BAMMA 7Leonardo Santos - BJJ & Grappling - Highlight

Leonardo Santos is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Nova Uniao Black Belt. He is a Silver World Medalist (2001 Black Belt Division); Bronze World Medalist (2000 Black Belt Division); 4x Brazilian World Cup Champion (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005) and ADCC Brazilian Trial Champion 2005 . He is mostly known for his legendery battle with Royler Gracie and a slick flying armbar submission over the UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St.Pierre (GSP). Today he fights in MMA for Sengoku.

XFC 14 lineup takes shape for HDNet broadcast, Gormley scratched from co-headliner

The fight card for XFC's first event of 2011, which airs live on HDNet, is taking shape.

As previously announced, "XFC 14: Resurrection" takes place Oct. 21 at UCF Arena in Orlando, Fla., on the campus of University of Central Florida.

The headliner pits former WEC champion Jamie Varner (17-5-1) vs. fellow lightweight Nate Jolly (10-3).

However, XFC officials have confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that a co-headliner between heavyweights Scott Barrett (12-2) and former UFC fighter Chase Gormley (7-5) has been scratched. Gormley took a fight on Aug. 20 and suffered a TKO loss, and XFC officials pulled him from the October card. They're now seeking a replacement.

Other notable XFC 14 bouts include middleweights Josh Clark (4-1) vs. Reggie Pena (8-5), "The Ultimate Fighter 11" fighter Charles Blanchard (9-2) vs. fellow welterweight Elijah Harshbargar (6-3), and middleweight Mike Bernhard (9-2) vs. EliteXC and Bellator vet Mikey Gomez (11-8).

Additionally, 125-pounder Marianna Kheyfets (3-0) and featherweight Bruce Connors (8-3) are booked for the card and await opponents.

The latest XFC 14 card now includes:

• Nate Jolly vs. Jamie Varner
• Scott Barrett vs. TBA
• Marianna Kheyfets vs. TBA
• Josh Clark vs. Reggie Pena
• Charles Blanchard vs. Elijah Harshbargar
• Mike Bernhard vs. Mikey Gomez
• Bruce Connors vs. TBA

by MMAjunkie.com Staff

Bellator 52 to feature heavyweight-tourney opening round on Oct. 1

October's Bellator 52 event will feature the opening round of the organization's fifth-season eight-man heavyweight tournament.

Officials today announced the tournament pairings for the Oct. 1 card.

The event takes place at L'Auberge du Lac Casino Resort in Lake Charles, La. The tourney bouts comprise the night's main card, which airs on MTV2 (and in high definition on EPIX).

The opening-round matchups include Ron Sparks (7-0 MMA, 2-0 BFC) vs. Mark Holata (11-2 MMA, 1-0 BFC), Neil Grove (11-3-1 MMA, 3-1 BFC) vs. Mike Hayes (15-4-1 MMA, 1-1 BFC), Thiago Santos (8-1 MMA, 0-0 BFC) vs. Blagoi Ivanov (4-0 MMA, 1-0 BFC), and Eric Prindle (7-1 MMA, 1-0 BFC) vs. Abe Wagner (10-4 MMA, 0-0 BFC).

Grove was the season-three tourney runner-up to current champ Cole Konrad, and Hayes was eliminated in the first round of the tournament.

Combined, this year's tourney competitors own a 73-15-2 career record.

The winner of the season-five tournament will be crowned at season's end and then gets a guaranteed title shot with Konrad in 2012.

The latest Bellator 52 card now includes:

MAIN CARD (MTV2)

• Mark Holata vs. Ron Sparks (heavyweight-tourney opening round)
• Neil Grove vs. Mike Hayes (heavyweight-tourney opening round)
• Blagoi Ivanov vs. Thiago Santos (heavyweight-tourney opening round)
• Eric Prindle vs. Abe Wagner (heavyweight-tourney opening round)

by MMAjunkie.com Staff

Michael Bisping signs a new eight-fight deal with the UFC

UK middleweight, Michael Bisping has recently signed a new eight-fight deal with the UFC ahead of his “Ultimate Fighter” season fourteen finale clash with Jason “Mayhem” Miller meaning he’ll be with the Las Vegas based promotion for quite some time yet.
The news was revealed to MMAJunkie.com earlier today by his manager at the Wolfslair MMA Academy. He has also moved his training camp to Orange California to prepare for his upcoming fight.
Bisping is once again zeroing in on a shot at the middleweight title after defeating Jorge Rivera last time out with a second round TKO win. The Brit has now won four of his last five fights inside the octagon and seven of his last nine.
By Michael Pepper.

Jon Jones Fires Back at Rampage Jackson Over Spying Accusation

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is hitting back at his next opponent, Rampage Jackson, after Jackson accused Jones of sending a spy into Jackson's training camp.

Addressing Jackson directly via Twitter, Jones said he would never cheat because he has too much respect for mixed martial arts -- and Jones suggested that makes himself different from Jackson.

"Just so you know, I'm not a person who looks for shortcuts in life. Unlike you, MMA is not something I do because of money," Jones wrote. "It's a way of life for me and I would never disrespect the integrity of that."

Best of UFC 134 Interviews

Adrian Pang to Defend Legend FC Title Against Jadamba on Oct. 30

Adrian Pang will risk his Legend Fighting Championship lightweight title for the first time in October when the Australian standout takes on Mongolia’s Jadamba Narantungalag.

Officials from the Hong Kong-based organization Wednesday announced that bout agreements for the championship tilt have been finalized. The matchup will headline Legend Fighting Championship 6, set to take place Oct. 30 at Macau’s City of Dreams.

After claiming the vacant Legend belt in June 2010, Pang (Pictured) was scheduled to make his first defense against South Korea’s Yui Chul Nam in January. That fight became a non-title affair when Nam failed to make weight, and Pang walked away with a split decision victory. In June, the 34-year-old “Hunter” eked out a razor-thin split verdict against Muhsin Corbbrey in Australia under the Cage Fighting Championship banner.

“I know that Mongolians are a tough breed of people with a proud warrior history, and I’ve been impressed with the amount of genuine respect [Narantungalag] has shown me so far,” Pang, who hails from a tribal region of Papua New Guinea, said of his challenger in a statement. “I’ve watched some of his K-1 fights and thought, ‘Wow, this guy is talented!’”

Following a kickboxing stint in K-1, 35-year-old Narantungalag turned his focus to MMA, racking up a trio of wins in China and Mongolia before making his Sengoku debut in August 2010. After handing Akihiro Gono a shocking upset in his lightweight debut, the Kyokushin karate stylist stunned Kazunori Yokota with a first-round knockout on Jan. 30.

Narantungalag’s upward trajectory was halted when Sengoku ceased operations in early-2011, but the Mongolian looks to keep active with his recent signing of a multi-fight contract with Legend FC.

“Adrian Pang is one of the most balanced, complete opponents I have faced, with good muay Thai, good wrestling, good jiu-jitsu and tremendous experience,” Narantungalag stated. “I am very proud to have an opportunity to face him and introduce myself to the Legend fans with a fight of this caliber.”

