If Overeem vs. Werdum Didn't Live Up to the Hype, Maybe These 10 Fights Will

MMA fans eagerly anticipated the rematch between Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem and his former foe, Fabricio Werdum, at the previous Strikeforce show that featured two of the quarterfinal bouts in the heavyweight tournament.

The fight didn't live up to the hype, and Overeem won a lackluster decision after three rounds of minimum offense and a lot of defense.

One bad fight doesn't change the course of events that are to come, and it makes fans more excited to see a good fight and one that won't let them down.

Maybe these 10 fights will live up to the hype, and they will all be happening soon.

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Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/747674-if-overeem-vs-werdum-didnt-live-up-to-the-hype-maybe-these-10-fights-will

MMA Fighting Brock Lesnar Cain Velasquez

UFC 131′s Three Stars: Stout, Herman and Munoz

Anyone who was disappointed with the UFC 131 lineup going into the fights was quickly quieted by the excellent performances in Vancouver on Saturday night. Top to bottom, UFC 131 featured exciting bouts that had huge implications in each fighters' division. Who stood out?

No. 1 star -- Sam Stout: In what UFC president Dana White called "one of the most violent knockouts he has ever seen," Stout knocked out Yves Edwards with a bang. His overhand left had Edwards out before he even hit the canvas. He won a $70,000 bonus for that knockout.

No. 2 star -- Dave Herman: After a career of jumping around promotions, Herman had the chance to impress after Brock Lesnar's surgery caused a reshuffling of the heavyweights at UFC 131. He took advantage of his slot on the main card, showing off an iron chin and devastating knees that eventually led to the win over Golden Glory-trained John-Olav Einemo.

No. 3 star -- Mark Munoz: Early in his bout with Demian Maia, Munoz looked surprised by the improved stand-up that Maia showed. By the second round, he had regained his composure and did a masterful job of mixing strikes and wrestling while holding off Maia's vaunted submission attempts. Now, Munoz is on the lookout for a title shot, and he impressed the boss. After the fights, Dana White said:

"Beating Demian Maia is a big deal. It was a good, tough fight tonight, and it was funny because Demian Maia looked awesome. The fact that he bought Demian Maia, and the fact that he beat Demian the way that Demian fought tonight was unbelievable."

Who were your Three Stars from UFC 131? Tell us in the comments or on Facebook.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/UFC-131-s-Three-Stars-Stout-Herman-and-Munoz?urn=mma-wp3480

Dennis Hallman Tito Ortiz Dan Hardy Carlos Condit

Official B/R MMA Rankings June 2011: Top 10 Middleweights in MMA

Some of Bleacher Report’s best MMA writers have come together to give their opinions on who is the best-of-the-best in June. Each respective division voted on by these writers.

Going along with Bleacher Report's continuing efforts to provide our readers with the most unique content, we are also taking strides to compile consensus MMA rankings for each weight class.

It's been a tough month for some of these fighters since the last time we did the rankings in mid-May. UFC 130, 131, Strikeforce Overeem vs. Werdum and even The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale have helped shape the rankings voted on by the writers of Bleacher Report MMA.

So here you are, the reader, the Mid-June 2011 Bleacher Report official rankings as voted on by our panel of writers from the MMA section.

Special thanks to those who contributed:
Nick Caron
Jason Schielke
Vince Carey
Sean Smith
Dwight Wakabayashi
John Heinis
Sal DeRose

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Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/747884-official-br-mma-rankings-june-2011-top-10-middleweights-in-mma

Randy Couture Jake Shields Martin Kampmann Matt Hamill

UFC: Sorting Out the Muddle in the Welterweight Division

There is one thing we know for certain about the welterweight division: Georges St-Pierre is the title holder and he doesn’t give the impression of being ready to relinquish his belt anytime soon; be it by defeat or by vacating for the middleweight division.

We also know that he is defending his belt against Nick Diaz on October 29 at UFC 137…and that he will be a huge betting favorite to retain said belt.

Beyond that, the title mix is a bit muddled.

Sometimes it is easy to keep up with who will be receiving subsequent divisional title shots and at other times not so much.

Under normal circumstances, Jon Fitch would be the front runner for a title shot. He had put together a five fight win streak since getting eviscerated by St-Pierre in a title fight at UFC 87.

But Fitch is not exactly a fan favorite, nor does he appear to be a favorite of Dana White, and when he was forced to settle on a majority draw against B.J. Penn back at UFC 127, well that was all the ammo White needed to nix any talk of a rematch against GSP.

So with Fitch in limbo, whether he wins or not, who will get the next welterweight nod presumably sometime in early 2012?

Let’s peruse the landscape shall we.

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Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/747431-ufc-sorting-out-the-muddle-in-the-welterweight-division

Mike Pyle Travis Browne Randy Couture Jake Shields

Countdown to UFC 131 - UFC

Full episode! Vancouver is on notice - heavy hands mean a big-time main event unlikely to go the distance in Junior dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin. Plus Kenny Florian vs. Diego Nunes and Demian Maia vs. Mark Mu�oz - see what's in store!

Source: http://mmalice.com/ufc/countdown-to-ufc-131-video_460590e56.html

Martin Kampmann Matt Hamill MMA Fighting Brock Lesnar

UFC on Versus 4 analysis: Stevenson and Griffin go small, will it work?

Joe Stevenson and Tyson Griffin are playing what could be their final cards. Once upon a time, they were both title contenders at lightweight in the UFC. With bigger and more well-rounded fighters coming from all over the world feeding the division in 2011, both fighters have fallen on hard times. Stevenson's lost three straight and 5-of-7 while Griffin has dropped three in a row. They both make their featherweight debut on Sunday at UFC on Versus 4.

Surprisingly, both UFC vets are big favorites. Stevenson (31-13, 8-7 UFC) is minus-270 in some spots against Javier Vasquez. Griffin (14-5, 7-5 UFC) is minus-180 over Manny Gamburyan. Yahoo! Sports' lead MMA writer Kevin Iole checked in with us and didn't sound super confident that either fighter would roll to a victory.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/UFC-on-Versus-4-analysis-Stevenson-and-Griffin-?urn=mma-wp3833

Travis Browne Randy Couture Jake Shields Martin Kampmann

UFC 132 looks like a win or retire match for Tito

Tito Ortiz is making a pretty hefty paycheck by MMA standards and he's lost four of his last five fights. Is he earning his keep? Well, that's a matter of perspective. Either the UFC believes Ortiz isn't keeping up his end of the bargain or it's concerned for his safety because the promotion asked him to walk away from the sport after his last fight against Matt Hamill.

"The UFC called me after that fight and said 'we want you to retire.' I was shocked, I thought they were kidding around. I took it as they didn't want to pay me, to give me what I'm worth. I'm competing against the top guys and I'm not getting dominated," Ortiz told The Telegraph.

