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| Thursday - June 1, 2006 |
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By Loretta Hunt - Photo Courtesy of The Fight Network Ryan Bennett, a mixed martial arts broadcaster and co-owner of MMAWeekly.com, died Wednesday, May 31 as he and his family were returning home from dinner in Utah. Bennett was 35.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Bennett was traveling southbound on the I-15 in Fillmore around 5:15 p.m. with his wife Tonya and four children when their SUV drifted onto the east shoulder. The vehicle, driven by Bennett, then swerved back onto the roadway before tumbling off it again and rolling down the median five times. Bennett, who was partially ejected from the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene. An accident report filed with the Utah Highway Patrol stated a 4-year-old daughter had been ejected from the vehicle still in her booster seat. Wife Tonya was sent to the University of Utah Hospital for care. Children Allison and Jada were transported to the Primary Children's Center. Both facilities are located on the University of Utah campus and adjacent to one another. According to sources close to the family, Tonya is now out of the hospital's ICU after undergoing at least one surgery for pelvic and leg injuries. She is currently listed in "fair condition" and is conscious, according to a UUH representative. Further surgery is expected. Said the family source, the two hospitalized children are also currently in stable condition. A representative at the Primary Children's Center would not comment on either child's condition at this time. Daughters Ashley and Braden, who were treated and released from an undisclosed medical facility, have spoken with their mother. First as a post-fight interviewer for UFC's 33 through 40, then later as a play-by-play commentator for worldwide events such as K-1, Rumble On The Rock and World Extreme Cagefighting among others, Bennett became a familiar and trusted face in MMA circles. For the fans, Bennett might best be remembered for MMAWeekly.com, the Web site he co-founded with Scott Peterson, which also generated the much-endeared "Sound Off," a daily Internet radio show that featured breaking news, fighter interviews, and on-the-scene coverage of events. Often broadcasting live via laptop anywhere from weigh-ins to hallways to hotel rooms, Bennett's upbeat attitude and relaxed interviewing style attracted star and up-and-coming MMA athletes alike. In turn, Sound Off became a vital mouthpiece for various fighters. Recently, MMAWeekly.com had been acquired by the Canadian-based media company The Fight Network, and showing his unbridled dedication to the sport, Bennett left his six-year sportscasting position at the NBC affiliate in Santa Barbara/San Luis Obispo to devote himself full-time to his passion. Bennett and his family moved from central California back to his home state of Utah earlier this year. The Fight Network officially announced Bennett had joined their team in May as its News Director, although he had already been working with the outlet for over a year. In his new position as "the face and voice" of the network, Bennett provided on-camera pre- and post-fight coverage for various MMA and boxing events, including last Saturday's UFC 60 (which he covered with Randy Couture) and May 6's De La Hoya vs. Mayorga event. Bennett had also provided voice-over commentary for various foreign events broadcasted by the network, including Brazil's Jungle Fight. Bennett was to have covered this Saturday's Corrales vs. Castillo III event. "He could have been a sports anchor, an announcer for football, basketball, or any number of sports. He was of that caliber. He chose to work in MMA. We will never find anyone like him," said TFN Vice-President of Programming and Production Brian Sobie. MMAWeekly.com has opened an online account for those wishing to make donations to the Bennett family at http://www.mmaweekly.com/bennettfund.html The Fight Network will also be announcing a trust fund for the family in the next few days. |
| Our prayers and deepest condolences go out to Ryan's family and friends. |
| Friday - June 2, 2006 |
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Lindland, Newton, Inoki, and Coleman Join As League Coaches By Loretta Hunt Photos Courtesy of the International Fight League/April Pishna ATLANTIC CITY, June 2 -- Weigh-ins for tomorrow night's International Fight League's "Legends Championship 2006" Finals event, the culmination of a four-team tournament that began on April 29, yielded a bit more than the "numbers" today. In addition to the weights of the 20 athletes that will compete live from Trump Taj Mahal (and will be seen the next night on the FOX Sports Network in a one-hour special), the IFL had a plethora of numbers to throw into the public arena this evening.
Announced to begin in September and end in December, the "World Team Championship" proposes an eight-team tournament utilizing the four teams previously featured in the IFL's first two events. Joining these four teams will be Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt Lindland's Wolf Pack, Canadian and former UFC champion Carlo's Newton's "Dragons," along with yet-to-be-named teams led by Japanese pro-wrestling legend Antonio Inoki and Hammer House, UFC, and PRIDE champion Mark Coleman.
Also revealed, Renzo Gracie and Pat Miletich will square-off in a true superfight at one of the two events the IFL announced it will hold in September. A weight for the bout was not specified, although word from Miletich himself indicates the iconic pair will meet at a catch-weight around 180 pounds. No dates or venues have been announced for these proposed shows.
"Legends Championship 2006" Finals Official Weigh-in Results (In bout order) Superfights Travis Doerge (Tiger Sharks, 167 lbs) vs. Ben Uker (Silverbacks, 170.5 lbs) Erik Owings (Pitbulls, 155.5 lbs) vs. Chris Horodecki (Anacondas, 155.5 lbs) Jay Hieron (Anacondas, 170 lbs) vs. Jake Ellenberger (Silverbacks, 171 lbs) Alex Schoenauer (Anacondas, 202 lbs) vs. Jamal Patterson (Pitbulls, 206 lbs) Wes Sims (248 lbs) vs. Daniel Gracie (231 lbs) Pat Miletich's Silverbacks vs. Maurice Smith's Tiger Sharks Lightweight: Bart Palaszewski (156 lbs) vs. Steve Bruno (156 lbs) Welterweight: Rory Markham (170 lbs) vs. Brad Blackburn (170 lbs) Middleweight: Ryan McGivern (185 lbs) vs. Dennis Hallman (184 lbs) Light Heavyweight: Mike Ciesnolevicz (206 lbs) vs. Reese Andy (202 lbs) Heavyweight: Travis Wiuff (229 lbs) vs. Devin Cole (240 lbs) |
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New York Native Takes on 14-0 Ellenberger By Derek Callahan Jay Hieron may have been as surprised as everyone else was when Georges St. Pierre stopped him in the first round of their UFC 48 fight, because nobody knew what type of dynamo St. Pierre was on his way to becoming. After the loss to St. Pierre, Hieron struck right back with a quick TKO win over rugged Hawaiian Ronald Jhun. He put together a little streak and found himself back in the UFC, losing to Jonathan Goulet when the doctor stopped their bout midway through the third round. He's 0-2 in the UFC, and 8-2 overall. "I put my heart and soul into the fight," says Hieron on his latest Octagon appearance. "But after, I realized I needed guidance." That need for guidance led him to manager Monte Cox, and a slight switch in direction for the former Hofstra wrestler's career. As an alternate on the Anacondas for the inaugural International Fight League show, Hieron saw firsthand why they weren't able to get by Pat Miletich and his Silverbacks. "The Miletich team has it together and it definitely makes a difference," says Hieron, who watched his team fall 4-1 in match-up competition. "We didn't get together as a team that much. We live in different parts of the nation, so it was hard to get on the same training regimen." If they ever do though, Hieron sees a positive future for the Anacondas, starting with the ability of their coach, Bas Rutten. "Bas is incredible," he begins. "He's been in the game for a long time. He has a lot of different little tricks he does." Despite the fact that his team fell short against the Silverbacks, Hieron still likes the idea of fighting as part of a group. "My whole life [I wrestled] and there was individual as much as team stuff," he says. Moving from New York to train in Las Vegas with the likes of fellow Anacondas Mike Pyle and Alex Schoenauer, Hieron is keen on shaking up his training routine in order to keep his repertoire of techniques and tricks fresh. Although he likes best to take the role of student right after a bout, "when I like to focus on learning new things," this time he expanded his horizons while training to fight Jake Ellenberger (14-0) at the IFL's second event this Saturday. "I like working with a lot of different people. You've got to be like a sponge, the more you learn the better. I've got a great group," says Hieron. For three recent weeks in Utah, his group included Jeremy Horn, Joe Riggs and Joe Stevenson among others. His reason for going to Utah is the hope that his chances in the fight will go up with the state's altitude. "I got off the plane and I was wheezing a little bit," jokes Hieron. "I came in already in shape. If you're coming in out of shape I'm sure it would effect you worse." Having trained accordingly in case he was called to fight in the first IFL, these weeks of preparation are more of an extension of his previous training camp. "I was in shape for that fight," he says. Looking to improve his stamina for this bout more than others, Hieron turned up his heart rate. "I changed up a little bit, doing a lot more cardio. I'm ready to come out and show my skills," he says. This is all thanks, in part, to the new commodity in MMA, trainer Billy Rush. "He's got it down to a science. He knows how the body works, he understands the body," says Hieron. The improved cardio is a welcome addition to the enthusiasm that he brings to the Ellenberger fight. "I'm excited to fight him. I want to be the first to put a blemish on his record," says Hieron. A blemish on Ellenberger's record is a notch in the belt that Hieron, curiously enough, isn't necessarily seeking. "It's tougher for me now because I know I can make money at it, it just takes time," says Hieron. The goal for the fighters who toil in the middle -- the free agents who find themselves around the top 15 to 20 -- is a living. This is one of the main reasons why Hieron, a UFC veteran, is willing to cross over to a show that is projected to be stiff competition for the UFC. "Of course I've thought about it," says Hieron. "I'm a free agent, I didn't have any fights coming up. They offered me good money so I jumped on it." The show will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net which to Hieron means that the "bottom line is it's on TV anyway so I'm gonna get exposure." As a guy that's been in the Octagon, "I don't want to say anything negative about the UFC [because] I love the UFC," he says. He's explicit to explain however, that it's his livelihood. The IFL came through against skepticism though when they put on a well-made show with their first try. "I was pretty surprised how they did it. Sometimes first show people tank, but the sky's the limit," says Hieron. "I think it's great, a different look and now is a great time to make it work because MMA is so big right now." The UFC has exploded with success, and in turn, indirectly bred their own competition. For someone like Hieron who is talented enough to make a living at the sport, and eager to strike while the iron is hot, it isn't a game of waiting. For Hieron, the effort put forth is too great to be wasted with excessive patience. "I get up every morning and bust my ass, to proceed in the game because I believe in myself," he says. "But making money would not be a bad thing." |
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By Jim Genia When: June 3rd. Where: Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City. What: the seventh installment of the Mixed Fighting Championship. The Red Devil Fight Team, the Bulldozer Fight Club, the Abe Ani Combat Club - it's time once again for a slew of international fighters from Russia and Japan to square off against some of the East Coast's toughest warriors. And with the welterweight belt up for grabs, and two female bouts on the card, MFC 7 promises to provide a night of action. Here's a look at some of the fighters: Eddie Alvarez - Fight Factory He's the MFC's undefeated superstar, and he brings with him a strong wrestling-base, some good hands and a legion of fans. On June 3rd, Fight Factory's Eddie Alvarez steps up his level of competition when he takes on the hard-punching UFC vet Derrick Noble. Expect both men to let their fists fly in what is guaranteed to be an exciting fight. Chris Ligouri - Rhino Fight Team Known for some epic battles in the ring, local stud Chris Ligouri returns to the MFC after a tapping out to a Jay Jack kneebar in what was one of the biggest upsets at the last show. Standing in the way of his redemption: Team Red Devil's Eric Oganov, a Russian fighter with a penchant for armbars. Will Ligouri fall prey to another submission? Tara Larosa - Northwest Elite At MFC 6, Tara Larosa's battle with Roxanne Modaferri (the promotion's first female MMA bout) stole the show. Now she's back to take on one of Japan's best in judoka Hitomi Akano - a match-up that will put her strong boxing and grappling game to the test. Kaream Ellington - South Bronx Fight Team A kickboxer well-versed in jiu-jitsu. That's the best way to describe IFC-vet Kaream Ellington, who returns to pro MMA after some impressive wins in the underground fighting circuit. Squaring off against Pride, UFC and Rings veteran Kenichi Yamamoto, Ellington will have his hands full in terms of fending off subs, but there's no question he'll be feeding his Japanese opponent a steady diet of strikes once the ref says 'Fight!' Eric Tavares - Team Edson Carvalho The dust has barely even settled from Eric Tavares' last scrap (a quick knockout over Jerry Spiegel on May 20th), but the Team Edson Carvalho-rep is stepping up for more. Taking on the experienced Pat O'Malley of Strasser's Freestyle Academy, Tavares should have plenty of opportunities to put his grappling skills to good use. Will those skills keep him from danger long enough to score another knockout? The card as of 5/30: Welterweight Championship: Derrick Noble (Silverbacks) vs. Eddie Alvarez (Fight Factory) Russia vs. USA Card HW: Sergei Kaznovsky (Team Red Devil) vs. Jerome Smith (Americus, GA) WW: Eric Oganov (Team Red Devil) vs. Chris Ligouri (Rhino Fight Team) WW: Joey "Knockdown" Brown (Team Renzo) vs. Vadim Kulchitskiy (Bulldozer Fight Club) LW: Vladimir Zenin (Team Red Devil) vs. Matt Lee (Team Elite) Main Bouts Tara Larosa (Northwest Elite) vs. Hitomi Akano (AACC, Japan) Shanya Bazler (Sioux Falls, SD) vs. Amanda Buckner (Academy of MMA) WW: Stephen Haigh (Fight Factory) vs. "TORAJI" (AACC, Japan) LHW: Kaream Ellington (South Bronx Fight Team) vs. Kenichi Yamamoto (Power of Dream, Japan) MW: Pat O'Malley (Strasser's Freestyle Academy) vs. Eric Tavares (Team Edson Carvalho) HW: Yusuke Masuda (AACC, Japan) vs. Mike Patt (Team Gurgel) |
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By Eduardo Alonso Few fighters on PRIDE's roster can say that they have faced as many tough opponents as Chute Boxe fighter Murilo "Ninja" Rua has. No other fighter on the PRIDE roster can say they have fought in three different weight classes inside an organization which only has four to begin with. Throughout his career, Ninja hasn't faced any easy roads, and has had to test himself against many of MMA's toughest athletes in Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Ricardo Arona, Dan Henderson, Mario Sperry, Paulo Filho, and Kevin Randleman, to name a few. Getting ready for a new challenge, this time things won't be different for the older fighting Rua brother, for in the opposite corner will be Denis Kang, another serious candidate for this year's PRIDE Bushido "Survival" Welterweight Grand Prix title. Often found in the middle of controversial decisions, and coming off a sound loss to rival Brazilian Paulo Filho, Rua knows this is a crucial time in his career. With all that in mind, the Chute Boxe representative has trained as hard as ever, and shared some words on the fight with Full Contact Fighter in the airport, right before he boarded a plane to Japan. FCF: Your last fight in PRIDE Bushido was against Paulo Filho from Brazilian Top Team, and you ended up losing a judges' decision in a fight where you didn't seem to find your game. What did you think of your performance after watching the tape? Murilo Rua: I thought I didn't manage to utilize my game in the fight, and to be honest, I didn't fight well, man. I think I didn't do anything that I thought I would do in the fight, and I really didn't fight well. FCF: That was your first fight at the 83 kg (under 183 lbs) weight class, and I know ever since then you have been training very hard. How do you feel about your condition right now, compared to when you went to fight Paulo Filho? MR: I'm feeling much more adapted to the weight now and I think I'll be able to use my game much better than last time. Last time, I had to lose a lot of weight in a short time, but this doesn't mean much now. What matters is that I'm very well prepared now, and I'll try my best to put on a great show for the fans and make it an exciting fight. FCF: Your opponent for this bout will be Denis Kang. What do you think of him as a fighter? MR: He is a tough fighter, but I'm well prepared. He has the type of game that I like as he is an aggressive fighter that comes after his opponent with an open game, which I think will help make it a great fight for the fans. FCF: Even though it's tough to predict anything, what do you expect in this fight? MR: I'm expecting more of a stand-up war. I think the fight will have a lot of stand-up exchanges, and I'll try to knock him out or submit him. Wherever the fight goes, I'll try my best to win. FCF: Besides you and Kang, who do you think are the favorites to take home the belt in this 16-man Bushido Welterweight Grand Prix? MR: There are a lot of great fighters. I think besides myself, Murilo Bustamante, Paulo Filho and Denis Kang are the favorites to win the belt. FCF: Do you feel any special motivation or responsibility fighting in a Grand Prix, compared to a single match, or is it just the same? MR: For me it's about the same. I know that I need a win now, and I'll look for it the whole time. I'm very well trained, feeling good, and as I said, I'll try to finish the fight throughout the whole time, either on the ground or standing up. FCF: Although it is early to tell, how are you feeling in this new weight class? Do you intend to only fight at this weight from now on, or do you think about moving up to the 93kg (under 205 lbs) weight class where you were originally fighting in PRIDE? MR: I intend to keep fighting at 83kg from now on, but if I receive an offer to fight in a different weight class I'll do it, 'cause I'm a professional athlete and I'll fight in any weight class that my team decides. FCF: Speaking of the 93kg weight class, how's your brother Mauricio "Shogun" Rua's recovery after the elbow injury he suffered in his bout against Mark Coleman last February? MR: Mauricio is recovering very well. He is training some Muay Thai already, and surely he will be more than ready for his next fight when it comes. It seems he will fight again in September! FCF: Any final message for your fans? MR: I want to tell the fans that I know I didn't fight well in my last fight, but this time I'll try my best to have a great fight, 'cause I'm very well prepared and if God helps, I'll get the win. |
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By Derek Callahan