Also expected to take place Oct. 30 is Legend’s featherweight tournament final, which will see Indonesian Fransino Tirta or Filipino Mark Striegl crowned as the company’s inaugural 145-pound champion. 

 

 

 

by Chris Nelson Sherdog

Mackens Semerzier, Johnson Out of UFC's Bayou Return

Both Mackens Semerzier and DaMarques Johnson have suffered injuries and will not compete at UFC Fight Night 25, the promotion announced Wednesday.

Semerzier had been slated to face Mike Lullo, while Johnson was scheduled to meet Clay Harvison at the Sept. 17 event. Replacements for the injured competitors are expected to be announced shortly.

Going down at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, the event will be headlined by a welterweight scrap between Jake Shields and Jake Ellenberger. Also featured at “Battle on the Bayou” will be a middleweight confrontation between Court McGee and Dongi Yang, as well as a featherweight conflict pitting Jonathan Brookins against Erik Koch.

Known as “Mack da Menace,” Semerzier was a four-time WEC veteran before entering the UFC. The 30-year-old recently snapped a three-fight losing skid, posting a dominant win over Alex Caceres in his March UFC debut.

Like Semerzier, Johnson was last seen at UFC Fight Night 24 in March. However, things did not go as smoothly for “Darkness” as they did for the injured featherweight, as Johnson was battered by Amir Sadollah before submitting to strikes in the second round.

Team Nogueira celebrates 'Big Nog's' victory backstage at UFC 134 (Video)

UFC Fight Night 25 poster for 'Shields vs Ellenberger' on Sept. 17 in New Orleans

Rich Franklin: The only person who can beat Jon Jones is himself

If he can "keep his head straight," Jon Jones will defeat Quinton Jackson at UFC 135 on Sept. 24 in Denver, Colorado. And just about anyone else who crosses his path in the foreseeable future.
That's according to Rich Franklin, who talks about the physical attributes of the lanky light heavyweight champion during a recent Q&A with fight fans:

"I think the only person who can beat Jon Jones at this point in time is himself. He's a young guy, the world is coming at him fast and I think his game is whether or not he can maintain focus. I remember the first time I met Jon in person ... there was a group of fighters and I was walking up to the group and Jon's back was to me. As I walked up to him I was looking at him and thinking 'Who is this heavyweight?' I kept walking around and around and I was like 'Oh my word, he's enormous!' To kind of put things in perspective, he has an 84-inch reach. Tim Sylvia, who is four inches taller than him, has an 80-inch reach. To deal with that kind of reach is insane. I think if he can keep his head straight he'll run that division for awhile."

Franklin, who's dabbled in the 205-pound division to mixed results, at one point expressed his desire to throw hands against "Bones" should the opportunity present itself.
But from the way he speaks in this video, it sounds like he may have had a change of heart:

Bellator 49: Lester Caslow vs 'Binky' Jones booked for Sept. 10 at Caesars Atlantic City

CHICAGO, Ill. (August 30, 2011) - With a limited amount of tickets still remaining to Bellator's fifth season premier in Atlantic City, the promotion has added two fan favorites to the card as Bellator veteran and New Jersey resident Lester Caslow will take on James "Binky" Jones in a catchweight feature fight at Bellator 49. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Caesars box office, Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com.
"To have the ability to put together world-class tournaments and memorable feature fights at the same time is what makes it fun for us," said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. "Lester, being a New Jersey product, will have great fan backing and Binky has always been a crowd favorite and known for putting on exciting fights. This should be a great one."
Jones, a supervisor at Baltimore's Youth in Transition School for over 20 years, will be looking to impress Bellator brass with a strong showing. The 20-fight veteran competed at Bellator's open tryout last year in Philadelphia, but had to cut his time short after suffering a knee injury. Healthy and ready to fight, "Binky" knows this is an opportunity of a lifetime.
"It's just such an honor to be fighting for Bellator," said Jones. "This is a tremendous opportunity and I'm looking to make the most of it. Even though I got this fight just a few weeks out, I've been training for this opportunity for the last year, and I'm ready to bring it on September 10."

Training with former UFC lightweight Kurt Pellegrino in New Jersey, Caslow brings an impressive kickboxing background into the cage against Jones. While Caslow has one Bellator fight under his belt, the 27-year-old knows fighting in his home state will be a whole new animal.
"Atlantic City is like my backyard so it will be great to have that hometown crowd behind me," said Caslow. "It's an honor to fight for a great organization like Bellator, and I'm just excited for September 10."
The night will feature a host of local feature fights, as well as four quarterfinal matches to kick off Bellator's Season 5 Welterweight Tournament. The entire fight card is as follows:
Bellator Season 5 Welterweight Tournament - Quarterfinals (September 10, 2011 - Atlantic City, New Jersey.)
Dan Hornbuckle (22-4) vs. Luis Santos (49-6)
Chris Cisneros (12-3) vs. Ben Saunders (10-3-2)
Chris Lozano (8-1) vs. Brent Weedman (18-6-1)
Steve Carl (14-2) vs. Douglas Lima (18-4)
Local Feature Fights
Alexandre "Popo" Bezerra (9-1) vs. Scott Heckman (8-2)
Joel Roberts (6-3) vs. Brylan Van Artsdalen (6-1)
Lester Caslow (6-5) vs. James "Binky" Jones (10-9)
Giedrius Karavackas (5-1) vs. LeVon Maynard (11-7)
Azunna Anyanwu (3-0) vs. J.A. Dudley (3-7)

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator

MMABLOGSPOT's own Blue Petersen takes on Cody Emery Sept10th in Kirksville

September 10th MMABLOGSPOT's own Blue Peterson (12-3) fights Cody Emery (7-3) for True Revelation in kirksville MO.

Matt Brown vs John Hathaway booked for UFC 138 with Pascal Krauss hurt

Just days after top German prospect Pascal Krauss announced his withdrawal from UFC 138 due to a shoulder injury, former "Ultimate Fighter" Matt Brown has agreed to step in and take his place against British upstart John Hathaway, according to MMA Fighting.
UFC 138: "Leben vs. Munoz" takes place on Nov. 5, 2011, at  the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England.
Brown got a second lease on his Octagon life by outpointing John Howard at UFC on Versus 4 back in June. The unanimous decision win over "Doomsday" snapped a three-fight losing streak, one that included consecutive submission losses.
Can he make it two in a row against the hometown favorite?
 

The "Hitman" hype train was in full swing when he rocked and socked Diego Sanchez all the way back at UFC 114 in May 2010, which was seen by over one million pay-per-view customers.

He failed to build on that performance, however, dropping a lopsided decision to grizzled veteran Mike Pyle months later in London.

A rebound win over Kris McCray recently restarted his rise up the 170-pound ladder.