Ortiz (15-8-1, 14-8-1 UFC) went into salesman mode.

"I pretty much begged for my job, to show how much I want to fight, but I still have it in my heart to compete, to fight. I told them I want to still fight against the top guys, I want to put on a show," Ortiz said. "I've just turned 36, but when they put me against the top guys, I think I can still compete."

Ortiz's losses aren't bad and he hasn't gotten crushed in fights against Rashad Evans, Matt Hamill, Lyoto Machida and Forrest Griffin. But how long can you keep a former star around if he can't beat anyone in the top 10?

His next matchup seems like an awful one. Ortiz's only shot in a fight is to get it the ground. Ryan Bader, a high-level former college wrestler, isn't going to get taken down by Ortiz and has a lot more power on the feet. The sports books seem to think Tito is done. Bader's been installed as a minus-450 favorite at UFC 132.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/UFC-132-looks-like-a-win-or-retire-match-for-Tit?urn=mma-wp3760

Jake Shields Martin Kampmann Matt Hamill MMA Fighting

UFC Live on Versus 4: 5 Things to Zoom in on When Watching the Fights

I'll say it once again: you gotta love the UFC and the way they give fans free fights. This Sunday, UFC on Versus 4 goes down and features a solid card of fighters going at it with heavy implications all around.

The importance of fights for guys like Tyson Griffin, who is making his featherweight debut vs. Manny Gamburyan cannot be understated. How about strikers Cheick Kongo and Pat Barry—will they deliver a slobber knocker of a knockout that the fans so expected out of Junior Dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin?

There are some intriguing fights on this card in every division, and I look forward to seeing the strategic, game-within-the-game moments of all of these match-ups. What detail will lead to one fighter's victory vs. one fighter's fall? Let's take a look and zoom in on five things to look for in the fights this weekend.

 

 

5. Will the real Joe Lauzon re-emerge and dominate a lesser opponent?

Look closely on Sunday night to see if we will get a tentative, cautious fighter in Joe Lauzon, or if we get the pressing, blitzing, dominant Joe that we have been blessed to witness at times in his career. It has been an up and down couple of years for Lauzon, and he needs to get back on track with a win worthy of some noise for J-Lau.

In my opinion, Curt Warburton is outmatched in this fight both in skill and experience, but Joe has got to fight desperate, and show a renewed pension for unleashing hell when he gets in that cage.

 

 

 4. Does Size Matter For Tyson Griffin?

Tyson Griffin shot on to the mixed martial arts scene as a lightweight with incredible cardio and dexterity, blasting through his first few fights early in his UFC career. Then he started to come up against some of the big boys of the division and it soon became apparent that he was going to forever struggle to hold off the elite guys at the 155 pound range.

Sunday night he moves down to 145 pounds, and he gets a rude welcome with top contender Manny Gamburyan. Watch closely in this fight to see if Griffin can impose his will on Manny, who is one of the strongest men in the division. I look for this fight to be in close quarters and hopefully Griffin can re-emerge a contender after the fight.

 

 

 3. Who has the better striking, Mitrione or Morecraft?

I look for this fight to settle two scores where these two fighters are concerned on Sunday. The first score to settle is for these two to start this fight in stand-and-bang mode and see who has the better, more technical and powerful striking. Both of these guys like to cut it up and be funny characters at times and they have both gained a following doing so.

Settling the striking score will certainly settle the second score for me, as I want to see which one of these two boisterous heavyweights is ready for a large step up the next time they step in the cage.

 

 

2. Is It Near The End For Cheick Kongo?

I used to get frustrated with Cheick Kongo's repeated failure to develop a ground game, it seemed such a waste for such a talented, sculpted fighter to get beaten so easily in one aspect of the game. Recently, I have been more frustrated with a certain lack of fire and heart in Kongo's game. Although his losses have come to legitimate guys in the division, I am always left wanting more from him when the key moment of the fight arrives.

Pat Barry will stand in your face, fire shots and test your will to be there. If Kongo can stand and trade and not flinch an inch against Barry, it will go a long way in telling us all if we should consider Kongo a relevant enough fighter to continue to get interesting fights. He may try to shoot and submit, which is fine and may be smart, but if he retreats and starts to dance, will will know right away, he is fighter looking to survive instead of thrive and I wish him well in the future.

 

 

1. Will Nate Marquardt be technical and powerful enough to stop Rick Story?

As he was getting ready for Thiago Alves a month ago, I heard Rick Story say that he was going to come in come hard and come often, and that he did, to my surprise, against Alves, stealing the win in the process. Thiago Alves' bread and butter was powerful Muay Thai striking, and Story bulldozed straight in through it with good set ups and brute timing.

Marquardt is coming down from 185 pounds and is banking on the fact that his size and power shots will be enough to deter and ultimately stop the train that has become Rick Story. I personally feel like Nate is a bit more technically sound in his approach than Thiago, so he will land punches. Will his punches be powerful enough at 170 pounds to get the job done and stop Story in his tracks? I am saying yes, and Nate will score a decisive win that sees a bloody Story at the end

 

 

Dwight Wakabayashi is a Feature Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA.

Catch him on Twitter @wakafightermma .

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/731526-ufc-live-on-versus-4-5-things-to-zoom-in-on-when-watching-the-fights

Carlos Condit Michael Bisping John Hathaway Mike Pyle

Stout scores possible KO of Year on Edwards at UFC 131

Sam Stout loves post-fight bonuses. Outside of Chris Lytle, "Hands of Stone" has cashed the most UFC bonuses in history. They usually come via the 15-minute route. Tonight, Stout took a different path by making quick work of Yves Edwards with a vicious knockout in less than four minutes. Stout landed a left hook that knocked Edwards stiff at 3:52 in the first round at UFC 131 in Vancouver.

"I thought it would take a little bit longer to be able to connect against a fighter of Yves Edwards' caliber. I was putting my combinations together and trying to slow him down. We've been working for several months on landing a left hook against a left-handed fighter," Stout said. "Tonight, it landed and it worked. It's an amazing feeling to score a knockout like that in front of the Canadian fans."

It could've very easily been Stout lying on his back. He ate a big right hand over his ear just a split second before his sledgehammer left hand caught Edwards on the chin.

Edwards, a UFC veteran who first fought for the promotion back at UFC 33 in 2001, was out on the way down and then slammed his head on the mat. Edwards' (40-17-1, 8-5 UFC) arms went out to his side and his eyes were wide open. The physicians attended to Edwards for nearly two and a half minutes before he rose to his feet. Once he got back to the locker room, Edwards was able to speak, but was still in shock.

"I've never been knocked out, so this is a tough loss for me. I've got to go back and see the tape to figure out where my defense broke down," Edwards said.

