Jim Ross Blogs: 40-Man Royal Rumble, SD!, Taz, More

Jim Ross has a new blog up at http://www.JRSBARBQ.com/. Here are the highlights? On Harley Race: The legendary Harley Race called into Sports Talk 1400 in Norman on Wednesday as I was on my normal guest spot in the 4 pm hour. It was great hearing from Harley and a pleasant surprise. He mentioned that he would be in Atlanta for WM27 and at the Cauliflower Alley Club function in Vegas in April. I’ve read where he will also be attending a fan convention/autograph function in LA in about a week. ...

Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2011/01/jim-ross-blogs-40-man-royal-rumble-sd-taz-more/

Georges St Pierre Matt Serra Jens Pulver Sean Sherk

Sean Sherk Eyes Summer UFC Return After Recovering from Injuries

Former UFC lightweight champ Sean Sherk has been sidelined since scoring a controversial split decision over previously unbeaten Evan Dunham in September, but could be ready to return to UFC action in the summer after the 37-year-old recovers from lingering injuries.

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/17307/sean-sherk-eyes-summer-ufc-return-after-recovering-from-injuries/

Phillipe Noer Jake O Brien Naoya Ogawa Sean O Haire

UFC NEWS: 28 welterweights to compete on The Ultimate Fighter season 13, coaches to be announced this week

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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The UFC tried out both middleweights and welterweights for the upcoming 13th season of The Ultimate Fighter, but according to a report from MMAJunkie.com, only the welterweights will be represented when the show begins filming later this month.

Per the report, the UFC will once again go with the 28 fighter format that they've used in the last two seasons. The 28 fighters all compete in an opening round fight to get into the house, then fight to make it to the quarterfinal round. Two of the losing fighters from that round get a chance to fight in the "wild card" fight, and they take the eighth and final spot in the quarterfinals.

The coaches for this season are expected to be announced later in the week, and the show will be taped in Las Vegas.

This will be the first season featuring welterweights since season nine, which was the U.S. vs. U.K. season coached by Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping, and will be the fifth season of the show to feature the division.

Link to Original Source Article

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8112.shtml

Dos Caras Jr   Phil Cardella Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin 

Reminder: Strikeforce Challengers 14 tickets on sale today

As a reminder, tickets for Strikeforce's first-ever Challengers Series event in Texas go on sale today.

Strikeforce Challengers 14 takes place Feb. 18 at Cedar Park Center in Cedar Park (near Austin), Texas.

As reported earlier this week, the Showtime-televised event features a lightweight headliner between undefeated Washington native Lyle Beerbohm and 10-year veteran Pat Healy. Ryan Couture also is expected to fight on the card.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/LzgKgU_VYBI/reminder-strikeforce-challengers-14-tickets-on-sale-today.mma

Din Thomas Gleison Tibau Anthony Torres Miguel Torres

Prospect watch: New stars waiting to break into the UFC

Last year was another big one for emerging prospects with the largest MMA promotions. Ben Askren, Evan Dunham, Cole Konrad, Phil Davis, Demetrious Johnson, Shane del Rosario and Michael MacDonald, just to name a few, all had big 2010's.

Heavy.com put together a list of fighters the UFC should be looking at in 2011. Some of the most intriguing young names are:

Vitor Vianna (MMA record: 10-1-1)

Vianna is the star pupil of MMA legend Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva. He is a two-time world Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion and a six-time National jiu-jitsu champion in Brazil. In addition to his grappling prowess, Vianna is also a dangerous striker with vicious punching power similar to his mentor Silva.

Vianna tried out for The Ultimate Fighter 13 so there is a very good chance he will compete on the reality series, especially if Silva ends up coaching.

Yuri Villefort (MMA record: 6-0)

Villefort is another young prospect that could make waves in the UFC’s welterweight division. The American Top Team product is a truly refined mixed martial artist. His standup ability seems to be his strongest asset but he is also very capable on the ground and in the clinch. The unbeaten welterweight is improving at a rapid rate and would be a wise signing for the UFC.

Chris Weidman (MMA record: 4-0)

A product of the Serra-Longo fight team on Long Island, NY, Weidman is the most promising middleweight prospect in MMA entering 2011. A former wrestling coach at Hofstra University, Weidman was a former two-time NJCAA and two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler prior to entering the sport and holds a wrestling win over UFC light heavyweight contender Ryan Bader.

His phenomenal athleticism and superb wrestling base make him a handful for any fighter in the division. He could be a future champion and if he isn’t signed to a UFC contract this year he will get there with time.

The fighters are coming in droves and from all over the world. The 20-25-year-olds on the way, who've been training in all aspects of MMA from a young age, should be incredible over the next few years.

Helpful tip for MMA bloggers: Stop writing that any division is going to run out of contenders to fight for the title in the future. 

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Prospect-watch-New-stars-waiting-to-break-into-?urn=mma-303776

Grant Campbell  Gesias JZ Calvancante  Luiz Cane  Dos Caras Jr  

Matt Horwich fighting 15-1 Giva Santana in February

Unique middleweight Matt Horwich will put his grappling skills to the test next month against BJJ artist Giva Santana at a MEZ Sports show featuring both boxing and MMA set for February 26 in Riverside, California. Though ?Suave? scored a TKO victory over Jake Rosholt this past November, twenty of his twenty-six total victories have [...]

Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2011/01/14/matt-horwich-fighting-15-1-giva-santana-in-february/

Allan Goes Takanori The Fireball Kid Gomi Akihiro Gono Gabriel Gonzaga

MMAjunkie.com Radio: Strikeforce's "King Mo" Lawal and Eric Lawson

MMAjunkie.com Radio today welcomes to the show former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal, who updates us on the latest happenings in his career, including the status of his injured knee.

Additionally, Strikeforce middleweight prospect Eric Lawson, who fights at next week's "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg" event, has rescheduled from Wednesday's missed appearance and will join the program today.

MMAjunkie.com Radio airs from 12-2 p.m. ET (9-11 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. Listen to and watch a video stream of the two-hour show at www.mmajunkie.com/radio.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/sVnxXPGVktE/mmajunkie-com-radio-strikeforces-king-mo-lawal-and-eric-lawson.mma

Josh Thomson Din Thomas Gleison Tibau Anthony Torres