up again and get ready to fight hopefully mid-summer. We’re thinking about July 3rd Las Vegas right now.”

“Fighting the winner, hopefully the winner, of Frank Mir and Shane Carwin. If one of those guys are unable to fight after that fight. I’ll probably fight Cain Velasquez from my understanding. I’d really like to fight Frank Mir again.”

“You know I don’t know what he [Frank Mir] thought… he’s still trying to pull his foot out of his mouth and when you say something like that and your wife has to go out and apologize for you, you know you pissed somebody off. I think his wife made the apology before he did probably.”

“But you know in this sport of fighting. Fighting has come so far in such a short amount of time. We want to perceive ourselves as athletes and get the respect of the general public. Yeah it was out of line but in the fighters mentally I don’t want to go in the Octagon and kill somebody but I do want to do whatever I can to win. And maybe that’s what he was saying, I don’t know.”

“But the guy should probably just focus on the task in front of him which is Shane Carwin because if Shane Carwin beats his ass he won’t be fighting me…. Hopefully he gets past Shane Carwin so I can put another beat down on him. For a guy to take an ass whopping like the last I gave him and for him to get up and keep running his mouth. You know I just got to laugh at it.”

“I got to go back to a quote that he said before my second fight. He said if Brock Lesnar beats me, He will become the greatest mixed martial artist ever. And I guess he’s eating his words and he doesn’t want to say that again, he doesn’t want to admit that I am that much better than him.”

“But I am truly hoping that Frank wins this fight so it sets us up for July and maybe the next beat down will … (laughs) I don’t know what I have to do to shut him up.”

Brock Lesnar: Can’t wait to fight Frank Mir is a post from: AroDrive

Mixed Martial Arts as the name suggests is a combination of all forms of Martial Arts that by the way are already parts of the summer Olympic Games. So, if you already have boxing, karate, judo, pankration, tae kwon and other forms of Martial Arts in the Olympics what is the case against MMA for the Summer Olympics?

The Sport is too Brutal

The sport is too brutal and Fighter’s need a long time to recuperate and it will be a challenge for the IOC to organize a competition around athletes who typically take too much damage during fights and have them fight multiple fights in a very short time frame.

All valid points, the only problem, these were the same argument levied against boxing and now boxing is an Olympic Sport, so I guess they figured it out!

They would wear head gear like in Boxing and add a few more protection to their hands, genitals and ribs. Has anyone even contemplated the kind of fights you’ll see if these guys wear protection, just think about Brock Lesnar and Fedor Emelianenko in the octagon with protection that will be a fight to see.

I do agree that with all those protection it will look like a watered down version of the real thing, but wouldn’t you rather have the watered down version than to have none at all?

The Summer Olympics most popular events are Track and Field and they start during the second week of the event leaving you to watch swimming, weight lifting and boxing in the first week and for most viewers especially in the states no one really follows all those sports.

I know Michael Phelps became very popular from the last Olympics, but, let’s be sincere here, how many of you really knew who he was before the games?

MMA’s addition to the games will invite a whole new generation of viewers and that I think is a win win for everyone.

The Sports has no Drug Testing

This is not an issue, a drug testing body can be instituted and fighters can be tested randomly during qualifiers and during the games.

Drug issue, fixed.

MMA does not have Worldwide Appeal

This is the biggest issue holding the sport back; MMA is practiced worldwide in different capacities (Amateurs and Professionals) but in countries like Brazil, USA, Canada, UK, Japan, Holland & Russia it’s a professional sports with a Hugh following.

Unfortunately that doesn’t make the sport popular enough to make it an Olympic sport.

According to the IOC the criteria for an Olympic Sport are:

The sport must be practiced by men in at least 75 countries and four continents, and by women in at least 40 countries and three continents.

The sport in question must have a governing International Federation in order for the IOC to officially recognize them as a sport.

The governing body has to then file an application to become a demonstration sport. After that, the sport may file another application to officially become a fully recognized Olympic sport.

The bottom line, MMA is not a sport.

And like I said above every other Martial Art is already a part of the Olympics, so why add MMA?

It makes the other forms of Martial Art already in the game redundant and that the IOC can not afford.

MMA, not a Summer Olympics Sport. is a post from: AroDrive

The last leg in the triangle of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s middleweight contenders gets the next shot at champion Anderson Silva.

Jiu-jitsu master Demian Maia will replace Vitor Belfort as the challenger to Silva at UFC 112, the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced today. Belfort-Silva was supposed to leader the April 10 show in Abu Dhabi, but UFC is now promoting the lightweight championship tilt between BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar as the headline bout, and the legends match between Matt Hughes and Renzo Gracie as the co-main event.

Belfort pulled out of UFC 112 this week after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Maia earned a decision win over Dan Miller at UFC 109 last weekend by controlling the pace of the bout without inflicting much damage. In his previous appearance, at UFC 102 in August, Maia suffered the first loss of his professional MMA career when he was knocked out in 21 seconds after being flipped in the air by a right hand from Marquardt.

After Silva at No. 1, Marquardt, Maia and Chael Sonnen are the highest-rated UFC fighters in the USA TODAY/SB Nation consensus rankings. Given that each man has a win over another member of the trio, all three have equally valid claims to UFC’s top contender spot.

The case for Maia rests on the fact that prior to the Marquardt setback, he won all 11 of his MMA fights, including five consecutive submission wins in UFC. His last victory via tapout came at the expense of Chael Sonnen, who was promised a title shot after UFC 109 for his upset victory over Marquardt.

But Sonnen’s win came at a cost. Because of deep cuts inflicted by Marquardt, Nevada regulators barred Sonnen from any contact in training until March 9. That effectively ruled out Sonnen as a viable opponent at UFC 112 because it would only leave him a month for sparring and grappling, rather than the 10 to 12 weeks typically preferred by fighters going into major bouts.

Nevada officials also ordered Maia to see an opthalmologist or ocular surgeon for a left eyelid laceration, but he’s not under an automatic suspension as long he has a doctor’s clearance

By Sergio Non

Demian Maia v Anderson Silva for UFC 112 is a post from: AroDrive

I don’t know about you, but this was one very hard fight to watch: Randy Couture v Mark Coleman fight this Saturday in Las Vegas looked like one very old man (elder statesman) beating the s**t out of another old man. (Sorry, elder statesman)

Coleman’s only real success in the contest before being submitted in the second round was catching Couture with a right hook, which reminded ‘The Natural’, of the power of ‘The Hammer’, the first heavyweight champion of the UFC.

