A Title Shot, not Revenge, is Mir's Motivation

When your next opponent sports an overflowing belly like Larry the Cable Guy and a shaggy mullet that would make Billy Ray Cyrus jealous, it might be tempting to underestimate him just a tad. But former UFC champ Frank Mir promises he won’t commit that faux pas against Roy “Big Country” Nelson on Saturday night.

“Roy might be one of the toughest heavyweights; he won’t go away easily,” Mir said recently, following a training session at his Suffer Gym in Las Vegas. “He’s taken probably the most brutal beating we’ve seen so far against (Junior) Dos Santos and never cashed his chips in. Most people wouldn’t take a beating like that and keep marching forward.”

Indeed, Frank Mir is the last person on earth you would expect to overlook Roy Nelson, especially since the latter defeated him eight years ago in a famed Grappler’s Quest submission grappling match. The final score: 15-2. More than 400,000 people have watched the match on YouTube.

Mir is one of them.

“Just one time,” Mir said. “I gassed out so bad.”

Those presuming that Mir has revenge on his mind at UFC 130 should think again.

“It’s a match; it’s not the first jiu-jitsu match I’ve lost,” the 260-pounder said with a chuckle.

 Aside from the non-existent revenge motive, the long-awaited “rematch” has been robbed of other potentially sexy storylines. Both Mir and Nelson were born and raised in Las Vegas, but neither has publicly expressed the slightest hint of a rivalry or regard for local “bragging rights.” In fact, both men trained several times with each other and are extremely cordial with each other – even exchanging some friendly tweets in the weeks leading up to their showdown. Yet their clash is also not a true case of Friend versus Friend.

“I’ve never been to his house and I’ve never been to dinner with Roy,” Mir said. “But if we see each other at the gym or on the street we’re very cordial and I get along with him. He’s a gym buddy, that’s a better definition.”

So then why did Mir and Nelson, both Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts, train so seldom with each other? Was it because they eventually envisioned they might someday meet in the cage?

“I think we just have different approaches to training,” Mir said. “I don’t think Roy brings a lot of people around. He still does his own thing. Roy has his own views on how things should be done, his own outlook on things.”
Mir (14-5) doesn’t believe his past training sessions with Nelson (16-5) give him any special insights into The Ultimate Fighter season 10 winner’s stylistic tendencies, and vice-versa.

“No, Roy’s pretty simple,” Mir said. “He’s had about twenty fights and he hasn’t done anything drastically different. I don’t think that all of a sudden in this fight he’s going to come out like Dominick Cruz.

“Roy possesses a good skill set. One thing Roy does well is he doesn’t take chances -- he likes to capitalize on his opponents’ mistakes. It’s not like he’s going to do any high-risk throws or anything, unless he’s hurt. For the most part he’s very efficient.”

Quite simply, Big Country comes to knock opponents out. Period. All but one of the robust heavyweight’s past eight wins have come by concussing foes. Nelson last submitted an opponent in 2006. If things are settled on the feet, Mir is confident he can do what Dos Santos could not. He recently asserted to reporters, ‘I hit harder than Dos Santos.’

Mir expounded on the rationale behind his attention-getting claim, mindful that some consider Dos Santos and Shane Carwin to be arguably the two hardest hitters in the UFC heavyweight division.

“The reason I said it is … the overhand left I landed on (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira … I’m the first person to ever drop him and I dropped him four times in seven minutes,” Mir said. “I don’t think Cheick Kongo has ever been dropped and when I hit him with the overhand left, I not only knocked him down, but if you watch I actually made him leave his feet and threw him across the cage. Dos Santos, you know, he put a beating on Mirko (Cro Cop) but he didn’t knock him out, Mirko kind of waved it off (Cro Cop suffered a fractured orbital bone and submitted due to the injury in the third round). I knocked out Mirko, so we have common opponents that can be related.

“It’s just that power is size times speed, and I am pretty quick and I also have a little more weight than he (Dos Santos) does.”

Mir’s win over Cro Cop was marked by tentativeness, a trait that robbed him of the jubilation that usually comes with defeating a legend. What disappointed Mir most wasn’t simply his conservatism – he conceded he was always wary of Cro Cop’s devastating left high kick – it was the takedown opportunities he let slip away.

“In the Mirko fight you saw me striking and then thinking, ‘Oh, let me try a shot right now,’” said Mir, who won a Nevada state wrestling championship in high school. “It wasn’t smooth off my hand combinations or my opponent exposed his leg, ‘I’ll change levels and shoot.’ That’s what pissed me off the most. Wrestling’s a weakness of mine so I want to work at it all the time. I want to get better at it. Getting takedowns and top position is a dominant strategy. Not that I need the takedowns but I don’t want to be in a position where the takedown is there, after a combination, and I don’t do it because I’m inadequate at it.”

A first-rate finisher – Mir has ended an astounding eight UFC bouts in the first round – he realizes he could be that much more formidable with reliable takedowns.

“Oh, yeah, I have a lot more submissions from the top than I do from bottom; I think everybody does,” he said. “I’m a lot more dangerous on top because now you’re carrying my weight and worrying about strikes and submissions. I’d prefer to be on top.”

One of the hallmarks of Frank Mir’s aura leading up to his fights is that he is as remarkably cool and calm as they come. He shared the secret to being so composed: He doesn’t have a fear of losing. Losses, like the grappling match to Nelson years ago and a knockout loss to Shane Carwin last year, do not haunt him in the least bit, as they might other fighters.

“You know what, maybe that’s why I stay so even keel,” Mir said. “I get more mad about things that happen in a fight than the outcome of the fights. If a guy tells me that losses bother him then that tells me that in the locker room, before the fight, he’s thinking about winning and losing. If you’re worried about the outcome then you’re not worried about how to get there. So I only worry about all of the steps in-between – the start of the fight until the end of the fight. That’s how my mind is. Maybe some people take that as me being less competitive than other people, but that’s how I think about it. I have won matches and been pissed off as all hell, and I have lost matches and been kind of happy about it afterwards because I was able to do this, this and this … and I lost because this guy was better than me in a certain aspect.”

As an example, Mir pointed to a tiny but tragic mistake he committed in his fight against Carwin.

“My wrestling against the cage, my head position, was so poor that he had head dominance on me and that was the one aspect that he beat me at,” Mir said. “Then all of the sudden he let off, threw an uppercut and stunned me and finished the fight. Out in the open, I tagged him, he moved backwards … I felt comfortable there. So I’m not mad that I lost, but that I lost the head position. 

“I went to the gym, and I don’t let the loss eat at me. It’s: This position against the cage I sucked at, what did I do wrong? It was head position, so OK, let’s work on that. I focus on that. That’s what’s going to make me better, not dwelling on the loss.”

Though he’s not worried about losing to Nelson, Mir conceded that a victory might not win him as much credit as he would like.

“I think it’s one of those things where there is more to lose than more to gain,” Mir said. “The thing that kind of sucks about fighting Roy is that if Roy wins, he’s going to look good. If he loses, then it’s just going to reaffirm people’s opinion of him, ‘Ah, see, there’s the fat guy who doesn’t take it seriously.’ So I’m kind of stuck in a situation where if I lose it will be really, really bad. I think I’ll have to win pretty devastatingly to increase my chances (of impressing people). But Roy is not an easy guy to have a devastating win over. I want to win and keep myself in the running for bigger things.”

View the original article here

Evans Injures Knee; 'Bones' to Fight Rua for Title at UFC 128

Jon Jones just graduated from prospect to full-blown contender.

