Source: http://www.5thRound.com/117790/phil-davis-now-meets-wagner-prado-at-ufc-on-fox-4/
Vitor Belfort Robert Berry David Bielkheden Michael Bisping Dan Bobish
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Phil Davis Now Meets Wagner Prado at ‘UFC on FOX 4′
According to MMAWeekly, an undisclosed injury has forced Chad Griggs out of his August 4th shootout with Phil Davis (Pictured). As we all know full well, the Octagon show waits for no man, as unbeaten Wagner Prado has agreed to make his big league debut against “Mr. Wonderful.” After posting an unblemished record through his [...]
Nacho appreciation thread
You know whats awesome? Nachos. You know whats also awesome on nachos? pineapple. Yeah thats right. people think i am weird for that. I say...
Source: http://forums.ufc.production.sparkart.net/showthread.php?t=118858&goto=newpost
Kendall Grove Clay Guida Jason Guida Melvin Guillard Cody Guinn
Brock Lesnar meets behind closed doors with UFC President Dana White
Like a real-life version of a WWE storyline it appears Brock Lesnar could be returning to Mixed Martial Arts after retiring late last year and returning to the squared-circle for program with John Cena. Fans watching last night’s UFC 146 PPV were treated to the image of Lesnar sitting in the crowd to watch the [...]
Source: http://www.fighters.com/05/27/brock-lesnar-meets-behind-closed-doors-with-ufc-president-dana-white
Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison Logan The Pink Pounder Clark Steve The Snake Claveau Rich No Love Clementi
It's either blue cheese with wings or go **** your mother!
joey diaz is the funniest man on the planet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhP-vABgknQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhP-vABgknQ
Source: http://forums.ufc.production.sparkart.net/showthread.php?t=118845&goto=newpost
Aleksander Emelianenko Fedor Emelianenko Yasubey Enomoto Mark Epstein Tom Big Cat Erickson
UFC 146 results: Stefan Struve submits Lavar Johnson with 65-second armbar
LAS VEGAS - Stefan Struve quickly alleviated any fears of a plodding pace to the UFC's first modern-day all-heavyweights main card.In the first main-card bout of UFC 146, Struve pulled guard and quickly submitted knockout artist Lavar Johnson with a slick armbar.
The bout took place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and aired on pay-per-view following prelims on FX and Facebook.
Cyril Abidi Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama
did melendez win?
i gotta go with no. close, but no. thomson got robbed, and after seeing gil's performance i'm not sure i can call him the best LW anymore. i thought he was. edgar would keep it standing and outbox...
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?78507-did-melendez-win&goto=newpost
Cyril Abidi Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama
Final Fantasy
Seen in some previous Video Game threads some opinions on which was the best FF game/ most fun and challenging. I was just on the PS3 store, thinking...
Source: http://forums.ufc.production.sparkart.net/showthread.php?t=118809&goto=newpost
Daiki DJ taiki Hata He Peng David Heath Delson Heleno Dan Henderson
UFC 146 Recap: Dos Santos Stops Mir to Retain Belt, Velasquez Bloodies Silva
UFC 146 took place Saturday night live from Las Vegas, Nevada. The first ever all heavyweight card did not disappoint for action. In the main event, heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos kept the fight upright to batter Frank Mir and retain his heavyweight crown. In the co-main event of the evening, former champion Cain Velasquez destroyed Antonio Silva. In other action, Roy Nelson, Stipe Miocic, and Stefan Struve all notched victories on the card.
Roger Gracie Rolles Gracie Royce Gracie Royler Gracie Ryan Gracie
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Rebellion MMA Radio: Marcus Brimage, Chad Robichaux, and Liz Carmouche
It’s Memorial Day Weekend and, hopefully, people are showing some love for the troops in-between grilling and chilling with friends. Rebellion MMA Radio is honoring the holiday on this Sunday night’s show with a lineup featuring a trio of talented fighters who have also spent time in the military. Joining hosts Mitch Ciccarelli (who is [...]
Source: http://www.fighters.com/05/26/rebellion-mma-radio-marcus-brimage-chad-robichaux-and-liz-carmouche
Vitor Belfort Robert Berry David Bielkheden Michael Bisping Dan Bobish
UFC 146 – Quick Results and Bonuses
Event: UFC 146 Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada When: Saturday 26th May Results Junior Dos Santos def. Frank Mir via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:04 Cain Velasquez def. Antonio Silva via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:36 Roy Nelso...
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmahq/main/~3/oN1NUaJAxlc/
Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira Patrick The Predator Côté Randy The Natural Couture Dan Cramer
Watch today's Cage Warriors Fight Night 6 event live on MMAjunkie.com at 2 p.m. ET
On right now:
http://mmajunkie.com/news/28859/watch-todays-cage-warriors-fight-night-6-event-live-on-mmajunkie-com-at-2-p-m-et.mma
http://mmajunkie.com/news/28859/watch-todays-cage-warriors-fight-night-6-event-live-on-mmajunkie-com-at-2-p-m-et.mma
Gregor Gracie Ralek Gracie Renzo Gracie Rickson Gracie Rodrigo Gracie
Jon Jones: “It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I’m down.”
Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has broken the relative silence surrounding his arrest this past Saturday for suspicion of driving under the influence. The UFC star was picked up by police near his home in New York after driving his Bentley into a utility pole. He is not believed to have suffered any serious injuries [...]
Marcelo Brito Rob Broughton Mike Brown Junie Browning Paul Buentello
Nick Diaz no-shows for grappling superfight, Facebook post blames ‘shady promoter’
Most importantly, he was supposed to show up for his first competitive match-up since being suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission for a positive marijuana test after losing to Carlos Condit in February. He didn't.
Diaz never showed up to the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo in Long Beach, where the bout was scheduled to take place. Estima was reasonably steamed for the no-show.
"I know he's supposed to be the big MMA bad guy and he's all tough, he's supposed to be showbiz, but what is this?" said Estima. "When you make an announcement that you're going to fight for charity and you don't show up, what the hell is going on? It's not about showbiz. It's about being a good person. I don't know what is going on."
The Facebook page that purports to represent the Diaz brothers had this post on it early Sunday morning:
Promoter fails to donate the money to charity as agreed. (shady) Promoter changes rules for weigh ins to accommodate fellow Brazilian
Match ain't happening
When Estima communicated with the WJJE organizers that he couldn't get down to the agreed-upon 180-pound weight limit, they renegotiated the weight to 185 pounds. Diaz's camp agreed to the weight change ahead of time. As for the donation, could Diaz not have deposited his purse into his account and then written a check to St. Jude's? Taking five minutes to make the donation himself surely would have been better than depriving the hospital completely.
And if he really made the decision not to show up because of the promoters, he should have communicated it to his fans well before they spent $12.95 on the live stream of the event. That decision would have truly hurt the "shady" promoters in their wallets.
Instead, Diaz again decided not to show up for a commitment. In October, he skipped out on several media opportunities before his planned title fight and was removed from the bout. Again, he bizarrely blamed everyone but himself.
At this point, Diaz not following through on his commitments is par for the course. The MMA world shouldn't expect anything else.
--
Follow Cagewriter on Facebook and Twitter.
Gilbert Aldana José Aldo John Alessio Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida
James Wilks, TUF winner and UFC veteran, retires after warnings of possible paralysis
Wilks had a serious knee injury that kept him out of the Octagon. His last bout was a loss to Claude Patrick in October of 2010. When that healed, a neck injury from his rugby-playing days flared up and Wilks realized how serious previous warning signs were.