A little north though, the New England scene troops on with Mass Destruction 22.5. Many of the prolific teams based out of New England will be represented, but topping off the card is the return to the ring of Kirik Jenness, the 45-year-old gym owner and proprietor of the enduring www.mma.tv. Having not fought since the open-hand days of the first Mass Destruction in 2001, Jenness (1-0) sees his fight against Rob McNeil (4-1) as a chance to -- nothing more, nothing less -- see who's better. FCF: First off, how did you get into the martial arts? How did the MMA crossover occur? Kirik Jenness: I am honored by the questions. Pop and grandpop were excellent wrestlers. Grandpop was team Captain at Lehigh. Pop was second in Pennsylvania in high school, and got married at 18, and stopped competing. I wrestled from ninth grade on, saw a Bruce Lee movie in the Kingdom of Lesotho and started Taekwondo then and there; I think it was '73. Opened up a health club and karate school in '82. Saw UFC 1, and thought it was kind of fixed. Saw UFC 2 and one of the guys at the gym, Dave Roy, had been practicing the moves and he tapped me out I think six times in a few minutes, and I realized pretty much at that moment that this was the advent of the scientific method in martial arts. FCF: Why make the return now? Why the desire to fight? KJ: Just something that came up. Kipp Kollar wanted to do a show in Springfield, Mass and asked if I wanted to compete there in front of my friends and I said "Sure." Then the venue moved and the opponent changed, and now it is time to come on with it. The desire to fight I guess is innate. Pretty much every sport, I get the sense that what they really want to do is rough the other guy up, it just happens in these contrived fashions. Why wouldn't you want to punch a guy? FCF: How is your striking keeping up with your grappling through training? KJ: I am more comfortable standing and striking, by far. I don't really have to think about it. FCF: How do you see McNeil as an opponent? KJ: I should say something like "I will kill him." But the fact is that I respect him, and I don't know what is going to happen, which is why you have the fight. FCF: How has your training changed now that you're preparing for your own fight instead of getting people ready for theirs? KJ: As you get older, priorities change some. It is not simple to make time to train. That said, I own a gym, so if I can't find time to get in condition, then I am a moron. The satisfaction of working and seeing someone else get better, or working and seeing myself get more capable is I guess about the same. FCF: How has MMA been going in Massachusetts since the Boxing Commission lost authority to regulate it last year? Is it going better, worse, the same? KJ: MMA is exploding everywhere from Alaska to China to Massachusetts. The Mass Boxing Commission will be back -- there is money there. In the meantime, all the responsible promoters are using basically the same team, minus those unfortunate individuals who were ignorant about the sport. So for a transitional period, things are strong. |
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Ten Years In, Villasenor Gets Break In PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix By Derek Callahan Photo Courtesy of Dream Stage Entertainment
And that was the last time Villasenor lost in the ring. On June 4, he will take on Ryo Chonan in the first round of his biggest test yet, PRIDE's Survival Welterweight (183 lbs and under) Grand Prix tournament. "I've been keeping my eye on him because you don't know when you're going to clash heads," says Villasenor of his Japanese opponent. "He's a do-or-die type of athlete. I'm going to have to ding him just right on the chin to stop him. I don't see submissions playing a role - he's strong there." Training for MMA over the past ten years, Villasenor -- the King of the Cage middleweight champion known for his heavy hands -- made his first big jump when he left his native Farmington, New Mexico for Greg Jackson's gym in Albuquerque. Even though he trains at a fledgling gym with a wide pool of prospective talent like Diego Sanchez, Villasenor is coming into this tournament as a marked underdog. "We're coming into this tournament with a 21-3 record and people still think I haven't proven myself," he laments. "Just because I come from a not-so-known city we carry the tag of underdog. Our role as a team, we're always the underdog and that is just what motivates us." Motivation that Villasenor doesn't seem to need. For the 30-year-old fighter, the tournament is the shot that every deserving fighter should get at least once throughout their tenure as athletes. "To sum up my career, I'm getting ready to start it. I feel like I'm coming out at the right time," he says. "I don't know how the organization is running but I believe it's a one-shot pony and if I don't perform it's gonna suck. I have to prove I'm a star and worthy to be out there." Even though for Villasenor, "it's the tournament and this tournament only," he has behind him an organization with a track record of supporting it's fighters. Quinton Jackson, Ricco Rodriguez, Joe Stevenson and Paul Buentello are just the beginning of the list of KOTC fighters to have made the leap to success in bigger shows. "Some people make their debut in the UFC or Pride," says Villasenor. "I really believe [King of the Cage has] my best interest at heart. It gives their organization credibility." Part of that credibility is allowing Villasenor to hold onto his title during the tournament. A vacant middleweight belt will only happen if Villasenor finds himself as the last man standing in the tournament, which includes the likes of Phil Baroni, Amar Suloev, Murilo Bustamante and others. Part of what he is most proud of is the independence that Jackson's team has shown in making these strides. Without an official manager, Villasenor is guided by two businessmen that help his team out with out-of-ring issues. "It's pretty exciting that we're getting there ourselves. Depending on the success of this tournament, I may have to get an exclusive manager," he says. It's only one change that VIllasenor hopes will be made after his performance in the tournament. "Hopefully I can go from 14 to eight, then eight to four, and then four to the history books," he says. |
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By Kelsey Mowatt Millenia Jiu-Jitsu fighter John Alessio spoke with FCF this week, only days removed from what some are calling a controversial loss to Diego Sanchez at UFC 60 Saturday night. In a fight that saw only brief moments of any telling action or exchanges, Sanchez was awarded the unanimous decision victory by the judges to raise his unspoiled professional record to 15-0. Sanchez unsuccessfully tried to take down Alessio numerous times in an attempt to implement his renowned ground-and-pound game, in turn reflecting an impressive array of takedown defenses in Alessio's arsenal. The Canadian fighter grinned from ear-to-ear when the final bell sounded Saturday night, truly believing he had pulled off an upset victory over "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 1 Welterweight Champion. "Yeah, I totally thought I won," Alessio says. "I took him completely out of his game plan, avoided all his takedowns and landed some shots. When I heard that a judge had awarded all three rounds to someone I looked to my corner because I knew I had been screwed. I think I had the first two rounds, he got the third for getting my back but he didn't really do anything with that position -- I was the one trying to break his arm." Two judges awarded Sanchez a 29-28 score while another scored it 30-27, giving Sanchez all three rounds. Despite successfully squashing almost all of Sanchez's takedown attempts, Alessio only periodically responded with aggressiveness of his own, occasionally offering some counterstrikes in Sanchez's direction as the New Mexico fighter relentlessly came at him. The brief stand-up exchanges between the two saw Alessio frustrate Sanchez with a crisp left jab that cut the UFC star over his right eye, while Sanchez himself also managed to land. Alessio concedes that it was likely his inability to dominate the stand-up action that cost him the judge's decision. "I would have been more aggressive," Alessio says, revealing what he would have liked to have done differently. "I would have had more urgency. Watching it again at home I think he was ready to get knocked out. His stand-up isn't anything at all; he just ran at me with his hands flailing - when was his aggressiveness effective? That's a big part of wrestling, counter-wrestling, that's the same thing I did against Jason Black, stuffed all his takedowns and controlled the fight, but I guess the judges didn't see it that way." It appeared that many at the Staples Centre for UFC 60 also saw the fight in Alessio's favor, and they voiced it, booing and jeering loudly during the announcement of the judges' decision and then again later when Sanchez spoke with Joe Rogan for his post-fight interview. "I'm really cool with what happened," the now 18-6 Alessio says in response to the crowd's reaction. "They all knew who won. If anything it helped me, I proved that I can hang with the best and everyone saw it. No one gave me a chance before and no one new to the sport really knew who I was. Now they do. I was really happy with the fight; I was celebrating. He spent the night in the hospital and I spent the night in the bar." Controversy aside, Alessio gave one of the UFC's up-and-coming stars all he could handle, and he is eager to step back into the Octagon against whomever the organization deems should be his next opponent, in the second of his current, three fight deal. "I'm just kind of waiting to see what happens," Alessio acknowledges. "I want to get in there as soon as possible; I'd like to fight right away. I'm in shape, didn't get hurt so I'm ready. Anyone in that weight class including B.J. Penn would be great. There's a ton of guys in the welterweight class and I'd like to fight another top guy." Alessio was also quite animated in sharing his thoughts on a possible rematch with Sanchez. "Absolutely I'd fight him again," Alessio says. "I'll knock him out this time, there is not doubt in my mind, but I don't really think they'll want me to re-match, so I'll just have to move on." |
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From DSE/Pride: TOKYO, Japan – South Korean judoka YOON DONG SIK has withdrawn from PRIDE FIGHTING'S upcoming June 4th event, BUSHIDO SURVIVAL due to an injury. GREGORY BOUCHELAGHEM from the French Top will replace him. PAULO FILHO was originally scheduled to fight YOON DONG SIK, but will go up against GREGORY BOUCHELAGHEM instead. BUSHIDO SURVIVAL FIGHTCARD: Welter Weight Tournament: Joey Villasenor (USA) vs. Ryo Chonan (Japan) Makato Takimoto (Japan) vs. Gegard Mousasi (Armenia) Denis Kang (Korea) vs. Murilo Ninja (Brazil) Akihiro Gono (Japan) vs. Hector Lombard (Cuba) Kazuo Misaki (Japan) vs. Phil Baroni (USA) Murilo Bustamante (Brazil) vs. Amar Suleov (Russia) Paulo Filho (Brazil) vs. Gregory Bouchelaghem (France) Light Weight Matches: Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (Japan) vs. Olaf Alfonso (Mexico) Mitsuhiro Ishida (Japan) vs. Marcus Aurelio (Brazil) Tatsuya Kawajiri (Japan) vs. Charles "Krazy Horse" Bennett (USA) Jason Black (USA) vs. Eoh Won Jin (Korea) * Fight Card and Participants Subject to Change. ** For additional replay times, please contact your pay per view provider or pridefc.com PRIDE FIGHTING'S BUSHIDO SURVIVAL '06 is the opening round of an exclusive 16-man welterweight tournament, which will take place June 4th from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. The tournament will span three events, with the subsequent event dates to be announced soon. BUSHIDO SURVIVAL '06 is scheduled to debut on North American pay-per-view on Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 10:00pm (EST), 7:00pm (PST). BUSHIDO SURVIVAL '06 will take place from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan and is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view via iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH NETWORK, UrbanXtra, TVN1, VU!, and Viewer's Choice Canada. North American Pay-Per-View Schedule: PPV Premiere Date: Sunday, June 4th, 2006 Premiere Time: 7:00 pm PST, 10:00 pm EST Count Down Show: 6:30 pm PST, 9:30 pm EST BUSHIDO SURVIVAL '06 will be available at a rate of $29.95 |
| Saturday - June 3, 2006 |
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Welterweight Grand Prix and Single Matches Await By Eduardo Alonso It can truly be said that MMA fans are becoming, thankfully, spoiled in a good sense. PRIDE has been putting on one intriguing Grand Prix after another and PRIDE Bushido has become one of the more captivating shows as of late, with maybe the most evenly-matched and exciting Grand Prixs on the scene. This year is no exception, as Dream Stage Entertainment presents a "new and improved" version of their Welterweight [under 83 kg/183 lbs] Grand Prix with 15 of some of the best fighters in the world competing for the belt and plenty of professional prestige. 15 that is, because defending champion Dan Henderson gets a bye in the first round and watches with the rest of us as some competitive match-ups unfold this Sunday. The level of talent this year is clearly recognizable, and many tough fighters have a legit shot at the title, such as current favorite Paulo Filho, last year's runner up Murilo Bustamante, well-rounded and explosive Canadian Denis Kang, experienced Chute Boxe fighter Murilo "Ninja" Rua, heavy hitter Phil Baroni, and even some question marks and dark horses like Cuban Hector Lombard, American Joey Villasenor, and Japanese Kazuo Misaki, who if he can't win it all, will certainly add fun to the mix. If that list were not enough, some single bouts also add to the excitement in the first-ever PRIDE Bushido to be held in the Saitama Super Arena, in Tokyo, Japan. With names such as Tatsuya Kawajiri, Marcus Aurelio, Hayato Sakurai and the debut of Jason Black, it may be "cliche" to say, but the real winners are the fans, as another exciting night of fights is ahead. FCF took the time to bring you a small analysis of each fight, while we await the real action around the corner. PRIDE Bushido 11 Single Matches: Jason Black vs. Eoh Won Jin – American Miletich Fighting Systems Elite fighter, Jason Black has the potential to become a future solid PRIDE contender in his weight class, as his MMA record shows more than twenty wins counting amateur and professional bouts, and victories against the likes of John Alessio, Ivan Menjivar and other solid competitors. An experienced, well-rounded wrestler with the support of a great team, Black knows this opportunity is tailor-made against a much less experienced and somewhat one-dimensional fighter in Korean Eoh Won Jin. With good wrestling skills and courage, Won Jin can't offer much more at this point. It's known that PRIDE values its devloping Korean market, therefore the need to search for new Korean fighters is inevitable. However, Eoh might not be the one to last long, much less present a serious threat to Black, who will likely understand the size of this opportunity and take advantage of it. Mitsushiro Ishida vs. Marcus Aurelio - Currently under PRIDE's heavy spotlight, Brazilian American Top Team fighter Marcus Aurelio will have a world of pressure on his shoulders when he steps into the ring to face Japanese fighter Mistushiro Ishida. The reason is that after his upset submission win over superstar and current PRIDE lightweight champion Takanori Gomi, Aurelio became an instant candidate for a title shot in a rematch, and all of the sudden has the potential to become on of the show's stars from now on. However, to achieve those goals, Aurelio can't allow any unpleasant surprises in his bout against Ishida, as a loss could mean a major setback in this turning point of his career, and herein lies the pressure. his Japanese opponent for this bout is no pushover at all, and comes to the ring with solid skills. Clearly Aurelio's ground skills and subsequent record is more impressive with wins against top notch opponents. However, Ishida won't be easy to submit by any means, has better striking skills and can carry the fight to a judges' decision win if the Brazilian relaxes too much or can't find the right rhythm. Being stronger physically, Aurelio is still the favorite, but this fight can truly go either way - an upset could be in the cards. Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Charles Bennett – Former Japanese Shooto superstar Tatsuya Kawajiri has been trying to claim the same level of fame he got in the traditional minor promotion on the big stage of PRIDE, and he knows this is a key opportunity for him as he's faced losses only to some of the top names in his weight class. PRIDE knows that he has talent and skills to fill an important role in the show, not to mention the obvious fact that he is Japanese, so giving him a fight with Charles Bennett is giving him a good opportunity to shine again, against a marketable and somewhat credible opponent, in what could be also an exciting fight. Bennett has heavy hands, good boxing skills and a lot of charisma. However, as far as things go in a fight with Kawajiri, who has good takedowns and better ground skills, as well as a lot of power at this weight, he will most likely end up on the receiving end of a submission or TKO. Hayato Sakurai vs. Olaf Alfonso - Japanese superstar and seasoned veteran Hayato "Mach" Sakurai brings plenty of skills, aggressiviness and experience everytime he steps into the ring. Having fought in many shows all over the globe such as the UFC, Shooto and even PRIDE a number of times, Sakurai is easily a fan favorite who engages in any battle and faces all the top opponents he needs to face, throwing his arsenal of stand-up skills against his opponents. As with all brave and skilled fighters, Sakurai -- who's not a kid anymore and has battled many injuries throughout his career -- deserves a break every now and then. It seems the charismatic Mexican fighter Olaf Alfonso is this much deserved reprieve, as there's no indication whatsoever in Alfonso's career that he can present a challenge to "Mach," who will mostly likely win by KO with little effort, unless we are to see one of the biggest upsets in PRIDE's history. PRIDE Bushido "Survival" 2006 Welterweight GP First Round Matches: Murilo Bustamante vs. Amar Suloev - This is one of the matches in the Grand Prix where fans easily recognize and know plenty about both fighters. Brazilian Top Team ground wizard Murilo Bustamante has proved throughout his career that he can not only hang with the "top dogs" in many weight classes, but that he can also beat them. A former UFC champion and runner-up in a somewhat close and controversial bout with Dan Henderson in last year's PRIDE Bushido Welterweight Grand Prix, Bustamante wields a nice combination of jiu-jitsu and boxing skills, along with decent wrestling and great composure. His main weakness could be his lack of kicks, and lack of low kick defense, which Armenian fighter Amar Suloev, being the very good kickboxer he is, certainly can and will try to exploit. However, this problem can be compensated with Bustamante's considerable reach advantage over Suloev, his sharp jabs, and straight right hand punches, which can serve as the perfect counter to Suleov's low kicks and lead way to the Brazilian imposing his game. On the ground, Suloev can't hang with Bustamante, and will most likely be submitted, so unless he manages to find the right distance early on and rock his opponent with strikes, a likely scenario suggests the BTT representative might advance to the second round, wherethings can get rougher. Still it'll be an interesting fight to watch unfold, as both are two very experienced gamers. Paulo Filho vs. Gregory Bouchelaghem - Considered by many the biggest favorite to win this Grand Prix after his dominant win over rival Murilo "Ninja" Rua and submission win over Amar Suloev, Brazilian Top Team standout Paulo Filho was originally set to face Korean judo player Yoon Dong Sik. As Dong Sik got injured recently, PRIDE had to replace him with French fighter Gregory Bouchelaghem, and as funny as it may seem, fans were the winners here - not that the French fighter can likely pull off an upset and defeat Filho, but he is surely a tougher task than the Korean, who had Filho comfortable in not having to care about strikes which are the weakness in his game. Filho has amazing power and strength, awesome takedown skills, an even better and extremely tight ground game, and can even throw some punches every now and then. His height and reach may be his biggest problem, and curiously, Bouchelaghem is a very tall fighter for this weight class, giving him a flying