I wrote in my article; UFC 109’s Randy Couture v Mark Coleman: two guys to Old to Fight: Had this fight taken place when originally scheduled, it would have been one of the most storied bouts in MMA history. Now, its 12 years later, both are Hall of Fame members and while there is still a certain level of interest and intrigue, a pairing of fighters with a combined age of 91 doesn’t pique the interest of many of the young whippersnappers who make up the core demographic of the UFC. (Click here to read more)

I don’t know what the numbers for the PPV where but I can promise you it wouldn’t be impressive.

Am down in Miami for the Super Bowl and I saw this fight in a very crowded bar with a patronage of mostly young people (21 – 35) who were into every fight with bets running through the room, but when the main event started less than 20% of people in the bar were still watching.

Seriously, who wants to see two old men throwing punches at each other? These guys hand so many moving body parts that I was just waiting for one of them to just completely break into pieces. I was actually impressed the fight went to a second round.

The UFC really need to get their act together and get some exciting heavy weight fighters, no hand to hand combat sport can survive by showcasing skinny light athletes. Just ask boxing!

Dana White is hoping the return of Brock Lesnar can rekindle the excitement that seem to have been missing from the more recent UFC events.

This meeting of two of mixed martial arts Hall of Famers did show some promise for Randy Couture who never allowed Mark Coleman out of the blocks. He may be 46, but he remains a testament to an impregnable work ethic and erudite physical skills.

More might have been expected of Coleman, who looked in excellent form in victory against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 100 in July last year, and teak-tough in a gasping contest on the wrong end of a defeat to Shogun Rua in Dublin in February 2009.

But the canny Couture – who has now fought three times in seven months – simply made this untenable for Coleman.

Yet Coleman was rocked by Couture with punches and knees. It was haute Couture in the first three minutes, Coleman caught with two big uppercuts in the clinch. Coleman was worn out up against the wall of the combat arena after round one – and in the second, Couture took his man down and choked him out.

The question now is: what’s next for 46 years old Randy Couture?

Dana White sees Randy Couture as a contender in the light heavyweight division, following two straight wins. He now awaits the outcomes of Machida-Rua and Jackson-Evans, and probably the outcome of the fight between the two winners of those fights, in order to get himself in the title picture.

For his part, Couture doesn’t think age is a factor for him.”I feel like I’m improving each and every time I get out here,” Couture said. “This is my third fight in seven months, and it feels good to be so active. 46 years young.”

After all I’ve said above, I wouldn’t get into the Octagon with him. So, I’ll say he’s probably right.

With regards Mark Coleman Dana White told reporters:

“I think tonight was probably Coleman’s last fight in the UFC…I have nothing but respect for him, and I’ll say this now, too: Mark Coleman has always been a stand-up guy to me. He’ll always be a part of this organization. I just think he’ll have a hard time competing with the guys at the top level. Age is a factor with him…It’s tough to say, ‘It’s over, and I’ve got to hang it up.’…It’s the toughest thing in the world, and I hate dealing with it. It sucks.”

Highlights of the Night

Fight of the Night: Chael Sonnen and Nate Marquardt, for their bloody 15-minute grind, in which Sonnen survived a nasty choke attempt in the third round to secure the decision victory and earn a middleweight title shot.

Knockout of the Night: Matt Serra, for beating down Frank Trigg and proving that his hands are always dangerous, even if they’re on the end of very short arms.

Submission of the Night: Paulo Thiago, for putting Mike Swick to sleep with a D’Arce choke after knocking him to the mat in the second round of their fight. Thiago: 2, AKA: 1.

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Click here for more on the UFC and the UFC’s Ring Girls

UFC 109′s Randy Couture v Mark Coleman: A sign UFC might be in Trouble? is a post from: AroDrive

UFC 109 lacks the star power of many recent events, but any card with a pair of active Hall of Fame heavyweights and a rebound match for a tough customer like Mike ‘Quick’ Swick is still terrific.

Former UFC Heavyweight champion Randy “The Natural” Couture will finally get in the Octagon against another former Heavyweight champion Mark “The Hammer” Coleman.

Had this fight taken place when originally scheduled, it would have been one of the most storied bouts in MMA history. Now, it’s 12 years later, both are Hall of Fame members and while there is still a certain level of interest and intrigue, a pairing of fighters with a combined age of 91 doesn’t pique the interest of many of the young whippersnappers who make up the core demographic of the UFC.

UFC 17 could have been an epic clash; Couture was fresh off defeating Maurice Smith for the heavyweight title, a belt the kickboxing legend had won five months earlier from the first champion in the company’s history, Coleman. UFC 109, on the other hand, sees Couture entering off a controversial decision over Brandon “The Truth” Vera, while Coleman comes in having upset Stephan Bonnar at UFC 100 back in July.

Regardless of the lost time, the significance of having two of the greatest UFC heavyweights colliding in the cage should not be overlooked. While having this fight happen years earlier would have made for a much different battle, these two men helped shape the sport and the company that we love, and they deserve our respect and admiration.

Couture is a heavy -400 favorite and should be able to wear down Coleman and punish him in the latter stages of the fight with his ‘dirty boxing’ style of ring control.

Despite being the elder of the two nearly 50-year-old men, Couture is the favorite, and with good reason. In just about every area of this fight, the former five-time (six if you count unifying the Light Heavyweight title against Tito Ortiz in 2003) champion has the advantage. Oddly enough, Coleman may hold an edge in the wrestling department, a place Couture can usually count on the checkmark.

One interesting angle that hasn’t been explored much heading into this bout is Couture’s recent increased activity. Two fights a year had been the norm for “The Natural” for the longest time; you have to go back to 2001 to find a year where Couture entered the ring / cage more than twice. While this is his first fight of 2010, UFC 109 will also mark the third fight in a six-month span.

I certainly don’t doubt the conditioning, skills or abilities of Randy Couture, considering he’s made a career of proving critics wrong, but it will be interesting to see if the heavier workload will have any impact on Couture inside the cage on Saturday night. Chances are it won’t, but when you normally take six months between bouts, and now you’re entering your third challenging fight in that same period of time, people are bound to be curious.

The rest of the card has a tasty betting mixture of one-sided matchups and a couple of fights that could go either way.

The one fight that has a real juicy line to bet on is Mike “Quick” Swick vs. Brazilian fighter Paulo Thiago in a Welterweight matchup. The line on Swick might be worth a second look; he’s coming into the fight as the -200 favorite to win.

Swick will be looking to strike his Brazilian opponent into unconsciousness, while at the same time trying to stay away from Thiago’s ground game and recently-proven heavy hands.

Thiago hasn’t received the respect that he should have after beating fan favorite Josh Koscheck, and then going the distance with No. 2 Welterweight Jon Fitch.

Swick is coming off a loss to Dan Hardy, the first real test he’s had in three years since his loss to Yushin Okami in 2007.

