"BREAKING NEWS!" of mma all time: Tito Ortiz has pulled out of the Bellator PPV with a neck injury ?

Tito Ortiz drops out of the Bellator PPV main event against Rampage due to injury...It appears that Tito Ortiz’s neck has once again collapsed under the weight of his massive head (via MMAFighting):


Bellator’s inaugural pay-per-view has been hit by the injury bug.

Tito Ortiz suffered a neck injury in training which will keep him out of next weekend’s fight against Quinton Jackson, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

Bellator is currently seeking a replacement for Ortiz, and it is unclear at this time whether Jackson will remain on the Nov. 2 card. There is a chance next weekend’s pay-per-view card turns into a Spike show with Jackson being moved to another event.

Well, at least Tito didn’t wait until 3 days after the fight to announce that he had been injured the whole time. It’s what we like to call “progress
Who should step in to fight?

Mark Pavelich, Owner of the Maximum Fighting Championship & Tito Ortiz talks smack about Matt M.

Mark Pavelich, Owner of the Maximum Fighting Championship comes on Inside MMA to make a huge announcement about both the future of the MFC and HDNet.  Pavelich also pontificates on his dutures plans for the MFC and lays out his goals for the organization.  Happy Canada day everyone

UFC 132 Results And Dana White thoughts on the fights ..

With the little guys headlining UFC 132UFC Personal Trainer, some casual fans may not have been stoked to check out this year’s Fourth of July weekend UFC card, but those who tuned in and bought tickets certainly got their money’s worth. The card produced three awesome knockouts, some major upsets and one of the best UFC moments in years with Tito Ortiz pulling off the shocker in absolute must-win situation against Ryan Bader.




- UFC president Dana White was impressed and said Tito will be sticking around.



“Not only did he win the fight. He won the fight impressively, you know dropping the younger stronger and many people thought he had better hands. Dropping Bader and then submitting him.” White said.



- White said this should be it for another veteran Wanderlei Silva. The soon-to-be 35-year-old was knocked out badly inside of one minute by Chris Leben.



“People love him so much for the way he fights. The style and the kind of person he is. Yeah, it’s probably the end of the road for Wanderlei,” said White.


With an exciting five-round battle, UFC 132 delivered a solid event overall. In addition to Dominick Cruz’ long-awaited revenge over rival Urijah Faber, Tito Ortiz scored his first win since 2006, while Chris Leben delivered an impressive stoppage of Wanderlei Silva.



Here’s a closer look, with the UFC 132 Stock Report.



Stock up



Dominick Cruz: He waited four years; and debuting in the UFC as the champ in a headliner bout, delivered big. Cruz’ performance tonight showed how much his game has matured, as he utilized his trademark slick standup, with the threat of takedowns to finish strong to take a unanimous decision. While judge Sal D’Amato’s card of 50-45 was off (this writer had it 48-47 for Cruz), the 135-poun ace closed hard down the stretch as a champion should.



In addition to getting payback for the sole loss of his career, Cruz, now 18-1, performed the neat trick of simultaneously jump-starting the UFC’s bantamweight division with a good championship fight, while setting up a rubber match that is promotable as well. All in all, a great start for the UFC 135-pound titlist.



Tito Ortiz: With a stunning submission win over favored Ryan Bader, Ortiz recouped from a 0-4-1 slide, injecting much-needed life into a career that faced a certain release from the UFC if he’d lost. A polarizing figure throughout his 14-year career in the UFC, Ortiz’ post-fight celebration had to make even the most hardened critics a little nostalgic; working his patented gravedigger routine after getting the tap from Bader, Tito looked every bit like a hard-traveled veteran who appreciated the spoils of a big win.


Tapout Ryan Bader UFC 132 Walkout T-Shirt, XXL
It’s been a while, and this one gives him firm promotional footing for at least two more fights. As an added bonus, we can look forward to more Twitter awesomeness between he and UFC President Dana White.



Chris Leben: In a classic Lebenesque showing, the middleweight slugger was drilled early and came back huge, rebounding with his big left hand to stop Wanderlei Silva. Fighting an idol in a high-profile bout, Leben showed why he’s always a punch away from being in the winner’s circle and a promotional favorite. The biggest win of his career, it also removes the bad taste of his stoppage loss to Brian Stann in his previous outing.





Carlos Conit File Photo



Condit is on a roll in the UFC.Melvin Guillard: Clinical, laser-sharp and destructive, Guillard was like a bomb going off against Shane Roller. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: he’s the most physically gifted lightweight in the world, and a handful for anyone. The big question is, can he adjust in tough fights against the very best? We’ll soon find out. He’s probably the worst guy in the division to make a mistake against, given his power and ability to exploit openings.



Carlos Condit: Faced with a potentially daunting style matchup, Condit showed why he’d finished 25 opponents in 26 previous wins -- by going for it and damning the consequences. With a gorgeous flying knee he stunned Kim and took him out with a follow-up attack. Now a proven top-tier welter, he’s

also becoming highly marketable off this win and his

one-punch blowout of Dan Hardy.



Hold



Dennis Siver and Matt Wiman: While Siver took a unanimous 29-28 decision, the lightweight bout between mid-tier contenders was largely inconclusive. Siver took the first with his counters and takedown defense, while Wiman rebounded in the second, bloodying Siver with ground and pound and consistent top control. The third saw both largely run out of gas -- like a high school kegger that started strong and then fizzled when the power went out and the parents came home. Not necessarily a bad showing by either guy, but none of the elite lightweights are going to lose sleep watching a replay of this one.



Urijah Faber: In a close bid to take Cruz’ bantamweight belt, Faber fell just short in an exciting bout. Over the five-round distance, the champ’s mercurial style and overall volume proved the difference, though Faber clearly landed the harder and more effective shots. Interestingly, Cruz got the better of the wrestling battle, threatening over the last half of the bout with several, from which Faber consistently scrambled up and away from. A third match is a natural with these two; it will be up to Faber to adjust his tactics accordingly.



Brian Bowles: With his oft-injured right hand tweaked again against Takeya Mizugaki, Bowles could only offer a so-so showing, taking a decision win. Style-wise, this seemed like a winnable fight for him, but the hand clearly affected his ability to operate. The former champ definitely needs time to heal up.



