Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/the-downes-side-ufc-155-predictions
Marvin Eastman Stav Crazy Bear Economou Yves Edwards Justin Eilers
Saturday
Invicta FC 4 Lineup Finalized After Main Event Change
A last minute injury to main event fighter Claudia Gadelha has forced a last minute shakeup for Invicta FC's inaugural strawweight championship fight. Stepping in against Carla Esparza will be Bec Hyatt, who was already on the card. Invicta FC 4 will air live at 7PM ET from the Memorial Hall in Kansas City on January 5. The billing will be the promotions first online PPV, costing only $7.95 for 13 fights.
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/31952/invicta-fc-4-lineup-finalized-after-main-event-change/
CWFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor Takes Lightweight Title (Video)
Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor made CWFC history over the weekend as he became the first man in the promotion to hold titles in two divisions.� The featherweight champion, who took the title in June after knocking off�Dave Hill in an underrated battle, moved up to the lightweight division to meet with 155lb. king [...]
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/31975/cwfc-featherweight-champion-conor-mcgregor-takes-lightweight-title-video/
Chris Leben: ?Derek Brunson is a Boring Fighter?
Despite making his big league debut in victorious fashion at UFC 155, Derek Brunson didn’t blow many people away with his unanimous decision win over Chris Leben (Pictured) – including “The Crippler” himself. “i just watched the fight. Hindsight is 20/20 there’s def some things i would change about my performance. Coaches game plan was [...]
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/135267/chris-leben-derek-brunson-is-a-boring-fighter/
Masakatsu Funaki Zelg Benkei Galesic Mauro Galvao Arman Gambaryan
Joe Lauzon: ?I don?t want to have wars if that means I?m going to forget my own name?
Joe Lauzon's followers on Twitter and Instagram have been treated to the after pictures from Lauzon's bloody, three-round battle with Jim Miller at UFC 155. Lauzon has shared a picture every day of the swelling, cuts and bruises that came from the bout...
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/joe-lauzon-don-t-want-wars-means-m-152239868--mma.html
Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama
Friday
Junior dos Santos: ?I have what it takes to overcome this moment.? (VIDEO)
If you were paying close attention to Fighters.com, you probably already know that former heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos had been doing a pretty good video blog leading up to his UFC 155 title fight with Cain Velasquez. To round up the series, Dos Santos has released a final�installment�that follows him around the week of…
The post Junior dos Santos: “I have what it takes to overcome this moment.” (VIDEO) appeared first on Fighters.com.
Five questions that will be answered by UFC 155
The UFC's end-of-the-year cards are usually stacked. Despite injuries, UFC 155 is no different. It features intriguing bouts that will answer some burning questions.
Did a knee injury hold back Cain Velasquez the first time he fought Junior dos Santos? When the two first met up last November, Velasquez reportedly had a badly injured knee. He was knocked out in 64 seconds. This time a (seemingly) healthy Velasquez will get to show if he deserves the heavyweight belt.
Has Chris Leben returned to form, for really real this time? Since Leben was on the original "Ultimate Fighter," he has been a man who wrestled with his demons. Most recently, those demons took the form of a banned pain killer which resulted in a one-year suspension from the UFC. Against Derek Brunson, Leben can show he's again the man who knocked out Wanderlei Silva.
Can Tim Boetsch be the next guy to challenge Anderson Silva? Though his original bout with Chris Weidman was called off because of an injury to Weidman, Boetsch still has another opportunity to show he can beat up opponents. He wants a chance to beat up Silva,* and this bout with Costa Phillippou is an opportunity for Boetsch's fighting to shine.
Or should Alan Belcher be the man to take on Silva? It's been more than three years since Belcher lost a fight. His last four fights have been stoppage wins. An impressive win over Yushin Okami could put him in line to fight for the middleweight belt.*
Is Todd Duffee still the knockout artist who once graced the octagon? Back in 2009, Duffee knocked out Tim Hague in a mere seven seconds. After that, the hype train was running behind him full steam. It was derailed when Mike Russow came back to knock Duffee out in the third round of their bout. Duffee was cut from the UFC, and is getting another shot at the octagon on Saturday. He'll fight Philip De Fries on the Facebook preliminaries, and get a chance to show if he can still knock people out very quickly.
*Assuming the next middleweight belt is based on competitiveness and earning a title shot by fighting, not by calling opponents out. Considering what has happened recently in the UFC welterweight and light heavyweight divisions, there are no guarantees.
