Front-kick KO video: Former UFC fighter Buchholz looks like an action movie star

Insert your Steven Seagal jokes here. We've found a spectacular front-kick knockout that the action movie star and Blackhouse MMA pal can't take credit for this time.

Two weeks ago, Justin Buchholz plucked one from the Anderson Silva/Lyoto Machida playbook. This was first good video to emerge of Buchholz's KO of Steve Lopez in Las Vegas at Superior Cage Combat.

Seagal has been mocked for taking credit for those fabulous kicks by Silva and Machida. After Machida knocked out Randy Couture at UFC 129, there was even an awkward moment in the arena where Seagal gloated to Dana White (4:58 mark - Video).

Tip via Cage Potato

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Front-kick-KO-video-Former-UFC-fighter-Buchholz?urn=mma-wp2961

Jess Liaudin Chuck The Iceman Liddell Shad Lierley  Jushin Thunder Liger

TUF 13 Card Set; Ramsey Nijem Meets Tony Ferguson for Title

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LAS VEGAS - Following Wednesday's final regular-season episode of "The Ultimate Fighter," the UFC has filled its fight card for Saturday's TUF 13 Finale.

In the championship bout to crown the next "Ultimate Fighter," finalists Ramsey Nijem and Tony Ferguson will meet for the title and a guaranteed UFC contract. The two welterweights won their semifinal fights in an episode that aired Wednesday night on Spike TV. Additionally, the UFC has made official for the televised main card a bout pitting losing semifinalists Chris Cope and Chuck O'Neil against each other.

And four other TUF 13 cast members will see action against each other on the preliminary card on Saturday: Shamar Bailey vs. Ryan McGillivray and Justin Edwards vs. Clay Harvison. The UFC and Spike made those fights official Thursday morning.

Bailey, a Strikeforce veteran, was one of this season's favorites and was coach Junior dos Santos' top pick. He advanced to the quarterfinals, but was upset there by Cope. The Indianapolis firefighter has trained alongside UFC vets Chris Lytle and Matt Mitrione, both also veterans of "The Ultimate Fighter." His opponent, McGillivray, was dos Santos' second pick. He, too, lost his quarterfinal fight. The five-year Canadian veteran started his career with Maximum Fighting Championships in Canada. Nine of the 11 wins in his pro career have come by submission.

Edwards, who trains in Ohio with Jorge Gurgel, lost his first fight in the house to Ferguson, who went on to reach Saturday's finals. In his pro career, Edwards is 6-0 - with six first-round stoppages. The last five have come by submission with four by guillotine. Four of his wins have come in less than one minute. Edwards' second pro fight was for Bellator, and he also has a win over Josh Rafferty, from TUF 1, on his resume. Harvison, who fought for Brock Lesnar's team, won his first fight this season before losing to Nijem in the quarterfinals. The 6-1 pro has fought all seven of his bouts in Georgia, and all six of his wins have come in the first round.

Seven of the eight quarterfinalists from TUF 13 are on Saturday's card. Only Zach Davis is absent, replaced by Edwards. Davis lost a quarterfinal fight to O'Neil, but suffered torn retinas in both eyes and was told by doctors on the show that he should no longer fight.

Saturday's TUF 13 Finale takes place at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The main card, which will air live on Spike, features a highly anticipated lightweight contenders fight between Clay Guida and Anthony Pettis, the last WEC lightweight champion. And Ed Herman and Tim Credeur meet in a middleweight bout, the return to action for both after nearly two years off because of injuries.

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/02/tuf-13-card-set-ramsey-nijem-meets-tony-ferguson-for-title/

Keigo Kunihara Mike Kyle Achmed Labasanov Jason Lambert

Rick Story steps up in place of injured Anthony Johnson at UFC Live 4

Rising welterweight Rick Story?s nickname may be ?Horror? but the tale the 26-year old has written in the ring since late 2009 should have him considering a change to ?Epic?. Fresh off a gutsy decision win over knockout artist Thiago Alves less than a week ago at UFC 130, the 13-3 Story has agreed to [...]

Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2011/06/03/rick-story-steps-up-in-place-of-injured-anthony-johnson-at-ufc-live-4/

Sean O Haire Yushin Okami Bobby Ologun Andy Ologun

If his kids stay out of trouble, ‘Rampage’ may retire at 35

Quinton Jackson doesn't want to be like Roy Jones Jr. and countless other boxers who fight because they have to financially. The former UFC light heavyweight champ always targeted 35 years old as the time to walk away. Jackson, 32, still believes that, but there are some uncontrollable factors that could change the plan.