Stock down



Wanderlei Silva: Silva simply hasn’t looked his old self. Whether it’s the weight cut at the advanced age of 34 (he turns 35 Sunday) or the numerous battles, he’s not the same fighter he used to be. Taken out by Leben in 27 seconds, the once-stout resilience and fighting machine that terrorized Pride is no longer the guy in the cage. Like another legend and all-time great, Silva’s venturing into Chuck Liddell territory if he continues to fight. Now 2-4 with the UFC, is he still too big a name to release, for fear that another promotion could pick him up? We’ll soon find out.



Ryan Bader: After being dominated by Jon Jones, on paper, Bader couldn’t have gotten a better opponent in terms of risk-reward than Ortiz, a name ex-champ who hadn’t won in five fights. Hurt by a right hand and submitted in the first, Bader’s stock takes a hit here, as this was the kind of fight a guy in his position is supposed to win.



Shane Roller: Blitzed out by the dangerous Guillard, Roller was simply outmatched on the feet. A mid-level 155er in the WEC with a potential upside, his striking remains very raw, leaving him dangerously exposed, something Guillard exploited.



Dong Hyun Kim: Going into the Condit bout, Kim was 14-0-1, and probably the least-hyped unbeaten fighter on the UFC’s roster. Handed his first loss, it’s back to the drawing board for the South Korean.



Takeya Mizugaki: Laconic and uninspired against Bowles, Mizugaki can’t seem to get over the bantamweight hump. Since his gutty title fight decision loss to then-champ Miguel Torres, he’s gone 3-3 and didn’t fight with much passion tonight.





- Not only did Ortiz remove head from the chopping block, he hauled in a nice postfight bonus. Ortiz along with Urijah Faber, Dominick Cruz and Carlos Condit each got $75,000. Ortiz was awarded Submission of the night, Condit Knockout of the Night and Faber/Cruz got Fight of the Night.



The knockout award was a tough decision. A disappointed Melvin Guillard shook his head during the presser and Chris Leben was hoping to get a bonus as well. White revealed that the 25-minute scrap between Faber and Cruz actually screwed Leben and Guillard. Without an obvious fight of the night, the promotion had planned on awarding three KO of the Night awards.



- The Cruz-Faber fight was very difficult to score and left Faber extremely disappointed. At least he kept it together in the Octagon. Matt Wiman failed to hold it together when it was announced he’d lost a close decision to Denis Siver. Wiman ran from the Octagon and eventually out of the building. White no issue with the decision. He scored it for Siver, but did say one celebrity onlooker disagreed vehemently. Justin Bieber thought Wiman won the fight. There’s no news on whether the 17-year-old singer also left the arena in disgust. A less than thrilled Bieber is pictured below with the legendary Chuck Liddell. It’s hard to smile for a photo after missing on out plus-240 Wiman payday.







- Ortiz admitted he was a little annoyed that he didn’t bet on himself. Bader closed as a minus-550 favorite in the MGM Grand sportsbook. A $100 bet on Tito would’ve brought home $400. Ortiz said he was glad to get the $75,000 bonus which he’ll use to “put away for my sons and, I don’t know, maybe go gamble a little bit tonight because is so damn good.”



- White was blown away by Condit and his knockout.

“How easily he did it. How technical it was. He fought an incredible fight tonight. He’s been great in his last two shows,” said White. Condit also destroyed Dan Hardy at UFC 120. “Yeah, he’s proved himself to be one of the best 170 pounders in the world. The guy that he beat tonight [Dong Hyun Kim] was undefeated in the UFC”



- Both Faber and Cruz admitted they barely remembered the details of their five-round war.



“You get really instinctual in there and I can’t really remember the fight. Right after the fight the doctor asked me how I feel and I said ‘I feel great!’ Now I feel like [expletive],” laughed Faber. “You always have to take a look at the actual fight and see what happened.”



“By the end of the fight, you really don’t know what happened,” Cruz said. “I can’t really remember much of anything. You go in there and it’s like a whirlwind in there. Feels like I was in a tornado, you know? I was running into stuff (Cruz wobbles his head) likes dressers and what not. My shoulders hurt. My face hurts. I was just going out there to scrap.”



- It was a tale of two cards. The four Facebook fights were less than scintillating. According to Yahoo! Sports’ Dave Meltzer, UFC matchmaker Joe Silva went into the locker room to give a “pep talk.” He told the remaining fighters that the card needed pick-me-up and it was up to them to save it. The next two fights on Spike resulted in a 59-second knockout by Rafael dos Anjos and Guillard finished Shane Roller in 2:12.



- Looking to the future, Ortiz mentioned that he’d like to face the winner of the August fight between Forrest Griffin and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Guillard mentioned Jim Miller as his choice. When asked about rematching Siver, Guillard said he’d knock him out again. White and matchmaker Joe Silva were asked about what’s next for Cruz? Silva then deferred to WEC’s former matchmaker Sean Shelby, who said both Brian Bowles and Demetrious Johnson were candidates.
UFC Personal Trainer
..

UFC 132: PPV Card Weigh-Ins + Face-Offs (Complete & Unedited)

The following is a new from the page of UFC Dana White:Tiot pulled out UFC FIGHT NIGHT

The following is a new from the page of UFC Dana White:




“Tito has pulled out of night due to getting stitches. 8-0 Phil davis will be lil nog now and is pumped for this fight!”

UFC 121 fight card and Prodications ? Vote who will win

Brock Lesner vs. Cain Velasquez

Brock Lesnar UFC 121 Death Clutch Walk Out T-Shirt - with Sponsors, XXXL
Winner: Lesner 2nd rd. TKO

I think Brock's size and strength advantage is going to help him with the skilled level of Cain Valasquez. I see Cain tagging Lesner and Brock running and falling to the ground like the Shane Carwin fight. Except Cain will throw proper and accurate punches and not gas and finish on the bottom of the mat , where Lesnner will Beat down Cain with his Hammer fist !!Mr. Lesner in the second round.






Jake Shields and Martin Kampmann

Winner: Kampann via split decision

Most people are not giving Kampmann a chance and are looking past Martin and already talking about a Sheilds vs. GSP.

Kampann only 2 UFC loses are to great powerful strikes and sheilds has a lot of great attributes but striking isn't one of them.

I think this will be a tough fight for both fighter and they will show the fans what a real
Mastering Jujitsu (Mastering Martial Arts Series)
mixed martial arts fight is.





Tito Ortiz vs. Matt Hamill

Winner: Ortiz decision

Funny that a loud mouth is fighting a deaf guy!

