future of Japanese mixed martial arts rides of Aoki / Watch The official weigh-in event for Strikeforce

Strain slightly and you may hear Hiroyuki Kato muttering Saturday night in Nashville, Tenn.
Mr. Aoki, I watched Kazushi Sakuraba. I knew Kazushi Sakuraba. Kazushi Sakuraba was a friend of mine. Mr. Aoki, you're no Kazushi Sakuraba.
Music City. Bridgestone Arena. A short rib's throw from the Ryman Auditorium. Foreign soil in a foreign country. Did it really come to this for the 37-year-old Kato, considered by many to be the most powerful executive in Japanese mixed martial arts? For Shinya Aoki, the standard-bearer, the current and future? For an industry and a country they cherish equally.
Aoki, 26, 5-foot-11, disdainful, proud, simple, stands burdened by the weight of expectation and anticipation. Slender surly young man, what role will you grasp? Savior? Can you resurrect what once was? Or are you the final nail? The one that couldn't get it done? The reason a feared man gargled difficult words under his breath?
"I haven't been nervous like this in a long time," Kato said from beneath a thinning, graying flattop. "It's very important."
* * *
In the U.S., scouts tirelessly scour every corner of the country in search of the next Clemens or Jordan or Elway. They do this because sport is big business. Because if they don't, someone else will.
Things aren't so different in other parts of the world, which is how Sotaro Shinoda came to know the name Shinya Aoki, a skinny kid with a hefty reputation for finding ippon (finishes) in his high school judo matches.
Shinoda worked alongside Kato and others at Dream Stage Entertainment, the parent company for the Pride Fighting Championships, and kept close tabs on Aoki as he passed through to university life. They watched him become a police officer, before he changed his mind. They watched him step into the ring for the first time. They watched, waited, and not quite three years into his career, still skinny, still searching for definitive endings, Aoki received an offer from Kato's management company, Real Entertainment, to compete in Pride, which in 2006 was the world's dominant MMA organization.
Aoki was the future, the next Sakuraba -- a master showman and the major reason Japanese audiences were so attached to Pride in its early years.
"Simply, he made the MMA business in Japan," Aoki said of Sakuraba. "Japanese fans will always remember him."
Yet less than a year after Aoki debuted in Pride's Bushido series, the company fell under serious pressure when reports linked its management to figures in the Japanese and Korean underworld. Coinciding with UFC's ascension in the U.S., the sport's power base shifted almost overnight from Japan to North America. Deep in debt and facing mounting public scrutiny, Pride CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara sold the company in 2007 to UFC majority owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta.
"That's when things became difficult to navigate because the power structure changed," said Strikeforce president and CEO Scott Coker, whose strong ties to the Japanese fight scene helped maneuver Aoki (23-4) into a cage on American soil against Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez (17-2). "Since Pride left there's been a void. I know fans are still hurt by the demise of Pride. It basically went away. It was like a subculture in Japan. They had a ton of fans. It was something that set the bar."
With an aging, battered Sakuraba taking a step back and Pride lightweight champion Takanori Gomi burning bridges with Kato, Aoki was given the chance to stand as Japan's preeminent fighter. The new platform, a congealing of old Pride and K-1 factions, was called Dream. Aoki has gone 9-2 in the organization, and currently stands as Dream's lightweight champion.
* * *
On Dec. 31, 2009, Japanese MMA was in a bad place. Dream was chugging along, pulling mediocre to moderately acceptable television ratings. Much of the top international talent that marked Pride's heyday had left for America. There wasn't any real momentum behind MMA anymore. Dream was coming off like a faux Pride and upstarts such as Sengoku, formed as a reaction to the sale of Pride to the UFC, seemed incapable of finding stability in a contracting market.
Combine that with what many believe to be the worst economic downturn in Japan's history, and it's no surprise that the MMA industry is diminished to the point where it may soon require a pressing of the reset button.
New Year's Eve at the Saitama Super Arena, a miraculous venue housing many of Japan's best fight cards, Aoki said he was possessed. Literally, by a demon.
Spurned on by Kato -- who hammered into Aoki just how important it was that he defeat Sengoku lightweight champion Mizuto Hirota in the rubber match of a best-of-nine series pitting the promotions' fighters -- the 26-year-old submission wizard grotesquely and unmercifully snapped Hirota's right arm in just over two minutes. Aoki rose to his feet, looked down on his victim and gave him the finger.
Months later, Aoki's decimation of Hirota is a piece of the Dream champion's mythology. During the promotion for his bout against Melendez, he repeatedly insisted he doesn't hold any regrets, nor does he maintain a sense of responsibility.
Aoki has tired of answering questions about Hirota. He doesn't see what all the fuss is about.
"I can't deny that it will happen again," Aoki expressed in baritone voice which takes on the raspy tinge of a post-March Madness basketball coach.
Who is Shinya Aoki?
For starters, he's isn't Kazushi Sakuraba. He isn't a darling of the Japanese television networks. The bout with Melendez won't even be televised back home. (It's relegated to highlights on Japan's national sports news broadcasts.)
He lives frugally, happy to compete and teach. Aoki's parents control his bank account, from which his mother provides a monthly allowance. Aoki's manager, Masaki Hasegawa, the president and owner of Koubudo, a chain of MMA related stores throughout Japan, pays him a regular salary via Dream that is separate to his fight purses. Aoki doesn't watch television. He doesn't have Internet at home either, only in the gym, which is where he spends most of his time.
"MMA is his biggest concern and interest," Hasegawa said. "He doesn't have anything else besides MMA. His only interest is to be stronger than he was yesterday."
Said Aoki: "I dedicate my life to fighting."
* * *
Hiroyuki Kato peered down at Aoki, who was sitting at a large round table surrounded by a dozen or so countrymen.
"I think Aoki knows" the immediate future of Japanese MMA is riding on his performance, Kato said. "This is a big deal, a Japanese fighter on CBS prime time. I expect that many circumstances will change, and people will become encouraged. I hope this fight will change everything for the better."
Asked if he's comfortable in the role of a next-generation Sakuraba, Aoki confirmed he was.
"Our generation has to lead Japanese MMA," he responded. "I feel I'm representing Dream and also Japan."
And what if Kato's prized fighter fails in his bid to capture Melendez's Strikeforce title?
"I don't know what happens," the powerful manager and producer admitted. "Probably, we have to start from the beginning. Even under these circumstances we will never give up to get MMA back to where it was in Japan."
The official weigh-in event for Strikeforce: "Nashville" got underway today (April 16) from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
All fighters set to compete on the CBS "Saturday Night Fights" card made weight with the exception of Andrew Uhrich, who came in a measley half-pound over the welterweight limit. He currently has two hours to lose the extra weight.
Despite the percolating tensions between light heavyweights Gegard Mousasi and "King Mo" Lawal, things remained fairly even-tempered throughout the affair.
And Dan Henderson looked to be having the time of his life.
Here are the complete Strikeforce: "Nashville" weigh in results:

