HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM KIMBO SLICE!
October 31, 2010 by Matt
Killer costume, even if now it can be considered a throwback.
h/t: Oddly Bizarre
CUT THROAT MMA: SUPREMACY 11/6/10
October 29, 2010 by Matt
Cut Throat MMA will hold its biggest event yet at the legendary Hammond Civic Center on November 6th. Three amateur titles are on the line and top-level Cut Throat MMA amateur stars move up and make their pro debuts.
BELLATOR SIGNS XFO VET DANIEL STRAUS
XFO veteran Daniel Straus has signed with Bellator to compete in Bellator’s Season 4 Featherweight Tournament for a chance to face current Bellator Champion Joe Warren.
“We’re very happy to add another talented featherweight to what should be a great Season 4 tournament,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Daniel has already fought, and beaten some great fighters in our sport and will be someone to watch throughout the tournament.”
Straus (14-3) enters the fight on an impressive 10 fight win streak, including victories over Karen Darabedyan, Joe Pearson, Gideon Ray, and Bellator veteran Chad Hinton. His last loss came more than a year and a half ago at XFO 29 to Bellator’s Season 2 Lightweight Tournament Champion Pat Curran.
Straus has fought 6 times for the XFO, including his first pro fight at XFO 27, where he lost to Jay Ellis.
“I’ve never been a guy that wants to be a world champion or the biggest star in the game,” said Straus. “I just want to fight some of the top guys in the sport, and Bellator provides that. I’ve never been a part of a tournament like this, and when Bellator called, I jumped at the opportunity.”
Known for his punishing ground game and seemingly endless gas tank, Straus enjoys every minute he spends inside of the cage.
“I honestly feel like my biggest strength is my heart,” Straus said. “Everyone has seen I have a lot of decisions on my record, but I just like going the full 15 minutes. If I’m going to go to battle, let’s really go to battle.”
Silver Star Lyoto Machida UFC 104 Walkout T-Shirt</a>
KILLER FINISHES: FRONT KICK KO
Here’s an awesome KO to add to our “Killer Finishes” series. This took place at Ultimate Challenge: Unbelievable on October 24th. Cory Tait fires a fierce front kick that drops Dino Gambetesa.
h/t: The UG
BART PALASZEWSKI TALKS UFC
October 28, 2010 by Matt
There are plenty of local fighters currently fighting for the WEC that will get to do battle in the Octagon and the UFC come 2011. One of them is Team Curran’s Bart Palaszewski.
Chicago’s MMA asked Bartimus about the big news and if there is anyone in particular he would like to fight in the UFC.
“That’s a good one. I think a fight with Florian would be fun. Also…who’s another good stand up guy? Anyone who’s willing to sit and trade with me, haha. Any one like that or any of top 5 guys. I was gunning for the WEC belt now I’m gunning for the UFC gold!!! I just want exciting fights– that’s all — none of the lay and pray BS.”
That shouldn’t be a problem, since Bart always seems to make his fights exciting. He’s currently rolling with a 4-fight win streak and will battle Kamal Shalorus at WEC 53.
He’s coming off an impressive performance when he was on the televised card at WEC 50 against Zach Micklewright. In the 2nd round, Bart rocked him with a flurry of punches up against the cage, landed a vicious body kick and then finished him with a right hook at :31.
The picture to the left is one Bart posted to Facebook recently, two weeks before he started his training camp. He already looks like he’s in shape and ready to rock against Shalorus. Shalorus is definitely game and has an amazing wrestling base. But Bart has more speed and much better striking. It should make for a very exciting match.
Palaszewski is also a BJJ black belt under Jeff Curran, and showed off his skills with a 1st round armbar sub against Karen Darebedyan at WEC 47.
GABRIEL GONZAGA CUT FROM UFC
October 28, 2010 by Matt
Gabriel Gonzaga’s tweet that he has been cut from the UFC is interesting. He tweeted, “Back to normal life and BJJ forever.”
Maybe if Gonzaga had used his considerable BJJ skills he’d still be in the UFC. Gonzaga fell in love with his hands — a common disease among MMA fighters — and never got back to his strengths. I would have thought that he would try to submit Brendan Schaub, but Gonzaga chose to stand and bang with him — even after Schaub showed himself to be faster to the punch and beat Gonzaga in nearly every exchange.
