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After training in Mixed Martial Arts for years, going back into his high school days, Sean Barnett has an opportunity on the professional level.
The former St. Marys wrestling standout and current coach in the Roughriders' grappling program will compete March 24 at the Gladiator Challenge fight card at Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, Cal., after signing a multi-fight deal with the promotion.
His first fight for the company is a high-profile one, as he will fight 2008 Olympic Wrestling Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo.
Barnett, a two-time All-Western Buckeye League wrestler and two-time district qualifier at 135 pounds with the Roughriders, got started with MMA training in high school.
"I've been competing now for about six years," said Barnett. "I started as a sophomore in high school."
Working with Jody Poff at Peak Submission in St. Marys, Barnett took part in amateur events during high school and turned pro a couple of years ago.
While his wrestling background is helpful while competing in MMA, Barnett has a well-rounded repertoire of skills, working boxing and kickboxing into his repertoire. "My main background is wrestling, but lately I've been picking up my training," said Barnett. "I'm going to Lonnie Rettig, helping me get ready for my stand-up (action). Also, (I've) been going to Jerry Poe for kickboxing. I've been trying to step up the different aspects of the game."
After working eight hours at his full-time job, and during the wrestling season working with the high school wrestling team, Barnett puts in around three hours per night six days a week into training. Mondays are set aside for kickboxing training with Tuesdays and Thursdays set aside for his ground work - where he is on the mat with an opponent rather than standing. Wednesdays and Fridays have Barnett working on his boxing. Saturdays are set for core training workouts with Sunday being a rest day.
As a pro, Barnett is 4-3 with one no-contest. Two of his wins came via first-round submissions using an armbar.
In facing Cejudo, who won gold in the 121-pound freestyle competition in 2008, Barnett thinks he has a more-rounded game than Cejudo.
"He's got wrestling, and he's a great wrestler," said Barnett, who stands 6-foot-1 to Cejudo's 5-4. "There's more than wrestling in the sport. People have to understand that there's more than wrestling. All these people talk how good he is. You go on YouTube and watch his last fight, he got dropped with a straight kick. All he has is leaning on his wrestling."
The fact that Barnett has boxing and kickboxing skills will be an advantage against Cejudo.
"We've been working on keeping my distance and keeping him away from me," said Barnett. "When he shoots in (goes in for an attack), it goes into kickboxing because there will be knees and elbows and all that stuff we've been working on. With boxing, you have to be moving at all times."
Barnett's family and friends have been very supportive of his work in the cage.
"My last fight, almost all my family were there supporting me," said Barnett. "Friends from high school were there. They were supporting me. For (the Cejudo fight), I had a lot of guys come to the gym to help work out and get me ready for Henry. Keeping my mind focused and prepared for the fight is the main thing right now."
Barnett in MMA spotlight | The Daily Standard Archive
The former St. Marys wrestling standout and current coach in the Roughriders' grappling program will compete March 24 at the Gladiator Challenge fight card at Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, Cal., after signing a multi-fight deal with the promotion.
His first fight for the company is a high-profile one, as he will fight 2008 Olympic Wrestling Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo.
Barnett, a two-time All-Western Buckeye League wrestler and two-time district qualifier at 135 pounds with the Roughriders, got started with MMA training in high school.
"I've been competing now for about six years," said Barnett. "I started as a sophomore in high school."
Working with Jody Poff at Peak Submission in St. Marys, Barnett took part in amateur events during high school and turned pro a couple of years ago.
While his wrestling background is helpful while competing in MMA, Barnett has a well-rounded repertoire of skills, working boxing and kickboxing into his repertoire. "My main background is wrestling, but lately I've been picking up my training," said Barnett. "I'm going to Lonnie Rettig, helping me get ready for my stand-up (action). Also, (I've) been going to Jerry Poe for kickboxing. I've been trying to step up the different aspects of the game."
After working eight hours at his full-time job, and during the wrestling season working with the high school wrestling team, Barnett puts in around three hours per night six days a week into training. Mondays are set aside for kickboxing training with Tuesdays and Thursdays set aside for his ground work - where he is on the mat with an opponent rather than standing. Wednesdays and Fridays have Barnett working on his boxing. Saturdays are set for core training workouts with Sunday being a rest day.
As a pro, Barnett is 4-3 with one no-contest. Two of his wins came via first-round submissions using an armbar.
In facing Cejudo, who won gold in the 121-pound freestyle competition in 2008, Barnett thinks he has a more-rounded game than Cejudo.
"He's got wrestling, and he's a great wrestler," said Barnett, who stands 6-foot-1 to Cejudo's 5-4. "There's more than wrestling in the sport. People have to understand that there's more than wrestling. All these people talk how good he is. You go on YouTube and watch his last fight, he got dropped with a straight kick. All he has is leaning on his wrestling."
The fact that Barnett has boxing and kickboxing skills will be an advantage against Cejudo.
"We've been working on keeping my distance and keeping him away from me," said Barnett. "When he shoots in (goes in for an attack), it goes into kickboxing because there will be knees and elbows and all that stuff we've been working on. With boxing, you have to be moving at all times."
Barnett's family and friends have been very supportive of his work in the cage.
"My last fight, almost all my family were there supporting me," said Barnett. "Friends from high school were there. They were supporting me. For (the Cejudo fight), I had a lot of guys come to the gym to help work out and get me ready for Henry. Keeping my mind focused and prepared for the fight is the main thing right now."
Barnett in MMA spotlight | The Daily Standard Archive
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MONTREAL -- If you're ever going to win an ugly fight, it might as well be against someone nicknamed "Freakshow." That's what Mike Ricci did at Saturday night's UFC 158, taking a unanimous decision over Colin Fletcher by a trio of 30-27 scores. it was hardly a thing of beauty, as neither fighter was able to mount any sustained offense until the third round when Ricci took Fletcher down, fired off some ground strikes, took Fletcher's back, and hunted for a submission until the closing bell. He threatened with both a rear naked choke and an armbar, but Fletcher escaped both tries.
Most of the rest of the fight was a kickboxing match, with Ricci figuring out the lengthy Brit's range early in the first and occasionally scoring with a straight left and some body punching.
Both fighters were recent cast members of The Ultimate Fighter, and both had lost in their respective UFC debuts. Given the depth of the welterweight division, their jobs were likely on the line, and they fought with caution.
Fletcher will likely have to hope for a reprieve after his second straight octagon loss dropped him to 8-3.
Ricci is also 8-3 after authoring his first UFC win.
UFC 158 results: Mike Ricci beats Colin Fletcher - MMA Fighting
Most of the rest of the fight was a kickboxing match, with Ricci figuring out the lengthy Brit's range early in the first and occasionally scoring with a straight left and some body punching.
Both fighters were recent cast members of The Ultimate Fighter, and both had lost in their respective UFC debuts. Given the depth of the welterweight division, their jobs were likely on the line, and they fought with caution.
Fletcher will likely have to hope for a reprieve after his second straight octagon loss dropped him to 8-3.
Ricci is also 8-3 after authoring his first UFC win.
UFC 158 results: Mike Ricci beats Colin Fletcher - MMA Fighting
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Veteran MMA fighter Nick Diaz lost UFC 158 in a unanimous decision to Georges St-Pierre and floated the idea of retirement to reporters at the Bell Centre in Montreal, but that wasn't the most shocking part of his post-fight press conference.
Diaz, a 29-year-old with seven UFC victories to his name, revealed that he's never paid taxes in his life.
The thing is, Nick Diaz might go to jail. Simply not paying taxes, either by willful refusal or complete ignorance, is an actual crime. UFC President Dana White, for one, was astounded, and offered his help to Diaz.
.............................................................
"What's sad is, he better go pay his taxes He came out publicly tonight and said he's never paid taxes in his life? Holy [expletive]. That's sad. You wanna talk about sad? That's sad. Somebody better handle that with this check and make sure that kid doesn't end up with nothing. There's a guy who's Nate and Nick's lawyer and seems like a decent guy looking out for them. I'll probably give this guy a call and tell him, 'Nick said he's never paid taxes in his life, and you probably want to start working on that [expletive] Sunday morning, not Monday morning."
MMA fighter Nick Diaz is 'probably going to jail'
Diaz, a 29-year-old with seven UFC victories to his name, revealed that he's never paid taxes in his life.
The thing is, Nick Diaz might go to jail. Simply not paying taxes, either by willful refusal or complete ignorance, is an actual crime. UFC President Dana White, for one, was astounded, and offered his help to Diaz.
.............................................................
"What's sad is, he better go pay his taxes He came out publicly tonight and said he's never paid taxes in his life? Holy [expletive]. That's sad. You wanna talk about sad? That's sad. Somebody better handle that with this check and make sure that kid doesn't end up with nothing. There's a guy who's Nate and Nick's lawyer and seems like a decent guy looking out for them. I'll probably give this guy a call and tell him, 'Nick said he's never paid taxes in his life, and you probably want to start working on that [expletive] Sunday morning, not Monday morning."
MMA fighter Nick Diaz is 'probably going to jail'
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While South Dakota's governor remains chilly to MMA, he will sign into law a bill that aims to regulate combat sports in the state.
That's according to the Argus Leader, which reported this past Friday that Gov. Dennis Daugaard won't stand in the way of creating a state athletic commission to regulate boxing, kickboxing and MMA.
"One thing I've learned about this cagefighting, it's going on now, and it's going on in an unregulated fashion," Daugaard said. "I know some of the proponents of this bill made the argument that regulating it would create more safety than exists today, and I have to agree that's true."
