Category Archives: MMA
Mike Swick: Dan Hardy Deserves Title Shot Against GSP, Can ‘Definitely Win’
Mike Swick and Dan Hardy have never appeared to be the best of friends. Of course, Hardy beat Swick to earn a welterweight title in November and then Swick talked publicly about how he didn’t believe Hardy had done enough to truly earn that shot.
So with that in mind, you might be surprised to hear that Swick has changed his tune about Hardy’s right to face Georges St-Pierre later this month at UFC 111 and his chances of pulling off the upset in Newark, NJ.
Mike Swick: Dan Hardy Deserves Title Shot Against GSP, Can ‘Definitely Win’ originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Ring or Cage, Doesn’t Matter to Shinya Aoki
Filed under: DREAM, Strikeforce
As Dream lightweight champion Shinya Aoki prepares for his first fight outside Japan and his first fight in a cage, he says that he doesn’t see much reason for concern in going over the differences between Strikeforce rules and Dream rules.
Ring or Cage, Doesn’t Matter to Shinya Aoki originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
UFC Primetime: Gentleman GSP vs. Trash Talker Hardy
Filed under: MMA Media Watch, MMA Videos, UFC
UFC Primetime, the three-part Spike TV series designed to hype the UFC 111 bout between Georges St. Pierre and Dan Hardy, debuts on Wednesday night. And the overarching theme of the series is expected to be the contrast between St. Pierre as the consummate professional mixed martial artist and Hardy as the trash-talking brawler.
UFC Primetime: Gentleman GSP vs. Trash Talker Hardy originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Brandon Vera, Jon Jones Okay With Top Prospect Hype
by Ray Hui
Brandon Vera and Jon Jones, headliners of the first UFC on Versus card, have more in common than just coming off a loss where they came out looking better than the winner. At one point of each light heavyweight’s respective career, they have felt what’s it like to be touted as a the future of the sport.
Vera, now 32, enjoyed the buzz four years ago when he ran through his opponents in the UFC. Jones, meanwhile, is a 22-year-old phenom who has drawn comparisons to Georges St-Pierre. During a media call Tuesday, I asked the two to talk about how expectations and hype have shaped them as a fighter.
Brandon Vera, Jon Jones Okay With Top Prospect Hype originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Cung Le: ‘I’m Hoping to Get a Rematch With Scott Smith ASAP’
by Ray Hui
Filed under: Strikeforce, News
If Cung Le has it his way, the former Strikeforce middleweight champion would like the opportunity in his next fight to avenge the only loss of his career.
“I”m hoping to get a rematch with Scott Smith ASAP,” Le said in the above video on the Strikeforce website.
Cung Le: ‘I’m Hoping to Get a Rematch With Scott Smith ASAP’ originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
MMA Top 10 Bantamweights: Rise of Cruz, Fall of Torres
Filed under: WEC, Bantamweights
We saw a major shift in the bantamweight division of mixed martial arts on Saturday night, when two major upsets took place at WEC 47.
The bantamweight title belt, of course, changed hands when Dominick Cruz beat Brian Bowles, who suffered a broken hand and couldn’t keep fighting after the second round. But in what might be an even more significant change in our perceptions of the 135-pounders, Joseph Benavidez thoroughly dominated Miguel Torres, the man who for most of the last few years has been regarded as far and away the best bantamweight in the sport.
So now we have to re-assess our thoughts about the bantamweight division as we unveil our latest Top 10 rankings below.
MMA Top 10 Bantamweights: Rise of Cruz, Fall of Torres originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Urijah Faber Not a Fan of Lesnar, Cruz; Wants Another Shot at Tyson Griffin
Urijah Faber recently took part in a question-and-answer session in Las Vegas, and “The California Kid” was, as always, very honest with his responses. Some of the topics he touched on included: his title fight against Jose Aldo on April 24, why he doesn’t like Brock Lesnar and Dominick Cruz, future fights on his mind, why he doesn’t want to see the WEC merge with the UFC and much more.
Check out the video below.
Urijah Faber Not a Fan of Lesnar, Cruz; Wants Another Shot at Tyson Griffin originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione Finally Official for UFC 113
Last month at UFC 110, the organization announced Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione at UFC 113 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on May 8. However, once James Toney signed with the organization, rumors began to swirl that Slice would fight Toney instead, possibly as early as April 17.
Well, the UFC squashed those rumors Monday evening by sending out a press release that the Slice vs. Mitrione heavyweight bout was official for UFC 113 after all.
Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione Finally Official for UFC 113 originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione Finally Official for UFC 113
Last month at UFC 110, the organization announced Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione at UFC 113 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on May 8. However, once James Toney signed with the organization, rumors began to swirl that Slice would fight Toney instead, possibly as early as April 17.
Well, the UFC squashed those rumors Monday evening by sending out a press release that the Slice vs. Mitrione heavyweight bout was official for UFC 113 after all.
Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione Finally Official for UFC 113 originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Jens Pulver Torn Between Fighting, Potentially Disappointing Fans
by Ray Hui
The one reason keeping Jens Pulver from possibly lacing up his four-ounce gloves once more following Saturday’s WEC 47 loss could be the very same thing he cherishes: his fans.
In a video released to his fans midnight Sunday on his Facebook page, Pulver presented contradictory remarks, sounding interested in extending his 11-year fight career, but at the same time reiterating his wish to avoid risking disappointment once more with another potential loss.
“No, I’m not done,” Pulver said. “I’m disappointed. I just think it’s not fair to do this to all of you, to go out there and just not get the Ws.
Jens Pulver Torn Between Fighting, Potentially Disappointing Fans originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Event Featuring Rumored Pudzianowski-Sylvia Bout Pushed Back to May 21
Filed under: Fighting, FanHouse Exclusive
The MMA event scheduled for Worcester, Massachusetts that is rumored to be importing Polish strongman Mariusz Pudzianowski to the U.S. to face former UFC champion Tim Sylvia has a new date.
Event promoter Corey Fischer told MMA Fighting that the event has been moved back a month, to May 21 from its original April 23 date, in order to solve a television scheduling conflict.
Event Featuring Rumored Pudzianowski-Sylvia Bout Pushed Back to May 21 originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Toby Imada Official for Bellator Lightweight Tournament
by Ray Hui
Toby Imada, the man who pulled off the general consensus Submission of 2009, will return for Bellator’s second lightweight tournament beginning in April, Bellator announced Monday.
“Toby has meant a great deal to our company and we are very pleased to have him back for our Season 2 lightweight tournament,” Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney said in a news release.
Imada will likely fight American Top Team’s Jorge Masvidal, whom Imada finished with an inverted triangle choke during last year’s semifinals. Masvidal hasn’t been announced for Bellator season two, but both Imada and Masvidal have spoken about the rematch, and in January, Bellator confirmed to MMAFighting.com that a rematch was in the works.
Toby Imada Official for Bellator Lightweight Tournament originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
WEC 47 Salaries: Joseph Benavidez Leads With $29,000
by Ray Hui
Joseph Benavidez not only pulled the upset over Miguel Torres, but he was the top earner, according to salaries reported to the Ohio athletic commission for Saturday’s WEC 47 in Columbus.
Benavidez received $14,500 for the fight and another $14,500 for the win. In addition to the commission’s records, Benavidez was also the recipient of a $10,000 Submission of the Night bonus for his guillotine choke over the former champion. Torres earned $26,000.
Dominick Cruz, who captured the WEC bantamweight belt, earned $18,000, while his opponent Brian Bowles pocketed $12,000.
The salaries are below.
WEC 47 Salaries: Joseph Benavidez Leads With $29,000 originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
New WEC Champ Cruz Shows Spartan Lifestyle That Got Him to Top
If you think the life of an MMA champion is all about big paydays and glorious living, you might want to take a look at this video of recently crowned WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.
In a video shot less than two months ago by Purefights.org, the humble Cruz shows off his not-exactly palatial, one-room studio apartment. Last week, Cruz told MMA Fighting’s Ray Hui that his somewhat cramped living situation was by design.
New WEC Champ Cruz Shows Spartan Lifestyle That Got Him to Top originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
James Toney Wants to Be Two-Sport Athlete
Filed under: UFC
James Toney insists that he’s taking mixed martial arts seriously. But he also says boxing is still his top priority.
Toney, who signed with the UFC last week, told MMAFighting.com that he won’t stop boxing and expects to step into the ring some time in the next couple of months before stepping into the Octagon this summer. But he compared himself to Bo Jackson, a two-sport athlete who described football as “a hobby” but was still one of the best running backs in the NFL.
“I’m still a boxer,” Toney said. “Boxing is my No. 1 goal. … This is something that’s going to keep me invigorated. Unlike most boxing people, I’m a fan of MMA. Why not give it a chance?”
James Toney Wants to Be Two-Sport Athlete originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