Watch Live on CBS Saturday Night @ 9pm EST.....

Main event:
185 lbs.: Jake Shields (184 3/4) vs. Dan Henderson (185)
Main card (Televised):
205 lbs.: Gegard Mousasi (204 1/2) vs. Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal (204 1/4)
155 lbs.: Gilbert Melendez (154 1/2) vs. Shinya Aoki (154 1/2)
Under card (May not be broadcast):
185 lbs.: Jason "Mayhem" Miller (185) vs. Tim Stout (186)
170 lbs.: Zach Underwood (179 1/2) vs. Hunter Worsham (180 1/2)
185 lbs.: Josh Schockman (205 1/4) vs. Cale Yarbrough (203 3/4)
125 lbs.: Dustin Ortiz (125) vs. Justin Pennington (124 1/4)
170 lbs.: Andrew Uhrich (171 1/2) vs. Dustin West (169 1/2)
205 lbs.: Chris Hawk (205 3/4) vs. Ovince St. Preux (205 1/2)
145 lbs.: Thomas Campbell (145 3/4) vs. Cody Floyd (145 1/4)

Strikeforce Nashville Weigh-ins

  Tim Stout vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller weigh-in video!

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MMA Light Heavyweight Ranking

The light heavyweight division’s title won’t be up for grabs at UFC 100 in a few weeks, but there is a rumored fight for the title at UFC 104 in October 2009 between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and current champ Lyoto Machida.

While many fans wanted to see Quinton “Rampage” Jackson take a few swings at “The Dragon,” he will instead take on Rashad Evans in a grudge match after coaching Kimbo Slice and other heavyweights on The Ultimate Fighter TV show this fall.

So where does that leave the UFC’s most stacked division? Read on to find out who’s the best of the best right now in the league:

1. Lyoto Machida (15-0)

It was pretty much assumed that Machida would defend the light heavyweight title for a long time but the Shogun matchup seems to have many analysts and fans intrigued. Machida would be the favorite in that matchup, however, and he has the ability to make a run at the likes of Fedor Emelianenko and Anderson Silva as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world if he keeps winning.

2. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (30-7)-

His match with Keith Jardine at UFC 96 was a bit needlessly close and many feel he will need to work on some of his flaws in order to beat Machida some day. But Jackson is still diversifying his game with the Wolf’s Lair training camp in England and still is one of the most powerful and intimidating fighters the UFC’s ever seen.

3. Rashad Evans (13-1-1)-

There’s no shame in losing to Machida but Evans seemed totally outclassed. He’ll be the underdog going into the Rampage Jackson fight but Evans’ smarts and knockout power shouldn’t be underestimated in that fight.

4. Forrest Griffin (16-5)-

With a fair size advantage and his heart and all-around skills, Griffin could make things very interesting against living legend Anderson Silva at UFC 101 in Philadelphia. He will make Silva earn the victory this time around, that’s for sure, and you can’t say that about Silva’s last opponent Thales Leites.

5. Shogun Rua (18-3)-

Is his easy victory over Chuck Liddell enough proof that Shogun is back among the division’s elite? Possibly. If he can at least survive five rounds against Machida in their rumored upcoming fight and maybe do what no one else in the UFC has done and actually win a round, that would be proof enough.

Up-and-comer to watch: Jon Jones (8-0)

Jones is still raw in a lot of ways but he is a creative striker and an explosive wrestler who made a win over UFC vet Stephan Bonnar look easy in his last fight. If he tightens up his striking and jiu-jitsu game and improves his cardio, he will shoot up in the UFC light heavyweight rankings.

Former Ultimate Fighter Ryan Bader is another one to watch in this weight class.

Winners At UFC 96 ( Jackson or Jardine ) ?