knee chance of some kind during the match. Make no mistake, however, coming in as a late replacement and likely not preparing properly, Bouchelaghem will likely get submitted early in the first round after he is unable stop Filho's takedowns. On the ground, the Frenchman will be easy prey for judo and jiu-jitsu black belt Filho, who will be one of the key figures of this Grand Prix. Ryo Chonan vs. Joey Villasenor - In a Grand Prix card filled with stars of the sport, this bout may be one of the less interesting ones for most of the fans. However, when we look further down the road, apart from what happens in the finals of the Grand Prix, this fight can mean a world to both contestants. For Japanese fighter Ryo Chonan, this may be a defining moment in his role with PRIDE, while for American Joey Villasenor, it can be a perfect first step into a new and bigger career. Chonan started his PRIDE appearances after an interesting run in Deep, a minor Japanese promotion, which included a win over superstar Hayato Sakurai. While in PRIDE, Chonan surprised many in surpassing his inital role of a regular fighter on the promotion's stellar roster, and pulled off a series of upsets which included Carlos Newton and Anderson Silva, and giving hope that he could be a new Japanese hero for the show. However, as of late, he has been falling short in facing top opposition, and a loss here in the first round of the Grand Prix could very well turn Chonan into a gatekeeper and nothing more. Unfortunately for him, heavyhanded Villasenor seems as bad a match-up as any, and an awkward submission that plays to the support of the local crowd may be his only resort to win. On the other hand, for the American KOTC Champion, this is likely a perfect start in a big organization, facing a regarded opponent that he probably can beat. Villasenor will likely be able to control the game in most areas against Chonan, and work his game towards either a TKO or a judges' decision victory. The question mark for Villasenor is how he will be able to react once hitting the big stage, facing better opposition than he has of late. Makoto Takimoto vs. Gerard Mousasi - Japanese judo player Makoto Takimoto is once again utilizing his fame in his home country, and using it to help hype the show and hopefully bring even more new fans to the already popular PRIDE in its effort to finally make Bushido, their lighter weight show, as big a hit as its main one. Unfortunately for him, this is likely as much as Takimoto can bring to the scene. Although he has been showing evolution, he seems to still lack the y strength, the striking skills and a general adaptation to the MMA game. His opponent, Armenian Gerard Mousasi, based out of Holland, comes in with much more ring experience, impressive striking skills and the toughness that is usually common in fighters from the eastern European block. Coming off five straight wins, including two in the Japanese Deep promotion, Mousasi has been identified as the favorite with a likely scenario being a knockout or TKO win. If Takimoto is able to pull off an upset it would be most likely by submission, however, he hasn't shown anything as of now to make this believable at this point. Sharing the same situation as Villasenor, but with an even easier start, Mousasi will most likely benefit from this match in developing a PRIDE Bushido career, despite the fact that he will probably be no match for more seasoned and well-rounded fighters in this Grand Prix, such as Murilo Bustamante, Dan Henderson, Paulo Filho, Denis Kang or Murilo "Ninja" Rua. Akihiro Gono vs. Hector Lombard – A Cuban judo player based out of Australia, Hector Lombard has been billed as the "dark horse" of this tournament. Reported as an amazing natural talent for fighting, with high caliber judo credentials that include Olympic Games participation and several titles, and owner of impressive raw power and newfound obxing skills, he may very well be the next big thing in PRIDE's welterweight division. Whether he can develop and be a threat to take the belt when it's all said and done is to be seen, but his first bout against seasoned veteran Akihiro Gono may be a perfect test to start of his run. Gono comes into the fight more experienced, composed, calm and well-rounded. However, his lack of particular greatness in any area, and also his lack of raw power -- where Lombard seems to excel -- may be his downfall in this match-up. However, he may use a good strategy to ride out a judges' decision, mostly if Lombard isn't as spetacular as he is reported to be, since Gono is most likely his toughest opponent to date. Soon we will know, but this is an very interesting and intriguing bout, that can have a serious impact on the analysis for the second round of the Grand Prix. Denis Kang vs. Murilo "Ninja" Rua - This is likely the most even, intriguing and interesting fight of the first round of PRIDE Bushido 2006 Weltwerweight Grand Prix, and has the potential to be the most exciting one as well. Chute Boxe's seasoned veteran from Brazil, Murilo "Ninja" Rua comes in for his thirteenth apperance in PRIDE, this being the second in the PRIDE Bushido series. Aggressive, with good striking and underated ground skills, as well as amazing cardio, Ninja is no pushover, having fought some of the toughest fighters the 93kg weight class had to offer, such as Quinton Jackson, Ricardo Arona, Kevin Randleman and Dan Henderson. Presenting a tough challenge to all of them, and often seeing himself in the middle of controversial judges' decision, Rua dropped weight to the 83kg class, like Dan Henderson also did previously. Rua had to face the tough task of fighting Paulo Filho right away, which left people with a bad impression, but likely his bout with Kang will prove that it was no measure of his skills and chances in this new weight class. Ninja is reported to be now much better adapted at the new weight, with more power than in his last fight along with his usually great cardio, which may be a big factor in the bout. A Canadian of Korean heritage, fighter Denis Kang has also been having a solid career with impressive skills, sporting 15-fight undefeated streak that give him more than the needed credentials to be in this Grand Prix. As a matter of fact, Kang should have been last in year's edition, and it's a shame that either Ninja or Kang will have to leave after the first round, as matched up against different opposition, both could have likely advanced onto the second round. With very good striking skills, solid ground skills, and being very explosive and fast, Kang has the tools to make this a every exciting fight, and is considered the favorite by many. However, althoug Kang's run is impressive, he hasn't faced the level of opposition that his Chute Boxe opponent has, with Andrei Semenov being maybe his toughest opponent yet, and their dual fights went the distance . Also, Kang possibly lacks the power to score an early knockout standing up against a guy that has been taking bombs from heavy strikers throughout his career. With Ninja's ground skills mostly underrated, it's not likely either that the Canadian can pull a submission off where Ricardo Arona, Mario Sperry and Paulo Filho couldn't. All that gives a slight edge to the Brazilian, who can win a judges' decision in a very even, and most certainly exciting bout with all the potential to be the fight of the night! Phil Baroni vs. Kazuo Misaki - Living what seems to be the best leg of his career, American fighter Phil Baroni has found a home in the PRIDE Bushido promotion, where he has been having more success than ever before. With knockout power, good wrestling skills and lots of physical strength, Baroni can be a threat to any fighter in the first minutes of a bout, as his extremely quick KO of Yuki Kondo proved in the last PRIDE Bushido. However, his cardio is still a big question mark and has failed him many times throughout his career. Although he comes in as one of the favorites for the later stages in the Grand Prix, Baroni's first bout is not a keen one, as styles makes fights. Experienced and well-rounded, Japanese fighter Kazuo Misaki may not be flashy or have the charisma of one of the Japanese stars in the show, however, he is one of the more solid fighters the country has to offer in PRIDE's welterweight class as of now. With good reach, composure, and decent boxing and ground skills, one thing that he won't lack is cardio. Although he doesn't seem to have the power to compete with Baroni early on, he has faced some very tough opponents and showed he belongs in there, and he has the smarts and experience to ride the clock early on and gear it up as the fight progresses, exploiting his opponent's weaknesses. Regardless, this is a bout with many different scenarios possible, and will certainly be very entertaining, either with a Baroni KO early, or a Misaki TKO or judges' decision later in. |
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By Eduardo Alonso When it's all said and done, Brazilian Top Team great Murilo Bustamante will surely be considered one of the legends of our sport due to his sharp technique, great composure, bravery and list of impressive accomplishments, from his many jiu-jitsu titles to his UFC Middleweight Championship title. One belt is missing in his collection though, and like many MMA greats, Bustamante simply refuses to let age affect his performance in his pursuit of the missing piece - a PRIDE Championship belt. Coming very close last year as a runner-up in the title bout against Dan Henderson, Bustamante shows his greatness once again in engaging battle in a Grand Prix that might be considered tougher than its prior version. As a warrior ready to depart for battle, FCF caught up with the Brazilian in the airport just minutes before his flight for Japan. FCF: Let's start with last year's PRIDE Bushido Welterweight Grand Prix [up to 83 kg/183 lbs], where you ended as the runner-up. When the final match against Dan Henderson was over, before the judges' decision was announced, did you think you were going to be awarded the win, or did you think they would give the decision to Henderson? Murilo Bustamante: Well, I thought I did well in the fight and that I could have won, but I wasn't sure because I didn't see the fight. After I saw the fight, then I was absolutely sure I had won the bout. FCF: What did you think of that decision? Some people thought you won that fight. Watching it again, what would you have done differently to get the nod from the judges? MB: I think I paid the price because of my impetus, you know. I fought to finish the fight, to submit or KO until the very end. I was winning the fight well into the first round and could have remained in the lead in the second round, but instead I kept going forward and received a blow that kind of made the fight even. What I would do differently is what my corner was telling me to do, to avoid the "in fight" and control the bout. Instead I kept going forward trying to finish the bout - I don't think it was a mistake because this is my way of fighting, but to not leave any room for doubts regarding the result of the fight, I would control the ending of the fight, like the last three minutes. FCF: Having fought in last year's Welterweight Grand Prix, having had some great performances, and having should have won the title according to some, where do you find motivation to enter this year's Grand Prix facing so many tough challenges instead of opting for the easier path of doing just single bouts from now on? MB: Man, this is my life, this is what I enjoy doing. I already had this question asked and I even found it funny that people might have thought I would lose my motivation. But I even understand, it's kind of obvious. Instead of losing my motivation I got angry, wanting to fight more. I want to fight again, to fight for the belt again, to fight Dan Henderson again, fight against the best in the weight class as long as I can, and when I can't anymore, I'll retire. FCF: This year the PRIDE Bushido Welterweight Grand Prix features 16 fighters instead of 8 like last year, and lots of new names are taking part in the hunt for the belt. Do you expect a tougher tournament this year? And what fighters do you think are the main favorites to win it all? MB: I think it's a tougher tournament this year with more fighters, more fights, and there are some new fighters in the tournament that weren't there last year like Denis Kang, Murilo "Ninja" [Rua] and Paulo Filho. In my opinion the biggest favorite is Paulo Filho. Denis Kang and Murilo Ninja are also two favorites, as well as Amar Suloev and Phil Baroni, who's a fighter that can provide a lot of trouble and come far in the tournament. As far as the Japanese fighters go, I don't see any that can become the champion, but I see some that can present some trouble, like Akihiro Gono, Ryo Chonan and Makoto Takimoto. However, once again, I don't believe any of the Japanese can become the champion of the Grand Prix. FCF: In the first round you will be facing experienced fighter Amar Suloev, who's a very good striker. Even though you are a jiu-jitsu master, you also show some very good boxing skills in your fights. Do you intend to trade some strikes with him as well? MB: I'll fight as I always do. I'm ready to fight standing up or on the ground - I'll wait to see what he will present me. If he gives me opportunity, I'll try to land my punches, but if he allows, of course I'll take him down. My goal is always to go to the ground, but not desperately, always in the right moment, and that's why I need to have a good performance and good training in the stand-up, and that's what I do. FCF: You have suffered a number of times with injuries right before your matches, like when you fought Matt Lindland for the UFC belt once. How was your preparation this time? Are going into the fight 100% healthy? MB: I'll tell you that I'm in shape, but I suffered a lot through my training with injuries as well, some that I'm still carrying, but I managed to complete my training. Physically I think I'm not 100%, but for my first fight of the year I think I'm in much better condition than usual. FCF: Although this question has been asked a million times, it's always worth asking. What will happen if you and teammate Paulo Filho both reach the finals of the Grand Prix? MB: Well, we'll have to fight, there's no other way, you know (Laughs). Paulo is like a younger brother to me, I've known him since he was 10 years old, and he is one of my best friends in the academy. But we know we have to be professionals and if we reach the final, we have to fight. We can only fight if we reach the final bout of the tournament, so imagine two Brazilian Top Team fighters in the final? We will be laughing with joy, and we will do our work! Still, it's such a long way until we get to that point, we're not even concerned about that right now. FCF: No matter what happens in the Grand Prix, do you already have a plan on what you will do for the rest of 2006 and the year 2007? Do you intend on fighting in the USA again, competing often, or to take some vacation time? MB: Well, I have a desire to fight in the USA again, but I didn't receive any offers yet, and in short terms my goal is the Grand Prix, of course. Let's see what will happen in my fight, and if things go according to plan, my focus will be all on the Grand Prix. I had as a goal for myself to do at least four fights per year in 2006 and 2007. FCF: Any final message for your fans? MB: The only thing I can say is that I want to thank all for the kindness and care that I received after my bout with Dan Henderson last December 31. I was impressed with the support and care from even the American fans, and even fans of Dan Henderson, saying good things about my performance, and this gives me only motivation to continue fighting, so I want to thank you and say that I'll always do my best for the MMA fans, not only from Brazil but from any nation. |
| Sunday - June 4, 2006 |
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Palaszewski, Markham, and McGivern Clinch Team Championship for Midwest Squad By Derek Callahan - Photos by Tom DeFazio ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey, June 3---The International Fight League wrapped up their inaugural tournament tonight at the Trump Taj Mahal with ten fights that saw no submissions, but plenty of action. Pat Miletich and his Silverbacks took the team title in a 3-2 win over Maurice Smith's Tiger Sharks that was, in effect, not nearly as close as it seems. The Silverbacks swept the first three fights, then dropped the last two, clinching their title before the trouble began. It was all preceded though by five individual match-ups.
Possibly the new baby-faced assassin (Josh Barnett has grown up) in MMA, Canadian Chris Horodecki had a tough task in the form of fellow newcomer, the 1-0 Erik Owings. Coming off of an impressive debut in which he beat Justin Jones at the first IFL, 26-year-old Owings looked to be the favorite against an 18-year-old Horodecki. Now 5-0, Horodecki had other ideas. Early in the fight he landed a one-two that transitioned into a clinch. Obviously not afraid to go toe-to-toe early on with the Renzo Gracie brown belt, Horodecki saw his shot to take it to the mat when Owings tossed a high kick his way. Making it quickly to his feet, Owings opted back into a clinch where he muscled for a toss, and Horodecki kneed at his legs. Some wild exchanges followed a separation and restart by the referee, with Owings eventually pulling guard. Trying the aerial tricks early on made it seem as if Owings didn't want to try to shoot in, and the two were soon back on their feet. Although outmatched in the Muay Thai realm, Owings traded willingly with Horodecki, who mixed up an attack that saw him kick to the body, then raise up for a fight-ending kick to the head. The end came so near to the close of the first round that not only did the bell ring, but the referee walked away from the action, taking an unacceptable moment to notice the sanguine Owings. In the third bout of the night, previously undefeated Jake Ellenberger (14-1) looked unsure of himself against Jay Hieron (9-2). A unanimous decision that saw all three judges give the Anaconda's alternate the sweep, Hieron stuck with his wrestling throughout the fight. Ellenberger's high point was in the third round when he knocked Hieron down with a right hand; he was quickly taken back down though, where Hieron worked in his guard. The Las Vegas-based welterweight earned a clear decision, but 14 wins since 2005 say that Ellenberger fought well under his potential. The Alex Schoenauer (11-5) fight quickly became a Jamal Patterson (2-0) fight early on. Patterson started the fight with a double-leg takedown and followed up by wrenching Schoenauer's head into a guillotine choke. It didn't work the first time, but after some strikes in Schoenauer's guard, Patterson again secured a guillotine and this time made it work. With two straight wins over two bigger name opponents, light heavyweight Patterson has officially arrived. Whether or not he's capable of continuing as impressively, fans can look forward to seeing. He has been after all, impressive so far. Rounding out the individual fights of the night was Wes Sims (11-8-1) in a rematch with Daniel Gracie (4-1-1). The first fight was a draw, and judging form this fight it's a wonder as to how. Wes Sims is an unpredictable and entertaining fighter to watch, but this fight was all Gracie. Gracie started the fight off chopping at the front leg of Sims, then getting in close with a clinch. It was a sharp idea, as he quickly got to side control after taking Sims to the mat. He turned his side control into a full mount, then allowed Sims to turn his back. Issues of respect aside, one doesn't turn their back to Gracie. He locked in both hooks and went for the obvious rear-naked choke. A stand up by Sims didn't shake the Brazilian, nor did his falling into the ropes. Sims flailed against the ropes but Gracie held on, and choked Sims out at 2:42 of round one. In the team finals, Silverback Bart Palaszewski (25-7) came into the lightweight bout with an injured hand, and late replacement Steve Bruno (5-3) was feeling under the weather. They each had a little something working against them, but Palaszewski took advantage, landing a left hook at 1:48 of the first round that crumpled Bruno, calling a halt to the fight.
