The case for UFC salary reform
(bloodyelbow.com)It’s time for the UFC to restructure the Pay Per View percentage contracts for main event fighters. They began as a good faith way to reward fighters when the company does well, but these deals are unresponsive to the UFC’s needs, and they are unresponsive to the needs of the sport.
The last year of Anderson Silva’s career provides a good example of why the Pay Per View percentage deals do not make sense for the UFC. After signing a deal with a Pay Per View bonus, Anderson Silva headlined UFC 90, and got a terrible payday because the buyrate was so poor. He then took an extended break, and agreed to fight Thales Leites only because he was told that either St. Pierre or Chuck Liddell would be on the card as well. The show broke the 600,000 buy mark, and Silva made a killing.
WEC announces Mike Brown vs Jose Aldo
(mmaweekly.com)World Extreme Cagefighting® featherweight champion Mike Brown has built a reputation as a hard-hitting, gritty fighter capable of breaking down his opponents. Similarly, top-ranked contender Jose Aldo has established a name for himself by steamrolling the opposition with explosive punches and devastating knees. On Wednesday, Nov. 18 from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, NV, one of these men will leave the cage as the undisputed featherweight champion of the world.
World Extreme Cagefighting® officially announced today that the long-awaited title clash between champion Mike Brown and fierce challenger Aldo will take place in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, NV. What’s more, Brown vs. Aldo kicks off one of the biggest fight weeks ever in Las Vegas, as Brock Lesnar will defend the UFC® heavyweight championship against Shane Carwin at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on the Saturday following WEC’s historic event.
IS THIS THE BEST NATE QUARRY WE'VE EVER SEEN?
(mmaweekly.com)One of the original Ultimate Fighters, Nate Quarry is continuing on the comeback trail. Since a loss to Rich Franklin for the UFC middleweight title in 2005, Quarry was stranded outside of the Octagon for nearly two years after an accumulation of injuries left him unable to compete.
Following a successful back surgery in June of 2006, he returned to active competition in the UFC in September of 2007, with his last victory having come at the expense of tested veteran Jason MacDonald this past April at UFC 97.
UFC Quick Quote: Ring rust not a factor for Roger Huerta
(mmamania.com)“I had an amazing camp. I isolated myself from the world from TV, Internet, you name it. I’m back up to Minnesota training with my mentor Dave Menne. He just brought in phenomenal athletes to help me prepare for a great opponent like Gray because Gray has phenomenal wrestling, but not only that, he has evolved so well in the sport. His striking looked great against Jim Miller. Obviously his wrestling is spectacular. Gray deserves that attention. He deserves all of my attention and that’s all I set my mind on, is Gray Maynard, putting myself in situations mentally where I know how to scramble out, how to get in top position, or if he throws a right cross or a jab and how to counter. How to move. How to cut angles. The guys have put me in all different situations where we pretty much prepared in every way for Gray. To be a person like myself who leaves everything out in the Octagon, the time off was good. I was able to heal some old injuries so I’m able to perform the way I’ve always performed, which is leaving everything in there. With that said, I don’t think I’ll have any cage rust or ring rust.”
Anderson Silva Is 200% Healthy; Still Wants Frank Mir
(bloodyelbow.com)"I don’t know anything at all about any elbow injury," he said, adding with a laugh, "I wonder who hurt me?"
"I’m 200 percent healthy and there’s no injury. UFC can set the next fight whenever they want, I’m ready. I’m interested in fighting Frank Mir. He can be the next one," he says.
Floyd Mayweather - "MMA is nothing more than a sideshow act"
(cagereport.net)Floyd Mayweather will be going head to head against the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) with his scheduled bout against Mexican boxing sensation Juan Manuel Marquez on September the 19th. Mayweather looks to prove the point that Boxing is still the king of combat sports, fighting on a night that coincides with a UFC PPV event. This battle between boxing and the UFC was by design as Mayweather chose to have his fight on the night of UFC 103. Saturday night serves as a major indicator of whether boxing can compete against the UFC any longer. Mayweather is beyond confident it can.