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson knocked Keith Jardine down with a big right hand in the waning seconds of the third and final round to clinch a unanimous decision in the main event of Saturday night’s UFC 96 at Nationwide Arena.
The victory earned him a title match against light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans. But after the card, there appeared to be questions about whether Jackson, a former champion, will get the next title match.
About 15 minutes after the match was over, Jackson was told the match, which he was expecting would take place July 11, was being moved to May 23 because the UFC had decided to flip-flop the light heavyweight title matches and a heavyweight title match between injured Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar, originally scheduled for the later date.
“Damn,” Jackson said. “I’ll do anything for [UFC president] Dana [White]. I had plans to go on a vacation and find an Asian girl and fly first class, stay in a hut and tell her how I was going to win the light heavyweight title. Now it looks like I have to get my ass back to England to train in two weeks.”
In reality, Jackson is going to have to assess his condition and then decide whether or not he’s going to take the fight, a decision that he and White indicated he would probably make toward the end of this week. It would be his third fight in five months. If not, undefeated Lyoto Machida, who has already accepted the fight, will face Evans on May 23.
Jackson didn’t act enthusiastic about the timing, and said he’d have to speak to his management about the switch in dates. He said it was most likely he would take the fight.
“Rampage” (30-7) won the unanimous decision over Jardine (14-6-1), Evans’ best friend and training partner in Albuquerque, N.M., with scores of 29-28, 29-28, 30-27. Jardine’s unorthodox style seemed to confuse Jackson in the first round, which was close. Jardine won on two of the three judges cards because he landed more often even though Jackson scored with harder punches.

Jackson noted that when he got into the cage with Jardine, early in the first round, he felt overtrained.
“I peaked too soon,” he said. “I was knocking people out a few weeks ago.”
Jackson won the second round, scoring an early knockdown, although Jardine rallied late in the round, which ended with fans giving the fighters a standing ovation. The third round was close, but Jardine was slightly in the lead until Jackson staggered him with a flurry of punches with about 40 seconds left. Jackson decked Jardine with seconds left with an overhand right and left hook combination, which clinched the fight.
“One of the judges told me I had the fight won until the last 10 seconds,” said a frustrated Jardine, who owns victories over former UFC light heavyweight champs Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin.
Jackson said his original game plan was to rush Jardine but felt flat when he got into the cage.
“It was me,” he said, when asked if Jardine’s awkward style caused him to change strategy. “I probably psyched myself out.”
“I knew it was close,” Jardine said. “I don’t play the points game. I was trying to finish it at the end.”
“I wasn’t hurt,” he said, noting he felt he executed his game plan during the fight. “The punch was just hard enough to put me down.”
After Jackson was announced as the winner, Evans came into the ring and the two had a face-off which brought the near-sellout crowd of 17,033 fans to a frenzy, with Jackson vowing to knock Evans out. At the time, Jackson was still under the impression the fight would be held in July.
The switch in dates was arranged Saturday. White said he got the word about Mir’s knee injury on Friday afternoon from reporters Kevin Iole and Neil Davidson. At the time, he didn’t believe the story, because he hadn’t yet heard anything.
Mir, who was in Columbus for the Arnold Schwarzenegger Fitness Expo this weekend, had arthroscopic surgery earlier in the week to clean up bone chips behind the kneecap.
“He could have done the fight but he would have only had three weeks to train for it,” White said. “The doctors said that he couldn’t be sure to go all out on the knee until that time.”
The company’s two options if they were to postpone Lesnar vs. Mir were to move either Evans’ fight or welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre’s title defense against Thiago Alves up two months.
St. Pierre, who fought Jan. 31 and beat lightweight champ B.J. Penn, was back in camp within a few weeks to get teammate Nate Marquardt ready for his Feb. 21 fight in London, where he beat Wilson Gouveia. St. Pierre said he needed some down time after training.
White said that he went right from the press conference, where he was told about the injury, to a TV satellite series of interviews, while at the same time trying to get in touch with Mir’s people. Evans was with him at the time and when he found out Mir was injured, White broached moving the fight up to Evans, who was agreeable.
The July 11 UFC 100 may, economy willing, be the biggest pay-per-view event in company history with Lesnar vs. Mir for the heavyweight title, St. Pierre vs. Alves for the welterweight title and a match of “Ultimate Fighter” Season 9 coaches Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson as the three main events.

UFC 93 Fight Rich Franklin Vs Dan Henderson

UFC 93 Dan Henderson vs Rich Franklin



DUBLIN, Ireland – Dan Henderson’s face reflects the carnage a 12-year career as a mixed martial artist will inflict upon a man.

His nose meanders east and west like a country road along his tattered face. He has bumps where it should be smooth and dents where there should be bumps.

Inevitably, though, Henderson has given more than he’s gotten when it comes to rearranging faces, as was the case on Saturday at a packed and roaring O2 Arena.

The 38-year-old former U.S. Olympic wrestler won a split decision over ex-UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin in the main event of UFC 93 by nearly willing his way to the victory.

Franklin may have been quicker, more athletic and might have hit harder. But Henderson again found his way to neutralize an opponent’s skills with his grit and sheer toughness. He’s the kind of guy you imagine would love to have played football in the leather helmet era or hockey goalie before masks were mandatory.

“I just love to get in there and mix it up and fight,” Henderson said about an hour after his second consecutive UFC victory, which earned him the right to serve as a coach on the upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

Henderson began his second stint in the UFC after a long and successful run in the PRIDE Fighting Championship. He left that organization holding both its 183- and 205-pound belts, the only fighter in major MMA history holding multiple weight-class titles.



His debut in his second UFC go-round came in a 205-pound title vs. title match with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 75 in London, which he lost by an agonizingly close decision.