"I have kids to look out for. I want to put some of my kids through college. I know some of my kids ... I'm gonna need lawyers fees for them," joked Jackson. "Y'all laughing but I know this!"

Jackson was in a good mood as he spoke during Wednesday's final press conference for UFC 130. In spite of the talk that he's not motivated for this fight, he seems to have a new outlook on his fighting career. Jackson has benefited greatly from being able to earn a healthy living.

"My parents were real poor and I want my mom to drive a nice car and have a nice house, and I want my dad to have the same. That's the thing that drives me to keep fighting so I can afford to keep doing those things," said Jackson.

Rampage is starting to realize he can lengthen his career by cleaning things up outside the cage. That could mean he fights past 35.

"When I used to fight in PRIDE, I was a single parent and I used to eat fast food all the time. I used have to cut 15 pounds every time before a fight. I really got sick of that over the years," Jackson said. "I'm sick and tired of that lifestyle, being real heavy."

Jackson knows it cost him a title shot earlier this year.

"I really regret getting real heavy after my November fight because I couldn't fight [Mauricio] "Shogun" [Rua] after Rashad [Evans] got injured. It was like a kick in the ass," said Jackson.

During Wednesday's presser, Jackson looked visibly thinner than before previous fights.

"I was really excited about getting in shape for this fight. When you look at yourself in the mirror and you're disgusted with yourself, and you're a professional athlete, that's bad," said Jackson.

Jackson faces Matt Hamill in the main event of UFC 130 on Saturday.

You can watch UFC 130 right here on Yahoo! Sports

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/If-his-kids-stay-out-of-trouble-Rampage-may-r?urn=mma-wp2559

Mostapha Al Turk Ryuki Ueyama Caol Uno Alexander Ustinov

"The Ultimate Fighter 13" ratings improve for regular-season finale (episode No. 10)

The regular-season finale of "The Ultimate Fighter 13: Team Lesnar vs. Team Dos Santos" scored a 0.9 household rating and an average audience of 1.2 million viewers.

Spike TV officials today emailed the ratings information to MMAjunkie.com.

Wednesday's episode, which the season's 10th, saw a 20 percent increase from the previous installment, which scored a season-low one million viewers on May 25.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/OTnD2GomliE/the-ultimate-fighter-13-ratings-improve-for-regular-season-finale-episode-no-10.mma

Anderson Silva Antonio Silva Assuerio Silva Paulo Silva

Lessons learned from season 13 of ?The Ultimate Fighter?

Thirteen seasons in, any television show is going to feel stale, and "The Ultimate Fighter" has not escaped that fate. The show failed to excite throughout its 10-episode season.

In sitcom-land, this is usually when a long-lost daughter with a cute child who has a sassy catchphrase is introduced. Unfortunately for the UFC, Brock Lesnar had no sassy catchphrase, as his oft-repeated "Are we chicken s*** or chicken salad?" only served to confuse his fighters, and didn't prop up the ratings.

With just the live finale to go, we can now look back at the season and see what needs to be done to improve next season.

Go with exciting coaches over an "important match-up." The Brock Lesnar-Junior dos Santos match-up was to decide who the next heavyweight contender. That alone made that fight significant and exciting. It didn't need the TUF build-up to create interest. Lesnar and dos Santos showed themselves to be nice guys, but nice guys don't make watchable television.

Luckily, the UFC has already remedied that with the selection of Jason "Mayhem" Miller (pictured) and Michael Bisping for the coaches of TUF 14. Both men excel at getting under people's skin and running their mouths, which makes for much better television.

Share more about the fighters' stories. On this TUF cast, we had a devout Muslim, the son of a Baptist pastor, a man who was going through child-custody problems, and another father who kept the picture of his daughter with cornermen while he fought. They came from a diverse set of backgrounds and regions, and yet we only caught a glimpse of what made them interesting.

Let us get to know them, and we'll want to tune in and and cheer for (or against) these fighters. Not only that, it will make fans more interested in the fighters once they do reach the UFC.

Don't do anything to the Coaches Challenge. The episode where the coaches engage in a competition that has nothing to do with MMA is usually a highlight. This season, dos Santos, a Brazilian who knew nothing about American football, defeated Lesnar in a challenge that centered around American football. Leave it as is, unless the payout to coaches and fighters is upped.