If Ortiz doesn't come in with his laundry list of injuries ie. "cracked skull" he should beat Hamill with his experience and conditioning.





Brenden Shaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga

Winner: Gonzaga vai 3rd rd. TKO

This one was hard to pick! Brendan has slowly been improving and showing great skill. Gonzaga has been very hot and cold but I think if Gabriel remembers that he has world class level Jiu-Jitsu skill he can grind out a decision.





Court McGee vs. Ryan Jensen

Winner: McGee Decision

Court McGee is a great story of overcoming obstacles and not afraid to share his story to help other people.

Court has another great attribute he has the heart of a true fighter! Ryan Jensen is no slouch but in this fight we will see who wants it more and I think McGee can go into the deep water and pull it off.

Thoughts ?

UFC® 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez

UFC® 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez

UFC 121
When:

Saturday October 23rd, 2010 10 pm EDT / 7 pm PDT

Venue:

Honda Center

Where:

Anaheim, CA

Countdown to the event:

00 Days

09 Hours

44 Minutes

24 Seconds Watch the UFC® 121 PPV on Yahoo! Sports

Live video on fight night streamed to your computer

High quality video streaming at 300k, 700k, and 1200k

$44.95 gets you the live event plus 24 hours of unlimited archive viewing

Buy NowUFC Fight CardMatchup #1

Fighter #1

Name:

Brock Lesnar

Height:

6’3” (191cm)

Weight:

265 lbs (120kg)

Record:

5-1-0 Fighter #2

Name:

Cain Velasquez

Height:

6’1” (185cm)

Weight:

240 lbs (109kg)

Record:

7-0-0 Matchup #2

Fighter #1

Name:

Jake Shields

Height:

0’0” (0cm)

Weight:

0 lbs (0kg)

Record:

25-4-1 Fighter #2

Name:

Martin Kampmann

The Hitman

Height:

6’0” (183cm)

Weight:

185 lbs (84kg)

Record:

15-2-0 Matchup #3

Fighter #1

Name:

Diego Sanchez

Nightmare

Height:

5’11” (180cm)

Weight:

170 lbs (77kg)

Record:

23-2-0 Fighter #2

Name:

Paulo Thiago

Height:

5’11” (180cm)

Weight:

170 lbs (77kg)

Record:

12-1-0 Matchup #4

Fighter #1

Name:

Tito Ortiz

Huntington Beach Bad Boy

Height:

6’2” (188cm)

Weight:

204 lbs (93kg)

Record:

16-6-1 Fighter #2

Name:

Matt Hamill

The Hammer

Height:

6’1” (185cm)

Weight:

205 lbs (93kg)

Record:

7-2-0 Matchup #5

Fighter #1

Name:

Brendan Schaub

Height:

6’4” (193cm)

Weight:

240 lbs (109kg)

Record:

7-1-0 Fighter #2

Name:

Gabriel Gonzaga

Napao

Height:

6’1” (185cm)

Weight:

242 lbs (110kg)

Record:

10
 
Brock Lesnar doesn’t read any of the millions of words that have been written about him. He doesn’t have “The Ultimate Fighter” set to record automatically on his DVR. On Thursday during a television interview with Jim Rome, Lesnar claimed not to know Chael Sonnen, who only two months ago came within seconds of defeating Anderson Silva for the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight title.




The UFC heavyweight champion is an outsider in the sport he dominates. Few of the other fighters know him well and those who do don’t have anything to say about him. There are more leaks about President Obama’s plans for the war in Afghanistan than there are from Lesnar’s camp about any aspect of his life, in the cage or out of it.



More From Kevin IoleShields' star turn a long time in the making Oct 21, 2010 Supposedly healthy Ortiz wants to be on top again Oct 20, 2010 ADVERTISEMENT





UFC champion Brock Lesnar will talk all day about the fight business. Just don't ask him about his personal life.



(Getty Images)

Lesnar does his share of interviews and public appearances in order to build interest in his fights, as all UFC fighters are required to do. But Lesnar controls his appearances in a manner that others are unable to do. Many of the fighters are exceptionally open and reveal the most intimate details of their private lives with the public. Court McGee has been extraordinarily open about his battles with heroin addiction. Aaron Simpson was forthcoming about his mother-in-law serving as his child’s surrogate mother.



They provide a look into their souls and what makes them tick as men and as fighters.



But there is no such look inside Lesnar’s world. There are no photos of Lesnar with his wife and family on a weekend outing, since Lesnar declared them off-limits.



He’s by far the biggest star in mixed martial arts, as evidenced by the fact that each of his last three bouts has sold more than a million pay-per-views and generated about $14 million in ticket sales.



He’ll fight in front of another sellout crowd on Saturday at the Honda Center when he defends his UFC heavyweight title against unbeaten Cain Velasquez in the main event of UFC 121.



But ask his training partners what kind of camp he had and how he’ll cope with Velasquez and they’re suddenly very late for an appointment.



The truth is, there isn’t a lot to know. He’s a simple guy with simple tastes who prefers a night at home in Alexandria, Minn., to a night in a club packed with people.



“It’s very basic for me,” Lesnar said. “When I go home, I don’t buy into any of the b.s. Like I said, it’s pretty basic: Train, sleep, family, fight. It’s my life. I like it.”



Lesnar is an extraordinarily competitive man – “I’ll tell you, I’m a sore frickin’ loser,” he said – and in an amazingly short time, has become one of the world’s finest fighters.



For as much success as he’s had, though, he still doesn’t get the kind of recognition he deserves. This is a man who in four of his five UFC fights has faced a current or former heavyweight champion.



In his last three fights, Lesnar has defeated Randy Couture, a Hall of Famer and the best strategist in the sport; Frank Mir, the best ground fighter in the heavyweight division; and Shane Carwin, the most powerful heavyweight in the world.



The scary part is, he’s still improving rapidly. He’s only been a professional for a little more than three years and he’s still picking up the finer points of MMA that Couture had down solid years ago.



“I consider Brock one of the best of all-time and he’s just getting started,” UFC president Dana White said.



When it’s all finally second nature to him, he may be virtually unbeatable. And so if there is a good time to get him, it must be now. In Velasquez, he meets a guy who has essentially the perfect style to beat him. Velasquez is a better pure boxer, has good movement and unlimited cardiovascular endurance.

