MMA Blog
Ray Sydnor Wins at MMA Tournament in Millersville MD
Ray Sydnor, fighting out of Team Baltimore Martial Arts in Catonsville, wins 170 pound amateur Mixed Martial Arts tournament held last Saturday April 14th, 2012 in Millersville, Maryland. Ray Sydnor had a very hard fight against an opponent from Noel Smith’s BJJ, a school known for its tough fighters and strong Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Rays opponent had excellent stand up skills which his corner expected, but his ground game was surprisingly good.
Kimura Arm Lock
Ray was caught in a very ugly Kimura arm lock from his opponent’s guard (see photo right) but Ray purservered and eventually got out of it. The fight was back and forth with takedowns and takedown attempts from both fighters. Mid way into the third round Ray put together a ferocious flurry of punches from his opponent’s guard while having him against the fence. The barrage was so intense that the referee stopped the fight giving Ray the win by TKO.
Baltimore Martial Arts Cornermen Charles Gamble and Brandon Cherry
Ray Sydnor was cornered by Charles Gamble and Brandon Cherry. Charles is also a mixed martial arts fighter from Baltimore Martial Arts but was not competing that evening. Brandon Cherry is also an MMA & Muay thai competitor and also the Muay Thai Kickboxing Coach for Baltimore Martial Arts.
Ray Sydnor 170lb MMA Millersville Winner
Baltimore Martial Arts has a complete mixed martial arts competition program for competitors and non-competitors. We have a professional MMA team of instructors which includes but is not limited to Boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo & Wrestling. Our strength and conditioning program also includes a team some of whom hold a level 2 RKC (Russian Kettlebell) and a CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) certification. Baltimore Martial Arts also has Judo, Tae Kwon Do and Brazilian Jiu -Jitsu for children and fitness programs for adults.
Baltimore Martial Arts Academy 6565 Baltimore National Pike, Catonsville, MD 21228
Looking for a map?
Walk in M-F, 5-9 PM Saturday, 9 AM – 2 PM & Sunday 2-4 PM
Visit our You Tube Channel{Baltimore Martial Arts You Tube}.
Email us at:baltimoremartialarts@yahoo.com
To read more reviews about Baltimore Martial Arts & Fitness please visit our GOOGLE PLACE PAGE.
Mixed Martial Arts Catonsville
Baltimore Martial Arts and fitness in Catonsville Maryland teaches Mixed Martial Arts.
Baltimore Martial Arts has a mixed martial arts competition team that trains together like family. Between Mixed Martial Arts classes, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practice & Muay Thai Kickboxing, the MMA competition team gets together for strength and conditioning training.
Herb Severn, MMA Coach for Baltimore Martial Arts
Saturday is always different, it’s advanced technique and hard sparring day and most of the team wouldn’t miss this for anything. Coach Herb is leading this Saturday’s Mixed Martial Arts session. Everything we train during the week comes together on Saturday and it’s time to see if you actually improved from the last week. Sometimes Saturday’s MMA practice is dedicated to sparring with other gyms, but this week we are training to get one of our fighters ready for a fight Dec 17that Ibiza night club, Operation Octagon!
Erin, MMA Competitor for Baltimore Martial Arts in Catonsville, Maryland
Erin Milks has been a standout female on our Mixed Martial Arts team and is ready to represent Baltimore Martial Arts in her first Women’s MMA fight. Coming from a few months of getting ready for various RKC Kettlebell and personal training certifications and passing, she immediately dove into a fight training camp to prepare for this fight. Training hard isn’t anything new to our schools female slaughterhouse, just look at her husband Eric (aka Stone Cold) who’s always trying a new technique on her whether at the gym or at home.
Stone Cold Erik, MMA Competitor for Baltimore Martial Arts in Catonsville, Maryland
Mixed Martial Arts in Catonsville, Maryland
Strength and Conditioning Training Mixed Martial Arts
Everything went smooth this week and momentum is exploding as we steam into the last few weeks of our Mixed Martial Arts training camp. As a fighter, there are so many things to worry about; having a team that puts together an intelligent training program for you is a must. All of this is thanks to the mastermind behind the scenes of it all Master Gary Berger (aka El Patron), owner and operator along side his wife Danielle. Stay tuned for more features from the BMAA Mixed Martial Arts fight team and around the gym and of course come in and check us out!
Visit our Mixed Martial Arts Web Page – Catonsville Mixed Martial Arts
Baltimore Mixed Martial Arts – Strength & Conditioning
Baltimore Martial Arts teaches Mixed Martial classes in Catonsville, Maryland. Baltimore Martial Arts MMA classes are held throughout the week and weekends. Our MMA program caters to beginners as well as advanced competitors.
Submission Choke
Baltimore Martial Arts MMA classes in Catonsville are taught in conjunction with other programs like Muay Thai Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu BJJ & Judo. Baltimore Martial Arts is now forming a wrestling program which will further contribute to our MMA competitors training.
Serious MMA students are offered free nutritional guidance and strength and conditioning programs through Danyelle Berger. Danyelle Berger is a certified strength and conditioning specialists (CSCS) licensed by the National Strength & Conditioning Association. Danyelle Berger is also certified as a Russian Kettlebell Challenge level one instructor and soon to be level two July 8th 2011. CSCS and RKC certifications are very very difficult to obtain. Just do a Google search of these organizations to understand what we mean. Below are some examples of kettlebell exercises.
28 KG Turkish Get-Up 1/2 Body Weight
Kettlebell Swings
Our MMA program in Catonsville is second to none. Nobody else can offer what we offer under one roof. Regardless of whether you are looking to learn MMA for fun or whether you want to compete in MMA competitions, Baltimore Martial Arts will teach you what you need to know.
Be sure to watch UFC 129 April 30th when George St. Pierre fight Jake Shileds.
For more information about our Mixed Martial Arts classes or any other classes that Baltimore Martial Arts offers, please call us at 410-465-7799 or click the link below.
Cole Konrad vs. Paul Buentello in April
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Bellator Heavyweight Champ Cole Konrad has an opponent for his first non-title appearance for the organization. Konrad will meet Paul Buentello at one of Bellator’s April events.
Konrad, the two-time NCAA D-1 wrestling champion from the University of Minnesota and training partner of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar, moved his record to 7-0 during Bellator’s third season. Defeating Rogent Lloret and Damian Grabowski to get to the season three final, Konrad became the first Bellator Heavyweight Champ with a first round keylock submission over Neil Grove.
Buentello enters the Bellator cage for the first time off a decision win over Kerry Schall in December at the plagued Nemesis Fighting event in the Dominican Republic. That win was a bounce back for Buentello after a KO loss to Tim Sylvia last summer. The former UFC Heavyweight Title challenger will mark the most experienced opponent Konrad has faced with over 40 fights to his credit.
Chael Sonnen’s Legal Issues
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Chael Sonnen’s is still batteling with legal issues.
The UFC middleweight contender was set for court on Monday for sentencing for a guilty plea to federal money laundering charges stemming from a real estate deal in 2006. The UFC then froze Sonnen’s contract until the situation is resolved, and were awaiting this sentencing before Sonnen moved on with his fighting career.
However, Sonnen’s court appearance has been rescheduled back to April 8 at the U.S. District Court in Portland, Ore. Sonnen is expected to receive two years of probation and a $10,000 fine, along with having his real estate license revoked as part of his plea deal.
Sonnen hasn’t fought since his fifth round loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 117 last August. Which he was winning the fight. He tested positive for steroids after the event and was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for a year, though he appealed that result and had it reduced to six months, a time he has now completed. Hopefully we will see him back in the UFC and I would love to see the rematch to fight for the title once again.
White House Conference Tackles Bullying
“For a long time bullying was treated as an unavoidable part of growing up but more and more we’re seeing how harmful it can be for our kids, especially when it follows them from their school to their phone to their computer screen,” the president said in a video promoting the event. Read More…
White House Summit on Childhood Bullying
Bullying is a serious problem that affects every child. Yesterday I had a parent and his son come in for a talk concerning this subject.
Bullying can shatter a child’s confidence and can have lasting affects on their ability to socialize with others.
Martial Arts is an excellent way to instill confidence in a child so that they can stand up to a bully. Attitude is everything when it comes to facing a bully and attitude is what we teach and practice at Baltimore Martial Arts in Catonsville Maryland.
Attitude must be built upon a pillar of self-confidence which is gained through a process of achieving goals and overcoming challenges. Baltimore Martial Arts Youth Martial Arts Programs have a proven methodology that has helped children gain confidence and has also helped them learn effective self defense techniques that serve them in school and in life.
If you have a child that you think would benefit from our youth martial arts program please don’t hesitate to call me to discuss personally.
Thank you,
Gary Berger
Owner of Baltimore Martial Arts
Don’t Miss UFC 127
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For the second straight fight, Jon Fitch has had the “#1 contender fight” label attached to a bout, as UFC President Dana White on Tuesday said the winner of the bout between Fitch and B.J. Penn at UFC 127 will be next in line for a title shot. I personnally don’t think much of Fitch. And I think BJ is a great fighter. I think his last fight or two, he has not has the same intense aggression as he had in the octagon before.
“They’re definitely in the title picture,” White said. “The reality is B.J. Penn has held titles in [two] weight classes, Fitch has fought for the title and has literally dominated that division for a long time, just couldn’t win the title.”
“Either one of these guys who wins this fight is in the mix; not in the mix, they’re the number one guy.”
But though White says the winner will be the next guy in line, neither fighter is looking past the other heading into their meeting in Australia.
“As of now, I’m not even thinking about that,” Penn said. “I’m not thinking about titles. I’m just happy to be fighting an opponent on Jon Fitch’s level.”
For his part, Fitch has heard all of this before, and he’s not letting any talk of title shots get in front of the task at hand.
“I don’t really want to waste any time thinking about anything more than fighting B.J.,” Fitch said. “As a welterweight, I have certain advantages in size but that won’t be enough. I’ve had to work a lot on speed, explosiveness and keeping everything tight to make sure there aren’t any mistakes in this fight.”
Don’t miss this event this Saturday only on Pay Per View.
