Before fighting Cruz, Faber takes on internet tough guys

In the age of online gaming with strangers, anonymous internet commenting, and fake Twitter accounts, it can be easy for someone to hide behind a keyboard when ripping on others. With the help of Jareb Dauplaise from "The Hard Times of R.J. Berger," Urijah Faber has an answer for that. (Warning, lots of foul language in the video.)

Dauplaise didn't do much to prepare Faber for his UFC 132 bout, but he did serve up a nice reminder to the internet tough guys and gals of the world. You never know who is on the other side of that keyboard.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Before-fighting-Cruz-Faber-takes-on-internet-to?urn=mma-wp3788

Enson Inoue Takeshi Inoue Tokimitsu Ishizawa Wallid Ismail

Strikeforce’s Three Stars: Masvidal, Barnett and Cormier

The latest installment of Strikeforce's heavyweight grand prix delivered a bizarre night of fights that featured a no decision, a submission due to strikes, and a weird main event where neither fighter showed off his best work. But who did stand out?

No. 1 star -- Jorge Masvidal: As the non-heavyweights on the main card, Masvidal and K.J Noons had the tall order of showing what the little guys can do. Masvidal lived up to expectations, putting on a show with K.J. Noons' face on the unfortunate receiving end. A kick to the neck leveled Noons near the end of the first round, and Masvidal never looked back. Now, he wants a shot at Gilbert Melendez and the Strikeforce lightweight title.

No. 2 star -- Josh Barnett: After not fighting for nearly a year, Barnett had no problem disposing of Brett Rogers. He used catch wrestling to control Rogers before locking up an arm-triangle choke, and then launched into a speech that showed why fans still love Barnett. Next, he'll face Sergei Kharitonov in the semifinals of the Strikeforce heavyweight GP.

No. 3 star -- Daniel Cormier: You would expect a two-time Olympic wrestler to control a fight with takedowns, but Cormier chose to show off how much his stand-up game has grown in the two years that he's been training in MMA. He stayed away from Jeff Monson's submission game, and stuck to a gameplan that involved peppering Monson with combinations. Cormier told Cagewriter that he would like a chance against Chad Griggs, who put on an impressive performance of his own against Valentijn Overeem, or Shane del Rosario.

Honorable mention -- K.J. Noons: On a night where Valentijn Overeem tapped out from a fight because of strikes, and Fabricio Werdum oddly refused to engage Alistair Overeem, Noons showed true heart in continuing to give his all in a losing effort to Masvidal.

Who were your Three Stars from the weekend? Speak your mind in the comments or on Facebook.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Strikeforce-s-Three-Stars-Masvidal-Barnett-and?urn=mma-wp3717

Tom Murphy Lee Murray Gary Myers Chris The Pitbull Myra

MMATORCH POLL: Who will meet in the finals of the Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix?

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Please firmly tap link below to vote in today's new poll...

http://tinyurl.com/3ccnr4d

After voting and seeing current results, then click on the "HOME" link to get back to the MMATorch App main listing.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/mmatorchappalert/article_9685.shtml

Michihiro Omigawa Tito Ortiz Alexander Otsuka Alistair Overeem

MMA Top 10 Heavyweights: Two Stand Above the Rest

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Cain Velasquez.Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that they're the two best heavyweights in mixed martial arts. The rest of the division is a jumble.

Velasquez has dominated the best two opponents he's fought, Brock Lesnar and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, finishing them both in the first round. Dos Santos has dominated the best two opponents he's fought, Fabricio Werdum and Shane Carwin, finishing Werdum in the first round and brutalizing Carwin in the first round before coasting to a decision victory. None of the other top heavyweights in MMA has been so impressive against such high-quality opposition.

So in our latest rankings of the top heavyweights in MMA, Velasquez and dos Santos are a clear 1-2. See where 3-10 stack up below.

(Editor's note: The individual fighter's ranking the last time we did heavyweights are in parentheses.)

1. Cain Velasquez (1): Although the 9-0 Velasquez deserves to be considered the No. 1 heavyweight in the sport as long as he stays unbeaten, his inactivity because of a torn rotator cuff is going to raise serious questions about whether he'll be able to return at 100 percent. He's tentatively scheduled to defend his title on November 19, which is 392 days after he won the belt from Brock Lesnar. It's never easy for a fighter to return after more than a year off, even if he's completely healthy.

