JASON MACDONALD WANTS ANOTHER FIGHT IN 2008
(mmaweekly.com)The big fight that may appeal to a lot of fans is a potential match up with England's Michael “The Count” Bisping, who is headlining UFC 89 against an opponent that MacDonald has already defeated, Chris Leben. “I'd be interested to see the Bisping-Leben fight. Of course I already fought Leben. I'd love the opportunity to step up and take on Michael Bisping. He's getting a lot of hype in the middleweight division these days. Anyone that fights with the guys in the top half of this division that can continue to move my career forward.”
Travis Lutter without a home
(bloodyelbow.com)"I would like to be fighting," Lutter told MMARated.com today. "To be honest, I'm a little frustrated that I haven't found a home."
When we spoke to Lutter immediately following his release close to five months ago, he mentioned that he had preliminary talks with the now-defunct IFL and Affliction. Apparently, nothing came of those talks.
"I might have to take a fight on a smaller show just to get my name out there and build up my career again because it's a little frustrating that my career has stalled," Lutter said.
Randy Couture pushing for Emelianenko second, UFC policy changes first
(mmajunkie.com)A year's worth of legal battles began their conclusion with one obscene joke by "Captain America."
As UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture today told the crew of TAGG Radio, the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com, his year-long conflict with UFC executives needed a creative solution.
Couture discussed that story, as well as explaining the changes he's worked hard to make within the UFC.
"In kind of coming up with some strategies with my attorneys to open some dialogue with the UFC, I sent (UFC President) Dana (White) a nice text," Couture explained. "I told him I was on [an MMA forum], and there were some guys that were bagging on him -- no surprise there. They were saying that he likes to eat [expletive] sandwiches.
"I told [Dana] that I stuck up for him, and that there was no way that could be true because he doesn't even like bread.
"It's true. I sent him that text, and he texted me right back -- laughing his ass off -- saying, 'I'd love to talk to you. We can enjoy some [expletive] sandwiches together.' That started the whole thing."
Kongo leaves Ibarra for UK’s Wolfslair
(mmamania.com)“Quinton had a split from his coach and he knew what a good job we did with [Michael] Bisping so it was a natural move for him. His old management weren’t on great terms with the UFC, but we are very UFC-friendly here and have a lot of time for (UFC president) Dana White so we stepped in. It was the same with Cheick. He was having some problems negotiating his new contract with the UFC and was looking for somewhere to train so it was an easy decision for him to join his mates…. He has been training with Quinton for his last couple of fights, and we know that has not been a happy camp. We think he will be a happier fighter here; he is only a couple of hours from his home in Paris and we will be taking all the other distractions like sponsorship out of his hands.”
When it rains it pours … just ask Juanito Ibarra. Cheick Kongo has now bolted from his camp, joining one of Ibarra’s other prized fighters, former light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, overseas at the Wolfslair MMA Academy in the United Kingdom. Of course, Michael “The Count” Bisping is also a Wolfslair fighter and more than likely the person responsible for recruiting Jackson to join the gym after his differences with Ibarra emerged. No specific reason was given for the split between Kongo and Ibarra, but the “French Sensation” is now certainly closer to his native France.
Quinton Rampage Jackson vs Wanderlei Silva 3 UFC 91 fight likely
(mmamania.com)Sources close to Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1) have indicated that the explosive (and long-rumored) third showdown between “The Axe Murderer” and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (28-7) is indeed set, according to MMACanada.net.
The blockbuster light heavyweight match up will co-headline UFC 91: “Couture vs. Lesnar” at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 15.
Gracie-Wiuff Rounds Out Sengoku 5
(mmaweekly.com)With the addition of Roger Gracie vs. Travis Wiuff to the card today, World Victory Road has finalized the official Sengoku 5 card. 8 fights in all are scheduled highlighted by the first round of WVR's Middleweight Grand Prix.
DREAM 6 Card Almost Final, Diaz-Mach Off
(mmaweekly.com)With the announcement of more fights today, DREAM has all but finalized its card for DREAM 6. It was confirmed that Hayato Sakurai will not face Nick Diaz for the inaugural DREAM Welterweight Title (Diaz' camp claims he hasn't been paid for his May fight) and that Yoshihiro Akiyama will be on the card but he doesn't have an opponent yet.
Report: Fedor Emelianenko to be featured on re-scheduled Affliction card
(mmajunkie.com)Adding to the speculation of Affliction's forthcoming "major announcement," it now appears WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko will be featured on the re-scheduled "Affliction: Day of Reckoning."
NBCSports.com reported the addition of Emelianenko to a new Jan. 17, 2009, date after speaking with Affliction Chief Operating Officer Michael Cohen.
Messages MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) left with Cohen and Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio were not immediately returned.
Although Cohen told NBCSports.com that Emelianenko's services are secured, his potential opponent was not yet named.
"It is to be determined," Cohen was quoted as saying. "We are considering changing the combatants. We have not finalized that at this time. That is as a result of the issues to be revealed at the announcement."