Stout has cashed bonuses on five previous occasions, good for over $200,000. While training for this fight in Las Vegas, the lightweight spoke with RawVegas and defended his go-for-broke style.

It certainly worked tonight. Stout (17-6-1, 6-5 UFC) has won 4-of-5 now in the UFC. At 27 years old, he may be turning the corner.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Stout-scores-possible-KO-of-Year-on-Edwards-at-U?urn=mma-wp3402

Randy Couture Jake Shields Martin Kampmann Matt Hamill

UFC 132: Urijah Faber Says It's His Time to Prove He's the Best at 135

The UFC's first ever bantamweight title fight is almost a week away, with UFC 132 showcasing a huge grudge match between champion Dominick Cruz and top contender Urijah Faber.

It's no secret that Cruz and Faber have a lot of bad blood between them stemming from their last match four years ago.  In recent months, this feud has grown as the July 2nd bout draws closer, with this extended war of words a bit of an oddity for Faber.  

"I've never been really an emotional fighter," Faber told the press at Tuesday's conference call, "but that's because I'm usually indifferent or like the guy I'm fighting."

Asked if they would bury the hatchet after the fight, Faber simply replied, "For the record, after the last time we fought, we didn't become friends afterwards."

It's interesting to see how both fighters have changed since Faber choked Cruz out in 2007.  

Back then, Faber was rolling over guys without even going through full training camps with his current team.  In fact, Faber didn't enter his normal fight routine until 2008, almost two years into his reign as the WEC Featherweight champion.

"I hadn't started with my new trainer yet, my first fight under a full training camp under Master Tong was the Jens Pulver fight," Faber said.

Meanwhile, Cruz hasn't lost a fight since succumbing to Faber's guillotine, finding success as the champion at 135.  Cruz has improved every aspect of his game en route to the title.

For Faber as well, the drop to bantamweight has been accompanied by many great changes in his fight game. 

"I'm smaller and faster and at my more natural competition weight and I've improved," he said. "I never stop improving on my Jiu-Jitsu. I never stop improving on my wrestling. I feel like I'm in the prime of my life."

Faber went on to say that his experience as the headliner of many title fights will also be a major factor in this bout.  He believes that his fights, especially his losses to Mike Brown and Jose Aldo, have given him the ability ease his nerves.

"I really enjoy what I'm doing. I don't sweat the little stuff," he said.

He admits, however, that this shot at the belt will be quite different, considering that this time it is for UFC gold.

"There's a little bit more attached to it I think," Faber said, going on to say that he feels "a little bit antsy" as well.

What hasn't wavered throughout the years has been his confidence, an attitude that the "California Kid" always sports.

"Bottom line is, I'm the best 135-pounder in the world and it's my time to prove it." 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/746684-ufc-132-urijah-faber-says-its-his-time-to-prove-hes-the-best-at-135

John Hathaway Mike Pyle Travis Browne Randy Couture

Rampage Jackson and the 15 Funniest Stars in MMA History (with Video)

MMA is a serious sport. It requires more discipline and respect than any other sport. Some have reached the pinnacle of the sport while others have perished on the undercards. 

OK, too much drama. 

MMA is a fairly young sport. Around 20 years ago, several promotions formed—most notably Pancrase, Pride and of course the UFC. In these promotions, stars were produced who have gone on to become legends and idols to legions of adoring fans.

However, only a few fighters possessed the ability of being exceptional showmen and entertainers. Stars like Rampage Jackson possessed the ability to make people laugh, and in a sport that is as serious as MMA, that is an important quality to have.

So sit back and take a look at the lighter side of MMA as I present to you the funniest stars in the MMA world.

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Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/745659-rampage-jackson-and-the-15-funniest-stars-in-mma-history-with-video

John Hathaway Mike Pyle Travis Browne Randy Couture

UFC Live: Marquardt vs. Story Bleacher Report MMA Staff Predictions

The fourth addition of UFC on Versus Live will feature a fantastic main event, as Rick Story looks to stake his claim as a legit contender at 170 pounds as he takes on former top-tier middleweight Nate Marquardt.  

Story is fresh off a win over Thiago Alves at UFC 130, and looks to prove it was no fluke by taking a tough test in Marquardt with less than a month of down time. 

Marquardt has won two of his last three, and five of his last seven, and will be making his career debut at 170 pounds on UFC Live. 

Nate "The Great" claims that he feels stronger, faster and has more stamina as a welterweight, but after losing to top-10 middleweights Yushin Okami and Chael Sonnen, fans have to wonder if Marquardt is just grasping at straws for one last title run before he retires.  

Fans also get to enjoy what should be a slugfest between two hard-hitting heavyweights when Cheick Kongo takes on Pat Berry.  

Additionally, Matt Brown will square off against John Howard in what is likely to be a "loser leaves town" fight, and Matt Mitrione will battle Christian Morecraft to decide which heavyweight remains relevant in the UFC's 265-pound division.

This time around, the Bleacher Report MMA Staff will be represented by Dana Becker (10-15), Jordy McElroy (6-10), Dale De Souza (6-10), Sean Smith (4-5) and me, John Heinis (10-15).

Take a look inside to see what our panel had to say about this free UFC card.     

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Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/745657-ufc-live-marquardt-vs-story-bleacher-report-mma-staff-predictions

MMA Fighting Brock Lesnar Cain Velasquez Dana White

Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi Booked for UFC 135

Filed under: UFC, News

Four years ago, Takanori Gomi fought Nick Diaz in one of the best fights in the history of Pride. Now Gomi is slated to get a crack at Diaz's little brother.

The UFC has announced that Gomi will face Nate Diaz at UFC 135, adding what should be a very entertaining lightweight fight to the September 24 card in Denver.

Gomi's fight with Nick Diaz was a classic. Gomi, the Pride lightweight champion, entered as the favorite, but Diaz wore him out with his wild striking and his activity off his back, eventually submitting Gomi with a gogoplata in the second round. The bout was later changed to a no contest because Diaz tested positive for marijuana, but fans still remember it as a great fight, and as the performance that put Diaz on the map.

UFC President Dana White made a point of commenting on the previous Gomi-Diaz fight in announcing the next Gomi-Diaz fight, and you can bet highlights from that 2007 Pride bout will be shown regularly in the run-up to UFC 135. We can only hope Nate Diaz, who's moving back down to lightweight after looking sluggish at welterweight, can look half as good against Gomi as his brother did.

Here's how the UFC 135 fight card looks right now:
Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson
Matt Hughes vs Diego Sanchez
Kid Yamamoto vs Damacio Page
Ben Rothwell vs Mark Hunt
Travis Browne vs Rob Broughton
Takanori Gomi vs Nate Diaz

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/21/nate-diaz-vs-takanori-gomi-booked-for-ufc-135/

John Hathaway Mike Pyle Travis Browne Randy Couture

Strikeforce heavyweight GP picks, Vegas-style: Who can pull the upset?