"I had problems in a couple of the fights that I didn't really talk about," he said. "In one of the fights, I got hit, and the whole left side of my body went numb, all the way down to the toes."
Even with the doctors' warnings, Wilks called the decision difficult, particularly because he went out on a loss. He went 1-2 in the UFC after beating DaMarques Johnson in the TUF finale. As more fighters age, they will be faced with the issue of retirement. Kudos to Wilks for being strong enough to walk away before he was damaged permanently.
Martinsh Egle Eric Butterbean Esch Efrain Escudero Rashad Evans Urijah Faber
Hulk Hogan On WWE.com, How Old Is Paul Heyman?, More
– The official WWE website has ranked Hulk Hogan turning his back on millions of Hulkamaniacs to join Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in forming one of the most infamous groups in history, the New World Order, as No. 1 in their “List This: Legends of the Fall.”
– Former WWE talent Paul Heyman turns 46 years old today.
– Rosa Mendes, who has not appeared on WWE programming since SummerSlam, posted her first message on Twitter since August 20 by ranting about fellow SmackDown Diva A.J. The three-year veteran doesn’t feel ...
– Former WWE talent Paul Heyman turns 46 years old today.
– Rosa Mendes, who has not appeared on WWE programming since SummerSlam, posted her first message on Twitter since August 20 by ranting about fellow SmackDown Diva A.J. The three-year veteran doesn’t feel ...
Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2011/09/hulk-hogan-on-wwe-com-how-old-is-paul-heyman-more/
Jason Mayhem Miller Talks Retirement, Incident At UFC 146
Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller Talks About Retirement And Incident At UFC 146 With Burt Watson That Made Dana White So Mad. Amazon.com Widgets
Source: http://www.mmatko.com/jason-mayhem-miller-talks-retirement-incident-at-ufc-146/
Kotetsu Boku Tony Bonello Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo Kyle Bradley
Chris Jericho Suspended in Brazil
---Quote---
Source: TMZ.com
A WWE event in Brazil came to a screeching halt Thursday evening … when local law enforcement stopped a live match and threatened to arrest Chris Jericho for...
Source: TMZ.com
A WWE event in Brazil came to a screeching halt Thursday evening … when local law enforcement stopped a live match and threatened to arrest Chris Jericho for...
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?78540-Chris-Jericho-Suspended-in-Brazil&goto=newpost
Brock Lesnar's meeting with Dana White on UFC return reportedly "did not go well"
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
The hype for Brock Lesnar's potential return to the UFC is being slowed down already, as a report from Dave Meltzer at The Wrestling Observer suggests initial talks between Lesnar and UFC President Dana White were rocky.
The two met following UFC 146 on Saturday night to discuss a potential return, and Meltzer stated that things didn't go as well as hoped.
"We don't have any details other than the meeting did not go well," the report read, with Meltzer further speculating, "If Lesnar being at UFC is mentioned on Raw, then I'd guess it's [a] WWE angle. If it's not, then it's anyone's guess what the game being played is, other than there is a game being played."
Where that leaves things remained to be seen, but it's something that will be followed as long as further developments are made.
Penick's Analysis: Depending on what happens on tonight's WWE program, this could all be Lesnar and the WWE trying to use the UFC return as part of their angle. If that's the case, and it was brought to White's attention that was the case, then it would make sense for the meeting to "not go well." If Lesnar's legitimately looking to return to fight, White may be open to things, but using the UFC as a piece of the WWE's storytelling isn't likely to go over well with them.
[Brock Lesnar art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
 |
The two met following UFC 146 on Saturday night to discuss a potential return, and Meltzer stated that things didn't go as well as hoped.
"We don't have any details other than the meeting did not go well," the report read, with Meltzer further speculating, "If Lesnar being at UFC is mentioned on Raw, then I'd guess it's [a] WWE angle. If it's not, then it's anyone's guess what the game being played is, other than there is a game being played."
Where that leaves things remained to be seen, but it's something that will be followed as long as further developments are made.
Penick's Analysis: Depending on what happens on tonight's WWE program, this could all be Lesnar and the WWE trying to use the UFC return as part of their angle. If that's the case, and it was brought to White's attention that was the case, then it would make sense for the meeting to "not go well." If Lesnar's legitimately looking to return to fight, White may be open to things, but using the UFC as a piece of the WWE's storytelling isn't likely to go over well with them.
[Brock Lesnar art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_13453.shtml
Tony Fryklund Kazuyuki Fujita Masakatsu Funaki Zelg Benkei Galesić Mauro Galvao
Monday, May 28, 2012
WWE Smackdown Preview 5.25.12: Sheamus Still Champ, Christian's Back, Sandow Enlightens Tatsu
Here’s what’s up for tonight’s Smackdown, spoiler-free as always, taken from WWE’s officially announced matches as well as things I make up: Looks like we’re getting a new #1 contender for Sheamus‘s World Heavyweight Title–WWE.com is listing Randy Orton, Alberto Del Rio, Chris Jericho okay not Chris Jericho anymore, Christian, and most everyone else on the roster [...]
Lee Hasdell Musse Hasselvall Daiki DJ taiki Hata He Peng David Heath
Rafaello Oliveira vs. Yoislandy Izquierdo set for UFC 148
In what is most likely a 'loser leaves town' match, lightweights Rafaello Oliveira (14-5) and Yoislandy Izquierdo (6-1) have been pitted against one another on the impending UFC 148 fight card. UFC 148 is scheduled for July 7 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/28741/rafaello-oliveira-vs-yoislandy-izquierdo-set-for-ufc-148/
Edgar Garcia Leonard Garcia Andrew Gardner Tiki Ghosn Dennis George
Vitor Belfort Posts Picture of Broken Hand Following Surgery
Just in case fans didn’t take UFC president Dana White for his word when he announced Vitor Belfort would have to withdraw from UFC 147 with a broken left hand, Belfort took the initiative to post a picture of his surgically-repaired haymaker as proof. “Cannot sleep thinking about what happened. I am very sad very [...]
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/117418/vitor-belfort-posts-picture-of-broken-hand-following-surgery/
Marvin Eastman Stav Crazy Bear Economou Yves Edwards Justin Eilers Jon Olav Einemo
MOORE'S UK MMA BLOG: Dan Hardy, Paul Sass wins at UFC 146 continue solid year for UK fighters in the UFC
By: Dan Moore, MMATorch UK Contributor
Victories for UK fighters just keep on coming so far this year. Dan Hardy and Paul Sass were both first round winners at UFC 146, and thankfully both did the job by sticking to what they are good at.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, losing consecutive fights to GSP, Carlos Condit, an oversized Anthony Johnson and Chris Lytle is nothing to be ashamed of. Admittedly Hardy knows he has been very lucky to keep his job in the UFC, but giving him another chance was the right decision to make. He got hyped to the moon and catapulted into a title fight far before he was ever ready, and Lorenzo Fertitta knew it and cut Hardy some slack. Fighting the likes of Duane Ludwig is exactly where Hardy needs to be right now, and the year out has clearly reinvigorated him.