As just a +160 dog, Thiago won’t be a big payday if you pick him and he wins, but he does offer the best chance to bank an upset on the card. It’s still hard to imagine him winning as his stand-up style is wooden and awkward and he seems a knockout candidate every time out.

But that’s the beauty of UFC and why wagering on it can be so profitable as any man can win.

UFC 109′s Randy Couture v Mark Coleman: Two guys to Old to Fight is a post from: AroDrive

UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar called his recovery from a colon illness a “miracle” on Wednesday.

Announcing that he plans to resume his fighting career this summer, the former professional wrestler thanked just about everyone for supporting him. One notable exception was the Canadian medical staff who first treated him after his collapse.

It was Lesnar’s first televised interview since mysteriously vanishing from public view in mid-November. At the time, Ultimate Fighting Championship boss Dana White hinted cryptically that Lesnar’s life and career were in jeopardy. Later, he said that Lesnar had had surgery. That wasn’t true.

Wednesday, Lesnar told ESPN that his doctors informed him in October that his recurring stomach pain was due to mononucleosis.

“That didn’t sound right to me,” Lesnar said.

Nevertheless, he cancelled his upcoming title fight and headed off to western Canada on a hunting trip.

“I got up there and still didn’t feel right. I had severe stomach pain. And one night I woke up and I was in severe shock,” Lesnar said. “I had 104 (F) temperature and felt like I was shot in the guts. I went to the hospital in Canada, realized quickly that I had to get out of Canadian health care and get down to Bismarck (North Dakota), into the United States.”

Apparently, the irony of rushing back to the place where he’d first been misdiagnosed was lost on the 265 lb. wrestler.

However, this time, he said they got it right – telling him he had a ruptured diverticuli.

“I had a hole in my stomach,” Lesnar said.

He told ESPN that it was touch-and-go for weeks as to whether he would need to have a portion or all of his colon removed, ending his athletic career. He says his 11-day stay in hospital cost him 40 lbs. of body weight.

Then, in the new year, a “miracle.”

“(The doctors) were dumbfounded,” Lesnar said. “They couldn’t find any signs of any trouble with my stomach.

“I’ve had three or four different opinions. I’ve had colonoscopies (sic) done and CT scans done. There’s literally no sign of anything even existing in there,” Lesnar said. “I believe that the mind is a powerful thing.”

His boss, White, echoed the miracle theme. He said that the current plan is to have heavyweight contenders Shane Carwin and Frank Mir fight in March for an interim heavyweight champion designation. The winner will fight Lesnar in “the summer,” according to White.

“It’s been a crazy ride,” White said.

By Cathal Kelly

Brock Lesnar returns to UFC is a post from: AroDrive

Spike TV’s The Best of Pride Fighting Championships airs Monday at 11 p.m. ET/PT, it’s time to get acquainted with the show’s foxy host, Kenda Perez. Born in Laguna Beach, California, the Mexican-American model began drawing attention in 2007, when she earned a finalist spot in Maxim’s “‘Hometown Hotties” competition.

Kenda has represented Maxim at various promotional events, once guest-starred on 1 vs. 100 as an ambassador for the mag, and has become a familiar face in the crowd at UFC events.

You can learn more about Kenda at her official site, and follow her life on Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook. Lots more pics — plus a rather-amazing video of Kenda turning herself into an ice-cream sundae — await you after the jump… (Also check her myspace http://www.myspace.com/kendaperez)

Best of Pride’s Kenda Perez heavenly Body Examined – Eye Candy of the Week is a post from: AroDrive

In case ya’ll forgot, BJ Penn is one bad motherlover. And he reminded everyone why you should never bet against him ever again. Penn punished Diego Sanchez all night long en-route to a 5th round doctor’s stoppage victory to retain the UFC Lightweight Championship with a swift head kicked that busted Sanchez’s forehead open.

Diego Sanchez never figured out how to attack B.J. Penn on Saturday at UFC 107. Sanchez got destroyed on the feet. He suffered what looked like a broken nose, both of his eyes were blackened and a Penn kick ripped open a huge gash on his forehead. Anytime Sanchez came forward with a flurry, Penn stepped to his side and countered with two or three punches. Sanchez couldn’t score a single takedown in 16 attempts. It was clear Sanchez and his corner, which was still telling him to go for the takedown even before the fourth round, were lost against Penn.

It was satifying for the UFC lightweight champ, who thought a few years back that Sanchez was setting up a fight between them:

“I always had a feeling he wanted to fight me. I just kind of kept my mouth shut,” said Penn (15-5-1, 11-4-1, UFC). “He would always ask me to train with him. I know he wants to train with me to see what I have. Just like clockwork, he starts challenging me like a year later.”

Smart move on Penn’s part.

During the presser, Frank Mir said Penn is going to be tough to beat because he’s a great athlete, his boxing is excellent and he’s very technical. He suggested Frank Edgar would make a good fight while UFC matchmaker Joe Silva piped up and said don’t forget about Gray Maynard. Those two along with Tyson Griffin may be the last few real challenges for Penn sans rematches. Don’t sleep on what Kenny Florian looks like in 18 months working with a new camp. After that, Penn has got to be thinking about one more shot against Georges St. Pierre back at 170 pounds. When asked how he would put on the extra weight the correct way, Penn declined to answer and said he’s not thinking about it. A 31-year-old Penn is a much more composed and mature Penn as Sanchez found during his brutal beating.

Who else can beat him in his division? Penn might have to move back up and take another shot at GSP or somebody in the welterweight division because he has absolutely cleaned-out the lightweight stable.

BJ Penn Completely Dominated at UFC 107. Whats Next? is a post from: AroDrive

Sarah Ponce is now a Strikeforce fighter. She started her career in kick boxing racking up an impressive record of 12 wins and only one loss. Sarah holds a total of 4 kickboxing titles and she currently teaches and trains out of a gym in Houston, TX. In 2003 she was named Ujena model of the year (yeah, we don’t know what that means either) in which she traveled across Europe sprinkling the world with her ridiculously perfect body. Sarah ‘Sugar Foot’ Ponce also competed in something called World Combat League (Chuck Norris invented it) where she racked up an impressive score of 15 for her team the ‘Houston Enforcers’ (think IFL but with really hot chicks). In 2008 she competed in the Bejing Olympics in the Women’s 60kg Wushu Tournament (unfortunately she was blown out in the first round by an Egyptian chick named Walaa Abdelrazek).

Sarah Ponce and her trainer (a guy named Mike Altman) discussing her future participation in the Strikeforce 135lb tournament which will be held sometime in 2010. Sarah usually fights at around 123-130 so she’s going to put on a little weight.