Brock Lesnar UFC 121 Death Clutch Walk Out T-Shirt - with Sponsors, XXXL

The conventional wisdom is that if Velasquez can survive the first three rounds, the pendulum will tilt enormously in his favor.



Lesnar’s legendary competitive nature won’t allow him to concede even the smallest point to an opponent, and he’s unwilling to concede he won’t be able to keep pace if the pace is fast and the fight moves into the later rounds.



He loves what he is doing and fighting, unlike professional wrestling, gives him a vehicle to channel his competitiveness. Fighting is a job, and a means of supporting his family, but it’s also a way of life for him.



As he’s talking about the UFC’s growth potential, White often says that “fighting is in our DNA; we get it and we like it.” Lesnar’s DNA is clearly loaded with the love-for-fighting genes.



Because he loves it so much, he’s eager to go to work and, as any human resources director will tell you, a happy worker is a more productive worker.



“At the end of the day, we all sit up here and we just love this,” Lesnar said of the fight game. “I don’t have to prod myself to get out of bed in the morning. I try to be the first one to the gym. I’m so thankful and glad there is an Ultimate Fighting Championship, because if there wasn’t, I don’t know what I’d be doing with myself.

Brock Lesnar UFC 121 Death Clutch Walk Out T-Shirt - with Sponsors, XXXL

“I just want to be better and I want to be the best I can be. Everybody who fights and gets into the cage, that’s the whole purpose of this: Proving that I’m better than the guy I’ve stepped into the ring with.”



Since being submitted by Mir in his UFC debut, which was only his second pro bout, Lesnar has won four in a row and has gotten better each time out. But when it’s over, he retreats into the anonymity of his home in Alexandria, Minn., where he keeps a small circle of friends and a very low profile.



During his appearance on Rome’s show on Thursday, Lesnar was as revealing as he ever has been about his desire for privacy in his personal life.



“I’ve been in front of the cameras for 10, 12 years,” the 33-year-old Lesnar told Rome. “I was a star at the University of Minnesota. I went on to World Wrestling Entertainment. Wannabe NFL player. And here I am, the UFC heavyweight champion.


UFC 121
“I just don’t put myself out there to the fans and prostitute my private life to everybody. In today’s day and age, with the Internet and cameras and cell phones, I just like being old school and living in the woods and living my life. I came from nothing and at any moment, you can go back to having nothing.”



So, his private life will remain private. But he’s leaving us a heck of a lot to talk about in his public life, and that’s plenty good enough. yahoosportsufcmma.com

Tito Ortiz Arrested in Cuffs - Video / Jenna Jameson: I'm Pressing Charges

Jenna Jameson just told our photog she plans on pressing charges against Tito Ortiz. 
Fighting back tears, a clearly emotional Jenna was driving away from her home

in Huntington Beach, CA moments ago -- when she stopped and told our photog, "I'm gonna be alright."

Jenna -- who was wearing giant sunglasses -- continued, "My babies are alright ... everything's OK .. he's in jail."

Jenna was accompanied by her father -- the man who we've learned made the initial call to 911.was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence on Monday, said Lt. Mike Reynolds of the Huntington Beach Police Department.

TMZ.com was one of the first to report police activity outside of Ortiz’s private residence on Monday morning.

The alleged victim’s identity will not be released at this time by the department, said Reynolds, though he said officers had been called to the scene by the victim’s father and that the victim wasn’t taken to the hospital.

The 35-year-old Ortiz is the father of 13-month-old twins, Jesse James and Journey Jette, with former adult film star Jenna Jameson, who resides with the fighter in Huntington Beach, Calif. Ortiz and Jameson are not married.

Ortiz, who is currently starring as a coach opposite rival Chuck Liddell on Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter 11” airing Wednesdays, was handcuffed at the scene and transported to the Huntington Beach Police Department this morning for booking and arraignment, said Reynolds.

Reynolds said Ortiz will have the opportunity to post bail once he is arraigned; the district attorney’s office will review the case and decide whether to press charges.

One of the UFC’s biggest draws at the early part of the decade, Ortiz’s career had recently been cast in doubt with news that he wouldn’t be facing Liddell in a third match at UFC 115 on June 12 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to culminate the end of TUF’s 11th season. Instead, former middleweight champion Rich Franklin will face Liddell instead, fueling rumors that a possibly injured Ortiz leaves the reality show early.

Ortiz has dropped three of his last four bouts, including a second TKO loss to Liddell at UFC 66 in December 2006 in Las Vegas. Ortiz drew with former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans at UFC 73 on July 2007 in Sacramento, Calif.

There have been rumors Rich Franklin replaces Tito Ortiz on The Ultimate Fighter Season 11...this pic from the TUF 11 set seems to confirm this rumor with Franklin's picture up on the wall alongside Chuck Liddell.Rich Franklin vs. Chuck Liddell in the works for UFC 115, not rumored April show (Updated)

There have been rumors Rich Franklin replaces Tito Ortiz on The Ultimate Fighter Season 11...this pic from the TUF 11 set seems to confirm this rumor with Franklin's picture up on the wall alongside Chuck Liddell.has learned from sources close to the promotion that the two have verbally agreed to face each other in June at UFC 115, though contracts have yet to be finalized.

The new matchup replaces a planned third meeting between Liddell and Tito Ortiz that had been expected for the promotion's first trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and may have been arranged as a result of Franklin's unexpected involvement in "TUF 11."

The Franklin vs. Liddell matchup was first reported by Fighters Only magazine, though the U.K.-based publication pinned the fight to a rumored April 17 UFC Fight Night card that now seems increasingly unlikely to occur.

Liddell and Ortiz were announced this past December as opposing coaches on the soon-to-debut "The Ultimate Fighter 11" series. At that time, the UFC also announced plans for the legendary figures to meet for a third time at the conclusion of the series.

It was later learned that the matchup was intended to headline the as-yet-unannounced UFC 115 card in June.

With Ortiz no longer in the plans, the former champion's next move is currently unknown.

In February, with "The Ultimate Fighter 11" still filming in Las Vegas, the "Hunting Beach Bad Boy" posted a series of cryptic messages on his Twitter account the led to many to speculate something had run afoul with his role as a coach on the Spike TV series.

"If things couldn't get worse, they just did!" Ortiz stated on Feb. 24. "[Expletive]! "I want to thank all my fans for your support!

"I guess business is business."

Three days later, additional Ortiz comments led to further speculation.