Dennis Hallman (38-12-2) looked lethargic against Ryan McGivern (8-1) in their middleweight pairing. His best moment of the fight was the first one, when he came out and threw an immediate right hand that knocked McGivern down. After taking his back though, it was all downhill from there. Throughout the three-round duration, McGivern landed small shots in the clinch that eventually added up well. The proof was in Hallman's face, which was marked up by the close of his three-round unanimous decision loss. This was the clincher for the Silverbacks, who took an unbeatable 3-0 lead. With the win they became the first team champions in the IFL. The second-to-last bout of the night wasn't a crowd pleaser, but did feature two undefeated fighters. Mike Ciesnolevicz (8-1) dropped a split decision to Reece Andy (3-0), in a bout that saw both men secure takedowns. Andy may have won his two judges over with a textbook slam that had the Silverback's Ciesnolevicz hanging on for a ride. Both were evenly matched in a fight that could have gone either way. The final fight of the card was a venerable wrestling clinic put on by both Devin Cole (7-1) and Travis Wiuff (41-9). Weight definitely looked to have played a factor in this bout as the Tiger Shark's Cole grinded out a unanimous decision win over a much more experienced, but lighter, opponent. The two traded takedowns throughout the fight, but Cole got the best of takedowns, and controlled enough action to warrant the decision. |
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Report by Jim Genia - Photos by Keith Mills
Welterweight Championship Eddie Alvarez (Fight Factory-170lbs) vs. Derrick Noble (Silverbacks-170lbs) Alvarez via KO at 1:01 of the first round – Alvarez is the new MFC welterweight champ!
Main Card Sergie Kaznovsky (Red Devil-257lbs) vs. Jerome Smith (262lbs) Kaznovsky via ref stop due to unanswered strikes at 3:25 of R1. Eric Oganov (Red Devil-169lbs) vs. Chris Ligouri (Rhino Fight Team-170lbs) Ligouri via ref stop due to unanswered strikes at 2:14 of R3. Vladimir Zenin (Red Devil-154lbs) vs. Matt Lee (Team Elite-160lbs) Lee via ref stop due to unanswered strikes at 1:32 of R2. Joey Brown (Team Renzo-164lbs) vs. Vadim Kulchitskiy (Bulldozer Fight Club-164lbs) Kulchitskiy via unanimous decision. Stephen Haigh (Fight Factory-169lbs) vs. Toraji (AACC-168lbs) Haigh via unanimous decision. Tara LaRosa (Northwest Elite-133lbs) vs. Hitomi Akano (AACC-135lbs) LaRosa via unanimous decision. Shanya Bazler (134lbs) vs. Amanda Buckner (Academy of MMA-136lbs) Buckner via ref stop due to unanswered strikes at 3:03 of R3. Kaream Ellington (South Bronx Fight Team-206lbs) vs. Kenichi Yamamoto (196lbs) Ellington via ref stop due to unanswered strikes at 4:59 of R1. Yusuke Masuda (AACC-214lbs) vs. Mike Patt (Team Jorge Gurgel-215lbs) Patt via ref stop due to unanswered strikes at 0:20 of R1. |
| Monday - June 5, 2006 |
 Seven Wage "Survival" at PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix Misaki, Gono, Chonan, Suloev, Filho, Kang and Mousasi Advance Report and photos by Nori Yoshida TOKYO, June 4 -- It was a fairly empty Saitama Super Arena with only 13,371 fans, about a third of the capacity, showing up to watch the first round of PRIDE's second Welterweight Tournament. The 14-man line-up would include some of the most recognizable names in the 83kg/183 lbs (and under) division, with a few new ones sprinkled in for dramatic measure. Current PRIDE welterweight champion Dan Henderson was ringside most of the night, a first-round bye his ticket to join the whittled-down-to seven that would remain at the end of the evening. Lightweight champion Takanori Gomi was also in the arena, watching the four non-tournament lightweight fights, which proved to be as exciting as the welterweight bouts. Jason Black and Won Jin Ou squared off in the first non-tournament match of the night. Although both lightweights had a wrestling backbone, Black was the clear superior, scoring takedowns at will. A rear-naked choke early in the round and then a front choke a little later from Black both looked like they would end it, but Ou managed to hold on and break out of both. While Ou was aggressive on his feet, throwing punches and pressing the fight, he was overmatched on the ground. He looked completely exhausted halfway through the first round and Black took advantage, setting up for a huge knee to the head on the ground. Another knee was sure to come, but the Korean's corner threw in the towel at 6:25 in the first round, before any more damage could be done. The two Brazilian Top Team Welterweight tournament favorites Murilo Bustamante and Paulo Filho fought in the first two tournament fights of the GP. The 39-year-old Bustamante, a leader figure of the famed Brazilian Top Team, faced Amar Suloev, a member of the PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko's Red Devil Fight Team. Suloev showed great defense against Bustamante's takedown attempts, and Bustamante never got to take the fight to the ground. Suloev was not aggressive on his feet, but was accurate with the punches he threw. The 15-minute fight resembled an extremely slow boxing match, and the referee warned the two in the middle of the match to fight a "more aggressive fight." Bustamante pushed most of the action throughout the fight, yet there was no significant damage done by either fighter until halfway through the second round, when Suloev landed a flying right straight to the Brazilian's face that sent him backpedaling and onto the ground. That proved to be enough for the unanimous decision, but Suloev, who never really showed any signs of going for the KO, will probably have a tough time drawing attention from fans or from PRIDE. Filho fared better in his match, though his fight with newcomer Gregory Bouchelaghem also went the distance. A member of the French Top Team, Bouchelaghem showed good defense on the ground, which is where most of this fight took place. Filho repeatedly took the Frenchman down with ease, and also passed his guard and took a full mount on several occasions. While Filho dominated the fight, he showed a clear inability to finish it, even from a mount position where his punches seemed to do little damage. Even an attempt to submit his opponent with an armlock failed and the Brazilian needed the judges to secure the win. The decisions continued into the third Grand Prix fight of the night, though the split decision, which went in favor of Ryo Chonan, was the most controversial of the night. His opponent, Joey Villasenor, 15-0 in King of the Cage and its middleweight champion, took his first loss in years. The first round was completely even with neither landing anything significant, but both scoring takedowns and using the same strategy from the top of the guard, where both stood up out and threw punches and kicks from standing position. Chonan did take Villasenor's back on the ground right before the end of the first, but the bell sounded before he could do any damage. Both were aggressive in the second, but Villasenor seemed to throw heavier punches, any of which could have ended the fight if they landed. On the other hand, Chonan looked a little tired as he went for takedowns in the last minute of the fight. Villasenor was on his feet again before the end of the fight almost landing a stomp to a downed Chonan's face. However, it was Chonan that moved on the second round. After a forfeiture and three decisions, the unsatisfying endings continued into the fifth fight of the night. Makoto Takimoto and Gegard Mousasi entered the ring to decide the fourth fighter to move on in the welterweight Grand Prix. Mousasi, a Red Devil International Team member is the youngest in the tournament at only the age of 20, but he proved more than enough of an opponent for Takimoto. Early on though, it seemed as though Takimoto would control the fight, taking Mousasi down and almost submitting him with an armbar. He was just a moment too late in getting his left foot over to finish the lock as he already had Mousasi's arm pulled back. It was the last chance he had, and the moment after Mousasi broke out of the armbar, he was on Takimoto's back and in full control. A few failed rear-naked chokes were mixed in with a pounding to the Japanese former Olympian's face and a doctor check at 5:36 in the first round ended the fight. Takimoto's right eye was heavily swollen, and his pupil was barely visible on the Jumbotron. Three lightweight matches followed back-to-back before the final three Welterweight GP cards. All three proved the force that rival promotion Shooto has become in the lightweight ranks, and each fight was enough to forget that there was a welterweight tournament going on that night. Mitsuhiro Ishida faced the toughest opponent in upstart Marcus Aurelio, who came off of a milestone win against current PRIDE champion Gomi Takanori in April. Ishida showed incredible power taking Aurelio to the ground repeatedly, but in both the first and second rounds, Ishida found himself in trouble stuck in a front choke, but managed to break out both times. The majority of the fight was Ishida on top in Aurelio's guard, with Ishida pounding away. While Ishida was in control most of the way, the last minute of the first round showed the danger of Aurelio's guard, as Ishida spent considerable energy avoiding triangle chokes and armlocks. It was a different story in the second round, though. While they were in the same position, it was Aurelio who was in trouble the entire time. It seemed as if Ishida was punching from Aurelio's guard continually through the last five minutes. There was no room for Aurelio to make a move as Ishida's hands were flying down without a break. There were no clean blows to end the fight, but the incredible performance left the arena sounding like there was a much larger crowd in attendance than what was actually there. Tatsuya Kawajiri didn't need as much time to finish American Charles Bennett. Well known for his antics inside the ring, "Crazy Horse" Bennett didn't disappoint as he sat on the ropes in his corner at the beginning of the fight, gesturing for Kawajiri to come. Bennett's ground skills couldn't keep up with his entertaining skills, though, and Kawajiri took Bennett down quickly. After an attempt at an armbar, Kawajiri caught Bennett, who was trying to stand up, in a kneebar and tapped his opponent out in just two minutes and 30 seconds. Hayato Sakurai needed even less time to finish his fight against WEC star Olaf Alfonso. Alfonso learned the hard way that one mistake is all it takes in the PRIDE ring. In just over one minute, Alfonso took two huge blows to the head. The first came from a overhand right hook by Sakurai and the second from the canvas as he fell, hands down and face first into the mat.
While the lightweights stole the moment, they didn't steal the show as the final three welterweight fights held plenty of action. Liters of bad blood between Akihiro Gono and Hector Lombard spilled over to the ring. Gono showed little respect for his opponent with a 5-minute choreographed dance performance before entering the ring. Lombard clearly let his emotions out in the ring as he charged Gono at the bell. The rustle of laughter could be heard from the crowd as Gono ran away and fell to the ground several times. The fight looked like it would end quickly when Lombard began throwing punches at Gono, who had fallen against the ropes. Gono somehow maintained his composure and reversed a leglock attempt by Lombard and took backmount. The two ended up back on their feet, where they exchanged punches. Neither seemed hurt while Gono continued to throw heavy punches, which missed by just inches. Both were more composed in the second round and Lombard scored a takedown early, but was unable to use it to his advantage as he looked fairly exhausted. Gono was looking for the KO in the last minute of the fight with a variety of punches, but it ended in a decision and the more aggressive Gono took the win. Six tournament matches ended in five decisions and one doctor stoppage. The only KO came in the second to last fight of the event between what was hyped to be a fairly unpredictable fight between Denis Kang and Murilo "Ninja" Rua. It took just 15 seconds for Denis Kang to show that this fight should have been more foreseeable. An early straight right had Rua turning and almost running away. Kang continued throwing punches as Rua fell to the ground and after a few misses, a clean left was enough to drop Rua's guard and for the referee to stop the fight. The main event provided plenty of main event action and the less-heralded Kazuo Misaki claimed the victory over Hammer House's Phil Baroni. Misaki was full of tricks, the first of which came seconds into the match - a flying knee, which almost landed cleanly. The flying knee came a few other times in the fight, along with high kicks, low kicks, knees and foot stomping within the clinch. A missed flying knee at the five-minute mark led into a guillotine choke attempt, which ended up with Baroni on top of Misaki's guard. Baroni took advantage with huge blows to the body, but a lack of action had the fighters back on their feet with two minutes left. Misaki continued to land strong low kicks, which, in the end may have done the most damage. Baroni was flailing by the end of the round and looked fairly winded. Misaki, on the other hand, looked fresh in the second round and took Baroni down. He went for a Kimura lock taking side mount, but settled for a few knees to Baroni's face before they were back on their feet again. Baroni was still throwing punches at the end of the fight, but looked dead tired and there was no question the unanimous decision would go to Misaki. Three Japanese fighters, Kazuo Misaki, Akihiro Gono and Ryo Chonan moved onto the second round, along with Amar Suloev, Paulo Filho, Denis Kang and Gegard Mousasi. Current champion Dan Henderson was in the ring during the intermission with this message for them. "I'll be waiting." So will the fans. PRIDE Bushido "Survival" Welterweight Grand Prix Opening Round Results
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| Wednesday - June 7, 2006 |
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"Minotauro" Likely Faces Werdum in PRIDE OWGP's Second Round By Eduardo Alonso In the middle of a series of intriguing PRIDE related events that has been gathering MMA fans' attention throughout the world, many are forgetting about the second round of PRIDE's Open-Weight Grand Prix, scheduled for July 1st, in Tokyo, Japan, and news concerning this upcoming show are developing at full force. In what will be a clash of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu experts, Brazilian Top Team superstar Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira will very likely face Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic's jiu-jitsu trainer Fabricio Werdum in a second round match-ups. In a press conference scheduled for this Thursday in Japan, DSE, the company that runs PRIDE, is likely to officially announce this bout, as well as address other issues concerning the show's current TV deal situation in Japan. Recent news from Japan is the promotion has lost its contract with FUJI, its major carrier. Regardless, the second round promises exciting action with a clash of two jiu-jitsu stylists with ever improving boxing skills, as well the rumored bout that may be announced as well between the "Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva and Japanese wrestler Kazuyuki Fujita. That leaves a big question mark in the pairing of the remaining competitors in the Grand Prix: Filipovic, Hidehiko Yoshida, Josh Barnett and Mark Hunt. |
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News and Notes from Canadian MMA By Kelsey Mowatt Elite Fighting Championship Gets Green Light, but Vancouver Wavering on MMA Elite FC Promoter Rob Harris informed FCF this week that the Vancouver Athletic Commission (VAC) will allow the organization to hold another event this year, even though city staff has instructed the city council's legal department to conduct a "risk assessment" of mixed martial arts. The review will take yet another look at the safety record of the sport, and whether or not MMA is deemed legal under Canada's criminal code. Despite the fact that Vancouver has now held several, legally sanctioned MMA events in recent years without incident, including Elite's most recent March show which drew 1,500 fans, the VAC was instructed in May by the City Managers to restrict granting any further MMA promotional licenses pending the outcome of the review. Minutes of a May 4 VAC meeting reveal that the Commission was eager to avoid "the possibility of Elite group taking action," due to the fact that the Commission has already approved dates and locations for Elite's events in July and September. As a result, the promotion will still be allowed to move ahead. "The Athletic Commission has said that they have given us a promoter's license for the year and that we will be allowed to continue," Harris says in regards to his Elite FC. "They are not really sure how long the risk assessment will take, but they will sanction our shows until further notice." Elite FC and King of the Cage Canada had hoped to hold an event with several Championship fights on July 15 at the PNE Agrodome, which was to be taped for a later broadcast on The Sports Network. When the City announced the risk assessment last month, the two promotions were unsure on whether or not they should continue. "We had a July date as well as the September one," Harris says," but obviously the July date has kind of been put into limbo. We weren't sure what was going to happen, so the preparations for the July date just haven't been made. Now with the Commission telling us we can still go ahead, we feel that we have the VAC on our side, and until they [the City Council] come up with a decision, business has to move forward. The Commission telling us to go ahead definitely gives us confidence, so we'll have to look ahead to the September show." The VAC and its chairman Roy Nosella have built a strong working relationship with Vancouver's MMA promotions over the last few years, and have consistently supported their decision to sanction the sport on public record. In fact, the legislation that the VAC enacted to allow for MMA events was so admired by city officials in Vernon, BC, that the city had planned to review and adopt the VAC guidelines for MMA. No timeline from Vancouver's city staff has been announced for the pending risk assessment. In the meantime, Harris and is business partner Mike Hammoud will look towards the Squamish Nation's Reserve in North Vancouver to hold another National Fighting Challenge. The Reservation, which has a separate governing body, has previously hosted five NFC events and over 20 North American Challenges, including, most recently, a NAC card on July 3. "We have some big plans for the next NFC that I can't get into," says Harris. "It will be held on July 15 and is fully sanctioned by the ISCF (International Sport Combat Federation), with blood work, full medicals, everything that is required by the Athletic Commission. It's a different kind of event; we serve a nice dinner with the fights and it's always a full house." |
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From the event's promoter: San Jose, CA -- Superstars Vitor Belfort and Alistair Overeem officially touched down in San Jose, California yesterday with their respective camps, for their highly anticipated rematch at Strikeforce "Revenge," the 10-bout mixed martial arts mega-card that will take place at San Jose's HP Pavilion on Friday. After experiencing a 10 hour delay at their point of departure in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Team Belfort arrived in Los Angeles at 2 PM yesterday and caught their connecting flight to San Jose. Team Overeem, which includes Alistair's brother and fellow Pride Fighting Championship star, Valentijn, arrived in San Jose early yesterday. Overeem later headed over to the nearby American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) for a training session. Belfort is scheduled to train with his crew at AKA later today. During their first encounter at Pride's "Total Elimination 2005" event a year ago, Belfort and Overeem battled for nine and a half minutes (Note: Pride Fighting Championship schedules the first round of its bouts for 10 minutes) before Overeem secured a guillotine choke on Belfort and forced the Brazilian fighter to tap out. Another rematch on Friday's card will see World San Shou kickboxing champion Cung Le face "Mr. Unbreakable" Brian Warren. Le, whose start marks his second career appearance under mixed martial arts rules, defeated Warren by way of unanimous decision in a bout contested under San Shou rules in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 30, 2004. Strikeforce's "Revenge" card will also be highlighted by a matchup between undefeated 22-year-old Tyson Griffin and K-1 and UFC veteran, Duane "Bang" Ludwig, as well as a meeting between light heavyweights Bobby Southworth and James Irvin. Southworth introduced himself to the masses during Spike TV's premiere season of "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series two years ago. Strikeforce 155 pound champion, Clay Guida, will set out to defend his crown for the first time since he captured the vacant title by persevering over four-time UFC fight winner and Bay Area favorite, Josh "The Punk" Thomson. Thomson will also return to battle and attempt to steer his career back on track. Former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar, Daniel Puder, will make his third career mixed martial arts appearance during the event. Tickets for Strikeforce "Revenge" are on sale at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070) as well as at all Ticketmaster (408-998-TIXS) outlets and Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com). |
| Thursday - June 8, 2006 |
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Photos by Daisy Rosas SAN JOSE, Calif., June 8 -- A rematch of their April 2005 PRIDE Total Elimination bout, Vitor Belfort and Alistair Overeem meet tomorrow night (this time in the cage) at the HP Pavilion for Strikeforce 2's "Revenge." Yet the question might not be how things will play out in the scenario which saw the lanky Dutchman guillotine the powerful Brazilian in their initial outing, but if lightning will strike twice for the promotion that set a North American attendance record of 18,265 attendees on March 10. With local favorites Cung Le and ex-WWE personality Daniel Puder on the card, Strikeforce promoters are certainly giving it their best shot.
