Injury forces Frank Mir out of UFC 98
(fiveouncesofpain.com)A planned rematch between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir for UFC 98 on May 23 that would have unified Lesnar’s UFC heavyweight title and Mir’s interim UFC heavyweight has been canceled.
Multiple sources have confirmed to FiveOuncesOfPain.com that the UFC was recently informed by Mir’s camp that he has been unable to train recently due to a back injury that could require surgery.
There is no word as to whether Lesnar will remain on the card against a new opponent or if he will be taken off the card entirely.
UFC 96 Weigh-In Results
(mmaweekly.com) The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday night returns to Columbus, Ohio for the third straight year on the same weekend as the Arnold Classic. Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson faces Keith Jardine in the main event of UFC 96 at the Nationwide Arena.
The UFC 96 fighters weighed in at the arena on Friday afternoon. With all 20 fighters making weight, all 10 bouts are now officially on the docket.
A lot of attention has focused on Keith Jardine and the possibility of him fighting teammate and current light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans in the future. He says he doesn't plan on it, while UFC president Dana White says it is inevitable if both continue winning. Of course, with Jardine facing Jackson on Saturday night, such talk is a bit premature.
"I like Jardine and I like Rashad. But Dana’s right, this is mixed martial arts, and it’s a business. So I’m gonna try and help you out. I got your back,” quipped Jackson to Jardine, planning to defeat the Jackson's MMA fighter so that it becomes a moot point.
“Thanks for looking out for me, man,” responded Jardine. “I couldn’t say yes to this fight fast enough, because I could match myself up against one of the greatest of all time.”
Aside from the main event, there are several other pivotal bouts on tap for UFC 96, but none as telling as a heavyweight showdown between Gabriel Gonzaga and Shane Carwin. Gonzaga is trying to work his way back into the title picture, while Carwin – undefeated in 10 professional bouts – looks to prove himself as a contender in the UFC heavyweight division.
(All weights in pounds.)
UFC 96 Main Card Bouts:
-Quinton Jackson (205) vs. Keith Jardine (204)
-Gabriel Gonzaga (257.5) vs. Shane Carwin (259.5)
-Matt Brown (170.5) vs. Pete Sell (170)
-Matt Hamill (205) vs. Mark Munoz (204.5)
-Gray Maynard (155) vs. Jim Miller (154.5)
UFC 96 Preliminary Bouts:
-Tamdan McCrory (170) vs. Ryan Madigan (169)
-Kendall Grove (185) vs. Jason Day (184.5)
-Tim Boetsch (205) vs. Jason Brilz (204)
-Brandon Vera (205) vs. Mike Patt (204.5)
-Aaron Riley (155) vs. Shane Nelson (155)
Hughes-Serra Set; Other UFC 98 Bouts Announced
(sherdog.com)Matt Hughes and Matt Serra will meet May 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the UFC announced Wednesday.
The welterweight grudge match will be featured on a UFC 98 card headlined by the Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir heavyweight title fight.
The UFC also announced that middleweight title contender Yushin Okami will fight Dan Miller. Okami, the last man to get a win over Anderson Silva (it came via disqualification), is 7-1 in the UFC. Miller is 3-0 in the Octagon and most recently scored an impressive submission of Jake Rosholt in February.
Former lightweight champion Sean Sherk will battle Frankie Edgar in another main card bout.
In light heavyweight prelim action, James Irvin will fight Drew McFedries, and Houston Alexander will fight Andre Gusmao. Patrick Barry, a dangerous kickboxing crossover who easily chopped down Dan Evensen in December, will take on Tim Hague in a heavyweight bout.
Yoshiyuki Yoshida will look to bounce back from his knockout loss to Josh Koscheck when he meets Brandon Wolff at 170 pounds. At 155, “The Ultimate Fighter” finalist Phillipe Nover will fight Kyle Bradley, and David Kaplan will tangle with George Roop.
Gonzaga-Carwin important to heavyweight future
(sports.yahoo.com)Last year, the UFC heavyweight division appeared decimated.
Former champions Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski left for far bigger money offers from Affliction. Mirko Cro Cop, the most publicized PRIDE signing, looked unimpressive in losing two of three UFC fights and was let go with the feeling he wasn’t worth his enormous paycheck. Randy Couture, the company’s top heavyweight star, had a bitter divorce with UFC. And the biggest star of the PRIDE roster, Fedor Emelianenko, never came to terms with the company.
UFC’s reaction was to build for the future, taking three huge wrestlers who were all unproven in the sport. Just one year after the divisional low point, that influx of talent led to the division’s rehabilitation.
Mark Munoz interview: Work with Roach may push him past Hamill
(sports.yahoo.com)Mark Munoz was one of four fighters who attended the final UFC 96 press conference. Much of the media covering UFC for the first time had to be asking, who is this guy? Afterall, he's making his UFC debut yet he's one of the top four fighters featured? Maybe that says a lot about the promotion's regard for the guy. The 2001 NCAA wrestling champ at 197 pounds is getting rave reviews from fighters in Southern California as he makes the move over from WEC.