In his next time out, he fought for the UFC middleweight title against pound-for-pound kingpin Anderson Silva. Henderson won the first round, becoming the first man in the UFC to take a round in a title fight from Silva, before being submitted in the second.

But Henderson defeated submission expert Rousimar Palhares the last time out and then won an eye-opening victory over Franklin. Judges Chris Lee and Tim Vannatta each scored it 29-28 for Henderson, giving him the first two rounds before awarding Franklin the last round. Inexplicably, Chris Watts gave all three rounds to Franklin.

The win certainly keeps Henderson, who weighed in at 202 pounds Friday, three below the limit (despite holding a large drink while standing on the scale), among the UFC’s elite performers.

He’ll fight Michael Bisping, who is coaching the opposite team in the upcoming season of TUF, in his next outing, which will come only a few months before his 39th birthday on Aug. 24.

Henderson, though, still doesn’t make any concessions to age.

“I feel like I’m the same Dan Henderson [despite my age],” he said. “Obviously, those first two [UFC] fights were two [scheduled] five-round fights. I think I almost prepared for those. I was real ready, conditioning-wise. For whatever reason, I got a little tired this fight in that third round.

“I don’t know if it was from getting nailed in the ribs or just getting tired. Either way, I’m the same fighter. I had a good day today.”

Henderson is a perfectionist who wasn’t ebullient despite beating one of the UFC’s top fighters. Franklin left the middleweight division while still widely regarded as the second-best fighter in the class. He also became an instant contender at 205, almost certainly the UFC’s best class.

Henderson wasn’t pleased that he tired in the third and allowed Franklin to take that round. Most 38-year-old fighters – heck, most fighters, period – would have been happy to walk away with a win over Franklin.

Henderson’s victory puts him in an elite group, joining Silva (twice) and undefeated Lyoto Machida as the only men to defeat Franklin.

“I could have done more in that third round,” Henderson said solemnly while sipping from a bottle of water. “That’s what I’m disappointed about.”

But that was all about his night that wasn’t first-rate. He kept Franklin off-balance, not allowing Franklin to connect regularly with his powerful left hand.

Franklin’s left is one of the game’s most feared weapons, but he never really landed a telling blow with it on Saturday.

Henderson kept his chin tucked low, circled frequently to his left and winged the overhand right for which he’s become famous anytime Franklin ventured into his range. The result was that while Franklin was able to land a number of good kicks, he didn’t do the damage with his hands that he does in most fights.

Henderson just ground him down, as he has so many top-shelf opponents over the years. This is a guy who probably could make 180 pounds if he was required yet has wins over stars such as Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on his record.

He’s proof that pluck and courage are as critical to a fighter’s success as punching power and wrestling skill.

Henderson has plenty of all of them, but he’s overloaded with the first two assets. He understands the significance of the win but was picking apart his performance afterward and finding things he wasn’t pleased with.

That’s another sign of a great fighter.

“I’m very happy that I won. Don’t get me wrong,” Henderson said. “But it would have sat a lot better with me if I had a better third round. Maybe I’m my own worst critic, but I always like to finish strong in fights and keep going. I kind of slowed down in the third round, and there’s no reason I should have.

“I always feel like I have something to prove to myself and make sure I perform to the level I’m capable of performing. That’s probably why I could be a little happier after that win. I felt I could have performed a lot better in that third round. I haven’t been concerned what the public feels and who the favorites are. Ultimately, it comes down to performing in the fight.”

And few men in the modern history of MMA have performed more gallantly, more successfully and more fearlessly than one Dan Henderson.

UFC 93 Dan henderson Rich Franklin video Decision

Big Knock Outs For UFC 92

Dramatic UFC wins for Rashad Evans, Frank Mir and Rampage Jackson
A dramatic title-changing night in Las Vegas at UFC92, with triumphant returns for Frank Mir against the odds, Rashad Evans continuing his rise to usurp the light-heavyweight title, and for Quinton Jackson, sweet revenge over his nemesis Wanderlei Silva.

By G. davis

Another one bites the dust: Frank Mir delivers the final blows to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira during the second round of their UFC fight.