Strikeforce 2 Weigh-In Results
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The Brazilian Beat: As MMA fans, we're living in pretty interesting times, as exciting moments of our sport, moments that may be remembered for ages to come, seem to be taking place one after the other. On the heels of UFC 60's Royce Gracie and Matt Hughes bout, we were treated right away with PRIDE's Bushido "Survival" Welterweight Grand Prix, this time with 16 fighters in a tough first round that made it hard to predict a certain favorite to move on, let alone to win it all. With Strikeforce's upcoming June 9th "Overeem vs. Belfort" showdown, all eyes will be turned to California to see if the promotion can match the success of the 18,265 attendance record they had at their first event. Then there's the IFL and its unique league format, and soon the UFC will back with another fight night that will finally see Anderson Silva's Octagon debut, a debut that was meant to happen five years ago against Carlos Newton. The list goes on and on, proving that our sport is growing and the only thing we can do at Full Contact Fighter is keep pumping out the news, keeping the beat loud and clear, as the rhythm never ceases from Brazil!
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| Friday - June 9, 2006 |
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Held June 3, 2006 At the Squamish Nations Rec Centre Vancouver, British Columbia By Mike Neva Although the city of Vancouver recently took a big hit with its City Manager mandating that no mixed martial arts events be sanctioned within the city limits until a "risk management" assessment be completed; this could not deter the longest running MMA event in Canada, the North American Challenge. Held at the Squamish Nations Rec Centre in North Vancouver, the staunch city council has no jurisdiction over this event or its sister show, the National Fighting Challenge; since both are held on Native land. For the twenty third incarnation, the NAC, primarily known as a kickboxing laden card, had a record six MMA bouts on the docket. It was a welcome change to fans who saw each and every MMA bout end before the allotted time limit.
Without question, the show stealer was a back and forth tilt between Sarah Kaufman and Liz Posener. These two ladies had the sold out crowd roaring their approval as each split the first two rounds. Kaufman was able to use superior wrestling to ground and pound out the majority of the opening round, including some powerful punches from the mount, which had referee Jason Darrah on the verge of stopping the fight, but Posener was able to survive and was saved by the bell. Rolls were reversed in the second stanza, as Posener was able to impose her will by sprawling and brawling with great utilization of knees and punches in the clinch. It looked as if the tide had officially turned in round three with Posener again able to keep the fight on their feet and land effective punches. But Kaufman showed great strategy by cutting off the ring and pinning Posener in the corner. Seemingly out of nowhere, Kaufman changed her game plan, and, instead of shooting for a takedown, unloaded a wicked right hand that knocked Posener unconscious. Thankfully, after being down for a number of minutes, Posener was able to get to her feet and leave the ring under her own power. An impressive debut performance by Kaufman. MMA Results
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| Saturday - June 10, 2006 |
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Report by Joseph Rios – Photos by Daisy Rosas Belfort and Alistair Overeem's rematch may have headlined Strikeforce Revenge in San Jose June 9 but it was far from the highlight. The sweetness of revenge was left untasted. After the battle the two fought over a year ago and with the notoriety and history each of them brought to the ring, a more explosive fight was expected. What fans got was a ground squabble and a lack of action that provoked the referee to stand them up six times throughout the three-round fight.
Overeem chalked up another win over Belfort with a unanimous decision after laying on top of The Phenom for much of the fight. Belfort showed spurts of fire in the first round though. He surprised Overeem early on with a quick shoot and sweep that sent him to the canvas. At one point Belfort had Overeem's back and was trying to land the rear naked choke. Overeem escaped, turned over, and Belfort swung from a partial mount. Overeem clenched Belfort and his gloves quieted. Going into round two both fighters seemed sluggish. When Overeem went on the attack Belfort would take guard on his back, refusing to continue with the standup bout. The referee stood the two up twice in the second round. Belfort professed after the fight that he injured his left hamstring in the second round. The injury, he said, kept him from continuing on his feet.
The story was the same in the third round. When Overeem attacked, Belfort went to his back; Overeem would take the top and then the pair would trade casual blows until they were forced to stand by the referee. They were brought up from the ground another three times before the final bell to end the fight. Brian Warren went to the spout of revenge looking for a drink - his thirst wasn't quenched either. Cung Le was around the corner stepping on the hose shaking his finger. But it wasn't Le's finger or his foot that turned Warren's dreams of revenge into nightmares, it was his swinging fists. Warren was sure that if he got the MMA newcomer into the cage he could work him over and find the retribution he sought. Warren showed promise with his taunting jeers while Le stared passed a broken nose that sent blood down the front of his face. Le caught the big-headed Warren with a right-left-right combination that stood Warren up like a bouncing buoy in the middle of the ocean. He followed up with a lethal right hand that sent the star-gazer to the mat after 4:19 in the ring.
War ensued between Gilbert Melendez and the newly crowned Strikeforce Lightweight champion Clay Guida. The fight was scheduled for five, five-minute rounds and the long-haired gladiators battled through every second of the fight. Melendez hammered Guida's face from start to finish and Guida came with strong counters and religiously went after Melendez's legs following his punishing combinations. Melendez came away with the split decision after five full rounds.
Controversy showed its ugly face during the Light-Heavyweight fight between Bobby Southworth and James Irvin. The two entered the ring poised to rack their horns against one another, and they did - for 17 seconds. After connecting a single left jab to Irvin, Southworth steam-rolled The Sandman through the entry gate and onto the catwalk. The gate attendant scrambled to latch the gate, but it was too late. Over 200 pounds of fighter was being driven his way in front of another 200-pound fighter and there was no stopping the train once it got moving. Flying through the gate wasn't the problem. It was blood that spewed from his left leg as a result of it. A pool of red blood lay on the black painted aluminum catwalk. The announcer called it an "equipment failure." The referee waved off the fight calling the fight no contest due to Irvin's inability to continue.
Eugene Jackson and Mike Seal had mad respect for one another. The 39 year old, 5' 8" Jackson had to look up to the 28 year old 6'4" Seal, but after the first few minutes of conflict they realized that the playing field was level and they could get down to business. The two roared like thunder and struck like lighting striking from one side of the sky to another. The see-saw battle left nothing but respect between the two fighters. Seal launched flying knees and swung high kicks at the shorter Jackson, taking advantage of his superior reach. Jackson stepped in between shots and left his mark on Seal's chin with punishing lefts and rights. Shortly before the end of the first round the two met center ring and shared a high five and a smile. No bad blood, just respect and love for the sport. Jackson caught one of Seal's kicks and swept him to the ground in the second. He got the full mount and and went to work on the Mexico-native. Jackson landed six consecutive right hands from the mount before the referee jumped in to stop the fight 2:49 into the second round. If it wasn't for the incident during the Irvin-Southworth fight, Daniel Puder's 28-second victory over Tommy Tuggle would have been the quickest fight of the night. Puder lost his footing during a high kick attempt. Tuggle grabbed hold and Puder fell to his back. Tuggle moved to strike and the former WWE Tough Enough contestant slapped on the armbar for a quick submission. Strikeforce Results
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| Monday - June 12, 2006 |
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Report by Jim Genia - Photo by Gaby Genia
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Report by Michael Onzuka - Photo by Lisa Onzuka
Tigre is known for his win over UFC veteran Tim Lajcik in 2001 and his war against local hero Egan Inoue in 1999 that saw him get disqualified the first of three times in his career. Tigre wanted to step up in competition, X-1 promoter Mike Miller said, and UFC veteran Trevor Prangley fit the bill. Unfortunately for Miller and Hawaiian fans, once again Tigre brought controversy with him. First he reportedly missed his plane, then he reportedly did not pass his physical due to a broken hand. In the substitute main event, Mark Moreno did a Chuck Liddell impersonation and landed an overhand right that closed John Geraghty's eye and knocked him out. Dylan Clay, a jiu-jitsu fighter from Maui, was also victorious and displayed fluid technique in his submission victory over a rugged Kimo Woelfel. In other action, John Crisostomo of the 808 Fight Factory must have brushed off four years of ring rust during training because he technically schooled Chad Guzman. Bryson Kamaka, who had fought the night before in California, was welcomed home by a huge right hand from Josh Ferreira that knocked Kamaka out. However, Ferreira finished with a soccer kick to a downed Kamaka and was disqualified. X-1 Extreme Fighting: Battleground 4 Results Amateur MMA: 2 Rounds x 3 Minutes Peter Placido (Bulls Pen) def. Gene "Bino" Gregory (Mix Breed) - Unanimous Decision (20-18 all) Thomas Ferguson (Team Devastation) def. Nickolas Agricola (HMC) – Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) 2:09 R1 XMA Match/Stand-Up: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes David Balicao (HSD) def. Donald Gonzales (Young Guns de Luta) - Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) MMA: 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes Alika Rincon (Young Guns de Luta) def. Marcus Moreno - Unanimous Decision (30-27 all) Lorenzo Moreno (Bulls Pen) vs. "Dirty Dave" Moreno (Freelance, Kona) - No Contest (Injury, Moreno had cornea scratch during R1) Lorrin Ishimine (Brazilian Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu) def. Kaleo Kwon (Eastsidaz) - Unanimous Decision (29-28 all) John Crisostomo (808 Fight Factory) def. Chad Guzman (Team Papakolea) – Submission (Armbar) 2:00 R1 Dylan Clay (Brazilian Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu) def. Kimo Woelfel (Eastsidaz) – Submission (Rear-Naked Choke 2:03 R2 Bryson Kamaka (808 Fight Factory) def. Josh Ferreira (Freelance, Waianae) Disqualification :25 R1 Ed Newalu (808 Fight Factory) VS Kainoa Walther (Young Guns de Luta) - Walther did not make weight, so the fight was scratched. Mark Oshiro (Bulls Pen) def. Tony Belvidere (Team Devils Den) – Submission (Guillotine choke – standing) 1:20 R1 Vacant Super Lightweight Championship Bout Eddie Yagin (Grappling Unlimited) def. Kana Hyatt (Young Guns de Luta) - Referee stoppage (strikes) 1:36 R2 X-1 Welterweight Championship Bout Mark Moreno (Bulls Pen) def. John Geraghty (Freestyle Academy) - KO 1:47 R1 |
| Tuesday - June 13, 2006 |
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PRIDE Keeps Pay-Per-View for Now By Nori Yoshida PRIDE Fighting Championships, the world's largest and most popular fighting promotion, continues to reel from Fuji Television Network's June 5 announcement that it would no longer nationally televise its events for what it described as "damages to [Fuji Television Network's] programming credibility, dignity and image," and thus a "breach of contact." In what has become a trickle-down effect of separation from the event's promoters, Dream Stage Entertainment (DSE), in recent days has at least stopped with their pay-per-views, aired by Sky Perfect Television, which agreed yesterday to at least carry PRIDE's next two events, the June 17 pro-wrestling event "Hussle Aid" and July 1's second round of the PRIDE Open-Weight Grand Prix. "We have not made any concrete decisions and therefore do not plan to make any changes in the upcoming schedule," Sky Perfect Television representatives said Monday in an official announcement. "However, if new facts come to our attention, there is a strong possibility that we will make changes." On June 7, Japanese news publication Sports News had reported that Sky Perfect Television announced that although they had met with DSE CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara, "It would be difficult to independently continue the programming work that Fuji Television had been doing," and that, "there are many voices within the (Sky Perfect Television) network in favor of canceling [PRIDE] broadcasting." PRIDE executives have called Sky Perfect Television their "lifeline," and are sure to be doing all they can to maintain good relations with their last hope for remaining on the airwaves for now until a new TV arrangement materializes, if at all. Yesterday's announcement was a bit of reprieve for the promotion that has been under the microscope this last week. Fueled by recent reports in the tabloid news publication Shuukan Genndai (Modern Weekly), it has been speculated that DSE has been tied to "bouryokudan" (criminal organizations). Speculation of DSE's involvement in criminal activities dates back to 2003, when then and still current PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko made an appearance at rival promotion Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye's televised event. Three members of an organized crime group reportedly demanded 200,000,000 yen (nearly 1.8 million dollars) in restitution. The three were arrested on charges of attempted blackmail in February of this year. At a June 8 emergency press conference, DSE CEO Sakakibara called the recent accusations unfounded. "(Those reports) are completely groundless. We have never broken the law, nor have we been subject to any criminal investigation." In tears, Sakakibara finished his statement, assuring the fans that he would "defend PRIDE with his life, as long as there is the support and passionate expectation from the fans." He also included in his statement that DSE was currently in the process of filing a lawsuit against Shuukan Genndai. With 54 PRIDE Fighters backdropped behind him, Sakakibara announced that even without the backing of Fuji Television, they would continue with all of the events that are scheduled for the rest of the year, including their first American event in Las Vegas on October 21, as well as their largest annual event on New Year's Eve. PRIDE's 2005 New Year's Eve event scored a 17% viewer rating on Fuji and Sports News has reported that it generated nearly 800 million yen (approximately 7.3 million dollars) in revenue. They also estimate that Fuji Television sponsorship accounts for 1-2 billion yen (approximately 9-18 million dollars) throughout the year. DSE CEO Sakakibara said that this is only 10-15% of total revenue and that they would still be able to continue with the events as scheduled. However, Sky Perfect Television revenues are also estimated by Sports News to be around 10% of the total, which could add to a total 25% drop if new developments were to occur. |
| Thursday - June 15, 2006 |
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By Loretta Hunt - Photos by Daisy Rosas For the first time ever under the eyes of a state-appointed regulatory body, the California State Athletic Commission oversaw today's World Extreme Cagefighting official weigh-ins this evening in preparation tomorrow night's WEC 21 "Tapout" at the San Manuel Casino in San Bernardino.
Despite the new company for the promotion that has created a nest for itself the last four years at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino, a pair of fighters couldn't hit their marks and were unceremoniously fined (with half these amounts going to their opponents).
Stepping up as a one-week replacement against Jimmy Ambriz, Justin Eilers clocked in the most substantial weight differential -- just 28 pounds shy of the Californian's 266-pound reading.
