Source: http://www.ufcrundown.com/blog/ultimate-fighting-champion/
Jeff Big Frog Curran Dai Shuanghai Mac Danzig Karen Darabedyan
Saturday
UFC on Fox 5?s Three Stars: Matt Brown, Abel Trujillo and Daron Cruickshank
Heading into UFC on Fox 5, the UFC appeared to have put together their best card yet to appear on the network. But with such high expectations, there's no way it could deliver, right? Wrong. From the Fight of the Night, that aired on Facebook, to the main event, the UFC showed the best of the promotion. But who really stood out?
No. 1 star -- Matt Brown: It is really, really fun to watch Matt Brown fight, so it makes sense the UFC would put his bout with Mike Swick at the start of their Fox broadcast. Brown rewarded that faith by knocking out Swick hah
No. 2 star -- Abel Trujillo: In his first UFC fight, Trujillo dealt with a last-minute opponent change after Tim Means slipped in the sauna. Trujillo then dealt Marcus LeVesseur a beating that ended with a second-round TKO.
No. 3 star -- Daron Cruickshank: In his first post-TUF fight, Cruickshank impressed. In the first round, he hit Henry Martinez so hard that you were bound to wonder if Martinez's chin was literally made of stone. In the second round, we found out it wasn't. Cruickshank landed a perfectly timed headkick to knock Martinez out.
Do you agree? Should Scott Jorgensen or Yves Edwards made the list? Someone else entirely? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or Twitter.
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UFC 155 picks from Kevin Iole, Maggie Hendricks and Cagereaders like you
UFC 155 is only a day away. It's time for picks from Yahoo! Sports' columnist Kevin Iole, Cagewriter editor Maggie Hendricks, and Cagereaders who posted their picks on Facebook.
Kevin Iole: Junior dos Santos W5 Cain Velasquez -- I can't believe I'm picking against Velasquez. To me, he is in many ways the perfect heavyweight, with great conditioning, great wrestling and tremendous power. But how do we ignore what dos Santos has done? Much was made of Velasquez's knee injury before their first fight, but what isn't as well known is that Junior had a bad leg, too, and couldn't do much. It's going to be a dogfight, but I think Junior finds a way to pull it out.
Maggie Hendricks: Cain Velasquez W5 Junior dos Santos -- Velasquez was injured in his last bout with JDS. With a healthy knee, he'll get to use his wrestling to control and beat on JDS for five rounds.
Cagereaders: Couldn't ask for a better way to end the year than this rematch. This will last longer than the first but not by much. I'm picking Cigano by KO R1. Cain has amazing wrestling and ground and pound. However, I think Junior is the guy that has his number and things won't go as planned for Cain. Velasquez will come out more aggressive than the first fight and that will spell the end. Junior will rock him with some brutal counters causing Cain to shoot in for the take down. Junior will stuff the attempt and finish the fight with an uppercut around 3 minutes into the first. -- Jackson Torres
[Related: Five questions that will be answered at UFC 155]
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Kevin Iole: Joe Lauzon W3 Jim Miller -- Definitely will be the Fight of the Night in my opinion (is there any other kind of fight for Lauzon?) I don't think Joe will be able to submit Jim, but he is so active and works so hard I think he'll pile up the points to win.
Maggie Hendricks: Joe Lauzon Sub2 Jim Miller -- Lauzon's submission game is tough to beat. He will need to avoid Miller's well-rounded game, but can do it.
Cagereaders: My two favorite 155 pound fighters. When I saw Miller step in for Maynard, my heart sank. I'm going to see one them lose, and it looks to be J-Lau. Miller matches up really well for Lauzon's style. He has power in his punches and solid wrestling, backed up with a serious ground game and outstanding cardio. Joe has a killer instinct and a more dangerous ground game. Still, I like Miller taking this fought by a UD. -- Tom Hogan
--
Kevin Iole: Tim Boetsch W3 Costas Philippou -- Boetsch will grind out a victory by controlling the distance and limiting Philippou's power
Maggie Hendricks: Tim Boetsch W3 Costa Phillippou -- Ditto on what Kevin said. Boetsch won't make it a thrilling fight, but it will be a convincing win.
Cagereaders: Boetsch over Phillipou by 3rd Round TKO -- I think this fight will be back to forth, I have counted out Tim Boetsch in many fights just to be shocked, from the poor decision in the Lombard fight, to the amazing knock out of Okami, I think Phillipou gets the better of him early in the fight, while Boetsch owns the latter part of the fight, this could easily be fight of the night and if it does go decision, it will be close, but I see Phillipou gassing late and Boetsch taking advantage. -- Daniel Ryan
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Kevin Iole: Alan Belcher TKO2 Yushin Okami -- This outcome would have been unthinkable a year ago, but Belcher improves tremendously each time out and is now one of the world's most complete fighters.