AFFLICTION VP TOM ATENCIO ON "RESCHEDULING"
(mmaweekly.com)Affliction vice president Tom Atencio spoke exclusively with MMAWeekly.com to clarify his company’s decision to postpone the event.
“We not canceling it, we’re not postponing it, we’re rescheduling it completely,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense to do it where we wanted to do it, it’s a positive.”
Sources close to the venue had informed MMAWeekly.com that ticket says thus far have been “abysmal.” Atencio conceded that ticket sales for “Day of Reckoning” were weak.
Short Fuse looking to make a big explosion in Omaha
(ufc.com)Some guys are fight made, and some guys are made to fight. In the case of Ed Herman, it’s definitely a case of the latter, but as a hot-blooded 21-year-old bar bouncer looking for a more permanent fistic gig, it didn’t hurt that he walked into a gym in the great Northwest that just happened to have some of MMA’s greatest warriors willing to take him in.
Transatlantic Bisping Confident Ahead of Leben Bout
(sherdog.com)With world-class training facilities and coaches available to him on either side of the Atlantic, Bisping likes the idea of varying his training, though ultimately he feels there’s no place like home.
“[In some ways], I have no preference,” he said. “When I’m in the States, it’s nice. I do this full-time, so a change is as good as a break. Obviously, the weather’s nice there, and the change keeps you fresh. I do enjoy the experience of working out in different gyms.
“Thinking about it though, you can’t beat training at your own gym with your own teammates and coaches who know how you work,” Bisping added. “Tiki’s great; he coaches stars, but you look forward to getting back to the Wolfslair to start properly focusing on the fight.”
Back in the UK, Bisping paints a vivid picture of what promises to be a brutal training camp leading up to his clash with Leben.
Tanner, According to Those Who Knew Him Best
(sherdog.com)MMA will never have another Evan Tanner.
To chronicle his compelling life, Sherdog.com turned to some of the people who knew him best, including those who grew up with him and watched him wrestle in high school before he began his fight career inside a rowdy rodeo coliseum in Amarillo, Texas.
A Self-Taught Texan
Deana Epperson grew up across the street from Tanner in Amarillo and kept in touch with him throughout the years: He was a good kid. He really didn’t mess with anybody. He didn’t even wrestle -- he pole-vaulted in junior high. He didn’t even start wrestling until our sophomore year in high school, and we were a big school. We were 5A. By our junior and senior year, he was a back-to-back state champion in wrestling. Texas is no joke with wrestling and for him to have never wrestled till 10th grade and then been a state champion in 11th and 12th grade -- that’s just incredible.
He was such a renaissance man on the most basic level. He didn’t really like to admit this to people, but Evan had a photographic memory, and that’s how the big legend of Evan Tanner was true. He was a big wrestler in high school and he got the Gracie jiu-jitsu videos, and whatever he would watch somebody do, he could instantly put that into his repertoire. He was genetically gifted, he was amazingly smart, and he remembered everything he read and saw. That really explains how a guy who never really went to a dojo till he was 21 was able to do what he did.
He was the first one I ever saw grab wrists to reign down elbows. And later on I saw Tito Ortiz in the corner with one of his fighters yelling, “Tanner elbows! Tanner elbows!” That’s when you know you’re the s---, is when someone is referencing you when they’re cornering someone else.
Faber May Move Up Or Down For Megafights
(mmaweekly.com)The latest fighter to express interest in changing weight classes for megafights is WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber. He's talking about not only moving up to 155 for a couple fights-namely a Tyson Griffin rematch-but also down to 135 for a couple fights while still making his home at 145.
Top 5 Breakthroughs In MMA
(sherdog.com)Great fighters are remembered for a collection of moments within a vast library of sights and sounds -- a record of unforgettable victories and their most stinging defeats.
But no moment stands out more than when a fighter distinguishes himself as a true force with which to be reckoned, having blossomed beyond the world of contenders and prospects.
you know this is just a list someone did in there opinion. i like it but if any of you have ones that you think should have made the list feel free to post
Interview with Lyoto Machida
(tatame.com)There’s no way to find and opponent now, and I’ll have to wait another event to fight. I don’t know who’ll I face, UFC didn’t say anything yet, only that I won’t fight at UFC 89”, said Lyoto, sad with the scrapped fight. “It’s sad because I was focused, training hard and prepared, but this kind of things happens. I changed my training now, I’m doing more Karate and working out, doing less MMA stuff”, told Lyoto, who has no idea of who his next opponent will be.
BAS RUTTEN & IFL CREW JOIN AFFLICTION
(mmaweekly.com)As Affliction picks up steam heading into its Oct. 11 Las Vegas debut, the promotion continues to tweak things its roster, television deals and most recently their broadcast team as well.
Out is the initial pay-per-view broadcast group of Jay Glazer, Frank Trigg and “Big” John McCarthy; in is the familiar former International Fight League team of Kenny Rice, Ron Kruck and MMA living legend Bas “El Guapo” Rutten.
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