“Bones” will square off with light heavyweight king Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in the main event of UFC 128, going down March 19 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Rua was originally supposed to face Jones’ teammate Rashad Evans at the event, but Evans has reportedly suffered a knee injury that will prevent him from competing.

Following a dominant win over Ryan Bader at UFC 126 on Saturday night, “Bones” was offered the title shot by the organization and accepted on the spot.

“I feel great. God is so good,” said Jones. “I’m going for a world title, baby. Let's do it.”

Rua then entered the cage to face off with his new opponent.

“He's a great fighter. I respect him,” said Rua. “I'm a professional. I [will] fight [against] anyone, no problem.”

The victory marks Jones' third consecutive win inside the Octagon. The unorthodox light heavyweight holds a 6-1 record since joining the promotion and owns career victories over Stephan Bonnar, Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko. His lone defeat was a controversial one, as Jones was disqualified against Matt Hamill at “The Ultimate Fighter 10” finale for using 12-to-6 elbow strikes.

Rua was last seen in the cage dethroning former champion Lyoto Machida, knocking the karateka unconscious at UFC 113 nine months ago. A former Pride Fighting Championships star, “Shogun” has been on the shelf recovering from knee surgery since becoming champion. Rua is a former member of the Chute Boxe camp and is known for his aggressive muay Thai attack, knocking out 16 of his 19 career victims.

UFC 128 will also feature a bantamweight duel between two former champions as Urijah Faber meets Eddie Wineland. The card will also showcase a heavyweight tilt between Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Brendan Schaub as well as lightweight scrap between Jim Miller and Kamal Shalorus.

Reader comments are active below. Register an opinion by signing in with your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Yahoo! account.

View the original article here

Coenen-Tate Title Tilt Ticketed for March 5 Strikeforce

Strikeforce women’s welterweight champion Marloes Coenen (Pictured) will likely defend her crown against top contender Miesha Tate at Strikeforce “Columbus” on March 5 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Though not yet confirmed by the promotion, Tate announced the bout via Twitter: “It’s confirmed my fight is set for March 5th in Columbus OH vs Marloes Coenen for my shot at the @Strikeforce 135lb title!!!”

Spawned by the Golden Glory camp, Coenen last appeared at Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Noons 2” in October, when she submitted the previously unbeaten Sarah Kaufman with a third-round armbar to capture the women’s 135-pound title. The 29-year-old Dutch grappling ace, a 10-year veteran of the sport, has secured 13 of her 18 career victories by submission. Three wins against former Smackgirl open weight champion Yoko Takahashi and another over Roxanne Modafferi anchor Coenen’s resume. She has never lost back-to-back bouts.

Tate will carry a five-fight winning streak into the match. The 25-year-old has not entered the cage since August, when she defeated Maiju Kujala and Hitomi Akano on the same night to win the 2010 Strikeforce women’s welterweight tournament. With it came status as the top contender for Coenen’s title. Tate owns other notable victories over Jan Finney and reigning Bellator Fighting Championships women’s 115-pound titleholder Zoila Frausto.

A light heavyweight title bout pairing champion Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante with two-time Olympian and former two-division Pride Fighting Championships kingpin Dan Henderson will headline Strikeforce “Columbus,” which will air live on Showtime.

View the original article here

Pang Edges Nam, ‘Hot Rod’ Takes Title at Legend FC 4

Adrian Pang connects on Yui Chul Nam. | Photo Courtesy: Legend FC

Twelve months after fighting to a majority draw at Legend Fighting Championship’s first event, Adrian Pang and Yui Chul Nam got to do it again on Thursday in the main event of Legend FC 4 at Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo exhibition center.

While the result was little more conclusive than their initial encounter, the judges did decide a victor this time around. Originally booked as a championship bout with Pang’s lightweight belt on the line, the rematch became a non-title affair when Nam failed to make weight on Wednesday.

After a tense first few minutes, Nam took the driver’s seat, using hard inside low kicks and left hands to stumble the champion. Pang returned fire, however, and opened a deep gash on Nam’s left eyebrow which would affect the rest of the fight. Both bleeding, Pang and Nam stood toe-to-toe in the next round, each man swinging for the fences and taking his turn landing haymakers. Pang targeted the cut above Nam’s left eye and succeeded in forcing the ringside doctor to check on his opponent late in the round.

The fight’s pace slowed in the last stanza, though the punches from both men stayed hard as they picked their shots down the line. In the end, two judges saw the match 29-28 in Pang’s favor, while the dissenting judge gave the same score for Nam.

New Zealander Rodney MacSwain was crowned Legend’s first welterweight champion, as he took a three-round unanimous verdict over Pancrase veteran Hoon Kim.

The heavy-handed Kim dropped MacSwain with a three-punch combination halfway through the first round, but MacSwain kept his composure, surviving to crack the Korean with a looping left hook minutes later. The same punch found its mark early in the second, prompting Hoon to smile and offer MacSwain a mid-round handshake for his work.

MacSwain again put Kim down in the second, but soon after found himself in a triangle choke attempt. Quickly escaping, MacSwain controlled the fight from atop Kim, and then popped his opponent with several more hard hooks when they were stood back up.

The third round was largely a standup affair, with MacSwain getting the better of the punching exchanges before taking Kim down in the final 60 seconds. Kim was also issued a yellow card for a second inadvertent kick to MacSwain’s groin. The point deduction would not come into play, as the judges turned in scorecards of 29-26 and 30-26, twice, all in favor of “Hot Rod” MacSwain.

Chinese prospect Jing Liang Li weathered a rough stretch and choked out Australian Tony Rossini in their welterweight contest.

An early guillotine attempt from Li precipitated a Rossini takedown, which the Australian used to dominate the first round, taking Li’s back and nearly finishing with a rear-naked choke. In the second, Li cracked his foe with a right hand and snared another guillotine as Rossini shot in for a double leg. Li rolled to guard and wrenched the choke, and Rossini went unconscious for several seconds before referee Thomas Fan stepped in to halt the match at the 1:11 mark.

In the first of two bantamweight title tournament semifinals, Chinese wrestling convert Hong Gang Yao used his base skill to edge out a narrow unanimous decision against Australian Michael Mortimer. Despite being floored twice by punches in the first minute of the fight, Yao recovered and even sunk in a deep guillotine choke toward the end of the opening frame.

Mortimer used his hands well in the second, but could not resist the strong takedowns of Yao. In the final round, the Aussie once again out-boxed a tiring Yao, this time managing to stay upright for the majority of the round. Nonetheless, all three judges gave the hometown fighter the nod with scores of 30-27 and 29-28, twice.

It took 19-year-old Nam Jin Jo until the second round to defeat Yohan Mulia Legowo, though the brash South Korean had vowed to take out the Indonesian veteran in the first period of their bantamweight tournament semifinal. Eleven years Legowo’s junior, Jo grinded away from top position throughout much of the first five minutes.

Jo’s strength advantage became more pronounced in the next round, when he battered Legowo with ground-and-pound before forcing him to submit to a rear-naked choke at the 3:20 mark. With the win, Jo moves on to face Yao for the inaugural bantamweight title at Legend’s next event.

The evening’s “Fight of the Night” honors went to welterweights Alex Niu and Wang Sai. After three hard-fought rounds, the muay Thai specialist Niu took a unanimous decision over his countryman.

New Zealand’s Pat Crawley picked up his second win inside the Legend ring, forcing Indian “Basher” Bhupesh Kamble to tap out to punches at 3:31 of the first frame.