UFC 138, recently announced for the promotion's sole trip to the United Kingdom this year, will be headlined by the very first five-round non-title fight with a middleweight match-up pitting division hopefuls Chris Leben and Mark Munoz in what should be a violent war of attrition.

In addition, Thiago Alves will make his return to the cage against Swedish newcomer Papy Abedi in welterweight action.

by Jesse Holland

UFC Octagon Girl Arianny Celeste believes in the power of no bra (Pic)

Jake Shields Father-Manager, Jack Shields, Dead At Age 67

R.I.P Jack Shields
August 30, 2011

The father of Jake Shields has passed away. It was learned that he died peacefully as he slept. Jack Shields was instrumental in his son’s MMA career. He taught Jake the values of hard work and perseverance. He was always there and was a fervent supporter through Jake’s early years in wrestling and when Jake transcended to MMA.

Jack would often make the long drive from his home to watch Jake practice and was always at Jake’s fights. He was part of our team and we will miss him.

“lost my father manager and one of my best friends today!! R.I.P jack you will be greatly missed and loved by many” – Jake Shields

The following is a new article from GracieFighter.com:

Former exec: Strikeforce's deal with Fedor was their downfall

Two weeks after Zuffa purchased Strikeforce, the entire front office staff, sans Coker, was cut loose. In this Aug. 17 interview on the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” program, Afromowitz spoke candidly with Jack Encarnacao about the behind-the-scenes reality of Strikeforce’s journey from growing MMA brand to UFC property
Encarnacao: You were one of the front office Strikeforce people who weren’t retained in the sale. Tell us a little bit about how that all went down.
Afromowitz: In the end, I’m not going to lie, it was disappointing. Not to toot my own horn, but, really, I was one of the guys that helped build Strikeforce. There were only, like, four of us to start with when we started out, and even when we were at our peak, there was only about 12 of us. When it was taken over, people said that, ‘Oh, we’re not looking to replace you; we want you to excel at your job and stay.” And then that quickly changed. I had a bad feeling when it was acquired that that was going to happen, but certain people asked me to have an open mind and listen. I did, and I went to the meetings and I tried it out, and it seemed workable from my end. And then they ... all of a sudden, the tone quickly changed, and they, really, just one-by-one, they let us all go. And so now all there is left is Scott and his assistant. It’s unfortunate. You work so hard to build something. It was a part of my life, a big part of my life. I worked day-in, day-out, weekends, nights. It was exciting. I liked the work, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do it at the pace that I was doing it. So it sucks; it hurts. I guess from their perspective, they did what they had to do. It’s their business, so who am I to tell them how to run their business? But I would have appreciated some more respect.
Encarnacao: Do you honestly have any inkling of optimism that Zuffa will actually hang on to Strikeforce?
Afromowitz: I think the writing’s on the wall: they want one brand. It’s, like, I hope to see them just get rid of it. It’s just ... it’s a memory now. And I’m being honest with you; I think it would be better for them. I don’t even want to think about it, see it. It’s on my mind still, but it’s probably better, from my perspective, if it just goes away. Let them do what they’re going to do. Already, there’s at least one champ -- Nick [Diaz], he vacated the belt. We saw what [former Strikeforce heavyweight champion] Alistair [Overeem] did, but, apparently, he’s back in talks. I don’t know where that’s going to go. So there’s one or two champions who have vacated their belts. I don’t know what they’re going to do. It just doesn’t seem to make sense, from the way their business model [works], to keep Strikeforce around. It seems they want one brand. Whatever happens, happens.

source: sherdog.com

Kurt Angle: UFC recently made me an offer

It’s a name in a lot of circles that people associate with one of the most famous pro wrestlers of the last 20 years.
To others, Angle is known as the 1996 Gold Medal winner for the United States Olympic team in wrestling.
What some people may not know is that Angle, on a few different occasions, has flirted with the idea of moving into the world of mixed martial arts.
Following the 1996 Olympics, Angle returned home from the Atlanta games and started to map out the next stage of his life. According to the former Clarion University wrestler, the road forked in two major directions. One pointed towards MMA and the other lead towards a career in professional wrestling.
“Right after the Olympics, I had the chance,” Angle told MMAWeekly Radio about the chance to do MMA. “Was I going to go into pro wrestling or the UFC? I talked to the UFC, but at the time they were only paying their top fighters 15 grand to fight, and here WWE throws this big contract at me. It’s kind of like, let me see, do I struggle and go in the UFC or do I go here and make a bunch of money? Obviously, the decision was very easy.
“Then when the UFC started to become popular, I started to say ‘oh boy, I really should have done that. I don’t know why I didn’t do that. That’s more my cup of tea,’ and then when I was getting ready to make the switch in 2003, I broke my neck.”
Angle had neck surgery in 2003 to repair nerve and spinal damage, as well as other existing problems, and following his recovery, he went back to the WWE where he stayed until 2006.
Eventually, Angle ended up with TNA wrestling where he continues to work now. His goals, however, have shifted a bit over the last several months.
Angle’s passion for wrestling never really went away, but with the 2012 Olympics just around the corner, the former gold medalist started to feel that hunger inside him to compete again. Now in full training mode, Angle’s goal isn’t just to make it onto the U.S. Olympic team, but to reach medal status once again.
“I’ve been training for five months. I contacted USA Wrestling. By the end of the year, I will probably be out at the Olympic training center for periods of time. Their concern was ‘Kurt, are you really doing this? We need you out here because if you make the team, God willing, we want you to medal,’” Angle stated.
“So they know I’m making a very serious approach at this, and if I do make the team and I do beat the guys in my weight class, they want to make sure I’m ready to medal.”
Before his training for wrestling got back into full swing, Angle landed a role in the upcoming MMA film “Warrior,” in which he plays an undefeated Russian middleweight named “Koba.” Once he was cast in the role, Angle really enjoyed training and participating in MMA drills, even if they were scripted for film.
It was then that Angle flashed back to more than a decade ago when he made that pivotal choice to go into pro wrestling instead of MMA. He says he picked up the phone and called UFC president Dana White and discussed a possible turn back to the world of professional fighting.
“I actually contacted Dana White again after the movie. I flew out to meet him once and got a great offer. I contacted him again, I was thinking about dropping out of Impact wrestling, and there were some personal problems with my marriage and I just wanted to get away. I contacted Dana White, I flew out, and he had me take the UFC physical. I passed it, thank God, and he gave me the offer,” Angle stated.
“The terms weren’t good, I mean not for me, and the terms I gave him weren’t good for him. He wanted me ready in four-and-a-half weeks; I wanted three to six months. So I respect Dana White and I love him to death, very good friend. I knew I was capable of winning in four-and-a-half weeks, but I wanted to be at my best.”
While he was unavailable for direct comment about Kurt Angle, White did respond on Twitter when asked if he made the former Olympian an offer. He tweeted, “love Kurt, but not true.”
Angle, however, didn’t budge in his version of the story that he was close to terms with the UFC just recently. Whatever happened, Angle obviously didn’t sign or decide to move into MMA, and will try his hand at the Olympics instead.
If Angle is successful in making the Olympic team, he will go into the 2012 games at 43 years of age. Still, Angle won’t let age be a factor, and when the Olympics are over, can he say with absolute certainty that he wouldn’t once again consider a run at MMA?
“That remains to be seen. Depending on how good I do, I can’t say no,” Angle admitted. “Obviously, it’s going to raise Dana White’s eyebrows. He actually sat me down and said, ‘Kurt, if you do this, is your neck okay? Are you well enough to do this, cause I know you’ve taken a pounding the last 10 years?’ and I said, ‘Dana, I’m fine. Yeah, I broke my neck five different times, but I have never felt better than now. I’ve had setbacks, but I’m fine.’
“I can’t tell you till that time comes, but I tell you what, even making the USA team, the top two or three, it would raise Dana White’s eyebrows. My goal is to make the team. If you make the team in the United States, you have more than a better shot of medaling.”
Angle also doesn’t discount staying with his family at TNA wrestling or maybe even making a shift to Bellator Fighting Championships, who he says will end up on Spike TV at some point in the near future. Spike TV also broadcasts TNA wrestling on the network.
“Who knows? Let’s see what happens,” Angle said. “I’m not counting out Bellator either. They’re going to be on Spike soon and you never know what’s going to happen with that company, they could flourish. The way Spike promoted the UFC, they could do the same for them.”
With “Warrior” set to be released on Sept. 9, Angle may have a refueled passion for MMA, but he still knows his best days ahead will see him in front of the camera acting, but not necessarily as a professional wrestler.
“My long-term goal is to be an actor. That’s why having the opportunity to be in an incredible movie like ‘Warrior’ is a plus for me, because I think a lot of people are going to watch it,” said Angle. “There’s going to be a lot of directors and producers that watch it. There’s going to be a lot of casting agents that are going to watch it.”
“Warrior” opens nationwide on Sept. 9. The U.S. Olympic wrestling trials will be held in Iowa City, Iowa, in April 2012, to determine the team that will go to London for the 2012 Olympics. Will Kurt Angle be on the roster? He thinks so.

