Despite opponent change, Miesha Tate comfortable with "win-win" situation
(mmajunkie.com)Things have changed quickly for Miesha Tate (6-1).
From Shawnee to Showtime, Tate has gone from a rural Oklahoma fight to national television in just four months.
And as Tate prepares to meet undefeated Canadian Sarah Kaufman (8-0) on the main card of Friday's "Strikeforce Challengers" event in Fresno, Calif., the Washington resident is excited with every last adjustment.
Dana White's Key Decisions
(bloodyelbow.com)Jake Rossen did a post over at his blog on Sherdog on Dana White's best decisions. It's hard to argue that any of his choices were bad decisions, but they don't get at the heart of why he's been so successful.
Dana routinely makes very good month to month business decisions, but the most crucial decisions are the ones that aren't so readily apparent. Signing Lesnar was great for business, but it doesn't explain why Brock's debut for the UFC did 650,000 buys while his actual MMA debut bombed on pay per view. The following decisions get to the heart of the question of why the UFC is so successful.
Strikeforce "in dialogue" with Roxanne Modafferi, Kaitlin Young
(mmajunkie.com)With a featured female bout between Sarah Kaufman (8-0) and Miesha Tata (6-1) scheduled on its May 15 "Strikeforce Challengers" series event in Fresno, Calif., the rapidly expanding organization is in discussion with two more female contenders.
Strikeforce officials have indicated the organization is having "dialogue" with Roxanne Modafferi (13-4) and Kaitlin Young (4-2).
Strikeforce has quickly become a premier destination for female fighters following the demise of ProElite.
Rising from the Slums
(sherdog.com)In Brazil, where an estimated 50 million people live in favelas, or slums, it’s common for a child to dream of changing his or her life through sports.
In years past, kids have aspired to follow in the footsteps of soccer idols like Romário and Ronaldo, both of whom were born in the Rio de Janeiro favelas. Nowadays, the popularity of mixed martial arts in Brazil and the growth of its international market have attracted more athletes from these poor communities who aim to become the next Wanderlei Silva, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira or Anderson Silva.
*one of the best reads in a long time*
Cung Le Not Ready To Ditch Real Fighting
(mmaweekly.com)Cung Le may be on his way to movie stardom, but he still wants to get in the cage.
This year, the Strikeforce middleweight champion will have four movies in the can. Fighting, with Channing Tatum, was released last month. Pandorum, with co-star Dennis Quaid, is due Sept. 4. Video game adaptation Tekken is undergoing final touches. True Legend, with legendary fight coordinator Woo Ping, is in production.
Between takes, he sneaks in workouts, trying to stay in shape for an eventual return to the cage.
Gabe Ruediger Returns, Leaving Past Behind
(mmaweekly.com)Heading into 2009, former WEC lightweight champion Gabe “Godzilla” Ruediger was on a downslide.
After a controversial stint on “The Ultimate Fighter 5,” bad tidings with his former team and a neck injury forced him on a rollercoaster ride of wins and losses.
Chuck Liddell: War on retirement ‘blown way out of proportion’
(mmamania.com)“It’s like if you’re a kid and your parents don’t get along. They both called me up and talked to me, and they both love me and have my best interests at heart. I love both guys, and I’m not going to take sides. They’ve never liked each other. But they’ve always kept it quiet out of respect for me. Now that it’s going back and forth, it’s been blown way out of proportion.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell is uncomfortable with the public feud that he erupted between his longtime trainer, John Hackleman, and his boss and good friend, UFC President Dana White, over his retirement. White feels the “Iceman” — who has suffered three knockouts in his past five fights — “is past his prime, doesn’t need the money, and there is no purpose in risking permanent injuries.” Hackleman feels Liddell should be able to make up his own mind. Perhaps the only thing that will end this saga is a decision from Liddell, which is apparently still in the works.
Full interview
Blog: Gomi says 'Hi, Dana!'
(sherdog.com)Monday, 5:00 p.m. ET: In shape and focused for the first time in a while, the Takanori Gomi of old returned to us on Sunday evening's Shooto Tradition Final card, where he knocked out Shooto 154-pound world champion Takashi Nakakura late in the second round.