Yeong Gwang Choi took a unanimous decision against 18-year-old sanda specialist Aorigele.

Filipino featherweight Mark Eddiva submitted the Hong Kong-based Alex Lee with a guillotine choke in the first round of what was both men’s MMA debut.

View the original article here

Undaunted Brown Eyes Another Title Run

“I’ve got another run in me, man. I’m going to do it again. In the gym I’m still a monster. I know it, my teammates know it. I’m not an easy fight for anybody." During his shocking rise to the top of the featherweight division, Mike Thomas Brown went undefeated in 2006, 2007, 2008 and nearly all of 2009. But the past 13 months have brought much adversity. The former world champion has posted just a 2-3 record, causing many to wonder if his best days in the Octagon might be behind him.

One of the nicest guys in the business, Brown said he hasn’t been able to pinpoint a culprit for his recent funk.

“Each loss is different so it’s tough to say,” the 10-year veteran said. “Jose Aldo just was a better fighter that kind of picked me apart. I think Manny (Gamburyan) just caught me on the chin; you know, I believe I’m a better fighter than him. But that’s how fighting goes. My fight against Diego Nunes I had an adrenaline dump and fatigued myself early and lost a decision. They are all dramatically different losses so I can’t put my finger on one thing, you know?”

While some have speculated that perhaps problems outside of the cage might have factored into Brown’s slide, the 35-year-old discounted such talk.

“No, man, some of my biggest wins have come off rollercoaster rides in my life, so I never buy into that,” he said.

Fighting against Nunes on New Year’s Day, Brown (24-7) uncharacteristically seemed to tire by the second round. He theorized that perhaps he peaked too early in training camp and was guilty of overtraining. He also squeezed a lot more than usual trying to take Nunes down and hold him on the mat. Or maybe it was the nerves and adrenaline dump because of competing for the first time in six years in the UFC, the sport’s biggest stage.

“I don’t know what it was, if I knew then it wouldn’t have happened,” Brown said. “I have a little bit of UFC jitters just because I really wanted to get that UFC win under my belt.”

Hungry to regain his championship form, Brown is headed to the Octagon for the second time in three weeks against Rani Yahya on Jan. 22 at UFC Fight For the Troops 2 in Fort Hood, Tex. Yahya, 15-6, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who won the prestigious Abu Dhabi Submission Wrestling World Championship in 2007. He is also a tap out machine: 14 of his wins have come via submission.

“I like the matchup,” Brown said. “He’s the best jiu-jitsu guy in the world in this weight class, hands down. But I train at American Top Team with a lot of high-level jiu-jitsu guys so that’s the look I get most often in the gym, and I’m comfortable with it. I mean, anything can happen because he is the Abu Dhabi world champion, but I’m very confident in the matchup.”

Yahya is a dangerous fighter who nevertheless dropped his past two bouts to world-ranked bantamweights Joseph Benavidez and Takeya Mizugaki. Part of the problem, in Yahya’s mind, centered around being drained of his energy due to cutting too much weight. Yahya, who hasn’t fought in nine months, decided to return to featherweight and said he used his time away to heal injuries and advance his “technical evolution.” The 26-year-old Brazilian will be making his UFC debut and was originally scheduled to fight “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung, before the Korean stepped aside due to injury.

“This is the best moment for me as a fighter, but mentally I will deal with it like every other fight,” Yahya said. “This weight class is where I have had my best performances. I am happy with the switch because Mike Brown has a bigger name. He seems to have good techniques and good physical condition but there is nothing impressive.”

Yahya predicted victory on Saturday, and Brown did the same.

“I’m going to knock him out,” Brown said. “I’ve got another run in me, man. I’m going to do it again. In the gym I’m still a monster. I know it, my teammates know it. I’m not an easy fight for anybody. I feel confident that I can beat anybody on any given night … Life is good. Sometimes I get depressed after every loss, they all hurt, but I’m fortunate enough to have been the top guy in the world for a little over a year and I’m OK with that. I’m going to get it back. I’m chasing after the belt and I still have that capability.”

View the original article here

Trainer Explains Why Pettis Won’t Wait on Title Shot

Anthony Pettis (right) | Jeff Sherwood/Sherdog.com

Anthony Pettis will not wait on the conclusion of the Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard trilogy before fighting again.

Pettis’ trainer, Duke Roufus, confirmed the news Monday on the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show.

Pettis had earned a UFC lightweight title shot by winning the WEC lightweight belt. However, when Edgar’s Jan. 1 defense against Maynard ended as a closely contested draw, UFC President Dana White announced that the two will fight again.

In the meantime, Pettis will take another bout.

“It sucks that he’s not fighting for the title, but at the same time, he’ll be fighting one of the toughest guys in the UFC lightweight division and that’s awesome,” said Roufus, who could not yet name potential opponents being discussed with the UFC.

Roufus and Pettis had met over lunch to discuss whether he should wait or fight again. One drawback of fighting is that Pettis could lose and cost himself a title shot.

“He’s a fighter; he wants to continue fighting,” Roufus said. “He’s got a lot of momentum in the sport. He said he’s got 10 other [highlight-reel] kicks and moves for the UFC and he’s going to prove it. The one thing he wants to do is fight.”

Roufus was at home the night of UFC 125 when he learned via the Internet that Edgar and Maynard would be fighting again. He said an “outburst” followed that woke up his family, but then he calmed down.

“Does it suck? Yeah, but I like the fact that Dana’s doing the right thing for the fighters,” Roufus said. “Anthony’s on the short end of the stick and feeling the letdown of not having a fight, but I like the fact that Dana’s putting it out there that he wants a rematch and a definitive champion. It’s good for all the fighters.”

Listen to the full interview (beginning at 5:43) with Roufus, who also discussed Pat Barry’s mindset heading into his upcoming bout.

View the original article here

Fickett, McKee Slated for Lightweight Title Bout at MFC 28

Drew Fickett | Jeff Sherwood/Sherdog.com

Former UFC talent Drew Fickett has signed a multi-fight contract with Canadian promotion Maximum Fighting Championship and will debut at MFC 28 “Supremacy,” squaring off with champion Antonio McKee for the MFC lightweight title.

The promotion on Wednesday announced the signing of Fickett, and Sherdog.com has confirmed with sources close to the fight that McKee will be his first opponent. The bout is expected to be officially announced shortly.

The event -- which goes down Feb. 25 at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada -- will be headlined by a bout between Ryan Jimmo and Dwayne Lewis for the vacant MFC light heavyweight title.

Fickett has been fighting since 1999 and holds a career mark of 40-13, including 29 victories by way of submission. The 31-year-old made his UFC debut in 2005, losing to Nick Diaz by technical knockout. The Southwest MMA product would go on to have a relatively successful career in the Octagon, however, earning a 4-3 record with the promotion before moving on in 2007.

After losing seven of eight fights between 2008 and 2009, Fickett experienced a resurgence in 2010. The “Night Rider” won four consecutive bouts last year, three of which came during Shine Fights’ eight-man lightweight grand prix in September. To win the tournament, Fickett submitted Charles Bennett, Dennis Bermudez and Carlo Prater in a single night, all inside of the first round.

“No one can beat me now,” Fickett said in a press release. “Mentally, I burned out and I didn’t really want to fight. Now I have a renewed passion for the sport and I have a re-invigorated spirit. I’m going to choke people out and people are going to get hurt. I’m coming to the MFC and I’m going to win the belt. It’s going to be awesome.”

