Thursday, March 31, 2011
Dana White says Mirko Cro Cop heading to retirement following UFC 128 KO loss to Brendan Schaub
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At the very least, the vicious third round KO loss spells the end of his UFC career, as UFC President Dana White said after the event that Cro Cop would not get another fight in the organization. He said Cro Cop would be heading to retirement, and that he didn't expect much resistance from the Croatian on that front.
"I was talking tonight about how tough Mirko 'Cro Cop' is," White said after the event (transcribed by MMAJunkie.com). "At his age and with the wars he's been in, to see how he gets in there with these heavyweights now that are bigger, stronger and younger than he is ? and he still holds his own ? it's a testament to what a great fighter that guy was in his prime.
"I have all respect for Mirko 'Cro Cop,' but yeah, I'd have to say tonight is probably the last time we'll see 'Cro Cop' fight again."
Cro Cop entered the UFC for the first time in 2007 following a career high in winning the 2006 Open Weight Grand Prix in Pride. After a first round win over Eddie Sanchez, Cro Cop was then knocked out by Gabriel Gonzaga in his second UFC fight in what, at the time, was an entirely shocking upset. His first stint with the organization ended after a second consecutive loss to Cheick Kongo by decision.
He returned to the organization in 2009, and went 3-3 over his last six fights. But in his last two performances, Cro Cop was knocked out by both Frank Mir and Schaub in vicious fashion. At 36 years of age, he's contemplated retirement multiple times in the past, and after those two losses in a row, it may finally be time to hang up the gloves.
Penick's Analysis: Cro Cop has had a long career, but up against the new breed of heavyweights, and even some of the old guard, Cro Cop has simply lost a few steps, and he's not the fighter he was in 2006. With how badly he was knocked out against Mir and Schaub, there's no need for him to continue taking that type of punishment. And now that the UFC won't provide him a home, and with Strikeforce no longer being an option, there won't be anywhere viable for him to fight. Fans won't forget the highlights he provided, but his time as a top level heavyweight has long since passed.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8810.shtml
Dana White video blog UFC 127 Weigh-ins - UFC 127
Dana White video blog leading up to UFC 127 on Saturday, LIVE at 10PM/7PM ET/PT on Pay-Per-View and www.UFC.tv. For more ways to watch go to www.UFC.comSource: http://mmalice.com/ufc-127/dana-white-video-blog-ufc-127-weigh-ins-video_f7293d030.html
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
NSAC complaint states Thiago Silva's UFC 125 drug-test sample "inconsistent with human urine"
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The NSAC has officially filed a complaint against the Brazilian fighter due to the findings. His "A" sample came up as an "invalid result" that was "inconsistent with human urine," a finding subsequently confirmed by further testing on a "B" sample. The NSAC's conclusion is that Silva "submitted an adulterated and/or substituted specimen for testing for the urinalysis."
Per Kizer, Silva will be asked to appear in front of the NSAC at their April 7 meeting in Las Vegas. He will be given an opportunity to address the situation, and he may be subject to a suspension, fine and the overturning of his win to a "no contest" due to these findings.
Penick's Analysis: Well then, this is a different situation entirely than what was speculated. It appears he attempted to pass the urine test with urine acquired elsewhere, but how he acquired urine that wasn't even human... who knows. IThis won't be easy for him to try to explain his way out, and while whatever he was attempting to get away with using won't be known, this clearly means he didn't give his own sample. He'll likely be suspended a year for this, and I can't imagine any excuses he'll attempt to present here.
[Thiago Silva art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8914.shtml
Tim Kennedy Post-Fight vs Melvin Manhoef - Strikeforce
After defeating Melvin Manhoef by first round submission, Tim Kennedy shares his post-fight thoughts with Showtime Sports.Source: http://mmalice.com/strikeforce/tim-kennedy-post-fight-vs-melvin-manhoef-video_592ab5ac9.html
Thiago Silva admits to using "urine adulterant" for UFC 125 drug test, will accept any and all punishment from the NSAC
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Here is Silva in his own words:
"We make decisions every day of our lives. Some are good and some are bad. When you make a bad decision, you can either make the situation worse by trying to cover it up or lie about it or just stick your head in the sand and refuse to acknowledge it even happened or you can own up to it with an honest explanation, accept the consequences of your actions, apologize to the people affected by it, learn from it and move on. I'm choosing the second option.
I used a urine adulterant when giving a sample following my fight with Brandon Vera. I did so in an attempt to alter the results of the test and knowingly broke the rules of the Nevada Athletic Commission. This was a terrible decision on my part for which I will be punished. I am prepared to accept this punishment, learn from it and move on. I apologize to the Commission, the UFC, Brandon Vera and the MMA fans.
I do want to explain the circumstances behind my actions. Please do not interpret this as an attempt to justify my actions. I know they were wrong and I know I made bad decisions and I know I deserve to be punished. That is why I began my statement with an admission and an apology before going into these details. This is not an excuse, only an explanation.
I had been tested on five prior occasions while fighting for the UFC before the Brandon Vera fight. Four of the tests were urine only and one included a blood sample as well in New Jersey the day before the fight. I passed each of those tests. I suffered a severe back injury shortly before the Rashad Evans fight. It was the biggest fight of my career and there was no way I was going to pull out of it. I fought and lost and was out of action for a year rehabilitating the injury and getting ready to fight again.
I reinjured my back 45 days before the fight with Brandon Vera. After not fighting for a year, I made the decision to not pull out of the fight. I also decided that the only way I could continue with the fight was to take injections in my back and spine that contained substances prohibited by the Nevada Athletic Commission. I also made the decision to use a product to hide the presence of these substances in a urine test.
These decisions were mine and mine alone. I did not share this information with anyone prior to the fight for fear that I would not be allowed to fight. I obviously made a terrible decision. I have since learned that it may have even been possible to fight had I been open and honest and disclosed the injury and treatment prior to the fight. I also realize that not being allowed to fight as a result of the treatment would have been a better result than the mess into which I have now gotten myself.