We are guessing she still will be hot with 3 more pounds.

This is all we know at this time so if you guys have any more info please do let us know in the comment section.

For now, enjoy more images of the beautiful Sarah Ponce.

The Beautiful Sarah Ponce to Fight for Strikeforce in 2010 is a post from: AroDrive

Kim Randy and Ex - the good old dayz

MMA fans every where have been displeased with Kim Randy and now MMA fighter and former American Gladiator Erin Toughill is carrying the Hate flag further and going on the record.

“Kim was NEVER training MMA before she met Randy. Even if I married Randy (being at the “level” I am now) it would NEVER make me a world class Greco Roman wrestler lmfao thru marriage.

Kim has gone on record numerous times saying she “built” the Couture name/brand & it was nothing b4 her. Kim was interviewed post “sparring” with Wand Silva saying, “Silva had to turn it UP, when I turned it up” lol believing that she was actually making Wand spar HARD. She has said “it’s really hard for Randy to pass my rubber guard” lol believing that her “guard” can keep the ICON away. Kim had lunch w some ladies from the XC gym b4 her fight. She had some lip augmentation done. Girls askd howd it affect her fight? Kim said, “It would not. I dont get hit in sparring OR when I fight. I have a ‘black style’ when it comes to boxing”. That is word for word and it blew me away lol Kim has “improved everywhere” and has taken 3 weeks off from training in a year…yet lookd like she has been training for 3 weeks, total.

There are SO many women fighters that feel the same way…I just dont have an issue saying it. She has no business fighting nor taking spotlight from women who deserve to fight & cant seem to get a contract, like Roxy, Young, Tate…2 name a few. Yes, Im opinionated & ppl can love ot hate it lol but those quotes are not even in the same world.”

Erin Toughill

We don’t doubt that her words reflect the feelings of countless female fighters who toil in relative obscurity just to see an undeserving athlete take home the biggest check. Erin should take comfort in the fact that fame-by-association isn’t something that lasts in the world of MMA. The Couture name may have gotten Kim in the door, but she didn’t deliver, so you can expect Strikeforce to get off the Sugar Free train and start pushing the real prospect in Kerry Vera.

Kerry Vera

It’s clear Erin would mop the floor with Kim and hopefully Kim knows it. Kinda hilarious that Kim brags about “not getting hit in sparring”. I WONDER WHY? Could it have something to do with the fact that you are (were) the wife of the owner of the gym and are sparring with MEN who are professional fighters?

This is the MMA and all these talk from Kim will keep breeding hatred and that will not be good for her.

Erin for now leads the way, look for more to come.

Erin Toughill calls out Kim Randy is a post from: AroDrive

Erin Toughill may not be a recognizable name but she is on the fast track to a big payday for Strikeforce. Toughill has more experience that even the likes of Cyborg Santos and Gina Carano. She is an explosive fighter and like Carano, has the appearance that will draw legions of fans. She holds a career record of 18-4-2.

D- Erin, speak about your background in combat sports.

ET- I was an athlete my whole life. I started playing soccer at 4 years old then basketball, softball, all at very high levels throughout my adolescence. I started in BJJ with the Gi when I was about 18 or 19. I had been doing low level striking training before that. But I started getting VERY serious when I was about 21, and I had my first pro fight when I just turned 22, in 1999. So I found martial arts a little later in life, but I started fighting way before it was the “cool thing” to do…like it seems to be why people fight today.

SD- When did you start training for MMA specifically

ET- When I was 21. I never knew women did MMA. I was going to kickbox but overseas it was a big thing for women. So my career started there & I never looked back.

SD- How has your family reacted to you being a fighter?

ET-My family always, always supported me. My Dad didn’t like that his little girl was getting punched in the face lol but he knew I was a go-getter and if I was going to fight, it was so I could be the best. He knew my dedication and he respected that. My mom typically goes to all my fights. My sister and Dad were my biggest fans, and although they’re not here physically anymore, their spirits are always with me, pushing me to be the best.

SD- Talk about the difficulties and stereotypes of being a female mixed-martial artist.

ET-Obviously, that “women can’t fight.” Or of you “look” like a woman, you can’t fight. I think I’ve been around a very long time, and I do get respect from my peers. I’ve trained a few world champion males, so that speaks volumes. I think the casual fan will eventually embrace females as well, but it’ll take some time. But there will always be people that don’t want to see women fight. I don’t really care. I do what I want. You can watch or not.

SD- What do you feel are your greatest strengths and areas for improvement?

ET- I don’t know if my “strength” is standup, per say…I just prefer to strike. But, I’m working with a new grappling coach named Neil Melanson, and his style is catch wrestling…I work with Eric Paulson also who is a catch wreslter, and man, that stuff is violent. I think I’m just working on a more “aggressive” style of ground now. So, I’m always improving on everything, whether I’m good or not at something.

> Buy Strikeforce tickets & be sure to check out the great MMA clothing, hats & merchandise available through Pro Fighting Fans & partner sites.

SD- Talk about your training team and what your daily regiment consists of.

ET- I will be doing my camp in Las Vegas. All of the pieces aren’t finalized, but my grappling coach is my boyfriend, Neil Melanson. He’s the head grappling coach @ Randys, and he’s a catch wrestler. He has a violent style and trains many top fighters. If you’ve trained with him, you know it hurts while I’m in O.C. I train with Eric Paulson and Team ArchAngel. Brian Raunchbach is my Thai coach. I’m happy to be going to one place and have all my training close.

SD- Does it bother you that Santos and Carano have received more notoriety than you, yet their resumes are no more impressive?

ET- Hmmm, I don’t know if “bother” is the right word. First, Strikeforce had no idea I would be able to fight 145. Elite XC was courting me before they went under, but I myself did not think I’d be able to get to 150, which is where they wanted me. I KNEW if I wanted to fight, I’d have to drop. So when PFC signed me, it was 150, then 148, then 145. It’s a wicked weight cut, but this is what separates chumps from champs. You have to do the things normal people won’t do. And I’ve fought better competition than both combined, but it’s only to my advantage. Doesn’t really matter, my shot is coming soon…

SD- You appeared as Steel on American Gladiators. Talk about that experience.

ET- It was amazing. I was picked for Season 1, but thought it would be a bust so I never went to second auditions (laughs). They wanted real athletes in Season 2, so they specifically asked for me to come in. I got picked out of thousands. It was an honor and what an Iconic thing to be a part of.

SD- Thank you Erin. We will continue to monitor your career and look forward to the event on August 15th.