McKee was recently released by the UFC after his first Octagon outing resulted in a defeat at the hands of Jacob Volkmann at UFC 125. McKee will now compete less than a month after his first loss in nearly eight years. The 40-year-old judo brown belt holds notable victories over Mike Dolce, Luciano Azevedo and Prater, and owns 18 of his 25 career victories by decision.

View the original article here

Hominick Guaranteed Title Shot with Win Against Roop

Mark Hominick (top) | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

While the announcement of heavyweights Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos as the coaches of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 became the main focus of Tuesday’s UFC media conference call, UFC President Dana White made an important declaration pertaining to another weight class far down the scale.

When Mark Hominick and George Roop square off at Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas, for UFC “Fight for the Troops 2” on Jan. 22, the next UFC featherweight title challenger could be decided.

Asked whether Hominick would be considered for a bout with UFC’s featherweight kingpin, Jose Aldo, should he defeat Roop, White confirmed the notion immediately.

“If Mark Hominick wins this fight, he gets a shot at the title with Aldo, and that will be in Toronto,” White said, referring to UFC 129, which takes place in Toronto on April 30.

And if Hominick loses?

“I don’t know. Back to the drawing board,” said White.

Hominick, who knocked off three opponents in as many WEC bouts in 2010, originally had his name bandied about as a possible challenger for Aldo late last year. Instead, the UFC opted to pair the Brazilian with streaking phenom Josh Grispi for UFC 125, but that bout fell through when Aldo withdrew due to a neck injury.

Shortly after the conference call ended, the 28-year-old Canadian took to Twitter and made it clear that he had no intentions of looking past Roop.

“I know [Dana White] announced the news about Aldo in Toronto,” Hominick wrote. “I am focused on next week and that is where I am leaving the issue.”

No stranger to upsets, Roop entered his September WEC bout with fan favorite Chan Sung Jung as a decided underdog before crushing the “Korean Zombie” with a second-round head kick. Now, the Shawn Tompkins-trained fighter has designs on spoiling the UFC’s best-laid plans.

“I plan on making it so Hominick doesn’t fight Aldo... in Canada,” Roop wrote on his Twitter account.

View the original article here

Overeem-Duffee for Dream Interim Title at ‘Dynamite’

Once thought to be a non-title affair, the late-notice scrap between Todd Duffee and Alistair Overeem (Pictured) at “Dynamite: The Power of Courage 2010” will be for the Dream interim heavyweight crown.

Dream officials made the announcement regarding title implications for the bout on the promotion’s Web site on Thursday and confirmed the news during a pre-fight press conference. The victor of the match will be awarded an interim title, despite the promotion never before having crowned a heavyweight champion. The event is promoted by Dream and K-1 parent company Fighting and Entertainment Group and will go down New Year’s Eve from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Overeem comes fresh off a destructive performance at the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix Finals in which “The Demolition Man” lived up to his moniker, defeating Tyrone Spong, Gokhan Saki and Peter Aerts on Dec. 11 to snatch the coveted striking crown. He also holds the Strikeforce MMA heavyweight title. His last performance under mixed martial arts rules came in May, when he smashed top contender Brett Rogers in the first round of their bout at Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery” in St. Louis. The Dutchman has won eight of his last nine bouts, with the only blemish in that three-year span being a controversial no-contest to Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic at Dream 6 in 2008.

In Duffee, Overeem faces a quick heavyweight with great athleticism. A former UFC propect, Duffee started his career a perfect 6-0, including a first-round drubbing of Tim Hague in his 2009 UFC debut. The 25-year-old’s performance against Hague at UFC 102 earned him the official fastest knockout in promotion history. After suffering a knee injury, however, Duffee fell on hard times. Despite a stellar start against veteran Mike Russow at UFC 114 in May, Duffee was knocked out in the third round, bringing his unbeaten streak to a halt. He was released by the UFC in September and has not fought since.

View the original article here

Pettis To Sit Cageside For Title Fight

“That particular kick comes from my traditional martial arts background. That just came off the top of my head. I wasn’t planning on throwing that kick (against Henderson). That was instinctive." Being famous for an astonishing, almost fantasyland kick is nice, and when Anthony Pettis’ career is over someday, that may be what many people best remember him for. But that’s not how the 23-year-old phenom wants to be defined.

Already in possession of a WEC belt, the Milwaukee native now covets the UFC title and the legacy and prosperity that would come with it. Pettis’ rapid ascent toward the top of the 155-pound division has earned him the right to sit cageside for Saturday night’s main event between UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and No. 1 challenger Gray Maynard. Asked to predict a winner, the flamboyant fighter (fittingly nicknamed “Showtime”) was understandably somewhat wishy-washy. But under pressure to make a pick he squeezed out a half-hearted prognostication.

“I’m going to go with Gray Maynard,” said Pettis, 13-1. “If he can get him down and bully him like he did the first fight then I think Gray Maynard can take the fight. But Frankie has some momentum behind him.”

That was Pettis commenting on the same night earlier this month when he dethroned Benson Henderson for the WEC crown. More than a week later, however, Pettis was back on the fence.

“I don’t know, this fight is hard to call,” he said. “Frankie Edgar against BJ Penn, he looked like a whole new Frankie Edgar. But Gray Maynard is a huge 155er who just imposes his will. His nickname (“The Bully”) fits him well. Either guy I fight will be a tough fight. I’m just getting ready for another wrestler.

“A lot of people say I would match up better with Edgar. I mean, I think it would be a higher-paced fight. But they are the champion and the No. 1 contender so I’ve got my work cut out for me with either guy.”

Pettis hopes to achieve bigger and better things in 2011, but the rising star will be hard pressed to outdo the massive good fortune that engulfed him in 2010. Few fighters experienced a more banner year, as he racked up a 4-0 record, gained national exposure courtesy of being featured on MTV’s “World of Jenks,” and won a world title with arguably the most clutch – and most spectacular - flying kick  that MMA fans have ever seen. I must confess that I can replay Pettis’ running, off-the-cage kick against Benson Henderson over and over and over again, without it ever diminishing my sense of marvel. I’ve replayed and studied the maneuver more than any other I’ve witnessed in the cage, and judging from a YouTube video of the maneuver, there are millions more who feel the same way I do.

“That particular kick comes from my traditional martial arts background,” said Pettis, who at the behest of his late father began studying Tae Kwon Do at 7 years old. “That just came off the top of my head. I wasn’t planning on throwing that kick (against Henderson). That was instinctive, man. We didn’t practice that before the fight, it was just one of those things.”

Pettis said that when he went back to his corner at the conclusion of the fourth round, he mistakenly thought he had just finished the third round. So, headed into the fifth and final round – with the fight up for grabs – head coach Duke Roufus set his fighter straight: This is it, kid. Last round.

“S---! I got to get after it,” Pettis thought to himself. “My dream is five minutes away. I gotta get after it and make it happen.’”

With less than 90 seconds left, and Pettis arguably losing the fifth and decisive round, he charged forward, went airborne, bounced off the cage on one leg! … and unleashed the mother of all high kicks. And actually landed it flush across Henderson’s face.

“It was a title fight and there was a lot at stake and that’s one of those kicks where you can get yourself in trouble if you miss,” he said. “It was a clutch kick that just happened at the right time.”