"Thanks for all the support," Ortiz stated. "Thinking that life couldn't get any harder? It just did! Another challenge that god has given me! Wow.

"Many things that challenge us in lives will make us stronger. One thing I can say is don't ever quit. I'm strong because of my family and fans!"

MMAjunkie.com has been told from additional sources that Ortiz was not able to complete the filming of "The Ultimate Fighter 11," though the reasoning behind his absence wasn't immediately known.

Those same sources suggested that Franklin was possibly brought in as a replacement coach to finish out the season's filming, and "Ace" now meets Liddell as an opposing "TUF" coach.

The original announcement of a third matchup between Liddell and Ortiz was met with little fanfare. Many MMA fans felt the matchup was unnecessary with the "Iceman" already owning a pair of wins over Ortiz – a 2004 second-round knockout and a 2006 third-round TKO.

UFC president Dana White has publicly denied that any changes are taking place through multiple posts on his Twitter account.

"Not true!" White stated. "We are doing (Randy) Couture vs. (Rich) Franklin, not Chuck.

"Nothing happened to Tito. Tito and I are cool."

MMAjunkie.com has been informed by additional sources close to the promotion that while a Couture vs. Franklin fight has been discussed, there are numerous obstacles that could potentially prevent the matchup from taking place, and bout agreements have not been distributed.

For more on "The Ultimate Fighter 11," which debuts March 31 following Spike TV's broadcast of UFC Fight Night 21,

TUF 11 Cast Announced full cast of the 28 middleweights fighting for a chance to become the next Ultimate Fighter. TUF 11 premieres March 31.Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz to Coach Season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter

TUF 11 Cast Announced | UFC | SPIKE.com

The UFC announced during The Ultimate Finale the next step for dance star Chuck Liddell will be a return to a coaching position on The Ultimate Fighter, opposite rival Tito Ortiz.
If you thought Rampage and Rashad hated each other, these two might literally kill each other before taping closes on Season 11. I also don’t expect Chuck to consciously object to a bout with Ortiz

TUF 11 Cast Announced | UFC | SPIKE.com

Brock Lesner pulls out of UFC 106 ? Sick H1N1 Virus ?

UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has withdrawn from his upcoming title defense against Shane Carwin due to illness, UFC President Dana White told Yahoo Sports on Monday.

“He said he’s never been this sick in his life,” White said of Lesnar. “He said it’s been going on for a long time and he just hasn’t been able to shake it.”

Lesnar was scheduled to face Carwin Nov. 21 in Las Vegas at UFC 106. White told Yahoo, however, that Lesnar has been sick for more than three and a half weeks and has been unable to train. White does not think Lesnar has the H1N1 virus, according to Yahoo’s report.

Sherdog.com has not been able to reach Carwin for comment, but he posted on his Twitter account that he was "very disappointed."

"It's (disappointing) hearing about your career and life through the media," Carwin wrote in a second message. "Nothing from the (bosses) yet."

In a third message, Carwin indicated that he had spoken with his manager, Jason Genet, and suggested that the matchup has been postponed until Jan. 2. UFC 108 is scheduled for that date at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

UFC.com reported Monday that a light heavyweight matchup between Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin will now headline UFC 106.

Tito Ortiz fighting Tyson Griffin In UFC 106 ??

Ortiz to face Griffin at UFC 106


Buzz up! 58 PrintTito Ortiz will face a stern test in his first match in the Ultimate Fighting Championship since undergoing back surgery Oct. 6, 2008, when he takes on Forrest Griffin at UFC 106 on Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Ortiz, who last fought at UFC 84 on May 24, 2008, when he lost a decision to Lyoto Machida, had been slated to face Mark Coleman. But Coleman had to withdraw from the bout Monday after suffering a second-degree tear of the medial collateral ligament in his knee.

More From Kevin IoleNo need for a federal commission Oct 8, 2009 Tompkins talks of troubled friend Browning Oct 8, 2009 The UFC had to scramble to find a replacement because most of the stars at 205 pounds are booked. But UFC president Dana White confirmed to Yahoo! Sports on Thursday that Griffin had accepted the bout.

Griffin, who lost a controversial decision to Ortiz at UFC 59 in Anaheim, Calif., on April 15, 2006, said last week he hoped to return to action at UFC 108 in January. Given the urgency to find a suitable opponent for Ortiz in the co-main event of what the UFC sees as a blockbuster card, Griffin agreed to the bout.

Both men are former light heavyweight champions. Griffin defeated Quinton “Rampage” Jackson for the belt last year before losing it in his first defense to Rashad Evans. Griffin is coming off a first-round knockout loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 101.

Ortiz, who re-signed with the UFC in July – thus ending a bitter dispute with White – is 0-2-1 in his last three fights and hasn’t won since stopping Ken Shamrock on Oct. 10, 2006, in a bout on Spike TV.

Since then, Ortiz was stopped by Chuck Liddell in a rematch at UFC 66 – a bout that sold a then-UFC pay-per-view record of 1.05 million – fought to a draw with Evans at UFC 73 and lost to Machida at UFC 84.

Ortiz had fought for several years with pain in his back. He said he hadn’t been healthy since 2002 when he defeated Shamrock in Las Vegas in the first of their three bouts. He had spinal fusion surgery Oct. 6, 2008, and didn’t begin to train again until July.

UFC 106 Brock Lesnar & Tito ??