Maggie Hendricks: Alan Belcher W3 Yushin Okami -- With title shot hopes hanging over him, Belcher has good reason to fight a smart game and come out with a win over Okami.
Cagereaders: Yushin Okami will beat Alan Belcher by decision. Okami will go back to what made him successful before his fight with Anderson Silva. He will use his jab and height, keeping Belcher back, then take him down for ground and pound. This will continue for 3 full rounds and Okami will come out with the unanimous decision. -- Marcus Min
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Kevin Iole: Chris Leben TKO3 Derek Brunson -- This is a big fight for Leben, and I think he knows it. I expect him to eventually catch Brunson with something big that will end it.
Maggie Hendricks: Derek Brunson W3 Chris Leben -- In his first fight after a long layoff, Leben will have a hard time dealing with a wrestler with power like Brunson.
Cagereaders: Derek Brunson should be able to defeat Chris Leben by decision because he has a great wrestling background and Chris Leben may not be in the best shape coming off a 13-month layoff. -- Edgar Diaz
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Paul Daley Removed From Bellator Season 8 Tournament
Heavy-handed English welterweight Paul Daley, who was a major player in the forthcoming Bellator Season 8 Welterweight Tournament on Spike Tv, has been removed from the brackets. Josh Gross of ESPN confirmed the news with promotional representatives. Daley was slated to meet War Machine in the quarterfinals, but an injury to the American put the [...]
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/31858/paul-daley-removed-from-bellator-season-8-tournament/
Kyle Bradley Jai Bradney Ebenezer Fontes Braga Chris Brennan
Friday
DREAM 18 airing on CBS Sports
Fans with the resolve to avoid spoilers and a hankering for some MMA action on New Year?s Eve got a treat today when it was confirmed the upcoming super-show between DREAM/Glory Sports International would see light on American airwaves. The card is set to take place live in Japan and is available via PPV for [...]
The post DREAM 18 airing on CBS Sports appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2012/12/26/dream-18-airing-on-cbs-sports/
Rashad Evans Urijah Faber Wagnney Fabiano Kevin Kimbo Slice Ferguson
A Behind the Scenes Look at the Blackzilians
Thanks to Fuel TV, fans have a chance to take a look at the men behind some of the most accomplished Mixed Martial Artists on the planet.� The network recently created a video featuring The Blackzilians camp where viewers got to meet the coaches who train Alistair Overeem, Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva �just to…
The post A Behind the Scenes Look at the Blackzilians appeared first on Fighters.com.
Nick Diaz, not Johny Hendricks, to get next shot at Georges St-Pierre and welterweight belt
Though the UFC had focused on making a superfight between welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and middleweight champ Anderson Silva, and Johny Hendricks was supposed to be the next welterweight contender, another fighter will get a shot at GSP before Silva or Hendricks. At the UFC on Fox 5 press conference, UFC president Dana White said Nick Diaz will get the next shot at St-Pierre.
Diaz is coming off of a close decision loss to Carlos Condit. He is also suspended because the Nevada Athletic Commission found marijuana metabolites during his drug test. Still, he's seen as the ideal candidate over Hendricks, who won his last five fights. Two of his last three wins were knockouts in under a minute.
Hendricks immediately took to Twitter after he heard the news:
I don't really know what to say but please @danawhite give me a shot @georgesstpierre if u want a fight I will give him anything he can take
? Johny Hendricks (@JohnyHendricks) December 6, 2012
He has a point. Hendricks has the credentials for the title shot, and White said Hendricks was the no. 1 contender after he knocked out Martin Kampmann at UFC 154.
"He looked damn good tonight," White said. "It was a replica of the Jon Fitch fight. He even landed it in the same spot (as the Jon Fitch fight). It was impressive, so I would say yes, he is (the No. 1 contender)."
Diaz jumping to the front of the line is yet another reminder that the UFC is a business first. It's their job to sell pay-per-views and attract viewers to fights on Fox, FX and Fuel. The fighter who has earned his way to the top isn't always the best one to attract viewers.
Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez
Rory MacDonald, Alexander Gustafsson and Matt Brown big winners at UFC on Fox 5
Young fighters made some noise on UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle on Saturday night. Rory MacDonald, Mike Brown and Alexander Gustaffson all scored big wins.