Strikeforce reportedly delaying second set of Heavyweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal bouts
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Strikeforce’s Heavyweight World Grand Prix kicked off with their February 12th event in New Jersey, but the second set of quarterfinal bouts may not be getting started as planned according to Sherdog.com.
Strikeforce’s April 9 event was expected to feature heavyweight grand prix quarterfinal bouts between Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum, as well as Brett Rogers and Josh Barnett, but now Sherdog.com reports that both of those fights will be delayed.
Per the report, Strikeforce is now planning to run the event in California, and both fights are likely to be pushed off the card.
Instead of those two bouts, Strikeforce is planning a Welterweight Championship bout between Nick Diaz and either Paul Daley or Tyron Woodley, as well as a lightweight bout between Gilbert Melendez and Tatsuya Kawajiri.
For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Josh Gross reports that Strikeforce has been looking at both St. Louis and Houston for the April 9 event, but also states he’s not yet sure what to believe from the organization as even Scott Coker’s staff doesn’t have an idea what he has planned as of now. I believe the best part of the tounament was going to see Alistar Overeem, take out Fabricio Werdum. After Overeem fresh off winning the K1, Dream, and being the Strikeforce heavy weight champ, he will be hard to beat. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Baltimore Martial Arts Charles Gamble to Fight for Title at Cage Wars 5
On March 11, 2011 Charles Gamble will be fighting for the XFE Title. Charles will be fighting Jackson Duncan fresh off of a win over Mike Jenkins at Cage Wars 4 were the fight lasted 3 rounds and went to a decision. Charles will have his toughest fight to date. Duncan who has six mma fights has the experience needed to win. Duncan now has 4 wins and 2 loses and will collide with Charles Gamble 1 win and 1 loss at Harrahs in Pennsylvania. The much bigger Duncan has won his last fight by controling Mike Jenkins on the ground. Charles will have to use his footwork and speed to control the fight. I predict Charles’s cardio will allow him to constantly put on the pressure giving him the win. I hope everyone can come to support Charles. For more information contact Herb or Gary or visit http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma.cfm?go=events.detail&eid=b3120976-b4f9-47e8-b696-6d43b0be1d88
10 Best Fights of the Decade!
This past decade is now history and there are thousands of fights to choose from. Use any set of standards you want. It can be the best war, biggest impact, best energy or its place in history.
Of course this is only my opinion, and this could be alot of other fights too. So take this with a grain of salt and let’s discuss what you think some of the best fights should be.
10. Scott Smith vs. Pete Sell, TUF Finale, Nov. 11, 2005 — Las Vegas
Smith has a penchant for pulling victory from the jaws of defeat. Neither middleweight has ever been a top fighter but they do what fans like, slug it out. Sell and Smith traded shots from the opening bell. Just over a minute into the fight, both guys are so fired up they clap and give each a high five. The crowning moment came with 1:40 left in the second when Sell drilled Smith with a body shot. A doubled over Smith throws a hail mary, last ditch right and down went Sell. Smith repeated the feat five years later at Strikeforce in April. He was getting destroyed by Benji Radach when he pulled out a miracle knockout in the third round.
9. Royce Gracie vs. Kazushi Sakuraba, PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Finals, May, 1, 2000
It may not have been the most exciting fight but it lasted an incredible 90 minutes. Plus it featured the originator of the sport, Gracie, against Japan’s biggest fighting icon in Sakuraba. They battled through dozens of submissions attempts, kicks, punches and stomps. The Gracies finally threw in the towel when Royce could continue no longer with what turned out to be a broken leg. There had to be some controversy. It looked like Sakuraba tapped from a guillotine choke (1:08 mark).
8. Cristiane Santos vs. Gina Carano at Strikeforce, Aug, 15, 2009 – San Jose
Go ahead and chuckle. This may be the fight that launches female MMA to the mainstream. Even if it doesn’t, it matched the two female fighters recognized by most as the best at the time. The five minutes of non-stop action, mixed with the energy at the HP Pavilion matched any big fight atmosphere this decade, male or female!
7. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Bob Sapp, PRIDE Shockwave, Aug. 28, 2002, Tokyo, Japan
Bob Sapp is a freak show and he shouldn’t have been in the same ring with a legitimate MMA legend like Big Nog. But that’s what made it great. In the opening minute of the fight, the 360-pound Sapp landed a pile driver on Nogueira (0:07 mark). Sapp had top control for much of the first round and took a beating. His left eye was nearly closed and he had a nasty cut under the eye. Nogueira, as always, survived and mentally broke Sapp. The big guy came out for the second and was easy picking as Nogueira submitted him with a nasty armbar.
6. Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg, UFC 52, Apr. 16, 2005 — Las Vegas
There may have been more heat going into this fight than any in MMA history. The loudmouth Trigg just rubbed Hughes the wrong way. The “good guy” won with a dramatic comeback. Trigg, with the aid of a low blow, slapped on a rear-naked choke. Hughes looked like he was seconds away from going out when he was able to turn out of the hold. The fight got to the feet where Hughes picked up Trigg and carried him across the cage before slamming him to the mat. Hughes was able to put on his own rear-naked choke. Trigg fell back dramatically as referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the fight.
5. Randy Couture vs. Tim Sylvia, UFC 68, March 3, 2007 — Columbus, Ohio
Couture was forced to retire a year earlier after suffering a second brutal knockout at the hands of Liddell. The 220-pound Couture decided to make an improbable run at the heavyweight title against 6-foot-8, 265 pound Tim Sylvia. Couture knocked Sylvia on his butt in the first 30 seconds of the fight. This may have been best the atmosphere in UFC history. A record crowd of 19,000-plus routed against the giant. Couture confused Sylvia the entire way and cruised to a 50-45 victory. Couture captured the moment when he said, “Not bad for an old man,” to UFC color voice Joe Rogan.
4. Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva, PRIDE Final Conflict 2003, Nov. 9, 2003 — Tokyo, Japan
Silva was the most dominatant fighter in the world from 2000-2004. He reeled off 14 wins in 15 fights. Two of those wins came against Jackson. But what made those fights special was the fact that Jackson was the only guy who didn’t seem afraid of Silva and that brought a special level of rage out of “The Axe Murderer.” In their first meeting, Silva brutalized Jackson at times but the American seemed to have the fight under control when he slowed the pace with top control. That’s when the Japanese referee decided to stand things up prematurely. It spelled doom for Jackson who finished the fight lying face first on the ring ropes.
3. Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva, UFC 79, Dec, 29, 2007 — Las Vegas
Fans had waited for this fight for years. Liddell was the longtime UFC champ at 205 pounds while Silva had crushed folks for years in Japan. A potential matchup was ruined by Quinton Jackson in 2003 when he beat Liddell during a tournament. There was still a buzz but there was a feeling maybe it was too late for both and a great fight wouldn’t materialize. Wrong. This one turned out to be an absolute slugfest. Liddell and Silva both had their moments. Both landed big shots. Liddell just landed more.
2. Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar, TUF 1 Finale, Apr. 9, 2005 — Las Vegas
This was the turning point for mixed martial arts in the United States. The UFC rolled the dice putting a reality show featuring 16 fighters on cable television. Griffin and Bonnar met in what was the most viewed fight in U.S. television history and they didn’t disappoint. The light heavyweights slugged it out with Griffin taking a close decision. Griffin went on to win the UFC 205 title while Bonnar has been a victim of injuries and circumstance since.
1. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, PRIDE Final Conflict 2005, Aug. 28, 2005 — Saitama, Japan
This was one of the rare times in MMA when the top two fighters in a weight class meet while both at the top of their game. Cro Cop was scaring the hell out of heavyweights with his lethal head kicks and Fedor had torn through 19 straight opponents finishing eight of the last nine. Cro Cop entered on a seven fight win streak finishing six of those opponents. It was three rounds of nail-biting action. If it went to the ground, Cro Cop was in trouble and if he landed one of those kicks, Fedor was dead meat. Fedor backed up Cro Cop for much of the fight and got the decision. Cro Cop was never the same fighter. Fedor went to win eight straight.
Dont forget to post your comments and let me know what you think the best fights of the last 10 years were.
UFC 128 now set, Pyle vs. Almeida, Miller vs. Catone officially announced
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The UFC’s March return to New Jersey is complete, as the organization on Tuesday announced the final two fights for the night’s card.
The final two bouts announced were both previously reported, as Mike Pyle meets Ricardo Almeida and Dan Miller meets Nick Catone. The card takes place on March 19 from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
The event, headlined by a Light Heavyweight Champinship bout between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Rashad Evans, is the UFC’s first trip to New Jersey since March of last year, when UFC 111 emanated from the Prudential Center.
The night’s full 12-fight card is below:
Main Pay-Per-View Card
* Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Rashad Evans (Light Heavyweight Championship)
* Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland
* Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus
* Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Nate Marquardt
* Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Brendan Schaub
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Luiz Cane vs. Karlos Vemola
* Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani
* Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle
* Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau
* Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland
* Raphael Assuncao vs. Manny Gamburyan
* Nick Catone vs. Dan Miller
What a great card I can’t wait for this one.
Georges St. Pierre, manager Shari Spencer part ways
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UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre has become one of the biggest names and most visible MMA stars in the sport over the last several years, in large part due to manager Shari Spencer. Spencer was key in St. Pierre landing sponsorship deals with Gatorade, Under Armor and more, thrusting St. Pierre into the spotlight further off of his in-cage domination.
But on Thursday, the two sides announced an “amicable” split in their working relationship. In a press release, the reason given for the split was that “They felt they had a different vision for the future of Georges’ career and it was best to remain close personally but dissolve their business relationship.”
The two spoke highly of each other in the release, and made it clear there’s no animosity involved in this separation.
Said St. Pierre, “Shari has been very valuable to me and my career over the last several years. We broke through a lot of barriers together and so I will always be grateful to her and call her my friend.”
Said Spencer, “I am extremely proud of the representation I provided to Georges and the incredible opportunity to have partnered with an athlete of his caliber. I am thankful for the trust that he displayed in me in managing his career since mid 2007 and I wish him the best going forward.”
For now, St. Pierre will remain with the Creative Arts Agency, and is expected to hire a new manager shortly.