It was a kick that has caused Pettis’ popularity to skyrocket, a kick so wondrous that reporters and fans are still trying to figure out what in the heck to call it. Some have stayed simple, dubbing it a “superkick.” Others have called it a “Matrix” kick. I like to call it the “Holy S&$%# Kick,” since I literally and instinctively started writing expletives on my computer screen while writing about the fight live from Glendale, Ariz., earlier this month. Holy (expletive of your choice) is the first thing that jumped into my mind, and I’m one of those guys who tends to think that our first reaction to a situation is usually the right one.

In the days following his sweetest victory, Pettis would soon learn that while he hasn’t changed much, other people’s reaction to his presence has. He returned to Milwaukee even more recognizable and beloved than before. His cell phone answering machine was overwhelmed with messages, and flooded with hundreds of text messages.

After fighting five times in the past 12 months, Pettis took a well-deserved break, booking a four-day cruise to the Bahamas.

“It was my first time there,” he said. “It was crazy, all the workers and a lot of other people in recognized me in the Bahamas. They said, “You’re the guy that did the kick off the cage …” It was crazy. I didn’t even know they watched WEC over there. When I went through Customs they were trying to take pictures with me.”

Roufus calls his prized protégé a “Latin GSP,” comparing Pettis to current UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre in athleticism, work ethic and determination. Indeed, Pettis has come so far, so fast. By now, Pettis’ humble beginnings have been well-documented, and oft-reported, but bears repeating because it showcases the true grit and glory of Pettis’ struggle to the top. For most of his life, he had been dealt a rather paltry hand. The product of a seedy, drug- and crime-infested neighborhood in the south side of Milwaukee, Pettis can never completely forget the violence of that place because those mean streets claimed the life of his father. Eugene Pettis, a janitor who worked two jobs so his kids could attend Catholic schools, was murdered on Nov. 12, 2003. He was 46.

Pettis, half-Puerto Rican and half-Mexican, is motivated by his father’s memory. In the days leading up to a fight, and even during his walk to the cage, he sports a hooded sweatshirt with his father’s image. Pettis said he won the WEC title not just for himself, but for his father.

“It’s a dream come true,” Pettis said. “My dad was with me all throughout my martial arts career. When he died I stopped doing martial arts for awhile. But then I found mixed martial arts. Duke Roufus and Pat Barry, these guys brought me in and were like family to me. It’s something (my father’s death), that I carry with me into every fight. My dad gives me my competitive edge and I bring him on my hoodie to every fight. I feel close to him doing this. Getting this belt is the icing on the cake. I can’t wait to go to his grave and show him that.”

View the original article here

Maynard Prepared to Defeat Edgar Again, Claim UFC Title

Gray Maynard: Jeff Sherwood | Sherdog.com

Two years ago, Gray Maynard beat Frankie Edgar. Saturday, he’ll try to do it again.

This time, however, the biggest prize in the 155-pound division will be at stake, as Maynard challenges Edgar for the lightweight title in the main event of UFC 125 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

If Maynard is feeling any pressure heading into the biggest fight of his career, he certainly isn’t letting on. When asked on Tuesday’s media conference call about the differences in training for a title fight as opposed to his typical three-round affairs, “The Bully” kept his reply short and sweet.

“You just add on two [more rounds]. It’s easy. I’m going to be prepared.”

According to the former Michigan State Spartan, his extended training camp has provided him with the extra practice needed to wrest away Edgar's strap.

“I usually have an eight-week camp, and I think this camp turned out to be 12 weeks, so I got in a few extra rounds,” said Maynard. “You have to evolve in all areas, or you’ll get beat.”

Maynard holds the distinction of being the only man to best the champion as a professional, having earned a unanimous decision over Edgar at UFC Fight Night 13. Over the last four years, the Xtreme Couture product has remained unbeaten, going 8-0-1 inside the Octagon. When asked if he felt his title shot was overdue considering his accomplishments, Maynard replied calmly.

“Not at all. This is the perfect time,” he said. “My time is now. I’m looking to take the belt, for sure.”

Though Maynard expects the outcome of the rematch to mirror his first encounter with Edgar, the 31-year-old claims he is ready for a new and improved opponent.

“He’s a tough kid. He’s quick and he moves a lot. It’s hard for me to tell you that [the fight] is going to happen [a certain way],” said Maynard. “The first fight was two-and-a-half years ago. Anytime you go against the top fighter in the world, you have to evolve and change. So I’m prepared for a new fight, and I’m up for it.”

View the original article here

True Grit – Edgar Retains Title with Draw

LAS VEGAS, January 1 – By all rights, Frankie Edgar never should have made it out of the first round of his UFC 125 main event against Gray Maynard. But after surviving multiple knockdowns in the opening frame, the UFC lightweight champion roared back to retain his belt with a five round draw in an exciting bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena that kicked off the 2011 fight year in style. See post-fight interview with Frankie Edgar

Scores were 48-46 Maynard, 48-46 Edgar, and 47-47. All three judges scored the first round 10-8 in favor of Maynard. See post-fight interview with Gray Maynard

“It felt like the first round didn’t happen,” said Edgar, who made the second successful defense of his title. “It was a close fight.”

“I kinda punched myself out in the first,” said Maynard. “I thought I won (rounds) 1,3,5. It was a close one, but I thought I won.”

The two took their time getting acclimated to the bout in the opening minute, but Maynard announced his arrival to championship mixed martial arts a little more than a minute in with a left hook that hurt and dropped the champion. Edgar got up, only to be sent back down by a right uppercut. Maynard pounced, but amazingly Edgar weathered the assault.  Moments later, with Edgar now bleeding from the nose, Maynard struck with another hard right uppercut, and Edgar, his legs wobbly, once again seemed on the verge of defeat.  Yet by the end of the round, Edgar was firing back, and now the question to be asked was whether Maynard had gassed himself out.

Edgar opened the second round with a high kick, and he appeared to have his legs back under him as he moved around the Octagon and poked at the challenger with quick flurries. Maynard calmly strode forward, but his face was beginning to show the wear of battle and of Edgar’s resurgent offense. With less than 90 seconds left and the crowd chanting his name, Edgar responded with a quick flurry that opened a cut under Maynard’s left eye, and he followed up with a thunderous slam the ignited the crowd. By the end of the round, Edgar added a stuffed takedown and a right to the face as he emphatically got back in the fight.

“Just beat him up, you don’t need the knockout,” UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture told Maynard between rounds. “You just gave him that round.” The champion wasn’t about to play along though, as he again used his stick and move strategy to perfection while also keeping Maynard from putting him on his back. Maynard kept stalking, and with less than 90 seconds left, he began to get closer with his power shots as he again brought blood from the New Jersey native’s nose before landing a takedown in the final minute. But even on the mat, Edgar kept battling, locking in a guillotine choke just before the bell.

Edgar went on the offensive with a takedown and guillotine choke attempt to begin the fourth round, and while Maynard got up and escaped, the champion called on his wrestling for another takedown seconds later.  After the two rose, Maynard - in the fourth round for the first time in his career – continued to chase Edgar, who made him pay when he got too close as he continued his stirring comeback.

With five minutes to go, each shot carried the weight of the outcome on it, and each of these gutsy lightweights had their moments in the first half of the frame. In the second half, Maynard looked for the takedown but was turned back, and Maynard repaid the favor to Edgar, leaving this bout to be settled on the feet. With less than a minute left, Edgar tagged Maynard, Maynard fired back, and both were bloodied as they went toe-to-toe till the final bell.

Edgar’s record now stands at 13-1-1; Maynard remains unbeaten at 11-0-1 with 1 NC.