Related MMA video from Yahoo! Sports
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
? Slideshow: Sports tweets of the year
? After intentional injury admission, Lomas Brown loses ground in NFL lawsuit
? Avery Johnson got fired, but Deron Williams is sinking the Nets
? Y! Finance: Mark Zuckerberg's sister up in arms when someone tweets her Facebook photo
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/five-questions-answered-ufc-155-221719074--mma.html
Thursday
Anderson Silva Gets in Some Skydiving and Scuba During Time Off (VIDEO)
Anderson Silva, the pound for pound best fighter on the planet, is now vying for another title as the best video blogger in the UFC. In fact, Dana White better step up the production if he wants to stay in contention. Silva has been releasing video blogs for a while now, but they took a…
The post Anderson Silva Gets in Some Skydiving and Scuba During Time Off (VIDEO) appeared first on Fighters.com.
Murilo Bustamante Grant Campbell Gesias JZ Calvancante Luiz Cane
Joe Lauzon: ?I?m going out there to put on the types of fights that I want to watch.?
UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon has never had the honor of earning a title-shot despite a slew of success inside the Octagon. What he has done, however, is take home more bonuses than any fighter in UFC history other than pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva. Lauzon?s luck when it comes to getting a salary boost after the…
The post Joe Lauzon: ?I’m going out there to put on the types of fights that I want to watch.? appeared first on Fighters.com.
Karen Darabedyan Viacheslav Datsik Marcus Davis Tony DeSouza
Junior dos Santos and Tim Boetsch show off their bruised post UFC-155 faces
Junior dos Santos and Tim Boetsch both walked away from UFC 155 with losses. They also walked away with seriously, seriously beat-up faces, as shown in this picture from the hospital.
UFC president Dana White originally suggested that dos Santos suffered a broken jaw from his five-round, title loss to Cain Velasquez, but tests reportedly came back negative. Boetsch had a huge cut during his loss to Costa Philippou, which is pretty easy to find in the above picture.
Predictions for 2013 from Yahoo! Sports:
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
? Slideshow: Athletes to watch out for in 2013
? Cain Velasquez shows dominance in UFC 155 | Slideshow
? Division-by-division look at NFL 'Black Monday' possibilities
? Y! Finance: Worst product flops of 2012
Dana White: Nick Diaz doesn't return my calls or texts
http://www.bjpenn.com/dana-white-nick-diaz-doesnt-return-my-calls-or-texts-ufc-news/
---Quote---
�This is a fight that [Diaz] wanted, he really...
---Quote---
�This is a fight that [Diaz] wanted, he really...
Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/ufc/108242-dana-white-nick-diaz-doesnt-return-my-calls-texts.html
Ray Cooper Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira Patrick The Predator Cote
Wednesday
Dana White praises openly gay Liz Carmouche: ?It takes a brave person?
When Liz Carmouche steps into the octagon to fight Ronda Rousey for the UFC women's bantamweight belt, it will be a historic moment. Not only will UFC 157 feature the first UFC women's fight, it will also be the first time an openly gay fighter will fight in the UFC.
UFC president Dana White praised Carmouche, an ex-Marine, for coming out.
"There's a lot of gay athletes out there and athletes and actresses. It takes a brave person to come out and admit it because they're always afraid of what its going to do to their career or how people are going to treat them afterwards. I love what she did."
White came under fire in 2010 when he used a gay slur on one of his video blogs. He later apologized. When talking about Carmouche, he addressed his own reputation and shared his thoughts on same-sex marriage.
"I know I have the big ?homophobe' persona and people think I'm some homophobe. I'm the furthest thing from it. I think it's ridiculous it's 2013 and the government tells two people they can't marry each other. Who is the government to tell two people who say they love each other they can't be married? It's ridiculous."
Though it's not quite 2013, it's encouraging to hear White say not only that he supports Carmouche and same-sex marriage but that he hopes other fighters find the courage to come out, too.
Among the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA, there are no active and openly gay players. Retired athletes, like basketball player John Amaechi and football player Wade Davis, have come out after they stopped playing.
However, athletes like Carmouche show that the tide is turning and athletes are more comfortable with not hiding their sexuality. Openly gay athletes like diver Matthew Mitcham and Natasha Kai have competed in the Olympics. More and more athletes are speaking out in favor of LGBTQ rights.