Again, I take full responsibility for making the decision to break the rules and try to cheat the system. I will accept the punishment I receive and will learn from this. I plan to come back as a better person and professional as a result."
Penick's Analysis: An admission after the fact is much better than a denial, and it's good that he's owning up to it and accepting the punishment coming his way. At the same time, this is one of those situations where you ask "is he sorry or just sorry he got caught?" Had the test not caught that it had been altered, and had Silva gotten off without getting flagged no one would have known what he did. Still, admitting his wrong-doing and accepting punishment is more honorable than attempting to deny it when he's been caught. He cheated, he got caught, he'll be punished, and he'll have this stigma on him in the future. How this affects his spot in the UFC remains to be seen, but if history is any indication there won't be any added ramifications from the UFC.
[Thiago Silva art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8921.shtml
Steve The Snake Claveau Rich No Love Clementi Mark The Hammer Coleman
Bas says Jones will takedown ‘Shogun’ easily
Bas Rutten's reaction to Jon Jones' title shot was similar to many around the sport, "is it too soon?" The former UFC heavyweight champ and analyst for HDNet came around quickly on the style of the fight favoring Jones.
Rutten has already seen Jones toss around solid wrestlers with ease, so how is Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, going to stay off the deck?
Jones challenges Rua for his 205-pound title on Saturday in Newark, N.J. The UFC champ has devastating kicks, but Rutten doesn't think it'll be enough to slow down the 23-year-old freight train.
Rua turned pro in 2003 and has 23 fights under his belt. Jones has only been a pro since 2008, yet he opened as a minus-170 favorite over the champ. The public is firing on Jones, he's up to minus-200 off shore.
You can watch UFC 128 right here on Yahoo! Sports.
UFN 24 picks, Vegas-style: Hardy an underdog against Johnson
Dan Hardy and Anthony Johnson meet up tonight on the comeback trail. Hardy is trying to get a win after a knockout loss at the hands of Carlos Condit, while Johnson returns from injuries after 16 months off. Hardy is staring at three straight losses, yet he's an underdog. Hardy at plus-125 is on our best best plays on the card.
Yahoo!'s lead MMA writer Kevin Iole joins us to break down Ultimate Fight Night 24 (Spike 10 p.m. ET/PT) and gives his Vegas odds winners.
Even though this is only his ninth fight since turning pro in 2008, Phil Davis is a huge 3-to-1 favorite over veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. There's value on "Lil' Nog" at plus-220, but only if can stay off the mat against Davis, a former Penn State wrestler.
Leonard Garcia is a favorite over "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung. Garcia has decision wins over Zombie and Nam Phan, but many observers thought he lost both. Amir Sadollah (4-2, 4-2 UFC) is a massive favorite at minus-300, that in spite of the fact that he's had trouble finishing fights. DaMarques Johnson (12-8, 3-2 UFC) has broken mentally a few times in the past, but he's a pretty dangerous fighter on the ground and brimming with confidence right now.
Michael McDonald and John Hathaway, two of Zuffa's better prospects, are on the Facebook undercard. McDonald, 20, is a big favorite over Edwin Figueroa while Hathaway, 23, who has a limited wrestling experience, faces a good grappler in Kris McCray. This is the second fight at welterweight for the plus-250 McCray.
Keep an eye on Mike Russow against Jon Madsen. The "The Ultimate Fighter 10" alum Madsen has quietly gone 4-0 in the UFC but relies heavily on his takedown game. Russow is a stocky dude with good power in hands. He offers nice value at plus-240. Another TUF alum with a question mark could be Alex "Bruce Leroy" Cacares. He faces an experienced veteran with a lot of motivation in Mackens Semerzier. Semerzier's back is against the wall with three straight losses.
Official plays in bold below.
UFN 24 betting odds (Courtesy Lagasse's Stadium Las Vegas):
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (+220) vs . Phil Davis (-300) - Light heavyweight
Dan Hardy (+120) vs. Anthony Johnson (-150) - Welterweight
DeMarques Johnson (+220) vs. Amir Sadollah (-300) - Welterweight
Chan Sung Jung (-105) vs. Leonard Garcia (-125) - Featherweight
Alex Caceres (+170) vs. Mackens Semerzier (-200) - Featherweight
Mike Russow (+240) vs. Jon Madsen (-320) - Heavyweight
Kris McCray (+250) vs. John Hathaway (-330) - Welterweight
Edwin Figueroa (+220) vs. Michael McDonald (-300) - Bantamweight
Sean McCorkle (+135) vs. Christian Morecraft (-165) - Heavyweight
Mario Miranda (+180) vs. Aaron Simpson (-220) - Middleweight
T.J. Waldburger (+300) vs. Johny Hendricks (-400) - Welteweight
Waylon Lowe (+180) vs. Nik Lentz (-220) - Lightweight
TONIGHT: MMATorch Tuesday Livecast - UFC Fight Night 24 review, Lesnar and Dos Santos on TUF 13, the week in MMA and more on new edition of Internet call-in show with Hansen & Pelkey
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-Tonight we bring a breakdown of last weekend's UFC Fight Night 24 event, a look ahead to the new season of The Ultimate Fighter with coaches Brock Lesnar and Junior Dos Santos, a run down of the week in MMA news and more!
Visit the following URL to listen:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mmatorch.
BlogTalkRadio is customized for both the web and your mobile phone.
You can call to participate at (646) 716-8090. That's also the number you can call during the show listen without participating with a question or comment. So if you're not near the Internet but have your phone, you can listen live, also.
The show will be archived if you don't listen live. All of our previous episodes are available on demand on BlogTalkRadio.