Jason Glaza (230 lbs) vs. Kyle York (240 lbs) Joe Martin (171 lbs) vs. Mike Penalber (176.5 lbs)* Rich Crunkilton (156 lbs) vs. Adam Lynn (157.5 lbs)* Miguel Cosio (209.5 lbs) vs. Brian Stann (208 lbs) Joe Hurley (160 lbs) vs. Nate Diaz (160 lbs) Jimmy Ambriz (266 lbs) vs. Justin Eilers (238 lbs) Cory Cass (145 lbs) vs. Jeff Willingham (141 lbs) WEC World Championship Lightweight Fight (155) Hermes Franca (155 lbs) vs. Brandon Olsen (157 lbs) Main Event Ryan Healy (155 lbs) vs. Rob McCullough (155 lbs) *Fighters agreed to weight overage, fined $50 by CSAC |
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From DSE/Pride: TOKYO, Japan -- Two more non-tournament bouts have been added to PRIDE FIGHTING'S upcoming July 2nd event, CRITICAL COUNTDOWN ABSOLUTE 2006. In the first bout, Chute Boxe's EVANGELISTA "CYBORG" SANTOS will make his PRIDE debut against Japanese judo superstar KAZUHIRO NAKAMURA. In addition, MMA veteran VITOR "THE PHENOM" BELFORT will be making his return to PRIDE after a one-year hiatus to face Japanese Pancrase fighter, YOSHIKI TAKAHASHI. The card also features four bouts from the second round of the absolute weight tournament, including: Japanese Olympic gold medallist HIDEHIKO YOSHIDA against the "Croatian Sensation" MIRKO "CROCOP" FILIPOVIC ... the "AXE MURDERER" WANDERLEI SILVA versus KAZUYUKI "IRONHEAD" FUJITA ... Jiu Jitsu phenom FABRICIO WERDUM faces fellow Brazilian ANTONIO RODRIGO NOGUEIRA ... and New Zealand slugger MARK HUNT versus "THE BABY FACED ASSASSIN" JOSH BARNETT. CRITICAL COUNTDOWN ABSOLUTE 2006 is the second round of PRIDE FIGHTING'S 2006 16-Man absolute weight Grand Prix Tournament. ABSOLUTE means no weight classes. The semi-finals and finals of the tournament will occur at FINAL CONFLICT ABSOLUTE 2006 in August (date to be announced soon). CRITICAL COUNTDOWN ABSOLUTE 2006 is scheduled to premiere on North American pay per view on Sunday, July 2, 2006. INDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN PPV Premiere Date: Sunday, July 2, 2006 Premiere Time: 10:00 pm ET, 7:00 pm PT Count Down show: 9:30 pm ET, 6:30 pm PT TOURNAMENT MATCHES Hidehiko Yoshida (Japan) vs. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (Croatia) Wanderlei Silva (Brazil) vs. Kazuyuki Fujita (Japan) Fabricio Werdum (Brazil) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera (Brazil) Josh Barnett (USA) vs. Mark Hunt (New Zealand) NON-TOURNAMENT MATCHES Kazuhiro Nakamura (Japan) vs. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos (Brazil) Vitor Belfort (Brazil) vs. Yoshiki Takahashi (Japan) Participants and fight card subject to change. For additional replay times, please contact your pay per view provider. |
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From the event's promoter: Dish Network to Offer Live Pay-Per-View Broadcast of July 22nd Event at The Forum to Customers Nationwide LOS ANGELES, CA, June 14, 2006 -- The World Fighting Alliance (WFA) -- the recently launched mixed martial arts (MMA) organization featuring a "who's who" lineup of MMA superstars – announced today its signing of pro wrestling superstar and television and film personality Bill Goldberg as its color commentator for the upcoming "WFA: King of the Streets" live pay-per-view broadcast from the Forum in Los Angeles on July 22nd. Goldberg's connections to the MMA world run deep. The former WCW World Heavyweight Champion has been a martial arts enthusiast throughout his career in wrestling and television, and has trained for most of his adult life in the art of Muay Thai kickboxing. Goldberg also owns and operates Extreme Power, a Muay Thai training facility for children and adults, as well as competitive fighters in Oceanside, CA. Currently, Goldberg is set to star in a remake of the 1980s martial arts film, "Half Past Dead," which originally featured martial arts expert-turned film star Steven Seagal. Shooting is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in July. "I've been passionate about martial arts my entire life through my own Muay Thai training, my Extreme Power martial arts training facility and now through the myriad of relationships I have with the top fighters in the sport of MMA," said Goldberg. "When the WFA approached me with this opportunity and I saw the lineup of elite MMA stars fighting for the WFA, I knew this was an opportunity to get more involved in the rapid evolution of this sport. The decision was a no-brainer and I'm thrilled about my affiliation with the WFA." The WFA also announced a distribution agreement with national satellite television provider Dish Network for "WFA: King of the Streets." to compliment its existing deal with iN Demand. The event, broadcast live on July 22nd, will be available to Dish Network customers nationwide through a live pay-per-view broadcast, available on Dish Network for $34.95. In addition to the Dish Network, "WFA: King of the Streets" will be available live on pay-per-view for cable customers nationwide via iNDemand (check local cable listings for details). The broadcast will feature a three-man broadcasting team, led by veteran boxing play-by-play commentator Barry Tompkins with Goldberg handling color commentary duties. The WFA is reportedly speaking with several well-known former MMA stars to round out the broadcast team, handling post-fight interviews and analysis in the ring. Details on this final member of the King of the Streets broadcast team will be announced in the weeks to come. "Goldberg is a legend to millions of Americans and his hard-nosed, raw and aggressive persona is the perfect compliment to what the WFA is all about," said Jeremy Lappen, CEO of the WFA. "He shares our passion for the sport and we feel his signing simply underscores the credibility of our organization and our commitment to providing a superior entertainment experience. Needless to say, we're thrilled to have him on board as an ambassador for the WFA." Goldberg became a professional wrestler after a standout college football career at the University of Georgia and professional football stints in the World League and a three-year NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons. Goldberg's success in wrestling was almost instantaneous capturing the WCW U.S. title and the WCW World title (in a historic battle with Hollywood Hulk Hogan) in less than two years. He is inarguably one of the most beloved and revered personalities in the history of professional wrestling. Goldberg has transitioned into television and film work with roles in feature films including The Longest Yard and Universal Soldier. |
| Friday - June 16, 2006 |
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Report by Loretta Hunt - Photography by Daisy Rosas SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., June 15 -- If tonight stood as "Razor" Rob McCullough's litmus test as to if he's ready to step up to a bigger stage, the results came back a resounding positive. According to San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino's estimate, approximately 1,500 (out of a 1,700 maximum occupancy) turned out to watch McCullough and others for the WEC's twenty-first offering and its first time outside of central valley Lemoore since 2002. From an opening barrage of steady inside low kicks, it was clear McCullough's speed would make the difference against the taller Ryan Healy, of Northwest Elite. A two-time WEC vet who'd shown some solid hands and seemed unafraid to engage the Razor, Healy realized quickly his reach on McCullough was more of a detriment than anything else. The former kickboxing champion landed a succession of stabbing kicks freely from outside range that forced Healy inside where he unloaded his first solid combination along the fence. McCullough wisely circled out and backed away, and the pair reset to center canvas. A small trickle of blood rolled down from the corner of Healy's left eye.
Again Healy pressed in, this time for a takedown the Californian amply redirected into a throw to get Healy to the ground. The closest man to the action, referee Herb Dean then intervened, summoning cageside physician Dr. Beaird in to inspect Healy's cut. The video screens revealed a three-inch slit through Healy's left eyelid, and after a brief exchange with the pleading fighter, Dr. Beaird shook his head and the fight was called. The crowd growled at the stoppage, not necessarily in reaction to the assessment, but because the 1:52 bout had been an explosive one that deserved a longer run. It is obvious McCullough's meld of his kickboxing into MMA has evolved past his initial foray into fighting four years ago. McCullough's next outing in July 22's WFA will serve as his coming out; the question if his ground game has caught up to anywhere near to his dangerous striking remains unanswered. |
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By Kelsey Mowatt Travis "The Gladiator" Galbraith (9-3) will meet Ricardeau Francois (12-5) this upcoming weekend, Sunday, June 18 in Edmonton, Alberta, at the Northlands Agricom Arena, for the King of the Cage Canada Light Heavyweight Championship. Galbraith is coming off a recent win over Chris Peak in February at King of the Cage "Anarchy" in Prince George, BC, where he secured this upcoming title shot by defeating Peak with a first round guillotine choke. Despite being plagued with injuries and ailments that had prevented him from fighting Art Santore in January at the Apex/ Freedom fight event, Galbraith still managed to make his return to action in February a successful one. "I had to drop out of that fight because I ended up having a hairline fracture in my knee," says Galbraith," it was pretty banged up, bloody and bruised, I had also come down with pneumonia so I was pretty messed up. By the time the fight with Peak came up I was still hurting but hungry for the fight, when they told me the winner would get a shot at the title I would have fought with a broken neck. It went the exact way we expected, I threw a couple of high kicks at him and he came in to close the distance, I took him down and had him pinned up against the fence, hit him with some really good shots and got the guillotine." That same February 11 evening, Patrick Cote defeated Bill Mahood to win the KOTC Canadian LHW title, and in defeating Peak to secure the No.1 contender spot, Galbraith believed he would eventually fight the UFC veteran in Cote, and not Francois, in this upcoming title shot. Since then, Cote also defeated Jason Macdonald for the Maximum Fighting Championship Middleweight title and is rumored to have secured a position in the upcoming fourth season of "The Ultimate Fighter," which will feature veteran UFC fighters. "I have no idea on what happened with Patrick," Galbraith maintains. "I've heard so many different things that I really don't know, I heard that it was because of TUF 4, that it was because of those commitments, that there were other issues with TKO, I really don't know." King of the Cage Canada promoter Keith Crawford confirmed to FCF this week that indeed, because of other contractual obligations, Cote would be unable to defend the promotion's LHW title. "We wish Mr. Cote success in his future with TUF 4 and the UFC," Crawford tells FCF. "That is truly every fighters dream. Unfortunately we need him to defend his title and because of contractual obligations with UFC he cannot. It was a pleasure having Mr. Cote as our Champion. We just wish it could have been for a longer term. He is a class act and a great fighter." In any case, it will be Ricardeau Francois that will meet Galbraith come Sunday night, a fighter who since defeating Wes Sims in September of 2004, has only won 3 of his last 7 fights. In an interesting side not however, Francois looked impressive in his narrow loss to Patrick Cote at TKO 19 in January of 2005, dropping a controversial split decision to the former KOTC Canada LHW Champion. Galbraith comes into the fight having won three in a row, defeating the aforementioned Chris Peak, Todd Seyler and Chris Wilson since losing to Jonathan Goulet in May of 2004. Galbraith has been training with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and noted instructor Rodrigo Munduruca, at his affiliated gym "Let's Roll" in Sherwood Park, which is headed up by his student Kyle Cardinal. "The Gladiator" will give up a considerable reach advantage to the 6'6" tall Francois, and is preparing a game plan with Munduruca to nullify the lanky fighter's striking game. "Rodrigo came up to Edmonton and has been basically living with me getting me ready for this fight," says Galbraith. "We've put together quite a team at "Let's Roll" and I'm feeling really good. He's been really working on my conditioning, I've been trying to work on that a lot in the last couple of years, I used to go into a fight really under conditioned, I feel really good, I could go five, 5 minute rounds if I had too. He's (Francois) so tall and lanky, I expect him to try to kick me from across the ring really, so I think he'll want to keep it standing. I've been working on my stand up a lot too, but I have scary ground and pound right now so that's what I'm thinking. Try the standing, and take it down. I'm going to take him down and ground and pound him until he opens up and I'll submit him, I'm going to say in the first round." Other notable fights that this Sunday's card will showcase include Garret Davis looking to extend his 5 fight winning streak against veteran journeymen Shannon Ritch, and Team Sniper instructor Mike Yackulic will meet Jason Zazelenchuk. |
| Saturday - June 17, 2006 |
From the event's promoter: Invincible "Fist Of Fury" Fighting Championship Saturday, June 17th Invincible presents "Fist of Fury" at the Ontario Convention Center. Hosting the show is the famous voice of MMA, Bruce Buffer. Headlining the card is the always-exciting-heavy-hitter Mavrick, who takes on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Blackbelt and Team Oyama member Giva Nascimento. Also on the card is Shark Tank's multi-dimensional fighter Jaime Fletcher vs. Northern California's Randal Limond. A fight that could be a three-round war, undefeated local finisher "Don Rocco" takes on Lion's Den fighter Dan Molina. In a lightweight matchup, striker Shad Smith will bring his powerful punches into the ring to take on England's 'battle ready' Peter Irving. Look for journeyman Reggie Cardiel to display his versatile fighting style in another great matchup. Invincible plans to be "not just another MMA show"; so come witness some great action-packed fights at a wonderful venue, Ontario Convention Center. Seating is still available. Tickets range from $40-$150. For more info, call 1-800-514-3849. |
| Monday - June 19, 2006 |
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Report and photos by Dustin DePue LAKEMOORE, Ill., June 17 -- Monte Cox once jokingly dubbed the XFO as the "Extreme Finishing Organization." After Saturday night's fights, a case could be made to make the name official. The Lakemoore Banquet Facility, bursting at the seams with its 800-person capacity maxed out, and by some estimates exceeded, was host to ten fights, all of which ended before the final bell. With XFO champion Tommy Lee relinquishing his title to get married and pursue bigger fights in the future, the 145-pound belt was up for grabs. It was Tommy and the rest of Gilbert Grappling's hope that one of their own would get a shot at it. Promoters Monte Cox and Jeff Curran made it happen as number one contender and Team Curran fighter Matt Fiordirosa took on Gilbert Grappling's Andrew Gerdes for the vacated title. After a night of decisive finishes, the crowd expected fireworks from the main event. Seconds into the fight, the walls of the banquet hall reverberated their howls and cheers as Fiordirosa worked Gerdes over. Starting with a single-leg early in the round, Fiordirosa worked a mix of ground-and-pound and submission attempts. Gerdes had a few tricks of his own with a couple of heelhooks that set off a sequence of high-speed reversals. Fiordirosa was faster, however, and able to out maneuver Gerdes at every tuck, roll, and sweep in their explosive battle for position.
With a minute left, Fiordirosa snatched Gerdes's arm into a Kimura from side mount. This was the beginning of the end for Gerdes. As he escaped the hold and worked to his knees, Fiordirosa switched position and got hold of the other arm. With seconds remaining, Gerdes tried to weather the storm but the grimace on his face said it all as his free hand hovered over Fiordirosa's thigh, finally succumbing to the pain and tapping it several times to end the fight. Team Curran's Nate Mohr was impressive in his quick knockout of journeymen Alex Carter. Carter always comes out swinging and this was no different as the two exchanged punches before clinching near the fence. Mohr quickly spun Carter into the cage and stepped back to cut loose a barrage of straights that caught him by surprise. A shot to the chin put Carter on the mat. Mohr followed with strikes to the head and body of his turtled opponent forcing the referee stoppage just seconds into the fight. Crowd favorite Mike Marello took on Jake Haughn in a match of 205-pounders. Haughn looked comfortable on his feet, landing several stiff leg kicks and a high kick that just grazed Marello's face. Marello countered with knees from the clinch and a takedown. In the second round Marello timed Haughn's one-two beautifully, shooting underneath the punches for a smooth takedown. Marello's punches from the top set up a neck crank that ended the fight halfway through round two.
Don Wendt looked strong tussling with the explosive Eric McLean. Wendt opened the fight with leg kicks while McLean fought for the takedown. Wendt was able to stay on his feet and, with less than a minute gone by, landed a wicked right hook that put McLean to sleep. In preliminary action, Jay Little played footsy with Mike Belmonte in an exciting sequence of submission attempts before landing a big shot that opened a cut near Belmonte's eye and sent him to the mat where Little rained down punches for the TKO stoppage early in round two. XFO 11 Results Pro Bouts (3x5 minute rounds)
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| Tuesday - June 20, 2006 |
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Report by Loretta Hunt - Photography by Daisy Rosas ONTARIO, Calif., June 17 -- It hasn't been a broached subject, but three-minute rounds have been instituted by the California State Athletic Commission in the Golden State for its lesser experienced mixed martial artists (FCF has been told this applies to fighters five pro fights and under, but still awaits an interview with the CSAC to confirm). While the CSAC's interpretation of how long they believe pro newcomers should be allowed to test their mettle in the cage has gone unchallenged (at least publicly), Saturday's Invincible 1 "Fist of Fury," held at the Ontario Convention Center with a card especially heavy on inexperienced fighters, could stand as an argument for resuming the standard five-minute periods currently recognized throughout the country. On three separate occasions in three separate fights, a submission-trapped fighter was saved by the bell and was free to walk back to his corner to replenish for the next round. Now, there is no way of telling if those extra 120 seconds would have brought on the demise of the bout, but watching the scenario play out over and over again does give one pause as to if these greener fighters simply need more time to get their ground games going altogether. One submission which needed no extra perks was Giva Nascimento's 2:00 bicep-tearing armbar of Mavrick Harvey, billed as the star of the event who entered the arena via Hummer from the parking lot with his toddler son and a posse in tow. Announced as a "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion" making his MMA debut, it took Nascimento little time to wrestle the 10-1-1 Harvey to the mat. From there, the only hurdle the Brazilian faced was lining up enough room against the fence to lay out Mavrick's arm for the tapout.