South Dakota's previous governor voted a similar law into place in 2009, but didn't set aside funds to create an athletic commission and made potential commissioners personally liable for expenses not covered by event revenue. The law expired this past July. Meanwhile, safety measures remained at the discretion of combat sports promoters.
Daugaard has secured $95,000 of start-up funds for the new commission, according to the report. Previously, his aides threatened to veto the bill or let it become law without his signature.
"Would I like this kind of thing to not occur at all in South Dakota? I would, yes," he said. "It doesn't deserve the word sport in my mind."
This past month, the South Dakota legislature passed the bill by a 50-20 vote. One senator had suggested an amendment to allow other combat sports and ban MMA, which he compared to child porn in a blog posting. Sen. Mark Johnston, who originally sponsored the bill, said that set a dangerous precedent and didn't serve to protect athletes' safety.
"Unregulated MMA becomes cagefighting, and I think we all agree that's wrong," he told MMAjunkie-com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps – MMAjunkie-com) in a recent interview.
It may also have led to grave consequences in the future. This past May, a 26-year-old amateur died one week after fighting at an unsanctioned event.
The South Dakota Athletic Commission will be created when the law goes into effect on July 1. This time around, Daugaard said he will staff the commission.
South Dakota governor moves to sign MMA bill into law | News – MMAjunkie-com
That's according to the Argus Leader, which reported this past Friday that Gov. Dennis Daugaard won't stand in the way of creating a state athletic commission to regulate boxing, kickboxing and MMA.
"One thing I've learned about this cagefighting, it's going on now, and it's going on in an unregulated fashion," Daugaard said. "I know some of the proponents of this bill made the argument that regulating it would create more safety than exists today, and I have to agree that's true."
South Dakota's previous governor voted a similar law into place in 2009, but didn't set aside funds to create an athletic commission and made potential commissioners personally liable for expenses not covered by event revenue. The law expired this past July. Meanwhile, safety measures remained at the discretion of combat sports promoters.
Daugaard has secured $95,000 of start-up funds for the new commission, according to the report. Previously, his aides threatened to veto the bill or let it become law without his signature.
"Would I like this kind of thing to not occur at all in South Dakota? I would, yes," he said. "It doesn't deserve the word sport in my mind."
This past month, the South Dakota legislature passed the bill by a 50-20 vote. One senator had suggested an amendment to allow other combat sports and ban MMA, which he compared to child porn in a blog posting. Sen. Mark Johnston, who originally sponsored the bill, said that set a dangerous precedent and didn't serve to protect athletes' safety.
"Unregulated MMA becomes cagefighting, and I think we all agree that's wrong," he told MMAjunkie-com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps – MMAjunkie-com) in a recent interview.
It may also have led to grave consequences in the future. This past May, a 26-year-old amateur died one week after fighting at an unsanctioned event.
The South Dakota Athletic Commission will be created when the law goes into effect on July 1. This time around, Daugaard said he will staff the commission.
South Dakota governor moves to sign MMA bill into law | News – MMAjunkie-com
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Connecticut moved closer to allowing professional mixed martial arts matches when a bill to allow state-regulated contests was voted out of the Public Safety and Security Committee Monday.
The legislation has already drawn criticism from some who feel the sport is too violent for the state to sanction it, especially when lawmakers are in the midst of answering a charge to reduce violence.
"The name itself, cage fighting, should tip you off as to the kind of brutal sport it is," said Rep. Steve Mikutel, who voted against the measure. "Throughout this legislative session we are trying to reduce violence—I feel this goes against the grain of what we'd be trying to do." Connecticut, which bans the sport, is one of only four states that does not regulate mixed martial arts matches. Last year, Vermont became the 46th state to approve regulation. Brett Okamoto, who covers MMA for ESPN, said even in the few years he's been with the company he's seen it move more towards the mainstream. "You see it on [ESPN's] Sports Center now," he said. "It's still fighting. It's two guys or two females fighting in a cage…it's not for everyone."
Though the brutality of the sport causes some elected officials to oppose the legislation, Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, who supports the measure, said that the violent nature of the sport does not justify banning it.
"Football and boxing also have well-documented histories of injuries…yet both are legal in the state of Connecticut," he said.
Connecticut's casinos, under the jurisdiction of tribal governments, already host matches but do so without state oversight. Under the proposed legislation, the state would regulate mixed martial arts like boxing, which is legal in Connecticut.
"The enactment of this bill will ensure safety in a sport that is being conducted now in this state with no regulation," said Charles Steedman, Chair of the Connecticut Sports Advisory Board, in testimony to the committee last month. He told lawmakers passing the bill would allow the state to set proper safety standards, select qualified officials and establish drug testing requirements.
Lawmakers have considered this issue in prior years as well, and last session the measure was voted out of committee, but died on the Senate floor.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship Chairman & CEO Lorenzo Fertitta praised the committee vote Tuesday. "On behalf of all the Connecticut UFC and MMA fans, I'm hoping that this year, finally, the General Assembly will pass this bill," he said.
The bill has 30 co-sponsors, and supporters argue legalizing the sport would stimulate the economy by creating jobs and bringing in state revenue. The state, they say, would benefit from licensing and registration fees as well as taxes imposed on promoters for ticket sales and venues that host events.
"This bill is important to our large cities as well, putting Hartford and Bridgeport in a unique position to have additional revenues that will be derived from the opportunity to host these events in our larger capacity event areas," said Rep. Matt Ritter, in testimony to the committee during a public hearing on the bill. Ritter said local businesses would see a boom as well, not only venues like the XL Center and Webster's Bank Arena, but also restaurants, hotels and parking facilities in surrounding areas.
Committee Votes To Legalize MMA - Courant-com
The legislation has already drawn criticism from some who feel the sport is too violent for the state to sanction it, especially when lawmakers are in the midst of answering a charge to reduce violence.
"The name itself, cage fighting, should tip you off as to the kind of brutal sport it is," said Rep. Steve Mikutel, who voted against the measure. "Throughout this legislative session we are trying to reduce violence—I feel this goes against the grain of what we'd be trying to do." Connecticut, which bans the sport, is one of only four states that does not regulate mixed martial arts matches. Last year, Vermont became the 46th state to approve regulation. Brett Okamoto, who covers MMA for ESPN, said even in the few years he's been with the company he's seen it move more towards the mainstream. "You see it on [ESPN's] Sports Center now," he said. "It's still fighting. It's two guys or two females fighting in a cage…it's not for everyone."
Though the brutality of the sport causes some elected officials to oppose the legislation, Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, who supports the measure, said that the violent nature of the sport does not justify banning it.
"Football and boxing also have well-documented histories of injuries…yet both are legal in the state of Connecticut," he said.
Connecticut's casinos, under the jurisdiction of tribal governments, already host matches but do so without state oversight. Under the proposed legislation, the state would regulate mixed martial arts like boxing, which is legal in Connecticut.
"The enactment of this bill will ensure safety in a sport that is being conducted now in this state with no regulation," said Charles Steedman, Chair of the Connecticut Sports Advisory Board, in testimony to the committee last month. He told lawmakers passing the bill would allow the state to set proper safety standards, select qualified officials and establish drug testing requirements.
Lawmakers have considered this issue in prior years as well, and last session the measure was voted out of committee, but died on the Senate floor.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship Chairman & CEO Lorenzo Fertitta praised the committee vote Tuesday. "On behalf of all the Connecticut UFC and MMA fans, I'm hoping that this year, finally, the General Assembly will pass this bill," he said.
The bill has 30 co-sponsors, and supporters argue legalizing the sport would stimulate the economy by creating jobs and bringing in state revenue. The state, they say, would benefit from licensing and registration fees as well as taxes imposed on promoters for ticket sales and venues that host events.
"This bill is important to our large cities as well, putting Hartford and Bridgeport in a unique position to have additional revenues that will be derived from the opportunity to host these events in our larger capacity event areas," said Rep. Matt Ritter, in testimony to the committee during a public hearing on the bill. Ritter said local businesses would see a boom as well, not only venues like the XL Center and Webster's Bank Arena, but also restaurants, hotels and parking facilities in surrounding areas.
Committee Votes To Legalize MMA - Courant-com
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Manne wrote:
Connecticut moved closer to allowing professional mixed martial arts matches when a bill to allow state-regulated contests was voted out of the Public Safety and Security Committee Monday.
The legislation has already drawn criticism from some who feel the sport is too violent for the state to sanction it, especially when lawmakers are in the midst of answering a charge to reduce violence.
"The name itself, cage fighting, should tip you off as to the kind of brutal sport it is," said Rep. Steve Mikutel, who voted against the measure. "Throughout this legislative session we are trying to reduce violence—I feel this goes against the grain of what we'd be trying to do." Connecticut, which bans the sport, is one of only four states that does not regulate mixed martial arts matches. Last year, Vermont became the 46th state to approve regulation. Brett Okamoto, who covers MMA for ESPN, said even in the few years he's been with the company he's seen it move more towards the mainstream. "You see it on [ESPN's] Sports Center now," he said. "It's still fighting. It's two guys or two females fighting in a cage…it's not for everyone."
Though the brutality of the sport causes some elected officials to oppose the legislation, Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, who supports the measure, said that the violent nature of the sport does not justify banning it.
"Football and boxing also have well-documented histories of injuries…yet both are legal in the state of Connecticut," he said.
Connecticut's casinos, under the jurisdiction of tribal governments, already host matches but do so without state oversight. Under the proposed legislation, the state would regulate mixed martial arts like boxing, which is legal in Connecticut.
