Anthony Pettis, Lyoto Machida, and More Proving That The Traditional Martial Arts Can Help In The Cage

What did the initial UFC’s have in common?  Beyond the dominance of Royce Gracie and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, they also all served to denounce the traditional martial arts styles to some extent.  Let’s face it, a few things became abundantly clear early on.  First, if you couldn’t grapple, you couldn’t fight, at least not in a [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/12/26/anthony-pettis-lyoto-machida-and-more-proving-that-the-traditional-martial-arts-hold-worth-in-the-cage

Wanderlei Silva Marcus Silveira Aaron Simpson Wes Sims

Former WEC lightweight champ Jamie Varner released by promotion

Two-time UFC veteran Jamie Varner will have to wait to make his triumphant return to the octagon.

Following a recent four-fight winless streak, the former WEC champion was released by Zuffa officials.

News of the roster move was first reported by PunchDrunkGamer.com, and MMAjunkie.com subsequently confirmed Varner's release with his management.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/_ybVAzJvCE4/former-wec-champ-jamie-varner-released-by-promotion.mma

Alessio Sakara Kazushi Gracie Hunter Sakuraba Hayato Sakurai Ivan Salaverry

HDNet Fights Video Vault: Marlon Sandro vs. Tomonari Kanomata at Sengoku 12

In a bonus installment of HDNet Fights Video Vault, we look back at a March fight between World current Victory Road featherweight champion Marlon Sandro and Japanese challenger Tomonari Kanomata.

The fight took place on March 7 at World Victory Road's Sengoku Raiden Championships 12 in Tokyo and originally aired on HDNet.

Once you press play, don't blink.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/vy03AKxWPHg/hdnet-fights-video-vault-marlon-sandro-vs-tomonari-kanomata-at-sengoku-12.mma

Shane Carwin Brock Lesnar Frank Shamrock Tito Ortiz

WEC 53 BONUSES: Pettis, Henderson, Wineland and Roller earn $10,000 "Fight Night" bonuses in Arizona

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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Four fighters earned $10,000 bonuses for their performances on Thursday's WEC 53 card from the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz.. It was announced at the post-fight press conference that preliminary card fighters Shane Roller and Eddie Wineland, as well as the night's main event competitors Anthony Pettis and Benson Henderson, were the recipient's of the event's "Fight Night" awards.

Wineland earned the night's "Knockout of the Night" award for his slam of Ken Stone on the night's preliminary card. The finish was reportedly a scary scene, as Stone was brought out of the cage in a stretcher, but reports from the hospital indicated that he was alright.

Roller earned the "Submission of the Night" for his first round submission of Jamie Varner on the preliminary card. He scored a takedown late in the first round and finished the fight by rear naked choke.

Henderson and Pettis earned "Fight of the Night" honors with their fantastic five round bout that saw Pettis crowned the final WEC Lightweight Champion in the organization's history. The bout saw Pettis pull off one of the most electrifying moves ever seen in MMA with his spring-board kick that connected and dropped Henderson in the fifth round.

Penick's Analysis: While the WEC events will be missed, this illustrates why the merger with the UFC is a good thing. Pettis-Henderson was better than any fight on last weekend's UFC 124 event, and yet those fights were eligible for $100,000 bonuses. Pettis, with that "Showtime Kick," deserves more than just a $10,000 bonus. He'll get a chance for much, much more than that when he faces the winner of the UFC Lightweight Championship from UFC 125 in early 2011.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/WEC/article_7869.shtml

Antônio Rogério Nogueira Karl James Noons Jan Nortje Phillipe Noer

UFC NEWS: Georges St. Pierre bests Sidney Crosby again, named "Canadian Athlete of the Year" for the third straight year

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre has been named Sportsnet's Canadian Athlete of the Year for the third straight year.

This year's AOTY race was contested as a 16-man tournament, with Canadian fans voting over 16 days to determine the winners of each round including the finals.

St. Pierre, who defeated both Dan Hardy and Josh Koscheck in 2010, made his way through a difficult bracket and the vote came down to him and Sidney Crosby of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime over Team USA in the Olympics this February to give Canada their second gold medal in hockey in eight years, but it was St. Pierre who took home the honors.

"Winning the Rogers Sportsnet Canadian Athlete of the Year award for the third time means a lot to me," St. Pierre said in comments made to sportsnet.ca. "This year there were a lot of nominees that I really respect, so I am honoured that the fans chose me. Thanks to all my fans for their support."

St. Pierre becomes the first athlete to three-peat with the award, as he took the crown from 2007 winner Crosby in 2008, and followed it up in 2009 as well. Steve Nash of the NBA's Phoenix Suns is the only other athlete to win the award in back-to-back years.

"I have always said that GSP is not only a great champion and a great athlete, he is a great human being," UFC President Dana White said. "Not only does he represent his title and the sport well, he is also an incredible representative for Canada. I am so happy to see him get what he deserves. Congratulations Georges St. Pierre."

Link to Original Source Article

Penick's Analysis: Though he might not be the most famous athlete to come out of Canada, as White insists, but there's no arguing GSP's place in his home country in 2010. After headlining a record crowd for the UFC this month and now earning this nod for the third straight year, it's clear that St. Pierre resonates with the Canadian fans in a big way. But it shouldn't be much of a surprise, the greatest fighter on the planet deserves that type of recognition.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_7928.shtml

Joachim Hansen Antoni Hardonk Dan Hardy Lee Hasdell