After the event, Sherdog.com was able to catch up with an ecstatic and jovial “Fireball Kid” to talk about his immediate feelings on the bout, as well as his next step in the sport.
Gesias “JZ” Calvancante headed to Bellator ?
(fiveouncesofpain.com)FiveOuncesOfPain.com has learned that top lightweight Gesias “JZ” Calvancante has expressed interest in the possibility of joining the fledgling Mixed Martial Arts organization Bellator’s second season.
The bit of information came in a conversation with Bellator CEO/founder Bjorn Rebney at this past Friday’s Bellator VI event. American Top Team’s Calvancante attended a previous Bellator card where he stated his interest to Rebney in involving himself with Season Two’s lightweight tournament.
UFC fighter Houston Alexander rescues child left in car
(mmamania.com)UFC light heavyweight Houston Alexander is used to knocking out opponents inside the Octagon. On Wednesday, May 6, “The Assassin” did his part to help knock out child neglect.
According to WOWT.com, Alexander discovered a child left alone and crying inside an unlocked Chevy Lumina in a parking lot near his hometown of Ohama, Nebraska, and stayed with the girl until she was safe.
After searching local businesses for her family, the child’s mother was found at a local plasma center giving blood, accompanied by a cousin who was supposedly left in charge of watching the girl.
'Minotoro' Nogueira Wins At Jungle Fight
(mmaweekly.com)Top 10 ranked light heavyweight Antonio Rogerio Nogueira on Saturday night kept his winning streak intact with a third round submission of Golden Glory fighter Dion Staring at Jungle Fight Ceara in Fortaleza, Brazil.
The win marked his fifth straight victory and improved his overall record to 17-3.
Despite having 20 bouts to his credit, Saturday's bout was Nogueira's first in his home country of Brazil. He fought the majority of his early career in Japan, but has spent the majority of his most recent fights in the U.S. and Canada, including wins on both Affliction fight cards.
Following back surgery, Goran Reljic takes up light training for UFC return
(mmajunkie.com)Goran Reljic's UFC debut couldn't have gone much better.
Pushing his professional career record to 8-0, the 25-year-old Croatian defeated Wilson Gouveia via second-round TKO and earned a $75,000 Fight of the Night bonus for his efforts.
Reljic (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) hasn't fought since that UFC 84 main-card bout a year ago, but his manager told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the middleweight recently recommenced light training and hopes to return to the UFC later this year.
Reljic had been slated to make his second UFC appearance in October at UFC 90. However, a back injury forced him out of his scheduled bout with Thales Leites just two weeks before the Chicago event.
"Since then we had been trying different (forms of) rehabilitation to solve his back problems," Relic's manager, Zoran Saric, said. "Three months ago, doctors in Croatia decided to do lower back/disc surgery. Everything went well, and Goran started light training for a month."
With Silva Partnership, Franklin Likely At 205 For Good
(mmajunkie.com)It's safe to say that, after his upcoming catch weight fight at 195, Rich Franklin is not going to fight any more Silvas at Middleweight or anybody else for that matter. His recent partnership with current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva means that, in his words, "Ace" is likely staying permanently at Light Heavyweight after he faces Wanderlei Silva at UFC 99.
Shawn Thompkins Suggests Rift With Wanderlei
(fightersonlymagazine.co.uk)Xtreme Couture coach Shawn Tompkins appears to have had something of a fall-out with Wanderlei Silva, judging by recent comments.
"With Wanderlei and I, we've worked together before -- we worked together with the Keith Jardine fight," Tompkins told MMA FanHouse. "We're great friends, I just think we have different ideas on what a training schedule should be.
Tompkins suggested that Silva had a more relaxed approach to training than was required, prompting to the two to part ways.
Affliction's Tom Atencio on MMA fight with UFC's Dana White: "Let's do it"
(mmajunkie.com)On June 27, at an Ultimate Chaos event in Mississippi, Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio (1-0) will make his second appearance as a professional mixed-martial-arts fighter.
During a recent press conference for the event, Atencio seemed to hint he wanted to fight UFC President Dana White sometime in the future.
On Friday's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), Atencio left no doubts. He's ready to fight White, and he thinks it would be "huge" for both fight executives.
|
|
