Report: Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin On Tap for UFC 135
(bloodyelbow.com)With the UFC 135 untelevised prelim card reduced to just three bouts due to several injuries, the UFC has gone to the well and recruited two featherweights to fill that gap on a month's notice. Returning to the Octagon after four years is Junior Assuncao, who will face Tachi Palace Fights standout, Eddie Yagin.
Jon Jones Responds to Spying Accusations From Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
@Rampage4real Just so you know, I'm not a person who looks for shortcuts in life. Unlike you, MMA is not something I do because of money. via web
Jon Bones Jones
Jonnybones
It's a way of life for me and I would never disrespect the integrity of that. via web
Jon Bones Jones
Jonnybones
I have way more faith in myself, as well as, respect for the art of fighting to ever stoop that low, thats just bad karma via web
Jon Bones Jones
Jonnybones
Believe me or not, I've said my part.. hoping you have a safe and healthy finish to your camp.. #Respect
Jon Bones Jones
Jonnybones
I can't wait to see this fight!!!!!!
Despite hurricane, UFC 134's "UFC Prelims" ratings result in 1.3 million viewers
(mmajunkie.com)Despite large portions of the East Coast losing power and not being able to tune in, Spike TV's "UFC Prelims" special for this past weekend's UFC 134 event drew a 0.9 household rating and averaged 1.3 million viewers. It was the day's No. 1 rated cable program among men 18-48.
Spike TV officials today emailed the figures to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
Due to Hurricane Irene sapping many would-be viewers' electricity, Spike TV will re-air the one-hour special on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
In addition to the "UFC Prelims" replay, Spike TV airs a Anderson Silva-themed "UFC Unleashed" marathon beginning at 3 p.m. ET that day. The special includes Silva's past fights with Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, Chris Leben, Forrest Griffin and Vitor Belfort
UFC 134 took place Aug. 27 at Rio de Janeiro's HSBC Arena. It was the UFC's first event in Brazil since 1998. Spike TV's "UFC Prelims" special followed a preliminary-card stream on Facebook and preceded the night's pay-per-view main card, which saw Silva defend his middleweight title with a one-sided beatdown of Yushin Okami...
Michael Bisping re-ups with UFC on eve of "TUF 14," signs eight-fight deal
(mmajunkie.com)Michael Bisping will be with the UFC for quite some time, assuming he continues his winning ways.
The polarizing middleweight has signed a new eight-fight deal with the UFC and relocated his training camp to a gym in Orange, Calif., his manager, Anthony McGann, told MMAjunkie.com.
Bisping, of course, is hard at work preparing for an upcoming fight with Jason "Mayhem" Miller," which serves as the traditional season-ending meeting between coaches for "The Ultimate Fighter 14."
Shane Carwin Says Alistair Overeem Is Close to Signing With the UFC
(bloodyelbow.com)UFC heavyweight Shane Carwin has been out of action since his loss to Junior dos Santos at UFC 131, but he is a regular poster on The Underground. Today, he had something very interesting to say in regards to another top heavyweight, former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem. Here's what he said:
I had a chance to speak with him (Overeem) at the Magic Convention in Las Vegas (no we were not the big and tall models) and he said that he and Dana were close to a deal and he would likely be in the UFC before 2012. I think he would make a great addition to the roster.
Frank Mir Talks Matchups With Brock Lesnar, Alistair Overeem
(bloodyelbow.com)Dana White says Brock Lesnar will return early in 2012. Shane Carwin says Alistair Overeem is close to a deal with the UFC. Frank Mir welcomes a fight with either man.
Mir spoke with Middle Easy (transcription by MMA Mania):
"If [a third Lesnar fight] works out, it works out. I just want to fight again, it doesn't matter who. [Fighting] Alistair Overeem would be pretty cool if he actually came over. I think he's a great fighter, I think he's done a lot in this sport, his K-1 accomplishments, I think he's an immediate threat. I'd like to test myself against him."
Kickboxing champ Tyrone Spong considering MMA debut, promises title run
(mmajunkie.com)Sick and tired of lay-and-pray? Tyrone Spong might just be your new favorite fighter.
The soon-to-be-26-year-old Dutch-Surinamese kickboxer, who opened his striking career unbeaten in his first 65 outings, may soon make the transition to mixed martial arts in the U.S.
If (when) he does, Spong has one promise: You will be entertained.
"The American fans have shown me a lot of love and a lot of respect," Spong recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "They motivate me. It's guys like that help you keep pushing to get better. If I do come here to the U.S. to do MMA, I will entertain you. That's a promise."
Long a staple of the kickboxing scene, MMA fans recently took notice of the knockout artist after he defeated Ray Sefo in a K-1 bout this past October and then took a much-larger Alistair Overeem to a hard-fought decision in a December 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix quarterfinal contest.