ET- I wanted to thank Neil Melanson and my sponsor, Cage Fighter. Of course MMA Agents and all the boys who work with Ken Pavia and Nate Brodnax. I am just trying to get the casual fan to know me, and I hope I can prove women can bring a great deal to this sport. Go to www.erintoughill.com and myspace.com/erintoughill for info on me.

By Scott Dryden
ProFighting-fans.com

Here’s more Erin Toughill:

Erin Toughill, Tough is more than just her Name is a post from: AroDrive

Though Josh Koscheck and Dana White have reportedly butted heads in the past, it’s clear that Kos is back on DW’s good side. For his second-round submission of Anthony Johnson at UFC 106 last night, Koscheck picked up both the $70,000 Submission of the Night bonus, and a $70,000 Fight of the Night bonus (which Johnson also received). As Dana White explained, “I have to publicly say that [Koscheck] always steps up, always wants to fight, fights the best in the world, and I’m blown away with his performance tonight.” Still, is that enough justification to reward the chaotic mess that Koscheck vs. Johnson turned out to be?

Koscheck’s $140,000 bonus take adds to the $106,000 in show/win money he earned from the fight, meaning he came up just short of headliners Ortiz and Griffin, who were paid $250,000 in disclosed salary. UFC 106′s Knockout of the Night bonus went to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who needed just under two minutes to run over Luis Cane.

— Though Koscheck declared himself “the #1 freakin’ contender in the [welterweight] division” after his win over Johnson, he won’t be leapfrogging Dan Hardy for the next shot at Georges St. Pierre’s belt. GSP vs. Hardy is already slated for February, and Koscheck said he hopes to fight again in December or January.

— After losing his rematch against Forrest Griffin, Tito Ortiz had just one thing on his mind: Rubber match. Particularly, one that would come after a head-to-head coaching stint on TUF 11. “It’d be awesome. We’d break records with that one…Dana and I talked before about possibly another (coaching stint on) ‘The Ultimate Fighter’. I don’t know. It’s in Dana’s hands.” Griffin said he was open to the idea, but White wouldn’t comment on it other to say that a rubber match between the two is possible.

— The only fight on the card that wasn’t shown on either the pay-per-view broadcast or Spike’s preliminary card broadcast (or both) was Caol Uno vs. Fabricio Camoes — and for good reason. After Camoes was deducted a point for illegal kicks to Uno’s head, the fight ended in a majority draw (29-27 Uno, 28-28 x 2).

— UFC 106 took in $3 million in live gate revenue from 10,529 attendees, which is the smallest crowd for a UFC event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center since UFC 64.

Report by: cagepotato

UFC 106 Prize Money, Bonuses and much more is a post from: AroDrive

Forrest Griffin finds his way back to the winner’s circle with a victory over Tito Ortiz this past Saturday at UFC 106. This was the second meeting between the two with the first being a close decision win by Tito Ortiz back at UFC 59. That fight was huge for Griffin as it showed the MMA world that he could compete with the best.

Following the battle between the two at UFC 59, Griffin established himself as a legit competitor at 205 and went to log victories against Shogun Rua and Quinton Jackson. Defeating Jackson for the light heavyweight championship as the underdog, which is a role Griffin is used to, was easily the biggest win of his career.

However, being champion is certainly easier said than done. Griffin went on to lose his first title defense against Rashad Evans. Griffin then signed up to face perhaps the best fighter in MMA today and possibly ever, Anderson Silva. The fight was originally supposed to be against Thiago Silva and Griffin jokingly chalked the switch in opponent to a clerical error by the UFC.

Silva walked right through Griffin in a first round victory in which Griffin failed to land one punch. After the loss Griffin ran from the ring which caused a little backlash from even the loyal Griffin fans. Griffin gained his fanfare for being a guy with huge heart and no quit in him, however on that night in many people’s opinions he quit.

Once again Griffin showed the fans that you cannot count him out of any situation. There were big questions of how Griffin would fair mentally following such a lopsided loss, but those questions were answered.

Griffin was in great shape as usual, came out and picked Ortiz apart. Ortiz was able to deliver some of his trademark ground and pound but it was clearly Griffin’s night as he outlasted Ortiz in convincing fashion.

Ortiz started strong but the time off clearly worked against him as going into the third round Ortiz was slow to react and even slower to attempt any offense. You have to respect him for coming back and facing a top guy like Griffin in his return but Ortiz was hardly the ‘Tito of old.’

Griffin can be marked with all the cliche sayings. Walking to the cage to the famed Chumbawamba song ‘Tubthumping’ was both fitting and funny, typical Griffin. Ortiz should have saved the ‘Run Forrest Run’ shirt for another day.

By Greg Garcia

Forrest Griffin finds redeemtion in victory over Tito Ortiz is a post from: AroDrive

Last month Brock Lesnar sat in a small-town, fast food restaurant, surrounded by blue-collar townies, munching on a five-dollar foot long. He was the reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title holder, yet unlike his old days as a professional wrestler/entertainer, he was far from the spotlight.

His life was now about family, training and humble hard work. It was the antithesis of his days making millions in the cutthroat, 300-days-on-the-road, close-down-the-nightclubs-fast-lane of the WWE.

That was an existence he grew to detest, so much so that five years ago he walked away from a multi-million dollar contract with no job.

Then an interesting thing happened. By moving to real fighting, he found the real Brock Lesnar.

“This is who I am,” he said. “I’m a fighter.”

Now Lesnar is in for the biggest fight of his life; dealing with a serious illness – at this point just described as “bacterial infection in his intestinal tract.” He had “minor surgery” in Bismarck, N.D. Tuesday, according to UFC president Dana White.

“Not 100 (percent) sure he is out of the woods but (he’s) feeling better,” White wrote via Twitter.

The illness has caused the postponement of one title defense and, according to White, could even cost him his budding second-career.

“There’s a possibility Lesnar will never fight again,” White told TMZ.com on Monday.

Lesnar is famously private and precise details of what’s wrong have not been released. His management team and the UFC have declined further comment. All we know is that he grew so weak during an October training camp that he had to pull out of a fight that was scheduled for this Saturday.

The first diagnosis was mono. White said Saturday, though, that Lesnar was “very, very sick.” While he wouldn’t reveal the illness, he said it wasn’t cancer or HIV. There is no word on whether Tuesday’s surgery solves the problem or is just the first of many treatments.

Either way, for Lesnar the person, the timing is tough.

The 32-year old had entered a period of professional success, personal contentment and family bliss (a new baby boy with his wife, former wrestling star Sable, while living near his second grade daughter from a previous relationship).

It was a journey that was a long time and numerous bold lifestyle changes in the making.