"The enactment of this bill will ensure safety in a sport that is being conducted now in this state with no regulation," said Charles Steedman, Chair of the Connecticut Sports Advisory Board, in testimony to the committee last month. He told lawmakers passing the bill would allow the state to set proper safety standards, select qualified officials and establish drug testing requirements.
Lawmakers have considered this issue in prior years as well, and last session the measure was voted out of committee, but died on the Senate floor.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship Chairman & CEO Lorenzo Fertitta praised the committee vote Tuesday. "On behalf of all the Connecticut UFC and MMA fans, I'm hoping that this year, finally, the General Assembly will pass this bill," he said.
The bill has 30 co-sponsors, and supporters argue legalizing the sport would stimulate the economy by creating jobs and bringing in state revenue. The state, they say, would benefit from licensing and registration fees as well as taxes imposed on promoters for ticket sales and venues that host events.
"This bill is important to our large cities as well, putting Hartford and Bridgeport in a unique position to have additional revenues that will be derived from the opportunity to host these events in our larger capacity event areas," said Rep. Matt Ritter, in testimony to the committee during a public hearing on the bill. Ritter said local businesses would see a boom as well, not only venues like the XL Center and Webster's Bank Arena, but also restaurants, hotels and parking facilities in surrounding areas.
Committee Votes To Legalize MMA - Courant-com
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Thursday night's Bellator 93 mixed martial arts 10-fight card will bring more worldwide MMA brand recognition to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.
But it already has proven to be an MMA hot spot.
Just a month ago, Lewiston-based New England Fights put on its fifth show in the state in a little more than 12 months and drew a crowd over 3,000. The total gate for the five shows exceeds 15,000.
Bellator MMA Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney, a former sports agent who worked in Leigh Steinberg's California agency, took notice of Maine's burgeoning infatuation with the combat sport. So did one of his primary sponsors.
"The National Guard gave us about five states they wanted to go to and Maine was one of them," Rebney said. "Now Maine's looking like a repetitive home the way tickets are going."
On Wednesday, Bellator director of public relations Anthony Mazzuca said about 200 tickets (ranging in price from $40-$125) remained.
Bellator MMA has carved out its space in the sport's top tier -- one floor below the UFC penthouse -- with a tournament-based format.
Thursday's main event is the Season 7 Lightweight (156-pound) final between Marcin Held (15-2), a 21-year-old Polish submission hold specialist, and 33-year-old Dave Jansen (18-2) of Corbett, Ore.
Three fights will be shown live on Spike TV, starting at 10 p.m.: Held vs. Jansen; a heavyweight fight between Ryan Martinez (8-2-0) of Greeley, Colo., and Travis Wiuff (68-15-0) of Rochester, Minn.; and the in-state draw of former UFC fighter Marcus Davis of Bangor (21-9-0) against Waachiim Spiritwolf (9-11-1).
A fourth scheduled TV bout between heavyweights Eric Prindle and Brett Rogers was canceled due to an injury to Prindle.
The seven-fight undercard, available for free on spike-com, begins at 8 p.m.
Many bouts feature Maine-based fighters who have honed their skills through New England Fights shows.
NEF middleweight champ Jesse Peterson of Rumford (7-3), a former state champion wrestler at Mountain Valley and collegiate wrestler at the University of Southern Maine, will face Dave Vitky (12-11) of Atlanta.
Lewiston product Brent Dillingham will make his professional debut against Mike Mucitelli (4-0) of Syracuse, N.Y., in a light heavyweight bout. Dillingham is 4-0 in amateur MMA fights.
Bellator is touting the organizational debut of welterweight Michael Page, a kickboxing World Champion. Page (3-0 in MMA) will face Ryan Sanders (4-3) of Brewer.
Also on the card: featherweights Vince Murdock (1-0) vs. John Raio (0-1) of Gardiner; middleweights Pierre Pierry (3-2) vs. Joe Pachecho (5-0); middleweights Jason Butcher (5-0) vs. Jack Hermansson (5-1); and lightweights Jesse Erickson (0-0) of Auburn vs. Jon Lemke (1-0) of Bangor.
Lewiston's a good home for MMA | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram
But it already has proven to be an MMA hot spot.
Just a month ago, Lewiston-based New England Fights put on its fifth show in the state in a little more than 12 months and drew a crowd over 3,000. The total gate for the five shows exceeds 15,000.
Bellator MMA Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney, a former sports agent who worked in Leigh Steinberg's California agency, took notice of Maine's burgeoning infatuation with the combat sport. So did one of his primary sponsors.
"The National Guard gave us about five states they wanted to go to and Maine was one of them," Rebney said. "Now Maine's looking like a repetitive home the way tickets are going."
On Wednesday, Bellator director of public relations Anthony Mazzuca said about 200 tickets (ranging in price from $40-$125) remained.
Bellator MMA has carved out its space in the sport's top tier -- one floor below the UFC penthouse -- with a tournament-based format.
Thursday's main event is the Season 7 Lightweight (156-pound) final between Marcin Held (15-2), a 21-year-old Polish submission hold specialist, and 33-year-old Dave Jansen (18-2) of Corbett, Ore.
Three fights will be shown live on Spike TV, starting at 10 p.m.: Held vs. Jansen; a heavyweight fight between Ryan Martinez (8-2-0) of Greeley, Colo., and Travis Wiuff (68-15-0) of Rochester, Minn.; and the in-state draw of former UFC fighter Marcus Davis of Bangor (21-9-0) against Waachiim Spiritwolf (9-11-1).
A fourth scheduled TV bout between heavyweights Eric Prindle and Brett Rogers was canceled due to an injury to Prindle.
The seven-fight undercard, available for free on spike-com, begins at 8 p.m.
Many bouts feature Maine-based fighters who have honed their skills through New England Fights shows.
NEF middleweight champ Jesse Peterson of Rumford (7-3), a former state champion wrestler at Mountain Valley and collegiate wrestler at the University of Southern Maine, will face Dave Vitky (12-11) of Atlanta.
Lewiston product Brent Dillingham will make his professional debut against Mike Mucitelli (4-0) of Syracuse, N.Y., in a light heavyweight bout. Dillingham is 4-0 in amateur MMA fights.
Bellator is touting the organizational debut of welterweight Michael Page, a kickboxing World Champion. Page (3-0 in MMA) will face Ryan Sanders (4-3) of Brewer.
Also on the card: featherweights Vince Murdock (1-0) vs. John Raio (0-1) of Gardiner; middleweights Pierre Pierry (3-2) vs. Joe Pachecho (5-0); middleweights Jason Butcher (5-0) vs. Jack Hermansson (5-1); and lightweights Jesse Erickson (0-0) of Auburn vs. Jon Lemke (1-0) of Bangor.
Lewiston's a good home for MMA | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram
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There is no question that the current MMA scoring system is far from perfect. Judging is as contentious as ever and fans frequently disagree with many of the decisions that are rendered. One of the main culprits for this is none other than one of MMA's fundamental techniques: the takedown.
The takedown itself is used as a means of control. It alone can be enough to win a round, but the theory behind such a technique should be to take an opponent to the mat and work towards executing a game plan - whether it be to do damage with a classic Tito Ortiz 'ground and pound' or work for a submission. The problem is we are constantly seeing fighters with wrestling bases work for a takedown only to employ a 'lay and pray' type strategy to steal rounds and grind out a win.
This is where the scoring of a round becomes contended. Yes, the fighter on top who has executed the takedown is in a dominant position but various questions need to be asked.
Are they staying active?
Are they scoring points and doing damage?
Are they trying to pass guard and advance their position?
Fighters with a strong BJJ skill-set, Nick Diaz for example, often relish the opportunity to work from the bottom and seek out submissions from their back or strategically work for sweeps. This constant activity is very rarely rewarded despite the fact that they are at the same time slowing and hindering their opponent's attacks and advances.
As a judge rather than simply rewarding the takedown and the perceived dominant position of the person on top, the activity of a fighter on their back should be taken into consideration. The fighter who aggressively seeks to finish the fight, regardless of their top/bottom position, should be rewarded for their efforts. Control on a takedown is also key. Getting an opponent to the floor should not be enough, control and dominance once there should be weighed-up. This point is best illustrated by the recent fight between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar.
The takedown defense of Aldo is some of the best in the sport but even he was taken down briefly by Edgar. Despite this, he worked hard and managed to spring back to his feet in a matter of seconds. Edgar took him down but never asserted great control and thus should not be rewarded by the judges, especially when weighing it up against the scoring that Aldo did in standup exchanges.
In this article I am advocating one thing, that the judges of MMA consider all that goes on once the fight hits the mat. Much like the MMA scoring system, the takedown isn't cut and dry so it will always elicit a variety of opinions.
Are takedowns over-scored in MMA? | MMA Kanvas
The takedown itself is used as a means of control. It alone can be enough to win a round, but the theory behind such a technique should be to take an opponent to the mat and work towards executing a game plan - whether it be to do damage with a classic Tito Ortiz 'ground and pound' or work for a submission. The problem is we are constantly seeing fighters with wrestling bases work for a takedown only to employ a 'lay and pray' type strategy to steal rounds and grind out a win.
This is where the scoring of a round becomes contended. Yes, the fighter on top who has executed the takedown is in a dominant position but various questions need to be asked.
Are they staying active?
Are they scoring points and doing damage?
Are they trying to pass guard and advance their position?
Fighters with a strong BJJ skill-set, Nick Diaz for example, often relish the opportunity to work from the bottom and seek out submissions from their back or strategically work for sweeps. This constant activity is very rarely rewarded despite the fact that they are at the same time slowing and hindering their opponent's attacks and advances.