Night No. 1 of the Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix didn't work out well for one of the big favorites - Fedor Emelianenko. The legendary Fedor entered his fight against Antonio "Big Foot" Silva as a 5-to-1 favorite. He walked away bloodied, beaten and considering retirement. Can Brett Rogers or Fabricio Werdum pull off a similar upset this weekend in Dallas in part two of the heavyweight GP?

Larry Pepe from ProMMARadio.com and Damon Martin from MMAWeekly.com join me on RawVegas to break down the main event between Werdum and minus-350 favorite Alistair Overeem. Below is our conversation about Josh Barnett, a minus-365 favorite, over Rogers.

Strikeforce heavyweight GP betting odds (Courtesy Venetian Las Vegas):

Alistair Overeem (-350) vs. Fabricio Werdum (+250) - Heavyweight

Brett Rogers (+285) vs. Josh Barnett (-365) - Heavyweight

KJ Noons (-320) vs. Jorge Masvidal (+240) - Lightweight

Daniel Cormier (-350) vs. Jeff Monson (+250) - Heavyweight

Gesias Cavalcante (-145) vs. Justin Wilcox (+115) - Lightweight

Chad Griggs (-140) vs. Valentijn Overeem (+110) - Heavyweight

Conor Huen (+145) vs. Magno Almeida (-175) - Lightweight

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Strikeforce-heavyweight-GP-picks-Vegas-style-W?urn=mma-wp3587

Cain Velasquez Dana White Cheick Kongo Dennis Hallman

Celeb jiu-jitsu showdown: Ashton Kutcher vs. ‘Al Bundy,’ who wins?

A guy breaks into your home and gets on top of you. Can you find a way to get yourself off the floor?

Here's a shocker. Ed O'Neill of "Al Bundy" fame from "Married with Children" would probably be standing in a matter of seconds and chances are Ashton Kutcher would have no shot of rising to his feet. You ask why? The 61-year-old O'Neill has been training jiu-jitsu for 15 years, meanwhile Kutcher is a novice, who borrowed a black belt, during this recent visit to Brazil.

Black Belt Magazine tells the story that O'Neil, who played a dumpy shoe salesman on FOX's hit television show, got hooked on jiu-jitsu during a quick visit to Rorian Gracie's gym in Torrance, Ca.

O'Neil was pushed by a producer/writer friend John Milius to visit the gym. Gracie put "Al Bundy" through the robber drill and he failed.

Taking the bait, he asked Gracie how he'd managed to maintain complete control (while on top of O'Neil). Once the principle was explained the simplicity of the art floored O'Neil. He set up an appointment to begin training and has been rolling ever since.

Black Belt reports that in 2007, O'Neil received his black belt.

"Ed has a vast knowledge of moves," Gracie said. "He has great execution of the techniques and does them with a certain level of ease. We're worked with this guy every single week for 15 years."

Maybe Kutcher, 33, will have his black belt in 15 years. The photo is from Rio de Janeiro where Kutcher stopped in to visit a Carlson Gracie disciple.

Ashton Kutcher, [was in] yesterday, June 13, [to see] Ricardo de la Riva, in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. Ashton showed that understands the subject and trained very well with the black belts of the academy.

Ashton learned the secret of one of the world's most famous guards, the De la Riva guard, which was demonstrated by the master himself, to the finest detail.

Tip via Fightlinker

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Celeb-jiu-jitsu-showdown-Ashton-Kutcher-vs-Al?urn=mma-wp3595

Tito Ortiz Dan Hardy Carlos Condit Michael Bisping

Chad Griggs vs. Daniel Cormier Could Be 'Logical Next Step' for Strikeforce

Filed under: Strikeforce

Chad Griggs knows that Strikeforce officials didn't sign him to a contract because they were dying to be in the Chad Griggs business. Not at first, anyway.

Offering him a fight with a well-paid prospect like Bobby Lashley last summer was Strikeforce's way of giving him a lottery ticket. No one expected his numbers to hit the way they did, which might explain why the organization still seems unsure of what to do with him.

"That's the joke for us," Griggs told MMA Fighting after his win over Valentijn Overeem at Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum on Saturday night. "Every time I walk in it's like, hey, you can't get rid of me. I won't go away."

With the first-round stoppage of Overeem, Griggs won his third straight Strikeforce bout, and his second in a row as a Grand Prix alternate. The win also made some people look at the other victorious heavyweight alternate from Saturday's event -- former U.S. Olympic wrestling team captain, Daniel Cormier -- and wonder whether Strikeforce should throw those two in the cage together next just to see who's still standing when it's over.

Cormier -- who was originally slated to face Shane del Rosario in a Grand Prix reserve bout before del Rosario was injured in a car accident -- dominated MMA vet Jeff Monson for three rounds on Saturday night, showing off some impressive striking in the process.

But while it was a nice win for his still young career, Cormier doesn't necessarily think it makes him the clear reserve choice for the tournament just yet. Not as long as Griggs keeps winning his reserve fights as well.

"Right now I think you match up me and Chad or me and Shane, because in reality there's no clear reserve," Cormier said. "Who goes into the tournament right now if someone gets hurt? How do you choose? You've got three guys going into this, so match two of us up and have us fight whenever the semifinals are. I'd like to fight Chad or Shane to find out who's the reserve in this tournament. I think it makes sense."

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said a Griggs-Cormier fight on the semifinal card this fall was a real possibility, but added "we just finished an event, so we haven't had a chance to sit down and talk about it yet."

Still, Coker admitted that he wouldn't mind seeing a fight between the two heavyweights, both of whom have put on exciting performances of late.

Even Cormier's coach -- AKA's Javier Mendez -- likes the idea.

"I think the rightful thing is to have [Cormier] fight Chad Griggs," Mendez said. "He's another alternate, so that's a logical next step. But I don't know what Strikeforce is going to do. We just have to get Daniel ready for the next step."

As for Griggs, he said he hasn't said no to any of Strikeforce's suggestions yet and it isn't about to start now. Besides, after stopping Gian Villante in a wild brawl and then punishing Overeem in a first-round TKO win, hasn't he earned a fight like this by now?

"I feel like I've fought two good fights and they were both alternates," Griggs shrugged. "I had two good performances and stopped my guy in the first round in both of them, so we'll see how it goes."

A fight between Griggs and Cormier could not only solidify an established reserve for the Grand Prix, it would also be a nice addition to any Strikeforce fight card now that fans have seen enough of both men to know what they have to offer.

For Griggs, however, going up against a highly-touted former Olympian might seem like just one more bout where he's not supposed to get his hand raised at the end. Not that those kinds of expectations matter much to him, of course.

"I still feel like they're looking at me going, this guy got lucky again," Griggs said. "But hey, I'll take it. Maybe I'll just keep being lucky."