Hardy is a showman, he has a great marketable image, and he always puts on an exciting fight if his opponent is willing to do likewise. Even earlier in the fight, it showed again that he still has plenty to learn. It wasn't exactly one sided and Ludwig caught Hardy several times, yet never managed to capitalize on them. It was a very solid and well executed trademark left hook that secured the win. But it could have easily gone the other way in favor of Ludwig at any stage of that first round. Hardy caught a break for a change and I'm delighted for him.
It makes all the sense in the world to see him fight on the next UK card, in his hometown of Nottingham on Sept. 29. His name value will likely mean he is at least in the co-main event on that card. Siyar Bahadurzada would have been my first choice of opponent, but he's already booked for a fight at UFC 149.
How about a fight with Che Mills, in an all English co main event, pitting two very effective strikers against each other? That's my personal preference, but I doubt it will happen anytime soon, as I expect Dan Hardy to be announced as a coach for the TUF UK vs. Australia series. Especially if Brian Ebersole comes through his fight with T.J. Waldburger next month uninjured. The Nottingham card will probably be too early for a coaches fight, so it might be a case of one or the other for Hardy. I really hope he pushes to fight in his hometown, but he's not really in a position to turn down the TUF coaching gig if that's what the UFC decides.
**********************************
Speaking of the TUF UK vs. Australia series, expect the Plan B choice to feature Ross Pearson and George Sotiropoulos.
**********************************
Paul Sass is a human submission machine. You know what he's going to do, yet there is no way on this earth you can stop it. Jacob Volkmann knew exactly what Sass was going to do on Saturday night, and therefore probably focused his entire fight camp figuring out how to counter it, yet it counted for nothing. Volkmann is no fool. He was on a five fight win streak (including a win over Paul Kelly), and rightly considered the bookmakers pre-fight favorite. Paul Sass might not be an elite striker or wrestler, but he's that good on his back that it doesn't matter right now.
With every passing victory he's constantly training and evolving in other areas, so by the time he does meet someone truly elite, he's got a Plan B if they figure out how to stop his submission game. Again, the timing fits nicely for Sass to fight on the Nottingham card. T.J. Grant has looked impressive in his last two outings against Shane Roller and Carlo Prater and he would be another very tough test for Sass. I'd like to think the UFC learned from their mistakes with Hardy (and Etim to some extent) and don't throw Sass in with a top 10 opponent before he's ready. After all, the lightweight division isn't exactly short of potential high calibre opponents right now. There are plenty of suitable opponents for Sass' next fight.
**********************************
I was disappointed to hear that Andy Ogle won't be amongst those fighting in the TUF finale next Friday night due to a minor injury. Ogle did better than anyone expected on this series, and fully deserves to get a fight in the UFC. As mentioned on the last episode, he's been promised a place on the Nottingham card which is great news. He also has the advantage of another three months of training to prepare for his UFC debut unlike those fighting next week.
**********************************
If you're reading this by mistake, and you're not an MMA fan, then have a look at www.mtv.co.uk/sports/mma/episode/mixed-martial-arts-what-is-mma where you'll find a small three minute video explaining the basics of Mixed Martial Arts. It's not worth watching if you know the difference between BJJ and Muay Thai, but it's been well produced by BAMMA and does exactly what it says on the tin to help entice new fans of the sport.
**********************************
I've already mentioned it before, but the next UFC event seems locked in for Sept 29 in Nottingham. I'm sure those campaigning for it to take place in Liverpool will be quite rightly aggrieved that their claim to host the event has fallen on deaf ears. Whilst I would have loved to see it in Liverpool, I am just pleased there is going to be a card this year, and I'd have travelled to see it wherever it took place. Dan Hardy, John Maguire, Brad Pickett, John Hathaway, Paul Sass, Jason Young and Che Mills supporting a top named main event of Alexander Gustafsson vs. Rampage Jackson, perhaps?
"Sounds far fetched," you cry, but hear me out. Gustafsson, lest we forget, is European, so enticing him into fighting closer to Sweden shouldn't be too difficult. Rampage, having fought here before, has many links to the UK, none more so than his current team Wolfslair. Maybe not as far fetched as I first thought. Either way I'd be amazed if it was anything more than a FUEL TV event like the superb Stockholm card was last month. For the continental folk amongst us, I'd also add Stefan Struve, Dennis Siver and possibly Martin Kampmann if he loses to Jake Ellenberger next month. That has the making of an epic UK event; however, should Kampmann win next week, he becomes a real title contender, and therefore I can guarantee he won't be on any FUEL TV UK card in September.
**********************************
For those that have asked me recently, nothing has been announced regarding the next UFC TV contract which is scheduled to start this August. The longer it's delayed, the more inclined I am to think ESPN have got another three years. It doesn't take much but they annoyed me again last night when they continued to air the USA vs. Scotland friendly which overran slightly. I know their bread and butter is football, it's the No. 1 sport in the UK, but seriously, just how many American or Scottish football fans actually stayed up and watched that last night? I prey for a miracle that they don't get to renew their current deal.
Feel free to follow me on Twitter @MMATorchDan
[Dan Hardy art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
 |
I've said it before and I'll say it again, losing consecutive fights to GSP, Carlos Condit, an oversized Anthony Johnson and Chris Lytle is nothing to be ashamed of. Admittedly Hardy knows he has been very lucky to keep his job in the UFC, but giving him another chance was the right decision to make. He got hyped to the moon and catapulted into a title fight far before he was ever ready, and Lorenzo Fertitta knew it and cut Hardy some slack. Fighting the likes of Duane Ludwig is exactly where Hardy needs to be right now, and the year out has clearly reinvigorated him.
Hardy is a showman, he has a great marketable image, and he always puts on an exciting fight if his opponent is willing to do likewise. Even earlier in the fight, it showed again that he still has plenty to learn. It wasn't exactly one sided and Ludwig caught Hardy several times, yet never managed to capitalize on them. It was a very solid and well executed trademark left hook that secured the win. But it could have easily gone the other way in favor of Ludwig at any stage of that first round. Hardy caught a break for a change and I'm delighted for him.
It makes all the sense in the world to see him fight on the next UK card, in his hometown of Nottingham on Sept. 29. His name value will likely mean he is at least in the co-main event on that card. Siyar Bahadurzada would have been my first choice of opponent, but he's already booked for a fight at UFC 149.
How about a fight with Che Mills, in an all English co main event, pitting two very effective strikers against each other? That's my personal preference, but I doubt it will happen anytime soon, as I expect Dan Hardy to be announced as a coach for the TUF UK vs. Australia series. Especially if Brian Ebersole comes through his fight with T.J. Waldburger next month uninjured. The Nottingham card will probably be too early for a coaches fight, so it might be a case of one or the other for Hardy. I really hope he pushes to fight in his hometown, but he's not really in a position to turn down the TUF coaching gig if that's what the UFC decides.
**********************************
Speaking of the TUF UK vs. Australia series, expect the Plan B choice to feature Ross Pearson and George Sotiropoulos.
**********************************
Paul Sass is a human submission machine. You know what he's going to do, yet there is no way on this earth you can stop it. Jacob Volkmann knew exactly what Sass was going to do on Saturday night, and therefore probably focused his entire fight camp figuring out how to counter it, yet it counted for nothing. Volkmann is no fool. He was on a five fight win streak (including a win over Paul Kelly), and rightly considered the bookmakers pre-fight favorite. Paul Sass might not be an elite striker or wrestler, but he's that good on his back that it doesn't matter right now.