As a judge rather than simply rewarding the takedown and the perceived dominant position of the person on top, the activity of a fighter on their back should be taken into consideration. The fighter who aggressively seeks to finish the fight, regardless of their top/bottom position, should be rewarded for their efforts. Control on a takedown is also key. Getting an opponent to the floor should not be enough, control and dominance once there should be weighed-up. This point is best illustrated by the recent fight between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar.
The takedown defense of Aldo is some of the best in the sport but even he was taken down briefly by Edgar. Despite this, he worked hard and managed to spring back to his feet in a matter of seconds. Edgar took him down but never asserted great control and thus should not be rewarded by the judges, especially when weighing it up against the scoring that Aldo did in standup exchanges.
In this article I am advocating one thing, that the judges of MMA consider all that goes on once the fight hits the mat. Much like the MMA scoring system, the takedown isn't cut and dry so it will always elicit a variety of opinions.
Are takedowns over-scored in MMA? | MMA Kanvas
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Mixed martial arts promoters Christos Piliafas and Scott DiPonio were shocked to learn that one of their fighters was a suspect in the holdup of a Michigan gun shop this week.
After all, it was only two weeks ago that they raised more than $1,000 to help the amateur heavyweight's family pay for his funeral.
Charles Rowan, 25, didn't die in a February car wreck while en route to his fifth bout, as his girlfriend, Rosalinda Martinez, claimed that night, according to DiPonio. The couple and a friend, Michael Bowman, were in a Gladwin courtroom Friday to hear the charges against them: armed robbery and assault with intent to murder. Each requested a court-appointed attorney.
DiPonio, who owns the Diamond D fight team, said he realized they had been duped when he saw Rowan's mug shot on television identifying him as a person of interest in the Monday robbery of Guns and Stuff in Sage Township, about 100 miles southeast of Traverse City. The store's owner, Richard Robinette, was severely beaten and remained in serious but stable condition Friday in a Flint hospital.
"I almost passed out. It was literally that bad. My girlfriend looked at me and immediately just started crying," DiPonio said. "I was in disbelief. ... It took me literally an hour until I could actually focus and think again. It was just unbelievable."
Piliafas, who fights professionally as "The Mad Greek" in addition to running promotional company Caged Aggression, said he had just returned from a bout in Poland when an associate texted him a link to the mug shot.
"It made me sick to my stomach. I was furious. I was livid," he said. "It's not so much about the money. It's just how many people were involved in this scam. ... The little bit that I knew [about] this kid, I never would have thought that he'd try to pull some Machiavelli crap like that."
DiPonio said Rowan approached him at a show a year and a half ago and said he'd like to give MMA a shot. The results were mixed -- the 200-plus-pound heavyweight recorded a 1-3 record as an amateur -- but DiPonio said his work ethic and attitude were strong.
"He actually has my Diamond D MMA logo on his arm. He's even branded," DiPonio said. "It's only for a few guys that I allow to do that. That's a pretty big deal. That's why [the hoax] is just so devastating."
Rowan's fifth career fight was scheduled for February in Traverse City. That night, DiPonio said, Martinez called from Rowan's phone number to tell him that her boyfriend had been involved in a fatal car wreck on the way to the event.
A distraught DiPonio and his girlfriend hopped in their car the next day and made the lengthy trek to Gladwin, where they were met by "young kids and grandparents crying."
"I thought for sure Charlie was dead. I mean, these people were hysterically crying," said DiPonio, who gave the family $150 for expenses on the spot.
Two weeks ago, Piliafas and DiPonio helped raise $1,350 in proceeds and donations through their benefit event, Fight for Charlie.
A tearful Bowman showed up to collect the money.
"[He] came and looked me right in the eyes and took the cash and cried and came to my house and stayed the night," DiPonio said.
Rowan, Martinez and Bowman were arraigned Friday in Gladwin District Court. They are scheduled to appear in court again April 1 and remain in the county jail, having not posted bond.
According to Gladwin County Sheriff Michael Shea, Martinez called 911 after the robbery and told investigators that she, too, had been attacked. But he said her story didn't hold up and she, Rowan and Bowman were arrested.
Rowan has past convictions for failing to register as a sex offender and the attempted delivery and manufacture of marijuana. The Michigan Department of Corrections considers him a probation absconder.
Meanwhile, Piliafas and DiPonio are planning to file a fraud claim against Rowan with the Grand Traverse County sheriff's office.
"I want to press charges to the fullest extent," Piliafas said. "For them to do that, just makes me sick."
Looking back, Piliafas said that even though some initially questioned Rowan's death, not much could be done about those concerns.
"I had people saying this was a little bit fishy. There was no obit. There was no funeral service. But in that situation, you want to be sensitive to the family," he said. "I didn't know exactly how to handle it. I didn't want to go off and say, 'We're not doing this. Something's not right,' and then have the incident having really happened."
Promoters: MMA fighter faked own death
After all, it was only two weeks ago that they raised more than $1,000 to help the amateur heavyweight's family pay for his funeral.
Charles Rowan, 25, didn't die in a February car wreck while en route to his fifth bout, as his girlfriend, Rosalinda Martinez, claimed that night, according to DiPonio. The couple and a friend, Michael Bowman, were in a Gladwin courtroom Friday to hear the charges against them: armed robbery and assault with intent to murder. Each requested a court-appointed attorney.
DiPonio, who owns the Diamond D fight team, said he realized they had been duped when he saw Rowan's mug shot on television identifying him as a person of interest in the Monday robbery of Guns and Stuff in Sage Township, about 100 miles southeast of Traverse City. The store's owner, Richard Robinette, was severely beaten and remained in serious but stable condition Friday in a Flint hospital.
"I almost passed out. It was literally that bad. My girlfriend looked at me and immediately just started crying," DiPonio said. "I was in disbelief. ... It took me literally an hour until I could actually focus and think again. It was just unbelievable."
Piliafas, who fights professionally as "The Mad Greek" in addition to running promotional company Caged Aggression, said he had just returned from a bout in Poland when an associate texted him a link to the mug shot.
"It made me sick to my stomach. I was furious. I was livid," he said. "It's not so much about the money. It's just how many people were involved in this scam. ... The little bit that I knew [about] this kid, I never would have thought that he'd try to pull some Machiavelli crap like that."
DiPonio said Rowan approached him at a show a year and a half ago and said he'd like to give MMA a shot. The results were mixed -- the 200-plus-pound heavyweight recorded a 1-3 record as an amateur -- but DiPonio said his work ethic and attitude were strong.
"He actually has my Diamond D MMA logo on his arm. He's even branded," DiPonio said. "It's only for a few guys that I allow to do that. That's a pretty big deal. That's why [the hoax] is just so devastating."
Rowan's fifth career fight was scheduled for February in Traverse City. That night, DiPonio said, Martinez called from Rowan's phone number to tell him that her boyfriend had been involved in a fatal car wreck on the way to the event.
A distraught DiPonio and his girlfriend hopped in their car the next day and made the lengthy trek to Gladwin, where they were met by "young kids and grandparents crying."
"I thought for sure Charlie was dead. I mean, these people were hysterically crying," said DiPonio, who gave the family $150 for expenses on the spot.
Two weeks ago, Piliafas and DiPonio helped raise $1,350 in proceeds and donations through their benefit event, Fight for Charlie.
A tearful Bowman showed up to collect the money.
"[He] came and looked me right in the eyes and took the cash and cried and came to my house and stayed the night," DiPonio said.
Rowan, Martinez and Bowman were arraigned Friday in Gladwin District Court. They are scheduled to appear in court again April 1 and remain in the county jail, having not posted bond.
According to Gladwin County Sheriff Michael Shea, Martinez called 911 after the robbery and told investigators that she, too, had been attacked. But he said her story didn't hold up and she, Rowan and Bowman were arrested.
Rowan has past convictions for failing to register as a sex offender and the attempted delivery and manufacture of marijuana. The Michigan Department of Corrections considers him a probation absconder.
Meanwhile, Piliafas and DiPonio are planning to file a fraud claim against Rowan with the Grand Traverse County sheriff's office.
"I want to press charges to the fullest extent," Piliafas said. "For them to do that, just makes me sick."
Looking back, Piliafas said that even though some initially questioned Rowan's death, not much could be done about those concerns.
"I had people saying this was a little bit fishy. There was no obit. There was no funeral service. But in that situation, you want to be sensitive to the family," he said. "I didn't know exactly how to handle it. I didn't want to go off and say, 'We're not doing this. Something's not right,' and then have the incident having really happened."
Promoters: MMA fighter faked own death
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A growing number of state leaders say it's not a matter of if, but when, professional mixed - martial arts will be allowed.
Connecticut and New York are two states that ban the sport.
A mixed-martial arts bill passed the state Senate in early March and Governor Andrew Cuomo has said he would consider supporting the bill.
Walter MacDonald said that mixed-martial arts gets a bad reputation.
MacDonald is an amateur fighter and coach with Empire Academy of Combat Sports.
He believes that safety may be one of the reasons why some lawmakers have banned the sport.
“This sport is no more dangerous than other sports that are out there. Boxing, football, it's very heavy regulated now compared to what it was back in the 90's,” MacDonald said.
MacDonald said the sport has changed a lot.
“Referees, doctors are always there,” MacDonald said. “As far as amateur mixed-martial arts, it would be up to coaches like myself to teach professionally and as safe as we can, that's what we try to do here.”
The sport is becoming more popular, reaching young fans like R.I.T. student Geoffrey Blosat.
Lawmakers are taking a second look, hoping to cash in.
“You look at other cities that have had new events such a Toronto, and it's expanded to New Jersey and Montreal, they've shown humongous spikes not only for the area sales but as well as small business revenue,” Blosat said.