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/21/chad-griggs-vs-daniel-cormier-could-be-logical-next-step-for/

Tito Ortiz Dan Hardy Carlos Condit Michael Bisping

Koscheck dislikes new shirt, Bonnar wants to pummel him

It's a great marketing idea that apparently irks some other UFC fighters. Stephan Bonnar's new "Trash Talking Kids" t-shirt line is based on real-life fighters like Josh Koscheck, Forrest Griffin and Cain Velasquez.

Koscheck's "Josh Koshbygosh" shirt is pretty cool, right? Not according to Bonnar, who claims Koscheck had his lawyers call about the t-shirt.

"He got wind of it and he didn't like it and I tried to explain it to him firsthand. 'Like, look we're doing them for all the fighters. It's kinda a joke, just cartoon versions of the fighters.' His version is called Josh Koshbygosh and he kinda looks like a Cabbage Patch doll, because he really does. Anyway, so he didn't like it," Bonnar told Five Knuckles. "Turns out we won't be able to sell his but we will be able to sell the other ones. I didn't think his was gonna sell too much anyway. We're getting hit up his lawyers at the moment, it's been a pain in the ass."

Bonnar also made some interesting comments about Koscheck and the now infamous sucker punch from Paul Daley.

"He actually inspired the idea, he talks so much [expletive] in the Daley fight and after the fight. The whole time I see Koscheck talking [expletive] to him on the ground, I thought it was hilarious and I was carrying on about it. Then sure I knew he was gonna get to Daley. Turns out afterward that he was saying terrible things about Daley's mom and all that. Well it's kinda understandable that Daley tried to punch him afterwards and sure enough he got to Daley. Daley lost his cool and punched him afterwards," Bonnar said. "I thought it was the funniest thing, like he is just a trash talking kid at heart."

UPDATE: Koscheck explained his side of the story to Bleacher Report

"This situation is very black and white," (Koscheck who is 14-4 in the UFC said). "There's a side of right and a side of wrong and I'm on the side of right. Stephan Bonnar and his company are on the side of wrong. I have an exclusive deal that is a conflict to use my image, to use my likeness, and to use my name."

"He spoke with myself and my manager Bob Cook at AKA when he was filming something for SpikeTV, he was in agreement and in an understanding that they would stop producing and making the shirt. Because I was about to get sued from my preexisting exclusive deal that I've had signed for two-years."

"He basically gave me no other choice, but to go after him legally because of the fact that I'm about to be sued from another company because of Stephan Bonnar and his antics."

Tip via MMAMania

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Koscheck-dislikes-new-shirt-Bonnar-wants-to-pum?urn=mma-wp3257

Cheick Kongo Dennis Hallman Tito Ortiz Dan Hardy

Carano MIA and ‘Cyborg’ unsigned, how much longer will Zuffa-run Strikeforce stick with female fighting?

It's not looking good for female fighters with the biggest promotions. This week's Strikeforce Challengers card in Washington and next month's Strikeforce cards in Las Vegas and Chicago feature some female fights. After that, who knows?

The two biggest female names under the Strikeforce banner still don't have fights scheduled.

We're now a few weeks removed from Gina Carano bailing on her Strikeforce: Dallas fight and there's still official no word on what the injury was, or a timetable for her return. When Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker spoke with AOL, he still had no answers.

"Gina is feeling much better after having undergone some medical attention and is looking forward to getting back into training very soon. She would like to express thanks to Team Jackson for a wonderful training camp, Strikeforce and the fans," said Coker, reading from a text message he received from Carano's management team.

Beyond that the boss didn't have any details.

"She evidently had some medical attention provided and she looks forward to getting back soon. So that's everything I know," said Carano.

Coker couldn't even answer if the medical issue was career threatening, saying the text was all he's seen.

The situation with Strikeforce's No. 1 female star is just as unclear, or is it?

Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos is currently without a contract.

"Absolutely. I'm pretty sad not to be fighting and I'm trying to renegotiate my contract for a year, but Strikeforce doesn't want to made a deal, they want to keep paying me what they paid before, but now I'm the event's champion and I've never been defeated in Strikeforce. I just wanted to be recognized," Cyborg said.

She also told Tatame that she has taken an August fight in Brazil and just has to wait until her Strikeforce contract runs out this month.

One has to wonder if this is the end of the line for Cyborg in Strikeforce. If Dana White has zero interest in female fighting in the UFC, why would he allow a company that he owns to lock itself into any more long-term contracts with female fighters?

Tip via Fightlinker

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Carano-MIA-and-Cyborg-unsigned-how-much-longe?urn=mma-wp3769

Cain Velasquez Dana White Cheick Kongo Dennis Hallman

Demian Maia Prepares for UFC 131 - UFC 131

Demian Maia's journey to Vancouver starts in his home country of Brazil. Take a quick glimpse into his life as he prepares to face Mark Munoz at UFC 131

Source: http://mmalice.com/ufc-131/demian-maia-prepares-for-ufc-131-video_bd49f1b7a.html

Mike Pyle Travis Browne Randy Couture Jake Shields

UFC Quick Quote: Anthony Pettis is overrated

Source: http://www.mmamania.com/2011/6/21/2235388/ufc-quick-quote-anthony-pettis-is-overrated

Travis Browne Randy Couture

Koscheck dislikes new shirt, Bonnar wants to pummel him

It's a great marketing idea that apparently irks some other UFC fighters. Stephan Bonnar's new "Trash Talking Kids" t-shirt line is based on real-life fighters like Josh Koscheck, Forrest Griffin and Cain Velasquez.

Koscheck's "Josh Koshbygosh" shirt is pretty cool, right? Not according to Bonnar, who claims Koscheck had his lawyers call about the t-shirt.

"He got wind of it and he didn't like it and I tried to explain it to him firsthand. 'Like, look we're doing them for all the fighters. It's kinda a joke, just cartoon versions of the fighters.' His version is called Josh Koshbygosh and he kinda looks like a Cabbage Patch doll, because he really does. Anyway, so he didn't like it," Bonnar told Five Knuckles. "Turns out we won't be able to sell his but we will be able to sell the other ones. I didn't think his was gonna sell too much anyway. We're getting hit up his lawyers at the moment, it's been a pain in the ass."

Bonnar also made some interesting comments about Koscheck and the now infamous sucker punch from Paul Daley.

"He actually inspired the idea, he talks so much [expletive] in the Daley fight and after the fight. The whole time I see Koscheck talking [expletive] to him on the ground, I thought it was hilarious and I was carrying on about it. Then sure I knew he was gonna get to Daley. Turns out afterward that he was saying terrible things about Daley's mom and all that. Well it's kinda understandable that Daley tried to punch him afterwards and sure enough he got to Daley. Daley lost his cool and punched him afterwards," Bonnar said. "I thought it was the funniest thing, like he is just a trash talking kid at heart."