Tuesday
Junior dos Santos and Tim Boetsch show off their bruised post UFC-155 faces
Junior dos Santos and Tim Boetsch both walked away from UFC 155 with losses. They also walked away with seriously, seriously beat-up faces, as shown in this picture from the hospital.
UFC president Dana White originally suggested that dos Santos suffered a broken jaw from his five-round, title loss to Cain Velasquez, but tests reportedly came back negative. Boetsch had a huge cut during his loss to Costa Philippou, which is pretty easy to find in the above picture.
Predictions for 2013 from Yahoo! Sports:
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
? Slideshow: Athletes to watch out for in 2013
? Cain Velasquez shows dominance in UFC 155 | Slideshow
? Division-by-division look at NFL 'Black Monday' possibilities
? Y! Finance: Worst product flops of 2012
Patrick The Predator Cote Randy The Natural Couture Dan Cramer Alberto Crane
Bellator and ?TUF? to new nights: How your MMA-watching will be different in 2013
Your MMA watching schedule will look drastically different in 2013. You will be able to catch MMA from the UFC and Bellator on weeknights.
According to MMA Junkie, an advertisement in the next edition of UFC 360 (formerly the UFC magazine) said the next edition of the show will air on Tuesdays on FX. Chael Sonnen and UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones are the coaches for the next season. Currently, the show airs on Friday nights, and ratings have taken a nosedive. With a new night and two of their most popular fighters serving as coaches, the UFC is hoping to right the TUF ship.
Bellator announced Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal's debut will air on Jan. 17, a Thursday, according to MMA Fighting. There have also been reports that the promotion's first show on Spike will air on Jan. 10, but only the Jan. 17 date has been confirmed. This signals the promotion's move from Friday to Thursday nights.
The best part of this is that the two promotions won't be fighting for MMA fans' eyes. Tuesday nights are generally light on sports, so the UFC has a chance not just to have MMA fans tune in, but also to pick up new fans.
For Bellator, their season begins when the NFL is in playoffs. They won't have to compete with football on Thursday nights. The new night and the move to Spike -- and a widely available HD channel -- should help to get more eyes on the tournament-based promotion.
Will the night change affect how much you watch "The Ultimate Fighter" and Bellator? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Bernard Ackah Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama Gilbert Aldana
UFC 155 Backstage pass
StQvxCGa3UM
So - crying blood is pretty badass I must say
So - crying blood is pretty badass I must say
Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/ufc/108196-ufc-155-backstage-pass.html
Jessica Eye vs. Zoila Gurgel full fight video from Bellator 83
It was fireworks from the opening bell when Zoila “Warrior Princess” Gurgel squared off against Jessica “Evil” Eye in a featured flyweight bout at Bellator 83. Gurgel, the Bellator women’s champion, entered the bout on a seven fight winning streak. However, she would find herself in trouble early as she was dropped by Eye within [...]
Lorenzo Borgomeo Kyle Bradley Jai Bradney Ebenezer Fontes Braga
Demetrious Johnson talks about life as the champ, the skill of flyweights and more
At UFC 152, Demetrious Johnson became the UFC's first flyweight champion. He will attempt to defend that belt against John Dodson at UFC on Fox 6 in Chicago. He spoke with Cagewriter about the fight, life as the champion, and training during the holidays.
Cagewriter: How has life changed since becoming the champion?
Demetrious Johnson: Life has pretty much stayed the same. A lot more people are noticing me. Training is the same. It's still good.
CW: With people noticing you, have you had any weird fan encounters?
DJ: Actually yes. On my Facebook page, there's a guy from Belgium who fights in the Shooto Belgian League. He wants to fight me. I didn't respond, and he said, 'You're scared to fight me.' I didn't even say anything back to him.
CW: With your fight on Fox, casual fans will get to see flyweight fights. What should they expect?
DJ: Flyweights are the most exciting weight class in the UFC. We've got the cardio, the power, the technique, the speed. Fans say I want to see fights finished, but you're going to see great fights in general.
CW: What do you say to people who criticized the lighter weights?
DJ: You have to give us a chance. People are used to seeing heavyweights in boxing and seeing knockouts and all that. When you watch guys from 125-155, we're more skillful and tactical. It's harder for them to respect it. But in the long run, they can see it's smart.