With every passing victory he's constantly training and evolving in other areas, so by the time he does meet someone truly elite, he's got a Plan B if they figure out how to stop his submission game. Again, the timing fits nicely for Sass to fight on the Nottingham card. T.J. Grant has looked impressive in his last two outings against Shane Roller and Carlo Prater and he would be another very tough test for Sass. I'd like to think the UFC learned from their mistakes with Hardy (and Etim to some extent) and don't throw Sass in with a top 10 opponent before he's ready. After all, the lightweight division isn't exactly short of potential high calibre opponents right now. There are plenty of suitable opponents for Sass' next fight.
**********************************
I was disappointed to hear that Andy Ogle won't be amongst those fighting in the TUF finale next Friday night due to a minor injury. Ogle did better than anyone expected on this series, and fully deserves to get a fight in the UFC. As mentioned on the last episode, he's been promised a place on the Nottingham card which is great news. He also has the advantage of another three months of training to prepare for his UFC debut unlike those fighting next week.
**********************************
If you're reading this by mistake, and you're not an MMA fan, then have a look at www.mtv.co.uk/sports/mma/episode/mixed-martial-arts-what-is-mma where you'll find a small three minute video explaining the basics of Mixed Martial Arts. It's not worth watching if you know the difference between BJJ and Muay Thai, but it's been well produced by BAMMA and does exactly what it says on the tin to help entice new fans of the sport.
**********************************
I've already mentioned it before, but the next UFC event seems locked in for Sept 29 in Nottingham. I'm sure those campaigning for it to take place in Liverpool will be quite rightly aggrieved that their claim to host the event has fallen on deaf ears. Whilst I would have loved to see it in Liverpool, I am just pleased there is going to be a card this year, and I'd have travelled to see it wherever it took place. Dan Hardy, John Maguire, Brad Pickett, John Hathaway, Paul Sass, Jason Young and Che Mills supporting a top named main event of Alexander Gustafsson vs. Rampage Jackson, perhaps?
"Sounds far fetched," you cry, but hear me out. Gustafsson, lest we forget, is European, so enticing him into fighting closer to Sweden shouldn't be too difficult. Rampage, having fought here before, has many links to the UK, none more so than his current team Wolfslair. Maybe not as far fetched as I first thought. Either way I'd be amazed if it was anything more than a FUEL TV event like the superb Stockholm card was last month. For the continental folk amongst us, I'd also add Stefan Struve, Dennis Siver and possibly Martin Kampmann if he loses to Jake Ellenberger next month. That has the making of an epic UK event; however, should Kampmann win next week, he becomes a real title contender, and therefore I can guarantee he won't be on any FUEL TV UK card in September.
**********************************
For those that have asked me recently, nothing has been announced regarding the next UFC TV contract which is scheduled to start this August. The longer it's delayed, the more inclined I am to think ESPN have got another three years. It doesn't take much but they annoyed me again last night when they continued to air the USA vs. Scotland friendly which overran slightly. I know their bread and butter is football, it's the No. 1 sport in the UK, but seriously, just how many American or Scottish football fans actually stayed up and watched that last night? I prey for a miracle that they don't get to renew their current deal.
Feel free to follow me on Twitter @MMATorchDan
[Dan Hardy art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Staff_Editorials_19/article_13440.shtml
Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez Dave Gomez Keith Hackney
Reports say Octagon Girl Arianny Celeste arrested in Las Vegas
TMZ reports that UFC Octagon Girl Arianny Celeste was arrested on a domestic violence charge. A report from MMA Weekly confirms she was released from the Clarke County Detention Center on a $3,000 bond.
She was not present for the preliminary fights, but was seen on-camera at the beginning of the third-from-last fight of the night. UFC president Dana White commented on her absence from the early fights.
"Arianny is our baby. She has been with us for over five years. She is a good girl and an amazing ambassador for the UFC. I don't know all the details of what happened but we have her back and support her 100 percent," White told Yahoo! Sports.
[Slideshow: Photos of UFC Octagon girl Arianny Celeste]
Celeste was in Las Vegas for UFC 146, and worked weigh-ins on Friday. A UFC Octagon Girl's basic job is to hold up a card between rounds that display round numbers, but they also serve as ambassadors for the UFC, meeting fans, doing autograph signings, modeling UFC gear and serving as one of the faces of the UFC. She hosts the UFC's web show, "UFC Ultimate Insider."
She has worked for the UFC since 2006, and has also modeled for Playboy, Maxim and FHM.
Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
• French Open odds favor Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams
• Video: Benches clear in boston as Red Sox-Tampa Bay Rays rivalry heats up
• Dan Wetzel: Legalizing sports gambling is smartest bet yet
Dan Henderson Josh Hendricks Ed Herman Heath Herring Branden Lee Hinkle
Breaking It Down: Bellator 70
After a fun run the end of Bellator‘s sixth season has arrived. With merely nine more fights to go before a short break and the start of a truncated Summer Series, it’s been a long, hard road to get to where we are now. Even harder for the fighters, though, eh? With many, many exciting [...]
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2012/05/25/breaking-it-down-bellator-70/
Lyman Good Gary Goodridge Gerard Gordeau Jonathan Goulet Wilson Gouveia
Anthony Johnson misses weight by eight pounds for Titan FC debut
It seems fans hoping Anthony Johnson might eventually make his way back to the UFC shouldn’t hold their breath after “Rumble” missed weight yet again for his first fight since being cut. The 28-year old came in at a ridiculous 194.25 pounds for his main event match-up against Dave Branch at Titan FC 22 (more [...]
Tony Bonello Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo Kyle Bradley Jai Bradney
Don’t think I’ve ever seen
This temp on a memorial day weekend in vegas! Kinda ridiculous actually!
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TracyLee/~3/1Lh7S-BBMVU/dont-think-ive-ever-seen.html
David Heath Delson Heleno Dan Henderson Josh Hendricks Ed Herman
Bellator 67 Highlights - Ryan Ford Vs Lupo Santos - Bellator 67
Reigning Bellator Lightweight World Champion Michael Chandler proved once again how dangerous he is in the cage -- and this time he needed only 56 seconds to make his point as the undefeated mixed martial artist crushed proven MMA veteran Akihiro Gono with a big right hand and pounced the seasoned Japanese fighter for the first-round TKO victory Friday night in front of a packed house at Casino Rama in Orillia, Ontario, Canada LIVE on MTV2 and in HD on EPIX. Bryan Baker had a big night as well as the red-hot welterweight now moves onto the finals of the Bellator Season 6 Welterweight Tournament with a win against Ben "Killa B" Saunders. Ryan Ford was able to score a huge comeback victory over Bellator veteran Luis "Sapo" Santos, and Damian Grabowski picked up a dominant victory in the night's other televised bout.Source: http://mmalice.com/bellator-67/bellator-67-highlights-ryan-ford-vs-lupo-santos-video_3881dafd8.html
Ao Hailin Shinya Aoki Andrei Arlovski Ricardo Arona Noboru Asahi
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Chris Lytle comes up short in senate bid
UFC veteran Chris Lytle lost his bid to win the Republican state Senate nomination in Indiana on Tuesday. He came in second with 30 percent of the vote behind Mike Crider who had 41 percent. After the results came in, he made a concession tweet.
Almost. I finished 2nd. It was a good fight.
Lytle's last MMA bout was a win over Dan Hardy in August. He announced his retirement just before the bout, then won by a submission. His campaign started less than a month after the bout.