UPDATE: Koscheck explained his side of the story to Bleacher Report

"This situation is very black and white," (Koscheck who is 14-4 in the UFC said). "There's a side of right and a side of wrong and I'm on the side of right. Stephan Bonnar and his company are on the side of wrong. I have an exclusive deal that is a conflict to use my image, to use my likeness, and to use my name."

"He spoke with myself and my manager Bob Cook at AKA when he was filming something for SpikeTV, he was in agreement and in an understanding that they would stop producing and making the shirt. Because I was about to get sued from my preexisting exclusive deal that I've had signed for two-years."

"He basically gave me no other choice, but to go after him legally because of the fact that I'm about to be sued from another company because of Stephan Bonnar and his antics."

Tip via MMAMania

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Koscheck-dislikes-new-shirt-Bonnar-wants-to-pum?urn=mma-wp3257

MMA Fighting Brock Lesnar Cain Velasquez Dana White

UFC 131 openers: Beltran wins brawl over Rosa, Elkins takes shaky decision from Omigawa

Joey Beltran and Aaron Rosa won't be modeling for a calendar anytime soon, but those big dudes can dish out some damage. They can also take a beating. The heavyweights, who clocked in at a combined 598 pounds, slugged it out until Rosa got drilled by a knee early in the third. Beltran turned up the heat and pounded out Rosa on the ground for a win at the 1:26 mark of the third at UFC 131 in Vancouver.

Beltran, a 237 pounder fighting out of San Diego, wins for the third time in the UFC. His killer instinct was impressive.

"To be blunt, I knew he was going to be tough as hell. I was able to land some big shots and I am really happy with this performance," Beltran said. "Putting away a tough guy like him is just a testament to how hard of a camp I went through to get ready for tonight."

Just 40 seconds into the third, Beltran (13-5, 3-2 UFC) worked head control and pushed Rosa down into a nasty knee. That seemed to change everything as Beltran scored an easy takedown.

With Rosa (16-4, 0-1 UFC) on his knees and covering up, Beltran landed some body punches and got off 11 shots to the head. Rosa rose to his feet, but was stunned. Beltran dumped him a few seconds later, and as he settled into half guard he came down with the full force of a right elbow to Rosa's face. Rosa was shot. The bigger man ate a flurry of punches. Two left hands through his arms ended things.

"I got tired, but I think I got hit in the back of the head after he took me down and that dazed me. When I got up, he hit me with more hard shots and I never recovered. He's tough and proved that tonight," said Rosa.

Beltran came to Alliance Training Center in San Diego weighing 300-plus pounds. He's slimmed down and looks better each time out.

"I think I'm barely starting to show the type of fighter I am. To succeed in the UFC, it takes a full team effort and my team did a great job preparing me for this fight," said Beltran.

After seeing both fighters sporting some extra beef around the middle, it looked like stamina might be an issue, but it wasn't. Rosa, who's fought in the past at light heavyweight, entered the fight at 261 pounds. He absorbed some huge right hands, body shots and a few good standing elbows through the first round and a half. Rosa came back towards the end of the second, but that big knee from Beltran in the third took away his chances to get a win in his UFC debut.

During the prefight, UFC matchmaker Joe Silva added the note that this was the first time two fighters of Mexican descent went head-to-head in the Octagon.

Japanese star Omigawa loses again in the UFC

This was another big night for Japanese MMA. Michihiro Omigawa, one of the top featherweights from Japan, needed a win after getting dominated by Chad Mendes at UFC 126. It looked like he did enough to take a 29-28 decision from Darren Elkins, but the judges disagreed. Even with multiple cuts on his face and a lackluster third round, Elkins took a unanimous decision from Omigawa, 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27.

Elkins (12-2, 2-1 UFC) did some nice work in the opening round. Omigawa bounced around the cage and switched stances every few seconds, but it didn't allow him to land anything very solid.

In the second round, Omigawa landed some good shots around Elkins' right eye and opened two cuts. He also scored a takedown and blasted away at Elkins. In what appeared to be a one-sided final round for Omigawa, more cuts were opened on Elkins' face and he finished all bloodied up. It didn't impress the judges.

A former lightweight, Omigawa (12-10-1, 0-4 UFC) dropped to featherweight and went 8-2-1 before re-signing with the UFC. He's now dropped two straight.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/UFC-131-openers-Beltran-wins-brawl-over-Rosa-E?urn=mma-wp3360

Randy Couture Jake Shields Martin Kampmann Matt Hamill

Paula Sack Interviews Demian Maia - UFC 131

Paual talks to Demian about his preparation for his upcoming fight versus Mark Munoz at UFC 131: Dos Santos vs Carwin. Watch the event Live on Pay-Per-View or www.UFC.tv this Sat Jun 11th at 6/9PM PT/ET

Source: http://mmalice.com/ufc-131/paula-sack-interviews-demian-maia-video_2ad01b3d5.html

Dennis Hallman Tito Ortiz Dan Hardy Carlos Condit

Koscheck dislikes new shirt, Bonnar wants to pummel him

It's a great marketing idea that apparently irks some other UFC fighters. Stephan Bonnar's new "Trash Talking Kids" t-shirt line is based on real-life fighters like Josh Koscheck, Forrest Griffin and Cain Velasquez.

Koscheck's "Josh Koshbygosh" shirt is pretty cool, right? Not according to Bonnar, who claims Koscheck had his lawyers call about the t-shirt.

"He got wind of it and he didn't like it and I tried to explain it to him firsthand. 'Like, look we're doing them for all the fighters. It's kinda a joke, just cartoon versions of the fighters.' His version is called Josh Koshbygosh and he kinda looks like a Cabbage Patch doll, because he really does. Anyway, so he didn't like it," Bonnar told Five Knuckles. "Turns out we won't be able to sell his but we will be able to sell the other ones. I didn't think his was gonna sell too much anyway. We're getting hit up his lawyers at the moment, it's been a pain in the ass."

Bonnar also made some interesting comments about Koscheck and the now infamous sucker punch from Paul Daley.

"He actually inspired the idea, he talks so much [expletive] in the Daley fight and after the fight. The whole time I see Koscheck talking [expletive] to him on the ground, I thought it was hilarious and I was carrying on about it. Then sure I knew he was gonna get to Daley. Turns out afterward that he was saying terrible things about Daley's mom and all that. Well it's kinda understandable that Daley tried to punch him afterwards and sure enough he got to Daley. Daley lost his cool and punched him afterwards," Bonnar said. "I thought it was the funniest thing, like he is just a trash talking kid at heart."

