UFC RING GIRL ARIANNY CELESTE SINGS FOR YOU
Arianny Celeste is a ring girl for the UFC, but apparently she also aspires to be a pop singer. She recently posted this video of herself singing a new song.
Apparently not everyone is a fan of her voice. She recently tweeted this:
“Do what u love, and love what u do. I love music, I love to sing. U don’t have to like me or my songs..but u sure as hell will respect me!”
COMPRIDO: BROCK HAS NOTHING TO PROVE
After we interviewed UFC middleweight Demian Maia at FLO MMA, we spent some time with the man Maia came to see: Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros. Comprido is the BJJ instructor at FLO, 7-time World BJJ champion and you can see him on the current season of “The Ultimate Fighter” as a member of Brock Lesnar’s coaching staff.
He spoke to us about why Brock doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone, shared in detail his thoughts on steroids and told us about his TUF experience.
ERIK PAULSON BREAKS DOWN GSP VS. SHIELDS
April 30, 2011 by Matt
MMA legend Erik Paulson breaks down the UFC 129 Georges St. Pierre vs. Jake Shields title fight and the Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida bout. You can check out Paulson on this season of “The Ultimate Fighter”. He’s part of Brock Lesnar’s coaching staff.
UFC 129: CELEBS AND SPORTS STARS MAKE THEIR PICKS
April 29, 2011 by Matt
The wait is over. UFC 129 takes place tomorrow at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, and sports stars, celebs and media are making their picks.
SHANE VICTORINO, Gold Glove Centerfielder from the Philadelphia Phillies
Prediction: JAKE SHIELDS
“I’m gonna have to say ‘Rush’ is the favorite, but I won’t put it past Shields for an upset victory. Shields by submission!”
ARIEL HELWANI, MMA reporter, MMAFighting.com and Versus.com
Prediction: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
“Shields is as tough as they come, but I just can’t see him taking this fight to the ground, which is where he needs it to be. Even if he does score the odd takedown, he won’t be able to dominate GSP on the mat like he has against his previous opponents. GSP wins all five rounds due to superior striking and his solid takedown defense en route to a unanimous decision victory.”
DAVID HAYE, WBA Heavyweight boxing champion
Prediction: JAKE SHIELDS
“Shields is the underdog, but believe me, this is the year of the underdog. Just like when I KO Wladimir Klitschko in July, an underdog could send a stadium full of fans home very unhappy at UFC 129.”
MARK LA MONICA, Newsday (New York)
Prediction: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
“Picking GSP to win a fight is like picking all the favorites in March Madness. You may get sneered at for picking the obvious, but you usually finish in the money in your office pool.”
KEVIN IOLE, Yahoo! Sports
Prediction: JAKE SHIELDS
“I think Shields will take this. The fight will go to the ground at some point, and I think Shields has an advantage there. Jake is a different sort of fighter, a different sort of grappler, to the ones Georges has been beating. I think Georges is going to try to do what he did to Josh Koscheck and use his jab and strike from a long range, but I think at some point it will go to the ground and Shields will win.”
TABOO, Black Eyed Peas
Prediction: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
“GSP and Shields are both on top of their games, but I would have to give the edge to GSP. He’s got the Canadian home field advantage and I feel like it’s GSP’s time right now, but I gotta feeling that night’s gonna be a good night for the UFC.”
GARETH A. DAVIES, Daily Telegraph and ESPN
Prediction: JAKE SHIELDS
“All champions have to lose at some point and I think Shields has a style that makes him a serious threat to GSP. Shields was immense against Henderson but I’m hearing St-Pierre has been magnificent in training, which makes me hesitate to pick against him. I think this really could go either way; it is certainly the most intriguing GSP fight in years. I may change my mind once I see them at the weight-in but, right now, I am feeling the upset.”
J.S. GIGUERE, Goaltender, Toronto Maple Leafs, Stanley Cup winner
Prediction: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
“I have to go with GSP, he’s just too well rounded. Plus I have to go with the Quebec guy.”
NEIL DAVIDSON, The Canadian Press
PREDICTION: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
“The champion is a savvy fighter with a lot of weapons. Some say he plays it safe, but he wins fights and dominates opponents. Shields is tough and durable but he does not have GSP’s arsenal. One mistake could cost the champion, but otherwise look for a comprehensive GSP victory by decision.”
SERGIO NON, USA Today:
Prediction: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
“Jake Shields’ advantage is his top game in grappling, but to use it, he’ll need to keep GSP on his back. He won’t. St-Pierre wins by third-round TKO.”