Rashad Evans packs a right to Forrest Griffin during their UFC light heavyweight fight.
UFC’s end in 2008 sets up an intriguing plot for 2009. The re-match between Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar for the outright claim to the heavyweight title, ‘Rampage’ Jackson’s full rehabilitation, and the rise and rise of ‘Sugar’ Rashad.
Evans versus Anderson Silva for the light-heavyweight title could be a potential classic encounter, for example, in 2009. Or, indeed, Evans v Jackson. Mir against Lesnar, the return, sells itself. The three mainline contests saw three dramatic stoppages, by KO and TKOs. This was thrilling fare in front of a sell-out MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Between the lines, moreover, two of those three victories represented significant notches for the Wolfslair Academy, the UK training base in Widnes, of Michael Bisping - and now ‘Rampage’ Jackson. With Rashad Evans continuing his rise to become UFC light-heavyweight champion with a third round TKO of Forrest Griffin, Bisping’s split points decision loss to the American 13 months ago augments his case as a title challenger, and even more so at middleweight.
There was another Wolfslair success, indeed, at heavyweight, with Frenchman Cheick Kongo, also based at the Widnes Academy, defeating Mostapha Al Turk in emphatic style. Kongo, 6ft 4ins tall and 240 lbs, a former professional kickboxer, dominated with knees and elbows in the first period, putting Mostapha down with a left-right followed by a ground and pound elbow assault which opened up a gash in the UFC debutant’s forehead.
Several hammer fists later saw the fight’s stoppage at 4 mins 37 secs of round 1. This was only a sign of fights to come. Ultimate 2008 was a night of stand-up, of dramatic action, of punches and strikes.
Jackson, promising to avenge his two previous defeats to the Brazilian Silva, fought cannily, and on his feet, not rushing the action. He meant business, KO-ing Silva with a left hook flush on the chin, in what had been a cagey, rather than frenetic first round. Jackson looks so much more dangerous when he is measured in his approach. He ended the proceedings clinically here with a flush left hook, the fight stopped 3 mins 21 seconds into the opening period.
“I went to the Wolfslair, got my wolf on, I moved my training camp there, and I want to give thanks to them,” said Jackson. Will he be back for the light heavyweight title ? “That’s up to the UFC to decide.” On this evidence, the new Jackson with his self-belief restored will not be too long in getting that call up.
The upset of the night, but one which I had predicted might happen, was Frank Mir stopping Antonio Nogueira by TKO for the interim heavyweight title. Mir fought as close to a perfect fight as he could have, came in great shape, won the stand up, and showed that Nogueira’s many wars may have taken their toll. Mir stopped the Brazilian, the most decorated heavyweight in UFC history, for the first time in his career.
“I faced my mythological monster in there. I have never been as frightened as I walked into the Octagon,” said Mir, who put Nogueira thrice on his backside with clinical strikes. “I faced emotional demons after my [motorbike] crash and I’ve come back to defeat the greatest heavyweight in the UFC. People say you can’t do things, but if I was a betting man I would not have been on Mir’s side. But I proved that if you believe in yourself, you can achieve great things.”
After dominating the first round in the stand up, Mir put Nogueira down with a left hook in the second period before a ground and pound assault took him to victory.
Lesnar awaits. Mir can beat him again.
The main event of UFC 92 produced a phenomenal finish by Rashad Evans against Forrest Griffin, who lifted the UFC light-heavyweight title, to become the third holder of the belt in 2008.
Evans improves his all-round game exponentially with every contest. Again in a stand up fight until the final few dramatic seconds, Evans overcame significant height and reach advantages enjoyed by Griffin, to win with a ground and pound finish in round three of the championship contest. Evans has become a devastating finisher. I must eat my words on this - I underestimated Evans, again.
While Griffin won the first and second rounds (which resembled a kickboxing bout) outscoring Evans with leg kicks, one of them punishing to the body, and jabs, Rashad had some success with his fast hands. In the third, keeping his distance, Evans showed again how he can produce a sudden finish – as he did against Chuck Liddell – nullifying the first two rounds’ deficit.
After catching a kick to his body, Evans dropped Griffin with a right hand, then launched into the champion with a ground and pound attack after Griffin attempted to take his guard. Stunned, Griffin’s defence was ineffective. Griffin looked out before the referee came between the two warriors.
A dozen devastating punches proved exactly why Evans can now be considered one of the most lethal finishers in the division.

My thoughts on what needs to come after tonight ...Rashad Evans vs Rampage has to happen and would draw in HUGE PPV numbers. I thought Rampage beat Griffin and he should certainly get a shot after that KO against Wanderlei SIlva.Obviously Mir and Lesnar are going to fight to unify the heavyweight championship belt. After tonight and after watching the Lesnar fight against Randy there is no way I would bet against Mir or lesnar in those fights. both men are on a mission at this point.Maybe we also need to see Big Nog fight Randy Couture with the winner being next in line to fight the unified champion. Just a thought. These two really need to fight although I have serious doubts about both of their longevitity in the sport after their last two devistating losses. In all honesty Randy looked much better in his loss than Big Nog.Either the winner of Dan Henderson vs Rich Franklin and Machida vs Thiago Silva should get the winner of Rampage vs Evans. I think we will probably see Evans vs Rampage or the winner of Hendo vs Ace fight Evans next because those are big name fighters unlike Machida and Thiago Silva.Maybe we see Shogun Rua fighting the winner of Machida and Thiago Silva if he can get past Mark Coleman (which he should). If Shogun looses this fight all his pride luster is completely gone. It was pretty much gone after he lost to Forrest Griffin but hardcore fans still remember his performances. I'm also really looking forward to the Fedor and Arlovski fight as that is in my mind the fight for the best heavyweight fighter on the planet. One more thing ...We all know how Dana loves these champion vs champion fights. Maybe just maybe we see Anderson Silva fight Rashad Evans for the light heavyweight title. That would be just as sick as the GSP vs BJ Penn fight. Knowing BJ Penn's history (moving upt to heavyweight to fight Machida) he would probably want to move up to middleweight and fight Anderson Silva if he beats GSP. Maybe we could see GSP move up in weight. I don't think we have seen the end of these champion vs champion superfights this year for the UFC.