View the original article here

Diaz-‘Cyborg’ Title Bout Headlines Jan. 29 Strikeforce

Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz will put his title on the line Jan. 29, but it won't be against Jason “Mayhem” Miller. Instead, Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos will get his shot at Diaz’s crown in the main event at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

The promotion made the bout official early Wednesday morning, along with three other previously reported contests. As expected, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza will defend his middleweight championship against Robbie Lawler in the evening’s co-main event. The Showtime-televised card will also feature a heavyweight attraction as 1982 Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker will battle Scott Carson. Rounding out the card will be a 205-pound tilt between grappling superstar Roger Gracie and UFC veteran Trevor Prangley.

Diaz is fresh off a dominating October victory over nemesis K.J. Noons. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt peppered Noons with straight punches throughout the fight, using his range to break the smaller fighter’s jaw and earn a clear-cut unanimous decision. The Cesar Gracie product has been on a roll since losing to Noons in 2007, winning eight straight fights. Diaz holds notable victories over Scott Smith, Hayato Sakurai and Dream welterweight champ Marius Zaromskis in that span.

Santos made his debut at 170 pounds in June, knocking out Zaromskis midway through the first round at Strikeforce “Los Angeles.” However, Santos has not fought since. Prior to the Zaromskis victory, the Chute Boxe product had fought primarily at middleweight throughout his career. He is 1-1 in Strikeforce competition, his other promotional appearance being a split decision loss to Joey Villasenor in the main event of “Challengers 2” last year.

View the original article here

Pettis Takes Title; Bookends WEC with a Bang

Anthony Pettis file photo | Sherdog.com

What a way to go out.

In the of WEC's final round of action, Anthony Pettis landed one of the most spectacular kicks in the history of the sport, dropping Benson Henderson and securing Pettis both the round and the contest by earning a unanimous decision in the main event of WEC 53 at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

Following 20 hard-fought minutes of action, Pettis threw caution to the wind in the fifth frame, launching off the fence and connecting with a powerful roundhouse to the head of the circling champion. Dubbed the “Showtime Kick” by Pettis at the post-fight press conference, the 23-year-old credited his trainer with inspiring him to attempt the maneuver.

“Duke Roufus plays with us, and we try these new kicks. He told us if one of us lands it in the cage that he would take us to dinner,” said Pettis. “So he owes me some dinner.”

While most would shy away from attempting such a flashy technique in the fifth round of such an important fight, Pettis claims the move was executed out of necessity.

“I saw he kept circling across the cage, and I knew I had to try it. When he was [circling] away from the cage, I knew I had room to jump off,” said Pettis. “The biggest thing going through my mind was [that I needed to] go for it. He was checking my low kicks. So [I decided that I had to] do something outside of the box and see what happens. I just wanted to land something. If I wouldn't have landed the kick, I would have followed up with something else.”

Though the kick knocked the champion off his feet, Henderson somehow managed to recover, shooting a single leg and surviving till the final bell. According to Pettis, overcoming the durable champion in such a fashion was a surreal, but exhilarating experience.

“It doesn't feel real. It's crazy. That was a tough fight, and he's a great fighter,” said Pettis. “I'm feeling great. The only thing that hurts is my right foot from that crazy kick off the cage.”

With the fight arguably tied at two rounds a piece heading into the fifth, “Showtime” was so engaged in the action that he had lost track of the time.

“I thought I was going into the fourth, and my corner said it was the last round. I came with some crazy stuff and it paid off,” he said.

Pettis, whose father was murdered in 2003, asserts that his father's memory gives him strength in the cage.

“This is a dream come true. My dad was with me through my whole martial arts career. When he died, I stopped [practicing] for a while. Then I found MMA with Duke Roufus and Pat Barry. They're like my family,” said Pettis. “My dad gave me my competitive edge. I feel close to him doing this. The belt is just icing on the cake. I can't wait to go back to his grave and show him the belt.”

On the horizon sits the new biggest fight of Pettis' young career: a showdown with the UFC lightweight champion. Regardless of who wins the championship scrap between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard at UFC 125, Pettis says he'll be ready.

“I haven't had time to think about Edgar or Maynard, because I’ve been focused on Ben Henderson. So I'll go home and figure out both styles. I think I'll fight both eventually,” said Pettis. “I’m coming here to fight the best, and this [WEC] belt doesn't mean I’m the best yet. I want the next one. That means I’m the best.”

View the original article here

As Title Shot Looms, Pettis Thankful for WEC Ride

Anthony Pettis (right) | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

After competing under the World Extreme Cagefighting banner for just a year and a half, lightweight title contender Anthony Pettis finds himself in an enviable position. The 23-year-old is only two victories away from being called the planet's top 155-pounder.

Before he can claim that title, however, he must defeat WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson on Thursday in the main event of WEC 53 at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz. The winner of that clash will earn an automatic title shot at the UFC strap, which will be contested by Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard at UFC 125 on Jan. 1.

“Ben Henderson is the champ for a reason. He's a good fighter, and I’ve got to get past him before I can even think about fighting in the UFC,” said Pettis during last week's WEC conference call. “But I do always get asked how I would do against the UFC guys. How better to find out than to fight the [UFC] champ? It's crazy. Getting that opportunity is just a blessing.”

As the WEC enters its last-ever event before merging with the UFC, “Showtime” is grateful for the opportunities the organization has given him.

“The WEC, for me, was my home. It made me who I am today. I’m so thankful that the WEC gave me chance to show my skills on a huge level,” said Pettis. “I want the WEC's legacy to be great fights put on by great fighters. And I want the lightweight class to represent. We're going to be stacked up against UFC guys, and I want the WEC to be remembered for bringing over some great lightweights.”

Regarding his upcoming fight with Henderson, the Roufusport product believes he can't afford to make any mistakes if he's to conquer the champion.

“Ben is good everywhere. He's one of the most well-rounded lightweights in the world. To beat him, I’ve got to stick to my game plan and make his takedowns tough. I also have to be unpredictable standing,” said Pettis. “He's hard to submit. His submission defense is awesome. His wrestling is great, and so is his guillotine. I think it's going to be a great last fight for the WEC.”

Come fight night the Wisconsin native will be forced to contend not only with Henderson, but also with a partisan Arizona crowd. When asked about the home-field disadvantage, Pettis dismissed the idea, arguing that the fight will be decided by the fighters, not the crowd.

“I have a lot of support coming down to Arizona. I’m excited, because it's not going to be 19 degrees out. I get to go wear some shorts out there,” he said. “The crowd's going to boo me, but however it plays out, it's just me and Ben in that cage. The crowd doesn't fight with you. So I’m not going to let that get to my head.”

View the original article here

Cruz: Tempo Paramount in UFC Title Scrap with ‘Grimy’ Jorgensen

Dominick Cruz: Stephen Albanese | Tailstar.com

WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz fell under some criticism in August following his first title defense. Despite besting challenger Joseph Benavidez over five rounds and walking away with a split decision, some fans and pundits cited Cruz’s “stick-and-move” style as unexciting.

Those people, according to the champ, just don’t know what they’re watching.

“I think people criticize what they don’t understand. I think there’s a lot of things about my style, that I do and I do well, that you can’t really understand unless you know the game plan and the ideas behind it,” Cruz said on a WEC media conference call Tuesday.

Likewise, the 25-year-old Alliance MMA product’s opponents often have a tough time gauging his technique until it’s too late.