Obviously shaken, and left with a feeling that UFC PPV buys will suffer – The President of the UFC Dana White released a video earlier this week in attempt to persuade Mixed Martial Arts fans to purchase UFC 103 rather than the Mayweather/Marquez ppv. Mayweather, never one to back down in a war of words, addressed the issue at a pre-fight press conference in L.A early this week, When asked how he feels about going head to head with ‘UFC 103 Franklin vs. Beflort’ Mayweather dismissed it as a threat:
“Who’s Rich Franklin? There’s 8 year old kids just starting out in my gym who punch better than that guy. I’ve seen that guy try to punch and felt sorry for him, embarrassed for him – I think Roger [Mayweather] still has some spaces left in the beginners class, might want to get the basics down before he goes head to head with me. I mean come on, until he generates a revenue of 2.5 million he don’t even deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Floyd Mayweather let alone be trying to compete with me. What you’re getting here is two of the best pound for pound fighters in the world going at it to determine who is number one, what they got there is two journeymen, bar room fighters who can’t tell a fish hook from a check hook.”
Mayweather was also asked to give his thoughts on how he feels the striking abilities of some of the premier strikers in MMA, such as Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, might match up against the upper echelon heavyweight boxers.
“I think he forgot he has a right hand, give him a pair of 12 ounce gloves and Vlad Klitchko would tear up that ass in seconds. Look, I just watched an ex-UFC heavyweight champ, some overweight unathletic chump get one punched by an over the hill broken boxer, Mercer. Don’t get me wrong, I love Big Ray but his best days are behind him and he one punched an ex-champ, what more do I need to say? Just imagine what happens if a heavyweight contender lays hands on a MMA fighter. We both know what the aftermath will look like.”
While this will be the first time a major boxing event clashes with a UFC event, Mayweather insists that this will not be the first time he has beaten the UFC in terms of ratings.
“Look, I already went head on with the UFC in my fight against[Ricky] Hatton, we all know how that turned out and the same is gonna happen again on September 19th. I’m gonna give the people at home something to talk about the next day; everyone is going to be talking about the Floyd Mayweather fight that was on last night. Ain’t gonna be no one talking about those two guys who rolled around on the floor for 3 rounds. That’s why I was and still am the PPV king. ”
Mayweather even went as far to discredit MMA as a real sport calling it a ‘sideshow act’ and detailed the disparity in terms of pay between the two combat sports.
“The main difference between Boxing and MMA is the fact that boxing is a real sport and requires skill to reach the top. When you watch boxing you know you ain’t [going to] see some WWE clown walk in and take the belt after a couple fights. It ai’nt happening. That’s because it takes years to perfect and master the sweet science, MMA is nothing more than a sideshow act that probably won’t even be around in 10 years time. Boxing ain’t going anywhere, write that down. If so many people want to watch those guys fight then why isn’t Dana White paying them like it?"
My bad bout the link here you go
Edgar vs Pellegrino Agreed To For TUF10 Finale
(mmaweekly.com)A rumored bout between Frankie Edgar and Kurt Pellegrino has been agreed to for the Dec. 5 Ultimate Fighter Season 10 Finale.
The bout was first reported by ESPN’s Jon Anik. MMAWeekly.com sources confirmed the bout, saying that it has been verbally agreed to, though pen has not been put to paper yet.
The bout will mark seven months since Edgar (10-1) last stepped into the Octagon. Having lost the first fight of his career at UFC Fight Night 13 to Gray Maynard, he is currently on a two-fight winning streak. Edgar defeated Hermes Franca at UFC Fight Night 14, and then Sean Sherk at UFC 98.
Pellegrino’s (14-4) last loss was also at UFC Fight Night 13, submitting to Nate Diaz. He has been a little more active than Edgar recently, winning three consecutive bouts. He most recently earned a unanimous decision over Josh Neer at UFC 101 in Philadelphia.
Antonio Minotoro Nogueira vs Luis Cane at UFC106
(mmaweekly.com)It appears that Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, the brother of former Pride and UFC champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, will make his Octagon debut at UFC 106 against Luis Cane. A report by Loretta Hunt of Sherdog.com citing sources close to the negotiations said the bout has been verbally agreed to. MMAWeekly.com sources confirmed the report.
Nogueira (17-3) has been on a five-fight winning streak that began following a loss to Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at Pride 33 in early 2007. He has kept busy traveling across the globe fighting in Japan, the United States, and Canada since the closure of Pride.
Cane (10-1) has quickly risen to contention in the UFC light heavyweight division defeating Sokoudjou, Steve Cantwell, and Jason Lambert. His only stumble since entering the Octagon was a disqualification loss to James Irvin at UFC 79 due to an illegal knee to the head while Irvin was down.