His campaign drew support from the MMA community, as fighters Matt Mitrione, Chael Sonnen and Patrick Cote encouraged the Lytle's district to get out and vote for him. Both fighters and fight fans liked Lytle because of his style in the cage. He earned a record of 31-18-5 and picked up $515,000 in fight night bonuses during his 12-year fight career.
Chin up, Chris. Be comforted by the fact that you can knock out anyone who didn't vote for you.
--
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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/chris-lytle-comes-short-senate-bid-122130110.html
Thiago Alves Andre Amade Dean Amasinger Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen
For those of you who like meditation
i highly recommend this video it is pretty awesome my body felt as if it where vibrating http://youtu.be/TeXsIMFXT3g
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?78534-For-those-of-you-who-like-meditation&goto=newpost
Urijah Faber Wagnney Fabiano Kevin Kimbo Slice Ferguson Paulo Filho Mirko Cro Cop Filipović
Anthony Johnson tops David Branch in Titan Fighting 22 headliner
Anthony Johnson's first post-UFC fight was a winning one. Even if it wasn't a flashy one. After a struggle to make weight for the fight, Johnson ultimately topped UFC vet David Branch via unanimous decision in a 195-pound catchweight bout.
The fight headlined Friday's Titan Fighting Championship 22 event, which aired on HDNet from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan.
Jeff Big Frog Curran Dai Shuanghai Mac Danzig Karen Darabedyan Viacheslav Datsik
Rebellion MMA Radio: UFC’s Shane Roller and Dennis Bermudez, journalist Josh Nason
It’s a busy week in the MMA world between UFC on Fuel 3 and Strikeforce Grand Prix Final but Rebellion MMA Radio hosts Mitch Ciccarelli and Bryan Levick aren’t taking a break to bask in all the caged glory. This Sunday night the show welcomes two talented competitors who call the UFC home in the [...]
Wes Soldier Combs Ray Cooper Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira Patrick The Predator Côté
WWE Over The Limit Preview: Bryan and Punk in the Main Event? Yes! Yes! Yes!
WWE goes Over The Limit tonight. I’ll just get right into the matches since I can’t come up with any intro lines that aren’t distasteful jokes about UFC champion Jon Jones‘s DUI. Zack Ryder vs. Kane (YouTube Pre-Show): Ryder has repeatedly proven he is fairly useless against Kane. I’m more excited about Ryder potentially matching [...]
Vitor Belfort Robert Berry David Bielkheden Michael Bisping Dan Bobish
Saturday, May 26, 2012
UFC 146 Results & Recap
UFC 146 takes place tonight from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada. The all-heavyweight main card airs live on PPV at 10pm ET, with the preliminary card airing at approximately 6pm ET on the UFC’s Facebook page, and on FX at 8pm ET. In the main event, the UFC heavyweight title is on [...] 
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/VYUh2tuHUP0/
Kevin Kimbo Slice Ferguson Paulo Filho Mirko Cro Cop Filipović Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher
Nick Diaz no-shows for grappling superfight, Facebook post blames ‘shady promoter’
Most importantly, he was supposed to show up for his first competitive match-up since being suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission for a positive marijuana test after losing to Carlos Condit in February. He didn't.
Diaz never showed up to the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo in Long Beach, where the bout was scheduled to take place. Estima was reasonably steamed for the no-show.
"I know he's supposed to be the big MMA bad guy and he's all tough, he's supposed to be showbiz, but what is this?" said Estima. "When you make an announcement that you're going to fight for charity and you don't show up, what the hell is going on? It's not about showbiz. It's about being a good person. I don't know what is going on."
The Facebook page that purports to represent the Diaz brothers had this post on it early Sunday morning:
Promoter fails to donate the money to charity as agreed. (shady) Promoter changes rules for weigh ins to accommodate fellow Brazilian
Match ain't happening
When Estima communicated with the WJJE organizers that he couldn't get down to the agreed-upon 180-pound weight limit, they renegotiated the weight to 185 pounds. Diaz's camp agreed to the weight change ahead of time. As for the donation, could Diaz not have deposited his purse into his account and then written a check to St. Jude's? Taking five minutes to make the donation himself surely would have been better than depriving the hospital completely.
And if he really made the decision not to show up because of the promoters, he should have communicated it to his fans well before they spent $12.95 on the live stream of the event. That decision would have truly hurt the "shady" promoters in their wallets.
Instead, Diaz again decided not to show up for a commitment. In October, he skipped out on several media opportunities before his planned title fight and was removed from the bout. Again, he bizarrely blamed everyone but himself.
At this point, Diaz not following through on his commitments is par for the course. The MMA world shouldn't expect anything else.
--
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Xavier Foupa Pokam Hermes Franca Rich Franklin Ian Freeman Don Frye
Dana Talks JDS vs Overeem, Roy Dropping Weight&Chael's Nuts - UFC 146
MMA:30 listened in after the UFC 146 Pre-fight Press Conference when UFC President Dana White explained to the media how he's done trying to get Roy Nelson to drop to a lower weight class, how JDS will be challenged in his fight against Overeem and his thoughts on the three unsanctioned bouts that took place in Madison Square Garden during a recent hockey match.Patrick The Predator Côté Randy The Natural Couture Dan Cramer Alberto Crane Marcio Pe de Pano Cruz
Donald Cerrone hoping to win UFC on Fuel 3 bonus for a pontoon boat
For tonight's UFC on Fuel 3 fight against Jeremy Stephens, it's not surprising that Cerrone already has plans for the next bonus he will try to win.
"You name it, the post-fight bonuses, I'm going for it," Cerrone declared through his informal drawl. "I've got [expletive] to buy. I'm thinking (of getting) 10 or 12 girls to come out on a pontoon boat."
Since he has picked up so many bonus checks, perhaps the UFC needs to think of different ways to motivate Cerrone. Much as Lincoln Hawk arm-wrestled for a new tractor/trailer in "Over the Top," Cerrone could fight for a boat, or a new horse for his ranch, or a lifetime supply of cowboy hats. It's not too much to ask for.
For coverage of UFC on Fuel 3 tonight, follow Cagewriter on Facebook and Twitter.
Luiz Azeredo Luciano Azevedo Ba Te er Ryan Bader Siyar Bahadurzada
Injured champ Dominick Cruz says rival Urijah Faber will only fight for ‘No. 1 contender’s belt’
Cruz, the UFC bantamweight champion, was sparring when he injured the knee. The ACL tear was diagnosed on Sunday in Las Vegas following an MRI. Cruz said the swelling needs to decrease before he can proceed with the surgery.
"It was a normal day in practice," Cruz told Cagewriter. "I went for a weird trip and it folded my knee. There was a really loud pop and I was kind of in denial the rest of the night. The next day, I went in and got an MRI. I got the results on Sunday and by Monday, the news was out."
On Tuesday on Fuel TV, UFC president Dana White said that Faber would fight an opponent to be named at UFC 148 for the interim belt. Cruz will fight the winner when he's healed. Cruz said recovery time is six to nine months, which will likely mean it will be at least 14 months between fights for him. He last fought in October when he defeated Demetrious Johnson via unanimous decision.
White didn't release names, but Faber did later on the show.
Dominick's been out since his last fight and has had several injuries. I think I'll be fighting Renan Barao, Ivan Menjivar or maybe Michael McDonald.
If Faber wins at UFC 148, he'll be the interim champion, but Cruz said that won't mean much.