After winning a NCAA wrestling championship at the University of Minnesota in 2000, Lesnar entered the scripted WWE as a natural born star. At 6-3, 300-pounds, he boasted incredible athletic ability and a natural touch as an actor. He was a headliner by 2002 and for three years made millions while living the predictable wild life on the road of someone young, rich and famous.

“You could either stay in or go out,” he said. “Guess which I chose?”

Increasingly he detested it. He was miserable. He later got a tattoo of a sword on his chest, blade pointed at his neck.

“At the time it symbolized someone (having) a knife up against my throat,” he said.

The WWE has a long, ugly history of pushing its wrestlers to cut corners and compete at all costs. Dozens of pro wrestlers have died young, even in their 20s and 30s. Others have pointed to a culture of steroids (Lesnar has denied ever taking them), pain killers and substance abuse.

Whatever the reason, Lesnar did what few do. He walked away. He attempted to get out of his contract by trying out for the Minnesota Vikings even though he hadn’t played football since high school. He almost made the team.

He pro wrestled in Japan, got into a legal battle with the WWE and, in 2006, just retired and left everything behind. The $7 million contract. The all-night parties. The rush of fame.

His decision is beyond rare – there’s a reason they’ll never run out of subjects for “True Hollywood Stories.”

Lesnar said he’d rather farm than continue. The fake wrestler was going to be true to himself. He had no clear career path. He said he was depressed. He bought some land. He ran a tractor.

Then he gave mixed martial arts a chance and after one contest approached Dana White.

“Let me fight,” Lesnar begged back in 2007. “Give me one chance.”

The UFC is the highest level of cage fighting, filled with experts at things like Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai boxing. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll get hurt. Even a former NCAA wrestling champ.

“It’s no place for on the job training,” White cautioned.

Lesnar didn’t care.

“I’m either good at this or I’m not,” he said, asking for world class competition from the start, unwilling to waste any more of the present as he searched for a future.

In less than a year he was the UFC heavyweight champion and its biggest box office draw. It turns out he wasn’t just good at MMA, he was great at it.

Suddenly he could earn millions by fighting just a few times a year. Gone were weeks with seven shows in seven cities. It was a real sport. He retreated to Alexandria, Minn., a working-class town a two-hour drive northwest of Minneapolis. It’s where his daughter lives.

He and Sable bought a 40-acre farm in the woods. They had their first son in June. He became the rare athlete who openly discussed trying to be the best father and husband he could.

When not working out at a non-descript training facility, he hunts and fishes. He drives rusted, used trucks. He doesn’t have the Internet. If it weren’t for an occasional hunting show and NFL football, he’d throw out his television. He eats at Subway.

He couldn’t be happier. He’s found balance.

“Fighting is not my life,” he said last month, eating a meatball sub. “My family is my life. I know who I am and what I’m about. My wife knows who I am. My children know who I am. My friends. That’s all that matter to me.”

He’s poured himself into becoming a better fighter, paying training partners and experts to come in and make him better.

He was on the verge of a long career, perhaps even an extended run as the champion. Everything was humming, professionally and personally. The gamble of walking away from the circus and into an honest life had paid off.

Then a week after we had lunch in Alexandria, he got sick. Then he got sicker. Now he might need further hospitalization, surgery, treatment, who knows.

Now everything is up in the air for a guy who found happiness by getting grounded.

By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports

Brock Lesnar, UFC and he’s Health is a post from: AroDrive

That petite brunette with the thousand-watt smile is Logan Stanton, a 20-year-old model from Niceville, Florida, who, contrary to Internet rumors, is not at all related to Arianny Celeste. She is, however, a longtime UFC fan and self-described “dork” who likes to scarf chocolate and play with beads. We got the inside story on how she got the gig, what Octagon Girls do when they’re not on camera, and lots more…

***

Question: So first things first — Is Logan Stanton your real name?
LOGAN STANTON: Yeah. My sister named me. My parents thought I was going to be boy, and they just liked the name so well that they kept it for me. But I like it — it goes with my personality because I’m not a girly-girl, I’m kind of a tomboy.

How long have you been modeling?
My mom was pushing me to do this since I was about nine, but I’d never had any real interest until I turned 18. I decided I needed to get out of Niceville and do my own thing for a bit, so I came to Miami and was picked up by an agency. I’ve been down here modeling full-time since last January, going back and forth between Miami and L.A.

UFC fans have been buzzing about you ever since you made your Octagon Girl debut last month. How did you wind up getting hired by the UFC?
It was probably the most random thing that’s ever happened to me. The agency called me last month and told me to come by the office, and they were like “Have you ever heard of something called the UFC?” I said, “Are you kidding me, of course I’ve heard of it, I’ve been watching it forever.” I didn’t understand why, but the UFC wanted to meet with me, so they flew me out to Vegas, and I met with [UFC VP] Craig [Borsari] and Dana [White]. I told them, “honestly, I don’t know why I’m here — I don’t have big boobs, I’m not blonde,” and they said that’s not what they were looking for at all.

Then they explained to me what an Octagon Girl does. I’ve always watched the shows, and I’ve been dying to go to one ever since I started following it. It just sounded like a very cool opportunity. They said there was a fight [later that month], and if I was ready to go I could do that one. I needed a few days to let it sink in, so I went home for Christmas, and my friends and family got me all hyped up about it.

Is this going to be an ongoing gig, or did you only sign up for a certain amount of appearances?
Hopefully ongoing. I haven’t signed anything yet, so it’s hard to say. But I guess until I trip or something I’m here to stay. [laughs]

You were in front of an audience of over 14,000 people at UFC 92, with over a million more people watching at home. How did you deal with the nerves?

I’ve never been good at getting up in front of people. When I had to give presentations at school, I was always terrified — you know, when your heart starts beating really fast and you can’t get any words out? So I was freaking out for a couple weeks leading up to the event. Then Leslie took me into the arena and I saw everything, and it wasn’t as big and scary as I thought it would be, and I somehow got over my nerves. I wasn’t nervous at all — I just had a blast with it. I was really comfortable.

Obviously, we never get to see what the Octagon Girls are doing during the fights. What do you do when you’re not holding a card? Did you and Arianny just talk the whole time, or do you just kind of sit there doing nothing?
Well, me and Arianny have our seats on the side of the ring, and we talked to fans for a bit, and stopped by to see people that Arianny knew in the audience. But a lot of the time I was texting my parents and my boyfriend, and taking pictures on my phone — I know that sounds cheesy but I was really excited to see all the fighters. Other than that, we just hung out and watched the fights.

Did Arianny give you any good advice about how to handle yourself as a ring girl?
She just said to be yourself, and not take anything that people say too seriously. That’s about it. I got more advice from Leslie, who walked me through everything before the event started, and told me how to hold the cards and who to watch out for — the photographers, cameramen, stepping over wires. There’s a lot of people on the side of the ring that you never see.