source: mmaweekly.com

Iain Martell post fight Cage Rage uk 22 repping PitsnipeR Fightwear

Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos to return to action before the year is out predicts Scott Coker

Strikeforce 145 pound women’s champion, Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos is reportedly in line to return to action before the end of the year if the promotions CEO, Scott Coker, although the date, location and opponent still remains a mystery.
Speaking on Tuesday’s conference call to MMABay.co.uk, Coker said:

“I know they’re talking about a fight before the end of the year.” 

The California based promotion is rumoured to be planning a major event for either the month of November or December with the Brazilian female powerhouse likely to feature when it is announced.

Daniel Cormier says it’s not his problem if his opponents can’t defend takedowns

Strikeforce heavyweight grand-prix semi-finalist, Daniel Cormier has been giving his thoughts on the effect of wrestlers on the sport of mixed martial arts, explaining it’s not their fault that others can’t defend a takedown and unfair of fans to expect them not to use their biggest weapon in their arsenal.
Speaking on Tuesday’s conference call to MMABay.co.uk, Cormier said:

“It’s not my job, it’s not Jon Fitch’s job, it’s not Josh Barnett’s job to actually teach someone takedown defense. It’s their job to learn takedown defense. If they can’t defend the takedown, then they deserve to lay on their back for 15 minutes.”

“I think it’s always good to put on exciting fights. I like to fight. This is my job. If that means I have to stand with him and fight, then I have to fight. What if I can’t take him down? But at the end of the day, it’s about winning.”

“Why should I or anyone else that knows how to wrestle give up their biggest advantage? If a jiu-jitsu guy can get you down, he’s going to use his jiu-jitsu. If a striker can keep you standing, he’s going to use his standup ability. It’s your job, which MMA is, which fighting is, to learn all areas of the game.”

“Nobody likes to get hit. Wrestlers, kickboxers – nobody likes to get hit. But it doesn’t affect me. I train with the No. 1 heavyweight in the world on a daily basis, so I actually get hit a lot. And not only from Cain, but from King Mo (Lawal) and Mike Kyle and all the guys I train with. I’ve adjusted to it because they beat me up so much.”

 

Cormier heads into this one fresh off an impressive unanimous decision win over Jeff Monson in June, marking himself out as one to watch in the heavyweight division. Will he be able to overcome the size and experience advantage “Big Foot” will carry with him into this one?

Report: Shoulder injury forces Pascal Krauss to withdraw from UFC 138 fight against John Hathaway

UFC 138: "Leben vs. Munoz," booked for the National Indoor Arena on Nov. 5, 2011, in Birmingham, England, will no longer feature a welterweight match-up between Pascal Krauss and John Hathaway.
That's because the German prospect, a flawless 10-0 in his budding mixed martial arts career including a "Fight of the Night" win over Mark Scanlon back at UFC 122 in his Octagon debut, blew out his shoulder in training camp and has been forced to withdraw.
Sherdog.com has it straight from the horse's mouth:

"As you can imagine I’m absolutely devastated by wrecking my shoulder again, as well as the news that I won’t be able to fight John. I never had a serious injury in more than 10 years of competing in various combat sports. Training and competing is my passion. Having to sit out for eight months was a total nightmare and the prospect of fighting again this fall was my only silver lining on the horizon. Being on the shelf again now is just disheartening. I just hope I can make a complete recovery one more time and come back an even stronger Panzer in 2012!"

No official announcement has been made at this time, but this being a British card, it would seem likely that Hathaway will be paired up with a suitable replacement.

The "Hitman" hype train was in full swing when he rocked and socked Diego Sanchez all the way back at UFC 114 in May 2010, which was seen by over one million pay-per-view customers.
He failed to build on that performance, however, dropping a lopsided decision to grizzled veteran Mike Pyle months later in London.
A rebound win over Kris McCray recently restarted his rise up the 170-pound ladder.
UFC 138, recently announced for the promotion's sole trip to the United Kingdom this year, will be headlined by the very first five-round non-title fight with a middleweight match-up pitting division hopefuls Chris Leben and Mark Munoz in what should be a violent war of attrition.
In addition, Thiago Alves will make his return to the cage against Swedish newcomer Papy Abedi in welterweight action.

Joe Wilk moves back into title contention with win at VFC Fight Night: 'Junction City

The people in central Kansas last Friday night (Aug. 26, 2011) finally got to see what makes Victory Fighting Championship (VFC) the Midwest's premier MMA promotion: a commitment to putting on exciting fights that keep fans coming back.
With the sellout crowd at the Mariott Convention Center, it's a safe bet that VFC will be back, but in a larger venue. With this being a show where the amateurs outnumbered the professionals, it was really up to them to set the pace and they didn't disappoint.
In the opening fight of the night, Nate Alvarez (2-2) used superior wrestling and top control to earn a decision over Army Lieutenant Paul Lewdownski (1-2). The second fight saw two Muay Thai fighters duke it out for close to three rounds before Brandon Phillips (6-1) caught Keith Koen (4-6) in a standing guillotine. The third fight saw Cody Hazerd (3-1) grind out a decision over Matt Valnoski (6-3). Proving you can never count someone out, Cody Rhinehart (3-1) outlasted the first round onslaught of Josh Pfiefer (5-4) to win by guillotine in the second.
In the amateur main event, and what would end up being "fight of the night" (FOTN), Gregg Van De Creek (7-1) won a hard fought decision victory over Jett Jones (12-5). Gregg, who normally fights heavyweight, was originally without an opponent and fight night was getting closer.