You can subscribe to the Livecast to hear it on delay via iTunes here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id357424499
We also have an MMATorch Podcast in iTunes featuring our pre-recorded shows such as the weekly Audio Choke, PPV Previews, Interviews, PPV Roundtables, and more. Check that out here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mma-torch-2010-ufc-news-roundtables/id253731019
You can also simply search "MMATorch" on your phone or on your computer.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/MMATorch_Podcast_45/article_8917.shtml
Article: [VIDEO] Phil "Mr.Wonderfule" Davis interrupts his training to save a life
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Bobby Lashley, Phil Baroni, Aaron Rosa Win at Titan Fighting
Former pro wrestling star Bobby Lashley stepped back into the mixed martial arts cage Friday night for the Titan Fighting promotion, and the good news is he won.The bad news is that he showed that he's still the one-dimensional fighter with absolutely no cardiovascular endurance that he's always been.
"It was not as good as I wanted," Lashley said afterward. "But it was a victory."
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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/26/bobby-lashley-phil-baroni-aaron-rosa-win-at-titan-fighting/
Vinny Magalhaes Wins, M-1 Global Makes Its Showtime Debut
The card was an important one for M-1, marking the first time the promotion got on premium cable without needing to put Fedor Emelianenko on the card and co-promote with Strikeforce, and for the most part the fights delivered: This wasn't the kind of high-quality MMA fans get with major UFC and Strikeforce shows, but the bouts were generally entertaining.
Vinny Magalhaes, known for making it to the final of Season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter, was by far the best-known fighter on the card. Magalhaes completely outclassed Jake Doerr, taking Doerr's back on the ground easily, sinking in a body triangle and landing punches until the referee stopped the fight, handing Magalhaes a first-round TKO victory.
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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/25/vinny-magalhaes-wins-m-1-global-makes-its-showtime-debut/
Here?s my friend Casey
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TracyLee/~3/uj_Q8wQIeh4/heres-my-friend-casey.html
Twitter’s evil downside: Tito and Jenna fighting again online
Tito Ortiz, still one of the most high profile fighters in mixed martial arts, is a prolific tweeter, but the last day or so is one of those times you wish he and his former pornstar wife Jenna Jameson would power down.
Two nights ago, Ortiz got MMA fans and followers all worked up when he sent out a tweet saying, "I'm out."
The rumor mill cranked up thinking the fighter was talking about his career in the cage. After all, Ortiz has had a ton of injuries and delays in recent years. He was supposed to fight this weekend at Ultimate Fight Night 24 against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira before pulling out. It was confirmed early this week that he'll return against Ryan Bader at UFC 132.
Right now, there's no need to worry about his work in the Octagon. Instead, it looks like Tito was talking about the latest run-in with his wife. Ortiz wasn't very forthcoming, but Jameson was tweeting on the topic of her marriage with every Tom, Dick and Harry.
Thanks to Cage Potato for this tip and Twitter screengrabs. CP also did a great job of summing up the latest chapter in the Tito-Jenna story:
Seriously. Is Twitter and Facebook just a major waste of time for anyone who isn't a creep or an attention whore? Hopefully they follow through with this latest threat of a split so we don't have to report on their train wreck of a relationship again.
?UFN 24: Nogueira vs. Davis? gets greenlight as all fighters make weight
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2011/03/25/ufn-24-nogueira-vs-davis-live-weigh-in-results/
Dan The Sandman Christison Logan The Pink Pounder Clark Steve The Snake Claveau
Brock Lesnar angry with his loss to Cain Velasquez at UFC 121, feels he was healthy physically but not mentally
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The loss to Velasquez last October was the first time Lesnar had truly been beaten up, and the chance to get another shot at Velasquez is what led him to the show and this bout with Junior Dos Santos.
"[I'm trying to] appreciate my career a lot more than I did before the sickness, but I'm angry. I'm angry that I lost last fall," Lesnar said on a media conference call on Monday. "But being angry about it isn't the solution, but doing something about it. That's what I intend to do, is to get a title shot."
Looking back at the loss to Velasquez, Lesnar realizes the mistakes he made not just during the fight but in taking the fight at the time he did, and for him there was simply a lot in his life that he went through last year.
"I was healthy physically, but mentally, probably not so," he said. "I don't think it really registers to the general public on my year last year. From being sick and losing 42 pounds and just to get my ass to the gym to recover and put that weight back on, and then have a title fight. And on top of that, while I'm training for a title fight, [my wife gave birth to] a new baby boy... then fighting Shane Carwin, and then I was expecting some time off, because I really needed it mentally, more than anything, and physically.
"And then [after that] I booked a fight against Cain. If there was one thing I could learn from that, it's maybe to spread title fights out a little farther than what I did. But I took a good loss from Cain."
Lesnar feels the loss to Velasquez came about because of one shot he didn't recover from, but believes after looking over the fight that he's got what it takes to make the outcome different the next time around.
"Evaluating the film, me and Cain traded punches back and forth," Lesnar observed. "He was uncomfortable on his feet enough to take me down. Then from there, I escape, and I take a shot to the chin and I don't recover from it.
"In this game, it's a matter of inches, and he was victorious that night. Next time, will it be different? I would hope so. But I've got to get through Junior, and I plan on doing that in June."
[Brock Lesnar art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8904.shtml
Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison Logan The Pink Pounder Clark
Titan FC 17 Play-by-Play and Results
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2011/03/25/titan-fc-17-live-results/
Monday, March 28, 2011
This is a beautiful sight to see and one that I see more and more lately?
TONIGHT: MMATorch Tuesday Livecast - UFC 128 review and fallout, Jones vs. Rashad talk with guest Duane Finley and more on new edition of Internet call-in show with Penick, Hansen & Pelkey
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-Tonight, BloodyElbow.com's Duane Finley joins the show to discuss Rashad Evans' departure from Greg Jackson's camp, the crew break down the action from Saturday's UFC 128 event and look ahead to UFC Fight Night 24 and more.
Visit the following URL to listen:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mmatorch.
BlogTalkRadio is customized for both the web and your mobile phone.
You can call to participate at (646) 716-8090. That's also the number you can call during the show listen without participating with a question or comment. So if you're not near the Internet but have your phone, you can listen live, also.