The torch was passed among welterweights as B.J. Penn was beat down for three rounds by the bigger, faster and younger Rory MacDonald, who took the decision 30-26, 30-26, 30-27.
Penn, a legend in MMA whose first fight was at UFC 31 in 2001, had no answers for 23-year-old MacDonald. Penn was wobbled by a left late in the first round. He survived just to take such a beating in the second round that the fight doctor came in between the second and third to check and see if Penn could continue.
In the third round, MacDonald continued to land strikes, but added taunting to his arsenal. He dropped his hands and made faces at Penn, which the crowd in Seattle didn't appreciate. After the bout, MacDonald said he Penn was his hero, but he had to treat him like every opponent.
"Like I said to BJ after the fight, he was the one guy I really really looked up to growing up. He's a hero to me," MacDonald said to UFC commentator Joe Rogan.
MacDonald also asked to fight Carlos Condit, the one fighter who has beaten MacDonald in his 15-fight career.
Alexander Gustafsson needed a big win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua to get the next shot at the UFC light heavyweight belt, after Chael Sonnen challenges champion Jon Jones. He did it with a dominant decision, winning 30-27, 30-27 and 30-26.
Rua was strong early, managing a leg lock attempt in the first round, but he wasn't able to do much after Gustafsson got out of the submission attempt. Gustaffson used his reach and long legs to land huge knees and kicks throughout the bout.
With the win, Gustafsson is now 15-1. He won his last six fights, with his last loss coming in April of 2010 to Phil Davis.
Matt Brown started the main card off with excitement. In the second round of his bout with Mike Swick, Brown landed a perfect right hand. It stiffened Swick, who was out before he hit the ground. The fight was stopped at 2:31 in the second round.
At one point in his career, Brown had lost three fights in a row and it wasn't clear why the UFC didn't cut him. Now, he is on a four-fight win streak, with three of the last four coming by stoppage.
Fantasy advice from Yahoo! Fantasy Minute:
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Jai Bradney Ebenezer Fontes Braga Chris Brennan Marcelo Brito
Thursday
Joe Lauzon Costs UFC President Dana White $6,000 (Video)
Joe Lauzon (Pictured) doesn’t fight until Saturday at UFC 155, but the lightweight is already a big winner this Holiday season. Sometimes, drunken bets can cost you a boatload of money. This time, it cost UFC president Dana White $6,000. After winning a couple of grappling tournaments, Nick “The Tooth” Gullo (It’ll only take you [...]
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/134605/joe-lauzon-costs-ufc-president-dana-white-6000-video/
Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama
UFC 155 Pre-Event Press Conference (Live Video/4:00 PM EST)
After a brief break allowing fans to catch their collective breath after an action-packed mid-December, the UFC is back this Saturday night with a lineup sure to follow suit on the entertainment front. Headlining UFC 155 is a heavyweight title-bout between champion Junior dos Santos and former divisional king Cain Velasquez where one of the [...]
The post UFC 155 Pre-Event Press Conference (Live Video/4:00 PM EST) appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2012/12/27/ufc-155-pre-event-press-conference-live-video400-pm-est/
Tim Boetsch is hoping his fists, not his mouth, can earn him a title shot
The UFC's next title challengers at welterweight and light heavyweight are both fighters who have less-than-deserving records. Nick Diaz will fight Georges St-Pierre for the title at UFC 158, despite the fact he's coming off a loss and a suspension and...
Wednesday
Brad Pickett thinks UFC 155 fight with Eddie Wineland will determine division?s next #1 contender
Though it?s been overshadowed by bouts receiving a bit more mainstream attention, the bantamweight match-up between Brad Pickett and Eddie Wineland at UFC 155 shouldn?t be written off. The pairing not only has Fight of the Night potential but also divisional impact, as both men are among the top 135ers in the sport. Adding importance [...]
The post Brad Pickett thinks UFC 155 fight with Eddie Wineland will determine division?s next #1 contender appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.
Nate Diaz worried about judges? decision in fight with Benson Henderson
Nate Diaz is fighting Benson Henderson at UFC on Fox 5, and he has taken the idea "don't leave it in the hands of the judges" to a whole new level. He does not think he can win if it is put in the judges' hands.
"I don't think I've got a chance of winning any type of decision. So I gotta go out there and do what I can do to try and finish my opponent, try to be the better fighter and win the fight," said Diaz said to Inside MMA. "Either way, if it goes to a decision, I'm going to try to be the one outscoring, outpointing and outdoing him."