“I think people get in there and they fight me, and there are certain things you can’t account for: speed, being hard to cut off, being hard to find. Those are all things you don’t know about somebody until you’re in there fighting them,” Cruz said. “I have a very different style from anybody in MMA right now, and I think that the reason that is, is just I look at the angles and I look at striking, and I look at the fight in a completely different way than a lot of people.”

The next man to try and crack Cruz’s code will be former Pac-10 wrestling champion Scott Jorgensen, who challenges for the strap on Dec. 16 at WEC 53, the promotion’s swan song at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz. The winner of that bout will not only keep the WEC title forever, but also be crowned the first UFC 135-pound champion.

“I’m excited that we’re coming over to the UFC and we get to be the very first guys that have ever fought in this division. It’s just an awesome feeling,” said Cruz. “I think it’s definitely gonna be like a legacy that we’ve all started. You hear about Randy Couture, you hear about Royce Gracie and all those guys that started the UFC up. Well, in a sense, that’s kinda the way a lot of us lighter guys have done for the 135- and 145-pound divisions.”

But, before he can think about cementing his legacy in the UFC, Cruz knows he’s got a stern task ahead of him. A winner in five straight contests, the hard-nosed Jorgensen has knocked off such highly-regarded bantamweights as Takeya Mizugaki and Brad Pickett in his most recent run.

“The best way to explain Jorgensen is probably like a grimy fighter. He’s the kind of guy that, when you hit him, he kinda gets more into the fight. As each round goes on, he starts to feel more and more comfortable in the cage,” said Cruz. “He’s got a real ‘in your face’ style. He’s in your face with pressure, with good steady boxing. His hands have gotten a lot quicker over the fights, that’s one thing I’ve noticed.”

“He’s got a wicked guillotine. He’s proved that in all of his fights, pretty much. So guillotine defense is gonna be key,” the champion added.

Asked to outline his keys to victory, Cruz cited many of the hallmarks which have led to his own current six-fight win streak, five of which have come via some form of decision.

“In order for me to win this fight, I just need to do as I’ve done before: dictate the pace of the fight, stay very mobile, very hard to find, and keep a high tempo and a high pace in every aspect. And just mix it up -- high-low, high-low. I can work a lot of ground game and I can take this fight wherever I need to.”

However, Cruz said, don’t be mistaken: he doesn’t relish letting any fight reach the judges’ scorecards.

“I’m in there trying to finish every single fight. I’m in there trying to kill the guy from beginning to end,” he said. “I think everybody that I’ve gone in there with, I’ve rocked or hurt at some point in the fight, without a doubt.”

As for silencing the critics, Cruz remains unconcerned.

“I’ve won a lot of fights this way, so I know what I’m doing. I know what I do right, I know what I do well, and I know I’m very good at it, and that gives me my confidence to continue to fight the way I fight.”

View the original article here

Mendes Expecting Another Fight Before Title Shot

Chad Mendes: Jeff Sherwood | Sherdog.com

Chad Mendes delivered the biggest win of his career Nov. 11 when he outpointed Javier Vazquez at WEC 52, but the rising featherweight doesn’t expect his next bout to be for the belt.

“I’m guessing there’s going to be one more, at least one more fight, before any kind of title stuff,” Mendes said during a recent interview on the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show.

Mendes is 9-0 overall and 4-0 in the WEC. A standout wrestler in college, he has only been fighting for two years, but it was conceivable that a win over Vazquez would garner him a title shot.

“Nobody important has told me that I’m next, so I’m just kind of going with the flow,” Mendes said. “I’ve said it before: If that’s what [Zuffa officials] want, I’m definitely down to do it. It’s what I’m training to do. It’s my job.”

Mendes won all three rounds against Vazquez on each judge’s scorecard. However, Vazquez might have deserved the first based on his activity from his back, which included numerous strikes. Still, throughout the fight, Mendes proved adept at thwarting Vazquez’s submission game.

“He definitely had the most active guard that I’ve been in,” Mendes said. “I never really felt in danger of any of the stuff he was doing.”

Somewhat surprisingly, Mendes appeared to do some of his best work on the feet.

“I definitely feel like I rocked him a few times,” he said. “He’d back up with me punching him and he would hit the cage and either shoot or … just pull guard. I definitely could have let him up a couple of times, I think.”

Mendes might have done more damage if he’d kept trading punches. Regardless, his success striking with Vazquez showed that he is continuing to become a better mixed martial artist.

“I got to let my hands go a little bit more than past fights,” he said. “I kind of wanted to keep it more standing, but I still have that instinct to just shoot when I get close enough, when I see it open. It’s still something I’m working on, but overall I felt good in there.”

In addition to demonstrating a varied skill set, Mendes pointed to improved cardio during the bout. He explained that he had done less powerlifting in training and packed on less muscle. Previously he had subscribed to the view that it’s an advantage to be as big and strong as weight cutting allows.

“In reality it’s not always the case,” Mendes said. “You cut that much weight, and by the time it’s time to compete, you feel like crap because your body’s drained. You’re just not able to train as hard as you could if you were eating and feeling good all the time.”

Mendes believes he’s found a good balance where he’ll come in with size but won’t be drained. He referenced UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar as an example of a fighter who’s using a similar approach.

“I think a guy like Frankie Edgar is the type of person that performs well when he can eat and train at his best and not have to worry about cutting weight,” Mendes said. “I feel the same way. I personally hate cutting weight. I’ve been doing it for a really long time because of wrestling. I’ve just found that my body functions better when I can eat proper and train harder.”

Listen to the full interview (beginning at 1:28:00) with Mendes, who also discussed his upcoming transition to the UFC.

View the original article here

Okami Decisions Nate, Earns Title Shot

The wait is over. After more than four years building his resume in the UFC, Japan’s Yushin Okami has earned a shot at the world middleweight championship. Watch all the fights again on UFCLive.com. OBERHAUSEN, November 13 – Japan’s Yushin Okami has earned a shot at the world middleweight championship after a close three round unanimous decision victory over perennial contender Nate Marquardt in the UFC 122 main event at Konig Pilsener Arena on Saturday.

“Nate was a great fighter,” said Okami. “I’m ready for the championship.”

Scores were 30-27 and 29-28.

Okami shot first, looking for an early takedown, but Marquardt fought it off with a brief guillotine choke attempt before working his way into his opponent’s guard. Okami’s defense was airtight, and a second, even briefer, guillotine attempt allowed the Kanagawa native to get into the top position. From there, it was a stalemate and the two scrambled to their feet. Marquardt landed with a quick right as Okami shot in, but ‘Thunder’ was unmoved by the shot and he proceeded to pin Marquardt against the fence before taking him down just before the bell.

Marquardt threw Okami’s first takedown attempt of the second round aside easily, but his retaliatory single leg attempt came up empty as well. The two middleweight contenders then locked up against the fence, with Marquardt reversing Okami’s leg trip attempt and winding up on top. After Marquardt was able to land with some strikes, Okami scrambled to his feet and looked for his own takedown. It didn’t come, and the two separated, unable to make anything significant happen before the end of the stanza.

Early in the final round, Okami’s punches opened a cut under Marquardt’s right eye, and buoyed by his success, he began to chase the Wyoming native. For his part, Marquardt, who was beginning to look fatigued, tried to counter Okami’s advances, but as the round progressed, Okami appeared to have even more confidence in his striking as the crowd chanted his name. With under two minutes left, Marquardt began to pick up his pace, landing a few strikes before taking Okami to the mat. Okami got back to his feet quickly and resumed his stalking of Marquardt, who landed a hard counter right before the two locked up against the fence and traded knees until the end of the bout.