The show will be archived if you don't listen live. All of our previous episodes are available on demand on BlogTalkRadio.
You can subscribe to the Livecast to hear it on delay via iTunes here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id357424499
We also have an MMATorch Podcast in iTunes featuring our pre-recorded shows such as the weekly Audio Choke, PPV Previews, Interviews, PPV Roundtables, and more. Check that out here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mma-torch-2010-ufc-news-roundtables/id253731019
You can also simply search "MMATorch" on your phone or on your computer.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/MMATorch_Podcast_45/article_8835.shtml
PODCAST: Michael Bisping talks spitting incident at UFC 127, UFC 128 review and more on this week's ESPN UK UFC Podcast
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ESPN UK Links:
http://www.espn.co.uk/ufc/sport/video_audio/81110.html
http://www.espn.co.uk/UFC/sport/story/77209.html
iTunes links:
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/espn-ufc-podcast/id422840754
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/MMATorch_Podcast_45/article_8836.shtml
my apology
Source: http://forums.ufc.production.sparkart.net/showthread.php?t=82142&goto=newpost
Dan Henderson Post Fight vs Feijao - Dan Henderson
The new Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, Dan Henderson talks with Showtime Sports. In this straight-from-the-cage interview, Hendo talks about the punching power that took down Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante.Source: http://mmalice.com/dan-henderson/dan-henderson-post-fight-vs-feijao-video_e3fbb5ae1.html
Gas tanks on E: Lashley and Baroni win, but look exhausted
Bobby Lashley and Phil Baroni picked up wins last night at Titan Fighting Championship 17 in Kansas City, but neither did much to ease questions about their stamina issues.
Lashley pummeled 215-pound John Ott on the ground, but looked tired in the opening minutes of the second round. The former WWE star tried to put a positive spin on the lackluster decision win, 29-27, 30-27 and 29-27.
"No, no no ... I didn't punch myself out [in the first round]. I was looking for something that wasn't there. I felt good. I needed to spend some time out there," said Lashley.
The 6-foot-2, 252-pounder did get in his 15 minutes, but it was rough sledding at times. In the second and third, when it was standing, Lashley could barely hold his arms up and when he did throw punches, they lacked sting.
On the ground, Lashley (6-1) landed some good shots, but Ott wouldn't give in.
"Not as good as I wanted to, but it's a victory. We have stuff to work on, but I felt good out there. I felt like I was in control the whole time. That's what important," said Lashley.
HDNet MMA analyst Frank Trigg refused to put a positive spin on Lashley's effort.
"He showed he can't finish a fight unless it's a guy like Wes Sims, who stands there and let's himself get beat up," Trigg said. "Basically what he is, is a high caliber college wrestler, who spent some time in the WWE, that's crossed over into fighting without learning anything else."
Lashley, just six fights into his MMA career, was trying to get things back on track after a bad loss against Chad Griggs at a Strikeforce card last August.
Lashley, 34, was manhandling Griggs in the first round, but couldn't finish him. He tired badly and was blasted out in the second round. Following the fight, Lashley hit a Houston-area hospital complaining of abnormal fatigue during the match. He was eventually diagnosed with mononucleosis. He went four months with zero training, Five weeks ago when he signed with TFC, Lashley said he felt great.
Clearly, the bout with mono wasn't the only issue. The thickly-muscled Lashley appears to have only four or five good minutes in his gas tank.
Baroni is 27 fights into his career and is still battling a similar issue. "The New York Badass" beat a kid with five pro fights, but it wasn't easy. Baroni, who used to consider MMA wrestling kind of wimpy, was forced to scrap a striking gameplan. He scored takedowns against Nick Nolte (3-3) in each round and looked to grind down the clock. Baroni (14-13) limped across the finish line with a unanimous decision victory, 29-28, 30-27 and 29-28.
"I was really tired there. I was really tired in the second," Baroni said. "He got me with some good knees to the body. Give him credit, more than saying I was out of shape. I was in shape. I had to take the fight to the ground because [of the knees]."
The 30-27 score was baffling considering Baroni, leaning against the cage for much of the final round, basically allowed Nolte to beat the snot out of him with knees, kicks and punches.� Booing and screaming loudly, the Kansas City crowd didn't appreciate Baroni's efforts.
"I needed a win. I could've stood there and made it a shootout, but I needed the win. I'll give Nick Nolte another fight. Thank you very much. I appreciate all the applause. I'll do a little better next time," Baroni said sarcastically.
Abe Wagner, a former "Ultimate Fighter 10" alum, failed to build on the momentum from his upset win over Tim Sylvia in January. He lost via submission (rear-naked choke) against Aaron Rosa.
Phenom Jones blows away Rua to take light heavyweight title at UFC 128
The pace at which MMA is evolving is amazing and Jon Jones is full proof of that. Bigger, more athletic and harder working athletes are getting into the sport everyday. Jones, a good college wrestler from a family of football players, just completed a short three-year journey to take out one of the greats of MMA with relative ease.
Jones pummeled Mauricio "Shogun" Rua on the feet and ground for two and half rounds. The Brazilian couldn't take anymore and slumped to the canvas at the 2:37 mark of third round giving the UFC light heavyweight title to the 23-year-old Jones at UFC 128 in Newark, N.J.
"It feels go good. It's a testament that dreams do come true guys. They really can, believe in yourself," Jones told UFC analyst Joe Rogan following the victory. "It means a lot to me, but I know it also means I have a huge target on my back. And when you guys come to strike at me, I'm going to strike right back."
The 6-foot-4 Jones is really unlike any athlete the UFC has ever seen aside from former heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar. He walks around at roughly 225 pounds, but his frame looks like it could easily carry 250 pounds. His football playing brothers are massive. Chandler, a defensive lineman at Syracuse, is 6-6, 251 and his older brother Arthur, is a 6-3, 313-pound tackle in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens.