Charles Gamble’s Nutritional Secrets to MMA Success
Secret Formula
Some may wonder what nutrition plan Charles Gamble uses in order to cut weight for his MMA fights. Obviously Charles is doing something right since he’s able to cut 20-35 pounds in such short notice.
We aren’t going to give any details about Charles’ diet, however we will divulge this photograph for any inquisitive competitors or MMA practitioners who have been looking for ways to cut weight.
Alistair Overeem says tournament a great way to prove he’s the best fighter in the world
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“I have been looking for a big fight for more than a year now… Tournament or no tournament, Werdum was going to be my first fight in Strikeforce… All the fighters in that tournament are good, so there are no easy fights. I’m a little surprised about [the bracket set up], and I don’t know why this bracket is designed this way, but my job is to fight. I’m not picking opponents, so if that’s the way they made the bracket, so be it. I can show the American fans that I’m the No. 1 fighter of Strikeforce. Entering such a tournament is not only great for the MMA fans but also a great way to prove that I’m the best fighter in the world.”
-Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem talks about the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix and getting a chance to prove his place in the heavyweight division.
I believe he is the best heavywieght in Strikeforce. I think Fedor evens knows it. Fedor and his Manager said the had no interest in fighting Overeem. I thought Whaaaaaatttt? Why would you not want to fight the person who has the belt.
Post your comments and let me know who you think the best heavywieght in Strikeforce is.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Thiago Silva Agreed To For UFC 130
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After a fairly one-sided decision win over Brandon Vera at UFC 125, Thiago Silva is going to get a crack at a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Silva will now meet Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 130 in May in a fight that could have definite implications in the title picture.
Silva’s bout with Vera was his first in a year after injuries sidelined him for the almost all of 2010. His last bout prior to the injury layoff was a decision loss to another former Champion in Rashad Evans. It was only Silva’s second career loss, as he had also suffered a knockout loss to future Champion Lyoto Machida in early 2009.
Jackson bounced back from his own loss to Evans with a split decision victory over Machida in November. That headlining victory was Jackson’s first since a March 2009 win over Keith Jardine.
UFC 130 is expected to take place from the MGM Garden Arenain Las Vegas, Nevada as the UFC’s annual Memorial Day Weekend show.
STRIKEFORCE HEAVYWEIGHT GRAND PRIX ANNOUNCED
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Strikeforce’s Heavyweight Grand Prix is official, as the organization – in conjunction with M-1 Global and Showtime – announced the eight man tournament, along with the multi-year contract signing for co-promoted events with M-1 Global featuring Fedor Emelianenko.
The four previously reported bouts, Fedor vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov, Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Brett Rogers vs. Josh Barnett, were all announced as quarterfinal matchups. Fedor vs. Silva and Arlovski vs. Kharitonov will take place on February 12 in New Jersey, though the Overeem vs. Werdum and Rogers vs. Barnett fights do not yet have a date or location.
UFC 128: Shogun vs. Evans Officially Announced
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will defend the UFC light heavyweight belt he won last May for the first time March 19 in Newark, N.J., against former champion Rashad Evans. The bout between Shogun and Evans will headline UFC 128, the organization confirmed Tuesday.“With the main event and the other fights we’re putting together, we’re bringing an awesome card to New Jersey, and I’m excited to get back to the East Coast,” UFC President Dana White said in a release. In addition to the light heavyweight championship fight, UFC 128 will also feature the anticipated UFC debut of Urijah Faber. Faber will face off against Eddie Wineland in one of the UFC’s first marquee bantamweight bouts since it acquired the WEC.
Other announced fights include two lightweight bouts — Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau and Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani — and a bantamweight fight between Joseph Benavidenz and Ian Loveland. A heavyweight fight between Mirko “Cro Crop” Filipovic and Brendan Schaub is also in the works for UFC 128 and expected to be added to the main card shortly.
Shogun vs. Evans is a long-awaited fight pitting two of the past three titleholders in the 205-weight division. Evans had the belt in 2009 before losing it to Lyoto Machida, who Shogun eventually defeated. “Shogun has been on an absolute tear and proved that by knocking out Lyoto Machida to take the belt,” White said. “Now he faces Rashad Evans, who is coming off back-to-back wins over Thiago Silva and Rampage Jackson and has never been hungrier to reclaim the title.”
Shogun Rua vs. Rashad Evans moved to UFC 129, March 19 event coming to New Jersey
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The Light Heavyweight Championship bout between Rashad Evans and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, initially rumored for a planned Abu Dhabi event in March, will now take place on March 19 in New Jersey, according to a report from The Fight Network.
Per the report, the March 19 event, expected to be UFC 129, will take place from the Prudential Center in Newark.
The UFC is expected to bring an event on March 12, though they are searching for a replacement location and venue with Abu Dhabi now out of the picture for unexplained reasons.
The bout will be Rua’s first defense of the championship he captured when he knocked out Lyoto Machida in May at UFC 113. Evans earned his title shot with a win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson later that month at UFC 114.
According to the report, previously reported fights between Tito Ortiz and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Michihiro Omigawa and Chad Mendes are expected to take place on the New Jersey card.
Charles Gamble Wins at XFE’s Cage Wars 4
Charles Gamble of Baltimore Martial Arts Academy, wins at XFE’s Cage Wars 4 “Jingle Brawl”. The Event took place Friday night, December 10th in Boothwyn, PA. Charles won a unanimous decision for all three rounds. The first round started out on the feet with his opponent Malcolm Slaughter and Charles kicking and punching. I gave this round a slight edge to Charles. The second Round this is where the mix up started with the clinch and take-downs, along with Charles getting the top position on the ground. The third round ended with Charles being in the mount for most of the round with some ground and pound from him. Charles has been training hard and this was a well deserved win. Congratulations Charles!!!!
Charles Gamble Wins at XFE's Cage Wars 4
Charles Gamble of Baltimore Martial Arts Academy, wins at XFE’s Cage Wars 4 “Jingle Brawl”. The Event took place Friday night, December 10th in Boothwyn, PA. Charles won a unanimous decision for all three rounds. The first round started out on the feet with his opponent Malcolm Slaughter and Charles kicking and punching. I gave this round a slight edge to Charles. The second Round this is where the mix up started with the clinch and take-downs, along with Charles getting the top position on the ground. The third round ended with Charles being in the mount for most of the round with some ground and pound from him. Charles has been training hard and this was a well deserved win. Congratulations Charles!!!!
StrikeForce; Scott Coker waiting until the beginning of the year to make decisions on Nick Diaz and Jason “Mayhem” Miller
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“You have to look at a fight between Nick Diaz and Jason “Mayhem” Miller from all different angles. Would it be a fun fight to promote? Sure. I think we should wait until the beginning of the year, and let’s have another conversation on that because with Miller and Diaz I just couldn’t imagine the extra security that I’d probably need to get to make that fight happen… Nick, he could also fight some catchweight fights. I think there’s some fights ahead of him that we would love to promote. He just came off a pretty brutal fight with K.J., so let him rest till the beginning of the year, and we can start having conversations about his next opponent, maybe the turning of 2011… For Mayhem, we’ve got some great fights for him ahead. We’re going to promote all those fights. I saw him fight in Japan against (Kazushi) Sakuraba, I was pretty impressed. I think he’s getting better and better with every fight.”
Scott Coker talks to MMAWeekly.com about a possible fight between Nick Diaz and Jason “Mayhem” Miller, as well as the other options they’ve got for both fighters.
StrikeForce; Scott Coker waiting until the beginning of the year to make decisions on Nick Diaz and Jason "Mayhem" Miller
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“You have to look at a fight between Nick Diaz and Jason “Mayhem” Miller from all different angles. Would it be a fun fight to promote? Sure. I think we should wait until the beginning of the year, and let’s have another conversation on that because with Miller and Diaz I just couldn’t imagine the extra security that I’d probably need to get to make that fight happen… Nick, he could also fight some catchweight fights. I think there’s some fights ahead of him that we would love to promote. He just came off a pretty brutal fight with K.J., so let him rest till the beginning of the year, and we can start having conversations about his next opponent, maybe the turning of 2011… For Mayhem, we’ve got some great fights for him ahead. We’re going to promote all those fights. I saw him fight in Japan against (Kazushi) Sakuraba, I was pretty impressed. I think he’s getting better and better with every fight.”
Scott Coker talks to MMAWeekly.com about a possible fight between Nick Diaz and Jason “Mayhem” Miller, as well as the other options they’ve got for both fighters.
Nate Marquardt says loss to Chael Sonnen helped him regain focus to be champion
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Nate Marquardt finds himself one fight away from a second title shot in the UFC, and perhaps a chance to rematch Anderson Silva, when he takes on Yushin Okami this Saturday at UFC 122. This is the second time in 2010 that Marquardt’s had this opportunity, but he came up short in February when he lost to Chael Sonnen at UFC 109. But Marquardt said that loss helped him regain focus in his career.
“After I lost to Chael, I realized maybe I’d lost some desire and my focus to be champion,” Marquardt said in a pre-UFC 122 teleconference late last week. “Now I have that back fully, and I feel very prepared and ready. It feels the same as when I was a kid. I want to be champ, and I’m one step away.
“The Chael fight reignited that desire. I feel like I lost to a guy I should have beaten, and it makes me mad at myself. Against Chael, I didn’t follow my game plan. Maybe it’s a balancing act; following the game plan and going for the finish 100 percent.”
Now, Marquardt faces another tough fighter known for his grappling and wrestling ability, but Marquardt says Okami is a different fighter than Chael.
“Yushin has quite a bit different style from Chael,” he said. “He has a different body type, he uses different takedowns and his ground game is different.”
Okami has also been defeated by Sonnen, but Marquardt says he’s not really going to utilize the video of the fight between those two in his preparation, as his style as well differs from Sonnen.
“Chael is a different style of fighter than I am,” he said. “I’m going to be looking for openings to finish the fight. Even if I did see something in [the tape of their fight], it’s not going to help me that much. Chael fought him totally different than how I’m going to fight him. There are several of Yushin’s fights that I’ve watched that were much more valuable for me.”
While there is some concern amongst fans of the possibility of a tentative, and perhaps boring fight, such as Okami has become – fairly or unfairly – associated with, Marquardt says a tentative, counter-striking Okami works into his gameplan just fine.