Jett, who fights at 185-pounds, agreed to take the fight at 205. Having a significantly bigger opponent to grapple with tends to wear you out, as does cutting an amount of weight that you're not used to cutting.
Not these two.
They fought nonstop until the final bell with the decision going to Gregg. Upon winning FOTN, Gregg announced he was donating $500 dollars to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which VFC promoter Ryan Stoddard promptly matched.
Between that and the crowd donations, over $1200 dollars was raised that night.
In the first pro fight of the evening Jake "The Librarian" Lindsey (3-0) looked to keep his undefeated streak going against Danny Black (5-4). Jake wasted no time getting this fight to the ground and setting up some brutal ground and pound. It didn't take long for Danny to give up his back and Jake sunk in a rear naked choke for a first round win. In the co-main event, Army Captain Brandon Bear (1-0) made his pro debut against Chris Page (4-5).
Brandon wasted no time in getting Page on the mat and against the cage. Once there, he unleashed a flurry of punches that had the referee stopping the fight.
In the main event of the night, Joe "The Nose" Wilk (14-6) faced off against Angelo Duarte (8-6). There was a lot of pressure on Joe to win this fight.  This was Joe's first fight in front of his hometown crowd in years and he was looking at getting another shot at the VFC 145-pound title if he should win.
If Joe felt any pressure, no one could tell as he quickly went to work with his aggressive jiu-jitsu. Although Duarte seemed to have a really good submission defense, Wilk's transitions from one sub attempt to the next proved too much and Joe won via first round triangle choke.
With their first traveling show a success, it's more than likely that VFC will be looking at other towns for Fight Nights in 2012. So make sure to stay tuned to the latest news at www.victoryfighter.com to see if they are coming to a town near you.

Scott Coker says there are no plans to crown new champions in the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions

Strikeforce CEO, Scott Coker has revealed that the promotion has no plans to crown new champions in either the heavyweight or light heavyweight divisions after stripping one champion of his title and seeing another walk out the front door.
Speaking during tonight’s press conference, Coker said:

“It just hasn’t been determined yet. And right now, that’s position of the company: The winner of the tournament won’t be crowned the champion.”

 

Coker also spoke about the situation concerning the light heavyweight title now that current champion, Dan Henderson seems to be on his bike back to the UFC.

“We have some really great 205-pound matchups coming up. When the timing is right, we’ll let everybody know (what we’re going to do).”

With the California based promotion likely to be wrapping up at some point next year after the omission from UFC co-owner, Lorenzo Fertitta that there will be a major meeting in February to decide it’s direction, you would be excused for thinking we may have seen the last champion crowned in these two divisions.
By Michael Pepper
www.mmabay.co.uk/

FIGHT! Life: "Big" John - "Let's Get It On!"

Introducing the CagePotato.com ‘MMA Hairstyles’ T-Shirt!

(The “MMA Hairstyles” shirt in athetic gray. Click here for a full-size version of the t-shirt design on its own.)
In collaboration with artist/illustrator Derek Eads, we’re proud to announce the latest semi-official t-shirt design from CagePotato.com. The “MMA Hairstyles” shirt features the iconic silhouettes of 20 MMA stars — or more accurately, 17 actual stars plus three fighters who have made infamous follicular statements. How quickly can you identify them all?
You can purchase this masterpiece for the fair price of $22 at Society6.com in your choice of eight different colors, five different sizes, and two different genders. (Prove your loyalty to the Potato Nation and buy all 80 variations!)
For more of Derek Eads’s pop-cultural work, visit his official site, and check out some of his other art prints including Cage’s Hair Filmography, Murrays, and Samuel L. Jackson “Hollywood’s Target Practice.”

With Soto out of Tourney, Reis Meets Dantas at Bellator 51

The second loss of Joe Soto’s professional career cost the former Bellator Fighting Championships featherweight titlist his spot in the promotion’s fifth-season bantamweight tournament.

Having been submitted by newly inked UFC fighter Eddie Yagin under the Tachi Palace Fights banner on Aug. 5, Soto will be replaced in the upcoming bracket by three-time Bellator featherweight semifinalist Wilson Reis.

Soto’s originally scheduled opponent, Shooto South American 132-pound champ Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas, on Monday confirmed to Sherdog.com that he will face Reis on Sept. 24 at Bellator 51 in Canton, Ohio. However, despite the change in opponent, Dantas is not expecting a drastically different fight.

“Reis is also a high-level fighter with pretty good jiu-jitsu and wrestling,” Dantas (Pictured) told Sherdog.com. “The only big difference is that he’s left-handed, but I’ve been working on every aspect of the fight against a lot of different guys at Nova Uniao.

“I want to face the best and I would love to fight Joe Soto, because he’s a former Bellator champion. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible because he lost two straight fights and the promotion cut him from the grand prix.”

Just as teammate Marlon Sandro met Genair da Silva in the company’s recent 145-pound quarterfinals, Dantas will meet a countryman in the 135-pound tourney’s opening round. The 22-year-old prospect admitted that he was taken aback when Bellator officials informed him of the change in opponents, but added that it has not changed his desire to win in his stateside debut.

“Facing a Brazilian doesn’t change much,” Dantas opined. “It’s what we do for work and we’re subject to this. I met Wilson in the U.S. and he’s a great guy, as is his brother. I was surprised when I learned he was stepping in for Soto, but that’s part of our career.”

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira talks knockout win over Brendan Schaub, wants Frank Mir or Brock Lesnar next (video)

Former UFC and PRIDE heavyweight champion, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira gives his thoughts on his recent knockout win over Brendan Schaub in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as revealing he’s looking to either rematch Frank Mir or face Brock Lesnar next inside the octagon.

Strikeforce's "King Mo" Lawal: I'm not at all afraid of Roger Gracie's jiu-jitsu

Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal barely got his throne warm before Rafael 'Feijao" Cavalcante stormed his castle.

The "King" was only king for four months before he was forced to hand over his light-heavyweight championship belt following a disappointing August 2010 loss – the first of his career.

A knee surgery, a long layoff and a fight postponement later, and here we stand.

Lawal (7-1 MMA, 2-1 SF) begins his comeback by facing Roger Gracie (4-0 MMA, 2-0 SF) on the Showtime-televised main card of "Strikeforce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov." The event takes place Sept. 10 at U. S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati.

The pair originally was supposed to fight on July 30, but Gracie withdrew from the event due to an injury.