UFC 106: Lesnar & Tito, Big PPV Potential
August 21, 2009
Yesterday, it was leaked, and then confirmed by various sources, that Shane Carwin is indeed Brock Lesnar’s next opponent. The bout will headline UFC 106 on November 21st from Las Vegas, Nevada; the same night that Tito Ortiz is reportedly set to take on Mark Coleman.
Carwin was supposed to face Cain Velasquez at UFC 104 in Los Angeles, but it appears as though the UFC is looking to avoid having either man eliminated from the heavyweight title picture. Velasquez, however, will still fight on the UFC 104 card against former IFL Heavyweight Champ Ben Rothwell.
Payout Perspective:
This has the potential to be a very serious PPV card. Lesnar or Ortiz headlining on their own have the potential to do huge numbers, let alone if both are on the same card. It may seem as though some are now trumpeting every UFC card to do 1 million+ buys, but here is why I think this card has a legitimate chance to actually make that mark:
Brock Lesnar is the sport’s biggest draw: he’s been in a headlining position (main or co-main event) four times; none have ever done less than 600,000, and each has been successfully stronger than the last (UFC 81: 600k, UFC 87: 625k, UFC 91: 900k, UFC 100: 1700k).
Heavyweight championships sell: no division in combat sports is a potent of a draw as the big men are.
Lesnar’s UFC 100 Performances: he mauled Frank Mir, flipped off the fans, insulted Bud Light, and gave us a little TMI - people everywhere - hardcore, casual, curious, or otherwise - are more interested now than ever before.
Ortiz is an MMA legend, one of the greatest draws of all time: he’s headlined two record breaking events on PPV and another on Spike (UFC 61: 775k, UFC 66: 1050k, Ortiz Shamrock III: HH 3.1 peaking at 4.3 ).
UFC’s super-marketing machine: The UFC has a great deal of incentive to pump up the vaunted UFC hype machine for this event in order to set the tone and build momentum for a very busy year’s end (TUF 10 Finale, UFC 107: Rampage vs. Rashad, and UFC 108 which is an event that could likely feature the return of GSP on January 2nd).

Tito Ortiz Resigns with UFC ? Tito to fight in December 2009 ?

UFC president Dana White touched on a wide variety of topics in a news conference call on Friday, including the signing of former light heavyweight champion and longtime antagonist Tito Ortiz along with several roster additions from the defunct Affliction promotion.
Ortiz (15-6-1) had what both sides categorized ahead of time as his final UFC fight on May 24, 2008, losing a one-sided decision to Lyoto Machida, the company’s current light heavyweight champion.
After major back surgery, Ortiz, 34, said he was targeting November or December for his return, with White saying Ortiz’s first opponent would be Mark Coleman (16-9), the 44-year-old former Olympic wrestler who was heavyweight champion in 1997, and is coming off an upset win over Stephan Bonnar on July 11.

“Tito and I have a history that everyone knows,” said White. “He’s still a guy that everyone wants to see fight. He said his back has healed perfectly and he’s ready to take a shot at the title. He’s one of those guys that people love and people love to hate. We’ve put all our differences aside, have squashed everything and will move forward, and Tito will retire in the UFC.”
White also changed the main event of UFC 103 on Sept. 19, a show at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, an important date on pay-per-view because it goes head-up with Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s next boxing match, against Juan Manuel Marquez. Rich Franklin (25-4) vs. Vitor Belfort (18-8), as a light heavyweight match, will be the new main event for the Dallas show.
Belfort, 32, a onetime teenage prodigy in the sport, has run off four straight wins since a 2006 loss to Henderson. He has been fighting during that period as a middleweight. Belfort had been training for a match with Jorge Santiago on the Affliction card.
Last week, the company had announced Franklin vs. Dan Henderson, a rematch of a Jan. 17, fight in Dublin, Ireland that Henderson won via decision. The announcement was not well-received, largely because people were expecting Henderson’s next fight to be a middleweight title match against Anderson Silva.
Franklin vs. Belfort is actually a weaker-drawing match in opposition to the Mayweather fight, since Henderson clearly became the biggest star of the three men coming off his vicious knockout of Michael Bisping at UFC 100. However, the change is a long-term positive, because White said that Henderson would be kept at middleweight and would get the next shot at Silva. Silva is facing Forrest Griffin in a light heavyweight fight on Aug. 8 in Philadelphia. White said that depending on how much damage Silva takes in that fight would determine when Silva vs. Henderson would take place.
“It could be very soon,” said White.
Previously, an Aug. 29 match between Demian Maia and Nate Marquardt had been considered the match to determine Silva’s next contender, and White indicated the winner of that fight would get the following shot after Henderson.
As for Ortiz, his return to the UFC is the latest in a storied history. White originally got involved in MMA as the business manager for both Ortiz and Chuck Liddell. It was through that association in 2000, that he found out UFC was for sale, and convinced high school friend and casino magnate Lorenzo Fertitta to buy the company for $2 million in early 2001.
Ortiz, who had won the vacant UFC middleweight (now light heavyweight) championship on April 14, 2000, in Tokyo, via decision over Wanderlei Silva, was the biggest star in the early years of White’s promotion. His 41-month reign as champion, before losing to Randy Couture on September 26, 2003, in Las Vegas, is still the longest title reign in any weight class in promotion history.
But over the past eight years, the relationship between White and Ortiz was like a roller coaster ride. Problems first became public in 2003, when Ortiz held out, asking for more money, which White blamed on his wanting to avoid facing Liddell in a title defense.
Their first complete split came in 2005, as Ortiz left the company and complained for nearly a year about the UFC pay structure. He was brought back at the end of the year to oppose Ken Shamrock as coaches on the Ultimate Fighter reality show, and to lead to a match.
The Ortiz-Shamrock drama played out in several chapters and led to a record-setting business year in 2006. During that period, White joked, since Ortiz earned a reported $5.8 million that year in four matches, wins over Forrest Griffin, two over Shamrock and a loss to Liddell. “He loves me now.”
But as Ortiz’s star faded after a loss to Liddell and a draw with Rashad Evans, tensions mounted, leading to Ortiz’s departure from the company.”Time really cures everything,” said Ortiz. “Dana was a man of his word. Dana apologized to me. We’re like boyfriend and girlfriend.” Ortiz said he’d been plagued by back problems since 2003, stemming from an injury in training before the Couture fight, and the injury had gotten progressively worse. He said after recent surgery, his back feels the best it has in years.
He’s already got his rap down for his return, noting that before leaving the promotion, he had matches with the three most recent UFC champions.
He won a close decision over Griffin in 2006, although Griffin improved greatly since that point in time. He went to a draw with Rashad Evans in 2007, and he did catch Lyoto Machida in a tight triangle in the third round of their fight last year. Machida escaped and dominated a lackluster fight, but it was the only vulnerable moment Machida has had since joining UFC.
Ortiz said when White and Lorenzo Fertitta came to his home in Huntington Beach to sign him, he said they gave him “an offer you couldn’t refuse.”’
“I’m happy, I’m satisfied,” said Ortiz. “You’ll never hear anything about money again.”
Besides Ortiz and Belfort, White announced the signing of former Affliction fighters, welterweight Paul Daley, lightweights Dan Lauzon and Rafaello Oliveira, and heavyweights Ben Rothwell and Chase Gormley to UFC. The latter two are already scheduled for an Oct. 24 match in Los Angeles. He also announced that Affliction featherweights Javier Vazquez, L.C. Davis and Mark Hominick have been signed and will fight in World Extreme Cagefighting.
He indicated there are eight or nine other fighters from Affliction they are talking with, mentioning Gegard Mousasi (who faces Renato Sobral on Aug. 15 in San Jose for Strikeforce) as a possibility. But White said he has no interest in former UFC heavyweight champions Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia, both coming off multiple first-round losses.
In a sense, the announcements were a little disappointment to a media expecting a new U.S. television deal to be reached, with rumors abounding regarding ESPN getting into the game. There was an ESPN announcement, regarding the new U.K. version of ESPN, which launches in two weeks, being the new home of UFC in England and Ireland.
On the television front, White indicated the company had multiple network suitors coming off the success of UFC 100, which is estimated at doing 1.6 million buys on pay-per-view. The show ranks behind only the biggest blockbusters in boxing history, the 2007 Oscar De La Hoya vs. Mayweather fight, the 1997 Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield fight and the 2002 Tyson vs. Lennox Lewis fight, in terms of purchaes. It was also the biggest pay-per-view event of any kind in Canada.
Prior to the event, when UFC understated predictions on what the show was going to do, White said that he would to a back flip off the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas if the show did 1.5 million buys.
“I have to work that out with Mandalay Bay,” he said. “We have to figure it out. I’m a man of my word so I’m jumping. I’m not looking forward to it.”