“I fight best when I look for openings and capitalize and go for the finish 100 percent. That’s when I do the most damage,” he said. “If he’s just going to wait on me, that’s going to make my fight a lot easier. If he’s not going to attack me, then he’s going to be in trouble, and he’s going to lose the fight. Waiting for an opening doesn’t necessarily mean countering. I have to fight smartly to create openings and then capitalize.”
Baltimore Martial Arts Academy’s MMa Conditioning Training
This is part of our MMA training that we do at the end of every class, which is actually after class. After our class which is a 1.5 hours long we will do some kind of circuit training exercise. This is after working techniques, drills, fighting/sparring, etc.
Come check out or MMA class! We are here to help improve all aspects of your Mixed Martial Arts training!
Check out a video of the circuit training in action!
Baltimore Martial Arts Academy's MMa Conditioning Training
This is part of our MMA training that we do at the end of every class, which is actually after class. After our class which is a 1.5 hours long we will do some kind of circuit training exercise. This is after working techniques, drills, fighting/sparring, etc.
Come check out or MMA class! We are here to help improve all aspects of your Mixed Martial Arts training!
Check out a video of the circuit training in action!
Erik Koch Stays on WEC 52, Meets Newcomer Francisco Rivera
The featherweight contender welcomes promotional newcomer Francisco “Cisco” Rivera (5-0 MMA, 0-0 WEC) to the organization in a Versus-televised main-card bout, WEC General Manager Reed Harris today announced.
WEC 52 takes place Nov. 11 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
The night’s five-fight main card, including a Urijah Faber vs. Takeya Mizugaki bantamweight headliner, airs on Versus. It’s the second-to-last show the WEC hosts before a January merger with its sister promotion, the UFC.
Koch initially was expected to fight Grispi in a likely No. 1 contender’s bout. However, once the UFC decided to make a WEC merger official, Grispi was moved to a UFC 125 title fight with Jose Aldo, the final WEC champ who’s now the UFC 145-pound title-holder.
Koch recently rebounded from his first pro loss with a submission victory over Bendy Casmir at WEC 49. Prior to that, Koch took on Chad Mendes and was out-wrestled and suffered a unanimous-decision loss at WEC 47. Koch made his promotional debut at WEC 45 and bested Jameel Massouh on points. The Duke Roufus-trained fighter owns seven submissions among his 10 career wins.
Rivera, who trains with fellow WEC fighter Manny Gamburyan, brings an undefeated record to the organization. The two-year pro has posted three knockouts among his five career wins, and each lasted 52 seconds or fewer. The well-rounded fighter’s most recent bout came back in January, when he topped Fernando Bernstein (3-3 at the time) at a Called Out MMA event in California.
The full WEC 52 card includes:
MAIN CARD
- Urijah Faber vs. Takeya Mizugaki
- Joseph Benavidez vs. Wagnney Fabiano
- Erik Koch vs. Francisco Rivera
- Chad Mendes vs. Javier Vazquez
- Demetrious Johnson vs. Damacio Page
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Raphael Assuncao vs. L.C. Davis
- Edward Faaloloto vs. Anthony Njokuani
- Zack Micklewright vs. Dustin Poirier
- Clint Godfrey vs. Michael McDonald
- Yves Jabouin vs. Brandon Visher
- Mackens Semerzier vs. Cub Swanson
Cage Wars – Charles Gamble MMA Competitor
Charles Gamble – Cage Wars Fight October 2010
Upcoming MMA Events,You Don’t Want to Miss!!
WEC 52
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Arco Arena
Sacramento, CA
Airing on Versus
MAIN CARD
* Urijah Faber vs. Takeya Mizugaki
* Erik Koch vs. Josh Grispi
* Wagnney Fabiano vs. Joseph Benavidez
* Chad Mendes vs. Javier Vazquez
* Demetrious Johnson vs. Damacio Page
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Zack Micklewright vs. Dustin Poirier
* Clint Godfrey vs. Michael Mcdonald
* Mackens Semerzier vs. Cub Swanson
* Raphael Assuncao vs. L.C. Davis
* Anthony Njokuani vs. Edward Faaloloto
* Yves Jabouin vs. Brandon Visher
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Konig Pilsener Arena
Oberhausen, Germany
Airing on Spike (delay)
* Nate Marquardt (#2 Ranked MW) vs. Yushin Okami (#4 Ranked MW)
* Jorge Rivera vs. Alessio Sakara
* Dennis Siver vs. Andre Winner
* Amir Sadollah vs. Peter Sobotta
* Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Goran ReljicMAIN CARD
* Pascal Krauss vs. Mark Scanlon
* Duane “Bang” Ludwig vs. Nick Osipczak
* Rob Kimmons vs. Kyle Noke
* Seth Petruzelli vs. Karlos Vemola
* Kris McCray vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha
Strikeforce Challengers 12
Friday, November 19, 2010
Jackson Convention Complex
Jackson, MS
Airing on Showtime
* Vitor Ribeiro vs. Justin Wilcox
* Antwain Britt vs. Ovince St. Preux
* Ryan Couture vs. Juan Zapata
* Jan Finney vs. Liz Carmouche
UFC 123
The Palace of Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills, MI
Airing on PPV
MAIN CARD (PPV)
* BJ Penn (#3-tie Ranked LW) vs. Matt Hughes
* George Sotiropoulos (#7 Ranked LW) vs. Joe Lauzon
* Gerald Harris vs. Maiquel Falcao
* Tim Boetsch vs. Phil Davis
* Matt Brown vs. Brian Foster
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Dennis Hallman vs. Karo Parisyan
* Darren Elkins vs. Edson Barboza
* Paul Kelly vs. T.J. O’Brien
* Nik Lentz vs. Tyson Griffin
The Ultimate Fighter Season 12 Finale/u>
December 4, 2010
The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort
Las Vegas, NV
Airing on Spike
* Kendall Grove vs. Demian Maia (#6 Ranked MW)
* Stephan Bonnar vs. Igor Pokrajac
* Rick Story vs Johny Hendricks
* Dave Branch vs. Rich Attonito
* Leonard Garcia vs. Tyler Toner
* Random Lightweight #1 vs. Random Lightweight #42
Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Scottrade Center
St. Louis, MO
Airing on Showtime
* Dan Henderson (#7 Ranked MW) vs. Renato Sobral
* Paul Daley (#10 Ranked WW) vs. Scott Smith
* Robbie Lawler vs. Matt Lindland
* Antonio Silva vs. Valentijn Overeem
* Herschel Walker vs. TBA
* Thiago Alves (#7 Ranked WW) vs. John Howard
* Jim Miller vs. Charles Oliviera
* Joe Stevenson vs. Mac Danzig
* Sean McCorkle vs. Stefan Struve
* Dustin Hazelett vs. Mark Bocek
* Ricardo Almeida vs. T.J. Grant
* Jesse Bongfeldt vs. Rafael Natal
*
* John Makdessi vs. Pat Audinwood
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Bell Centre
Montreal, QC, Canada
Airing on PPV
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Jobing.com Arena
Glendale, Arizona
Airing on Versus
* Benson Henderson (#8 Ranked LW) vs. Anthony Pettis (for WEC Lightweight Championship)
* Dominick Cruz vs. Scott Jorgensen (for WEC Bantamweight title)
* Shane Roller vs. Jamie Varner
* Donald Cerrone vs. Chris Horodecki
* Bart Palaszewski vs. Kamal Shalorus
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Danny Downes vs. Tiequan Zhang
* Danny Castillo vs. Will Kerr
* Renan Barao vs. Chris Cariaso
Dynamite!! 2010
Friday December 31, 2010
TBA
TBA
Airing on HDNet
UFC 125
Saturday, January 1, 2011
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, NV
Airing on PPV
* Frank Edgar (#1 Ranked LW) vs. Gray Maynard (#2 Ranked LW) (for UFC Lightweight Championship)
* Jose Aldo vs. Josh Grispi (for UFC Featherweight Championship)
* Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann
* Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim
* Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi
* Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva (#10-tie Ranked LHW)
* Matt Wiman vs. Cole Miller
* Antonio McKee vs. Jacob Volkmann
* Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares
Upcoming MMA Events,You Don't Want to Miss!!