The dwarfed Rua (19-5, 3-3 UFC) was in trouble from the opening seconds of the fight. A very well-rounded fighter, Rua looked like amateur in the clinch, on the ground and even standing up. Just 20 seconds in, the fighters clinched and Jones did what he's done to every previous opponent, he tossed Rua on his head like he was fighting a lightweight.
Anytime the fight was on the feet, Jones kept Rua at long distance and delivered a bevy of front, leg and body kicks. He was also devastating with his knees. Jones, who appears closer to 6-5 or 6-6, used his height to grab Rua's head on multiple occasions to deliver nasty knees to the body from a thai clinch.
By the end of the first round, Rua looked out of gassed and stunned. The onslaught continued in the second. Jones did damage with a nasty front kick and an inside leg kick with three minutes in the round. Amazingly, Rua, who's known for his kicks, hadn't thrown one the entire fight. Jones scored another takedown with 2:33 left in the round and showed great patience. He wore down Rua with forearm across his chin and grinding elbows across his face.
In the third, Jones got top control again when Rua made a desperate attempt at a leg lock. The Brazilian stayed out of trouble for a few seconds before Jones landed some nasty elbows. After getting abused on the ground for nearly a minute, Rua scrambled and as he tried to get to his feet, he got crushed by a knee to the body. He was hurt badly and immediately stumbled across the Octagon to put his back on the fence. Jones, possessing incredible killer instinct, threw a vicious body shot to Rua's right side. He went down in a heap. That was it. He had no more fight left in him.
UFC analyst Joe Rogan captured the scene by saying, "That ladies and gentlemen is the future and the present!" Rogan went on to say that Jones might be the greatest natural talent the sport has ever seen.
Rua, 29, was once the future of the sport. He shocked the world by winning the PRIDE 205-pound Grand Prix back in 2005. Shogun, just 23 at the time, wrecked a field filled with legendary fighters like Vitor Belfort, Alistair Overeem, Quinton Jackson, Dan Henderson, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Ricardo Arona and Wanderlei Silva.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
UFC Fight Night 24: Amir Sadollah Beats Up DaMarques Johnson
In what may have been his most impressive performance in the Octagon to date, former Ultimate Fighter winner Amir Sadollah put a serious hurting on DaMarques Johnson at UFC Fight Night 24 on Saturday night, forcing him to tap out as he rained down vicious elbows on the ground in the second round.Sadollah showed off precision punching in the stand-up, some good takedowns and a killer instinct when he had Johnson in trouble in the second round. It was a great showing for Sadollah, although Sadollah made a point to credit Johnson for taking the fight on short notice.
"I want to say a huge, huge thank you to DeMarques," Sadollah said afterward. "He took this fight on two weeks' notice, which a lot of guys wouldn't have done. I have a lot of respect for him."
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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/26/ufc-fight-night-24-amir-sadollah-beats-up-damarques-johnson/
Barnett needs to take care of business before Ratner and UFC let him fight in June
One of the major unresolved issues from the UFC purchase of Strikeforce is the status of Josh Barnett in the heavyweight Grand Prix. The rumor flying around UFC 128 was that Shane Carwin would be inserted into the tourney and Barnett would be removed.
Barnett presents a headache to both Strikeforce and its new parent company Zuffa because he's still not officially licensed to fight in the U.S. Barnett refuses to cooperate with California, the state that originally handed down the suspension because of a positive test back in July of 2009. He served a year penalty, but still hasn't shown his face before the California commission. The hearing has been delayed four times and Barnett no-showed a hearing on Feb. 22.
Yahoo!'s lead MMA writer Kevin Iole joined ESPN1100 in Las Vegas to tell us how the UFC is likely to handle Barnett's licensing situation. Iole suggested that Barnett is going to run into trouble with Marc Ratner and UFC brass if he doesn't go through the proper to steps to get re-licensed.
UFC Fight Night Once Again Delivers
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?73962-UFC-Fight-Night-Once-Again-Delivers&goto=newpost
UFC Fight Night 24 Live Blog: Amir Sadollah vs. DaMarques Johnson
Filed under: UFC
SEATTLE, Wash. -- This is the UFC Fight Night 24 live blog for Amir Sadollah vs. DaMarques Johnson, a welterweight bout on tonight's UFC on Spike TV event at the Key Arena.TUF 7 winner Sadollah (4-2) was 2-1 last year with wins over Brad Blackburn and Peter Sobotta. TUF 9 welterweight runner-up Johnson (12-8) defeated Mike Guymon at Fight for the Troops 2 earlier this year.
The live blog is below.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT 24 RESULTS: Phil Davis edges Antonio Rogerio Nogueira by decision in Seattle
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The fight was fairly even through the first round and a half. Nogueira's takedown defense was superb, and he managed to hold Davis off on multiple attempts through the first eight minutes of the fight. However, Davis stayed busy on the feet, and though he didn't land flush on a ton of shots, the accumulation of kicks in the first round edged it for him on the judges scorecards.
Then, in the second, Davis was finally able to get Nogueira to the ground. He would do that multiple times over the final seven minutes of the fight, but Nogueira's stellar guard wouldn't allow for much damage to be delivered. Ultimately, Davis was able to secure the victory by decision, ultimately out-striking Nogueira 72-16 overall in the fight.
It may not have been the most thrilling victory, and Davis still has a ways to go in his development, but the fact that he was able to accomplish what he did at 26-years-old against a top 10 fighter in Nogueira was still impressive. He's not Jon Jones, and he won't immediately be jumping into the title picture, but he belongs against top competition right now and he proved that on Saturday night.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8888.shtml
Saturday, March 26, 2011
5 Fights Now Set For UFC Fight Night 24 Facebook Stream
5 Fights Now Set For UFC Fight Night 24 Facebook Stream is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News
Source: http://www.mmainterplay.com/ufc-news/5-fights-now-set-for-ufc-fight-night-24-facebook-stream-53943/
Pittsburgh in the mix as location for UFC on Versus 4 on June 26
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The UFC is still reportedly looking at locations in Ohio and Wisconsin, and Milwaukee continues to be talked about for this Versus card or the one in August, but the UFC has had at least preliminary talks with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission about holding the event in Pittsburgh.