UFC 92 Results

Ryo Chonan vs. Brad BlackburnRound 1Blackburn walks into the Octagon to the perfectly suited "Bad" from Michael Jackson. No moon walk is performed, unfortunately. They exchange kicks to the body. Good combos from Blackburn early; punches and kicks. Loopy left hook glances Chonan's head. Short left hook from Chonan inside. Not much action. Chonan misses a flying knee and falls onto his back. He springs back up. Blackburn with good leg kick, right cross combo. And another. Chonan is pushing the pace but Blackburn is more active. Close round. 10-9 Blackburn. Round 2Chonan starts the second round with a head kick but it’s blocked. Chonan slips as he's punched as he falls onto his back. Blackburn pounces. Chonan is let back up after no damage is inflicted. Hard right- and left-handed punches score for Blackburn. Blackburn shoots for a takedown but it’s stuffed. The pace slows considerably. Hard kick to Blackburn's ribs. A leg kick connects for Chonan. And another. The close round goes to Blackburn, 10-9. Round 3Left kick to Blackburn's ribs. And another. Blackburn continues to back away to his left. Very little action. Chonan throws a head kick and it’s blocked. And two more, all of which are blocked. Chonan is starting to look desperate. Blackburn is not taking any chances. The crowd is getting restless. Chonan catches a leg but he can't sweep for the takedown. A hard right uppercut rocks Blackburn with 40 seconds left. Blackburn is retreating. A big straight right by Chonan followed by another uppercut. The third frame is all Chonan, 10-9. All three official judges score the contest 29-28 for Brad Blackburn.

Matt Hamill vs. Reese AndyRound 1The fighters trade punches but nothing clean lands. Hamill dumps Andy onto his back. Andy gets up. Left head kick by Hamill but it’s blocked. Good left kick to body from Andy. Andy tries a takedown but is stuffed and caught in a loose guillotine. Hamill lets it go. Left jab by Andy. Gash opens under Hamill's right eye. Very little action. Looping right hand by Andy near bell. 10-9 Hamill. Round 2There's a mouse under Andy’s left eye. Good right hand by hamill. A left and right by Hamill. A hard right knee in the clinch from Hamill. Andy is in trouble. Hamill unloads a furious barrage of punches and another knee. Andy takes another knee and falls. Hamill pounces along the fencing, teeing off with punches. Dozens of punches rain down though most are blocked. Hamill takes his opponent’s back and unloads again. Referee Steve Mazzagatti steps in to halt the bout at the 2:19 mark of round two.

Antoni Hardonk vs. Mike WesselRound 1Wessell comes right at Hardonk and pushes him to the floor. Wessell pounces but is sucked into Hardonk's guard. Hardonk secures an armbar. Wessell escapes and scrambles to his feet. They clinch along fence. A series of knees from Hardonk land. Wessell looks tired already. More knees to body and head from Hardonk. Wessell desperately looks for a takedown. Hardonk pulls guard. The action slows considerably and the crowd is booing. Hardonk just misses another armbar. He goes high with his hips in search of a triangle, but the round ends. 10-9 Hardonk. Round 2Wessell scores a quick takedown. Hardonk is playing a high offensive guard. Hardonk sneaks out the back door and takes his opponent’s back. He's softening him up with punches. Wessell turtles to avoid the rear-naked choke. Wessell rolls over but is stuck, fully mounted. Hardonk tees off with punches. Wessell rolls back over and eats more punches. Yves Lavigne saves him at 2:09 of the second.

Yushin Okami vs. Dean ListerRound 1Lister enters the cage sporting a pre-fight black eye. Lister misses badly with a wild right hook. Lister tries a single-leg, but it is stuffed. Lister is able to pull guard but he can't keep Okami down. Okami lets him up. Okami is dragged to the ground after another single leg. Okami gets back up. A hard left hand by Okami connects. And another. Lister wants the fight down and pulls guard. Lister rolls to rubber guard but nothing unfolds. Okami’s round, 10-9. Round 2Head kick by Lister misses and Okami is pinned against the fence. They separate. Left hand by Okami lands. A takedown by Lister is stuffed. Lister lays on his back to try and lure Okami into his guard. The crowd boos. He does it again. More boos. They're up and clinch along fence. Lister pulls guard. Lister applies an omaplata but Okami escapes. Okami lands three hard punches from on top. Lister scrambles out of danger. He tries to pull guard again. Three more hard right hands from Okami connect. The round ends as the arena showers the Octagon with boos. 10-9 Okami. Round 3Lister comes out firing, but misses wildly. Lister is trying more takedowns but his shots are telegraphed. Lister tries pulling guard again. Finally he successfully pulls guard, but Okami lands two more right hands. Very tedious fight to watch. The crowd is restless and are begging Referee Herb Dean to stand the fighters. Okami lands a decent right and left. Lister is unable to pull any submissions. Dean stands them. Lister misses badly with looping punches. Lister tries another single leg. It’s stuffed. 10 seconds left and the crowd boos. 10-9 Okami. All three official judges see the bout 30-27 for Yushin Okami.

Cheick Kongo vs. Mustapha al Turk Round 1The fighters exchange jabs to kickoff the heavyweight contest. Kongo catches an al Turk kick and trips him to the canvas. Al Turk drops levels for a takedown, but Kongo defends it well with underhooks. Al Turk switches to a double-leg attempt and then gives it up. The fighters clinch against the fencing and Kongo delivers a knee to the body. Al Turk fires back with a knee, but it’s low. Referee Steve Mazzagatti steps in to give Kongo, who absorbed the strike on his groin protector, a reprieve. Action is resumed and al Turk drops for a single-leg takedown. Kongo stuffs it and blasts al Turk with a knee that lands south of the border. Al Turk is given time to recover. Mazzagatti gathers the fighters and tells them to keep it clean. Kongo drops al Turk with two right hands. Kongo pounces with elbows and punches, opening up a huge gash over the right eye. Referee Steve Mazzagatti finally saves al Turk after a savage beating at 4:37 of the first. The stoppage should have come quicker. The gash is about as bad as anything you’ll see in MMA. Starting from above the eye, it follows a jagged path well into the hairline.

Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton JacksonWanderlei Silva enters the Octagon to the sounds of Darude’s“Sandstorm,” the theme he used for years in the Pride fighting championships. Quinton Jackson follows as WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres snaps a picture with his cellphone as “Rampage” passes. Round 1Jackson storms forward and takes the center of the cage. Jackson lands a left straight and a right hand. Silva loads up on a right hand that is blocked by Jackson’s left glove. Silva goes to work on Jackson’s lead leg with a low kick. “Rampage” drops down for a takedown, but Silva is game. He sprawls on it and lands two low kicks. Jackson catches a low kick attempt but loses his balance trying to take the Brazilian down. Jackson knocks Silva out cold with a left hook counter punch. Jackson unnecessarily nailed his fallen foe with three right hands to the face as referee Yves Lavigne pulled him off at the 3:21 mark of round one. Silva lay with his legs quivering for several tense moments, but appeared to be OK as he left the cage under his own power.

CB Dollaway vs. Mike MassenzioRound 1Dollaway attacks Massenzio’s body with a kick. Massenzio, whose left knee is heavily bandaged, appears to be slow in his movement around the Ocatgon. Massenzio hurts Dollaway with a right hand. Dollaway is hurt and is forced to fend off a tight guillotine choke. Dollaway escapes and then has to defend a Massenzio triangle choke attempt. Dollaway gets out of danger and moves to side control. To mount goes Dollaway. He punches the head, forcing Massenzio to give up his back. Dollaway flattens out Massenzio and cracks the head with both hands until referee Yves Lavigne steps in at 3:01 of the opening frame.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank MirRound 1Mir fires a head kick that misses. Mir goes to the inside of Nogueira’s front leg with a low kick. Mir is picking Nogueira apart with punches and kicks early. Mir trips Nogueira to the mat and enters his guard. Mir stands and invites “Minotauro” to follow. Mir blasts Nogueira with an uppercut and another low kick. The pace slows a bit as Mir appears to tire. Nogeuria takes the center of the cage looking fresh with his jab. Mir drops Nogueira to the canvas with a right hand. Mir pounces but patiently stands back to his feet once Nogueira had recovered. To the body with a knee and a left kick goes Mir. Nogueira gets off with his hands for the first time in the bout. Mir scores another knockdown with a right hand at the sound of the bell. TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 MirMike Fridley scores the round 10-8 Mir Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Mir Round 2Mir attacks with a flurry of punches that come up short. Nogueira answers with a stiff low kick to Mir’s right leg. Mir’s lateral movement is good as he bounces on his toes, moving away from Nogueira’s power. Frank Mir steps forward in the pocket and puts Noqueira down with two left hooks. Mir finishes the Brazilian with punches on the floor. Referee Herb Dean stops the mauling at 1:54 of the second stage.

Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad EvansRound 1Griffin stalks the challenger around the cage, but Rashad connects first with a left hand. Grffin misses on a low kick. Griffin loads up a right hand that nearly connects. Griffin lands a low kick and a foot to the body. Evans returns the favor with a hard low kick of his own. The champion throws three jabs but they all fall short of their target. Griffin abandons his jab with a punching flurry and is cracked with a straight right to the ribs and a low kick. The champion again goes at Evans’ left leg with a kick. Evans switches to a southpaw stance to avoid punishment on the leg. He switches back to orthodox and gets the best of a punching exchange. A hard body punch prompts Griffin to take a deep breath. TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 GriffinMike Fridley scores the round 10-9 EvansJordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Griffin Round 2Griffin takes the center of the cage and moves toward Evans. Griffin lands a low kick and a right hand. Griffin gets busy from the Thai clinch with knees to the chin and body. Evans eats a punch and then taunts the champion by blowing a kiss and then touching his athletic cup. Evans, still smiling, absorbs another low kick to his left leg. And two more. Griffin is scoring big with his low kicks. The challenger attempts to kick back but his balance has been affected by the abuse to his legs. Evans connects with a clean straight counter right to the chin. Griffin shakes it off and stays busy with kicks and punches from the outside. A hard right from the champion closes the period. TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 GriffinMike Fridley scores the round 10-9 GriffinJordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Griffin Round 3Griffin slips during an exchange and is forced to work from his back. Evans pounds away with punches from both hands as referee Steve Mazzagatti looks on closely. Griffin hangs on and recovers enough to attempt a triangle choke and an omaplata. Evans lands five hard right hands from the top position that hurt the champion. Evans pours it on with left-handed power shots until Griffin taps out from the abuse. Rashad Evans claims the UFC light heavyweight title at 2:46 of the third round.

Big Fights for year end 2008 UFC 92

Not one, but two titles are on the line on December 27th as former UFC Heavyweight champion Frank Mir continues his pursuit to regain the belt when he meets Interim UFC Heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira in a showdown between the two coaches of this season’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter®. Also on tap is a grudge match between two former champions, as MMA legend Wanderlei Silva takes on former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Who is the greatest champion to ever come out of The Ultimate Fighter? That question could very well be answered as Forrest Griffin (16-4) meets the red-hot Rashad Evans (17-0-1) for the 205-pound crown. Las Vegas, Nevada’s Griffin has won three in a row, including a submission victory against former PRIDE® champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and a stirring decision win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Niagara Falls, NY native and former national junior college champion wrestler Evans is starting to compile quite a highlight reel with knockout wins over Jason Lambert, Sean Salmon and most recently UFC legend Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell.