WEC 52
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Arco Arena
Sacramento, CA
Airing on Versus
MAIN CARD
* Urijah Faber vs. Takeya Mizugaki
* Erik Koch vs. Josh Grispi
* Wagnney Fabiano vs. Joseph Benavidez
* Chad Mendes vs. Javier Vazquez
* Demetrious Johnson vs. Damacio Page
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Zack Micklewright vs. Dustin Poirier
* Clint Godfrey vs. Michael Mcdonald
* Mackens Semerzier vs. Cub Swanson
* Raphael Assuncao vs. L.C. Davis
* Anthony Njokuani vs. Edward Faaloloto
* Yves Jabouin vs. Brandon Visher
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Konig Pilsener Arena
Oberhausen, Germany
Airing on Spike (delay)
* Nate Marquardt (#2 Ranked MW) vs. Yushin Okami (#4 Ranked MW)
* Jorge Rivera vs. Alessio Sakara
* Dennis Siver vs. Andre Winner
* Amir Sadollah vs. Peter Sobotta
* Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Goran ReljicMAIN CARD
* Pascal Krauss vs. Mark Scanlon
* Duane “Bang” Ludwig vs. Nick Osipczak
* Rob Kimmons vs. Kyle Noke
* Seth Petruzelli vs. Karlos Vemola
* Kris McCray vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha
Strikeforce Challengers 12
Friday, November 19, 2010
Jackson Convention Complex
Jackson, MS
Airing on Showtime
* Vitor Ribeiro vs. Justin Wilcox
* Antwain Britt vs. Ovince St. Preux
* Ryan Couture vs. Juan Zapata
* Jan Finney vs. Liz Carmouche
UFC 123
The Palace of Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills, MI
Airing on PPV
MAIN CARD (PPV)
* BJ Penn (#3-tie Ranked LW) vs. Matt Hughes
* George Sotiropoulos (#7 Ranked LW) vs. Joe Lauzon
* Gerald Harris vs. Maiquel Falcao
* Tim Boetsch vs. Phil Davis
* Matt Brown vs. Brian Foster
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Dennis Hallman vs. Karo Parisyan
* Darren Elkins vs. Edson Barboza
* Paul Kelly vs. T.J. O’Brien
* Nik Lentz vs. Tyson Griffin
The Ultimate Fighter Season 12 Finale/u>
December 4, 2010
The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort
Las Vegas, NV
Airing on Spike
* Kendall Grove vs. Demian Maia (#6 Ranked MW)
* Stephan Bonnar vs. Igor Pokrajac
* Rick Story vs Johny Hendricks
* Dave Branch vs. Rich Attonito
* Leonard Garcia vs. Tyler Toner
* Random Lightweight #1 vs. Random Lightweight #42
Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Scottrade Center
St. Louis, MO
Airing on Showtime
* Dan Henderson (#7 Ranked MW) vs. Renato Sobral
* Paul Daley (#10 Ranked WW) vs. Scott Smith
* Robbie Lawler vs. Matt Lindland
* Antonio Silva vs. Valentijn Overeem
* Herschel Walker vs. TBA
* Thiago Alves (#7 Ranked WW) vs. John Howard
* Jim Miller vs. Charles Oliviera
* Joe Stevenson vs. Mac Danzig
* Sean McCorkle vs. Stefan Struve
* Dustin Hazelett vs. Mark Bocek
* Ricardo Almeida vs. T.J. Grant
* Jesse Bongfeldt vs. Rafael Natal
*
* John Makdessi vs. Pat Audinwood
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Bell Centre
Montreal, QC, Canada
Airing on PPV
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Jobing.com Arena
Glendale, Arizona
Airing on Versus
* Benson Henderson (#8 Ranked LW) vs. Anthony Pettis (for WEC Lightweight Championship)
* Dominick Cruz vs. Scott Jorgensen (for WEC Bantamweight title)
* Shane Roller vs. Jamie Varner
* Donald Cerrone vs. Chris Horodecki
* Bart Palaszewski vs. Kamal Shalorus
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Danny Downes vs. Tiequan Zhang
* Danny Castillo vs. Will Kerr
* Renan Barao vs. Chris Cariaso
Dynamite!! 2010
Friday December 31, 2010
TBA
TBA
Airing on HDNet
UFC 125
Saturday, January 1, 2011
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, NV
Airing on PPV
* Frank Edgar (#1 Ranked LW) vs. Gray Maynard (#2 Ranked LW) (for UFC Lightweight Championship)
* Jose Aldo vs. Josh Grispi (for UFC Featherweight Championship)
* Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann
* Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim
* Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi
* Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva (#10-tie Ranked LHW)
* Matt Wiman vs. Cole Miller
* Antonio McKee vs. Jacob Volkmann
* Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares
Greg Jackson’s “The Ground Game” delivers in-depth MMA grappling guide
While Greg Jackson’s reputation as a master of the mental side of mixed martial arts is well-deserved, the famed trainer’s latest instructional book again demonstrates his grasp of the techniques and physical approach necessary to succeed in the sport.
Just as 2009′s “The Stand Up Game” tackles a complete array of techniques on the feet, Jackson’s newest offering, “Greg Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts: The Ground Game,” covers the grappling aspect of MMA in stunning depth.
Recently issued by Victory Belt Publishing and co-authored by noted MMA author Kelly Crigger, “The Ground Game” is a title suitable for a wide range of readers – from fans simply looking to better their understanding of the fight game to aspiring octagon warriors.
“The Ground Game” opens with a bonus 10-page section on sports nutrition. Jackson offers advice on general nutrition principles and how to best decide overall caloric needs, as well as specific approaches to nutrition before, during and after a workout. Jackson also offers a handful of recipes suitable for professional fighters but equally beneficial (and palatable) for even couch potatoes looking to improves their overall health.
But if the nutrition section is a welcome appetizer for “The Ground Game,” it’s the opening chapter where the perfectly cooked meat and potatoes truly begin.
Chapter One sees Jackson devote nearly 100 informative pages on all aspects of the most basic position in MMA ground fighting: the full guard. While Jackson makes it clear the guard is not necessarily an advantageous position, he offers in meticulous fashion the numerous opportunities the full guard presents.
Jackson describes the various submissions, strikes, sweeps, transitions and escapes available from the full guard and then takes to the mat himself to demonstrate the techniques. The positions are then displayed in a series of full-color photographs that capture the key parts of each maneuver from two (and sometimes three) different angles.
Chapter Two focuses on variations of the guard, including the butterfly guard, spider guard, sit-up guard, downed guard and half-guard. While “The Ground Game” might not stand out from similar titles as a revolutionary approach to grappling the way publications from Eddie Bravo and Marcelo Garcia are widely perceived, Jackson does an outstanding job of sharing techniques best-suited for MMA – in which competition is strictly no-gi and competitors must concern themselves with strikes, as well. “The Ground Game” also excels in describing when best to turn to the techniques detailed.
Subsequent chapters of this instructional title address techniques from more advantageous positions, including side mount, rear control, rear mount and full mount. Jackson dissects each position with the same painstaking detail offered to the guard.
Throughout the book, Jackson presents the techniques as individual parts of an overall approach to fighting success. It’s an idea outlined in Jackson’s introduction.
“To me mixed martial arts is one of the most beautiful art forms,” Jackson states. “I think this because it encompasses so many elements from the worlds of science, psychology, music and many other disciplines. Your journey through the martial arts is not just a journey of technique, but also a journey of understanding.
“All of the techniques in ['The Ground Game'] will stand on their own as basic ways of learning physical combat. But the idea I’d really like to impart is that the techniques also represent a way to train the conceptual themes underpinning our art.”
Whether you’re hoping to round out your skills on the mat or simply hoping to gain a better understanding of what’s unfolding on the screen in front of you as you tune in to your favorite MMA events, “Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts: The Ground Game” is for you. Perhaps the most thorough grappling-for-MMA manuscript on the market today, “The Ground Game” offers real insight to battle-tested groundfighting techniques.
Coupled with Jackson’s 2009 striking-focused “The Stand Up Game,” Victory Belt Publishing’s two “Greg Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts” titles provide a comprehensive instructional how-to from one of MMA’s most respected minds.
Grab your copy and let me know what you think!
“Greg Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts: The Ground Game” is now available at all major online bookstores, including Amazon.com.
Greg Jackson's "The Ground Game" delivers in-depth MMA grappling guide
While Greg Jackson’s reputation as a master of the mental side of mixed martial arts is well-deserved, the famed trainer’s latest instructional book again demonstrates his grasp of the techniques and physical approach necessary to succeed in the sport.
Just as 2009′s “The Stand Up Game” tackles a complete array of techniques on the feet, Jackson’s newest offering, “Greg Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts: The Ground Game,” covers the grappling aspect of MMA in stunning depth.
Recently issued by Victory Belt Publishing and co-authored by noted MMA author Kelly Crigger, “The Ground Game” is a title suitable for a wide range of readers – from fans simply looking to better their understanding of the fight game to aspiring octagon warriors.
“The Ground Game” opens with a bonus 10-page section on sports nutrition. Jackson offers advice on general nutrition principles and how to best decide overall caloric needs, as well as specific approaches to nutrition before, during and after a workout. Jackson also offers a handful of recipes suitable for professional fighters but equally beneficial (and palatable) for even couch potatoes looking to improves their overall health.
But if the nutrition section is a welcome appetizer for “The Ground Game,” it’s the opening chapter where the perfectly cooked meat and potatoes truly begin.
Chapter One sees Jackson devote nearly 100 informative pages on all aspects of the most basic position in MMA ground fighting: the full guard. While Jackson makes it clear the guard is not necessarily an advantageous position, he offers in meticulous fashion the numerous opportunities the full guard presents.
Jackson describes the various submissions, strikes, sweeps, transitions and escapes available from the full guard and then takes to the mat himself to demonstrate the techniques. The positions are then displayed in a series of full-color photographs that capture the key parts of each maneuver from two (and sometimes three) different angles.
Chapter Two focuses on variations of the guard, including the butterfly guard, spider guard, sit-up guard, downed guard and half-guard. While “The Ground Game” might not stand out from similar titles as a revolutionary approach to grappling the way publications from Eddie Bravo and Marcelo Garcia are widely perceived, Jackson does an outstanding job of sharing techniques best-suited for MMA – in which competition is strictly no-gi and competitors must concern themselves with strikes, as well. “The Ground Game” also excels in describing when best to turn to the techniques detailed.
Subsequent chapters of this instructional title address techniques from more advantageous positions, including side mount, rear control, rear mount and full mount. Jackson dissects each position with the same painstaking detail offered to the guard.
Throughout the book, Jackson presents the techniques as individual parts of an overall approach to fighting success. It’s an idea outlined in Jackson’s introduction.
“To me mixed martial arts is one of the most beautiful art forms,” Jackson states. “I think this because it encompasses so many elements from the worlds of science, psychology, music and many other disciplines. Your journey through the martial arts is not just a journey of technique, but also a journey of understanding.
“All of the techniques in ['The Ground Game'] will stand on their own as basic ways of learning physical combat. But the idea I’d really like to impart is that the techniques also represent a way to train the conceptual themes underpinning our art.”
Whether you’re hoping to round out your skills on the mat or simply hoping to gain a better understanding of what’s unfolding on the screen in front of you as you tune in to your favorite MMA events, “Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts: The Ground Game” is for you. Perhaps the most thorough grappling-for-MMA manuscript on the market today, “The Ground Game” offers real insight to battle-tested groundfighting techniques.
Coupled with Jackson’s 2009 striking-focused “The Stand Up Game,” Victory Belt Publishing’s two “Greg Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts” titles provide a comprehensive instructional how-to from one of MMA’s most respected minds.
Grab your copy and let me know what you think!
“Greg Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts: The Ground Game” is now available at all major online bookstores, including Amazon.com.
Urijah Faber “Can’t Wait for Superfights” Following UFC Merger
The MMA world was flipped upside-down Thursday when UFC president Dana White announced they were going to absorb the WEC. While some thought Urijah Faber might be saddened to see the company he helped build be wiped away with a blink of a eye, the WEC poster boy claims he couldn’t be happier. In fact, he says bring on the super-fights.