CW: During your win over Joe Benavidez, fans booed and UFC heavyweight Pat Barry stood up and yelled at the booing fans on your behalf. Have you talked to Pat since then?
DJ: No, not at all, but I appreciate Pat doing that. It shows a lot of character. What he did was fantastic. People out there don't understand. Anyone out there who says, 'Flyweights suck,' I can run them through the ringer and show them what I do every day. Show them what's up.
CW: Were you aware of the booing during your fight?
DJ: I was aware a little bit of it. It just happened. You put into play that it was one of the last fights of the night. There was alcohol involved. People getting tired, and I think that's all part of it.
CW: After being an underdog in your last fight, you're a 3-1 favorite in this fight. Does that change anything for you?
DJ: Not at all. It doesn't change anything for me. It changes things for people outside the fight. I'm still focused. I still have to prove myself to the world and prove that I'm the no. 1 flyweight in the world.
CW: On another note, why do you wear neon green shorts?
DJ: One of my sponsorships with Xbox 360, and I wear the green for them. I wear the spandex because they're more comfortable. Everybody loves them. My lady appreciates them.
CW: Does the Xbox sponsorship mean you get games ahead of release date?
DJ: Sometimes I'll get them a few days early. Nothing crazy.
CW: The holidays fall smack in the middle of your training camp. How do you avoid all of the unhealthy treats of the season?
DJ: I'm pretty self-motivated person. I typically eat healthy year-round, so I just keep motivated and keep my eyes on Jan. 26.
CW: Finally, what are you asking Santa for?
DJ: Nothing. I pretty much have everything I want. As long as I have a roof over my head, I'm healthy and my wife is healthy, I can keep training, I'm happy.
Monday
Ronda Rousey, the injury streak, GSP?s return: What is MMA?s biggest story in 2012?
We have very few days left in 2012. Before the calendar changes to 2013, let's take a look back at the year in MMA and the biggest stories that shaped the world of cagefighting.
10. Bellator, Invicta, World Series of Fighting all showed the MMA landscape is biger than just the UFC --� Though the UFC is the biggest, they're not the only high level MMA promotion. Bellator finished the year out strong as they anticipate a move to Spike in 2013. World Series of Fighting made its debut on NBC Sports, and Invicta's all-female promotion earned respect with two shows this year.
9. Brock Lesnar, Kenny Florian, Mark Hominick and Stephan Bonnar said goodbye to MMA: After losing to Alistair Overeem late in '11, Lesnar hung up his gigantic gloves. Back issues forced Florian to quit fighting, but he still has an active role in the sport as a commentator for FX. Fan favorites Hominick and Bonnar also retired. Bonnar's came after a fight Anderson Silva ended in a loss and a suspension for a banned substance.
8. GSP's return -- UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre tore his ACL in October of '11. He finally returned to the cage in November this year, beating Carlos Condit in a bloody decision.
7. MMA stymied in New York ... again -- Though MMA was legalized in Vermont, the sport remains out-of-bounds in the Empire State. Dreams of a UFC pay-per-view in Madison Square Garden will have to remain dreams for another year as the bill to legalize the sport failed to reach the floor for a vote.
6. Jon Jones arrested for DWI -- In May, UFC light heavyweight champion Jones was arrested after he crashed his Bentley into a pole in Broome County, N.Y. He later pleaded guilty, paid a fine, and had his driver's license suspended. Jones' popularity took a hit with this incident.
5. Suspensions for Alistair Overeem and Nick Diaz: It wasn't a great year for former Strikeforce champs. Overeem was slated to fight Junior dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight championship in May, but was suspended when his testosterone levels were out of whack. Diaz was also suspended when he tested positive for marijuana metabolites.
4. Strikeforce's demise -- The Zuffa-owned, Showtime-aired promotion canceled two shows this fall after injuries hurt their drawing power. Ronda Rousey, their bantamweight champion and one of their biggest draws, was named the UFC champ, and other Strikeforce fighters were given UFC bouts. Finally, the promotion confirmed their January event will be their last.
3. UFC cancels an event -- A week and a half before UFC 151, Dan Henderson pulled out of his main event, title fight with Jones. The UFC offered Jones a bout with Chael Sonnen, which Jones turned down. (They will fight in April after coaching on "The Ultimate Fighter.") The UFC decided to cancel UFC 151, making it the first time they had made such a move.