"First of all, it's not like Faber is a lock to beat whoever they put him again," Cruz said. "If he gets it -- and that's a big if -- he won't be carrying around the championship belt. I am the champion and I have the belt. He'll have a No. 1 contender's belt.
"If he has that, big deal. You have to beat the champ to be the champion and he won't have beaten the champion. It's no guarantee he'll win no matter who he fights, but regardless of what happens, I hope he's happy running around with a No. 1 contender's belt, if he gets it."
Cruz said the only time he thinks of the injury is when he does interviews, which forces him to relieve the bad moment. But he said while it will hurt financially, he'll make it OK.
"I live humbly for this reason exactly," Cruz said. "Every fighter lives and dies by his own body. If you're a Trophy Truck driver and the truck breaks down, there is no season. As fighters, our bodies are our Trophy Trucks. This is a minor setback, but I live humbly knowing a situation like this could occur."
Roger Gracie Rolles Gracie Royce Gracie Royler Gracie Ryan Gracie
Bellator 70 weigh-in results: Champ Konrad (265.2), challenger Prindle (265) on weight
Bellator 70 fighter weigh-ins are in the books, and all four co-headliners successfully made weight.Today's weigh-ins took place at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, which also hosts Friday's season-six-ending event.
Heavyweight champion Cole Konrad (265.2 pounds) and challenger Eric Prindle (265) made weight for their title, as did season-six lightweight-tourney finalists Rick Hawn (156) and Brent Weedman (156).
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/W2LudStJiPQ/bellator-70-weigh-in-results-xx.mma
Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves Andre Amade
Roger Huerta Draws Phil Baroni at ONE FC 4
As previously reported, Roger Huerta will make is ONE FC debut on June 23rd, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. "El Matador's" opponent was announced late last night. It seems that after an unsuccessful debut at welterweight, the first fighter to make the cover of Sports Illustrated will continue his trek through the rankings of the 170 lb division as he faces Phil Baroni.
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/28709/roger-huerta-draws-phil-baroni-at-one-fc-4/
John Alessio Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves
Pat Barry Takes His Mom For A Ride
Pat Barry Takes His Mom For A Ride. Amazon.com Widgets
Source: http://www.mmatko.com/pat-barry-takes-his-mom-for-a-ride/
Marcus Davis Tony DeSouza Edwin Dewees Nick Diaz Tadhg Steamfist Dixon
Jared Hamman vs. Michael Kuiper on tap for UFC 150 in Denver this August
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
***image1***Middleweights Jared Hamman and Michael Kuiper will square off in Denver at UFC 150, according to Hamman's management team at Alchemist Management.
Hamman has gone 2-3 in the UFC, alternating wins and losses since entering the organization. In his last bout, he was knocked out by Constantinos Philippou at UFC 140 in Toronto.
Kuiper made his UFC debut in February, losing a decision to Rafael Natal at UFC 143. The loss was the first of his career, snapping an 11-0 start over his first three years.
***image1***Middleweights Jared Hamman and Michael Kuiper will square off in Denver at UFC 150, according to Hamman's management team at Alchemist Management.
Hamman has gone 2-3 in the UFC, alternating wins and losses since entering the organization. In his last bout, he was knocked out by Constantinos Philippou at UFC 140 in Toronto.
Kuiper made his UFC debut in February, losing a decision to Rafael Natal at UFC 143. The loss was the first of his career, snapping an 11-0 start over his first three years.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/quicknews/article_13381.shtml
Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison
Friday, May 25, 2012
UFC 146 – Inside the fight camp of heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos
Take a look inside the fight camp of UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos as he prepares to defend his title against former champion in the main event of UFC 146. Dos Santos discusses the changes that he made to his training after Frank Mir replaced his original opponent Alistair Overeem. Dos Santos is confident [...]
UFC 146 – Inside the fight camp of heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News
Mirko Cro Cop Filipović Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher Jon Fitch Kenny Florian
B.J. Penn shoots down Josh Koscheck’s plans for a fight
Coming off a loss to Johny Hendricks, a bout with Penn, a former champion at lightweight and welterweight, would certainly pique Koscheck's interest. Not only would it draw considerable fan interest because of Penn's vast legions of fans, but it's the kind of win that could get Koscheck back on track.
Unfortunately for Koscheck, Penn is completely retired and appears to have no interest in returning to the fight life. He responded, " I know it costs a lot of money to live that lavish lifestyle, big house, fast cars & you need big fights but sorry I'm not coming back anytime soon!"
Perhaps now the MMA world will believe that Penn really retired after losing to Nick Diaz in November. He was also talked about as an opponent with Gilbert Melendez and had to shoot that down, too. Penn had a great MMA career and is now enjoying the retired life in Hawaii. Would you give that up?
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/b-j-penn-shoots-down-josh-koscheck-plans-221324896.html
Mac Danzig Karen Darabedyan Viacheslav Datsik Marcus Davis Tony DeSouza
Breaking It Down: Bellator 70
After a fun run the end of Bellator‘s sixth season has arrived. With merely nine more fights to go before a short break and the start of a truncated Summer Series, it’s been a long, hard road to get to where we are now. Even harder for the fighters, though, eh? With many, many exciting [...]
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2012/05/25/breaking-it-down-bellator-70/
Edwin Dewees Nick Diaz Tadhg Steamfist Dixon Joe Doerksen Chris Dolman
UFC 146's Johnson: 'Save the jiu-jitsu for jiu-jitsu tournaments. The UFC is for fights'
Image: http://mmajunkie.com/dyn/images/fighters/lavar-johnson-11.jpg
Lavar Johnson (23-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) hasn't really had the time to peruse the Stefan Struve (17-5 MMA, 2-0 UFC) library in the...
Lavar Johnson (23-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) hasn't really had the time to peruse the Stefan Struve (17-5 MMA, 2-0 UFC) library in the...
Joachim Hansen Antoni Hardonk Dan Hardy Lee Hasdell Musse Hasselvall
PENICK: The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Saga - A Timeline of Events
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
On January 4, 2011, Strikeforce announced the most ambitious endeavor they had ever undertaken as a fight company with an eight man Heavyweight World Grand Prix. With major heavyweight names in Fedor Emelianenko, Fabricio Werdum, Alistair Overeem, Josh Barnett, and Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva topping a field also featuring Brett Rogers, Sergei Kharitonov, and Andrei Arlovski, it was, at the time, considered to be perhaps the greatest heavyweight tournament in MMA's young history.
Strikeforce hoped the tournament would legitimize their heavyweight division as at least on par, if not better than, the UFC's, and hoped the victor would emerge as one of the top fighters in the division in general. With the best intentions they went forth with this plan, setting up the first two quarterfinal fights for February 12, 2011, and hoping to book the next set of fights two months later.
However, there were many challenges with a tournament like this, with many moving parts surrounding the proceedings. Many perceived a number of things that could go wrong with the tournament, but by the time things would finally come to a close this past Saturday night, much more would affect the tournament that no one could have possibly predicted.
A crazy timeline of events brought this from a great collection of heavyweights and record-setting ratings on Showtime to a bit of a whimpering conclusion. Ultimately, a combination of poor decisions and completely unforeseen circumstances led to a fighter uninvolved with the tournament at its outset being crowned its winner on Saturday in San Jose. The following is the that timeline, telling the story of the Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix:
Dec. 20, 2010: The first rumors of an eight-man heavyweight tournament begin making the rounds.