CHUCK LIDDELL, UFC Hall of Famer
Prediction: JAKE SHIELDS
“Jake Shields is a bad man. He’s a tough guy, he’s awkward to deal with and he uses stuff that is so different to other guys that he catches opponents off guard. He’s got awkward takedowns that are hard to defend. So it’s going to be an interesting fight for St-Pierre. But I do think that Jake will need to get it to the ground to win. I’m picking Jake to submit him.”
CHEF MICHAEL SYMON, Food Network’s Iron Chef America and host of Food Feuds
Prediction: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
“I’m saying St-Pierre. He is technically just too good.”
MATT HUGHES, UFC Hall of Famer and former two-time UFC welterweight champion
Prediction: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
“GSP will win fairly easy. I think this fight will go much the same way the GSP-Koscheck fight went. GSP is the better wrestler, the better striker, and he will be able to control and dominate wherever the fight goes. I really just don’t see any way that Shields is going to be able to win this fight.”
NOEL CLARKE, BAFTA-winning film director and actor
Prediction: JAKE SHIELDS
“I’m gonna go out on a limb and pick Shields. GSP has all the tools to beat him, but for me, he is at a psychological disadvantage. He hasn’t finished anyone in a while and he showed that frustration after the Koscheck fight. If Shields can take the early onslaught, GSP will get more desperate to finish, make a mistake and Shields will get him.”
CLARKE MACARTHUR, Left Wing, Toronto Maple Leafs
Prediction: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
“I think GSP will win by first round submission. He’s way too well rounded a fighter. Shields is tough and dangerous on the ground, but I think GSP is on another level.”
Prediction: JAKE SHIELDS
“It’s very difficult to pick against a fighter who will go down as one of the greatest this sport has ever seen, but I have to. Simply put, Jake Shields is a winner. When faced with insurmountable odds, he excels. Few gave him a chance in the world against Dan Henderson. He was supposed to be a stepping stone, a guy to give Henderson a nice win in his Strikeforce debut, and Shields spoiled everything. He’s going to do the same thing to St-Pierre, and it won’t matter that 55,000 people are rooting against him.”
DWAYNE “THE ROCK” JOHNSON, star of the hit movie Fast Five
Prediction: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
“I think it’s going to be a five round epic war that redefines both fighters. I respect Shields too damn much to say it’ll end any other way. GSP, the best fighter on the planet, wins in the 5th.”
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, NBA superstar, Boston Celtics
Prediction: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
BRIAN DAWKINS, NFL Pro Bowl Safety, Denver Broncos
Prediction: GEORGES ST-PIERRE
“I believe St-Pierre will be too much. He has all around talent, striking power and he’s a ground technician. He has no true weakness!”
MOST IGNORANT MMA COMMENT OF THE WEEK!
April 28, 2011 by Matt
This may be the start of a new segment here, maybe not. We mostly celebrate and appreciate MMA and all its fans, but sometimes you see something so ridiculous you just have to share with the class.
‘The Most Ignorant MMA Comment of the Week‘ comes from a reader’s reaction to Ben Fowlkes’ UFC 129 cutlist column at MMA Fighting.
Fowlkes’ column talks about who needs a win most at UFC 129, lest they get the axe from Dana White. It’s good stuff and we enjoy it.
But as good as it was it could not compare to the very first comment left by someone by the name of “tezzdatdue”.
Yep, those 55,000 fans that are packing the Rogers Centre for a record-breaking UFC event and the millions of GSP fans watching on pay-per-view are all going to cut bait if GSP beats Jake Shields — who hasn’t lost since before tezzdatdue started watching TUF — by decision.
Congrats to tezzdatdude. You sir, have ‘The Most Ignorant MMA Comment of the Week’.
DEMIAN MAIA INTERVIEW
April 28, 2011 by Matt
Chicago’s MMA reporter Matt Lo Cascio caught up with UFC middleweight contender Demian Maia at FLO MMA in Palatine.
Maia talked about his upcoming fight with Mark Munoz, where he thinks he ranks in the middleweight division and when he thinks he might get another title shot.
JENS PULVER ON TITAN FC 18 CARD
April 27, 2011 by Matt
Jens Pulver is climbing the ranks again. Coming off 2 straight victories at Chicago Cagefighting Championship 3 and XFO 38, Pulver will now fight at Titan Fighting Championship 18 on Friday, May 27. The bout will be televised on HDNet, and takes place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.
