Shogun Not Concerned With Jones Or Bader. Focused On Evans

UFC Light Heavyweight Champ Shogun Rua has a number of top ranked light heavyweights number on his door but while the 205lb. picture has taken a new shape over the last few months with the likes of Jon Jones and Ryan Bader making names for themselves, the injured champ is more concerned with the number one contender, Rashad Evans right now:<br><br> "Rashad is a great fighter, has a good boxing and Wrestling. On my weight class there're only tough guys, so it'll be like any other... I really don't know if it'll be him and I don't know the date, but I believe it'll be against him ... This is one of the most disputed divisions, since Pride, years ago... And it's good to have all these guys here, but I can't keep thinking about the second and the third guys on the line... I'll have a tough fight with Rashad and it'd be disrespectful to think about Jon Jones, Ryan Bader when I'll fight Rashad ... I'll give my best and I'll be focused for my next fight, not on the second and third to go."<br><br> Props: Tatame.com

Source: http://www.mmanews.com/home.php

Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin  Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan 

UFC 121 weigh-in: Shields is finally in the big show

The resume is impressive and so is the 14-fight win streak but for Jake Shields there's always been something missing. He's respected by the hardcore fans and much of the MMA media and Shields is even on some top 10 pound-for-pound lists but he was never going to get a crack at the most highly regarded guys at 170 pounds like Georges St. Pierre, Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch fighting outside of the UFC. Tonight, he gets to take the first step in a tough fight against Martin Kampmann at UFC 121. He's fired up but also knows what's at stake.

"I feel a lot of pressure to go out there and give a great performance," Shields said. "When I first started, I figured I'd be here in a year, so it took a little longer than I thought. ... It's been a long, hard road for me. I'm new to the UFC, but I've been at it for 11 years. I need to show a lot of people who I am."

The 31-year-old is no rookie but you get the sense he feels like he just got called up to the bigs. 

"It feels great. It feels like where I belong," said Shields. "The differences are just way more media attention, way more hype, way more professionalism."

Strikeforce is a solid promotion but its matchmaking can be limited because of a smaller roster. Shields couldn't fight for the Strikeforce title at welterweight because his training partner Nick Diaz holds the belt and there's was nothing juicy waiting for him at middleweight after upsetting Dan Henderson. Plus Shields grew tired of sitting on the sidelines for long periods of time and then getting very little notice before a fight.  

"(The UFC) tell(s) you what you're doing and when you're doing it. They have staff. I don't mean that as a knock on Strikeforce. They're just not as organized. It's just nice to be in organization that's so together," said Shields.

Most of the Strikeforce current roster and management won't take those comments the wrong way. Put aside announcer Frank Shamrock, who openly expressed his dislike of Shields, the rest of the guys sounded like they want to see the Cesar Gracie do well. 

"I think most of the guys there are rooting for me, there's mostly good people. I'd say the majority of them are. There could be a few guys there rooting against me but I think overall they're mostly good people," Shields told Fanhouse's Ariel Helwani. "We had a few differences in the end and I bet most of them would like to see me succeed. It also makes Strikeforce look good."

UFC 121 weigh-in (Courtesy MMAjunkie):
Pay-Per-View
Brock Lesnar (264) v. Cain Velasquez (244)
Martin Kampmann (170) v. Jake Shields (170.5)
Diego Sanchez (170.5) v. Paulo Thiago (170.5)
Matt Hamill (203.5) v. Tito Ortiz (206)
Gabriel Gonzaga (254) v. Brendan Schaub (239)

Spike TV
Ryan Jensen (185) v. Court McGee (184.5)
Patrick Cote (185) v. Tom Lawlor (185)

Un-televised
Sam Stout (155.5) v. Paul Taylor (155)
Mike Guymon (170) v. Daniel Roberts (170)
Chris Camozzi (185) v. Dongi Yang (186)
Jon Madsen (254.5) v. Gilbert Yvel (249)

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/UFC-121-weigh-in-Shields-is-finally-in-the-big-?urn=mma-279312

Alexander Ustinov Umer W Chheena Victor Valimaki Mike Van Arsdale

Vince McMahon Wants You To Wear WWE Merchandise To Polls

– Yesterday’s report of WWE signing St. Louis based independent wrestler “The Future” Donovan Ruddick to a developmental contract is incorrect as he was merely offered a deal but had not yet signed. Those close to Ruddick are said to be “freaked” that word of him joining the company leaking online may have canceled the deal. – On January 17th, the WWE returns to the Four States Entertainment Center in Texarkana, Arkansas. Tickets will go on sale on December 4th at 10AM. – The WWE sent out the following today? FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FREE ...

Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2010/10/vince-mcmahon-wants-you-to-wear-wwe-merchandise-to-polls/

Shinya Aoki  Andrei Arlovski  Ricardo Arona  Noboru Asahi

Dana White Defends Jake Shields, But Does He Really Deserve a Title Shot So Soon?

After his lackluster performance at UFC 121: ?Lesnar vs. Velasquez? failed to live up to the large amount of hype he had going into the bout, many UFC fans and insiders are wondering if newly-signed former EliteXC and Strikeforce champion Jake Shields really does deserve the next shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship. Shields quite [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/10/25/dana-white-defends-jake-shields-but-does-he-really-deserve-a-title-shot-so-soon

Sergei Kharitonov Min Soo Kim Dong Hyun Kim Kevin Knabjian

2010 MMAPayout.com Media Rankings # 1 ? Sherdog.com

Sherdog.com is the longest running, largest, and most recognizable website in MMA. Despite an often contentious relationship with the UFC, the site consistently delivers top notch coverage of the sport. Its content partnership with ESPN has expanded its reach even further in recent years. The forums are the most trafficked among MMA news sites and [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Payout/~3/1GXf2sN97fQ/

Frankie Edgar Ken Shamrock Dan Severn Tank Abbott