Winning by a finish is a pretty tough feat for Diaz to accomplish. Henderson has never been knocked out. He lost once by submission and once by a decision. The submission loss was in 2007. Since then, he's been in some tricky spots but hasn't tapped. In both fights against Donald Cerrone and in fighting Jim Miller, Henderson was memorably stuck in positions which seemed close to a submission. But instead of tapping, Henderson would give the thumbs up and went on to win all three fights.
Decisions in bouts with Henderson are also a likely occurrence. His last six fights were decisions, with five ending with Henderson getting his hand raised. Diaz isn't as successful in decisions, so you could see why he might be nervous. Of his seven losses, six are by decision. Only two of his 13 wins came via the judges' card.
Should Diaz be concerned? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Countdown To UFC 155: Dos Santos vs. Velasquez Full Video
Heavyweight powerhouses Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez renew their rivalry at the last event of the year, while Joe Lauzon and Jim Miller, two of the most exciting fighters in the lightweight division, plan to steal the show at UFC 155.
Source: http://www.themmanews.com/countdown-to-ufc-155-dos-santos-vs-velasquez-full-video/
Antonio McKee Looking To Retire After Facing Shinya Aoki On NYE
Source: http://www.themmanews.com/antonio-mckee-looking-to-retire-after-facing-shinya-aoki-on-nye/
Tuesday
Patrick Cote takes controversial disqualification win over Alessio Sakara at UFC 154
Patrick Cote won via disqualification over Alessio Sakara at UFC 154 in a bout that will likely bring up questions of when a fight should be called a disqualification versus a no contest.
In the first round of the final preliminary bout in Montreal on Saturday night, Sakara knocked Cote down with sharp elbows. Cote fell to the ground and grabbed a single leg. Sakara rained down hammerfists, with several landing in the prohibited area in the back of the head. Cote went limp and the fight was stopped at 1:26.
Referee Dan Miragliotta consulted with the judges and Montreal athletic commission officials before the final decision was read. The crowd in Montreal booed relentlessly, only stopping to cheer when Canadian Cote's face was shown on the screen.
But they would soon be cheering as the fight was announced as a disqualification win for Cote. Miragliotta explained to Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole that he warned Sakara twice to stop throwing the illegal hits. UFC vice president of regulatory affairs said Miragliotta consulted a replay and Montreal officials to call the fight a disqualification, which he is allowed to do by Montreal's rules.
It was a perfect use of instant replay, which is not used widely in MMA. But the question remains on if it should have been a disqualification, which is counted as a loss against Sakara's record, or a no contest, which isn't a win or a loss.
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? Mike Ditka says stroke is not a big deal
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Sam Stout Fights Caros Fodor at UFC 157
Open up the floodgates, because the Strikeforce fighters are coming! With the UFC’s little brother likely closing its doors for good after their January show, Caros Fodor is the latest Strikeforce athlete to get promoted to the big leagues. On Friday afternoon, it was announced the lightweight will meet Sam Stout (Pictured) at UFC 157. [...]
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/134449/sam-stout-fights-caros-fodor-at-ufc-157/
UFC Christmas Lists
With Christmas less than a week away the countless masses are reaching out to friends, family, and even Santa Claus in hopes of having a holiday wish come true. Of course, the folks who frequent the Octagon aren?t hitting up the North Pole for a Barbie or Red Ryder B.B. Gun, but rather some items…
The post UFC Christmas Lists appeared first on Fighters.com.
Dos Caras Jr Phil Cardella Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin
Watch a flying reverse triangle choke (VIDEO)
Canadian fighter Wolfgang Janssen doesn't have a nickname. Perhaps he doesn't have because his name is Wolfgang Janssen, and a nickname is not necessary. Perhaps it's because he can do stuff like this, and now will be known as the guy who won by a flying reverse triangle.
Janssen is an undefeated featherweight with all three wins by submission.
Tim Kennedy calls Strikeforce peers ?pathetic? for pulling out of final event
Middleweight Tim Kennedy hasn?t always been the biggest fan of the way Strikeforce and Showtime have done business. However, the 33-year old is an extremely loyal individual and a fighter who is always ready to rumble if called upon. Unfortunately, Kennedy doesn?t feel a number of his fellow Strikeforce fighters possess the same qualities and [...]
The post Tim Kennedy calls Strikeforce peers ?pathetic? for pulling out of final event appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.
Monday
UFC 157 ? Brock Jardine And Kenny Robertson To Tangle This February
A welterweight bout has been added to this February’s upcoming UFC 157 pay-per-view event, pitting Canadian Brock ‘The Machine’ Jardine (9-2) against Illinois fighter Kenny Robertson (11-2). The bout was announced on this past weekend by UFC officials. The two will certainly meet on the prelim card of UFC 157: Rousey vs. Carmouche, scheduled for [...]