The UFC will be returning to Pennsylvania at least once this summer, as they are planning an August pay-per-view return to Philadelphia, but they have yet to run an event in Pittsburgh. Possible venues in the city for this card are the 19,000 seat Consol Energy Center, home to the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, and the 12,000-seat Petersen Events Center on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.
So far, two fights have been reported for this card, with Pat Barry expected to meet Cheick Kongo and Matt Brown vs. Rich Attonito planned as well.
Penick's Analysis: Pittsburgh is a great sports city, and the UFC will surely want to bring an event there as soon as they can. Right now, Milwaukee still makes sense as a possibility with Barry on the card, but with nothing set the UFC will go with whatever makes sense to them. But fans in Pittsburgh surely want an event, and the UFC wants to bring them one, so we'll see in the next few weeks which way the UFC goes with this card.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8869.shtml
Article: Jedi Mind Tricks - Monolith
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?73846-Article-Jedi-Mind-Tricks-Monolith&goto=newpost
Article: Jedi Mind Tricks - Monolith
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?73855-Article-Jedi-Mind-Tricks-Monolith&goto=newpost
Friday, March 25, 2011
Tibau downs Pellegrino in UFC 128 Facebook opener
It was strength against strength as Kurt Pellegrino faced Gleison Tibau. The UFC veterans are both accomplished grapplers and pretty much nullified each other for 15 minutes, but it was Tibau who was a little bit stronger down the stretch when he was able to score a pair of takedowns in the final two minutes.
The Brazilian walked away with a split decision victory, 29-28, 29-28 and 28-29, in the first fight of UFC 128's Facebook broadcast from Newark, N.J.
After a dead even first round, Pellegrino landed the biggest punch of the fight. With 3:10 left in the second, the New Jerseyan drilled Tibau (22-7, 8-5 UFC) with a right hand that buckled his legs.� He followed that up with another big right, then picked up Tibau and slammed him to the floor. Tibau was clearly stunned but Pellegrino (16-6, 7-5 UFC) couldn't land a fight ending shot and couldn't pass guard to get to side control or the mount. All the work on top, may have tired out Pellegrino for the final round.
Tibau was the fresher, more poised fighter over the final five minutes. He held his hands close to his face and landed some nice shots to mark up Pellegrino under his left eye.
Pellegrino got sloppy with his right hand and was flailing a bit.� Tibau scored a pivotal takedown with two minutes left in the fight and then another with 40 seconds left. That sealed it for Tibau. With the victory, Tibau avoided two straight losses while Pellegrino suffered his second straight defeat.
Pyle edges Almeida behind some big knees
This matchup was almost identical to the previous fight. Ricardo Almeida and Mike Pyle are dynamite ground artists. The Brazilian may be more decorated on the international scene, but Pyle is a gritty MMA veteran, who's pretty solid in all facets of the game.
Pyle, the better conditioned fighter throughout and slicker on the feet, rolled to a unanimous decision victory, 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.
Pyle's game plan was to keep things on the feet. On two occasions, he dumped Almeida to the mat and basically walked away asking the referee to stand Almeida back up. Pyle (21-7, 4-2 UFC) never landed anything huge but was effective with some knees as Almeida (13-5, 6-5 UFC) shot for takedowns.
Pyle's takedown defense was excellent and when he did go down, he got up quickly. This is a huge win for Pyle, who waited a long time to get to the big show. The 35-year-old has now won three straight with the promotion.
After dropping down from 185 pounds, many thought Almeida would be a force at welterweight. It hasn't worked out for "Big Dog" who's just 2-2 at 170 pounds.
UFC 128 undercard (Courtesy MMAjunkie):
Erik Koch def. Raphael Assuncao via KO (punch) - Round 1, 2:32
Nick Catone def. Costantinos Philippou via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Joseph Benavidez def. Ian Loveland via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
UFC NEWS: Nam Phan out of UFC Fight Night 24, "Korean Zombie" vs. Leonard Garcia II now coming to main card on Spike
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UFC officials on Wednesday announced Phan's removal from the card, as well as his replacement in "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung.
Jung-Garcia I took place on the Spike TV prelims of the WEC's only pay-per-view card last April. Jung, who made his debut at that event with a 10-1 record, went toe-to-toe with Garcia in a sloppy, yet thrilling, three round bout, and for many earned two of the rounds. The judges had different ideas, however, and two of them gave the fight to Garcia 29-28, handing Jung the split decision loss. He followed that up with a head kick knockout loss to George Roop in September, and is in desperate need of a win in taking this fight on short notice.
Garcia has posted a 3-2-1 mark over his last six fights, but in the eyes of many very well could have lost all of those fights. Five of his last six fights have garnered split results, and in the case of the Jung fight and the fight with Phan in December, Garcia won despite the protests of most fans.
This bout will remain on the main card of this event, which takes place from Seattle's KeyArena next Saturday, March 26, airing live on Spike TV with Phil Davis vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in the night's main event.
Penick's Analysis: It's really unfortunate that Phan was forced out of this fight, but the UFC went with the exactly perfect replacement in this situation. Garcia-Jung, while it hasn't held up on multiple viewings as quite the classic many felt it was while watching it, it still was an extremely exciting fight, and this rematch should be as well. Jung really does need this win, and Garcia would I'm sure like to earn a win without controversy in the judging, so it should make for a great replacement fight.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8776.shtml
MMAjunkie.com's Dann Stupp on ESPN Radio-Omaha today at 4 p.m. ET
MMAjunkie.com editor-in-chief and "Dayton Daily News" MMA columnist Dann Stupp today joins 1620 The Zone - ESPN Radio's affiliate in Omaha, Neb.Stupp joins "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" hosts Kevin and Mike'L at approximately 4:10 p.m. ET (3:10 p.m. CT local time) to discuss tomorrow's UFC Fight Night 24 event and the fallout from UFC 128.