Top 10 MMA Fighters ( Ranking )

By D. Doyle,

The first month of a two-month span in which most of the best fighters in the world compete is complete. They may as well have been grappling for position in the rankings, given all the comings and goings. To wit:
• Rashad Evans enters the poll at No. 6 following his impressive win over Forrest Griffin for the UFC light heavyweight title on Dec. 27. Evans never seemed to get his due on his way up, perhaps because he didn’t exactly set the world on fire in his first two marquee matches – a draw against Tito Ortiz and a split decision over Michael Bisping. Since then, though, Evans has come into his own, with a versatile approach that includes one of the most effective counter-striking games in the sport.
• From the “wow, tough crowd” file: Griffin fell out of the Top 10, finishing 11th. This is still the same guy who finished Mauricio Rua and Quinton Jackson back to back, and won the first two rounds against Evans before losing to his unbeaten foe in the third.

• Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira fell out of the Top 10 after his listless loss to Frank Mir at UFC 92. Never say never, but it looks like Big Nog’s UFC interim title reign could have been the legendary heavyweight’s swan song at the top. Mir, for his part, showed up in the “votes for others” category with five points, five behind the man he beat in February, Brock Lesnar.
• Welterweight Thiago Alves, who finished 11th last month, eased into the 10 spot without fighting.
Alves, of course, is expected to meet the winner of the Jan. 31 megafight between UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn and welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre. The match between No. 4 Penn and No. 3 St. Pierre highlights a month that also includes No. 2 Fedor Emelianenko against former UFC heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski, No. 7 Lyoto Machida vs. unbeaten Thiago Silva, and No. 9 Urijah Faber against Jens Pulver.

Note: This month’s poll was compiled before Shinya Aoki’s win over Eddie Alvarez in Japan on Dec. 31 and thus the poll does not reflect the result.

10. Thiago Alves
Points: 19
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: Fortzleza, Brazil
Record: 16 (won last seven)
Last month’s ranking: unranked
Recent results: def. Josh Koscehck, unanimous decision, Oct. 25
Analysis: Seven straight victories and the most complete Muay Thai game this side of Anderson Silva makes Alves a dangerous foe for the fighter who comes out of the Georges St. Pierre-B.J. Penn match with welterweight gold.
9. Urijah Faber
Points: 24
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Featherweight
Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.
Record: 21-2 (lost last one)
Last month’s ranking: 8
Most recent result: lost to Mike Brown, R1 TKO, Nov. 10
Analysis: Faber faces Jens Pulver on Jan. 25 in a rematch with little upside. The former featherweight champ already handled Pulver in their June meeting. A loss or poor showing against Pulver, who has lost four of his past five matches, will only serve to drop his stock.
8. Lyoto Machida
Points: 28
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Belem, Brazil
Record: 13-0
Last month’s ranking: 10
Most recent results: def. Tito Ortiz, unanimous decision, May 24
Analysis: Machida might not be the biggest ticket seller, but an impressive win over fellow unbeaten Thiago Silva in January will make it very hard to deny “The Dragon” a light heavyweight title shot.
7. Quinton Jackson
Points: 47
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Memphis, Tenn.
Record: 29-7 (won last one)
Last month’s ranking: 9
Most recent result: def. Wanderlei Silva, KO R1, Dec. 27
Analysis: Just to review, “Rampage” has won seven of his past eight fights; beaten the likes of Matt Lindland, Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson and Wanderlei Silva; and his only loss in that span was a coin flip of a decision against Forrest Griffin. Jackson’s résumé over the past three years holds up against everyone ranked ahead of him.
6. Rashad Evans
Points:59
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight (UFC light heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Lansing, Mich.
Record: 13-0-1 (won past three)
Last month’s ranking: unranked
Most recent result: def. Forrest Griffin, R3 TKO, Dec. 27
Analysis: Evans was doubted by fans and media alike throughout his rise to the top. But the tremendous counter-striker, whose success may be the biggest testament to Greg Jackson’s training style, has both the gold and the last laugh.
5. Miguel Angel Torres
Points:98
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Bantamweight (WEC bantamweight champion)
Hometown: East Chicago, Ind.
Record: 35-1 (won past 16)
Last month’s ranking: 6
Most recent result: def. Manny Tapia, TKO R2, Dec. 3
Analysis: How good is Torres? He beat Tapia using just his standup – Tapia’s strength – simply to prove he could. Word on the street has Torres’ next title defense, against Brian Bowles, taking place in Chicago in the spring.
4. B.J. Penn
Points: 128 (one first-place vote)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Lightweight (UFC lightweight champion)
Hometown: Hilo, Hawaii
Record: 13-4-1 (won past three)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: def. Sean Sherk, R3 TKO, May 24
Analysis: The Jan. 31 megafight between Penn and St. Pierre marks just the second time two top-five fighters have met since the Y! poll began. The first was in September 2007, when then-No. 4 Jackson defeated then-No. 3 Dan Henderson.
3. Georges St. Pierre
Points: 133
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight (UFC welterweight champion)
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 17-2 (won past four)
Last month’s ranking: 3
Most recent result: def. Jon Fitch, unanimous decision, Aug. 9
Analysis: When St. Pierre and Penn met last at UFC 59, Penn tagged GSP early and won the first round, forcing St. Pierre to rally. The welterweight champ has rarely allowed himself to be put in such a position since.
2. Fedor Emelianenko
Points: 135 (4 first-place votes)
Affiliation: Affliction/M-1 (WAMMA heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Stary Oskol, Russia
Record: 28-1, one no-contest (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: 2
Most recent result: def. Tim Sylvia, R1 submission, July 19
Analysis: After losing in the world sambo championships a couple months back, Emelianenko decided to skip the media hype for his upcoming match so he could regain his focus. That could be very bad news for Andrei Arlovski come Jan. 24.
1. Anderson Silva
Points: 154 (11 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Middleweight (UFC middleweight champion)
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 23-4 (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: def. Patrick Cote, R3 TKO, Oct. 25
Analysis: Silva is at his motivated best when he’s challenged by elite competition. Thales Leites, his rumored next foe, doesn’t quite fit the bill.
More