Bring back the fight-in bouts. Taking away the requirement that fighters had to fight their way onto the show took away the action-packed first episodes. Fortunately, Dana White has already said that eliminating the fight-in bouts was a mistake, and that they will return for season 14.

What other changes would you like to see for "The Ultimate Fighter?" Will you tune in next season? Tell us in the comments or on Facebook.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Lessons-learned-from-season-13-of-The-Ultimate-?urn=mma-wp2911

Rich Franklin Ian Freeman Don Frye Tony Fryklund

UFC President Dana White still unhappy with CSAC's ruling, but UFC will honor Chael Sonnen's suspension

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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UFC President Dana White wasn't happy with the California State Athletic Commission's handling of Chael Sonnen this past month. After they initially reduced his steroid suspension from a year to six months in a December hearing - due to what turned out to be less than truthful testimony and confusion on the part of the commission - White felt Sonnen had done all he was asked.

But when Sonnen then plead guilty to money laundering charges and his comments about clearing his testosterone usage in Nevada prior to his California suspension were proven to not be the case, the CSAC took him to task, suspending him "indefinitely." Indefinitely in this case just goes to the expiration of his current license on June 29.

White doesn't agree that Sonnen's statements warranted the second punishment, and said after Saturday's UFC 130 event again that he felt Sonnen had paid his dues.

"I think Chael has paid his dues," he said. "Can you keep a guy from making a living for having a big mouth? He's a big mouth. He says dumb s***. He says stuff that doesn't make sense sometimes. He lives on his own little planet. I can tell you this: You go throughout the history of boxing and look at some of the guys that have been licensed in boxing and what they've done."

Sonnen is supposedly free to apply elsewhere after his CSAC license expires on June 29, and doesn't necessarily need to apply in California to fight again. However, some other commissions may be wary of licensing him until his ordeal with the CSAC is completed.

And even though White's not happy with what has happened, he's not going to be going against the commission and attempting to book Sonnen elsewhere, such as a state with a lax commission or an overseas event without one.

"We don't do that," White said after UFC 130 on Saturday of attempting to book him elsewhere. "He's going to have to pay his dues and straighten his stuff out with [the CSAC], even though I think what's happened to him is wrong."

"We'll honor that suspension until it's cleared up. [The commissions] regulate me; they're my boss too. You show me a guy who fought the government and won. Show me that guy. I want to meet him. I don't want to be the next guy to try it. I do what I'm told."

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_9465.shtml

Marvin Eastman  Stav Crazy Bear Economou  Yves Edwards  Justin Eilers 

Josh Thomson welcomes Maximo Blanco to Strikeforce on September 10

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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A lightweight bout between Josh Thomson and Maximo Blanco is heading to an as-of-yet unannounced Strikeforce event this September, according to a report from MMAWeekly.com.

The September 10 event will mark Thomson's return to Strikeforce for the first time since last October, where he took a decision victory over Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante. He took a fight in Japan on New Year's Eve, however, losing a decision to Tatsuya Kawajiri at the Dynamite!! 2010 event, snapping a two fight winning streak.

Venezuelan pro Blanco has spent his entire career fighting in Japan, and has won six straight fights over the last couple of years. He recently left World Victory Road's Sengoku promotion, and signed a contract with Strikeforce in the last month. Of his eight career victories, Blanco has finished seven by knockout or TKO.

This fight was actually one Blanco expressed interest in last month when asked which fights in the U.S. he'd like to take, and now it's one he's getting. No other bouts have been rumored for the September 10 event as of yet, and no venue has been determined.

Link to Original Source Article

Penick's Analysis: This is a good debut fight for Blanco. Thomson's a tough opponent, and a higher level guy than those Blanco was facing in Sengoku. He's a good addition to the Strikeforce lightweight roster, which has definitely been lacking, and if he can make an impression in this fight he could be a fun guy to watch come up the ranks. For Thomson, this fight allows him a chance to get back on track after the loss to Kawajiri, and if he can pick it up in impressive fashion he'll put himself back into the mix in the top end of Strikeforce's lightweight division. It's a good matchup, and should be a good fight for Showtime in September.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Affliction2/article_9491.shtml

Ken Shamrock Sean Sherk Katsuyori Shibata Jake Shields