2. Ronda Rousey to the UFC -- It was a pretty good year for the Olympic judo medalist turned fighter. Rousey won the Strikeforce bantamweight championship and defended it, and appeared on the cover of ESPN the Magazine's "Body Issue." But her biggest landmark came late in 2012, when she was named the UFC's first female fighter. She'll defend the UFC's women's bantamweight championship in February.
1. Injuries, injuries, injuries -- As you may have noticed while reading this list, more than anything else, injuries made a mark on the MMA landscape. Time and time again, UFC cards were rewritten as injuries affected champs Jose Aldo, Dominick Cruz, Georges St-Pierre and stars Vitor Belfort, Cung Le, Henderson and Frank Mir, among others. Strikeforce canceled two events because of injuries. Injury announcements became the norm.
Is the list missing something? Out of order? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
DREAM.18 ? Melvin Manhoef vs. Dennis Kang Full Fight Video
Source: http://www.themmanews.com/dream-18-melvin-manhoef-vs-dennis-kang-full-fight-video/
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.
Zelg Benkei Galesic Mauro Galvao Arman Gambaryan Manvel Gamburyan
Bellator 84 Highlight video ? Alexander Volkov, Felice Herrig
Bellator crowned their heavyweight champion when Alexander Volkov earned a five round decision over Rich Hale in the main event of Bellator 84 on December 14th. In a featured women’s MMA bout, Felice Herrig defeated Patricia Vidonic for the second time this year. Also picking up wins on the main card were Daniel Vizcaya and [...]
Sunday
Former Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader now working towards MMA career
Rachel Wray has thrown aside her pom-pons for four-ounce gloves. The former Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader is trying MMA.
Wray was a cheerleader and dancer through high school and at Arkansas before heading to Kansas City to cheer for the Chiefs. She originally started working out at Title Boxing as a way to keep in shape for dancing, then started training at High-Davis MMA. There, she worked with WEC veteran L.C. Davis and Strikeforce fighter Jason High.
Wray says she knows people are surprised that she would give up cheerleading for fighting, but she loves it.
Everyone says "I would never expect you to be a fighter. Being a cheerleader fits you more," or�"Why would you give up cheerleading to roll around with sweaty boys?" Well, I have never enjoyed working out so much in my life. I love fighting and am having so much fun with it. �I want to be an inspiration to other girls out there that want to fight but don't
think they can.
Wray won her amateur debut with a second-round TKO. As the UFC's women's bantamweight division shows, opportunities for female athletes are growing. MMA will continue to see more unexpected women get in the cage.
Dana White?s First Vlog for UFC 155 Features Joe Lauzon in Interesting Match-Up
It might be Christmas Eve, but that doesn’t stop the UFC machine from powering through the holidays. UFC 155 is six days away and that means its “Fight week, blog week.” Dana White has promised to do more video blogs going forward, but this one feature a grappling match between Joe Lauzon and a friend…
The post Dana White’s First Vlog for UFC 155 Features Joe Lauzon in Interesting Match-Up appeared first on Fighters.com.
Dan Henderson?s camp not happy that his UFC 157 bout isn?t the main event
At UFC 157, Ronda Rousey's first defense of the women's bantamweight belt against Liz Carmouche is the main event. It's the only title fight on the card, and title fights getting main event status is a rule the UFC doesn't often break.
That didn't sit well with Dan Henderson's camp. He is fighting Lyoto Machida on the same card, and doesn't like being the second biggest name on the card. Gus Pugliese, Henderson's striking coach, told this to Gracie Magazine:
?Where I come from, there?s a pecking order for anything in life,? he said. ?I believe in paying dues. In this particular case, ?Hendo? and Machida paid their dues a long time ago. For someone new to come in and have a free ride just seems unfair to them and the whole sport they helped build.?
There's a legend about Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis from their time touring together during rock 'n' roll's infancy. A dispute arose over which man would close. Berry's camp won out, and he was given the last slot on the show. Lewis took his earlier spot, whipped the crowd into a frenzy with his performance and set his piano on fire during "Great Balls of Fire." He reportedly said to Berry, "Follow that!" as he left the stage.
While Henderson shouldn't literally set the octagon on fire like Lewis, the lesson from this possibly apocryphal story remains. If he wants to be the fighter everyone remembers from UFC 157, he can be. It doesn't matter if he is first, last, or somewhere in the middle of the card. Fans remember great fights. No one cares when they happened.
Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison Logan The Pink Pounder Clark
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)