“I’m stoked. No more explaining to people why I’m not in the UFC,” Faber stated. “We’re finally going to be under one banner, which means bigger opportunities, more exposure and less misunderstandings.”
Although he appreciates the chance to achieve his “dream” of capturing a UFC title, first thing’s first for “The California Kid.” Faber headlines the WEC’s second-to-last show on November 11th against Takeya Mizugaki inside The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
After an unprecedented title run in the WEC’s featherweight division, Faber lost his belt to Mike Brown at WEC 36 and followed it up with a unanimous decision loss in their mulligan at WEC 41. What sealed the bantamweight deal for Faber must have been when Jose Aldo did THIS to his thigh at WEC 48 in April.
Faber submitted the WEC’s current bantamweight champ in a 145-pound scrap back in March 2007. With an impressive win over the gritty Japanese fighter, it’s possible he could find himself right back in a championship battle. If that doesn’t work, the new powerhouse promotion he now works for can offer up a plethora of intriguing inter-divisional superfights, as well.
See Video Here: Urijah Faber
Discussion: Rampage Vs. Machida/ Huges Vs. Penn
I wanted to start a discussion about the upcoming UFC 123.
Let me know your comments on who you think will win between Rampage and Machida. Let’s also discuss the Huges Vs. Pen fight.
Jackson (30-8 MMA, 5-2 UFC) looks to bounce back from a May loss to nemesis Rashad Evans at UFC 114. The contest was the culmination of 14 months worth of rivalry and a coaching gig on “The Ultimate Fighter” opposite Evans.
Prior to the loss, Jackson had earned back-to-back victories over Keith Jardine and Wanderlei Silva.
Meanwhile, Machida (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) also looks to bounce back from a loss – the first defeat of his career. “The Dragon” was knocked out in the first round of his May rematch with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and relinquished his belt in the process.
Prior to the defeat, Machida had earned eight-straight UFC wins and both claimed and once defended the UFC’s light heavyweight title.
Penn and Hughes, of course, have met twice before. Penn won the first meeting via submission at UFC 46, but Hughes got his revenge at UFC 63 and scored a third-round TKO. Hughes lost his long-held welterweight belt for the first time with the UFC 46 loss. Prior to UFC 63, he reclaimed the title with a win over Georges St-Pierre and successfully defended it with the Penn victory.
Hughes (45-7 MMA, 18-5 UFC), who was once on the verge of retirement in recent years, has found new life in the UFC’s loaded welterweight division. After a 1-3 skid that saw him lose his belt, the recent UFC Hall of Fame inductee has rebounded with consecutive wins over Matt Serra, Renzo Gracie and Ricardo Almeida.
Penn (15-7-1 MMA, 11-6-1 UFC) , meanwhile, looks to gain some traction at 170 pounds following his quick descent at lightweight. Once the world’s universal No. 1 ranked 155-pounder, Penn lost his belt to Frankie Edgar at UFC 112 and then suffered another decision loss to “The Answer” at UFC 118 in an August rematch. Perhaps surprisingly, Penn hasn’t fared well at 170 pounds and owns a career 1-3 mark in the division.
Please post your comments, thanks.
Local and East Coast Amateur Pro Up Coming Events
Chris Lytle wants a fight with Carlos Condit
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The welterweight division in the UFC continues to be one of the premiere divisions in the sport, and with things starting to shape up at the top of the division, there are a number of possible exciting fights for the UFC to book. One of those fights could be between Carlos Condit and Chris Lytle, two always exciting and scrappy fighters, and it’s a fight that Lytle would really like.
Lytle said he’s targeting that fight after Condit’s knockout win over Dan Hardy at UFC 120 this month.
“I wanted to fight the winner of the Condit-Hardy fight,” Lytle said. “After seeing Carlos knock Hardy out, it made me want it even more. He’s looking really good right now, beating good people and he’s a really exciting fighter. That’s what I’m looking for.”
“I’ve always appreciated how he fights. He’s always coming forward, coming after people. He’s got a lot of tenacity, as we just saw he has knockout power, he has good submissions and he tries to finish fights. He even comes back and wins fights he’s losing. That’s the mark of a good fighter. Some guys fold under adversity. He doesn’t. Everything for a great fight is there.”
Lytle understands that his time to make a run at a title shot is now. He’s 6-2 over his last eight fights, with decision losses to Josh Koscheck and Marcus Davis in that span, but he’s now won four straight fights and hopes a win over a contender can get him there.
“It’s do-or-die time,” he said. “Hopefully you’re going to see the best me you’ve ever seen and I’ll put on some good fights. I just want to keep stepping up my competition level and fighting tough guys. I feel like it’s now or never.”
I feel with Lytle ‘s past wins it is now for him to take the next step. This would be a big win for him getting him closer to that title shot.
UFC and WEC set to merge in 2011. Events to air on Versus and Spike TV
The Ultimate Fighting Championship plans to merge with World Extreme Cagefighting in January 2011. UFC president Dana White confirmed the news earlier today with MMAFighting.com, and a formal announcement is scheduled this afternoon. The merger’s primary intent is to fold the WEC’s bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight divisions into the UFC. “The timing was right,” White said. “The reality is we purchased the WEC, (and) we started getting these lighter-weight guys exposure on television. … Now, as the UFC continues to grow globally, and we’re doing more and more fights, now we’re bringing in those lighter weightclasses.” WEC 52 and WEC 53, scheduled for Nov. 11 and Dec. 16, respectively, will be the final events under the existing promotion. In January, the lighter-weighted promotion will cede its talent to the UFC. White said the WEC’s featherweight champion, Jose Aldo, will become the UFC featherweight champion when he first fights inside the octagon in January. Current WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz defends his title against top contender Dominick Cruz at WEC 53. The WEC’s lightweight championship will also be on the line at WEC 53 as current champ Ben Henderson takes on Anthony Pettis. It’s currently unclear what will become of the WEC’s lightweight title, but UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta hinted of a champion vs. champion superfight at the UFC Fan Expo London 2010. “We’d love to see kind of a ‘champion vs. champion’ type bout with Ben and Frankie Edgar or something like that,” Fertitta said. “Ben Henderson is a great fighter, and I think he could do really, really well against some of the top guys in the UFC at 155 (pounds).” Zuffa, LLC, the UFC’s parent company, purchased the WEC in 2006. The lighter-weighted promotion quickly found a new television partner, Versus channel, which aired all but a few of its events. WEC 48 also went to pay-per-view and was considered a rousing success. According to White, four UFC events in 2011 will air on Versus, the current home of the WEC. Additionally, the UFC’s longtime partnership with Spike TV will also remain in place.
Cain Velasquez, Diego Sanchez, Paulo Thiago and Daniel Roberts earn $70K for UFC 121 performances!!!!
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Four fighters earned an extra $70,000 for their efforts at UFC 121 on Saturday night, as Cain Velasquez, Diego Sanchez, Paulo Thiago and Daniel Roberts earned “Fight Night” bonuses.
Velasquez took home the “Knockout of the Night” for his TKO victory over Brock Lesnar in the night’s main event. The first round finish earned Velasquez the UFC Heavyweight Championship, and he now sits atop the division with a perfect 9-0 record.
Diego Sanchez and Paulo Thiago earned the “Fight of the Night” on the event for their extremely exciting three round bout on the night’s pay-per-view card. Sanchez, who came into the fight with back to back losses, survived a couple of submission attempts from Thiago and took over the fight in the grappling department in the second and third rounds. Sanchez finished the fight with an exclamation point, getting to mount and raining down punches until the round ended.
Roberts took home the “Submission of the Night” for his excellent anaconda choke victory over Mike Guymon on the night’s preliminary card. After securing the choke against the cage, Roberts used a gator roll to bring Guymon down and lock the hold on, forcing the tap.
Cain Velasquez stops Brock Lesnar in the first round to capture UFC Heavyweight Championship
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The hype leading into UFC 121′s main event was focused on Cain Velasquez’s opportunity to be the first Mexican Heavvy Weigth Champion. Well, he not only accomplished that feat, he did it in dominant and impressive fashion, stopping Brock Lesnar in the first round of their Championship bout.
Lesnar came out aggressive, trying to shoot in almost immediately. Velasquez held off the attempt, but Lesnar stayed in close. He landed a couple of knees in the clinch and then completed a takedown. But Velasquez got back to his feet almost immediately.
Lesnar stayed after him, and got a double leg takedown against the cage. Velasquez popped right back to his feet, however, and after an exchange on the feet Velasquez shot in and got the takedown. He landed some hard punches on Lesnar’s back before Lesnar tried to work to his feet. As he got to his feet, he stumbled across the cage and Velasquez pounced.
Velasquez continued his assault on Lesnar against the cage. He landed shots in spots, and made sure to pick his opportunities. He bloodied and battered Lesnar, who could do nothing more but cover up against the cage, and finally Herb Dean stepped in to call a stop to the fight. The win gave the undefeated Velasquez the Championship victory at 4:12 of the first round, and he’ll now face off against Junior Dos Santos sometime in 2011.
For Lesnar, it’s back to the drawing board. But he gave Velasquez credit for being the better man on this night, and said he’d work his way back. As for Velasquez, he’ll celebrate the win with his fans, both latino and otherwise.
Steve Cantwell injured, off of Saturday’s UFC 120 card in London
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A highly unfortunate injury has scrapped one of the fights for Saturday’s UFC 120 event in London, as UK based Fighter’s Only reports that Steve Cantwell has suffered a knee injury and is out of his bout with Stanislav Nedkov.
The injury occurred during a BJJ training session on Thursday, and though it’s not clear exactly what happened, the result is a torn ligament for Cantwell. Because there is no time to complete the required medicals before fight time, the fight has been scrapped entirely.
Cantwell was to compete for the first time since September of 2009, but this injury effectively ends any chance of that happening until 2011. Nedkov, meanwhile, was set to make his UFC debut in this bout. He will reportedly be paid his show money from the UFC with the last minute cancellation.
Caught UFC 120 Free on Spike.
Steve Cantwell injured, off of Saturday's UFC 120 card in London
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A highly unfortunate injury has scrapped one of the fights for Saturday’s UFC 120 event in London, as UK based Fighter’s Only reports that Steve Cantwell has suffered a knee injury and is out of his bout with Stanislav Nedkov.