UPDATE: Koscheck explained his side of the story to Bleacher Report

"This situation is very black and white," (Koscheck who is 14-4 in the UFC said). "There's a side of right and a side of wrong and I'm on the side of right. Stephan Bonnar and his company are on the side of wrong. I have an exclusive deal that is a conflict to use my image, to use my likeness, and to use my name."

"He spoke with myself and my manager Bob Cook at AKA when he was filming something for SpikeTV, he was in agreement and in an understanding that they would stop producing and making the shirt. Because I was about to get sued from my preexisting exclusive deal that I've had signed for two-years."

"He basically gave me no other choice, but to go after him legally because of the fact that I'm about to be sued from another company because of Stephan Bonnar and his antics."

Tip via MMAMania

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Koscheck-dislikes-new-shirt-Bonnar-wants-to-pum?urn=mma-wp3257

Randy Couture Jake Shields Martin Kampmann Matt Hamill

UFC 133: Rafael Natal vs Costantinos Philippou likely for Aug. 6 with Riki Fukuda hurt

Source: http://www.mmamania.com/2011/6/20/2233675/ufc-133-rafael-natal-vs-costantinos-phillippou-likely-for-aug-6-with

Dennis Hallman Tito Ortiz Dan Hardy Carlos Condit

Josh Barnett: 'Give Me My Moment, and I'll Give You What You Want'

Filed under: Strikeforce

DALLAS -- There was hardly a moment in Josh Barnett's Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix quarterfinal bout with Brett Rogers where he wasn't in the driver's seat, so it was only fitting that he seized control of the post-fight interview as well.

"Gus, I love you. I know you have a job to do," Barnett told Showtime commentator Gus Johnson in the cage following his second-round arm-triangle submission victory over Rogers. "But then again so do I, and I think the people want to hear what I have to say right now."

What followed was yet another monologue from Barnett about the state of his career and his future goals, only this one also included references to stacking up skulls and "standing on top of a pile of bodies with gold in [his] hand."

This, Barnett said in the post-fight press conference, is the kind of thing we should all just get used to now that North American MMA has an entertainer like him back in the big leagues.

"I'm not here to do everything that everyone tells me to," Barnett said. "I'm here to entertain. I don't need my hand held. I don't need to be directed. I don't need to have anybody try to prompt me to give something interesting. Just give me my moment, give me my time, and I'll give you what you want and then some. People want to hear what I've got to say, and if anybody wants to see how I finished the fight, hit rewind on the DVR. You can check it out as much as you want."

Barnett had little trouble dispatching the less experienced Rogers after taking him down easily in both the first and second rounds. Even with a dominant position for most of round one, however, he said he had to be careful not to get too reckless looking for the finish and, in the process, put his chances of continuing on in the tournament at risk.

"You go in there, you have a strategy. I stuck to it for the most part, but once I got in there it became a matter of also making him drown underneath me -- taking his wind, taking his spirit, taking his energy, and doing it without any sort of injury, because this is a tournament. I have another fight, and I have another fight after that, so it's important to be very tactical and very strategic about how you take these guys out."

But Barnett's strategic approach wasn't an immediate hit with the Texas fans, who booed his first-round performance. That made for a somewhat inauspicious start for a fighter who prides himself on being such a showman, but Barnett insisted that it never bothered him.

"You can't listen to the crowd very much. You got to go out there, you got to do your thing. And you know what? The crowd can boo you one minute and cheer you the next," he said.

Now Barnett moves on to face Russian striker Sergei Kharitonov in the semi-final round in the fall. Kharitonov fought his way in with a knockout win over Andrei Arlovski in his quarterfinal fight, and Barnett expects him to be a tougher opponent than Rogers, he said.

"[Kharitonov] is a more well-rounded fighter. He's a much better boxer. In terms of technical, very sound boxing technique. I don't know if he's got the slugging ability -- in fact, I think Brett might actually be a little bit faster than Sergei, to a point -- but Sergei has a chin of granite. He's got a better ground game too, so I've got to train hard."

For Barnett -- who's had a rocky few years after a positive drug test torpedoed his hopes of a high-profile fight with Fedor Emelianenko in the now defunct Affliction organization -- the Strikeforce Grand Prix represents a golden opportunity. Not only does it give him the chance to prove himself as a top heavyweight, it also offers him some hope of mending fences with UFC president Dana White now that the UFC's parent company, Zuffa, owns Strikeforce.

It's a chance he may never get again if he squanders it this time, and no one seems more aware of that fact than Barnett.

"This is my chance," he said. "This is my triple crown. This is my WGP. This is my opportunity to go out there and display myself as one of the best heavyweights who's ever walked the earth. I know it, but people want to see it. They want me to prove it. Fine. As long as you can line people up against me, I'm going to go out there and keep taking them out. That's my job. I'm born and bred to fight. So anybody that thinks they want to kick my a--, make them sign so I can go prove them different."

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/19/josh-barnett-give-me-my-moment-and-ill-give-you-what-you-wan/

Carlos Condit Michael Bisping John Hathaway Mike Pyle

Jorge Masvidal Beats KJ Noons in Bloody Brawl

Filed under: Strikeforce, News

Jorge Masvidal earned one of the biggest wins of his mixed martial arts career on Saturday, dominating KJ Noons for three rounds and winning a one-sided unanimous decision.

It was a big-time showing for Masvidal, who won 30-27 on all three judges' cards.

"KJ was more aggressive -- he made more openings happen," Masvidal said afterward. "He's a good striker but I'm a bad style for him. I'm a good counter-fighter and I feel just fine striking with him."

---

More Coverage: Overeem vs. Werdum Results | Masvidal vs. Noons Live Blog

---

The first round included plenty of effective strikes from both men, but Masvidal was more effective,first opening up a big cut on Noons' forehead and then knocking Noons down with a big right head kick and pummeling him on the ground in the final minute of the round. Masvidal clearly won the round, and it could have been scored 10-8 in his favor.

After two minutes of brawling at the start of the second round, Masvidal took Noons down and pounded on him on the ground. When they got back to their feet Masvidal continued to get the better of the exchanges, and although Noons stayed active, he wasn't able to hang with Masvidal.

By the third it was clear that there was nothing Noons could do, and Masvidal just had his way with his lesser opponent. Noons deserves credit for continuing to fight for the end, but this one was all Masvidal.