UFC president was ready to brawl with former Jackson manager Ibarra
(sports.yahoo.com)UFC president Dana White isn't quite as guarded saying that Jackson's manager/trainer Juanito Ibarra was the issue and he could see it coming from a mile away:
"You know when you're around bad guys. You don't have to be a (expletive) rocket scientist," White said as he spoke about the day he had to fly to Southern California to get Jackson out of jail. "I knew (Ibarra) was the problem. I actually got into a huge fight with him in the parking lot of the police department."
UFC UK TV Partner Setanta Sports in Turmoil
(mmapayout.com)DUBLIN-BASED pay TV broadcaster Setanta Sports is believed to have missed a £10 million installment payment to the Football Association in England, potentially jeopardising its rights to live FA Cup and England internationals and raising concerns about its future viability.
With UFC 96 nearly sold out, UFC vows return trips to Columbus
(mmajunkie.com)On the eve of what will be the UFC's third blockbuster event in Columbus, Ohio, UFC 96 is nearly sold out with fewer than one thousand tickets remaining for the 19,000-seat Nationwide Arena.
Dana White discussed the sales figures during Thursday's pre-UFC 96 press conference, and the UFC President promised the UFC will return to Columbus for future shows.
As detailed in today's Dayton Daily News, Ohio Athletic Commission Executive Director Bernie Profato certainly approves of the plans and on Thursday presented White with a lifetime matchmaker's license in Ohio.
Heading into UFC 96, the bite is back in Quinton Jackson's bark
(mmajunkie.com)Nightfall, a black sky lightly whitewashed by clouds and glazed by the light of a full moon. That's when it's Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's time to play. He borrows that old World Wrestling Federation Junkyard Dog gimmick by adorning not a collar, but a heavy chain. He looks up, and under nature's spotlight, he howls.
Feeling it: A UFC 96 interview with Tim Boetsch
(mmamania.com)UFC light heavyweight Tim Boetsch is set to make his third straight appearance inside the Octagon when he takes on the well-rounded Jason Brilz at UFC 96 “Jackson vs. Jardine” this Saturday, March 7, from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
“The Barbarian” made his debut against David Heath at UFC 81: “Breaking Point” last February in which he had less than two weeks to prepare after Tomasz Drwal went down with a knee injury at the last minute.
Mauricio Rua Not Looking Past Chuck Liddell At UFC 97
(mmamania.com)In recent comments made to the TATAME website, Mauricio Rua says he wasn't happy with his performance against Mark Coleman in his last fight, and is now focusing on Chuck Liddell and not the UFC Light Heavyweight TItle. Rua says that Wanderlei Silva told him if he goes into the Chuck fight "focused and with gas", he wins.
Dana: Nogueira Had Staph Infection Going Into 92
(mmaweekly.com)Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira apparently wasn't the fighter he usually is against Frank Mir at UFC 92, and now Dana White is telling us why. Though he didn't have blood tests to prove this, Dana said he could tell just by looking at Nog that the fighter had a "real bad" staph infection going into the fight.
UFC HEADS TO PHILADELPHIA IN 2009
(mmaweekly.com)As the UFC expands their business worldwide, the sport's #1 promotion hasn't forgotten about new U.S. markets as well, and on Thursday, UFC president Dana White confirmed that they will head to Philadelphia before 2009 is over.
The state of Pennsylvania just officially ratified the rules and regulations of mixed martial arts on Feb 27 and it looks like the state will welcome the UFC this year as a way to celebrate the sport in the Keystone state.
The Company Making the UFC Undisputed Video Game May Be Going Under
(bloodyelbow.com) The first UFC videogame, titled Undisputed, for the next generation of consoles is currently in development by THQ. But the international developer and publisher of videogames is facing tough financial times.
THQ has lost $334 million dollars this year and their stock prices has fallen from $20 a share to $2 a share.
Now according to Michael Hickey of Janco Partners, the company has a fifty percent chance of going bankrupt (via gamereplays.org).
Currently THQ is trying to save over $220 million next year and are preapring to slash over 600 employees. However, the prognosis remains dark for THQ.
Evans Will defend This Summer Against Rampage Or Machida
(mmaweekly.com)With UFC 96 only 2 days away, Quinton Rampage Jackson and Keith Jardine, met the press at the customary pre-fight press conference to address last minute questions about their fight and of course what will happen in the light heavyweight division after their bout is over.
UFC President Dana White announced at the press conference that UFC light heavyweight champion, Rashad Evans, would be defending his title this summer against either Jackson if he is victorious against Jardine, or Lyoto Machida if Jardine wins. White was also adamant in saying that if Jardine does get the win, he will get closer to a title shot, and he will fight Evans if he's still the champion.
Terry Etim vs. Justin Buchholz Back on at UFC 99
(fightersonlymagazine.co.uk)Terry Etim (12-2) will be fighting Justin Buchholz at UFC 99 later this year, Fighters Only was informed earlier today.
The Liverpool lightweight earned plaudits and comparisons with Anderson Silva after his profile-raising head kick KO win over Brian Cobb at UFC 95 late last month.
Etim (3-2 in the UFC) was supposed to fight Buchholz (1-1 in the UFC) at that event but a bad staph infection meant that Cobb had to be drafted in as a replacement.
|
|
