Matt Hughes Confirms Renzo Gracie Bout
(mmaweekly.com)Pack your bags for Abu Dhabi, Matt Hughes fans. Dana White confirmed yesterday the former UFC Welterweight Champion would next fight in April but wouldn't confirm it's against Renzo Gracie-or where. But Hughes did-he said paperwork isn't done but he thinks an April 10 fight in Abu Dhabi against Gracie will happen.
RVCA Banned by UFC
(bloodyelbow.com)
As evidenced by the black electrical tape covering the RVCA symbol on BJ Penn's shirt at today's pre-fight press conference. RVCA was banned from the UFC in mid-November due to their sponsorship agreement with Fedor Emelianenko.
Bobby Lashley signs multi-year contract with Strikeforce MMA
(mmamania.com)
Former WWE star and collegiate wrestling champion Bobby Lashley (4-0) has signed a multi-year agreement with Strikeforce and will make his mixed martial arts debut for the San Jose-based promotion at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida on Saturday, Jan. 30, against an opponent to be named.
Terms of the contract were not immediately disclosed.
UFC Quick Quote: Rampage Jackson wants to fight, not spell
(mmamania.com)"I had a very unpleasant 45-minute phone call with Rampage before the TUF finale (on Dec. 5). We started fighting on texts that day. He sent me a really bad text so I sent him a really bad text back. He wrote back, 'Call me, I can't spell good enough to fight on texts (laughs).'"
-- UFC President Dana White tells the Las Vegas Sun about his recent grammatically-challenged exchange with "retired" former light heavyweight champion, Rampage Jackson, prior to The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale on Dec. 5.
AKA: Sure, Train With Us, but Only if We Get a Percent of Your Income
(bloodyelbow.com)When Affliction went down in flames, Paul Buentello decided he might want to go to the UFC. Dana White's feelings on Zinkin Entertainment are well known, and Buentello decided to replace Bob Cook and get a new manager. As a result, Buentello was suspended from the American Kickboxing Academy, where he's trained since 2000:
According to the fighter and his long-time trainer and friend, Dave Velasquez of Nor Cal Fight Factory, the dispute arose when Buentello replaced Cook with a new manager.
"I’ve always came to this crossroads, if I ever go back to the UFC, I gotta have somebody on board that’s gonna sell me like I’m the best thing since sliced bread," said Buentello. The native Texan believes that someone is Elis Pacheco of New York-based Dedos Marketing Group, which has worked with Ice-T, Fat Joe and Beyonce Knowles.
Cook, Buentello’s former manager and trainer, declined comment.
Frank Mir ‘went into depression’ and ‘got sick’ over Brock Lesnar obsession
(fiveouncesofpain.com)In what could now officially qualify as a somewhat unhealthy fanaticism in regards to avenging a previous, and utterly embarrassing defeat at the hands of current UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir recently went on record with the Las Vegas Sun stating that the news of Lesnar’s recent health problems made him ill…. literally.
“When he got sick it screwed up my training because he was such a driving force for me,” said Mir. “I went into a depression for two to three days where I didn’t go to the gym, I got sick — I drove myself insane thinking we may possibly not fight again.
“I couldn’t live with that.”
Apparently the obsession with Brock isn’t really with Brock at all. No, according to Mir’s father you can chalk it up to a deep seeded disdain for losing.
Major Surgery May Still be Needed for UFC'S Lesnar
(tsn.ca)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar continues to have serious health problems, according to UFC president Dana White.
"He's still really sick," White told reporters Thursday. "We won't know for probably another month and a half. He had that minor surgery, he's going to change his diet, do some things and see what happens."
Alan Belcher: ‘I feel disrespected’, ‘ready to let my fists do the talking’
(fiveouncesofpain.com)Just two days shy of his UFC 107 showdown with the always dangerous Wilson Gouveia, Alan “The Talent” Belcher is flat out pissed, and it’s not at his opponent but the current predicament he finds himself in. The predicament being a “Fight of the Night” caliber athlete being snubbed from main card honors.
“I have tons of people coming out to support me, and it kind of helps me get over the fact that I’m not going to be on the main card… it pisses me off.”
MMA Quick Quote: Herschel Walker calling on his younger personality for upcoming Strikeforce debut
(mmamania.com)"You know what is strange? I didn’t want to mention my age. Like I said, I have these multiple personalities so that 25 year old that is inside is doing this fighting ... I have been in mixed martial arts for 30-something years and this is a great opportunity for me to get in there and show them what I can do. I tell you I love it. I have been eating one meal a day for over twenty-something years I have been doing that. My regimen hasn’t changed that much. I feel good. I am not going to embarrass AKA. I am not going to embarrass the fighters at AKA. I won’t embarrass Strikeforce and most of all I won’t embarrass myself. When I step into the ring I will be ready to go."
Recent Strikeforce acquisition and former NFL great Herschel Walker comments on his transition to mixed martial arts when he debuts for the San Jose-based promotion in January 2010.