Masvidal's record improves to 22-6, and he might get a shot at Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez next.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=1002668&pid=1002667&uts=1308464987

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum Photos

Alistair Overeem knees Fabricio Werdum at Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum on Saturday, June 18, 2011 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

Zuffa LLC/Getty Images

Zuffa LLC/Getty Images

UFC 131 Photos

Shane Carwin and Junior dos Santos trade shots at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

UFC 131 Photos

Shane Carwin attempts to take down Junior dos Santos at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

UFC 131 Photos

Junior dos Santos tries to finish Shane Carwin late in the first at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

UFC 131 Photos

Junior dos Santos (right) rocks Shane Carwin at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

UFC 131 Photos

Junior dos Santos kicks Shane Carwin at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

UFC 131 Photos

Shane Carwin is bloodied up at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

UFC 131 Photos

Junior dos Santos punches Shane Carwin at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

UFC 131 Photos

Junior dos Santos lands a left hand against Shane Carwin at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

UFC 131 Photos

Blood drips down the face of Shane Carwin at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

UFC 131 Photos

Shane Carwin makes a last ditch effort late in the third round at UFC 131 on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

UFC 131 Photos

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/18/jorge-masvidal-beats-kj-noons-in-bloody-brawl/

Carlos Condit Michael Bisping John Hathaway Mike Pyle

Strikeforce Results: Win over Werdum Puts Overeem Behind Velasquez and JDS

To those riding the Alistair Overeem hype train, are you still on board?

Surely, a few "faithful" fans tiptoed off the bandwagon after watching his lackluster performance on Saturday night in his Strikeforce Grand Prix quarterfinals bout with Fabricio Werdum.

The highly anticipated bout turned out to be a back and forth slop fest that invalidated Josh Barnett's claims that the best heavyweight in the world would come out of the Strikeforce tournament.

It was still a major victory for Overeem, who avenged a May 2006 loss and picked up his first win over a ranked heavyweight. The win vaults "The Demolition Man" up the heavyweight ranks, but it won't be as high as some presumed.

Before the fight against Werdum, Overeem was pretty much the uncrowned king of the heavyweight division. He hadn't defeated a ranked heavyweight, but the added size and incredible winning streak propelled the faith in most fans.

Despite victories over Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Silva and Overeem, Werdum came into the bout as a huge underdog. The majority of the media were calling for Overeem to walk through Werdum and pick up the first-round knockout.

Instead, fans were grounded by the slow battle between two cardio-depraved heavyweights. For those that have watched Overeem compete over the years, the bout against Werdum had a few sprinkles of déjà vu.

Overeem's gas tank only held up a little over a round, and we started to see him fade as he has many times in the past.

He should definitely get props for hanging tough and earning the decision. The Overeem of the past would've looked for a way out.

Werdum's performance was just plain awkward. He actually looked like the more efficient striker in the standup exchanges, but instead of working his strikes and capitalizing on a fading Overeem, the majority of his time was spent on his back smiling and pleading for Overeem to haplessly jump in his guard.

Plenty of fans have put Overeem on a pedestal as the best striker in the heavyweight division, but he was almost bested in the exchanges by a submission specialist. Werdum's hands are definitely underrated, but he isn't necessarily considered a world class striker.

What about guys like Junior dos Santos?

It only took Dos Santos a little over a minute to sing Werdum his lullaby at UFC 90. Overeem showed major defensive holes in his ability to block punches and effectively counter. Power is an incredible equalizer, but it can also work against you if you can't land that fight-ending shot.

Overeem's win puts him behind Cain Velasquez and Dos Santos in the heavyweight rankings. Die-hard Overeem fans will likely disagree, but the entire heavyweight division runs through Dos Santos and Velasquez, who have both consistently fought the tougher opposition.

Where does Overeem go from here?

He's going to have a major task on his hands in dealing with "Bigfoot" Silva in the semifinals. Silva is another elite level striker that will capitalize on any lingering holes in Overeem's standup.

It would be nice to see Overeem pump out a jab or utilize smaller strikes to setup bigger ones. He tends to wear himself out by only throwing power punches.

Regardless of his performance, Overeem 2.0 still has the potential to do big things in the sport.

If you're still on the bandwagon, you may want to buckle up. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740032-strikeforce-results-win-over-werdum-puts-overeem-behind-velasquez-and-jds

Mike Pyle Travis Browne Randy Couture Jake Shields

Josh Barnett Describes Win Over Brett Rogers as 'Perfect'

Filed under: Strikeforce, MMA Fighting Exclusive, Videos

DALLAS -- MMA Fighting spoke to Josh Barnett following his Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum win over Brett Rogers about advancing in the heavyweight grand prix, his performance, fighting Sergei Kharitonov next and his post-fight promo.

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/19/josh-barnett-describes-win-over-brett-rogers-as-perfect/

Michael Bisping John Hathaway Mike Pyle Travis Browne

Ring, Poirier early winners at UFC 131

Dustin Poirier and Nick Ring were big winners in the preliminary fights at UFC 131 in Vancouver on Saturday.

Ring puts on clinic

After getting knocked out of the 11th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" with an injury, Nick Ring has impressed in the Octagon. He followed up his UFC 127 win over Riki Fukuda with a submission win over James Head at UFC 131.

Ring had to come back from early problems to win. Head caught Ring with a right that clearly shook up the Canadian fighter. Ring fell to the ground, but was able to grapple his way out of trouble. They returned to their feet, but Head did not let up. He threw a mix of punches, kicks and knees, but wasn't able to put Ring in danger. Ring finished the round in good shape, taking Head down with a minute left.

Ring started the second round with a takedown and then moved into side control, and tried for a triangle choke. He couldn't get the submission, but maintained control of Head. The two returned to their feet, but Ring took it right back to the mat. Ring didn't pass guard, but he did open a cut on Head's face that bled profusely. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight for a cut check by the doctor, but the fight was allowed to continue. Ring kept up control of the bout on the ground for the rest of the round.

In the third round, Ring stuck with the strategy that worked: a quick takedown. Ring coupled owning the top position with an unending barrage of short hammerfists and elbows. Ring finally stopped the bout by sinking in an airtight rear-naked choke.� Dean stopped the bout at 3:33 in the third.

Poirier wins action-packed decision

In a battle of two young featherweights, Dustin Poirier took an action-packed unanimous decision, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 over UFC newcomer, Jason Young.

Young's debut started with a flurry of leg kicks that were answered by a flurry of punches from Poirier. To stop the onslaught, Young tried for a standing kimura but lost the arm as they went to the ground then referred to their feet. Poirier took an upper hand on striking, throwing combinations, but Young was able to get a few licks in.

Young peppered Poirier's legs with kicks, and showed off some fancier kicks early in the second round. Poirier had no answer for Young's more technical attacks until late in the round, when Poirier opened up and threw more strikes. The two started throwing huge strikes as the round neared its end. Poirier finished strong with a takedown, seconds before the horn sounded.

Poirier spent much of the third round trying for a takedown. After he worked and worked for it, Poirier got Young to the ground, but he didn't do much on the ground. Young sprung back to his feet, but the two remained in a clinch. As Poirier worked for another takedown, Young threw a bevy of elbows into Poirier's body. Poirier finally was able to get a takedown as the fight neared its end.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Ring-Poirier-early-winners-at-UFC-131?urn=mma-wp3362

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