Pulver is scheduled to fight Mike Powell (10-3), who fights out of Waterloo, Iowa. Powell has fought here locally, having been KO’d in the first round at XFO 27 by Midwest Training Center’s John Hosman. He also just fought on April 23rd, losing via TKO in the 2nd round to Josh Rave at Battle at the Border 9.
“Our first two events on HDNet were met with both praise from critics and fans alike. Titan Fighting 18 will be a continuation of our formula for Titan Fighting 16 and 17 with a mix of nationally recognized names and rising prospects,” said Titan Fighting CEO Joe Kelly. “Pulver and (Drew) McFedries will not be the only national headliners on this show as we are completing negotiations for two other high profile fights. In short, Titan Fighting 18 will be our deepest show in history.”
“The Kansas City MMA scene has a deep appreciation of former UFC champions. Tim Sylvia was well received when he fought at Memorial Hall in January and Jens is revered by many fight fans in this area so we’re excited to be bringing him into Titan having won his last two fights,” Kelly said.
This is a fight that Pulver should win. Powell is 40 years old and coming off a loss, with just a month in between fights. But it’s good that it is a nationally televised fight, and what comes next is anybody’s guess.
CUT THROAT MMA LIVE
April 26, 2011 by Matt
Mike Davis and “Cut Throat Tony” from Cut Throat MMA review the results from their April 16th event in the first installment of “Cut Throat MMA Live”.
BEST WRESTLING REF EVER?
Let’s see Steve Mazzagatti do this. Could he have got in position just by circling on his feet? sure. But then he wouldn’t be an internet star. Maybe the fans were booing the lay and pray and he decided to spice it up!
h/t: Social Spew
NAGA CHICAGO GRAPPLING CHAMPIONSHIP
April 25, 2011 by Matt
The 15th annual NAGA Chicago Grappling Championship No-Gi & Gi tournament takes place on April 30th & May 1st at the Odeum Expo Center in Villa Park. This is a two-day event (Adults on Saturday, Kids/Teens on Sunday), and you can come as an individual or as a team to compete.
NAGA is America’s largest mixed grappling tournament circuit with over 120,000 competitors worldwide. This event is nationally ranked, and over 100 belts will be awarded.
Pre-registration for this event is over, but you can still pay at the door to enter the tourney. Click here for the NAGA Chicago event page.
NAGA will be awarding custom engraved SAMURAI SWORDS to all Children & Teen 1st place winners! Octagon medals will be awarded to all 2nd & 3rd place winners along with Adults who place 1st through 3rd. All competitors who win a medal will have the opportunity to obtain a samurai sword in addition to their medal at the NAGA T-shirt booth for a nominal fee. All children/teens will take home a medal even if they do not place 1st through 3rd for having the courage to compete.
6 SPECTACULAR CHAMPIONSHIP CUP TEAM AWARDS
All 6 of our top teams (Adult Gi, No-Gi & Children 17 yrs. & under) will receive a custom made CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM CUP. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase the talent that your academy possesses.
FREE NAGA BOARD SHORTS TO OUR REPEAT CUSTOMERS
Any NAGA competitor who competes in BOTH the NAGA St. Louis Grappling Championship (3/19/11) and the NAGA Chicago Grappling Championship (4/30 & 5/1) will receive a FREE pair of NAGA Board Shorts ($45 value). You can pick up the shorts from the NAGA t-shirt booth at the Chicago event. We appreciate your continued support of NAGA Tournaments.
CONSOLATION RING OPEN ALL DAY – NO EXTRA CHARGE
To give our adult competitors more opportunities to compete, NAGA has created a Consolation Ring. This ring will run both No-Gi and Gi matches. The concept of the ring is to give those who did not place 1st, 2nd or 3rd in their division another opportunity to compete. Once your division is over, bring your registration card to the consolation ring and our ring coordinator will match you up with others that are similar in weight and age. This will be a great way for competitors to get extra matches and earn valuable competition experience. Kids and Teens, you will be taken care of at your ring.
SANDBAGGERS BEWARE
NAGA works diligently to prevent “sandbagging”, or the practice of fighting down skill levels to ensure one takes home an award. NAGA has been working with RANKED to track all fighters and ranked grappling events to produce true “national standings.” A by-product of these standings is our knowledge of who has competed and at which level. Front door personnel will use RANKED data to determine whether or not individuals who have fought in past events belong in a higher skill level (i.e. placed 1st at a prior NAGA event).