• Votes for others: Forrest Griffin 15; Brock Lesnar 10; Eddie Alvarez 6; Frank Mir, Dan Henderson 5; Shinya Aoki 4; Mike Brown, Carlos Condit 3; Jon Fitch, Andrei Arlovski 2; Randy Couture, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 1

• Upcoming matches for ranked fighters: No. 2 Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski, Jan. 24, Anaheim; No. 3 Georges St. Pierre vs. No. 4 B.J. Penn, Jan. 31, Las Vegas; No. 7 Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva, Jan. 31, Las Vegas; No. 9 Urijah Faber vs. Jens Pulver, Jan. 25, San Diego.

Affliction still going strong ! & Sign Tito Ortiz !

By D Doyle

LOS ANGELES – Challenging the mixed martial arts industry-leading Ultimate Fighting Championship has proven a Herculean task. Several would-be promoters have found that the organizational muscle required to carve out a niche in a market dominated by the leading brand has been too much to bear.
But the biggest remaining aspirant to the UFC’s throne prefers to use a different character in Greek mythology to describe his situation.
“I’ve kind of seen myself as Sisyphus these past few months,” said Affliction vice president Tom Atencio. “Roll the boulder up the hill, get it to the top, then have it fall down and have it start over again. That’s sort of how it’s been.”
Right now, the boulder is back at the top of the hill. Atencio hosted a news conference Wednesday at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel for Affliction’s second card, to be held Jan. 24 at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

“In and of itself, just getting back to the point that we’re here, and we’re putting on a press conference and have another show lined up, is an accomplishment,” Atencio said. “There were a lot of twists and turns getting here.”
The show, which features the No. 2 ranked fighter in the , Fedor Emelianenko, against former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski, is the long-awaited follow up to the company’s debut on July 19. On that critically acclaimed card, Emelianenko destroyed two-time former UFC champ Tim Sylvia and Arlovski beat Ben Rothwell in a thrilling brawl.
Affliction was the buzz of the MMA world coming out of that night. But the MMA business for those who would challenge the UFC cratered between then and now. The International Fight League went out with a whimper after millions of dollars in losses; Elite XC’s death was a spectacular, nationally televised fiasco.
Affliction itself had to pull the plug on a planned October card in Las Vegas, as tickets went on sale right when the economy started going south.
But Atencio was determined to keep going, even after others had thrown in the towel. “We have a different business model than they do,” he said. “We’re about a brand and a lifestyle. I don’t spend time worrying about what other people are doing.”
The contraction of the non-UFC mixed martial arts industry makes for a ripple effect from promoters down to fighters, including former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz.
Ortiz, who had his final fight with the UFC in May, has yet to sign with another group. His side of the story is that his UFC contract gave his former employer the option to match any other offers he might get for a year, and he doesn’t want to go back and work for UFC. But he acknowledged times have gotten tough.
“A lot of companies have gone through a lot of money and went out of business,” said Ortiz, who was announced as the color commentator for the pay-per-view portion of the Jan. 24 card. “A lot of people didn’t know what they were doing, and that made it tough for everyone. But there’s a reason why Affliction is still standing. They understand business and understand how to treat the fighters.”
Next month’s card is Affliction’s first since announcing a promotional partnership with Golden Boy Promotions. The first idea for the show was a combined MMA and boxing card. But, in a curious move for a newly announced team, Golden Boy is instead promoting head-to-head in the market on Jan. 24, as WBA welterweight champ Antonio Margarito defends his title against Shane Mosley at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Atencio says he’s not bothered by the perception of competition from a new promotional partner. “We will have boxing and MMA combined cards in the future,” he said. “It’s still on the table. Right now boxing and MMA have two separate audiences, but I think as time goes on you are going to see more crossover.”
That said, Atencio points to the depth of his card, from the Emelianenko-Arlovski main event down to the appealing show-opening lightweight showdown between Chris Horodecki and Dan Lauzon, as the reason why he feels fans will choose his product.
“All I’ll say is, look at the choices that weekend, and I think fans will come to the conclusion we’ve got the deepest card. The other guys have a strong main event, we’ve got a strong main event, but I think if you look at our top five pay-per-view matches, or even our whole card of 11 matches for the fans going to the show, they’re going to conclude they’ll get the most bang for their buck by getting Affliction.”
So Atencio watched as the news conference unfolded according to form. The fighters streamed to the mic one by one and thanked anyone who would listen for the opportunity to fight on a major card.
Vitor Belfort inexplicably told the throng at Cinegrill about his fear of flying, to which his opponent, Matt Lindland, said, “Tell you what, if you’re afraid to fly, you’ve picked the wrong guy to fight.”
Josh Barnett’s most noteworthy talent these days – putting on interviews so entertaining that the bulk of the MMA media ignores the fact he keeps getting massive paychecks for one-sided fights while avoiding the Fedors of the world – was on display as he dazzled the assembled with quips about his match with journeyman Gilbert Yvel.
And so on.
The ordinary news conference provided a moment for the self-proclaimed Sisyphus to stop and take a deep breath. But Atencio knows he has to guard against the rock rolling down the hill again.
“No one said it was going to be easy,” he said. “We’ve gotten this far and we’re not planning on giving up any time soon.”