Nine Ways of Looking at UFC 128

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From predictions to aimless questions to mild concerns, here's some food for thought with UFC 128 just around the corner.

I. The best thing Mauricio "Shogun" Rua has going for him in his first fight back after a long injury layoff? Practice. He already found out the hard way what happens when you try to push it too far, too fast after surgery. He barely had enough gas in the tank to put away an aged Mark Coleman, who showed up to the fight with his own tank already on E. If Rua makes the same mistake again, and against a much better fighter in Jones, he deserves to wake up without the title on Sunday morning.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/17/nine-ways-of-looking-at-ufc-128/

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Bellator signs heavyweight prospect Blagoi Ivanov

Poised to be one of the next big things in the heavyweight division, Bellator Fighting Championship have acquired top prospect Blagoi Ivanov to join their fold. Having fought exclusively overseas, mostly in his natice Bulgaria, Ivanov will be making his stateside debut sometime this year, and is currently under tutelage of famed boxing trainer Jeff [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/03/15/bellator-signs-heavyweight-prospect-blagoi-ivanov

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UFC 128 Fighter Diary ? Urijah Faber

Following Urijah “The California Kid” Faber as he trains for his UFC debut against Eddie Wineland at UFC 128 on Saturday, March 19th. UFC 128 Fighter Diary – Urijah Faber is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News

UFC 128 Fighter Diary – Urijah Faber is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News

Source: http://www.mmainterplay.com/ufc-news/ufc-128-fighter-diary-urijah-faber-53838/

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Bas says Jones will takedown ?Shogun? easily

Bas Rutten's reaction to Jon Jones' title shot was similar to many around the sport, "is it too soon?" The former UFC heavyweight champ and analyst for HDNet came around quickly on the style of the fight favoring Jones.

Rutten has already seen Jones toss around solid wrestlers with ease, so how is Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, going to stay off the deck?

Jones challenges Rua for his 205-pound title on Saturday in Newark, N.J. The UFC champ has devastating kicks, but Rutten doesn't think it'll be enough to slow down the 23-year-old freight train.

Rua turned pro in 2003 and has 23 fights under his belt. Jones has only been a pro since 2008, yet he opened as a minus-170 favorite over the champ. The public is firing on Jones, he's up to minus-200 off shore.

You can watch UFC 128 right here on Yahoo! Sports.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Bas-says-Jones-will-takedown-Shogun-easily?urn=mma-wp244

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UFC 130 Ticket Pre-sale Begins March 17th

Tickets for UFC 130 will go on sale for UFC Fight Club members beginning at 10:00AM PST on Thursday, March 17th. Fight Club members can log-on to their account to get the exclusive pre-sale code which can be used to purchase tickets from Ticketmaster.com. UFC 130 takes place from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in [...]

UFC 130 Ticket Pre-sale Begins March 17th is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News

Source: http://www.mmainterplay.com/ufc-news/ufc-130-ticket-pre-sale-begins-march-17th-53815/

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Source: http://www.fighters.com/03/15/despite-severing-ties-with-att-jorge-santiago-in-good-spirits-heading-into-his-ufc-bout-with-brian-stann

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After starting his career with a $500 payday, Faber on the verge of superstardom

As frustrated as New York MMA fans must be this weekend remember it was less than five years ago, when the Empire State was the norm.

Urijah Faber started his career in the dark days when outside of Indian reservations, states like New Jersey and Nevada and those without commissions, the rest of the U.S. was off limits. As he readies for his UFC debut, Faber recalled his first fight in 2003 when he battled for $200 to show and $200 to win. He also got $100 for his cut of the gate.

"I loved it," Faber told Neil Davidson of the Canadian Press. "My rent was $225 a month. I had a tiny little room in an apartment with a couple of my buddies. And it only took me a minute and a half for the fight and I was like 'man, this is awesome.'"

Faber won in 82 seconds and hauled in that "major" payday of $500.

How things have changed for Faber. Through hard work and success in the cage, the California became one of the most popular fighters in the sport while with the WEC. Faber faces Eddie Wineland this weekend at UFC 128 in Newark, N.J.

The jump to the UFC means a ton for Faber, who'll get a lot more exposure and a massive boost to his business endeavors outside of the Octagon. Faber owns Form Athletics which was purchased by K-Swiss in 2010. He's also got a popular website and is working on a self-help book.

To make the next step at the top of the sport, he needs to take out Wineland. That should set up a bantamweight title fight against the new UFC champ Dominick Cruz.  Faber was the longtime champ at 145 pounds and wants the hardware at 135, where he's facing guys closer to his natural size.

"I feel a little bit faster at 135 (bantamweight) and a little bit more powerful at 145 (featherweight), but very little difference really," Faber said. "I was only 2-3 pounds off my competition weight and I think that puts me at par with most of the guys at 135 and an advantage with some of them."

"I never really had that at the 145-pound weight class. I was always giving up weight and was able to do well because I'm an accomplished fighter but as far as having every advantage to win, I think now I have that advantage."

You can watch UFC 128 right here on Yahoo! Sports.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/After-starting-his-career-with-a-500-payday-Fa?urn=mma-wp230

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