UFC 99 - Wanderlei Silva Vs Rich Franklin
(mmaweekly.com)The Ultimate Fighting Championship is set to make its German debut on June 13 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne. While several fights have been rumored for the event over the past couple of months, most have not come to fruition.
MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday, however, was able to confirm through multiple independent sources that former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin and former Pride 205-pound champion Wanderlei Silva have agreed to fight each other at UFC 99.
Franklin has fought his last two bouts at light heavyweight, returning to the division after running into a brick wall named Anderson Silva at middleweight. Even though Wanderlei Silva's fights in the UFC have all been at 205-pounds to this point, he has made public his intention of wanting to move down to the 185-pound division.
"I talk with (UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva and... say no problem, I'm down for 185? He say, no problem," Silva said in a recent interview with MMAWeekly.com, but adding, "I could fight in both divisions; I could fight 185 and 205."
It appears that he may not fight at either weight come June 13. Though it is too soon for bout agreements, sources have indicated that Franklin and Silva have agreed to face each other at a catch weight somewhere in the neighborhood of 195 pounds.
UFC announces TV deal to broadcast in France
(mmajunkie.com)The Ultimate Fighting Championship's European invasion shows no signs of slowing down.
As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported on Saturday, the German station DSF will begin airing UFC-related content, including past episodes of "UFC Unleashed" and major pay-per-view events, next month.
Now, the UFC has announced a similar deal with RTL9 that will open the organization up to more than 14 million French-language homes across France and other European and African locales.
Dana White looking to bolster UFC talent roster
(fiveouncesofpain.com)Some big name fighters have been linked to the UFC in the past few months. In a recent conversation with Dana White, he commented on the status of the fighters.
To start, the UFC is looking to bring in some Japanese talent to the promotion. They are very close to a new deal with Caol Uno, with published reports indicating he could return to the UFC at UFC 99. The UFC has also expressed major interest in both Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto and Satoshi Ishii.
However, one guy White has not had discussions with is the former PRIDE lightweight champion Takanori Gomi.
“I haven’t talked with Gomi,” stated White.
With St. Pierre vs. Alves likely, Mike Swick still unsure of next move
(mmajunkie.com)While UFC welterweight Mike Swick (13-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) had made it very clear in recent months that he was hoping for a bout with Thiago Alves in the near future, recent events have forced a change of plans.
With "Pitbull" in line for a 170-pound title shot with Georges St. Pierre, Swick is now unsure of what comes next.
As Swick today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), he's still hoping for a bout that will clear his path to title contention.
"I'll fight whoever, but I would really like to have a bout that's going to put me in the top ranking if I have a good performance and I win," Swick said. "I'm 8-1 in the UFC, and I feel like I definitely deserve a big fight.
"I want to get out there. I'm training hard. I want to prove that I belong in the contendership at 170 pounds."
Swick has now won three-straight bouts since dropping to the 170-pound class after a 5-1 run in the UFC's middleweight division. Swick last fought in December 2008 in a 33-second TKO win over Jonathan Goulet. The American Kickboxing Academy fighter now hopes to be back in action in May or June.
"I'm healing up a foot injury that I've had," Swick said. "It should be pretty good to go pretty soon. I figure May or June should be about when I come back."
Unlike his ailing elbow which required surgery in July 2008, Swick said his foot is healing fine with a bit of rest.
"It was just a broken bone in my foot that's just been kind of lingering on," Swick said. "I've been training through it and not letting it heal, and it keeps getting agitated. I'm still training right now, but I'm just trying to heal up as fast as I can so I can get back to fighting."
David Loiseau 'The Crow Returns to the UFC' Interview
(punchdrunkgamer.com)David Loiseau 'The Crow Returns to the UFC'
PunchDrunkGamer's Justin Bolduc sat down with David “The Crow” Loiseau to talk about his UFC return against Ed Herman at UFC 97 in April.
PDG: First, it is great to have you back in the UFC. How do you feel about your upcoming return?
David: I feel great, man. It feels good to be back home. [The UFC] is my home. It was a long time since I've been back – since 2006, and I'm just very happy to be back, man.
Demian Maia: The gentleman black belt
(fiveouncesofpain.com)The National Hockey League presents an annual award called the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. According to NHL.com, the Lady Byng is an annual award given to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct.
MMA is not a sport that offers accommodations for congeniality but if there was a Lady Byng Trophy in MMA, undefeated UFC Brazilian middleweight Demian Maia would be a leading contender.
Zuffa aiming for UFC live events and programming in neighboring Mexico
(mmamania.com)In addition to its exploits in Europe, Zuffa was wildly successful with its debut in Canada last year at the Montreal-held UFC 83 “Serra vs. St. Pierre 2.” Now they hope to replicate that success with UFC 97 “Redemption” — assuming the UFC brass can convince the Quebec Athletic Commission to lower their swords.
With that, the UFC has conquered two of the three major markets they set their sites on in early 2006. While events in Germany, Italy and Japan are all a part of the organization’s aggressive growth strategy, neighboring Mexico has somehow still eluded them.
Though that may be just a matter of time.
Parisyan Remains Under Temporary Suspension
(mmaweekly.com)Keith Kizer, executive director for the Nevada State Athletic Commission, said the suspension of UFC welterweight Karo Parisyan will hold until a formal complaint against him is heard at the regulatory body’s next meeting in mid-March.
Kizer, on Feb. 10, issued a temporary suspension of the 26-year-old athlete when his post-UFC 94 drug test revealed the presence of painkillers Hydrocodone, Hydromorphoone, and Oxycodone.