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| Thursday - June 22, 2006 |
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in PRIDE Open-Weight GP; Drago to Face Nastula By Eduardo Alonso As the second round of the PRIDE Open-Weight Grand Prix approaches July 1 in Tokyo, Japan, the promotion's official website announced today that Dutch fighter Alistair Overeem, fresh off his second victory over Vitor Belfort at June 9's Strikeforce, will face yet another rematch, this time trying to avenge his loss to Rogerio "Minotoro" Nogueira [February 2005's PRIDE 29] in a single undercard bout. Filling the card as well, Brazilian heavyweight Edson Drago makes his PRIDE debut, as previously reported, against Polish judo stylist Pawel Nastula, who last appeared in the PRIDE ring on New Year's Eve against Aleksander Emelianenko. To round out the card, South Korea's Eun Su Lee takes on Japanese kiss-blowing heavyweight Yoshihiro Nakao, last seen at the receiving end of Heath Herring's fist prior to the opening bell of their New Year's Eve K-1 bout. |
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By Kelsey Mowatt Travis "the Gladiator" Galbraith defeated Ricardeau Francois this past Sunday night, June 18, in Edmonton, Alberta at King of the Cage Canada's "Widowmaker" event to win the promotion's Canadian Light Heavyweight Championship. Galbraith finally managed to subdue Francois and take the championship belt in front of 2,700 fans by submitting the tough Quebec fighter with a guillotine choke in the second round. "This was not the fight I expected," says KOTC Canada promoter Keith Crawford. "We were happy to have this fight since we were forced to strip Patrick Cote of the title. Francois gave Galbraith all he could handle and the fight went back and forth. I had Francois winning both rounds until Galbraith ended it with a choke. This was not an exciting fight as Galbraith was not in the shape you should be for a fight of this magnitude. Neither fighter pushed the action the way we would expect a title fight to go. Congratulations to Galbraith, but he will need to be in much better shape for the next fight." Galbraith conceded to FCF that perhaps his pre-fight training regiment had not been long enough to get him fully prepared for the bout, and that early in the fight he exhausted much of his energy trying to get a quick victory. "I thought I had him in the first round," Galbraith says. "I had him in a guillotine choke and went balls to the wall with it, used up pretty much everything trying to get him to tap. It was close - I put everything into it trying to sever his head off, but he has such a slender neck. Then in the second round he came out with the kicks and I had a lot of trouble getting hold of the guy, but I finally got him down, used some elbows and got the choke. After my fight with James Lee got put off I didn't train for a month, when this fight came up I really only had about two-and-a-half weeks of good training." Galbraith is nonetheless excited about the win, and looking forward to life as the light heavyweight champion. Although Crawford tells FCF that the organization is looking at having Brent Beauparlant as Galbraith's first title defense, "the Gladiator" is still hoping that a fight with Patrick Cote can still be arranged at a later date. Cote had been the KOTC Canada Light Heavyweight Champion and was unable to defend his title against No. 1 contender Galbraith, apparently due to contractual obligations with the currently-taping fourth season of "The Ultimate Fighter" television program. "I'm so happy about winning the belt," Galbraith tells FCF. "I give props to Keith and Ken from KOTC for putting on a great event. I'd really like to fight Patrick Cote if he comes around, everyone talks about him, but I did something Patrick couldn't do in stopping Ricardeau. I know a lot of people who thought Ricardeau beat Patrick in their fight, that's why this win feels great; a lot of people didn't think I was going to win. I owe a special thanks to Rodrigo Munduruca and Kyle Cardinal, they sacrificed everyday and everything in helping me get ready for this fight." Marcus Soares' fighter Garett Davis extended his winning streak to six by defeating veteran fighter Shannon Ritch by rear-naked choke in the first round. According to Crawford, the fight was one of the more exciting and emotional fights of the night. "Amazing fight," Crawford says. "Shannon came out strong and hit Garett with a spinning hook kick on the side of the face. They went to the ground and Shannon got Garett in a perfect heelhook. Garett would not tap; his ankle was trashed after. Garett fought out of it and got Shannon's back and tapped him with a rear-naked choke. The crowd went nuts, Garett looked strong and so did Shannon. Garett then dedicated the fight to his mother and sister who were admitted to hospital last Monday and Wednesday respectively with brain tumors. Very emotional." Davis was extremely happy about the win, and despite the troubling circumstances that currently surround his family, the resilient jiu-jitsu fighter managed to walk away with the win. "I'd like to think fighting and beating him is a boost to my career," Davis tells FCF. "He has a lot of losses but a lot of wins too. He's fought all over the world against some pretty big names. Shannon always takes fights on short notice against bigger guys - it was a fantastic win. He almost got me with his famous heelhook, I heard the ankle popping and cracking, but just didn't want to quit. I can walk on it so I don't think it's broken, but I think the damage is all ligaments and tendons. I'll have to get it checked, let it heal up and take care of my family before fighting again." In other action from Sunday night's event, Team Sniper instructor Mike Yackulic took out Mike Rooney with a triangle choke in round one, Chris Ade defeated Elmer Waterhen with a first round armbar, Jesse Bongfeldt submitted Jan Kaszuba with a rear-naked choke also in the opening installment, and Justin Tavernini won by tapping out Calgary's Greg Rego with a first round triangle choke. KOTC Canada was hoping to hold an event in British Columbia next month, but due to the current sanctioning issues that seem to be arising in Vancouver, other municipalities in the province do not seem eager to hold MMA events. The organization is still planning on holding an event September 23 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. |
| Friday - June 23, 2006 |
From the event's promoter: INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE ANNOUNCES NEXT TWO EVENTS IN PORTLAND, OREGON AND MOLINE, ILLINOIS FEATURING TWO SPECIAL SUPER FIGHTS Tickets on Sale June 26 For World Team Championship Event on September 23 With MMA Legends and IFL Coaches Renzo Gracie and Pat Miletich Squaring Off at The MARK of the Quad Cities New York City – June 22, 2006 – The world's first team-based mixed martial arts organization, International Fight LeagueTM (IFL), has announced its next two events to take place on September 9 and September 23 in Portland, Ore. and Moline, Ill. respectively. Tickets for the World Team Championship on September 23 will go on sale June 26, 10:00am, at The MARK of the Quad Cities pitting Renzo Gracie's New York Pitbulls vs. Pat Miletich's Quad City Silverbacks. The evening's stellar card will be rounded out with a special Super Fight between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu master/Pitbulls coach Gracie and local legend/Silverbacks coach Miletich. Full team rosters to be announced. Tickets will retail from $28.50 - $148.50 and will be available at all Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at (563) 326-1111, and The MARK of the Quad Cities Box Office.
Tickets for the World Team Championship on September 9 at Portland's Memorial Coliseum, will go on sale Saturday, July 1 The evening's lineup will feature the world premiere of MMA legends, Matt "The Law" Lindland's Portland Wolf Pack and Antonio Inoki's Tokyo Sabres. The teams will face off against the Seattle Tiger Sharks and Los Angeles Anacondas respectively. In addition to the team bouts, the World Team Championship on September 9 will also feature a legendary super fight that will be announced soon. After two successful events in April and June at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, the IFL is off to an impressive start, with Miletich's Silverbacks winning the inaugural season championship. The league scored high ratings on its Fox Sports Net broadcasts reaching over 1.3 million viewers. The televised shows were produced and directed by Emmy award-winning producer Peter Lasser, who has worked on several Olympic telecasts as well as with ESPN, NBC Sports, NFL Films and FSN, among others. Other exciting news includes the announcement of four additional teams to the IFL, taken the league up to eight teams. "Mixed-martial-arts is the new frontier in fight-related sports," said The Mark at the Quad Cities spokesperson Scott Mullen." We are thrilled to be having the world class fighters of the IFL at our arena right in the Silverbacks backyard." Officially announced in January 2006, the International Fight League is the brainchild of Kurt Otto and Gareb Shamus. The avid, business-minded executives have created a stir by introducing the team-based league and a more regulated approach to the aggressive sport. The team concept, which truly sets the IFL apart from other MMA organizations, mirrors national sports leagues such as the NFL and NBA and allows MMA, the combination of jiu-jitsu, karate, judo, kick-boxing, wrestling, and boxing to reach a broader audience. |
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Former WWE Star Set to Jabber, Not Jab at WFA By Loretta Hunt Gearing up for its July 22 "King of the Streets" event at The Forum in Los Angeles, recently announced World Fighting Alliance color commentator Bill Goldberg spoke with both pro-wrestling and mixed martial arts press during a telephone conference call on Wednesday.
"If I was to participate in the MMA world as a fighter, I guess we've figured out where I'm gonna be," Goldberg barbed at the numerous suggestions the 39-year-old new father might eventually enter the cage himself. Logistically, a cage debut for the one-time NFL defensive lineman doesn't seem likely, at least for now. Goldberg is currently slated to star in the remake of the Steven Seagal vehicle "Half Past Dead," while he admits he'd need ample time for preparation to enter an MMA bout. "As far as getting prepared 100%, I would have to put all of that to the side," says Goldberg, who shared he's been training Muay Thai for five years at the Extreme Power Gym in Oceanside, California (which he also co-owns), but has had little formal ground training, as well as no amateur wrestling experience. "I'd have to be a novice," says Goldberg of his mat time. "No question about it. I am much more proficient at standing up and kicking and punching people than I am getting on the ground with them." Goldberg shared limited ringside commentary with Stephan Quadros and Bas Rutten for PRIDE's Shockwave 2002, and served as a backstage interviewer for the event as well. For the WFA, Goldberg will be joined in the booth by play-by-play commentator Barry Tompkins, formerly of HBO Boxing and current color commentator for FOX's "Sunday Night Fights." A third expected commentator for the event has not been named at this time. " "It means so much more to the fan if you have somebody with unbelievable ability who is also marketable and entertaining at the same time. I think that has a little bit to do with why they brought me onboard." |
| Sunday - June 25, 2006 |
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Available in the FCF Shop  Click here to order securely online |
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Couture a Hall of Famer at TUF 3 Finale By Derek Callahan Even with the announcement that Jens Pulver will return to the Octagon once more, the highlight of the night had to be the induction of Randy Couture into the UFC Hall of Fame. If someone were to try and find something negative to say about the former two-time heavyweight, and former light heavyweight champ, they would never be bored because the search would be endless. With the induction, Couture was given nearly immediate recognition for a career well done, and any less wouldn't have cut it. He hasn't been retired long, but the impression that he's made on the sport will last. The Ultimate Fighter Season 3 finale was a lengthy card that showcased nine bouts, and continued to separate the levels of talent that the popular Spike TV show had to offer. As with any season, the men were separated from the boys, with all five dark bouts failing to leave the first round. The night started with TUF 3 veteran Mike Nickels taking on the undefeated Wes Combs. At 3:10 into the first round, he became the previously undefeated Wes Combs. Nickels landed a throw from the clinch, and convinced Combs to show his back after some solid striking. After trying without success to secure a rear naked choke, Nickels went another route and teed off, prompting a submission due to strikes. Cornered by Tito Ortiz after sharing a training camp at Big Bear, Matt Hamill finished Jesse Forbes for his third professional MMA victory. The Olympic-caliber wrestler and Rochester Institute of Technology grad showed some dangerous dirty boxing in the beginning of the bout. After a takedown, he found himself in Forbes' guard. Referee Yves Lavigne wasn't satisfied with the level of activity, and stood the pair up. After some rapid-fire uppercuts, Forbes slipped to guard. Standing over him in Forbes's open guard, Hamill unleashed punches and elbows. In his corner, Ortiz was silent and emphatic as he gestured instructions to Hamill, a competitor deaf since birth. At 4:47 into the first round, Lavigne stopped the bout. Hamill had to make sure that it was his win, and not the end of the round that halted the action, and he got the good news shortly. Coming off of a win in the Apex Championship Fighting show north of the border, Luigi Fioravanti landed a picture perfect left hook to floor Solomon Hutherson at 4:15 of the first round. Coming out hyper-aggressive and eager to trade, Hutcherson was looking to be in good position when Fioravanti turned the fight around. Escaping from Hutcherson's side mount, it was Luigi who came out on top with crisper striking and that laser of a left hook. Danny Abbadi didn't bring enough to the table to stop Kalib Starnes in their match-up. Avoiding an early takedown attempt, Abbadi was taken down and secured half guard. Starnes landed and got the mount, with Abbadi understandably not liking the position. He rolled and showed his back in the process, and Starnes pulled in a rear naked choke to end the bout 2:56 into round one. In what may have been the most explosive fight of the night, Rory Singer weathered a quick storm from Ross Pointon. He was floored early on, but from the guard hit a triangle choke that ended Pointon's night a mere 44 seconds in. It was quick, it was toe-to-toe, and had the crowd primed for the night's main features. The first televised fight was what Joe Rogan described on air as, "...a leg kick contest." American Top Team fighter Wilson Gouveia came out strong in the first round against TUF 2 contestant Keith Jardine. Gouveia got the best of Jardine in the first round, but Jardine came on stronger as the bout wore on. Both landed several leg kicks, but activity was the x-factor here. Jardine came on more aggressive in a bout that was fought almost entirely on the feet, and it paid off. Fighting through an increasingly bloody nose, Jardine mixed up his shots standing. A varied attack saw one-twos follow leg kicks, and it led to a three round unanimous decision win. In one of the show's closest finales, middleweights Ed Herman and Kendall Grove fought back and forth throughout three rounds. Round one belonged to Herman who secured takedowns by closing the distance. Grove gave a good attempt at an armbar, but Herman defended and was able to land more accurate shots on the ground. The pace continued in round two with Herman, a Team quest rep, taking the bout to the mat. In Grove's guard, Herman fought his way out of two very close triangle attempts from Grove. As the second round closed, they flip-flopped positions of dominance, each landing punches to go with their sub attempts. The third round was noticeably slower with each fighter beginning to gas. Grove landed a flying knee courtesy of a 6'6" frame, but was promptly taken down. Herman took his back, and with one hook secured, flowed with Grove's resistance to an armbar. They continued to grapple, and Grove ended up extending Herman in an all-out rear naked choke. Remarkably, the clock ticked to zero with Herman still fighting, peeling Grove's arms off of his neck. Almost as remarkably, all three judges saw it one way: 29-28 for Kendall Grove, who became the newest UFC middleweight. He wouldn't hold that title very long though, as Dana White announced that Herman would be getting a contract as well. With a fight is that close, maybe the next contract they each sign will be for a rematch. The light-heavyweight final was not nearly as competitive as the Grove/Herman bout. Michael Bisping took Josh "Bring the Pain" Haynes's nickname pretty literally. Showing osme good instincts by transitioning from strikes to grappling and back, Bisping dominated every aspect of the bout. His punches were more accurate both standing and on the ground, and his only aberration from dominance was an illegal knee to a downed Haynes. It didn't matter much as Haynes was right back into the action, and pressing Bisping with some constant haymakers. Midway through the second round, Bisping went for an arm lock that turned into bad news for Haynes. Although he avoided any real submission threats, Haynes ate a lot of leather, prompting John McCarthy to stop the fight at 4:14 of round two. At his more competitive weight of 155-pounds, Kenny Florian put the crowd through a brief clinic on jiu-jitsu. He took Sam Stout down, got his back, and sank in a rear-naked choke. Weathering no offense whatsoever, Florian induced a tap out at 1:46 of round one. |
| Monday - June 26, 2006 |
 Announcing the debut of FCF Radio In the inaugural broadcast, we speak with Kenny Florian and Denis Kang. Click here to listen/download. |
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Promotion Converts from Ring to Cage for 17th Event Report & photos by Keith Mills Two vacant AFC belts were claimed Saturday as ATT's Mario Rinaldi took the heavyweight title and FFA's Jorge Masvidal won the welterweight belt at the promotion's seventeenth event, held at the Florida State University Gymnasium in Boca Raton, Florida.
Rinaldi dispatched Rob Smith, a relatively unknown fighter who started out impressive as he rushed in but later fell victim to Rinaldi's ground game. Welterweight Masvidal's victory was much closer despite an early accidental eye poke that blinded opponent Nuri Shakir in his left eye for most of the fight. Masvidal and Shakir traded punches and knees from the clinch for much of the fifteen minutes, but ground scoring was all Masvidal. In terms of damage done, Shakir scored a cut over the right eye of Masvidal in the first round while Masvidal had Shakir backpedaling at least twice under a hail of shots to the face. The turning point came when Shakir's eye swelling closed from the accidental poke, taking him totally out of his game plan.
Dustin Denes notched another victory, this time against Todd Carney, in a fight that should be no embarrassment to Carney. UFC vet Nick Thompson returned to AFC in a tough fight against Team Quest's Chris Wilson - one of the more entertaining fights in AFC history -- and Luis Palomino converted many spectators to fans as he explosively took out Luis Lilato in 1:23.
The real news from this show is the huge step forward AFC took in terms of production values. For starters, they switched from the boxing ring they have used since their inception to at 24-foot cage and lighting that would put most North American feeders shows to shame. Over 4,000 fans made this reportedly the largest show and an Internet broadcast probably reached even more around the world. AFC 18 is scheduled for August 26.