2. Junior dos Santos (2): After the whipping dos Santos put on Shane Carwin, it's easy to see why the oddsmakers installed him as the favorite against Velasquez. Dos Santos is an amazing physical specimen whose striking technique is superb. He's also younger than Velasquez and healthier than Velasquez, and there's every reason to think he'll return to the cage looking even better than he did against Carwin.

3. Alistair Overeem (7): I don't want to diminish what Overeem accomplished against Fabricio Werdum: Overeem handily beat a man who had himself handily beaten Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Silva and Mike Kyle in his last three fights. But Overeem didn't do anything to make me think he's on the same level as Velasquez and dos Santos.

4. Brock Lesnar (3): From all indications, Lesnar will sit out for well over a year when it's all said and done: He fought Velasquez on October 23, 2010, and he likely won't fight again until 2012. With his health problems and long periods of inactivity, it's hard to see Lesnar ever becoming the champion again.

5. Fabricio Werdum (5): Werdum is the best heavyweight grappler in the world, but he'll never be the best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world until he figures out a way to really exchange with good strikers. Werdum's usual method is to get passive when a good striker hits him. Sometimes that works -- as it did against Fedor, who foolishly jumped into Werdum's guard after knocking him down. But usually it fails, as it did in Werdum's decision losses to Overeem and to Andrei Arlovski. (Of course, Werdum's stand-up really failed when he fought dos Santos, who knocked him cold in 81 seconds.)

6. Antonio Silva (6): Bigfoot will provide an interesting stylistic matchup with Overeem in the next round of the Strikeforce tournament: Like Werdum, Bigfoot has better Brazilian jiu jitsu skills than Overeem. And unlike Werdum, Bigfoot is big and strong enough to take Overeem down and keep him there. I think Overeem's superior striking will earn him the win in that fight, but Silva is a threat.

7. Shane Carwin (4): The heart and determination Carwin showed against dos Santos was admirable, but that fight also demonstrated how far removed Carwin is from the truly elite of the heavyweight division. Carwin is still a powerful puncher and a potent force in the heavyweight division, but he's 36 years old and on the down side of his career.

8. Frank Mir (8): Mir has now won two in a row since the beating he took at the hands of Carwin, and he's been making noises about getting a second shot at Carwin. That's a fight the UFC should consider booking.

9. Fedor Emelianenko (9): The greatest heavyweight in MMA history is on a two-fight losing streak and hasn't won since beating Brett Rogers in 2009. Fedor's upcoming fight with Dan Henderson is an interesting match-up but won't do anything to bolster his rankings within the heavyweight division: If Fedor wins it just proves that he can beat someone who's older and smaller than him, while if Fedor loses it's another piece of evidence that he's well past his prime.

10. Josh Barnett (NR): Barnett is now back in the Top 10, having finally gotten sanctioned to fight in America and beaten a relatively good opponent. I don't think the 33-year-old Barnett is on the same level as the truly elite fighters in the heavyweight division, but I do think he's good enough to beat Sergei Kharitonov and advance to the tournament final, where he'll be a dangerous opponent for either Overeem or Bigfoot.

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/21/mma-top-10-heavyweights-two-stand-above-the-rest/

Thiago Silva Wanderlei Silva Marcus Silveira Aaron Simpson

A Closer Look At Strikeforce "Overeem vs. Werdum" Finale: Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum

Hello once more fans and friends, it?s now time for the finale of my latest entry into the ?A Closer Look? series of articles. For the last several days I?ve taken a very in-depth look at Strikeforce?s upcoming ?Overeem vs. Werdum? event, going fight-by-fight and giving fans a look into the histories of both fighters, [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/06/17/a-closer-look-at-strikeforce-overeem-vs-werdum-finale-alistair-overeem-vs-fabricio-werdum

Tom Howard Roger Huerta Matt Hughes Matt Hume

Strikeforce Post-Fight Video: Jorge Masvidal Hoping for Shot at Gilbert Melendez

Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt to meet at UFC 135

A heavyweight battle between Ben Rothwell and Mark Hunt has been added to the UFC 135 card set to take place in Denver on September 24th. UFC President made the announcement today stating that the fighters have verbally agreed to the bout. Rothwell (31-7), a veteran of the IFL, will be making his third appearance [...]

Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt to meet at UFC 135 is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News

Source: http://www.mmainterplay.com/ufc-news/ben-rothwell-vs-mark-hunt-to-meet-at-ufc-135-54812/

Shad Lierley  Jushin Thunder Liger Zach Light Scott Lighty