After Loss to Daley, Scott Smith Looking to Avoid Another Knockout

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Scott Smith works out for the media before his fight against Saffiedine.CHICAGO -- Getting knocked out is a feeling that Scott Smith had never experienced until he stepped into the cage with Paul Daley in his most recent fight. Getting knocked cold by one of Daley's power punches is a feeling Smith doesn't want to experience again.

"If it happens again, consecutive times, I would be concerned," Smith said Thursday, two days before he returns to the cage for a fight with Tarec Saffiedine. "It's the first time I've been knocked out like that, sparring or anything. I had a TKO loss (against James Irvin in 2004) when I was fighting at heavyweight, but I wasn't out completely like I was against Daley. If it's something that happens again, I get concussions like that, I definitely need to step back and look at what I'm doing."

Concussions and brain injuries are a major issue in other sports, especially football, and Smith says concussions are an issue that need to be addressed in MMA, too. Smith says, however, that the issue goes beyond dramatic one-punch knockouts like he suffered at the hands of Daley: He thinks fighters are at risk in sparring, and they need to be smart about how they train.

"It's a concern," Smith said. "When I first started fighting MMA, my only training was putting the gloves and swinging with boxers. I've learned to start training a lot smarter and not take that kind of abuse."

In fact, Smith says protecting himself against training injuries is more important than avoiding shots like the one he took from Daley, which he views as more of a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

"I'm not going to take anything away from Daley, but I just got caught," Smith says of his loss in his last fight. "I can take a shot, I've taken some heavy blows, even in sparring. I think it was just kind of a -- not a lucky punch, but it landed in just the right spot."

The Saffiedine fight is a must-win situation for Smith: After going 0-2 in 2010, he doesn't want his first fight of 2011 to put him on a three-fight losing streak, which could result in him getting cut from Strikeforce. But Smith sounds extremely confident that he's going to put his losing streak behind him.

"He's tough, well rounded all the way around," Smith said of Saffiedine. "But I feel that I can put the fight where I want it. If I want it on the feet I'll keep it there, but if I'm getting it taken to me in the fight I can put it on the ground."

Smith was a popular fan favorite in the UFC in 2006 and 2007, going just 1-3 inside the Octagon but rarely having a dull moment. Now that UFC parent company Zuffa has purchased Strikeforce, it would be easy for Smith to view Strikeforce as a stepping stone back to the UFC. But Smith says he loves Strikeforce as a place for fights that are just a lot of fun, and he hopes it stays that way.

"I don't see the UFC completely taking them over," Smith said. "I think UFC and Strikeforce have two different goals. I think Strikeforce puts on better cards because they put on fights like Fedor vs. Henderson. That doesn't make sense as a title fight but it's a fun fight. It's a fan friendly fight. That's what Strikeforce is good at. They go out there and put on the fights the fans want to see. If Zuffa's smart they keep Strikeforce doing that, whereas the UFC will build up guys to see who's the best fighter in the world."

Smith has had a lot of those fun, fan-friendly fights in his career, including two of the best comeback wins in MMA history, his wins over Pete Sell in 2006 and Cung Le in 2009. He describes those battles as two of his best MMA memories.

"I still get asked about the Cung Le knockout and the fight with Pete Sell," Smith said. "The Cung Le fight I would say was a better comeback. The Pete Sell fight was a better fight. Me and Pete Sell were back and forth, back and forth. It looks like a better comeback because of the way I got caught and then won the fight, but I think the Cung Le fight was such a dramatic comeback because I wasn't winning that fight -- I wasn't even close to winning that fight. The Pete Sell fight was my all-time favorite fight and the Cung Le fight was my greatest comeback."

Now Smith is hoping for a career comeback on Saturday night.

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/07/28/after-loss-to-daley-scott-smith-looking-to-avoid-another-knocko/

Jonathan Wiezorek Pete Williams Matt Wiman Travis Wiuff

TNA Signs Big Brother Star ? Details

The following is from TMZ.com: Former ‘Big Brother’ star Jessie Godderz a.k.a Mr. Pec-Tacular just signed a deal with TNA Wrestling — and TMZ has learned the company is hopeful he’ll debut on TV by the end of the year. For those unfamiliar, Godderz was the professional body builder on “Big Brother” Seasons 10 and 11… and has been training to become a professional wrestler ever since leaving the house.According to multiple sources, Jesse has signed a developmental contract with TNA Impact Wrestling that runs through the rest of 2011 — and ...

Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2011/07/tna-signs-big-brother-star-details/

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Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson -- By the Odds

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Fedor EmelianenkoI'm not sure what's more of a challenge when it comes to picking a winner in Saturday night's cross-divisional, just-for-the-heck-of-it fight between MMA veterans Dan Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko: the fact that we don't know what Fedor has left in the tank, or the fact that we know exactly what Hendo has, even if it may not be enough.