Source: http://www.themmanews.com/ufc-157-brock-jardine-and-kenny-robertson-to-tangle-this-february/
Bellator, Spike hoping Thursday nights are alright for fighting
Now that their yearlong stint airing on MTV2 is over, Bellator is focused on their move to Spike and Thursday nights. Starting on Jan. 17, Bellator will air on Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET with a premiere featuring title bouts between Michael Chandler and Rick Hawn and Pat Curran vs. Patricio Freire.
Bellator CEO and Spike president Kevin Kay talked to Cagewriter with smiles on their faces as they discussed what this move can mean to the tournament-based promotion. Kay, who worked with the UFC from it's debut of "The Ultimate Fighter" Spike, said it's the night that makes the most sense for the show.
"TNA Impact is there. We launched "The Ultimate Fighter" after WWE. I wouldn't say wrestling fans are always MMA fans, but there is crossover. It's one of the best lead-ins we can give Bellator. I like 10 o'clock because research says that's when guys get control of the remote. For all those reasons, it felt like the right place."
Bellator and Viacom, the parent company of Spike and MTV2, have been partnered since 2011. However, because of Spike's previous deal with the UFC, Spike can't air live MMA on the network until 2013. Bellator has been on MTV2 as a placeholder. Rebney had hoped all along for Thursdays.
"In the back of my mind, I was always hoping we would settle on Thursdays -- that's really a Spike decision as to where we can generate the biggest audience -- but that was optimal. If we can trail Impact, one of the biggest shows on Spike, and they have a crowd so analogous to ours, and on a Thursday night which is a great night for television, we're going on every cylinder."
But nothing in television is perfect. Both Kay and Rebney acknowledge there could be problems.
"The only real challenge is if fights go long. Bellator 85, we have two championship fights. If they both go five [rounds], they could conceivably go past midnight. I don't have a problem going a little past midnight, but if we start talking about 12:30, we'll probably lose ratings there," Kay said.
And Rebney knows it might be a bit tough on international fans. He said international fans will get the chance to watch shows, but watching them live "may make it a tough day at work." Still, Thursday makes the most sense. Leading with impact, that will feature Mo Lawal, who also fights for Bellator, will open the door to new fans.
"The Thursday spot is everything we want it to be. As Mo gets deeper into Impact and we get to do more with Dixie [Carter, the president of TNA) and her company, there's a lot of synergy and fun stuff we can do," Rebney said.
Sunday
UFC on FUEL TV 8: Wanderlei Silva Video Blog ?The Fight Is On?
Wanderlei Silva - UFC Japan - Video 01 - The fight is on. - Wanderlei Silva announces his next fight, against Brian Stann at UFC Japan, March 3, 2013. Talks about memories from his career in Japan and some classic Pride FC moments. Follow @wandfc @doggedtv - Visit Wandfc.com for more.
Source: http://www.themmanews.com/ufc-on-fuel-tv-8-wanderlei-silva-video-blog-the-fight-is-on/
Logan The Pink Pounder Clark Steve The Snake Claveau Rich No Love Clementi Mark The Hammer Coleman
Fans can relive road to UFC 155 title-bout with eight free fights from Velasquez-Dos Santos
UFC heavyweights Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos haven?t exactly been busy this year with each man only fighting a single time since their tilt in November 2011. As such, with their title-bout less than a week away, the UFC has decided to re-introduce the UFC 155 headliners to fans by offering up a handful [...]
The post Fans can relive road to UFC 155 title-bout with eight free fights from Velasquez-Dos Santos appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.
Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison Logan The Pink Pounder Clark Steve The Snake Claveau
Promo Poster for XFC 22: Crossing the Line ? Hicks vs. Holtzman
A battle of undefeated lightweights Jason ?The Ronin? Hicks and Scott ?Hot Sauce? Holtzman will serve as the main event of XFC 22: Crossing The Line on February 22nd. The stakes are high in this lightweight clash as the winner is expected to get a title shot against newly crowned champion “Notorious” Nick Newell. Hicks [...]
Patrick Cote-Bobby Voelker Added To UFC 158
Patrick Cote’s welterweight debut will take place against Strikeforce Challengers veteran Bobby Voelker. The two will be part of UFC 158 on March 16 from Montreal. Cote was originally set to meet Alessio Sakara on the card, but Sakara pulled out with a kidney issue. Cote (18-8), a former UFC middleweight contender, decided to make [...] 
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/3Kcn8CHBV2Q/
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