During a commission meeting on Tuesday afternoon in Las Vegas, NSAC officials concluded its agenda could not accommodate a “full” hearing of the complaint against Parisyan, and that both officials and Parisyan needed more notice before the commission levies a formal decision on the matter.
UFC signs lightweight Josh Neer to a new four-fight deal
(mmajunkie.com)Following his second-round submission victory over "The Ultimate Fighter 6" winner Mac Danzig earlier this month at UFC Fight Night 17, lightweight Josh Neer (25-7-1 MMA, 4-4 UFC) has signed a new four-fight contract with the UFC.
Mickey Dubberly, CEO of KO Dynasty, today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of his client's signing.
The new deal deal comes after a stretch in which Neer has gone 4-1 in his past five fights and 8-2 since November 2006.
UFC Displaying Recession Resiliency
(mmaweekly.com)While billion-dollar companies across the United States have been laying off employees and making other budget concessions during a severe economic climate, the Ultimate Fighting Championship continues to resist the downturn.
Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer on Tuesday released the final gross ticket revenue and attendance numbers for the UFC 94 mega-fight between Georges St. Pierre and B.J. Penn.
Lauzon Wants Guida Next
(fightersonlymagazine.co.uk)Joe Lauzon is looking to climb the lightweight rankings and wants his next opponent to be one that will help him do that.
Lauzon is coming off a submission win over Jeremy Stephens at UFC Fight Night 17, who stepped in at lat notice for an injured Hermes Franca.
“Next, I'd like somebody like Clay Guida (26-6), who just won a big fight against Nate Diaz (decision)," he says.
Troy Mandaloniz: I might take Paul Kelly's arm home with me at UFC 95
(mmajunkie.com)"It seems like [Kelly] is taking me really lightly," Mandaloniz said. "He's saying that he's stronger than me and that I'm no genius on the ground -- and that I gained all this weight and I'm sitting on the beach in Hawaii. He wants to talk all this [expletive] about my ground game, but at least my only submission loss is to a great jiu-jitsu practitioner. How did he lose his last fight again?"
Kelly dropped an October 2008 bout to Marcus Davis via submission, the lone loss of his career.
Mandaloniz said he was actually appreciative of his English opponent for providing him the extra bit of motivation he needed to finish training camp on a strong note before traveling to London.
"He got me real fired up in my last week of training," Mandaloniz said. "It's made me even more hungry to go over there.
"I'm taking this one with a smile. I'm a [expletive] maniac, man. I'm the guy that you punch in the face and I smile. You don't understand why the hell you just hit me with your best shot and I'm still coming forward."
As Mandaloniz considers the UFC's reasoning for arranging the bout with Kelly, the tension is evident in his words.
"I think [the UFC] put us two together and matched us up because they want to see us go in there and punch each other in the face," Mandaloniz said. "I'm a little frustrated. I'm really thinking about putting him on his back and finishing him. But we'll see what happens. I'm looking forward to this fight. It's a war. I'm hoping for that quick finish, but I'm ready to go to the end."
And as Mandaloniz looks to return to action in dramatic fashion, the Hawaiian native has a message for his opponent.
"It's going to be a great one," Mandaloniz said. "I'm hoping that we stand in front of each other and just bang it out and get that fight of the night. But it looks like he thinks I'm so easy on the ground he's going to take me down.
"He better be careful, I might take his arm home with me."
Thales Leites ready for wherever Anderson Silva takes him at UFC 97
(mmamania.com)“I can fight him standing. I will not be afraid to fight him in the standup game. I will never be afraid. I’ve been training my Muay Thai and boxing for five years and I think that I’m ready for any situation. I will be ready for anything. I know he wants to fight me standing to try and knock me out. But anything can happen. Cote was doing a good job with him closing the distance and keeping him down every time and moving forward in front of him. I’m thinking I have to do the same thing…. The most important thing is I trust in me and believe in me. He has two arms and two legs like me and like everyone else. If I believe in me and trust me and do my job I can do it. That’s it.”
– Top middleweight contender Thales Leites talks to Sherdog.com about how his skills match up against division champion Anderson Silva. The two Brazilians are scheduled to collide at UFC 97: “Redemption” at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on April 18. Leites — a talented Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt — feels that he can stand with the deadly striker if necessary, but feels his ground game is the one area where he is better than “The Spider.” Perhaps he can snag one of those four limbs and ride off into the sunset as the new (and unlikely) 185-pound champion? Easier said than done, but stranger things have happened inside the Octagon … like if he were able to somehow finish Silva via strikes.
Full interview
UFC Back On German TV In March
(freefightvideos.blogspot.com)Its official the UFC will return to German TV on the 7th of March. The first details have emerged of the deal via German network DSF. The 24 hour sports network has posted the following on their website. This exclusive translation via “Free Fight Videos”.
"As real as it gets" - experience non stop fight action with a "decathlon of martial arts"
Starting next month, DSF will broadcast the Ultimate Fighting Championship every Saturday from 11PM.
Ultimate Fighting has its origins in Bruce Lee's "Jeet Kune Do". It combines a variety of martial arts such as boxing, kickboxing, karate, wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu. Two combatants battle it out in an octagon over three rounds that are 5 minutes long. Victory can be achieved by knockout, submission or a points decision . The security and saftety of the Ultimate Fighters will be determined by a long list of well-defined rules and regulations. With the UFC, the DSF is now the German home of the most successful Mixed Martial Arts Organization (MMA) in the world.
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