Jan 4. 2011: Strikeforce and M-1 Global announce an eight-man tournament field. Four quarterfinal fights are set, but not for the same date. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva and Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov are set for Feb. 12 in New Jersey, while Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers are left without a date, with Barnett's licensure issues expected to be a cause for the delay. At the outset, it was believed Overeem's Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship would be on the line in his tournament bouts. Additionally, two alternate bouts were set for the Feb. 12 event, with Shane del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson and Chad Griggs vs. Gian Villante added to the card.
Jan. 13, 2011: The first issues with the tournament surface, as it is announced that Overeem's Heavyweight Title would not be contested during the tournament. Because of that, it was possible for Overeem to lose in the field while keeping his Championship.
Jan. 17, 2011: Strikeforce's lofty goals get loftier, as Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker reveals preliminary plans to bring the tournament bouts worldwide.
Jan. 27, 2011: Overeem-Werdum and Barnett-Rogers are reported as heading to an event on April 9. That puts it two months behind schedule of the first set of quarterfinals, putting the first delay on the tournament with the first round being held up.
Feb. 12, 2011: The tournament kicks off with a major upset, as "Bigfoot" Silva defeated Fedor Emelianenko by TKO in the second round. That result took out Strikeforce's biggest draw out of the field in the first round, taking out a potential rematch with Fabricio Werdum or the fight many hoped to see when he was signed against Alistair Overeem. Also on the card, Sergei Kharitonov moved to the semifinals with a first round KO of Andrei Arlovski, and Shane del Rosario and Chad Griggs won their respective alternate bouts. The kickoff to the tournament was treated differently by Showtime and was perceived well by fans, who responded by making it the most watched Strikeforce event ever, peaking with over a million viewers on the premium cable network. While they lost the top draw, they kicked things off with a bang.
Feb. 22, 2011: After losing the tournament's top draw, reports emerge that the second half of the quarterfinal round was being delayed again. With those fights moved off the April 9 card, it meant a major difference in time between first and second-round fights for Silva and Kharitonov than their respective opponents would deal with.
Mar. 2, 2011: The second set of quarterfinal bouts was officially moved from April 9 to June 18, meaning more than four months between the two sets of first round fights. At the time of this development, MMATorch's Rich Hansen wrote that Coker seemed determined to destroy the Grand Prix more efficiently than UFC President Dana White could, a sentiment that would become a bit ironic with the next development in this saga.
Mar. 12, 2011: Of all the things people thought could go wrong for the tournament, not one person expected that Zuffa, parent company of the UFC, would purchase Strikeforce. But that's just what happened. Scott Coker's business partners at Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment, Inc. decided to get out of the fight business, and Zuffa stepped up to purchase the organization from them. No one was sure at this point how the Grand Prix would be affected, but the feeling was widespread that, in some capacity, it would be, despite UFC President Dana White's insistence during the announcement that it would be "Business as Usual."
April 10, 2011: Daniel Cormier is announced in a bout against Shane Del Rosario for the June 18 event, the first appearance for Cormier in any alternate capacity.
May 6, 2011: Del Rosario was removed from the bout with Cormier after suffering injuries in a car accident.
May 15, 2011: Jeff Monson announced as Cormier's new opponent on June 18, though status as alternate in tournament was not made clear for either fighter.
June 9, 2011: Though not officially affecting the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, the UFC set a precedent that would eventually have an effect, as Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz vacated his belt to move over to the UFC.
June 18, 2011: The second set of quarterfinal bouts finally takes place, with Josh Barnett cruising past Brett Rogers with a first round submission, and Alistair Overeem defeating Fabricio Werdum by decision. However, the lustre of the tournament field again took a bit of a hit with a poor showing from both Overeem and Werdum, leading to a heavily derided main event fight. Viewership was again high for the tournament, with the event drawing the second highest rating for MMA on Showtime, behind February's tournament kick off. Also on the card, Cormier defeated Jeff Monson by decision, though he was still not named as an official tournament alternate.
July 18, 2011: Zuffa and Strikeforce set up the semifinal round of the tournament for Sept. 10, however, Champ Alistair Overeem wasn't ready to return by then, and was threatened with removal from the event if he didn't fight on that date. The Sept. 10 date was less than three months after his fight with Werdum, giving his opponent "Bigfoot" Silva a seven month lead up while he had less than three. The same day he revealed the threats by Zuffa to pull him from the card, the move was officially made, with Daniel Cormier being placed into the bout against "Bigfoot" Silva. The Grand Prix tournament was now without the two biggest names in the field with Fedor's loss and Overeem's removal.
July 29, 2011: Strikeforce's heavyweight roster takes a hit, as Overeem is cut from the organization in conjunction with his removal from the tournament.
Aug. 4, 2011: Dana White reveals that Fedor Emelianenko is done with Strikeforce after a July loss to Dan Henderson, taking away another top name from Strikeforce's heavyweight roster.
Sept. 6, 2011: Overeem is signed by the UFC and scheduled for a Dec. 30 bout with former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar.
Sept. 10, 2011: The Grand Prix semifinals take place with decidedly less excitement than the first two rounds. Josh Barnett notches another first round submission win over Sergei Kharitonov, while Daniel Cormier knocks out Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in the first round to set up the finals matchup. However, after record setting numbers for the first two events, this semifinal event drew what was, at that time, the second lowest average viewership for the organization on Showtime. Strikeforce lost two thirds of the average viewership from the first event to this card.
Dec. 15, 2011: With a new contract between Strikeforce and Showtime announced, it's revealed that the entire heavyweight division of Strikeforce will be phased into the UFC. The Heavyweight Grand Prix Finals would take place, along with one more heavyweight fight, but the rest of the division was then moved almost immediately. In less than one year, Strikeforce went from setting this tournament up to display a comparable heavyweight division to the UFC to not having a heavyweight division at all.
Dec. 16, 2011: The Cormier vs. Barnett finals bout is reported as headlining a March 3 event in Columbus, Ohio, which would bring the tournament to a conclusion after just over one year.
Jan. 7, 2012: The March 3 Columbus event is announced without the Grand Prix Finals, as Daniel Cormier's hand injury forces the fight to be pushed back to May 19.
May 19, 2012: Daniel Cormier defeats Josh Barnett in a fantastic five round main event to bring an end to the Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix 15 months after the tournament began. Ratings numbers are not yet known for the card, but the event was placed a week before an all-heavyweight main card for the UFC, and took a lot less importance and significance than originally expected.
The Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix was a big idea and a lofty goal on Strikeforce's part. Unfortunately, due to things they could and could not control, it didn't play out as they hoped it would. That will be the unfortunate legacy of the tournament, but when all was said and done they did accomplish one thing: Daniel Cormier has emerged as a highly regarded heavyweight, and may be a contender in the UFC for years to come.
 |
Strikeforce hoped the tournament would legitimize their heavyweight division as at least on par, if not better than, the UFC's, and hoped the victor would emerge as one of the top fighters in the division in general. With the best intentions they went forth with this plan, setting up the first two quarterfinal fights for February 12, 2011, and hoping to book the next set of fights two months later.
However, there were many challenges with a tournament like this, with many moving parts surrounding the proceedings. Many perceived a number of things that could go wrong with the tournament, but by the time things would finally come to a close this past Saturday night, much more would affect the tournament that no one could have possibly predicted.