A free stream of the show is available at www.1620thezone.com.
Article: Jedi Mind Tricks - Monolith
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?73837-Article-Jedi-Mind-Tricks-Monolith&goto=newpost
Article: Jedi Mind Tricks - Monolith
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?73895-Article-Jedi-Mind-Tricks-Monolith&goto=newpost
Strikeforce to adopt Unified Rules, elbows on the ground to be legalized
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According to Zuffa owner and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, they will be implementing the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts in Strikeforce, removing Strikeforce's previous rule set.
Strikeforce's modified rule set made elbows on the ground illegal, but that will no longer be the case. It wasn't made clear whether that change will be immediately implemented, though that is likely to be the case.
Strikeforce's next event is the 15th edition of their "Challengers" series on April 1, airing live on Showtime from the Stockton Arena in Stockton, California.
Penick's Analysis: This is a great change for Strikeforce. Disallowing elbows on the ground was a detriment to ground and pound fighters, as it took away a major weapon from their arsenal once the fight hit the ground. We've seen it demonstrated as a vicious tool with the ability to end fights, perhaps most notably just from Jon Jones in two fights in 2010, and it's something that would have been useful to many fighters under Strikeforce's employ in the past. With the Unified Rules in place, that tool is back in play for a lot of fighters.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Affliction2/article_8749.shtml
Thursday, March 24, 2011
As you can see- dinner last night w/ @bradblackburnjr & vanessa was a lot of fun!
5 Reasons Why Jon Jones Could Beat Rashad Evans
Source: http://www.fighters.com/03/18/5-reasons-why-jon-jones-could-beat-rashad-evans
Manager: Nate Diaz vs. Rory MacDonald Still on for UFC 129
Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, News
Nate Diaz is still slated to fight Rory MacDonald at UFC 129 in Toronto.Speculation arose Tuesday night when the welterweight fighter tweeted: "Can someone tell Canada to quit trippin and let me up in there I'm tryin to get paid."
However, Diaz's manager and trainer, Cesar Gracie, confirmed with MMA Fighting via text message on Wednesday that Diaz will have no problem fighting on the April 30 card.
Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/23/manager-nate-diaz-vs-rory-macdonald-still-on-for-ufc-129/
Sense of something to prove permeates Season 4 featherweight field
Article: Jedi Mind Tricks - Monolith
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?73829-Article-Jedi-Mind-Tricks-Monolith&goto=newpost
VIDEO: UFC 129 "St. Pierre vs. Shields" promo first seen on UFC 128 broadcast
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App Users Click Here For Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbvpdWpqQw4
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8815.shtml
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
MMATORCH INTERVIEW: Jameel Massouh feels this is his time, out to win 5th straight against Roli Delgado at Bellator 37
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During the course of our 20 minute conversation, Massouh discussed Delgado, fight preparation, the Zuffa acquisition of Strikeforce, and much more.
RICH HANSEN: Tell me about Roli Delgado and how you match up with him, and also how and when this fight came together for you.
JAMEEL MASSOUH: The fight came together a few weeks ago, just sort of out of the blue. I thought it was an interesting matchup, just because I've never fought anyone as tall as Roli Delgado is. I think he's 6'3" and fighting at 145 makes him like a humongous giant. I don't usually fight people who are taller than me period.
RICH HANSEN: Who's the biggest guy you ever fought?
JAMEEL MASSOUH: Clay French was shorter than me, but he was solid and huge, kind of like a football player. So he was one of the bigger guys that I had to try and move around. He was strong, but he had a lower center of gravity. Other than that, I would say that Erik Koch was pretty big. I was surprised at how big Erik Koch was for his height. I consider myself a really big 145 [pounder], and I didn't feel big next to him.
RICH HANSEN: I know it's not always so simple, but would you rather be the bigger but slower fighter, or the smaller but faster fighter in a fight?
JAMEEL MASSOUH: I'd say smaller and faster.
RICH HANSEN: So you say that speed plays more into what you'd like to do in a fight than size?
JAMEEL MASSOUH: Yeah, I think so. I mean, it is speed and cardio combined. It does me no good to be fast if I can't continue to be fast the whole fight. But I think speed and cardio combined suits me better.
RICH HANSEN: What do you have to look out for most when you're fighting Delgado? Is there anything he might be able to take advantage of against you?
JAMEEL MASSOUH: You know, it's a really interesting fight because I haven't fought a lot of guys like him. Not even because of his size, but he's a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. I don't think I've ever fought a Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter before. And I know he's got a dangerous guard because he's so long. It's kind of like fighting Cole Miller. He's one of those long guys who can catch people in submissions from his back. I know I have to be careful. Not that I don't think I'm better than him; I think I'm better than him on the ground. I've got more than enough experience on the ground and more than enough knowledge to do well against him. But he's built well for his guard, so I have to keep that in mind. And likewise on the feet, I think I'm technically way more proficient a striker than he is. But at the same time he's got this long reach that suits him well to do Muay Thai with that reach. I saw his fight against Andre Winner. Even though Delgado got knocked out, he did some things that were good there too. I just have to keep his length in general in mind. For me, my strategy going in there is, obviously I want to knock him out. And a big part of that factor is being able to control the clinch and being able to control where the fight goes. That way, if I am having trouble for some reason I can really close the gap and keep him from getting the takedown on me too.
RICH HANSEN: Does his UFC notoriety give you a little bit of extra motivation, knowing that beating someone with a bigger name could do more for your career than beating someone with no name recognition?