To unravel these and other mysteries presented by Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson, we turn to the betting odds to find out how online bookmakers see it. They're the ones who have to know what they're talking about just to stay in business, after all.

Of course, they're also the ones who have pegged Fedor as a considerable favorite in his last two fights, and we all remember how that worked out. Below, let's see if they've learned anything from those expensive lessons.

Dan Henderson (+190) vs. Fedor Emelianenko (-250)

I've always suspected that internet bookies were hardcore Pride fanboys, and here's the proof. Okay, so I'm exaggerating a bit, but it is surprising to see Fedor, at this stage in his career, as this big of a favorite. Between Henderson's wrestling, his right hand, and his ability to take a punch, he has plenty of ways to win this fight. The biggest threat for him may be fatigue in the later rounds, which tends to take his submission defense down a few notches. Those are all variables you can work with in making a pick, but for Fedor the big question is whether he truly still wants to do this. The man shows about as much emotion as a bowling ball, so trying to discern something about his mental state from his pre-fight demeanor is pointless. The world of MMA has always loved Fedor more than Fedor loves it. What's hard to figure is, does he still love it enough to do what he has to in training and on fight night against a savvy vet like Hendo?
My pick: Henderson. At these odds, I simply can't pick Fedor, who's lost his aura of invincibility and maybe some of his passion for the sport. In a straight-up pick, sure, but as long as Hendo is a nearly 2-1 dog, he's worth the risk.

Marloes Coenen (-125) vs. Miesha Tate (-105)

On paper, Tate has the exact style that Coenen struggles against. She's a strong wrestler with a good top game, and now that Strikeforce allows elbows on the ground she's even more dangerous. On the flip side, she hasn't fought in nearly a year, and that's not going to help her when it comes to closing the experience gap between herself and Coenen. Lately, the champion has made up for her deficiencies in the wrestling department with her outstanding submissions game. She can get roughed up for twenty minutes straight and still pull out a win off her back, which is probably the next best asset you can have to combat a wrestler -- right after a solid takedown defense. Still, it's a troubling way to win, since you're constantly struggling against the clock. All it takes is a careful, patient opponent to shut it down and nab that belt.
My pick: Tate. I think she takes Coenen down and makes this an ugly little war of attrition up against the fence. It won't be thrilling to watch, but as long as Tate sticks to what she does well, she should be able to pull it out.

Robbie Lawler (+220) vs. Tim Kennedy (-280)

The one thing we know about Lawler is that he walks into every fight with a lottery ticket in his back pocket. The trouble is, sometimes he gets so caught up thinking about his numbers coming up that he forgets about pocketing a regular paycheck. Everybody knows about his one-punch KO power at this point, so it's not like he's going to surprise Kennedy with that. What he needs to be concerned with is getting the fight into a position where he can use it, which is going to be the hard part. Kennedy is much better on the ground than Lawler is, and he's smart enough to use that. Lawler may be able to get back to his feet after some of the early takedowns, but eventually he'll wear himself out that way and then he'll be easy prey for a patient, cerebral fighter like Kennedy. As financial strategies go, the lotto is almost always inferior to the 401K.
My pick: Kennedy. I'll save it for the parlay at these odds.

Paul Daley (+220) vs. Tyron Woodley (-280)

Here's another case where oddsmakers have got the right guy, but perhaps to the wrong degree. Woodley should beat Daley, simply based on his greatest strength (wrestling) matching up so well against Daley's most glaring weakness (aside from self-control). But let's not get carried away here. Woodley is an 8-0 fighter who's faced a series of Challengers-level opponents in his Strikeforce run. Daley is a veteran of nearly 40 pro fights who has managed to remain a threat despite only minimal gains in his ground game over the years, and that's no accident. Tagging an inexperienced fighter like Woodley as a near 3-1 favorite in a fight like this is asking for trouble. He probably needs to grind out a decision to win this, and the whole time he's in the cage he's never more than one left hook away from getting beat. That's one thing if you're a fighter who's been there before, but it's quite another when you're still fairly green in the sport.
My pick: Daley. The odds are just too tempting, and Woodley is still too untested. Tread lightly, but take the risk here.

Scott Smith (+190) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (-250)

To complete the trifecta of heavy-hitters taking on technically superior fighters, Smith returns for the first time since his devastating knockout loss to Daley to see if he's still got enough steel left in those hands for another addition to the old highlight reel. In a point-fighting match, Saffiedine would beat him every time. Smith's style is just too dependent on landing one big shot, and let's just say he's not getting faster as the years and the beatings pile up on him. Saffidiene can be out-wrestled, but we all know Smith is going to go in there looking to bang. That's probably going to result in him getting picked apart by a quicker, sharper striker, and Smith is probably at least somewhat okay with that. He'll keep looking for that one opening all night long, and he'll attempt to pay for it with his own blood. Will that investment pay off the way it did against Cung Le (the first time) and Benji Radach? If this were a movie, sure. In real life, probably not.
My pick: Saffiedine. It's another one for the parlay, but I fear Smith's days of one-punch comebacks may be drawing to a close.