Spong was then linked to former UFC champ Rashad Evans, who worked with the striking expert in preparation for a UFC 133 bout with Tito Ortiz. Spong said he took the time working with "The Blackzilians" to pick up a few groundfighting techniques in preparation for a potential move to MMA.
Healy replaces Thomson, meets Blanco at "Strikeforce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov"
(mmajunkie.com)Pat Healy has replaced injured Josh Thomson and now meets fellow lightweight Maximo Blanco at next week's "Strikeforce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov" event.
MMAjunkie.com passed along news of Thomson's injured foot this past week, and Strikeforce officials announced his replacement overnight.
"Strikeforce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov" takes place Sept. 10 at Cincinnati's U.S. Bank Arena, and Healy vs. Blanco is slated to compete on the Showtime-televised main card.
Diego Sanchez: After loss to BJ I was sucked into sin, conned out of 170k
(mixedmartialarts.com)TUF season 1 winner and UFC welterweight Diego Sanchez recently spoke with MMAWeekly Radio and shared some history about himself. After Sanchez lost his attempt to win the lightweight title from B.J. Penn at UFC 107 near the end of 2009, he suffered from what he termed a “rockstar life.”
“After I lost the B.J. Penn fight, I lost control. I lost control of life. I had just made my biggest payday and I was just down about the loss. That was my dream to become world champion, and it still is. But it was at my fingertips and the way I lost, getting cut, so brutally cut, I was beat up.
“I took the wrong path. I took the path of partying, and I was just drinking away my sorrows. I was handling the problem the wrong way.”
“I let some bad influences get into my life and it was a downward spiral. It was like a tornado sucking everything in. I let a person that I thought was a friend, a real close friend, someone that would help me with finances, I had him helping me out with stuff. Turned out I got embezzled for over $170,000. He conned me. I got conned so bad. And in the same time when I got conned, I was just wasting the money that I had earned.”
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson Believes Jon Jones Is Spying on Him
(bloodyelbow.com)Jackson told Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole that he believes his camp has been infiltrated by a rat.
The reason? A fan on Twitter warned Jackson that Jones had a spy in his camp. To test out the theory, "Rampage" told his gym about an "injury" to his hand. Four hours later, UFC matchmaker Joe Silva contacted Jackson's camp to inquire about the injury rumors.
Lindland: ‘You Don’t Sue Your Friends’
(sherdog.com)Not that long ago, when Team Quest was mentioned in mixed martial arts circles, two names immediately sprang to mind: Matt Lindland and Dan Henderson.
However, the two have gone their separate ways, and, in February, Henderson filed a lawsuit against Lindland in California federal court alleging trademark infringement, copyright infringement and unfair competition regarding the Team Quest brand. Lindland countersued the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion for claims including trademark and copyright infringement, unfair competition, deceptive advertising, breach of contract and interference with Lindland’s future business relationships.
Nunes Confirms UFC 135 Exit, Awaits Gamburyan in December
(sherdog.com)Previously scheduled to compete on the main card of UFC 135 “Jones vs. Rampage,” featherweight contender Diego Nunes will wait a little longer to return to the Octagon.
Nunes’ original opponent for the Sept. 24 event in Denver, Manny Gamburyan, announced his withdrawal from the bout on Aug. 15 due to a shoulder injury. Along with his team at Nova Uniao, Nunes decided not to accept another matchup, citing injuries and personal problems.
“I won’t fight [at UFC 135] anymore. The UFC didn’t find an opponent quickly and I also got injured in training,” Nunes explained Monday to Sherdog.com. “I’m suffering with painful tendonitis in my left arm, and I also had a problem in my hometown, where some people tried to murder my father. It was the best decision [to postpone the fight] so I can travel south to see my family.”
White: Middleweight fights remain for Silva, but GSP matchup starting to "make sense"
(mmajunkie.com)Before Anderson Silva's UFC 134 victory, UFC president Dana White mentioned Georges St-Pierre as a possible future opponent.
And following Silva's destruction of Yushin Okami in his record ninth straight title defense, White isn't changing his tune.
White said challenges remain for Silva at middleweight, but he said the time is approaching for a cross-division super fight between the UFC's two longest-reigning titleholders.
After UFC 134 win, "Shogun" Rua possibly one win away from Jon Jones rematch
(mmajunkie.com)RIO DE JANEIRO – Former UFC light-heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua had much reason to celebrate his UFC 134 win over Forrest Griffin.
The victory served as revenge for a 2007 loss to Griffin and helped keep Rua relevant in the UFC's 205-pound title picture.
But Rua said the celebration will be only mild. Satisfaction will come only when current champ Jon Jones has been defeated.
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