White confirms Jackson's return, says Evans fights "Rampage" with UFC 108 win
(mmajunkie.com)MEMPHIS, Tenn. – It was supposed to be a glorious day for former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
With the UFC rolling into his hometown of Memphis, Tenn., for this Saturday's "UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez" event, Jackson was supposed to be the focus of the week.
Instead, that honor has fallen to lightweight champion B.J. Penn and challenger Diego Sanchez, but UFC president Dana White said at Thursday's pre-event press conference that Jackson should be the only one concerned at his absence.
"If anyone should be upset, it's 'Rampage,'" White said.
BJ Penn: Diego Sanchez Is Underestimating Me
(bit.ly)MEMPHIS -- Diego Sanchez has repeatedly said that his endurance and cardio will be one of the reasons why he will defeat BJ Penn and capture the lightweight title at UFC 107 on Saturday. But when FanHouse asked "The Prodigy" about that at Wednesday's media workout, Penn, who claims to be in the best shape of his life, said that Sanchez couldn't be more wrong.
Diego Sanchez: ‘I’m here to claim what’s mine’
(fiveouncesofpain.com)Diego Sanchez may be the challenger going into this weekends lightweight championship clash against B.J. Penn at UFC 107, but judging from The Nightmare’s recent statements during the UFC 107 Countdown Show, he wouldn’t know it.
According to Diego, he’s already the champion; This fight is just a formality for the San Diego based fighter.
“From the moment I stepped down to 155, I knew in my heart that I was the best 155 pounder in the world,” said Sanchez during the recent Spike TV broadcast.
“I’m here to claim what’s mine. It’s my time now.”
Clay Guida, "I make guys fight my fight"
(mmaweekly.com)The exciting and always dangerous Clay Guida is set on a collision course to continue his push to the top of an ever-growing lightweight division.
Always an imposing threat, “The Carpenter” has now enhanced his arsenal tenfold by adding his name to the growing roster of fighters who trek across country – in some cases across the world – to work with the infamous Greg Jackson.
BJ Penn casts doubt on Diego's craziness
(mmaweekly.com)BJ Penn says he won’t be rattled by vocal gymnastics coming towards the Octagon – if he can even hear them – when he faces Diego Sanchez at UFC 107 on Saturday.
Sanchez, winner of the original “Ultimate Fighter,” who’s getting his first title shot after shrinking from welterweight to lightweight, isn’t your average bird outside the cage. Sure, he works hard like everyone else. But his supreme confidence – a trademark of his early career – isn’t expressed in the usual ways.
That’s if you consider cartwheeling through a park yelling “YES!” unusual.
If it’s a contest of crazy, Penn told reporters Wednesday, Diego’s already lost.
WEC Quick Quote: Donald Cerrone is going to call out Jose Aldo
(mmamania.com)"I’m going to call out Jose Aldo and drop down to 145. I’m really looking forward to that. I’m not running away from the 155 pound weight class. I’m going to stay at 155, but just also going to fight at 145."
-- Perennial WEC lightweight contender Donald Cerrone dropped in on the *********** “The Ground and Pound” radio show this past Monday to discuss his upcoming bout with Ed Ratcliff and, apparently, his desire to move down to the 145-pound division.
UFC Hoping for a July 2010 Return for Brock Lesnar
(cagepotato.com)According to Heavy.com, Brock Lesnar is back on his feet after a nasty case of diverticulitis, and the UFC is targeting July as a potential return date for the heavyweight champ; Lesnar's long-delayed bout against Shane Carwin could headline the UFC's first show in Boston.
Well, that's their hope, anyway. Though Lesnar is indeed recovering, his trainer Greg Nelson told MMA Weekly that he's not sure when Brock will be able to start training again — and he's definitely not sure when he'll be healthy enough to fight. Right now, Lesnar is simply healing up in a pissed-off fashion. Said Nelson: "Mentally, he wants to get back in there. He wants to jump in. You get a guy like that who’s used to being able to do whatever and moving around and train, throw hay around, whatever he wants to do, then you’re stuck inside your house...that’s tough. Mentally, it’s tough."
Hamill: Jon Jones Didn't Lose And I Didn't Win
(mmajunkie.com)Although Jon Jones' disqualification eventually led him to a win, Matt Hamill doesn't consider it a victory–and he doesn't think Jones should consider it a loss either. At The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale on Dec. 5, Jones controlled Hamill, dislocated his shoulder on a takedown, battered him with ground and pound, but suffered the first-round DQ loss when instant replay showed Jones had connected on illegal downward elbow strikes. Hamill thinks Jones should be commended for the effort. "Aside from making a mistake, he did his job and he did it well," Hamill wrote on his official Web site, matthamill.com. "He definitely didn't lose this fight, and I definitely didn't win, but I guess the rules are there for a reason. It is what it is. I went into this fight feeling like my record was actually 9-1, so with this so-called win, I will now consider my record 9-2."
Harris: Jens Pulver Returns In 2010
(mmajunkie.com)Although his comments following his last fight in WEC suggested otherwise, Jens Pulver will be returning to the cage in 2010. That's the latest word from WEC GM Reed Harris, who simply said "Jens is going to fight again. He wants to fight." Pulver is only 1-4 in WEC since leaving UFC and dropping to Featherweight.
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