Are the fans respectful for the most part, or did you hear any crude comments from the guys there?
They were respectful. I mean, there were a lot of cheers and people would shout out things every now and then. One guy yelled “take it off!” at one point, and I got thrown off by that, but I wasn’t offended or anything. Everyone was really nice, and after the fights I got so many e-mails supporting me and congratulating me. So, I haven’t heard anything yet that breaks my heart.

What did you do after the event was over? Were there afterparties to go to, or did you just go back to your hotel?
There were afterparties — Arianny had hers, and a few of the fighters had theirs — but I went back to my hotel room. I had to be up at 3 o’clock to catch my flight the next morning, so I got like two-and-a-half, three hours of sleep. I like to go out, but I know my limitations. And I’m only 20! [laughs] So I stayed in instead of dealing with all of that. Kind of dorky.

Speaking of which, your page on UFC.com says you’re “a big dork and always have craft projects going on.” What was the last thing you made?
I made a bracelet the other day. I’ve been into the whole jewelry-making thing lately. I have a lot of friends who make jewelry and are very creative, so I was inspired to try it myself. I went to this bead store nearby, bought a bunch of beads and sat here for like three or four hours in my apartment working away at it while everyone else was at the beach. But I like to have alone time, and I like to have days to myself where I can do dorky things like that. Anything that can keep me entertained.

Also, under favorite foods, it says “Chocolate!”, with an exclamation mark and everything. How deep does your obsession go?
It’s actually ridiculous. I eat it as soon as I wake up in the morning. I probably have a cup of hot chocolate every night. I have chocolate ice cream in my fridge right now. My favorite thing is chocolate-covered peanuts. I actually eat around the peanut, and just eat the chocolate.

Well that’s all I have for you, Logan, so good luck on Saturday and thanks so much for talking with us. Is there anybody you want to thank or shout out before we sign off?
My parents and my sister, obviously. My boyfriend, and all my friends from Niceville, Miami, and L.A. And everyone from the UFC who’s taken me on board with them!

Logan Stanton on Life being a UFC Girl. is a post from: AroDrive

Last night’s UFC event in Manchester, England sure drew the locals out of their pubs, setting a new UFC record for attendance at a European event with 16,693 attendees for a live gate of more than $2 million.  That means the UFC had plenty of spare cash for bonuses, and they gave out $40,000 bumps to Michael Bisping and Denis Kang (Fight of the Night), Terry Etim (Submission of the Night), and Denis Siver (KO of the Night).  Etim was the easy choice, since he had the night’s only submission, but we would have thought that Andre Winner earned a KO bonus with the memory-eraser you see above.

Siver’s must have been truly spectacular, or else the UFC is using him as part of a money laundering scheme.  It’s definitely one of those two.

Of course, the decision that handed Randy Couture the win over Brandon Vera at UFC 105 is already being called “controversial,” though it was such a close three-round fight that we’d probably be hearing the same gripes if it had gone the other way.  Sure, Vera came the closest to finishing the fight, but that one burst of offense in the econd round was the most significant action of the fight.  Aside from that, it was a lot of Couture pressing Vera up against the fence, stifling any attempts at offense.  That’s never going to be easy to score or even all that satisfying to watch.  One thing we can all agree on, though….

You can’t trust the brigands in the UK crowd.  Den of thieves, it is.

(The word you’re looking for is, Daaaamn! Props: MMA TKO)

By www.cagepotato.com

UFC 105 Financial Success in London England is a post from: AroDrive

Many would agree that the Fedor vs Rogers event was a huge success for the Strikeforce promotion. The ratings are reportedly solid in all the major demographics that CBS was aiming towards. But after having such a successful show, where do the fighters and the promotion go from here? WCS takes a look at what might be in store for the UFC’s toughest competitor, and some of this weekends winners.

Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko: Title shot or no shot?

Most people would assume that Fedor would naturally fight for the Strikeforce heavyweight title next. But Alistair Overeem, the current heavyweight champ, hasn’t defended his title in over two years.  Getting Fedor a matchup with the champ might prove difficult, even for Scott Coker the CEO of Strikeforce (as crazy as that sounds).

One would imagine that Coker would want Fedor to win the title, just based on the fan base of the Russian fighter.  Oh, yeah, and maybe the fact that “The Last Emperor” has been the number one ranked heavyweight for too many years to keep track of.  Surprisingly though, Fabricio Werdum (who also won this last Saturday) called out the Russian fighter, and Coker seems to be considering the matchup.  The CEO admitted that it “makes a lot of sense”.

Basically, Fedor will probably fight either Werdum (just for the heck of it), or he would vie for the Strikeforce heavyweight title against Overeem (if the CEO of Strikeforce can get the heavyweight to defend his title…at least once).

Jake Shields Strikeforce Middleweight Champ: Will he or won’t he defend his title before going after the welterweight title?

The Gracie jiu-jitsu blackbelt is riding a thirteen fight win streak (according to Sherdog.com) after his win over Miller.  So, it might not matter which division he fights in because he looks unstoppable.

With that said, there is much more competition in the middleweight division for Shields.  He has yet to fight the always exciting Nick Diaz, however Diaz would be a very good opponent for the welterweight division; as both fighters switch between the welterweight and middleweight divisions.

If all parties can agree, the winner of the upcoming Cung Le vs Scott Smith fight would be a very good test for Shields at middleweight.  Le was the last middleweight champ, but vacated the title to focus on a career in film.  However after only a month of vacating the belt, Le is back and fighting for the company.  Shields views this coincidence as an attempt by Le to purposefully dodge a bout between the two.

Hopefully, for the fans, Le takes offense to the allegation that he’s dodging Shields, and then goes out and beats Smith and agrees to fight Shields.  Heck, Shields doesn’t even need to put the title on the line if Le doesn’t think he’ll be around to defend it.  As it stands, a Shields vs Le fight would be the most interesting for the new champ.

Most likely though, Shields will defend his belt at middleweight at least once (perhaps against Ronaldo Souza in what would look like a submission grappling match) before moving down to the welterweight division to try for that title.

Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi: Is anyone left?

Mousasi is probably one of the most promising fighters in all of MMA at only twenty-four years of age.  The only problem is that he has already beaten the majority of Strikeforces contenders.

The Dreamcatcher”  has wins over Sokoudjou, Sobral, Hunt and Souza in his last four fights and is riding a fourteen fight win streak (according to Sherdog.com).  Strikeforce recently signed big name free agent Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal to compete in the light-heavyweight division, but with only five professional fights he is probably still to inexperienced to contend for the title.  Not only that, Lawal is already scheduled to fight an undisclosed opponent in December at Strikeforce: Evolution.