“Forrest fights from the heart just like me, and everyone underestimates Forrest until they get in there with him, like me,” said Evans. “I think he and I are going to be like Ali vs. Frazier – this will be the first time we meet, but it won’t be the last, so I want to set the precedent. Fighting Forrest for the title is a dream come true; it’s crazy to think about how far I’ve come, but I’m going to treat this like every other fight. And like I’ve shown time and time again in my fights, opportunity is all I need.”

As always, Griffin remains focused and humble.

“I’m happy that the winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 gets to fight the winner of Season 2,” Griffin said. “I think that’s great for a couple of reality show guys. Rashad has a great wrestling background, he has a lot of power and explosiveness, and he doesn’t just knock guys out, he knocks them out for quite a while. But I know a lot of people will be watching this fight. This is a great fight card, I’m honored to be on it, and I’m definitely not going to let anything slide.”

It’s almost time for The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir coaches to step from the Octagon™ apron to inside the cage and decide who deserves to be the heavyweight champion. Las Vegas’ Frank Mir (11-3) will meet the only man ever to hold the PRIDE and UFC heavyweight titles, Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira (31-4-1). The matchup features two Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts that seem to enjoy high-profile matches.

“I’m excited to get back in the Octagon December 27th and finish off what was started on The Ultimate Fighter Season 8,” said Nogueira. “I’m the Interim Champion, I’m fired up to fight Frank Mir. He’s one of the best ground guys in America and I’m looking forward to testing my skills against him.”

As former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir readies himself for his greatest test yet, he appreciates the fact that he’s about to lock horns with an MMA legend.

“It’s a huge honor fighting Nogueira,” Mir said. “No matter what happens at the end of the night, I’ll be a better fighter for it. I’m looking ahead; I’m not looking back at where I came from. I’m going to keep pushing forward, and getting my title back is just another step forward for me.”

In what has “fight of the night” written all over it, former PRIDE champion Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva faces a man who he has beaten twice before in Memphis, Tennessee native Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Both of these fighters have dynamite in their fists, and Rampage (28-7) is looking to prove that he is a different and greatly improved fighter.

“Wanderlei is an exciting fighter with awesome skills,” said
Jackson. “I think this is going to be the fight of the year. Don’t miss it.”

But Curitiba, Brazil’s Silva (32-8-1), who is coming off a vicious KO win over Keith Jardine, didn’t return the compliment.

“I’m not fighting him for money – I’m fighting him for pure pleasure,” Silva said. “He talks bad about me on the Internet, yet he won’t talk bad to my face. I don’t like him and I can’t wait to beat him down at UFC 92.”

UFC 88 Chuck Liddell VS Rashad Evans

Who will Win ?? Chuck Liddell should rebound , from here and beat Evans within the the first or second round by TKO ! Any Thoughts?? Rematch w/ Jackson ,or title fight w/ Griffin ???

UFC 90 In the Windy City ( Chicago ) ??

UFC 90 tentatively planned for Oct. 25



Buzz Up PrintUFC 90 will likely take place Oct. 25, sources close to the event tell MMAjunkie.com

UFC President Dana White first mentioned the possibility of the upcoming show during this past weekend’s UFC 86 event, and a few fighters’ managers and agents tell us that the organization has begun initial calls to recruit fighters for the Oct. 25 event.

In theory, UFC 90 will take place a week after “UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben“—on pay per view, most likely in Chicago.

Although the UFC intended for UFC 89 to air on Spike TV—and use it a way to promote the following week’s UFC 90 event on pay per view—a deal has not yet been reached with the basic cable station. UFC 89 takes place at The National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England, and features a main event between Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben.

As of now, Spike TV officials aren’t commenting on the possibility of airing UFC 89, but with a so-so main event, the cable station is unlikely to fork over major dollars—like they did with a UFC 75 event headlined by Quinton Jackson and Dan Henderson—for the rights to air the Bisping vs. Leben event.

If the UFC and Spike TV are unable to reach a deal for UFC 89, the UFC would be unlikely to host pay per views on back-to-back weekends, so UFC 90 could be bumped to a later date.

However, if UFC 90 does go on as planned, it could be the first-ever UFC event to take place in Illinois, a state that passed legislation in September 2007 that called for the the Illinois Athletic Commission to regulate mixed-martial events. During a press conference this past weekend, White said the organization was close to doing an event in Chicago, long considered a lucrative and untapped market for the UFC, in late October.

The event would likely take place at Allstate Arena or the United Center. The 20,000-capacity Allstate Arena, which is located just outside Chicago in Rosemont, Ill., has been considered the front runner ever since the UFC officials expressed a desire to visit the Windy City in 2007.

For the latest on UFC 90, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors Here at http://www.ufcmmaextreme.blogspot.com/

Griffin Wins UFC Championship ! Watch Highlights UFC 86

Forrest Griffin beat Jackson , It went all 5 rounds and won the 205 UFC Championship ! It was a good fight but Jackson ran out of steam by the 3 rd round , and could not connect w/ a punch that would stun Griffin . Griffin proved once again he can take a punch and still deliver a beating to others !Griffin survived the onslaught and defied the critics — and the champion — to topple Jackson, taking the fight on all three judges scorecards. What do u think of the Fight ??

UFC 86

Who Will Win ?? Jackson Or Griffen ??