“It's been too long coming and to see all the money going out the door that the state could be bringing in tax wise,” MacDonald said.
For now, fans and mixed-martial arts fighters have to travel out of state for a professional match until Albany gives the go ahead to enter the ring in New York.
“I hope so, I would give it maybe three to five years,” Blosat said.
“I think this year has a very good possibility,” MacDonald said.
That measure has not yet come up for a vote in the Assembly but lawmakers say it will probably be legalized at some point.
MMA In New York Gains Political Support - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM-com
Connecticut and New York are two states that ban the sport.
A mixed-martial arts bill passed the state Senate in early March and Governor Andrew Cuomo has said he would consider supporting the bill.
Walter MacDonald said that mixed-martial arts gets a bad reputation.
MacDonald is an amateur fighter and coach with Empire Academy of Combat Sports.
He believes that safety may be one of the reasons why some lawmakers have banned the sport.
“This sport is no more dangerous than other sports that are out there. Boxing, football, it's very heavy regulated now compared to what it was back in the 90's,” MacDonald said.
MacDonald said the sport has changed a lot.
“Referees, doctors are always there,” MacDonald said. “As far as amateur mixed-martial arts, it would be up to coaches like myself to teach professionally and as safe as we can, that's what we try to do here.”
The sport is becoming more popular, reaching young fans like R.I.T. student Geoffrey Blosat.
Lawmakers are taking a second look, hoping to cash in.
“You look at other cities that have had new events such a Toronto, and it's expanded to New Jersey and Montreal, they've shown humongous spikes not only for the area sales but as well as small business revenue,” Blosat said.
“It's been too long coming and to see all the money going out the door that the state could be bringing in tax wise,” MacDonald said.
For now, fans and mixed-martial arts fighters have to travel out of state for a professional match until Albany gives the go ahead to enter the ring in New York.
“I hope so, I would give it maybe three to five years,” Blosat said.
“I think this year has a very good possibility,” MacDonald said.
That measure has not yet come up for a vote in the Assembly but lawmakers say it will probably be legalized at some point.
MMA In New York Gains Political Support - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM-com
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Without federal regulations, mixed martial arts promoters are forced to abide by guidelines that often vary both in type and size as they hold events in different states. The World Series of Fighting (WSOF) ran headlong into this particular challenge as they held their second show overall and first in New Jersey on Saturday evening at Revel Resort and Casino in Atlantic City.
As it turns out, the show came close to never happening. Aside from complications prior to the weigh-ins, the organization failed to comply with state regulations as it pertains to creating a complete, safe cage. In short, WSOF initially provided both a canvas and cage pads too small for their own cage. Bloody Elbow was the first to report the news.
Nick Lembo, counsel for the New Jersey Athletic Control Board and the commission official in charge of cage inspection, didn't specifically articulate how close WSOF II was to cancellation, but noted there is precedent within New Jersey to cancel shows whose cages don't meet articulated state parameters. "Yeah, it's happened before," Lembo told MMA Fighting. "We had a show, I believe, in August. We cancelled the show because it only had one cage door."
"It was a new canvas and they get new pads for every show," Lembo explained of the WSOF's predicament and why things were amiss. He said at 4 p.m. ET on Friday before the weigh-ins he observed the canvas and pads were insufficient for the show to be allowed to continue, but was told of the WSOF's plans to ensure the event could take place on time.
Lembo said a canvas was flown in the following day and cage pads were borrowed from the locally-based promotion Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC). "I guess about 3 p.m. ET on Saturday is when I had done a final inspection. They had brought in the canvas from the first show and took the pads from Cage Fury," he said.
The prelims began at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday evening, meaning the show was approved to go forward just hours prior to the planned start of the event.
Cage issues, however, weren't the only regulatory hurdles WSOF faced. Two other problems tripped up the upstart MMA promotion prior to Friday's weigh-ins, namely, medical paperwork and an scale that lacked proper certification.
"There's certain paperwork that needs to be completed before the weigh-in starts, before anyone gets on the scale," Lembo said. "There was a misunderstanding on their part about medical insurance. We want executed claim forms for each fighter in the case of an injury, so that we have it already completed and already executed the page by the promoter. Then we can just give it to the fighter, their representative, or the EMT or if our ringside physician is going over, if necessary, so there's no delay in processing the payments for the medical insurance. They had a misunderstanding that that had to be completed [prior to the weigh-ins]. They had the claim forms, but they didn't have them fully executed for each fighter."
Lembo said this partly contributed to the approximately hour-long delay to the start of the weigh-in. The other problem was WSOF's attempted use of an improper scale. "The scale has to be certified in New Jersey," he said. "They had a scale that was certified from their last show [in Nevada], but the scale has to be certified by the Office of Weights and Measures in the county that you're having the show in."
WSOF again leaned on the promotional infrastructure of the CFFC to resolve the issue. "[WSOF] used Cage Fury's [scale]," said Lembo. "[CFFC] had their scale there because they do shows at the Borgota and they keep their scale there, which is just another casino not too far away."
Ultimately the show moved forward despite the numerous regulatory problems. Still, the experience was a unique, state-based challenge for the promotion now only through its second-ever show. "It was their first time in New Jersey," said Lembo. "I think they were getting acclimated to the process."
Nick Lembo explains regulatory challenges WSOF faced before second event - MMA Fighting
As it turns out, the show came close to never happening. Aside from complications prior to the weigh-ins, the organization failed to comply with state regulations as it pertains to creating a complete, safe cage. In short, WSOF initially provided both a canvas and cage pads too small for their own cage. Bloody Elbow was the first to report the news.
Nick Lembo, counsel for the New Jersey Athletic Control Board and the commission official in charge of cage inspection, didn't specifically articulate how close WSOF II was to cancellation, but noted there is precedent within New Jersey to cancel shows whose cages don't meet articulated state parameters. "Yeah, it's happened before," Lembo told MMA Fighting. "We had a show, I believe, in August. We cancelled the show because it only had one cage door."
"It was a new canvas and they get new pads for every show," Lembo explained of the WSOF's predicament and why things were amiss. He said at 4 p.m. ET on Friday before the weigh-ins he observed the canvas and pads were insufficient for the show to be allowed to continue, but was told of the WSOF's plans to ensure the event could take place on time.
Lembo said a canvas was flown in the following day and cage pads were borrowed from the locally-based promotion Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC). "I guess about 3 p.m. ET on Saturday is when I had done a final inspection. They had brought in the canvas from the first show and took the pads from Cage Fury," he said.
The prelims began at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday evening, meaning the show was approved to go forward just hours prior to the planned start of the event.
Cage issues, however, weren't the only regulatory hurdles WSOF faced. Two other problems tripped up the upstart MMA promotion prior to Friday's weigh-ins, namely, medical paperwork and an scale that lacked proper certification.
"There's certain paperwork that needs to be completed before the weigh-in starts, before anyone gets on the scale," Lembo said. "There was a misunderstanding on their part about medical insurance. We want executed claim forms for each fighter in the case of an injury, so that we have it already completed and already executed the page by the promoter. Then we can just give it to the fighter, their representative, or the EMT or if our ringside physician is going over, if necessary, so there's no delay in processing the payments for the medical insurance. They had a misunderstanding that that had to be completed [prior to the weigh-ins]. They had the claim forms, but they didn't have them fully executed for each fighter."
Lembo said this partly contributed to the approximately hour-long delay to the start of the weigh-in. The other problem was WSOF's attempted use of an improper scale. "The scale has to be certified in New Jersey," he said. "They had a scale that was certified from their last show [in Nevada], but the scale has to be certified by the Office of Weights and Measures in the county that you're having the show in."
WSOF again leaned on the promotional infrastructure of the CFFC to resolve the issue. "[WSOF] used Cage Fury's [scale]," said Lembo. "[CFFC] had their scale there because they do shows at the Borgota and they keep their scale there, which is just another casino not too far away."
Ultimately the show moved forward despite the numerous regulatory problems. Still, the experience was a unique, state-based challenge for the promotion now only through its second-ever show. "It was their first time in New Jersey," said Lembo. "I think they were getting acclimated to the process."
Nick Lembo explains regulatory challenges WSOF faced before second event - MMA Fighting
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The Andrei Arlovski-led World Series of Fighting's second outing on Saturday night saw a slight increase in ratings from the initial WSOF show on November 3.
Arlovski (19-10), who held the UFC heavyweight championship for a 14-month period during 2005 and 2006, headlined both shows. The first saw him beat Devin Cole via first round stoppage. Saturday, he lost a decision to a blown up light heavyweight, Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson (16-4).
Saturday's show did a 0.19 rating and 210,000 viewers on NBC Sports, beating the 198,000 viewers who watched the initial show live.
But overall, the show has shown more strength. A replay immediately following did another 140,000 viewers, up from 80,000 for a replay of the first show. In addition, the promotion claims to have had another 200,000 viewers that saw the show online.
The event also aired on Univision Deportes with ratings not yet available.
The viewership would be well above what most programming on the station gets, but it is still a little below the 270,000 range that boxing telecasts on the network were getting in 2012.
NBC Sports, formerly known as Versus, was the home for World Extreme Cagefighting from 2007 to 2010. The WSOF ratings were well below that WEC, the home for smaller fighters, was doing. WEC ranged from 300,000 viewers on the low end to as much as 1.45 million viewers when Urijah Faber was the headliner.
The WSOF will now face a challenge in its third show, since it would be difficult for Arlovski to headline coming off a loss, particularly since he didn't look good in the process. When the promotion started, Arlovski and former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Angel Torres, were pushed as the biggest stars. But Torres lost his debut fight to Marlon Moraes, and was not brought back on the second show.
