UFC on Versus 4 official for Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center on June 26
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Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8988.shtml
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Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8988.shtml
Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, Videos
The MMA Hour returns on Monday with another loaded two-hour show. Guests stopping by will include: * UFC color analyst and comedian Joe Rogan. * UFC heavyweight contender Junior dos Santos. * Tom Wright, UFC director of Canadian Operations, will discuss next week's UFC 129 in Toronto. * Matt Mitrione, who will stop by for the popular "Mitrione Minute" segment. * MMA Fighting's Mike Chiappetta will discuss all the news making headlines in MMA these days. And of course, we'll be taking your calls. Give us a shout at: 212-254-0193 or 212-254-0237. Watch the show live below beginning at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT. Download previous episodes of The MMA Hour on iTunes: audio feed here; video feed here.Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/04/18/the-mma-hour-with-joe-rogan-junior-dos-santos-nate-marquardt/
Ronaldo de Souza Ron The Monster Sparks Patrick Speight Mario Sperry
The mixed martial arts world is fired up for the UFC to hit Brazil. The sport, built upon the backs of great Brazilian fighters like Royce Gracie, is still on the fringe in his homeland. The UFC has a chance to make it mainstream.
Once the Olympics announced it would hold the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, the UFC decided it was time to make a push in Brazil. Rumors began swirling immediately that Gracie would fight on the card.
He was the champion, in a tournament-style format, back at UFC 1 and UFC 2. Gracie was the smallest fighter in the field. That was 1993 and 1994. He's 44 years old now without a professional fight since 2007. Gracie wants the chance to close his career in the Octagon and it sounds like the UFC is willing to give him the opportunity:
"It would be the perfect place to do my last fight," Gracie told UOL Esportes (via Bloody Elbow). "I never fought in Rio de Janeiro and I couldn't be more psyched. We are negotiating [the fight deal], but we should have it finalized in two weeks. We only had an initial contact and I don't even have an opponent yet, but we should have that finalized soon ... My weight is the same as it was twenty years ago [80kg], I am still training, keeping the blade sharp. I follow a very strict diet. I never drank, never party, Carnival, none of that... I'm ready to fight"
There's also rumors that his cousin Renzo, 43, will fight on the card as well. It may be a feel good moment for a few seconds when they enter the Octagon, but it seems like the UFC could be walking a fine line with this one.
In 2006, Royce was never in his fight against Matt Hughes at UFC 60. Hughes grounded and TKO'd him in just 4:39. Renzo was slightly better against Hughes, losing at UFC 112. But it doesn't appear either should be in there with anything resembling a top 20 welterweight.
UFC heavyweight Roy Nelson was tweeting last night asking fans for their opinion on a Royce fight:
Nelson's "on the juice" mention was a reference to Gracie's positive steroid test following his last fight against Kazushi Sakaraba.
Eliminate Matt Serra from the list of candidates. Serra, a Gracie fighting disciple, isn't going to cross his mentor Renzo to fight a member of the family. The other names are puzzling. Could Royce really be competitive against Dan Hardy or Amir Sadollah?
Tip via MMAMania
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Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Affliction2/article_9007.shtml
Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher Jon Fitch Kenny Florian
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Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_9034.shtml
UFC bought Strikeforce two weeks ago and said the Showtime-televised promotion would continue to run with a "business as usual" approach. That didn't necessarily mean inside the cage.
The UFC eliminated the "no elbows to a grounded opponent" rule in Strikeforce. Justin Wilcox, a powerfully built former college wrestler, took full advantage of the added weapon. He mauled Rodrigo Damm with some big blasts, opening a huge gash over the Brazilian's left eye. The doctors advised a stoppage and Wilcox got the victory via TKO following the first round.
Wilcox's game improves with each fight. A muscle-bound freak who wrestled at Edinboro in Pennsylvania, Wilcox has come a long way with his striking game.
Tonight, it was his legs that through Damm for a loop. Wilcox set the tone just 40 seconds into the fight by blasting Damm with kick to the head. The kick was actually partially blocked by Damm's left arm, but he was rattled and put his back on the cage. Another Wilcox kick sent Damm into scramble mode. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt tried to settle the fight by getting a takedown. Wilcox's takedown defense was impenetrable.
Damm got to his feet, but was still out of it and kept moving in the same direction. With Damm scurrying to his left, he walked right into several more of those nasty head kicks. Around the 3:00 mark, a cut over Damm's eye starting leaking blood. He hit the deck again after absorbing a straight right. On the ground, Wilcox kept pushing Damm's head down, landing elbows and punches. By the end of the round, Damm's blood was all over the canvas. He had small cuts under both eyes and the big gash over his eye.
"It's messed up," joked Wilcox. "They let the 'Silverback' use elbows."
Wilcox credited his camp, American Kickboxing Academy. The striking coaches at AKA have done wonders. Wilcox (11-3, 5-1 Strikeforce) has the tools to become a real factor at lightweight. The 31-year-old has won five straight
Fodor completely outclasses Douglas
David Douglas looks the part, but tonight a guy with all the tools to be a great fighter. The thickly-muscled Douglas was greeted by an offensive onslaught from Carlos Fodor. Douglas quickly wore down and took a beat for eight-plus minutes. Fodor moved to 8-2 with the TKO victory at 2:12 of the third round.
Fodor actually apologize for a slow pace. Douglas couldn't have thought it was slow. He was dominated in the clinch and it was even worse on the ground. This is the first Strikeforce event where elbows to a grounded opponent were legal. Douglas ate dozens of elbows and found himself fighting off several guillotine attempts.
Douglas (8-3) had been fed some smallish opponents last two fights with Strikeforce.
Undercard results (Courtesy MMAjunkie):
Lorenz Larkin def. Scott Lighty via TKO (punches) - Round 2, 3:15
James Terry def. Josh Thornburg via knockout (punch) - Round 1, 4:38
Damion Douglas def. Wayne Phillips via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Untelevised prelims
Anthony Avila def. Rafael Rios via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Robert Escalante def. Raul Sandoval via submission (armbar) - Round 1, 4:10
Tristen Arenal def. Tom Peterson via submission (armbar) - Round 1, 1:58
Ronald Carillo def. Adam Antolin via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 1:48
Source: http://www.fighters.com/04/16/most-exciting-fighters-not-in-the-top-ten-pound-for-pound-rankings
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Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/roundtables/article_9018.shtml
Edson Drago Tomasz Drwal Joe Hybrid Duarte Aldrin de JesusÂ