Look for a full report in an upcoming issue of Full Contact Fighter. AFC 17 Results
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| Tuesday - June 27, 2006 |
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By David West Lee Murray and Other Fighters Arrested in Morocco
Murray is not the only UK MMA fighter to be connected with the robbery. Lea Rusha, who fought at UKMMAC 10, has been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, while Jeremy Bailey, a regular competitor at Cage Rage who was scheduled to fight at Cage Rage 17 this Saturday, has been arrested and charged with money laundering, although in their statement, the Police did not confirmed the link between the charges for money laundering and the robbery. Murray's arrest has been reported in several national newspapers in the UK due to the high profile nature of the robbery. Kent Police have issued the following statement: Kent Police Head of Serious and Major Crime, Detective Superintendent Paul Gladstone, today (June 26) confirmed details of yesterday's arrest in Morocco of a suspect in the £53m Securitas robbery investigation. Detective Superintendent Gladstone, the senior investigating officer in the case, said: "At 4.30 p.m. yesterday (Sunday, June 25) Moroccan police officers arrested a 26-year-old man, Lee Murray, of Sidcup, south London, near the Mega Mall shopping centre in the capital city Rabat. He was arrested for robbery, kidnap and other offences linked to the £53m Securitas raid in Tonbridge, Kent, in February. The arrest was made with the authority of the Crown Prosecution Service, Kent Police and the Moroccan authorities. The man is in custody in Rabat and the United Kingdom is now seeking extradition. "This latest development is part of our ongoing investigation and our inquiries continue. We remain determined to bring the people behind the robbery to justice. We are aware that some media are reporting that a further £1m cash has been recovered, linked to the Securitas robbery. Working with Surrey and Hampshire police we did arrest a number of people in Surrey and Hampshire on Friday and have now charged two men, from Devon and Hampshire, with the offence of money laundering. A significant amount of cash was recovered. However, we are not able to confirm the amount at this stage or link the cash to the robbery or any similar crime. The money is now being counted and forensically examined." |
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By Derek Callahan Josh Koscheck is worrying about himself. There's nothing selfish about it though, because what he's worrying about is what he will do come June 28's Ultimate Fight Night 5. He isn't worrying about Dave Menne (42-13-2), who he fights on Wednesday. Competing in MMA for almost ten years, Menne beat Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons before it was a popular thing to do. He's a former UFC middleweight champ with wins over Carlos Newton, Chris Lytle, and heavyweight Roberto Traven. He is often remembered for the time when Phil Baroni appeared to be holding him aloft with a barrage of punches to what was an increasingly achy head at UFC 39. He's got a history in the sport, one that Koscheck isn't really concerned about. "I don't even look at him," says Koscheck (7-1). "I've just focused on myself, I just prepare." Preparation has been easy enough for him at the American Kickboxing Academy. "I credit them with my success," he says about his training partners. "I have endless training partners, it's a who's-who of MMA." Consistently hosting twenty or so spectators to their training sessions, San Jose's most famous MMA team has been a reliable one in its production of top fighters. The 'Kickboxing' part of the name is a bit of misnomer in this case, since Koscheck is known as a dominant wrestler. Although he isn't thinking about Menne, when pushed to, he exudes some short confidence. "Wrestling-wise I'm probably like 10 times better than Dave Menne," he says. Traditionally, Menne has been a well-rounded fighter that can't be consistently beaten one way. The good news that Koscheck creates for himself is that he doesn't want several ways to beat him. He just needs one. "You've got to win with what you have. I don't care that he's well-rounded," he claims. Part of the reason why Koscheck is so ambivalent to an ex-UFC champ coming down to 170 pounds to fight him, is that he isn't focused on this bout as any big turning point. After all, he isn't in control of who the UFC puts in front of him. "You can't worry about who you're fighting. What you can control is your mental state in showing up," he says. With a team like AKA behind him, Koscheck isn't in too dire a need of a confidence boost. He did get one early on in his career though, as one of the biggest surprises to show up on the inaugural season of "The Ultimate Fighter." "It's a confidence booster knowing I was competing with the elite of the sport," he says. Tempting as it may be to put the Spike TV crew into TV history with WCW wrestling tapes and the entire cast of "Boy Meets World," it's the truth that a lot of growth took place for the fighters on that show. He learned to compete with the likes of Chris Leben and Diego Sanchez, both of whom had extensive amounts more experience than him going in. "His game hasn't changed over the past year and a half," says Koscheck on Sanchez. It makes him want another shot at the undefeated welterweight. As for Leben, he's looking for a fight, "just because he's got a big mouth and he runs it." Fair enough. "I fought Chris and Diego not knowing a damn thing about MMA," he says. The task at hand is Menne though, and "I try not to look past my opponent." Or apparently, back at them. Koscheck is loath to talk about the only blemish on his record, a practical buzzer-beater loss to Drew Fickett in October of last year. With 22 seconds left in a fight that he was dominating, Koscheck fell victim to a rampant knee, and then the rear-naked choke. "It's kind of annoying that people keep bringing that fight up," he says. It's understandable why he doesn't like talking about that particular fight when there are seven other perfectly good wins to go over. It's an aberration on his record though, and that makes it relevant. "I don't really care about that fight, it was just a mistake. I haven't thought about that fight since forever," he says. Since then he returned the rear-naked choke to Ansar Chalangov (7-2), a tough Russian fighter in his own right. Koscheck is observant about his own career. Sounding as if he was alluding to how his fight with Menne (who is another in a line of veterans brought in to fight, and presumably lose to rising TUF stars) Koscheck is eager to bring up the win over Chalangov, and then shake it off. "I'm expected to beat guys like that. From the background I come from, who I train with. It was expected." Prepared for his next fight, whether or not fans will know what to expect isn't totally up to Koscheck. He feels ready and has concentrated on doing his part. The rest is up to Menne. |
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Report & photos by Jim Genia (June 25th, New York City) The turnout was dismal for the Sunday's installment of the Underground Combat League's "Unforgiven" show, but that didn't stop the leather from flying. Representatives from Seaport Fighting Arts, Elite Wrestling and the Evolution Combat Club stepped onto the mat, while UFC 10-veteran John Campetella watched from the sidelines and a German TV crew filmed a news segment on the whole affair. Highlights of the event include:
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Check out what's in the current issue of FCF...| Thursday - June 29, 2006 |
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By Jim Genia Cage Fury Fighting Championships -- the newest kid on New Jersey's MMA block -- is poised to debut on Friday, June 30th, at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, and it brings with it a world of possibilities for fighters and fans alike. Thanks to the sport's rise in popularity, the Garden State has such long-standing shows as Reality Fighting and Ring of Combat, as well as relative newcomers Combat in the Cage and the Mixed Fighting Championship. So what does promoter Felix Martinez' Cage Fury bring to the table? Time will tell for sure, but the fight card is stacked with some solid talent. Here's a look at some of the fighters: Carmelo Marrero He's a heavyweight wrestling powerhouse who seems to bring his own cheering section whenever he fights, but Marrero is more than just a ground-and-pounder. At MFC 6, Marrero displayed some fast scrambles to secure the choke -- showing a range of skills that make him dangerous to anyone on the mat. Nick Cottone Lightning fast. That's the best way to describe Cottone. A bantamweight wrestler with accurate hands to go with his clinch skills and takedowns, he's been on the scene for a while. And he's gone through his competition like a hot knife through butter. Marcus Davis As a cast member of The Ultimate Fighter's second season, Davis was heralded as having the best hands in the house -- something he was never quite able to prove against the superior grapplers. Either way, when the 'Irish Hand Grenade' steps into the ring, he comes to bang. Rick McCoy An MMA competitor since the early BAMA Fight Night shows, McCoy has got experience -- and a win over a green Rich Clementi -- on his side. He tapped out to a Nick Serra triangle choke back in 2003, but since then McCoy has been honing his ground skills. Dan Miller A Planet Jiu-Jitsu up-and-comer, Miller's got a nearly flawless submission game to go with his high-speed fight tempo. Tough, and smart as hell in the ring, he represents the latest generation of MMA fighters here on the East Coast. The card as of 6/28: Heavyweight Title Fight Carmelo Marrero vs. Petrus "Buffalo" Walker Light-Heavyweight Title Fight Josh Rhodes vs. Wayne Cole Bantamweight Title Fight Nick Cottone vs. Matt McCabe Super Fight Marcus "The Irish hand Grenade" Davis vs. Doug Gordon Main Fight Card Joe Veres vs. Dwayne Shelton - Lightweight Al Buck vs. Mike Scneck - Lightweight Brian Vanes vs. Malachy Friedman - Lightweight Jeff Williamson vs. Rick McCoy - Welterweight Jason Pittman vs. Bill Bontcue - Welterweight Rick Ashkar vs. Frank Lowers - Welterweight Alex Aquino vs. Josh Roseanne- Middleweight Brian De Muro vs. John Swangler - Middleweight Dave Perez vs. Dan Miller - Middleweight |
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Evans Edges Out Bonnar, Koscheck Tops Menne By Loretta Hunt LAS VEGAS, June 28 -- Scant seconds and two stiff right jabs in to his Ultimate Fight Night 5 headlining bout with Brazilian Anderson Silva, the fiery-haired Chris Leben was in deficit. The standout character of "The Ultimate Fighter's" first season barreled back at the former Chute Boxe fighter with looping hooks that mostly missed their mark, then Silva answered with a kick and follow-up fists that sent the Team Quest fighter down. For a stagnant second Leben's curled torso rocked back, then forward, and between Silva's shots, his arms outstretched for the Brazilian's limbs, then anchored his attempt to stand. His wobbly prey in front of him, "the Spider" swung back in with a connecting uppercut and a final knee that sent Leben to the mat once more. Referee "Big" John McCarthy had seen enough, ushering in Silva's 49-second UFC debut with a resounding sonic boom and an underlying message that world-class competition is not to be trifled with. Lansing, Michigan wrestler Rashad Evans took the reigns early in what would become a three-round harnessing of TUF 1 runner-up Stephan Bonnar's better talents. Unable to connect before Evans had him floating through the air and crashing to the ground with a steady succession of painful-looking slams, Bonnar hunted the submission from his back. However, fifteen minutes' searching came up empty and Evans was given a majority decision, despite judge Dalby Shirley's efforts to pawn off the TUF 2 champion's domination as a 29-29 draw. Erasing a poor performance against Jason Lambert last March at UFC 58, Canadian light heavyweight Rob McDonald showed a swift wrestling aptitude against TUF 3 vet Kristian Rothaermel, and flourished with an airtight armbar from mount when Rothaermel erroneously exited to his side 4:01 into the first. Try as he might, Cincinnatti's Jorge Gurgel, a popular veteran of TUF's second season who fought the show injured, couldn't crack the confident Mark Hominick's will to stand and was left little recourse but to trade with the kickboxer. Catching Gurgel's numerous kick attempts with his hands throughout their three-round interlude, the Canadian swept Gurgel's other leg and the Brazilian collapsed to the mat. Often congratulating Hominick's advances in the cage although things got a little "cat and mouse" when Hominick backtracked multiple times from his would-be aggressor, the good natured Gurgel was unceremoniously sent home with the decision loss in the end. TUF 2's Luke Cummo shining moment came at the top of round two when he forced opponent Jonathan Goulet to the mat with a charge led by his overhand right and then a connecting knee. Unfortunately for the Long Islander, that would be all he had to offer to the judges, two of which nodded in Canadian Goulet's direction for his superior out-positioning and ground-and-pound efforts for the duration of the bout Ultimate Fight Night 5 Results
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| Friday - June 30, 2006 |
 Cage Rage 17 "Ultimate Challenge" en Route to Attendance Record Weigh-ins Clear 12 Bouts for Saturday Report & photos by David West With England still in the soccer World Cup, spirits were high at the weigh-ins for Cage Rage 17 "Ultimate Challenge" despite the loss of several bouts, including the former main event Tank Abbott versus Amokrane Sabet, cancelled after Sabet tore his abdominal muscles in training. With the fight card going from fifteen to twelve matches, the new headlining bout between Ian "The Machine" Freeman and "The Manhunter" Melvin Manhoef promises fireworks in abundance and has captured the attention of the British fans. Freeman is coming out of retirement and making his first appearance as a light heavyweight against the explosive Dutchman who stopped Shungo Oyama in his last fight at K-1 Hero's. Tengiz Tedoradze was scheduled to defend his British Heavyweight title against James Thompson, but Tedoradze was knocked out just two weeks ago at 2 Hot 2 Handle in Holland, disqualifying himself from competing. Cage Rage has stripped the belt from Tedoradze and its new holder will be either Thompson or his opponent Rob Broughton, who has not fought the same level of opposition as PRIDE veteran Thompson and will be in need of an upset.
Fighting away from PRIDE for the first time will be one of Thompson's previous opponents Henry "Sentoryu" Miller, who will face British slugger Robert "Buzz" Berry. At 1-4-0 Miller needs the win, while Berry (9-4-0) is coming off a loss by submission to Dan Severn and will be equally hungry for the victory. Curtis Stout had originally hoped to mix it up with Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, but with Santos signing with PRIDE, Stout will now face Zelg Galesic, of Croatian origin but now training with Trojan Free Fighters, home camp of James Thompson. Galesic looked sharp knocking out Michael Holmes at Cage Rage 15, but will be stepping up in class to meet the more experienced American.
Tough Japanese fighter Daijiro Matsui will meet the U.S. Air Force's Pierre Guillet in a match-up of two talented grapplers. Matsui beat Curtis Stout by decision in his last match, while Guillet similarly took a decision off Frenchman Laurent Bonafoux at European Vale Tudo in May.
Guillet's training partner Robbie Olivier had hoped to get his rematch with Featherweight Champion Brad Pickett, but with Pickett out with an injury, Olivier will be facing Mark Chen, who has been clamouring for a shot at Pickett on various Internet forums. Chen will have to get past the very durable Olivier to earn his shot at the crown. Cage Rage 17 will be the first MMA event held at the Wembley Arena, which has a maximum capacity of 7,500 people for tomorrow's show. At the time of the weigh-in, almost 6,000 tickets had been sold, which bodes well for the promotion and may be a record attendance for an MMA event in the UK. Cage Rage 17 "Ultimate Challenge" Weigh-in Results
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By Eduardo Alonso As the European MMA scene widens, the "old continent's" biggest stage is proving to be England and its standout promotion Cage Rage. Among its accomplishments, Cage Rage has created exposure for some deserved British fighters who are starting to get more attention in the bigger MMA circles - from Michael Bisping's dominant "TUF 3" performances to James Thompson's PRIDE appearances. Behind them, however, a local pool of fighters is battling for their space on the bigger stages, one being a pioneer of the UK scene in firefighter Robbie Olivier. Having fought in the very first Cage Rage event, judo black belt Olivier is ready for yet one more battle as Cage Rage's 17th edition this Saturday against Mark Chen, a bout for contendership of champion Brad Pickett's featherweight (145-pound) title. FCF: I understand you come from a judo background. Lately, some judo players have been achieving success in MMA, and other high caliber judo players have been coming to the sport. How do you feel judo adapts to MMA, and what do you think of so many Olympic judo players coming to our sport? RO: Yes, I started judo at the age of six. It was the first combat sport that I had tried and at the time it was probably the most physical sport you could do as a child in the UK, so it has been a good grounding for me and fighting. For me, it's great to watch top judoka in MMA, as long as they have been training at a quality MMA gym. Like all arts in MMA, by itself judo is not complete enough for the sport. I think apart from the obvious, like takedowns and ground control, judo players generally do well in MMA because of the way competitive judo is trained, with intension when applying the techniques, which also helps conditioning. Basically, judo guys are usually very tough (Laughs) FCF: Being a judo black belt yourself, how did you make the transition to MMA, and what did you find the most difficult part to adapt? RO: I came from a judo club that had a high standard of ground fighting for the UK, so when I started MMA I was already at advantage as the UK hadn't really got any good BJJ clubs here. When I saw the first UFC I knew this was the sport for me, but I also knew I needed to learn stand-up so I started Thai boxing. I don't really see myself as a judo player in MMA as I think I have evolved and am always trying to become more of a rounded fighter. FCF: I know you're also a firefighter in the UK. How do you manage to do such a grueling work, and still train and teach? RO: Its tough to get the right training in around shifts, but I think the key is to organize training sessions well and in advance. Luckily my teammate Pierre Guillet lives close by me and the gym, so we can always get extra sessions in. Also the guys at the fire station are very supportive and try to help me with my preparations the best they can. FCF: The MMA scene in the UK seems to be growing a lot. What do you think of the current level of British fighters and where do you see the sport going in the UK? RO: I think now some the top guys in the UK are ready to make noise on the world scene, especially with promotions like Cage Rage that are starting to be recognized around the world. But I would like to see a better amateur circuit to groom the talent and raise the technical levels before fighting pro. FCF: Your last bout was for Cage Rage's British title and had somewhat of a controversial result, where you lost a judges' decision that many thought you had won. How did you feel about that fight and the decision? RO: Well the problem was, I knew I couldn't leave it to the judges, but I did, so only I'm to blame for that, saying that I can't see how I lost, I even had people coming up to me after the fight saying, "I'm a friend of Brad but you won that fight." But I've put that behind me now and it just made me more determined to be the next Cage Rage champ. FCF: Do you want a rematch with Brad Pickett, and is that on the plans for the near future? RO: Well, I was supposed to be fighting him on this show as a rematch, but he pulled out due to injury, funny enough now I'm having to fight for the number one contender spot before I get a chance at Brad - not the best situation, but its no problem. No one wants this as much as I do. FCF: Now you're fighting Mark Chen at the next Cage Rage. What do you think of him as an opponent? RO: He's an intelligent guy, just finished his PhD I'm told, I think he sees me as a route to Brad and the title, but I have other ideas. He is actually a very well rounded fighter with quick hands, but I question his mental attitude. FCF: How was your training for the fight? Did you and teammate Pierre Guillet, who's fighting Daijiro Matsui on the same card, train any specific strategies for both bouts? RO: Yeah, of course, but we haven't changed our individual style for each opponent, just worked hard at a game plan that's flexible. FCF: The best of luck in your fight and thanks for the interview! RO: Thanks very much, always a pleasure mate. I just like to say thanks to everyone that's helped me with my preparations: Tsunami Gym, August Wallen and Shooters MMA, Musclefinesse and, of course, my family and friends. Cheers! |
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