The company's third show is scheduled for June 14, a Friday, to avoid going head-to-head with a UFC pay-per-view show the next night from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Saturday's card showcased an impressive newcomers to television in lightweight Justin Gaethje (8-0), as well as a second impressive win for Moraes (10-4-1). But neither are well known.
There were hints on the broadcast of a main event next time that would feature the debut of Jon Fitch. Fitch (27-5-1, 1 no contest), a legitimate top ten in the world welterweight who was recently cut by UFC, was hinted on television to be facing Josh Burkman (25-9), who looked impressive in finishing Aaron Simpson in just 3:04 of the first round at Saturday's WSOF II. That fight is not official.
WSOF viewership shows slight increase over first effort - MMA Fighting
Arlovski (19-10), who held the UFC heavyweight championship for a 14-month period during 2005 and 2006, headlined both shows. The first saw him beat Devin Cole via first round stoppage. Saturday, he lost a decision to a blown up light heavyweight, Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson (16-4).
Saturday's show did a 0.19 rating and 210,000 viewers on NBC Sports, beating the 198,000 viewers who watched the initial show live.
But overall, the show has shown more strength. A replay immediately following did another 140,000 viewers, up from 80,000 for a replay of the first show. In addition, the promotion claims to have had another 200,000 viewers that saw the show online.
The event also aired on Univision Deportes with ratings not yet available.
The viewership would be well above what most programming on the station gets, but it is still a little below the 270,000 range that boxing telecasts on the network were getting in 2012.
NBC Sports, formerly known as Versus, was the home for World Extreme Cagefighting from 2007 to 2010. The WSOF ratings were well below that WEC, the home for smaller fighters, was doing. WEC ranged from 300,000 viewers on the low end to as much as 1.45 million viewers when Urijah Faber was the headliner.
The WSOF will now face a challenge in its third show, since it would be difficult for Arlovski to headline coming off a loss, particularly since he didn't look good in the process. When the promotion started, Arlovski and former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Angel Torres, were pushed as the biggest stars. But Torres lost his debut fight to Marlon Moraes, and was not brought back on the second show.
The company's third show is scheduled for June 14, a Friday, to avoid going head-to-head with a UFC pay-per-view show the next night from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Saturday's card showcased an impressive newcomers to television in lightweight Justin Gaethje (8-0), as well as a second impressive win for Moraes (10-4-1). But neither are well known.
There were hints on the broadcast of a main event next time that would feature the debut of Jon Fitch. Fitch (27-5-1, 1 no contest), a legitimate top ten in the world welterweight who was recently cut by UFC, was hinted on television to be facing Josh Burkman (25-9), who looked impressive in finishing Aaron Simpson in just 3:04 of the first round at Saturday's WSOF II. That fight is not official.
WSOF viewership shows slight increase over first effort - MMA Fighting
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Christian Morecraft, a heavyweight who fought four times in the UFC, is leaving the fight business, at least for now, with an eye towards retirement.
In making the announcement, Morecraft, who is just 26 years old, posted a message on his Facebook page that voiced concern over his future prospects past fighting, saying he's already had to work a full-time job while competing.
"There's plenty of ex-professional athletes out there who are lost, broke, and jobless when competing is over, so with that being said trying to find an easier way to make a living and most importantly be happy ... I'm saying goodbye to the fight business for right now. Nothing's set in stone because we all know that nothing in life is, but for now I've got some other matters to take care of. Thank you all for your support over the years. Thank you and god bless everyone," his post said in part.
The 6-foot-6, 255-pounder began his career with six straight first-round stoppages, leading to a UFC deal less than two years into his professional career. But competing among the world's best, Morecraft had his troubles, going 1-3 in four bouts over a 17-month span.
His one win came against Sean McCorkle in March 2011, while he suffered knockout losses to Stefan Struve, Matt Mitrione and Pat Barry. The fight with Barry, which took place in Jan. 2012, was his last, as he never fought thereafter.
Last September, he was arrested and charged with four driving-related offenses including operating a vehicle under the influence.
All told, Morecraft's MMA career lasted just less than four years.
UFC veteran Christian Morecraft says he's leaving the fight business - MMA Fighting
In making the announcement, Morecraft, who is just 26 years old, posted a message on his Facebook page that voiced concern over his future prospects past fighting, saying he's already had to work a full-time job while competing.
"There's plenty of ex-professional athletes out there who are lost, broke, and jobless when competing is over, so with that being said trying to find an easier way to make a living and most importantly be happy ... I'm saying goodbye to the fight business for right now. Nothing's set in stone because we all know that nothing in life is, but for now I've got some other matters to take care of. Thank you all for your support over the years. Thank you and god bless everyone," his post said in part.
The 6-foot-6, 255-pounder began his career with six straight first-round stoppages, leading to a UFC deal less than two years into his professional career. But competing among the world's best, Morecraft had his troubles, going 1-3 in four bouts over a 17-month span.
His one win came against Sean McCorkle in March 2011, while he suffered knockout losses to Stefan Struve, Matt Mitrione and Pat Barry. The fight with Barry, which took place in Jan. 2012, was his last, as he never fought thereafter.
Last September, he was arrested and charged with four driving-related offenses including operating a vehicle under the influence.
All told, Morecraft's MMA career lasted just less than four years.
UFC veteran Christian Morecraft says he's leaving the fight business - MMA Fighting
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UFC heavyweight contender Christian Morecraft has announced his retirement from MMA.
As originally reported by the Boston Herald, the hulking 6'2" (1.98m) fighter took to his Facebook page to hang up his gloves.
"Competing in the UFC is a tough job on many different levels – getting better staying focused and all the other s*** that life brings to you and not to mention I still have to work a full time job to support yourself in the mean time,” he stated. “There's plenty of 'ex professional athletes' out there who are lost, broke and jobless when competing is over, so with that being said trying to find an easier way to make a living and most importantly be happy ... I'm saying GOODBYE TO THE FIGHT BUISINESS for right now,” he continued.
Morecraft (7-3 MMA) thanked his fans and supporters and called it a day; "Nothing's set in stone because we all know that nothing in life is, but for now I've got some other matters to take care of. Thank you all for your support over the years. Thank you and god bless everyone."
Morecraft began his career with a perfect 6-0 record, with all victories coming by way of stoppage in the first round. He entered the UFC with much hype and put together a 1-3 UFC run before retiring at aged 26 this week.
UFC heavyweight Christian Morecraft retires from MMA | MMA Kanvas
As originally reported by the Boston Herald, the hulking 6'2" (1.98m) fighter took to his Facebook page to hang up his gloves.
"Competing in the UFC is a tough job on many different levels – getting better staying focused and all the other s*** that life brings to you and not to mention I still have to work a full time job to support yourself in the mean time,” he stated. “There's plenty of 'ex professional athletes' out there who are lost, broke and jobless when competing is over, so with that being said trying to find an easier way to make a living and most importantly be happy ... I'm saying GOODBYE TO THE FIGHT BUISINESS for right now,” he continued.
Morecraft (7-3 MMA) thanked his fans and supporters and called it a day; "Nothing's set in stone because we all know that nothing in life is, but for now I've got some other matters to take care of. Thank you all for your support over the years. Thank you and god bless everyone."
Morecraft began his career with a perfect 6-0 record, with all victories coming by way of stoppage in the first round. He entered the UFC with much hype and put together a 1-3 UFC run before retiring at aged 26 this week.
UFC heavyweight Christian Morecraft retires from MMA | MMA Kanvas
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Transgender mixed martial artist Fallon Fox, the 37-year-old fighter who was born a man and underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2006, became the face of a contentious debate among the medical and scientific communities when her past was brought to light in early March.
Weeks later, the MMA community also remains split on the issue. While some of Fox's contemporaries, including former Strikeforce champion Cris "Cyborg" Santos and UFC fighter Julie Kedzie, have voiced support for Fox's cause, several notable figures within the sport, including UFC ringside announcer Joe Rogan and UFC bantamweight contender Miesha Tate, have staunchly opposed the idea of a former man fighting women.
UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez falls into the latter category.
"I don't think she should be able to fight women," Velasquez flatly responded when asked about Fox at a recent media luncheon.
"Having the same bone structure and everything else as a man, I think definitely does give her an advantage."
Fox has already booked her next fight in the semifinals of Championships Fighting Alliance's women's featherweight tournament, a result that seemed dicey as recently as a few weeks ago. The Florida State Boxing Commission continues to review Fox's license, and her opponent, Allana Jones, has yet to sign a bout agreement. However, Fox's camp isn't worried.
"They're not going to have a problem finding an opponent," Fox's manager Brett Atchley recently told Outsports. "Somebody wants to be the one who beats Fallon Fox. And they'll see it as an opportunity to make more money. If Allana Jones doesn't fight, so what? Someone else will."
Regardless, the uncharted waters of Fox's situation continue to leave many observers without a concrete answer, including Velasquez.
"Maybe have a separate [division], I guess," the UFC heavyweight champion finished. "I don't know. But I don't think that's fair."
Cain Velasquez: Fallon Fox shouldn't be able to fight women - MMA Fighting
Weeks later, the MMA community also remains split on the issue. While some of Fox's contemporaries, including former Strikeforce champion Cris "Cyborg" Santos and UFC fighter Julie Kedzie, have voiced support for Fox's cause, several notable figures within the sport, including UFC ringside announcer Joe Rogan and UFC bantamweight contender Miesha Tate, have staunchly opposed the idea of a former man fighting women.
UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez falls into the latter category.