The injury occurred during a BJJ training session on Thursday, and though it’s not clear exactly what happened, the result is a torn ligament for Cantwell. Because there is no time to complete the required medicals before fight time, the fight has been scrapped entirely.
Cantwell was to compete for the first time since September of 2009, but this injury effectively ends any chance of that happening until 2011. Nedkov, meanwhile, was set to make his UFC debut in this bout. He will reportedly be paid his show money from the UFC with the last minute cancellation.
Caught UFC 120 Free on Spike.
Jon Jones vs. Ryan Bader not locked for UFC 126, Dana White says Jones may face someone else in early 2011
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The light heavyweight bout between Jon Jones and Ryan Bader may not be taking place after all.
According to UFC President Dana White at a fan Q&A in London on Friday, the bout is not a done deal and Jones may be facing someone else.
“I don’t know if Jones is going to fight Bader,” White said (quotes transcribed by MMAWeekly.com). “We tried to put that fight together, but Bader has some stuff going on. Jon Jones might be fighting somebody else, I don’t know how that’s going to go.”
While the fight had been reported as verbally agreed to, bout agreements have not been issued and the fight is not a lock to take place. Prior to agreeing to the Bader fight for February’s UFC 126, Jones’ agent Malki Kawa stated he wanted to fight on the UFC 125 card on New Year’s Day. Whether he gets another opponent for UFC 126 or gets moved to the New Year’s Day card remains to be seen, but regardless of who he fights, White sees big things in the near future for him.
“Jon Jones is an incredibly talented guy. He’s very young, he’s got some fights ahead of him, plus that’s an incredibly stacked division,” White said. “He’s going to have to go through a couple of guys before he gets a title shot, but at the rate Jon Jones is going he could be fighting for the title next year.”
Dan Hardy Talks UFC 120
Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy is the first to acknowledge that his title fight with Georges St. Pierre exposed holes in his arsenal that he will quickly need to fill, should he want to make another run at the UFC title.
After the loss to St. Pierre, Hardy embarked on something of a seven-month ground-game sabbatical which saw him train extensively with Eddie Bravo in America.
Dan Hardy then returned to England to join his Rough House teammates in camp for the run up to his UFC 120 clash with Carlos “The Natural Born Killer” Condit. There they drafted in something of a secret weapon in the form of Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu coach, Victor Estima.
Ranked as the No. 3 Jiu-Jitsu competitor in the world, it is clear that Estima is on a different level; and by working so closely with Hardy in this camp, one would hope one or two of the ground-ace’s tricks will have rubbed off on “The Outlaw.”
“I would say [that my submissions will be the difference against Condit],”
“There were a lot of harsh lessons learned in the last fight and there were a lot of things that I took back into training camp – a couple of weeks after the fight – and I started putting them into practice. I surrounded myself with the right guys, the right gym and did the right training. The last six or seven months have really paid off… I’m confident I can take him down and choke him out.”
Hardy was in full confidence as his final big training session went like clockwork, and “The Outlaw” discussed the contribution that Victor Estima has made to this whole Rough House camp.
“What [Victor has given me] more than anything is an understanding… a better understanding,” Hardy said. “It’s very easy to go to a Jiu-Jitsu class, take the class like that – but the principals of what I’m doing and the concepts of control [are what I have learned].
“Now I’ve put them into place and I can see the opportunities and just kinda work with the fight, but at the same time I can make opportunities with this understanding.
“It’s that really – the understanding that I’ve never really had before.”
UFC 119 medical suspensions: Cro Cop and Serra out until at least April 2011
Cro Cop, who interrupted his time off to headline this past Saturday’s UFC 119 against Frank Mir, was knocked out cold in the final minute of an otherwise lackluster fight and has been suspended indefinitely pending clearance from doctors.
Twelve total fighters were medically suspended following UFC 119, which took place at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
“Cro Cop” wasn’t the only fighter to receive a long-term suspension.
Matt Serra, who met Indy native Chris Lytle in a rematch of their November 2006 bout, also received an indefinite suspension following a three-round slugfest that never touched the mat despite both men’s decorated submission-grappling backgrounds. The former welterweight champion dropped a unanimous decision, his third loss in four fights.
Both Filipovic and Serra also face mandatory 180-day suspensions regardless of whether they are cleared to compete by a CT scan, according to Means. That will keep them out of action until April 2011.
Additionally, K-1 and PRIDE veteran Mark Hunt also is suspended indefinitely following his bout with newcomer Sean McCorkle. The event’s first contest ended in a little more than two minutes when McCorkle appeared to injure Hunt’s left elbow with a kimura joint lock.
The full list of suspensions includes:
- Mirko Filipovic: suspended indefinitely or until cleared by CT scan; regardless, suspended 180 days for precautionary reasons
- Antonio Rogerio Nogueira: 30-day suspension with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
- Matt Serra: suspended indefinitely or until cleared by CT scan; regardless, suspended 180 days for precautionary reasons
- Evan Dunham: 45-day suspension with no contact for 45 days for precautionary reasons
- Sean Sherk: 30-day suspension with no contact for 21 days for precautionary reasons
- Joey Beltran: 30-day suspension with no contact for 30 days due to laceration
- Matt Mitrione: 30-day suspension with no contact for 12 days for precautionary reasons
- Steve Lopez: 30-day suspension with no contact for 30 days due to forehead laceration
- Sean McCorkle: 30-day suspension with no contact for 21 days for precautionary reasons
After controversial UFC 119 loss, Evan Dunham ponders MMA judging
UFC lightweight Evan Dunham said he alone is responsible for the outcome of his fight against Sean Sherk this past Saturday at UFC 119.
After taking it to the former champion in the bout’s latter half, Dunham came up short on scorecards and suffered a split-decision loss at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
While he questions the result and believes the fight could be used as a case study for judging, you won’t see Dunham complaining about the system.
“What all this comes down to is that it’s my fault that I lost because I didn’t finish him”. “When you don’t finish somebody, you’re subject to the judges’ scrutiny. I don’t place blame on anybody. It’s my fault that I did not go out there and finish him, and I needed to finish him.”
Other than the massive gash he took above his right eye in the first frame of the main-card bout, Dunham (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is healthy and ready to move on with his career, whether that means a rematch with Sherk (34-4-1 MMA, 8-4 UFC), a former lightweight champion, or a new challenge.
“The only thing broken is my heart,” he said. “But I’ll fix that.”
It’s actually Dunham’s fourth loss in mixed martial arts since he began his career in 2004 at a rollers-kating arena in Springfield, Ore. He went 5-3 as an amateur competitor and counts losses by decision, submission and knockout among the experiences he used to grow as a fighter.
This past Saturday’s loss was Dunham’s first professional setback and came after four consecutive UFC wins that put him on many observers’ watch list for future contenders.
Sherk’s split-decision win was booed generously by the night’s 16,000 attendees. UFC president Dana White decried the judges’ ruling afterward and awarded both Sherk and Dunham $70,000 “Fight of the Night” bonuses, one of two fights to receive the honor on UFC 119′s card.
“Get back in the gym, train my ass off, correct the mistakes I made, and go win some damn fights,” Dunham said of the steps he’ll take to bounce back.
The Eugene, Ore. native also said he plans to bank the extra check instead of splurging.
“I don’t reward a loss,” Dunham said. “I learned from those losses, and I’m going to learn from this one. This loss isn’t going to hurt me in the long run. It’s just going to make me stronger and more hungry and more determined.”
Sherk, who returned to the cage after a 16-month injury layoff, took the fight to the ground in the fight’s first frame and sliced Dunham open with an elbow, though the up-and-comer said the UFC’s cageside cut-man did an excellent job of preventing the gash from bleeding into his eye.
Dunham said he got suckered into attempting to submit Sherk while on the ground and quickly realized things were not going his way.
“I had a conversation with myself really quickly there on the mat,” he said. “Once I decided to get up, there was no keeping me down. But by then, he’d already split me open, and he took that first round decisively.”
After Sherk spent more than half the second round attempting to complete another takedown, Dunham managed to free himself to engage on the feet.
That’s where his questions about judging emerge.
“In the first two-and-a-half or three minutes (of the second round), he was basically pushing me against the fence to draw the thing out and show control,” Dunham said. “But how good is that in trying to finish a fight? Is that effective in trying to put your opponent away? Or is the two minutes of striking more effective? It depends on what you think is more (effective).”
Sherk told Dunham he had the makings of a champion in the cage following the fight, and White sent a Twitter message claiming the fight was a robbery. Dunham, however, said he takes nothing away from Sherk’s performance.
“It’s one of these fights that’s very open to interpretation,” he said. “I think I won the fight. Do I think it was really, really close? Yes, I do. But whatever.”
Meanwhile, he plans to return to the gym in a few weeks to close the gaps in his game. If the UFC has a rematch in mind, he’s game for a second meeting with “The Muscle Shark.” If not, he’s happy fighting another name opponent.
“Sherk is a great guy,” Dunham said. “He deserves a win. I’ve got a lot of respect for the guy, and it was a pleasure to fight him. I’d love to fight him again. I know I could beat him if I fought him again.
“I think the fans really enjoyed the fight and would like to see it again. But I’m not going to ask for that because I don’t want to be one of those guys who’s whining and complaining after a loss.”
We all know who really one that fight, it’s sad that the judgescan’t really see.
Don’t Miss the Upcoming MMA Events
| Upcoming Events |
| Bellator 30, September 23 |
| DREAM 16, September 25 |
| UFC 119, September 25 |
| WEC 51, September 30 |
| Bellator 31, September 30 |
| Strikeforce: San Jose, October 9 |
Bellator 30
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Fourth Street Live!