A crazy timeline of events brought this from a great collection of heavyweights and record-setting ratings on Showtime to a bit of a whimpering conclusion. Ultimately, a combination of poor decisions and completely unforeseen circumstances led to a fighter uninvolved with the tournament at its outset being crowned its winner on Saturday in San Jose. The following is the that timeline, telling the story of the Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix:
Dec. 20, 2010: The first rumors of an eight-man heavyweight tournament begin making the rounds.
Jan 4. 2011: Strikeforce and M-1 Global announce an eight-man tournament field. Four quarterfinal fights are set, but not for the same date. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva and Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov are set for Feb. 12 in New Jersey, while Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers are left without a date, with Barnett's licensure issues expected to be a cause for the delay. At the outset, it was believed Overeem's Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship would be on the line in his tournament bouts. Additionally, two alternate bouts were set for the Feb. 12 event, with Shane del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson and Chad Griggs vs. Gian Villante added to the card.
Jan. 13, 2011: The first issues with the tournament surface, as it is announced that Overeem's Heavyweight Title would not be contested during the tournament. Because of that, it was possible for Overeem to lose in the field while keeping his Championship.
Jan. 17, 2011: Strikeforce's lofty goals get loftier, as Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker reveals preliminary plans to bring the tournament bouts worldwide.
Jan. 27, 2011: Overeem-Werdum and Barnett-Rogers are reported as heading to an event on April 9. That puts it two months behind schedule of the first set of quarterfinals, putting the first delay on the tournament with the first round being held up.
Feb. 12, 2011: The tournament kicks off with a major upset, as "Bigfoot" Silva defeated Fedor Emelianenko by TKO in the second round. That result took out Strikeforce's biggest draw out of the field in the first round, taking out a potential rematch with Fabricio Werdum or the fight many hoped to see when he was signed against Alistair Overeem. Also on the card, Sergei Kharitonov moved to the semifinals with a first round KO of Andrei Arlovski, and Shane del Rosario and Chad Griggs won their respective alternate bouts. The kickoff to the tournament was treated differently by Showtime and was perceived well by fans, who responded by making it the most watched Strikeforce event ever, peaking with over a million viewers on the premium cable network. While they lost the top draw, they kicked things off with a bang.
Feb. 22, 2011: After losing the tournament's top draw, reports emerge that the second half of the quarterfinal round was being delayed again. With those fights moved off the April 9 card, it meant a major difference in time between first and second-round fights for Silva and Kharitonov than their respective opponents would deal with.
Mar. 2, 2011: The second set of quarterfinal bouts was officially moved from April 9 to June 18, meaning more than four months between the two sets of first round fights. At the time of this development, MMATorch's Rich Hansen wrote that Coker seemed determined to destroy the Grand Prix more efficiently than UFC President Dana White could, a sentiment that would become a bit ironic with the next development in this saga.
Mar. 12, 2011: Of all the things people thought could go wrong for the tournament, not one person expected that Zuffa, parent company of the UFC, would purchase Strikeforce. But that's just what happened. Scott Coker's business partners at Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment, Inc. decided to get out of the fight business, and Zuffa stepped up to purchase the organization from them. No one was sure at this point how the Grand Prix would be affected, but the feeling was widespread that, in some capacity, it would be, despite UFC President Dana White's insistence during the announcement that it would be "Business as Usual."
April 10, 2011: Daniel Cormier is announced in a bout against Shane Del Rosario for the June 18 event, the first appearance for Cormier in any alternate capacity.
May 6, 2011: Del Rosario was removed from the bout with Cormier after suffering injuries in a car accident.
May 15, 2011: Jeff Monson announced as Cormier's new opponent on June 18, though status as alternate in tournament was not made clear for either fighter.
June 9, 2011: Though not officially affecting the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, the UFC set a precedent that would eventually have an effect, as Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz vacated his belt to move over to the UFC.
June 18, 2011: The second set of quarterfinal bouts finally takes place, with Josh Barnett cruising past Brett Rogers with a first round submission, and Alistair Overeem defeating Fabricio Werdum by decision. However, the lustre of the tournament field again took a bit of a hit with a poor showing from both Overeem and Werdum, leading to a heavily derided main event fight. Viewership was again high for the tournament, with the event drawing the second highest rating for MMA on Showtime, behind February's tournament kick off. Also on the card, Cormier defeated Jeff Monson by decision, though he was still not named as an official tournament alternate.
July 18, 2011: Zuffa and Strikeforce set up the semifinal round of the tournament for Sept. 10, however, Champ Alistair Overeem wasn't ready to return by then, and was threatened with removal from the event if he didn't fight on that date. The Sept. 10 date was less than three months after his fight with Werdum, giving his opponent "Bigfoot" Silva a seven month lead up while he had less than three. The same day he revealed the threats by Zuffa to pull him from the card, the move was officially made, with Daniel Cormier being placed into the bout against "Bigfoot" Silva. The Grand Prix tournament was now without the two biggest names in the field with Fedor's loss and Overeem's removal.
July 29, 2011: Strikeforce's heavyweight roster takes a hit, as Overeem is cut from the organization in conjunction with his removal from the tournament.
Aug. 4, 2011: Dana White reveals that Fedor Emelianenko is done with Strikeforce after a July loss to Dan Henderson, taking away another top name from Strikeforce's heavyweight roster.
Sept. 6, 2011: Overeem is signed by the UFC and scheduled for a Dec. 30 bout with former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar.
Sept. 10, 2011: The Grand Prix semifinals take place with decidedly less excitement than the first two rounds. Josh Barnett notches another first round submission win over Sergei Kharitonov, while Daniel Cormier knocks out Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in the first round to set up the finals matchup. However, after record setting numbers for the first two events, this semifinal event drew what was, at that time, the second lowest average viewership for the organization on Showtime. Strikeforce lost two thirds of the average viewership from the first event to this card.
Dec. 15, 2011: With a new contract between Strikeforce and Showtime announced, it's revealed that the entire heavyweight division of Strikeforce will be phased into the UFC. The Heavyweight Grand Prix Finals would take place, along with one more heavyweight fight, but the rest of the division was then moved almost immediately. In less than one year, Strikeforce went from setting this tournament up to display a comparable heavyweight division to the UFC to not having a heavyweight division at all.
Dec. 16, 2011: The Cormier vs. Barnett finals bout is reported as headlining a March 3 event in Columbus, Ohio, which would bring the tournament to a conclusion after just over one year.
Jan. 7, 2012: The March 3 Columbus event is announced without the Grand Prix Finals, as Daniel Cormier's hand injury forces the fight to be pushed back to May 19.
May 19, 2012: Daniel Cormier defeats Josh Barnett in a fantastic five round main event to bring an end to the Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix 15 months after the tournament began. Ratings numbers are not yet known for the card, but the event was placed a week before an all-heavyweight main card for the UFC, and took a lot less importance and significance than originally expected.
The Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix was a big idea and a lofty goal on Strikeforce's part. Unfortunately, due to things they could and could not control, it didn't play out as they hoped it would. That will be the unfortunate legacy of the tournament, but when all was said and done they did accomplish one thing: Daniel Cormier has emerged as a highly regarded heavyweight, and may be a contender in the UFC for years to come.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/penickstake/article_13368.shtml
Gabriel Gonzaga Lyman Good Gary Goodridge Gerard Gordeau Jonathan Goulet
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