Both men finally appear to have put their respective health issues to bed for the time being.

"It feels good, man," Lawal told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "It's been a year since I've fought, so I got no injuries, no more. It's all good."

Once he was cleared to train following rehabilitation, Lawal decided to embrace his inner nomad for a few months.

He traveled to Holland to train alongside former kickboxing and Muay Thai world champion Tyrone Spong. While in Las Vegas, he worked with Xtreme Couture coach Ray Sefo, sought out multiple-time jiu-jitsu world champion Robert Drysdale, and studied the "sweet science" under the watchful eye of Floyd Mayweather Sr.

He finally settled in at American Kickboxing Academy for the meat and potatoes of his camp to prepare for Gracie.

All the planes, trains and automobiles necessary to seek out different training partners and coaches were well worth it, according to Lawal.

"It keeps your skill set fresh," he said. "You're constantly adding on, where some people stay in the same area and they don't really evolve. They stay stagnant. I'm always trying to look to improve."

The skills, techniques and philosophies he has incorporated along the way will serve him well both in this fight and beyond.

In a sport as fluid as MMA, continuous learning is a requisite for success.

Gracie is no different. He continues to show gainful improvements, most notably in the kickboxing department in his recent bouts.

"[His standup is] better than what I expected it to be," said Lawal, having seen tape on Gracie. "I thought it was going to be terrible. He came out throwing jabs and one-twos and teeps and some leg kicks. He's solid."

The general consensus, however, is that the fight will boil down to a specific battle within the war: whether or not Gracie can get the former Division I All-American and international-level wrestler Lawal to the mat in order to work his submission wizardry. If not, he'll be at a distinct disadvantage on the feet in terms of technique, speed and power.

Predictably, Lawal doesn't think Gracie will be able to do what's necessary to get him down.

"Maybe if I slip," Lawal said. "I don't know. I don't think so, but I can take him down. I'm not afraid of his jiu-jitsu at all. He has a great closed guard, but sometimes when you get hit, that guard opens up.

"I'm not worried about nothing. I'm just worried about making weight and getting to the fight. That's all."

With confidence bursting at the seams again, the loss to Cavalcante now seems to be nothing more than a distant memory for Lawal. The man has his swagger back.

"I know I'm going to win," he said. "I'm going to win the fight. I don't know if it's by stoppage or ground and pound, whatever. Hey, (maybe) even submission.

"Anything's possible, dog."

Manager Ed Soares Still Unsure Why Junior Dos Santos Left Him

In the management game in MMA, it’s not all that unusual for a fighter to split with one person and find representation with a different manager.
Business changes, new people enter the industry, and the world keeps turning.
It is unusual however when certain managers lose a client, if only because of their track record of loyalty within their ranks. That’s one reason why when news broke that Junior Dos Santos had parted ways from his managers Ed Soares and Jorge Guimaraes, it was considered a pretty big deal.
Soares and his partner Guimaraes have managed several fighters over the years and continue to work with top talent like Anderson Silva and the Nogueira brothers. Their history shows a fierce loyalty to their fighters and that loyalty is typically reciprocated.
It was a shock to everyone, including Soares, that Dos Santos opted to leave the management team and venture out on his own.
“We’re his managers; we’re not his Dad. I still to this day don’t know really why we’re not working with him anymore. He never really gave us any reasons. Money and fame changes people, and sometimes that happens. He’s got his reasons,” Soares told MMAWeekly Radio.
“I almost think that’s a better question for you sometime to ask him, because I still really don’t know what happened other than we’re not representing him any more.”

Dos Santos entered the UFC in 2008 and has been undefeated ever since. It was Soares and Guimaraes that brokered the deal to get him in the UFC again after he was signed to the promotion a year earlier by a different manager before that deal went south.
“I don’t think we could have done a better job with Junior Dos Santos than what was done. Nobody knew who he was two-and-a-half years ago, we pretty much got him in the UFC. Because at first the UFC didn’t want to sign him because he signed with the UFC through another guy, so he had a deal to fight in the UFC and then he went and fought in Brazil and lost. The UFC was really bummed out and basically said ‘no, we’re not going to sign this guy. He screwed us. He signed with us then went to another event and lost,’” Soares explained.
“So we got him back a win and we convinced them let’s get this kid back in. He made a mistake, he was young, he really didn’t understand the whole deal.”
What resulted was a win over Fabricio Werdum in his debut fight and from that moment on Dos Santos has been on a tear through the UFC heavyweight division. It all culminates in November at UFC 139 when he faces Cain Velasquez with the UFC heavyweight title on the line.
“We put him in a good fight in the beginning, believed he could beat Fabricio Werdum. He went in there and did that and (we) basically guided his career and fast tracked him to where he is today,” said Soares. “Look at where he’s at. He was on The Ultimate Fighter, which gave him a lot of popularity, and it is what it is.”
While there still appears to be some confusion as to why they aren’t working together, Soares holds no ill will toward Dos Santos… he just isn’t sure what happened.

OAC commends Barnett's cooperation, says Strikeforce fighter will be licensed

Josh Barnett has passed a pre-fight drug test and will be licensed to fight at a Sept. 10 Strikeforce event bearing his name.

Ohio Athletic Commission Executive Director Bernie Profato today confirmed the news to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

"In fairness to this young man, he cooperated 110 percent," Profato said.

Barnett (30-5 MMA, 1-0 SF) meets Sergei Kharitonov (18-4 MMA, 1-0 SF) in the main event of "Strikeforce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov," which takes place Sept. 10 at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. The heavyweight fight serves as one of two semifinal bouts in the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix tournament with Antonio Silva vs. Daniel Cormier occupying the opposite bracket. The event's main card airs on Showtime.

Profato said additional drug testing is standard procedure for athletes who previously have failed a screen. The California State Athletic Commission, of course, denied Barnett a license to fight in summer 2009. Seven years prior, he was flagged for steroids following his title-winning fight against Randy Couture at UFC 36. He was later stripped of the title.

"So we had him tested, and we're satisfied that he's clean, as far as coming into the fight, and we're going to test all four of [the grand-prix fighters] plus a couple of random fights at the event," he said.

The test, which Profato said was an "extensive" procedure, took place 10 days ago at an independent, OAC-approved facility in Southern California.

"Initially, I was going to say, 'You've got to come here to Ohio.' But in fairness to any athlete, when they're in the height of their training, why should the state of Ohio ... break up this guy's training regime?" Profato said.

Under the directive of Strikeforce, Barnett and other tournament competitors underwent drug testing prior to "Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum," which took place this past June in Dallas. Barnett submitted Brett Rogers to advance to the semifinals of the tournament.

"He hasn't done anything for us not to issue him a license," Profato said. "He's met all the requirements we've asked of him."

Fomer UFC punching bag Joe Son convicted of torture in gang rape case

One-time UFC lovable loser Joseph Hyungmin Son has been convicted of torture after DNA evidence tied him to a brutal gang rape that took place in 1990.
Son (0-4), also known to non-MMA fans as "Random Task" from Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, is probably best known in the fight community for having his balls demolished by Keith Hackney back at UFC 4 en route to a first round submission loss.

