Strikeforce books Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson for July 30 event

As expected, former PRIDE champions Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson will meet in July.

MMAjunkie.com has learned from sources close to the event that both parties have signed on for the contest, which Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker is expected to announce at a media roundtable prior to today's UFC 130 event.

The bout headlines a yet-to-be-announced fight card planned for July 30 at Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/ztFk3hYUY38/strikeforce-books-fedor-emelianenko-vs-dan-henderson-for-july-30-event.mma

Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan  Dan The Sandman Christison  Logan The Pink Pounder Clark 

Anderson Silva Calls Chael Sonnen A Doping Loser... And He's Right, Of Course

Anderson Silva is a controversial man, although he only rarely says controversial things. Most of his cynics focus on his in-fight antics, which at times have bordered and even crossed the line. In terms of his pre-fight and post-fight interviews, though, Silva remains mostly respectful? mostly. Recently, Anderson Silva gave his reaction to Yushin Okami, [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/05/31/anderson-silva-calls-chael-sonnen-a-doping-loser-and-hes-right-of-course

Masanori Suda Genki Sudo Amar Suloev Mike Swick

UFC 130 winner Rick Story thinks Jon Fitch is best opponent for next fight

He's done well so far to request the fights that make the most career sense to him, and Rick Story already has a guy in mind for his next appearance.

Story, who earned his biggest win to date against Thiago Alves this past Saturday at UFC 130, said he'd like to fight perennial contender Jon Fitch.

"Me and my coach Pat White were discussing this, and we think that the next opponent that would best suit us would be Jon Fitch because he's the next guy in line," Story said following the event, which took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/vlgG89r7CWk/ufc-130-winner-rick-story-thinks-jon-fitch-is-best-opponent-for-next-fight.mma

Tim Sylvia Frank Mir Andrei Arlovski Tim Sylvia

Ex-UFC champ Brock Lesnar undergoes surgery, expected to return in 2012

Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar underwent surgery on Thursday to address a second bout with diverticulitis, and if all goes well, he could fight in 2012.

UFC president Dana White today said that Lesnar had 12 inches of his colon removed in the procedure and is expected to spend the rest of 2011 in recovery.

However, White hopes the former heavyweight champ will return next year.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/VU_-8EcxBGk/ex-ufc-champ-brock-lesnar-undergoes-surgery-expected-to-return-in-2012.mma

Alex Schoenauer Ryan Schultz Pete Sell Andrei Semenov

Dana White on keeping Strikeforce as a separate promotion from the UFC - "We'll see how it goes"

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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The UFC's purchase of Strikeforce in March led to a widespread belief that Strikeforce's days as an organization are numbered. Though UFC President Dana White preached "business as usual" from the outset, there hasn't been much to suggest that Strikeforce will survive for a lengthy period of time.

The organization's deal with Showtime has the UFC hesitant to appear like they're poaching talent and bringing a collapse to Strikeforce, but a UFC deal with the network would be a potential way alleviate the need to keep appearances up. Along with that, the apparent imminence of a fight between Georges St. Pierre and Strikeforce's biggest name outside of Fedor Emelianenko in Nick Diaz could be the potential sign of the floodgates being open to crossovers into the UFC.

Add in to that comments from White in one of his most recent interviews, and I don't know that optimism on Strikeforce's future is in order.

Speaking with the Forbes Sports Money program, White discussed the organization's purchase of Strikeforce in March.

"The reality is that we continue to expand and grow. We do need more fighters," he said. "And, we love the content. The one thing that these guys have that do it right, and the ones that we usually end up buying, they have a great library, they have a stable of fighters, and if they have a name and a television deal like Strikeforce did, not a bad thing either."

While the acquisition made sense for them, keeping the smaller organization alive as a separate entity may only be a short term necessity, and White's comments on the matter don't inspire confidence that the smaller organization will be kept around for the long haul.

"The thing with Strikeforce is, when we acquired them they have a deal with Showtime," White explained. "We're working with Showtime now, which I've had a very rocky relationship with (laughs). Lorenzo is working with them right now. We're going to try to run this thing separately, and we'll see how it goes. We'll see if we can pull it off, if we can make it happen. If it didn't happen the worst case scenario that happens if we own Strikeforce is these guys roll over into the UFC."

That's about how things wound up working out after the purchase of Pride, and eventually with World Extreme Cagefighting. Whether it happens with Strikeforce sooner or later remains to be seen, but there were no sureties in White's statements in this interview. Check out the full piece below:


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Penick's Analysis: I'm in the camp that believes the UFC will absorb Strikeforce as soon as they're able. If that means they can work with Showtime to bring UFC events to the network in place of Strikeforce, that would be one big way to skirt the major issue they have in absorbing the organization right now. After already cleaning out the front office, and looking to begin the crossover fights with GSP-Diaz, it's just going to be a matter of time before Strikeforce is no longer an MMA promotion. It's an inevitability at this point.

[Dana White art by Travis Beaven (c) MMATorch.com]

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_9383.shtml

Mark Hominick Choi Hong man Jeremy Horn Chris Horodecki

Paul Daley " I Feel The Fight Was Stopped Early With 3 Seconds Left In a Championship Fight" - Paul Daley

Fight Hub TV caught exclusively with Paul Daley right after his bout with Nick Diaz as he talks ti us about his thoughts on the fight, Jon McCarthy stopping the bout when he did and his plans for the future.

Source: http://mmalice.com/paul-daley/paul-daley-i-feel-the-fight-was-stopped-early-with-3-seconds-left-in-a-championship-fight-video_f44d004f5.html

Mirko Cro Cop Filipović Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher Jon Fitch

Bellator 45 Picks And Predictions

We?re now only a few days away from Bellator 45. In the main event, the first-ever Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion will be crowned. The co-main event will also be an interesting match-up, as Patricio Freire takes on Daniel Straus in the finals of Bellator?s Season Four Lightweight Tournament. As is customary, here is my official [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/05/20/bellator-45-picks-and-predictions

Gerard Gordeau Jonathan Goulet Wilson Gouveia Jason Grace