"I don't think she should be able to fight women," Velasquez flatly responded when asked about Fox at a recent media luncheon.
"Having the same bone structure and everything else as a man, I think definitely does give her an advantage."
Fox has already booked her next fight in the semifinals of Championships Fighting Alliance's women's featherweight tournament, a result that seemed dicey as recently as a few weeks ago. The Florida State Boxing Commission continues to review Fox's license, and her opponent, Allana Jones, has yet to sign a bout agreement. However, Fox's camp isn't worried.
"They're not going to have a problem finding an opponent," Fox's manager Brett Atchley recently told Outsports. "Somebody wants to be the one who beats Fallon Fox. And they'll see it as an opportunity to make more money. If Allana Jones doesn't fight, so what? Someone else will."
Regardless, the uncharted waters of Fox's situation continue to leave many observers without a concrete answer, including Velasquez.
"Maybe have a separate [division], I guess," the UFC heavyweight champion finished. "I don't know. But I don't think that's fair."
Cain Velasquez: Fallon Fox shouldn't be able to fight women - MMA Fighting
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Many who love mixed martial arts say the sport is safe, if there are rules. However there are no regulations for amateur MMA fighting in Michigan and state lawmakers want to change that.
At Xtreme MMA in Holland, Eric Lozano says he could find an unsanctioned fight with amateurs in Michigan every weekend. Lozano will make his pro debut next month, but as an amateur he's fought in matches with no blood testing available and no doctors around.
"I've seen somebody get hit and they go into a seizure and they're on the floor and we don't have the medical staff that we need and it's kind of scary," says Lozano.
In Michigan, there are no regulations for amateur MMA fighting and no requirement to report or keep record of matches either. MMA experts say that means people with no experience often are facing an opponent who's been in 30 or 40 matches.
" A lot of these amateur promoters know who is going to win before they even set the fight up," says Ray Lopez, a pro MMA fighter.
"The experience level is so different that somebody can get seriously hurt in that kind of matchup," says Andy Jamrog, owner of Xtreme MMA.
Pro matches, on the other hand, are regulated. Michigan lawmakers now are considering the same health and safety measures for amateurs.
"We've been to shows all over the country, it's just long overdue, its just unsafe for the fighters," says Jamrog.
"There's plenty of people who want to train and be fighters, it's just getting them to do it the right way," says Lozano.
Michigan is one of about a dozen states where amateur mixed martial arts is legal, but not regulated.
MMA fighter supports state safety regulations | wzzm13-com
At Xtreme MMA in Holland, Eric Lozano says he could find an unsanctioned fight with amateurs in Michigan every weekend. Lozano will make his pro debut next month, but as an amateur he's fought in matches with no blood testing available and no doctors around.
"I've seen somebody get hit and they go into a seizure and they're on the floor and we don't have the medical staff that we need and it's kind of scary," says Lozano.
In Michigan, there are no regulations for amateur MMA fighting and no requirement to report or keep record of matches either. MMA experts say that means people with no experience often are facing an opponent who's been in 30 or 40 matches.
" A lot of these amateur promoters know who is going to win before they even set the fight up," says Ray Lopez, a pro MMA fighter.
"The experience level is so different that somebody can get seriously hurt in that kind of matchup," says Andy Jamrog, owner of Xtreme MMA.
Pro matches, on the other hand, are regulated. Michigan lawmakers now are considering the same health and safety measures for amateurs.
"We've been to shows all over the country, it's just long overdue, its just unsafe for the fighters," says Jamrog.
"There's plenty of people who want to train and be fighters, it's just getting them to do it the right way," says Lozano.
Michigan is one of about a dozen states where amateur mixed martial arts is legal, but not regulated.
MMA fighter supports state safety regulations | wzzm13-com
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George St-Pierre is arguably the most outstanding athlete in mixed martial arts. He is also one of its greatest champions, having defended his welterweight crown for the eighth consecutive occasion with a characteristically efficient points victory over Nick Diaz.
GSP is, quite rightly, hugely admired for his achievements. However, it has escaped the attention of no one—least of all the man himself—that relative to that other dominant force in the UFC, Anderson Silva, he is loved very little.
The reason for this lack of affection is quite simple: personality. The French Canadian's character out of the Octagon mirrors that of his style in it—he is affable, polite, ruthlessly politically correct for someone with so violent an occupation and never gives any more of himself than is required.
Each and every interview given or opinion offered is the verbal equivalent of the sort of methodically planned points victory with which he routinely tops cards. He, quite simply, lacks the intensity of his—largely less successful—colleagues.
Such grindingly predictable efficiency is bound to alienate the masses who prefer flawed exuberance—the sort of fighters with the imperfections with which one can empathize—those who willfully put themselves at risk to thrill the fans who fork out hundreds of dollars to watch them in combat.
So follows a tribute to five of the sport's current great personalities—those men whose intensity inspires interest both inside and out of the cage.
MMA's Greatest Personalities | Bleacher Report
GSP is, quite rightly, hugely admired for his achievements. However, it has escaped the attention of no one—least of all the man himself—that relative to that other dominant force in the UFC, Anderson Silva, he is loved very little.
The reason for this lack of affection is quite simple: personality. The French Canadian's character out of the Octagon mirrors that of his style in it—he is affable, polite, ruthlessly politically correct for someone with so violent an occupation and never gives any more of himself than is required.
Each and every interview given or opinion offered is the verbal equivalent of the sort of methodically planned points victory with which he routinely tops cards. He, quite simply, lacks the intensity of his—largely less successful—colleagues.
Such grindingly predictable efficiency is bound to alienate the masses who prefer flawed exuberance—the sort of fighters with the imperfections with which one can empathize—those who willfully put themselves at risk to thrill the fans who fork out hundreds of dollars to watch them in combat.
So follows a tribute to five of the sport's current great personalities—those men whose intensity inspires interest both inside and out of the cage.
MMA's Greatest Personalities | Bleacher Report
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From time to time, we've done "Fights to Watch" summaries here on MMAFighting when there's been a loaded month of fights on the calendar.
The upcoming week, though, calls for a special edition. On three consecutive nights, there will be three events worth watching from three promotions.
Thursday, Bellator in Atlantic City features the most anticipated main event since the season-opening card. Friday, the all-women's Invicta promotion returns. And Saturday, the UFC returns to Sweden for UFC on Fuel 9.
So without further ado, here's a look at five fights to watch this week alone:
1. Pat Curran (18-4) vs. Shahbulat Shamhalaev (12-1-1), Bellator, April 4, Atlantic City: Bellator featherweight champion Curran got the company's Spike TV era off with a bang with a slow-burning thriller of a win over Patricio "Pitbull" Freire on the debut Spike show in January. Curran expressed his desire to fight as often as he can, and the company grants him his wish as he defends his title against Shamhalaev. The Russian transplant and Team BombSquad fighter is a replacement for Daniel Straus. Shamhalaev is testing the limits of the Bellator tourney-and-title shot concept, as he's fighting for the fourth time since October. His most recent win was a second-round knockout of Rad Martinez on Feb. 21, which won him the Bellator season seven tournament. Will Curran and Shamhalaev be willing to stand and trade? If so, this fight could be one to remember.
2. Jessica Penne (10-1) vs. Michelle Waterson (10-3), Invicta 5, Kansas City April 5: In October, Penne became the first Invicta titleholder, as she knocked Naho Sugiyama from the ranks of the unbeaten and was crowned inaugural atomweight (105 pounds) champion. At Invicta 5, Penne becomes the first Invicta champ to attempt to defend her title, and the Huntington Beach, Calif. native will have her work cut out for her when she meets Waterson. The competitor known as "The Karate Hottie," a Jackson's MMA fighter, overcame a slow start in MMA (2-2 in her first four fights) and has won eight of her last nine, seven of which have been via stoppage and six of which were in the first round. Penne, likewise, has shown a propensity to keep her fights from going to the judges, with six wins via submission and another two via TKO.
3. Sarah Kaufman (15-2) vs. Leslie Smith (5-2-1), Invicta 5, Kansas City April 5: Former Strikeforce bantamweight champion Kaufman makes her return to the cage after losing to Ronda Rousey last August. Much has changed in women's MMA since then, of course. Kaufman is among the bantamweight fighters who will compete in the UFC; but before then, she'll take a fight against Smith. Smith might not have a Rousey-esque unbeaten record, but the 30-year old Cesar Gracie fighter has proven she is willing to mix it up. Smith rides a three-fight Invicta unbeaten streak into this match, including a memorable pair of bouts against Kaitlin Young (a Smith TKO win and a split draw). Smith knows she can make her name by spoiling Kaufman's last fight before she departs for the UFC.
4. Ross Pearson (14-6) vs. Ryan Couture (6-1), UFC on Fuel 9, Stockholm, Sweden, April 6: This fight's intriguing for what's going on outside the Octagon as much as inside. Couture, of course, was caught in the middle of the dispute between his father, Randy, and UFC president Dana White. White has sworn he won't hold the younger Couture's last name against him; Couture, for his part, quite frankly reacted more in a more mature manner than either side in the dispute. But the fight's also intriguing inside the Octagon as well. Couture's won his past four fights, though the most recent was a controversial decision over K.J. Noons on the final Strikeforce card. He takes a big step up in competition when he meets Pearson. Pearson, in his return to lightweight, looked like he was back where he belongs when he fought George Sotiropoulos. Granted, we have a habit of judging fighters based on their last performance, but ... you saw that fight, right?