After pleading guilty to felony vandalism in May of 2008, Son was required to submit a DNA sample as part of his guilty plea. That sample connected him to an unsolved gang rape that took place over 18 years ago.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the victim was pistol-whipped, raped, threatened with death and penetrated by a firearm before eventually being blindfolded and released naked.

[Son] was initially charged with multiple sexual assault charges and faced a maximum sentence of 275 years to life in prison. However, many of those charges were dropped because the statute of limitations had expired.

A co-defendant in the case pleaded guilty to rape, kidnapping and other charges, and was sentenced to 17 years in and four months in prison.

Son will be sentenced on Sept. 17 and is facing a maximum penalty of 15 years to life.

Rampage Jackson: The Jon Jones camp is spying on me

Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson, who fights Jon Jones at UFC 135 on Sept. 24 in Denver, Colo., has accused the "Bones" camp of spying on him as he prepares for their upcoming 205-pound title fight in "Mile High City."
How does he know?
Well, "Rampage" made up a bogus story about hurting his hand -- but didn't tell anyone except those closest to him inside his camp. Lo and behold, UFC matchmaker Joe Silva is on the horn shortly thereafter, asking questions about the phony injury.
Jackson elaborates to Yahoo Sports:

"One of my friends was talking to Jon Jones’ manager recently, and Jon Jones’ manager was saying that he knows everything that is going on in our camp. He said he had spies in our camp and he knew everything that was going on. That got me thinking. How did he know about my hand injury that fast? It wasn’t on the Internet, and yet he knew about my hand injury right away. The UFC people were in Brazil, which is why it probably took them four hours to call me. That shows me two things: They have spies in my camp, one, and two, they’re dumb as hell, because they didn’t know how to use the information correctly and to wait. He called right away, running to Joe Silva. Joe Silva called my manager right away. Of course they’re going to say they aren’t doing it, but we’ll put the story out there to the fans and let them decide."

This isn't the first time Rampage has allegedly been victimized by loose lips. The Memphis mauler insists someone was dishing the dirt on his knee injury to the Rashad Evans camp prior to their UFC 114 main event match-up, one that saw "Suga" target Jackson's wounded knee on fight night.
Coincidentally (or not), Evans used to run with Jones as a member of the Greg Jackson camp.

Jones Manager, Malki Kawa, insists he's not playing dirty and only contacted Joe Silva after hearing about Jackson's injury on Twitter.
"I promise to God, I have no spy in that camp," Kawa told Yahoo Sports. "It’s completely and totally untrue. There is nothing to it at all. It’s funny he said that, though, because we’ve heard he has had old training partners of Jon coming in to work with him. We don’t care and it’s kind of hilarious he’s doing this. But I can guarantee you there is nothing at all that is true about this other than that I called Joe Silva after someone put out a thing on Twitter that Rampage was injured and pulling out. I wanted to know what was up, but it was no more than that. That is it."
Rampage has put his side of the story out to the mixed martial arts community, asking the fans to decide. So, how about it? Does Jackson have a mole inside his camp? Or is he the victim of his own Twitter account?

MMA TOPLESS TUESDAY - Bellator Babes

Diego Nunes confirms he won’t be fighting at UFC 135, hopes to fight Manny Gamburyan in December

UFC featherweight prospect, Diego Nunes has confirmed that he won’t be competing on the UFC 135 card following the recent withdrawal of “Ultimate Fighter” season five runner-up, Manny Gamburyan, as well as saying he hopes to make the fight happen at some point in December.
Speaking via Sherdog.com, Nunes said:

“I won’t fight [at UFC 135] anymore. The UFC didn’t find an opponent quickly and I also got injured in training,” Nunes explained Monday to Sherdog.com. “I’m suffering with painful tendonitis in my left arm, and I also had a problem in my hometown, where some people tried to murder my father. It was the best decision [to postpone the fight] so I can travel south to see my family.”

“I think I will face him. That’s my main focus now. When I give the green light to my manager, after I’m fully recovered, I’ll talk to him and see if the UFC can match us. I would rather fight more tough and named guys, but we have this feud and it will be cool.”

 

Nunes will be looking for redemption when he does return to the octagon after losing only the second out of eighteen bouts to Kenny Florian at UFC 131 last month. Prior to that he’d been on a three fight winning streak.

Shark Fights 19: Full fight card announced for event in Independence, Mo., on Sept. 10

Amarillo, TX. – August 29, 2011 – Shark Fight Promotions, in association with Shamrock Promotions and Blue Corner, announces 18 total fights for Shark Fights 19 in Independence, Missouri at the Independence Events Center on September 10, 2011.
Shark Fights 19 will feature five main bouts, seven preliminary fights, and six amateur fights. Shark Fights executive Wes Nolen said, "This is the largest fight card in Shark Fights history. Only with the help of Shamrock Promotions and Blue Corner can we even attempt to promote such an ambitious and dynamic fight card. Independence, Missouri is in store for a great night of fights."
The Main Event features UFC veteran Rob Kimmons (23-8) versus hard hitting Chuck Parmelee (39-10-1). Parmelee is on a tear, winning fourteen of his last fifteen fights with twelve ending via TKO. Kimmons and Parmelee offer the intriguing matchup of striker versus grappler.

The co-main event features the ultra-violent Muay Thai champion Romario "Junior Killer" da Silva (18-9-1). Junior Killer’s aggressive attack style is reminiscent of the "Axe Murder" Wanderlei Silva. Originally slated to fight Josh Neer, Junior Killer is now in search of an equally vicious opponent.
Also on this gigantic 18 fight card, we have Bellator Fighting Championship’s veteran Brian Davidson (7-3) taking on highly touted prospect Vince Eazelle (1-0). Brian Davidson is coming off a first round submission victory over former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver. Eazelle recently made the move from the amateur ranks to pro after finishing his undefeated amateur career at 16-0.
Another Bellator veteran, Jeb Chiles (7-1) is facing young rising prospect Kelvin Tiller (0-0). Tiller is touted as being "MMA’s Mayweather" with his precision striking and KO power. Chiles wants to add Tiller’s name to his growing list of submission victims.
Rounding out the main card, Nick "The Head Case" Nolte (4-3) and Keith Collins (1-1-1) collide in a welterweight battle. Nolte is coming off a dominating victory on Titan Fighting Championships over Marcio Navarro.
The prelims feature Cage Potato’s Proving Ground winner "Notorious" Nick Newell (4-0), Brazilian Jiu Jitsu phenom James Krause (12-4), and making his long awaited pro debut, undefeated amateur Aaron "The Cyborg" Ely (11-0 Amateur Record). Newell captivated fight fans by remaining undefeated despite being born with only one hand. James Krause is a Bellator and WEC veteran with a relentless submission attack. Krause began his MMA career with 10 straight victories and has faced such opponents as Donald Cerrone, Toby Imada, and Clay French.
"Shark Fights 19 showcases some of the best up and coming MMA superstars. With so many young prospects looking to make a name for themselves, we expect some of the most exciting wars in Shark Fights history", said Wes Nolen. "Don’t miss your chance to discover the next big star in MMA!"