With the win, Okami improves to 27-5; Marquardt falls to 33-10-2.

View the original article here

Okami Upsets Marquardt, Eyes Title Bid

For nearly five years, Yushin Okami has pursued a rematch with reigning UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. He may now get his wish.

Okami jabbed, clinched and grappled his way to a unanimous decision against former middleweight King of Pancrase Nate Marquardt in the UFC 122 “Marquardt vs. Okami” headliner on Saturday at the Konig Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen, Germany.

Scores were 29-28, 30-27 and 29-28 for Okami, who won for the 10th time in 12 UFC appearances and solidified himself as a title contender at 185 pounds. Afterward, he turned an eye toward Silva, a man he defeated by disqualification under the Rumble on the Rock banner in January 2006. The Brazilian will defend his middleweight crown against Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 in February. Okami figures to get the winner.

“Nate is a great fighter,” Okami said. “I felt I deserved it, and I’m ready to fight for the championship. I want to fight Anderson for [the] championship, and I want to become the middleweight champion.”

Getting past Marquardt was no easy task. Okami avoided three submission attempts -- two guillotine chokes and a heel hook -- in the first round, reversed into top position from butterfly guard and scored with a takedown as the grueling round came to a close. Marquardt answered with a strong push in round two, as he secured a takedown of his own, countered an Okami flying knee with a counter left hand and held his own inside the clinch.

Okami drew blood on Marquardt’s cheek with repeated jabs in the third round, backed him into the cage with a stout combination and took the steam out of the Grudge Training Center rep’s punches. Marquardt delivered another takedown with 90 seconds left but failed to capitalize, as Okami freed himself and returned to an upright position without absorbing punishment.

“I didn’t take any damage, so I didn’t think much of [the takedown],” said Okami, who trained with 2000 Olympic silver medalist Matt Lindland and world-ranked middleweight Chael Sonnen at Team Quest in advance of UFC 122. “I’m glad I won the fight.”

Russian-born German Dennis Siver submitted “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 9 finalist Andre Winner with a first-round rear-naked choke in their featured lightweight attraction. Winner, who had not been submitted in more than three years, met his demise 3:37 into round one.

The bout replaced the previously scheduled Jorge Rivera-Alessio Sakara match as the co-main event after Sakara withdrew with what was described as a “flu-like” illness.

“It was my duty to win here,” Siver said through his translator. “It was the most important thing in my life.”

Winner got the better of the initial exchanges between the two lightweights, as he landed a crisp left hook to the head and stuffed an attempted takedown. Siver stuck to his guns, however, dodged a three-punch combination from Winner and dropped the Team Rough House rep with a left hand.

Winner never recovered. Hammerfists on the ground further softened the Brit, as Siver transitioned to his back, cinched the choke and secured the tapout.

“I’ve been training a lot of jiu-jitsu lately,” said Siver, a winner in six of his past seven appearances, “and I wanted to try it out in the ring, whether it works or not.”

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 7 winner Amir Sadollah leaned on volume and variety, as he outstruck Peter Sobotta en route to a unanimous decision in a featured welterweight duel. All three judges scored it 30-27 for Sadollah, who moved to 4-2 inside the Octagon.

Sobotta was outgunned from the start, and his inability to move Sadollah out of his comfort zone proved his undoing. A 30-year-old Brooklyn, N.Y., native, Sadollah set the tone early, as he tore into the Polish-born German from the clinch, utilizing inside knees and a short left elbow over the top. Combinations followed, and Sadollah made his opponent pay for clinging to a high single-leg late in the round.

Sadollah kept piling up the points in rounds two and three, as he used everything in his tool bag: leg kicks, straight rights, teep kicks and strikes to the head and body. By the time the welterweights reached the final period, his steady stream of leg kicks had taken a visible toll on Sobotta, who remains winless in three UFC appearances.

“I kind of expected [him to hang in there],” Sadollah said. “He’s on his way up. I don’t have anything pithy to say. I’m just happy and want to say thank you to a few people.”

A one-sided third round carried Team Quest’s Krzysztof Soszynski to a unanimous decision over struggling Croatian import Goran Reljic in their light heavyweight showdown. All three judges scored it 30-27 for Soszynski, as he handed Reljic his third consecutive defeat.

The first two rounds saw little offense of note from either man, outside of a pair of takedowns from Reljic and an attempted second-round kimura from Soszynski. However, round three was all Soszynski. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 semi-finalist thwarted a takedown from the tiring Croat, cinched a waist lock and pounded on him with punches. Reljic ultimately rolled away from danger and returned to his feet, only to be threatened by a standing kimura from Soszynski. Reljic freed himself, but Soszynski moved to the Thai clinch, forced him to pull guard and punctuated his second victory in three fights with strikes on the ground.

“That boy is tough,” said Soszynski, who improved to 5-2 inside the Octagon. “He’s one tough S.O.B. You never know what the judges are going to score. I thought I had him standing, but he took me down. I think I sealed it what that third round.”

Former Ring of Fire welterweight champion Duane Ludwig earned a contentious split decision from “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 9 semi-finalist Nick Osipczak in a featured matchup at 170 pounds. Two of the three cage-side judges scored it 29-28 for Ludwig; a third cast a dissenting 30-28 ruling for Osipczak.

Though clearly outgunned in terms of pure striking skill, Osipczak wobbled Ludwig with a combination in the first round, pounced on the American and opened a cut on Ludwig’s right brow, blood streaming laterally away from the eye. Ludwig, a Grudge Training Center rep who has engaged in more than one firefight in his decade-long career, survived the salvo and entered round two with new life.

After a nip-and-tuck second round, Ludwig came on strong. He stringed together crisp combinations on his visibly weary foe, battering the Team Rough House standout from the clinch with knees to the body and short punches and elbows to the head. Later in the round, Ludwig turned to head kicks and racked up the points with a relentless, high-volume attack.

“I’ve been watching a lot of ‘The Simpsons.’ Homer always takes a beating to wear the guy out. That’s what I was trying to do,” said Ludwig, who had not competed since he suffered a gruesome leg injury in March. “I was a little upset. I’ve been out a while, and I just wanted to bring some pain to somebody else. If anybody deserves this win, it’s me. I’ve been through a lot.”

View the original article here

UFC Releases Former Title Contender Cote

Consecutive defeats to middleweight champion Anderson Silva, Alan Belcher and Tom Lawlor have left former title contender Patrick Cote (Pictured) without a place on the UFC roster.

The 30-year-old Canadian on Wednesday announced he had been released by the promotion following his unanimous decision loss to Lawlor at UFC 121 “Lesnar vs. Velasquez” on Saturday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Lawlor grounded Cote at will throughout their 15-minute encounter and racked up points with ground-and-pound.

“I had a little hope but finally got the release word from the UFC,” Cote wrote on Twitter.

Cote, a former two-division TKO champion, has also held titles inside the King of the Cage and Maximum Fighting Championship promotions. He owns notable victories against “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 winner Kendall Grove, former middleweight King of Pancrase Ricardo Almeida and current Strikeforce standout Scott Smith. He has delivered nine of his 13 career wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

A five-fight winning streak carried Cote into his UFC 90 title bout against Silva. A non-contact knee injury thwarted his hopes in the third round, led to two knee surgeries and put him on the sidelines for more than a year. Cote was a finalist on Season 4 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series.

View the original article here