JAMEEL MASSOUH: Well, his notoriety doesn't intimidate me in the sense that he was in the UFC and I was in the WEC. I've fought top-10 guys. I don't think he fought any top-10 guys. Like I said, Andre Winner?s one of the best guys he's fought. But I mean, Junie Browning beat him in a controversial decision on The Ultimate Fighter, and that's sort of the level that he's at. Not to take anything away from Junie because I like Junie as a person and as a fighter. But I don't think Roli is necessarily an A-level fighter. I think he's a dog in a fight. I think he's capable. I respect his capabilities but I don't think he?s A-level.
RICH HANSEN: With this fight being an unaired prelim give you extra motivation to go for a finish if it presents itself, one that you might not otherwise go for in an attempt to shorten the fight in hopes that it makes TV?
JAMEEL MASSOUH: No, because I'm always going out there as a martial artist to perform my best. So I mean if I can ever take control of a fight and finish it I'm going to. But in my experience, when you try and force things that's when you get yourself hurt. So I'm never out there to try and force a finish or force anything. That's how I wound up getting my shoulder separated before by Erik Koch. I tried to force an overhand right and ended up get getting my back taken and he dropped me on my shoulder. So, I do much better being more of a cerebral fighter, and just knowing when to go for my moves. And it's served me well. I mean I got my finish in my last televised fight for Bellator. That finish was the same thing. I was just waiting for my time and it came.
RICH HANSEN: Tell me a little bit about life during "Fight Week," specifically from when you get off the plane until you get to the locker room. There are a lot of things that people who don't fight don't know about. Where do you train once you've arrived? How and where do you cut weight on the road? How are you able to watch your diet? Do you go out and explore the town?
JAMEEL MASSOUH: You know, it's one of those things that changes depending on where I am at. Whenever I fight overseas, I'll land, get settled into my hotel room, and then I'll take a walk and try to know the city. I try to get rid of some of my energy from the jetlag so I'm tired when I need to sleep. And it's also nice to be familiar with what's going on mentally. Like this week, I checked out the Super WalMart, the shopping mall, and the movie theater. I happen to be by myself down here this week until [Dave] Strasser is going to join me. So right now I'm sitting in my room watching Netflix. But really I just try to relax and do whatever feels good until I start cutting weight and focusing on that. I really start focusing on cutting my weight about two weeks before the fight. I try to eat healthy before that, but not restricting calories or anything like that. The week of [the fight] I definitely start restricting calories to about 1300 calories. I have to find fresh produce and things like that which digest well. As far as my workouts go, I got out here [Thursday] and it's not a heavy workout day for me, or [Friday]. The only thing I really need to do is to rest everything so that I can peak on Saturday. When I cut weight out here right now it's more or less sweating it off, getting rid of water. To me it's so much more a routine now than it used to be. Like now I know exactly what to do. If my body is not reacting I know I have to put a little extra in. Before, cutting weight used to be really difficult.
RICH HANSEN: With Strikeforce being purchased by Zuffa, it seems like options might be shrinking for fighters. Do you think that the Zuffa acquisition of Strikeforce is a net positive or a net negative for fighters and how about for yourself specifically?
JAMEEL MASSOUH: I sort of have my own thing going on right now. I'm riding a four-fight win streak for me, so personally I think that if I do well [this weekend] and if I do well in the future, if I wanted to get back into Zuffa I could. I think it's a good move for Zuffa. [Strikeforce was] doing decent numbers. They had done stuff with Emelianenko and some of the best heavyweights. It sounded like from Dana White that he isn't really going to put his hand in it that much. It sounds like [Strikeforce is] pretty much autonomous, just owned by Zuffa. So we'll see what happens I guess. I think it could be good and bad. I remember he said something about Paul Daley not ever fighting in the UFC still, but he would allow him to fight in Strikeforce. Now, I have a good relationship with Bellator, and I feel like for Bellator right now the fewer competitors the better. They're building their brand name really well right now. Bellator doesn't make a lot of mistakes like Pro Elite and BodogFight did, which was to spend a ton of money that they didn't have. Bellator keeps it tight and they've made a lot of really good signings.
RICH HANSEN: Earlier you said, "If I wanted to get back into Zuffa I could." Is [getting back to Zuffa] not a top priority for you right now because you're happier with Bellator, or something else.
JAMEEL MASSOUH: You know, it has nothing to do with who I'm happy with and who I'm not happy with. The thing is I'm just a fighter. Just point me in what direction I need to fight. Obviously I fought for Zuffa before, and I didn't do as well as I necessarily wanted to. I lost three fights. And even if some of them were entertaining fights or whatever, I mean I lost three in a row. But I've had a good year this year, going on a four fight win streak against some decent opponents and some international travelling. It's not easier for anyone in my position, especially because I'm just from Kenosha, WI and people don't really know who I am. I fly under the radar even when I do win on national tv.
RICH HANSEN: Yeah. You're from a town of only 80,000 people and you're not even the most known fighter in that town, what with Ben Rothwell and all.
JAMEEL MASSOUH: I know; it's ridiculous! And no offense to Ben Rothwell but I feel like I'm more talented than he is even, at least as being an all-around fighter. But whatever, that's neither here nor there. The important thing is that I'm working hard. If I win this fight, it's a five fight win streak and that looks well for any fighter in any company in any situation. I feel like this is my time. I've been out to prove that I'm not done as a fighter. I mean, I got thrown in with the sharks [in 2009]. Koch is doing awesome in the WEC. He's had a really good run and he's impressive. And come on, Leonard Garcia was a close fight which went to split decision which was a little controversial.
RICH HANSEN: Losing to Garcia by split is pretty much the same as a win now.
JAMEEL MASSOUH: Yeah! And Raphael Assuncao, I mean he is a great fighter. If you look at who he's fought, and what his record is like, he's one of the top fighters in the world.
RICH HANSEN: Any thoughts on the Koch-Assuncao fight this weekend?
JAMEEL MASSOUH: That's funny; I don't even know who to root for. Based on my experience with them (pauses), I don't know. I would say Koch is going to win that fight. Even though I like Raphael, I think Koch's got too much size for him.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Interviews_34/article_8789.shtml