Main Event:

• Rob Kimmons (23-8) vs Chuck Parmelee (39-10-1)

Co-Main Event:

• Romario "Junior Killer" da Silva (18-9-1) vs TBD (0-0)

Main Card:

• Brian Davidson (7-3) vs. Vince Eazelle (1-0)
• Jeb Chiles (7-1) vs Kelvin Tiller (0-0) 
• Nick Nolte (4-3) vs Keith Collins (1-1-1) 

Preliminary Bout:

• Chad Vandenberg (7-4) vs Owen Evinger (6-1) 
• Dallas Browning (1-1) vs TBD (0-0) 
• Aaron Ely (11-0 AMA) vs Josh Phillips (4-1)
• Danny Mainus (5-0 AMA) vs Kyle Carver (2-0)
• James Krause (12-4) vs Steve Schneider (15-21-1) 
• Nick Newell (4-0) vs Jesse Zeugin (5-2)  
• Aaron Mays (6-0 AMA) vs TBD (0-0)

Shark Fights 19 will take place on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at Independence Events Center in Independence, Missouri and will be broadcast via tape delay on FUEL TV, beginning September 23. Doors Open at 5:30pm CT. Fights start at 7pm CT. Tickets for Shark Fights 19 are on sale now.
Tickets are priced from $40 to $120. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster retail locations. For more information, or current Shark Fights news, please visit www.sharkfights.com or www.facebook.com/sharkfights. Fight card subject to change.

Pat Healy steps up to the plate to face Maximo Blanco on September 10th in Cincinnati, Ohio

Well rounded lightweight veteran, Pat Healy has become the man to step up to the plate and face ultra-talented promotional newcomer, Maximo Blanco on the September 10^th Strikeforce show in Cincinnati, Ohio, replacing the injured Josh Thomson.
According to a FiveOuncesOfPain.com bout agreements have been signed by all parties involved, news which was confirmed by a source close to the situation.
Healy has been steadily climbing the lightweight division’s ranks after being derailed by Thomson around a year ago. Back-to-back wins over Lyle Beerbohm and Eric Wisely have put him in a solid position in the division.
Blanco hasn’t seen action since last December’s Sengoku event in Japan where he picked up a unanimous decision win over South Korea’s Won Sik Park. He’ll enter the Strikeforce cage with an 8-2-1 record overall

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua says the recent loss to Jon Jones is the only one left to avenge

Former UFC light heavyweight champion, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua has set his sights on a rematch with current title holder, Jon Jones for as soon as possible, explaining the loss to the New York native is the only one he has left to avenge following his recent win over Forrest Griffin.
Speaking via Fighters Only Magazine, “Shogun” said:

“A rematch with Jon Jones is a goal of mine. Of the five losses in my career, I have won three rematches. Only one of them won’t happen, which is the loss against [Renato Sobral] Babalu because today he’s part of the team [at Kings MMA], so this fight won’t happen. But, of the rest, I have revenged three. Now it’s only Jones who’s left.”

UFC 128 Shogun Vs Jon Jones por djrmendes no Videolog.tv.

“Shogun” will now be looking to climb back up the ranks in the light heavyweight division towards a title shot and a rematch with either Jon Jones or Quinton “Rampage Jackson, whoever holds the title at that point

UFC 137: Donald Cerrone vs Dennis Siver fight booked for Oct. 29 with Sam Stout out

The unfortunate early passing of Shawn Tompkins has resulted in Sam Stout, one of his pupils, having to pull out of his scheduled bout against Dennis Siver on Oct. 29 at UFC 137 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This being the lightweight division, though, means there's always one guy to call who will no doubt accept any fight that comes his way and today is no different. Donald Cerrone has agreed to step in for Stout against Siver in "Sin City."
ESPN.com passed along word earlier today.
Cerrone last competed just over two weeks ago today, impressively knocking out Charles Oliveira in the very first round. It was the third win this year for "Cowboy," who made the jump from the now defunct WEC after a Dec. 2010 win over Chris Horodecki.
He's 3-0 inside the Octagon and on a five-fight winning streak. And with his penchant for stepping up on short notice, you can bet the Greg Jackson product is knocking on the door to a title shot.

Dennis Siver has unwittingly been cast into the role of "guy who earned a decision he shouldn't have" thanks to a somewhat questionable call by judges during his UFC 132 fight against Matt Wiman.
It shouldn't be held against the Russian-born German stick of dynamite, though. He's 8-1 in his last nine bouts and has improved remarkably since returning for his second stint with the world's largest fight promotion.
But can he reach the top? The journey continues against Cerrone.
UFC 137 will feature welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre putting his title -- and legacy -- on the line when he goes head on against former Strikeforce king Nick Diaz. The co-main event will highlight a potential number one contender bout pitting B.J. Penn vs. Carlos Condit.
Mirko Filipovic vs. Roy Nelson and Matt Mitrione vs. Cheick Kongo have also been announced for the card, as well as the Octagon debut of Hatsu Hioki vs. George Roop.

BAMMA’s Liam Fisher Joins Noel Clarke’s MMA Movie Project As Associate Producer

London, England – Thursday August 23rd, 2011 – It was announced today that Liam Fisher, the Head Of Business Development for Europe’s largest and most prominent Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion, The British Association of Mixed Martial Arts (BAMMA), has signed on as an Associate Producer for the upcoming mixed martial arts movie being made by BAFTA winner Noel Clarke.

“It’s a real honour to work with Noel,” Fisher said. “I’m a big fan of his movies and knowing how much of an MMA fan he is, I know this project will be a very respectful, insightful and exciting film about mixed martial arts.”

Fisher will be primarily focused on brand partnerships and product placement within the movie, introducing both MMA and non-MMA related brands to the picture. In addition, he will be assisting Noel Clarke in authenticity within the film, including casting of MMA fighters.

Noel Clarke revealed the project through Screen Daily last month and announced that the movie will be in the vein of The Wrestler, The Fighter and Rocky.

Produced by his production company, Unstoppable Entertainment, Clarke has also written the script and will gain over 20 pounds in weight to play the lead, acting alongside some of the finest British talent and several MMA stars to be announced.

“I looked at films like The Wrestler and The Fighter and thought to myself ‘Why hasn’t there been a British film like that?’ I’m trying to expand what British Films do. When Adulthood and Kidulthood came out, there wasn’t anything like those, now it’s created a genre,” Clark said.

“I’ve been a massive fan of the sport (MMA) for a long time and this felt like the right time to make this film, as I’ve got more confident as a film-maker,” added Clarke, who has been working on the script for two years.

The so far untitled project has a distributor to be announced shortly and will go in to production this autumn.