UFC 106 is scheduled to take place on Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Event Center in Las Vegas. UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar is expected to defend his title against Shane Carwin in the main event and Tito Ortiz returns to the Octagon to face Mark Coleman.
Frank Gomez vs. Seth Dikun Set For WEC 44
(mmajunkie.com)Although the event has not yet been announced, Frank Gomez vs. Seth Dikun is set for WEC 44 on November 18 according to a source close to one of the fighters. Both are coming off wins in their prior fight with Dikun getting Submission Of The Night at WEC 41.
WEC 44 Now Targeted For November 18
(mmajunkie.com)Although the event had long been rumored to be held on November 11, it now appears WEC 44 will be held on November 18. WEC recently requested the date from the NSAC, and although not yet approved the date likely will hold up. The event likely will be at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas.
Huerta: 'One or the Other' on Fighting, Acting
(sherdog.com)"Fighters getting in touch with their inner thespian is hardly a new idea. Randy Couture starred as the Scorpion King, Cung Le's been in a number of films during his reign as Strikeforce middleweight champ and Gina Carano's set for a lead role in the latest Steven Soderbergh production. But unlike the aforementioned, Roger Huerta said he is leaving mixed martial arts all together to delve into acting at 26 years old. In what could be his final performance in the UFC's Octagon, for a while at least, Huerta faces Gray Maynard in the co-main event at UFC Fight Night 19 this Wednesday –- the last fight on his contract with the promotion."
Champ Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin, Tito Ortiz vs. Mark Coleman official for UFC 106
(mmajunkie.com)"With tickets set to go on sale for UFC 106 later this week, the organization today announced the first two bouts for the Nov. 21 event.
As was previously reported, UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (4-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) meets top challenger Shane Carwin (11-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC), while UFC veterans Tito Ortiz (15-6-1 MMA, 14-6-1 UFC) and Mark Coleman (16-9 MMA, 7-4 UFC) meet in a light-heavyweight contest.
"UFC 106: Lesnar vs. Carwin" takes place at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The main card airs live on pay per view."
RICH FRANKLIN: SHIFTING GEARS?
(mmaweekly.com)The word seared into the mind of any fighter, be they a current, former, or aspiring champion, is “title.”
The belt, whatever form it takes, is an all-consuming obsession, measured in steps towards or away from it. Lives are re-arranged in its pursuit. Focus must be unwavering for belts that mean something.
Former champions often tie themselves to the return trail most intensely. So intertwined with their ego is the belt, they lose sight of everything else.
Rich Franklin doesn’t appear to be one of those people.
WEC to air on Setanta Sports network in Australia starting with 'Cerrone vs. Henderson' on Oct. 10
(mmamania.com)World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) announced today that it has struck a television deal with Setanta Sports to air live mixed martial arts action in Australia, giving more than 80,000 viewers “Down Under” access to “the best lightweight fighters in the world.”
Coverage of the promotion’s events will begin with the upcoming WEC 43: “Cerrone vs. Henderson” show on Oct. 10, 2009. That card will feature a lightweight interim title match between Greg Jackson product, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, and fast-rising stud, Ben “Smooth” Henderson.
"Pequeno" Nogueira Is Back to "Reconquer Japan"
(bloodyelbow.com)A little over a year ago, then-unknown Brazilian Jose Aldo spoiled the U.S. debut of Alexandre Franca "Pequeno" Nogueira at WEC 34. Despite reigning over Shooto's 143-pound division for years and possessing twice the MMA experience of his countryman, the man called "Pequeno" was no match for Aldo's agressive pace and blistering hand speed. To add embarassment to injury -- and by "injury," I mean the gushing forehead wound Aldo opened up in the second round -- Nogueira was suspended by the California State Athletic Comission for 12 months following the bout after testing positive for the anabolic steroid Boldenone.
Chuck Liddell Slims Down To Win Big Bosses Cash
(cagetoday.com)We all knew Chuck Liddell was living large after sudo retiring following his loss to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 97. So, large UFC President Dana White called him out and put up some cash betting the Iceman he couldn’t slim down by mid-September.
KEVIN BURNS TO FACE T.J. GRANT AT UFC 107
(mmaweekly.com)Welterweights Kevin Burns and T.J. Grant are expected to meet at UFC 107.
UFC 107 is expected for the FedEx Forum on Dec. 12 in Memphis, Tenn. A lightweight tilt between champion B.J. Penn and contender Diego Sanchez headlines.
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