It’s very odd. My hope is that Junior Dos Santos has paid attention to the UFC portion of Gonzaga’s career. Junior has fantastic hands, but his ground game is excellent too. Should Dos Santos find himself getting beat on in the standup game against Cain Velasquez, I hope he takes the fight to the ground.
Sure Velasquez is an excellent wrestler. But the top-level BJJ guys can submit the best wrestlers. Too bad Gonzaga never really got around to trying it.
Dethrone Defeat Hoodie
WEC MERGING WITH UFC IN 2011
October 28, 2010 by Matt
The long-rumored merger of the WEC and UFC is finally happening. Dana White confirmed the news to Ariel Helwani and Vs.
“The timing was right,” White said. “The reality is, we purchased the WEC, we started getting these lighter weight guys exposure on television, sending them around the country and arenas. Now, as the UFC continues to grow globally and we’re doing more and more fights, now it makes sense to bring in those lighter weight classes.
“We’re going to add more fights every year and add more countries, more television networks in different countries. So now it makes sense.”
Also interesting from the article was a the mention of Jose Aldo.
“The UFC president also confirmed that the organization offered Aldo a 155-pound fight against Kenny Florian, but for unknown reasons, Aldo turned it down.
“It depends on what he wants,” White said on whether Aldo’s future will be at lightweight or featherweight. “You know, if he wants a few more fights there and then maybe try to move up to 155 — it’s all up to him.”
GABE SALINAS-JONES VS. PARKER PORTER REMATCH AT XFC 13
October 27, 2010 by Matt
Local fighter Gabe Salinas-Jones will get a rematch with Parker Porter at XFC 13 in Tampa. Salinas-Jones lost a decision to Porter at XFC 12 in Greece.
Salinas-Jones fights out of the Olympian Centre in Lombard. He holds a professional MMA record of 2-0 and is also scheduled to fight at Ruckus IV in November. But he will almost certainly have to pull out of that card to fight in Tampa on December 3rd.
Salinas-Jones turned pro in September of 2009, beating Tim Nevinger by TKO in the second round. Then in March of 2010 he handed Ryan Knowles his first career loss at the Brawl at Bourbon Street. The loss to Porter in Greece does not count on his official record because that bout was not sanctioned.
Here’s a bout from Salinas-Jones amateur career, taking on Tim Hemmingway at the Weed Street Massacre in 2009.
MMA CLASSES AT STRATFORD SQUARE MALL
October 25, 2010 by searstapper
You can go shopping at Stratford Square Mall in Bloomingdale and then get in a MMA training session. The Olympian Centre is coaching MMA classes at Knockout MMA, located in the mall. Class sizes are limited so you’re advised to pre-register. Doing so also gets you access to the TOC’s outstanding facility in Lombard. Head to The Olympian Centre’s website for more information on registering.
MATT HUGHES SOMETIMES LAUGHS AT JOE ROGAN
October 25, 2010 by Matt
Matt Hughes took in the UFC 121 fights and had plenty to say about it on his website.
On the Cain Velasquez/Brock Lesnar title fight:
“I didn’t think Brock was going to lose like he did, but I knew there was a good chance Cain could get his hand raised. UFC kind of made a big deal about it. I really don’t know why, but I’m glad that the Mexicans have a heavyweight champion. ”
On Tito Ortiz:
“I didn’t think there was any way for Tito to win. Tito’s got that clothing line out, Team Punishment, and when I see people wearing the shirts, I always tease them that it should be “Team Punished;” but I would even go out on a limb and say that’s the last time we see Tito in the UFC.”
On Joe Rogan and his color commentary:
“Kampmann escaped to his feet several times and Kampmann had more submission attempts than Shields had, but listening to Rogan, you would have thought Shields had submitted him the first ten seconds of being on the ground. I really think the UFC could use a third man doing the broadcast, that has some experience inside the octagon. I don’t disagree with everything Rogan says, but there are a lot of things he says that I just laugh at.”
I wouldn’t necessarily be against a third man in the UFC booth, but I think Rogan is an excellent commentator. He knows the game, is a martial arts practitioner and he is funny to boot. His interviewing skills are solid too.
As for his other comments, the stuff Matt said about Tito is pretty funny. But when Hughes wonders about the Cain/Brock fight, “UFC kind of made a big deal about it. I really don’t know why”, you have to shake your head. It was a huge title fight. Why wouldn’t they make a big deal about it? They’re making a big deal about Hughes vs. Penn, and while it is the third bout of the trilogy, no titles are up for grabs.