The 'For Entertainment Purposes Only' Parlay: Tate + Kennedy + Saffiedine

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/07/28/strikeforce-fedor-vs-henderson-by-the-odds/

Ao Hailin  Shinya Aoki  Andrei Arlovski  Ricardo Arona 

DREAM abandons two-round format for standard structure starting in September

One of Japan?s foremost MMA promotions made a move into the modern era earlier today when DREAM officials announced a major change to their in-ring operations pertaining to the way fights are structured. Starting September 24 in coordination with the company?s DREAM 17 event, all frames will be five minutes rather than handled in the [...]

Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2011/07/27/dream-abandons-two-round-format-for-standard-structure-starting-in-september/

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

Top 5 Best Moments Of Bellator 47

Bellator 47 was a solid event through and through, with several entertaining finishes and a few hard-fought wars of attrition. The finals of the Bellator ?Summer Series? Featherweight tournament were decided at Bellator 47, and several other fighters shined in non-tournament bouts. But which stars shined brightest, and what moments will fans be talking about [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/07/24/top-5-best-moments-of-bellator-47

Scott Junk  Martin Kampmann Denis Kang Georgi Karakhanyan

Tyron Woodley Says Win Over Paul Daley Will Lead Him Straight to a Title Shot

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HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- MMA Fighting spoke to Tyron Woodley on Wednesday about his upcoming fight against Paul Daley at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson, the welterweight title picture in Strikeforce, his place in the division and how he plans to attack Daley.

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/07/27/tyron-woodley-says-win-over-paul-daley-will-lead-him-straight-to/

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Video analysis: Who blew it? Zuffa or Overeem?

For casual MMA fans, the Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix just took a major hit with the ouster of Alistair Overeem. Now the biggest name in the tournament is gone and the card loses a lot of steam without Overeem, a fan favorite.

Couldn't this have been avoided? Did Overeem overplay his hand or did Zuffa make a mistake? Yahoo! Sports' lead MMA writer Kevin Iole checked in to give his take on this video blog.

"The Reem" told Zuffa he wouldn't be ready for Strikeforce 36 in early September, but October was good. That would mean the other three participants would have to adjust their schedules for Overeem. Keep in mind, both Antonio Silva and Sergei Kharitonov haven't fought since February.

Jeff Wagenheim from SI.com brought out the big guns and slammed Strikeforce's heavyweight GP.

The departure of The Reem is only the latest in a neverending succession of oddities and tribulations for the year-long event and for Strikeforce itself, which sensible Zuffa observers have always believed will go away at some point -- just as Pride did, just as the WEC did. But clearly this consolidation is not happening according to the Neil Young business plan, because Strikeforce is fading away before it can burn out. Apparently rust does sleep.

The Heavyweight Grand Prix was flawed to begin with -- shouldn't a tournament be held to determine the next challenger for a title, rather than including the champ himself? -- and soon became immeasurably more flawed. Can you imagine any major sport holding one set of playoff quarterfinals, then waiting four months before completing the other side of the bracket? Well, that's exactly how the Grand Prix unfolded.

The bigger issue? The October schedule is already jammed. Oct. 1 is out with UFC on Versus 6 in New Orleans, UFC 136 on Oct. 8 and Oct. 29 has UFC 137.

Don't forget Showtime is already booked for Oct. 15 with Bernard Hopkins facing Chad Dawson. So the only open weekend is Oct. 22. Does Showtime have the staff to effectively set up and promote major fight cards on back-to-back weekends?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Video-analysis-Who-blew-it-Zuffa-or-Overeem-?urn=mma-wp4822

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Brett Rogers Granted Permission To Contact His Family, Issued Restraining Order From His Neighbor

There’s good news and bad news for Brett Rogers on the legal front. The good news is a judge has granted him permission to contact his wife and kids. MMA Junkie has the details: In a Monday ruling in Dakota County, Minn., judge Rex Stacey modified a previously-issued no-contact order, allowing Rogers to contact his [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/KH6cg-XjNKw/

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Best Performance Of The Night: Ovince St. Preux At Strikeforce "Challengers 17"

It?s that time once again, fans and friends. Another major MMA event has come and gone, and it?s time for my unofficial ?Best Performance of the Night? award. For Strikeforce?s ?Challengers 17? event, the competition for ?BPOTN? was pretty stiff. You had Sarah Kaufman beating a very game Liz Carmouche in addition to Bobby Voelker [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/07/25/best-performance-of-the-night-ovince-st-preux-at-strikeforce-challengers-17

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