It will be interesting to see who Strikeforce can find to challenge Mousasi, as he is probably too big to cut down to middleweight.  But, if that’s possible, a bout between Mousasi and Shields would be awesome (although very very unlikely).  Strikeforce only has one other fighter ranked in the top fifteen in the division, and that’s Sobral, who was just beat by the twenty-four year old in July.

Perhaps if Lawal can win his debut fight with the promotion he can earn a title-shot, otherwise who else is left for Mousasi?

Strikeforce: How does Coker follow up on Saturday’s success?

There are two things that Coker can do to help continue the success the promotion has experienced so far.  Number one is to continue with positive media exposure.  The second is to continue to aggressively recruit talent.

Strikeforce needs to continue to feature shows on CBS and provide good quality cards for the fans if they want to be successful.  No duh, right?  Well, it’s easier said than done.  That’s why talent is important too.

Coker is doing a good job of keeping shows coming regularly.  There’s the Strikeforce Challengers series for the regular Showtime shows, and now he has implemented other, larger, shows. More big time shows helps to keep his promotions name in the mainstream media which is the ultimate goal.

Another way Coker has stayed in the media is by signing big name free agents.  The Strikeforce CEO has recently signed Lawal, Herschel Walker, and Marius Zaromskis.  All three signings (especially the Walker signing) were talked about in the media.  Wisconsin native Ben Askren, Dan Henderson, Shanya Aoki, and Bobby Lashley are all potential free agents that Strikeforce could go after.

Expect Strikeforce to use the success from Fedor vs Rogers as a blueprint for future shows.  The exposure and revenues gained should allow the promotion to sign one or two of the free agents mentioned above, which will help build the Strikeforce roster and make the bouts more competitive.

Coker seems to have the company moving in the right direction, his slow and steady approach, while maximizing media exposure should be enough to give the UFC cause for concern.  Expect Strikeforce to follow the current strategy and continue to build its fan base and solidify itself financially.

by Maxwell Destree

Fedor vs Rogers whats Next? is a post from: AroDrive

(Props: ArkhamAsylum via TheGarv)

Those lucky enough to attend the Paradise Warrior Retreat Center luncheon Sunday in Hoffman Estates, Ill., following Saturday’s Strikeforce/M-1 Global “Fedor vs. Rogers” got a real treat.

Fedor Emelianenko watched his seven-minute bout with Brett Rogers for the first time and broke down his thoughts on his performance through his interpreter.

Here are some highlights:

On letting Rogers’ first strike slip through: “Well, as it happens with me pretty often, I missed the first punch, which really wasn’t very painful, but I got cut. But to tell the truth, Brett is a very strong and dangerous opponent, and when I tried to take him down, he was very slippery because he was sweating. I was trying to control the situation. In the course of the fight, I could feel that I had the dominant position, and was in control, and instead Brett was leaving his positions.”

On the second round: “In the second round, now that I can see it, what I tried to do was use different speeds — attack, clinch, attack, clinch — to (get) him tired. Looking at his game, I could see that he was getting loose, he’s getting tired and then I managed to catch his certain movements” for the knockdown punch.

On fighting in the cage for the first time: “I didn’t think about that that much, but I didn’t have any complications or difficulties. (Fighting) in the cage is a little bit different than the ring, but we worked hard and I learned some special (techniques) from my trainers.”

On the mental game: “When I go into the ring, I try not to think of the victory or the loss. I’m preparing for the fight and I hope that everything will go the way it needs to go today.”

On what he learned from the fight: “I still have some gaps in my techniques, in my skills, and that’s why my trainers press me hard to work hard and improve. In spite of the fact that they try to work me hard and make my game perfect, I still, in some places, I look a little bit clumsy.”

On humility: “I am the way that I am, but I always remember that the harder a person gets, the more it hurts to fall down. That’s why I think about all the results (that come from) what I do in a calm way. Also, I try to treat all people the same way. We’re all human beings, with two arms, two legs and all of us are equal in front of God.”

To find out more about Paradise Warrior Retreat Center’s training seminars and other special events, go to www.paradisewarriorretreat.com

by Sherdog.com

Fedor Emelianenko on the Epic Battle “Fedor vs. Rogers” is a post from: AroDrive

I was just clicking around Twitter, you know, waiting for my Hot Pocket to cook and reading every inane thought that pops into War Machine’s head, when I saw that Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco has formally challenged Anderson Silva to a fight in the UFC and Dana White, presumably after doing a thorough check with Silva’s management, accepted the offer. Boom! January 2nd, UFC 108 in Las Vegas, Chad Ochocinco vs. Anderson Silva for the middleweight strap. Done deal.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. This seems just a little far-fetched. I mean, isn’t Silva too hurt to fight in January? And not only does Ochocinco not have any professional MMA fights, much less a contract with the UFC, but the Bengals actually have their last game of the season the very next day at the New York Jets. How’s he going to swing that? The answer is, I don’t know and I don’t care. It must be true because it was on freaking Twitter, the most trusted source of information/self-absorbed sentence fragments of our time.

According to Ochocinco, he’s “dead serious” and has “a good chance at winning against Silva.” And why not? One of the world’s best pound-for-pound fighters, if not the best, facing an NFL wide receiver who’s never fought professionally, sounds like a totally serious, not at all absurd, fight of the year candidate to me. I just wonder how current UFC 108 headliners Cain Velasquez, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Rashad Evans, and Thiago Silva are going to feel when they see this:

Report By www.cagepotato.com

Chad Ochocinco to Fight Anderson Silva at UFC 108 is a post from: AroDrive

Nothing has been substantiated, but rumors are flying around the MMA sewing circle that Kimbo Slice will be dropping to 205 pounds and taking on a fighter with a similar, street-oriented style of slugging in Houston Alexander.

The fight is allegedly targeted for the TUF 10 Finale on December 5th.  Slice was pinned underneath talented grappler Roy Nelson’s crucifix and subsequently saved by the referee in Slice’s lone battle on “The Ultimate Fighter.  The likable bareknuckle fighter will continue his transition to the top echelon of MMA with the hopes that he can use the knowledge imparted during his time training at American Top Team and show the world he belongs in the UFC.

Houston Alexander made a head-turning debut in the UFC by viciously knocking out Keith Jardine and Alessio Sakara with a brutal and relentless display of malicious headhunting, leaving both fighters asleep on the canvas only moments after the bell sounded.  He was eventually released after three consecutive losses in which he was finished (also in the first round) by Thiago Alves, James Irvin, and Eric Schafer.

Kimbo Slice is Back against Houston Alexander is a post from: AroDrive