Louisville, KY
Airing on Fox Sports Net
* Ed West vs. Jose Vegas (bantamweight-tourney semifinal)
* Bryan Goldsby vs. Zach Makovsky (bantamweight-tourney semifinal)
* Jeremy Horn vs. Bryan Baker
* Jacob McClintock vs. Brent Weedman
Dream 16
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Nippon Gaishi Hall
Nagoya, Japan
HDNet
* Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Jason Miller
* Shinya Aoki (#8 Ranked LW) vs. Marcus Aurelio
* Tatsuya Mizuno vs. Gegard Mousasi (#10 ranked LHW)
* Takeshi Inoue vs. Kazuyuki Miyata
* Joachim Hansen vs. Hideo Tokoro
* Chase Beebe vs. Hiroyuki Takaya
* Cole Escovedo vs. Michihiro Omigawa
* Ikuhisa Mi
UFC 119
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Conseco Fieldhouse
Indianapolis, IN
Airing on PPV (Pay-per-view)
MAIN CARD
* Frank Mir (#7 Ranked HW) vs. Mirko Cro Cop
* Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (#6 Ranked LHW) vs. Ryan Bader
* Evan Dunham (#10 Ranked LW) vs. Sean Sherk
* Chris Lytle vs. Matt Serra
* Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
* Joey Beltran vs. Matt Mitrione
* C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle
* T.J. Grant vs. Julio Paulino
* Steve Lopez vs. Waylon Lowe
* Pat “Awesomely Awesome” Audinwood vs. Thiago Tavaresnowa vs. Satoshi Ishii
WEC 51
Thursday, September 30, 2010
1STBANK Center
Broomfield, CO
Airing on Versus
MAIN CARD
* Jose Aldo vs. Manny Gamburyan (for featherweight title)
* Miguel Torres vs. Charlie Valencia
* Donald Cerrone vs. Jamie Varner
* Chan Sung Jung vs. George Roop
* Leonard Garcia vs. Mark Hominick
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Mike Brown vs. Cole Province
* Chris Horodecki vs. Ed Ratcliff
* Nick Pace vs. Demetrious Johnson
* Antonio Banuelos vs. Chad George
* Alex Karalexis vs. Tiequan Zhang
* Tyler Toner vs. Diego Nunes
Bellator 31
Thursday, September 30, 2010
L’Auberge du Lac Casino and Resort
Lake Charles, LA
Airing on Fox Sports Net
* Megumi Fujii vs. Lisa Ward (women’s tourney semifinal)
* Jessica Aguilar vs. Zoila Frausto (women’s tourney semifinal)
* Ricco Rodriguez vs. Dave Herman
* Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Chris Lozano
Strikeforce: San Jose
Saturday, October 9, 2010
HP Pavilion
San Jose, CA
Airing on Showtime
* Nick Diaz (#7 Ranked WW) vs. KJ Noons (for welterweight championship)
* Sarah Kaufman vs. Marloes Coenen (for female 135-pound championship)
* Matt Lindland vs. Luke Rockhold
* Gesias Cavalcante vs. Josh Thomson
Don't Miss the Upcoming MMA Events
| Upcoming Events |
| Bellator 30, September 23 |
| DREAM 16, September 25 |
| UFC 119, September 25 |
| WEC 51, September 30 |
| Bellator 31, September 30 |
| Strikeforce: San Jose, October 9 |
Bellator 30
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Fourth Street Live!
Louisville, KY
Airing on Fox Sports Net
* Ed West vs. Jose Vegas (bantamweight-tourney semifinal)
* Bryan Goldsby vs. Zach Makovsky (bantamweight-tourney semifinal)
* Jeremy Horn vs. Bryan Baker
* Jacob McClintock vs. Brent Weedman
Dream 16
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Nippon Gaishi Hall
Nagoya, Japan
HDNet
* Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Jason Miller
* Shinya Aoki (#8 Ranked LW) vs. Marcus Aurelio
* Tatsuya Mizuno vs. Gegard Mousasi (#10 ranked LHW)
* Takeshi Inoue vs. Kazuyuki Miyata
* Joachim Hansen vs. Hideo Tokoro
* Chase Beebe vs. Hiroyuki Takaya
* Cole Escovedo vs. Michihiro Omigawa
* Ikuhisa Mi
UFC 119
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Conseco Fieldhouse
Indianapolis, IN
Airing on PPV (Pay-per-view)
MAIN CARD
* Frank Mir (#7 Ranked HW) vs. Mirko Cro Cop
* Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (#6 Ranked LHW) vs. Ryan Bader
* Evan Dunham (#10 Ranked LW) vs. Sean Sherk
* Chris Lytle vs. Matt Serra
* Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
* Joey Beltran vs. Matt Mitrione
* C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle
* T.J. Grant vs. Julio Paulino
* Steve Lopez vs. Waylon Lowe
* Pat “Awesomely Awesome” Audinwood vs. Thiago Tavaresnowa vs. Satoshi Ishii
WEC 51
Thursday, September 30, 2010
1STBANK Center
Broomfield, CO
Airing on Versus
MAIN CARD
* Jose Aldo vs. Manny Gamburyan (for featherweight title)
* Miguel Torres vs. Charlie Valencia
* Donald Cerrone vs. Jamie Varner
* Chan Sung Jung vs. George Roop
* Leonard Garcia vs. Mark Hominick
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Mike Brown vs. Cole Province
* Chris Horodecki vs. Ed Ratcliff
* Nick Pace vs. Demetrious Johnson
* Antonio Banuelos vs. Chad George
* Alex Karalexis vs. Tiequan Zhang
* Tyler Toner vs. Diego Nunes
Bellator 31
Thursday, September 30, 2010
L’Auberge du Lac Casino and Resort
Lake Charles, LA
Airing on Fox Sports Net
* Megumi Fujii vs. Lisa Ward (women’s tourney semifinal)
* Jessica Aguilar vs. Zoila Frausto (women’s tourney semifinal)
* Ricco Rodriguez vs. Dave Herman
* Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Chris Lozano
Strikeforce: San Jose
Saturday, October 9, 2010
HP Pavilion
San Jose, CA
Airing on Showtime
* Nick Diaz (#7 Ranked WW) vs. KJ Noons (for welterweight championship)
* Sarah Kaufman vs. Marloes Coenen (for female 135-pound championship)
* Matt Lindland vs. Luke Rockhold
* Gesias Cavalcante vs. Josh Thomson
Dana White says Vitor Belfort fighting Anderson Silva for the Middleweight Title; Marquardt-Okami winner from UFC 122 gets next shot
The reports of an injury to Vitor Belfort are, indeed, false, as UFC President Dana White cleared up the situation on Twitter on Wednesday.
After Belfort’s coach Shawn Tompkins posted on Facebook that Vitor was 100% healthy, speculation began that he was pulled from his UFC 122 fight with Yushin Okami to face UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva in the wake of Chael Sonnen’s failed steroid test at UFC 117.
That is exactly the case, as White Tweeted, “Vitor is not injured. He is going to fight Anderson for the title and the winner of Marquart and Okami are next.”
There is still no word as to exactly when the fight will take place, but with the Sonnen-Silva rematch initially expected on New Year’s Day, that’s likely when this fight will take place. I want to see the Sonnen-Silva rematch first, but we will have to wait and see what happens.
UPDATE: Chael Sonnen to appeal pre-UFC 117 positive steroid test result with the CSAC
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Chael Sonnen’s camp has finally broken their silence somewhat after the news broke that Sonnen had failed his pre-UFC 117 drug test for performance enhancing drugs.
Ariel Helwani at MMAFighting.com reports that Sonnen will appeal the failed drug test with the California State Athletic Commission and will release an official statement soon.
Sonnen’s manager, Mike Roberts, told Helwani, “It is our policy not to comment on pending actions by the Athletic Commission. Chael is consulting with his legal advisors and physicians and will have a statement in the near future. Chael will an appeal with the CSAC and looks forward to working with the Commission to resolve this matter.”
Sonnen’s appeal will likely be heard at the CSAC’s December 2 meeting, and if he’s successful in reducing the suspension currently imposed on him until Sept. 2, 2011, his bout with Anderson Silva may yet take place.
Frank Mir still considering a potential move to the light heavyweight division
Frank Mir headlines this Saturday’s UFC 119 pay-per-view event from Indianapolis, Indiana, provided Mirko Cro Cop doesn’t get pulled at the last minute; but while the former Heavyweight Champion is in yet another high profile spot in the division, he’s still looking at a possible future drop to light heavyweight.
Speaking with Fighter’s Only, Mir discussed the circumstances which would lead to that move.
“Being a multiple weight class champion would be a phenomenal feat,” Mir said. “If ever another opportunity arises, if I take time off for another surgery or an injury, I’ll come back as a [light heavyweight] for a little bit.”
Mir said the move isn’t for an easier path after losses to the behemoths of the division in Shane Carwin and Brock Lesnar, and in fact Mir thinks it’s the more difficult division.
“I want to do it,” Mir said about making the drop. “I’m not going to [light heavyweight] because I feel I can do better as far as [there being] easier fights. In fact, 205 is extremely stacked. The tenth guy there is more dangerous than the tenth guy in the heavyweight division, so there’s a lot more talent to worry about at 205.”
For now, however, he’s a got a Croatian superstar to pay attention to, and he’ll take that fight on Saturday night on pay-per-view.
Josh Barnett signed with Strikeforce…I hope he stays clean!
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I’m sure we all remember when Josh Barnett was going to fight Fedor in the Affliction main event. But due to the pre-fight drug testing that Barnett failed the fight never happened, and Affliction then closed their doors to promoting fights. Josh Barnett quoted, “I spoke with several other companies prior to this, and what kind of visibility they were able to offer, and what they could offer in terms of opponents, and just keeping me active, my ability to do work outside of fighting, or even just fighting outside of that company, or professional wrestling work, or if I wanted to do any TV or movie work… When it comes down to it, the thing that matters most to me is being able to fight. I just want to make sure I can get out there and crack as many heads as possible… [Strikeforce's visibility] matters big time, cause when I dislocate and tear somebody’s head completely off their shoulders and spew blood all over the ring, and then drink it, I want the whole world to see it. I’d love to fight on CBS. Punch somebody so hard that their eyeballs pop out of their head… In due time. There’s not too many people all that chomping at the bit and so ready to meet their death.”
Barnett talks with crude intentions, he seems very mad as if he is still on steroids. Barnett, just calm down train hard and keep your mouth shut.
We will have to see if Barnett keeps clean and trains without performance enhancing drugs. I think we all would like to see him fight as we missed the last main event due to his bad decision.
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