5. Alexander Gustafsson (15-1) vs. Gegard Mousasi (33-3-2), UFC on Fuel 9, Stockholm, Sweden, April 6: Gustfasson made waves a few weeks back on The MMA Hour, when he said his plan for this fight was to finish Mousasi, and then call out light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. That's a tall order against a fighter like Mousasi, a kickboxer who has only lost once in his past 22 fights and has never been knocked out in his career. Mousasi has something to prove, as well, as fans on these shores might remember him more for his draw with Keith Jardine and loss to "King Mo" Lawal then the guy who mowed down opponents across the world. But if Gustafsson looks impressive against Mousasi, on the heels of his strong victory over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, it will be hard to deny the lanky Swede his title shot.
Five Fights to Watch the first week of April - MMA Fighting
The upcoming week, though, calls for a special edition. On three consecutive nights, there will be three events worth watching from three promotions.
Thursday, Bellator in Atlantic City features the most anticipated main event since the season-opening card. Friday, the all-women's Invicta promotion returns. And Saturday, the UFC returns to Sweden for UFC on Fuel 9.
So without further ado, here's a look at five fights to watch this week alone:
1. Pat Curran (18-4) vs. Shahbulat Shamhalaev (12-1-1), Bellator, April 4, Atlantic City: Bellator featherweight champion Curran got the company's Spike TV era off with a bang with a slow-burning thriller of a win over Patricio "Pitbull" Freire on the debut Spike show in January. Curran expressed his desire to fight as often as he can, and the company grants him his wish as he defends his title against Shamhalaev. The Russian transplant and Team BombSquad fighter is a replacement for Daniel Straus. Shamhalaev is testing the limits of the Bellator tourney-and-title shot concept, as he's fighting for the fourth time since October. His most recent win was a second-round knockout of Rad Martinez on Feb. 21, which won him the Bellator season seven tournament. Will Curran and Shamhalaev be willing to stand and trade? If so, this fight could be one to remember.
2. Jessica Penne (10-1) vs. Michelle Waterson (10-3), Invicta 5, Kansas City April 5: In October, Penne became the first Invicta titleholder, as she knocked Naho Sugiyama from the ranks of the unbeaten and was crowned inaugural atomweight (105 pounds) champion. At Invicta 5, Penne becomes the first Invicta champ to attempt to defend her title, and the Huntington Beach, Calif. native will have her work cut out for her when she meets Waterson. The competitor known as "The Karate Hottie," a Jackson's MMA fighter, overcame a slow start in MMA (2-2 in her first four fights) and has won eight of her last nine, seven of which have been via stoppage and six of which were in the first round. Penne, likewise, has shown a propensity to keep her fights from going to the judges, with six wins via submission and another two via TKO.
3. Sarah Kaufman (15-2) vs. Leslie Smith (5-2-1), Invicta 5, Kansas City April 5: Former Strikeforce bantamweight champion Kaufman makes her return to the cage after losing to Ronda Rousey last August. Much has changed in women's MMA since then, of course. Kaufman is among the bantamweight fighters who will compete in the UFC; but before then, she'll take a fight against Smith. Smith might not have a Rousey-esque unbeaten record, but the 30-year old Cesar Gracie fighter has proven she is willing to mix it up. Smith rides a three-fight Invicta unbeaten streak into this match, including a memorable pair of bouts against Kaitlin Young (a Smith TKO win and a split draw). Smith knows she can make her name by spoiling Kaufman's last fight before she departs for the UFC.
4. Ross Pearson (14-6) vs. Ryan Couture (6-1), UFC on Fuel 9, Stockholm, Sweden, April 6: This fight's intriguing for what's going on outside the Octagon as much as inside. Couture, of course, was caught in the middle of the dispute between his father, Randy, and UFC president Dana White. White has sworn he won't hold the younger Couture's last name against him; Couture, for his part, quite frankly reacted more in a more mature manner than either side in the dispute. But the fight's also intriguing inside the Octagon as well. Couture's won his past four fights, though the most recent was a controversial decision over K.J. Noons on the final Strikeforce card. He takes a big step up in competition when he meets Pearson. Pearson, in his return to lightweight, looked like he was back where he belongs when he fought George Sotiropoulos. Granted, we have a habit of judging fighters based on their last performance, but ... you saw that fight, right?
5. Alexander Gustafsson (15-1) vs. Gegard Mousasi (33-3-2), UFC on Fuel 9, Stockholm, Sweden, April 6: Gustfasson made waves a few weeks back on The MMA Hour, when he said his plan for this fight was to finish Mousasi, and then call out light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. That's a tall order against a fighter like Mousasi, a kickboxer who has only lost once in his past 22 fights and has never been knocked out in his career. Mousasi has something to prove, as well, as fans on these shores might remember him more for his draw with Keith Jardine and loss to "King Mo" Lawal then the guy who mowed down opponents across the world. But if Gustafsson looks impressive against Mousasi, on the heels of his strong victory over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, it will be hard to deny the lanky Swede his title shot.
Five Fights to Watch the first week of April - MMA Fighting
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For months UFC middleweight ruler Anderson Silva seemed disinterested in the possibility of a duel with light heavyweight champion Jon Jones but it seems he may have changed his tune.
UFC President Dana White has been lobbying to put on a super-fight with a pair of champions for years but things have never fallen into place.
Fans salivated over Silva meeting UFC welterweight titlist George St. Pierre for years but in wake of the emergence of Jones, interest has shifted in the direction of Silva facing the light heavyweight king.
The biggest night of UFC’s 2013 calendar will be in November, marking 20 years since the promotion opened their doors in front of a few thousand people in Denver, Colorado.
The promotion plans for a star-studded event in New York’s Madison Square Garden on that November evening, angling for a giant main event on the momentous card.
Silva spoke with Brazilian press this week regarding the bout with Jones, admitting that Silva vs. Jones could come to fruition this year:
“Look, if I still be alive until there (laughs). But I believe yes. Anything can happen and, yes, I think it is possible to happen. I’ll have to train, you know, to put a great show to the fans.” he said.
The underlining issue with planning months in advance for Silva is that he has not signed on the dotted line for a new contract with the premiere MMA organisation.
The pound-for-pound star’s current deal has two fights left on it. The UFC has offered a ten fight contract to the Brazilian but he isn't rushing to sign it.
“We are still negotiating, but we have more time to decide that. Let’s see how it goes.” Silva said.
Silva, 37, has been fighting for over 15 years. The time is now to pull the trigger on a superfight and it would be a dream come true for White to promote the high-profile clash in the Empire State.
The UFC figurehead has stated that for this fight he will leave a blank cheque on the table – indicating that Silva nad his team could name their price for arguably the biggest fight in MMA history.
Before we start proposing plans for the future, both Jones and Silva have to defend their thrones (Jones against Chael Sonnen, Silva against Chris Weidman) and if either loses you can put these superfight plans through the paper shredder.
This is one of the most interesting stories around, keep it locked to MMA Kanvas for the inevitable twists and turns that follow.
Anderson Silva admits UFC superfight with Jon Jones is a possiblity | MMA Kanvas
UFC President Dana White has been lobbying to put on a super-fight with a pair of champions for years but things have never fallen into place.
Fans salivated over Silva meeting UFC welterweight titlist George St. Pierre for years but in wake of the emergence of Jones, interest has shifted in the direction of Silva facing the light heavyweight king.
The biggest night of UFC’s 2013 calendar will be in November, marking 20 years since the promotion opened their doors in front of a few thousand people in Denver, Colorado.
The promotion plans for a star-studded event in New York’s Madison Square Garden on that November evening, angling for a giant main event on the momentous card.
Silva spoke with Brazilian press this week regarding the bout with Jones, admitting that Silva vs. Jones could come to fruition this year:
“Look, if I still be alive until there (laughs). But I believe yes. Anything can happen and, yes, I think it is possible to happen. I’ll have to train, you know, to put a great show to the fans.” he said.
The underlining issue with planning months in advance for Silva is that he has not signed on the dotted line for a new contract with the premiere MMA organisation.
The pound-for-pound star’s current deal has two fights left on it. The UFC has offered a ten fight contract to the Brazilian but he isn't rushing to sign it.
“We are still negotiating, but we have more time to decide that. Let’s see how it goes.” Silva said.
Silva, 37, has been fighting for over 15 years. The time is now to pull the trigger on a superfight and it would be a dream come true for White to promote the high-profile clash in the Empire State.
The UFC figurehead has stated that for this fight he will leave a blank cheque on the table – indicating that Silva nad his team could name their price for arguably the biggest fight in MMA history.
Before we start proposing plans for the future, both Jones and Silva have to defend their thrones (Jones against Chael Sonnen, Silva against Chris Weidman) and if either loses you can put these superfight plans through the paper shredder.
This is one of the most interesting stories around, keep it locked to MMA Kanvas for the inevitable twists and turns that follow.
Anderson Silva admits UFC superfight with Jon Jones is a possiblity | MMA Kanvas
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Allanna "Hands of Stones" Jones -- who's scheduled to fight Fox next month in Florida -- tells TMZ, "It doesn't matter what he [Fox] had changed ... he was still born and developed a man."
Jones believes Fox's participation in the sport will distract from the accomplishments of "real" female fighters, saying, "[WMMA] is just making a name for itself and this will have a negative impact on it.”
Worth noting ... Fox is a postoperative transsexual who has undergone hormone therapy and has been living as a woman for years. Any advantage she might have over other female fighters is debatable.
But despite claims it's not a fair fight, Jones is still convinced she'll wipe the floor with Fox -- telling us, "I am not scared to fight him because I know I can win."
Guess we'll see about that.
Read more: Transgender MMA Fighter Should Be Banned from Sport ... Says Next Opponent | TMZ-com
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