Rampage Jackson is…the World’s Worst Bodyguard
May 30, 2011 by Matt
Rampage Jackson stars as the world’s worst bodyguard in this new short from Funny or Die.
Frank Mir Is Not a Problem
May 30, 2011 by Matt
So let me get this straight — Frank Mir knocks out the legendary Cro Cop then puts a beating on Roy Nelson — who’s only been knocked out once in his career — and Dana White is unhappy with Mir?
Mir is one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC, whether he is winning or losing. Joe Rogan commented during the UFC 130 broadcast that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has one of the best highlight reels in all of MMA. Truth. Guess who else has a great one? Frank Mir.
Mir has knocked out legends in Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cro Cop, submitted Brock Lesnar, out-struck Cheick Kongo then choked him out, and in one of the most replayed clips in MMA history, made Tim Sylvia’s arm go snap, crackle, pop.
He’s constantly evolving as a martial artist. When Mir’s striking was a liability in his game, he worked on it relentlessly. He’s no longer considered deficient in that area. When he thought he was too small to hang with massive UFC heavyweights like Carwin and Lesnar, he started bulking up. When he admitted to himself that his wrestling was horrible (paraphrase of his words), he worked on it. He’s always in shape and could headline almost any card.
Mir has been fervent about his desire to reclaim the heavyweight title, even after taking two tremendous beatings from Lesnar and Carwin. Lesnar has already had a one-year layoff and he’ll have another one after his recent surgery. Nelson is game, but is proving to be a one-round fighter. Carwin has had only 3 fights since March of 2009. The current champion, Cain Velasquez, is on the shelf with an injury. Mir keeps on keeping on, working toward yet another title shot. He’s all in.
It’s fine that White expects a lot out of Mir. He’s a former champion and he’s counted on to bring it every time. But after White re-watches the Mir/Nelson fight, I’m hoping he’ll realize that Mir had a great performance. Mir is definitely a fighter that should be celebrated.
Jens Pulver Weighs In at 139 for Titan Fighting 18
May 27, 2011 by Matt
Jens Pulver continues his comeback tour at Titan Fighting Championship 18 by taking on Brian Davidson, a veteran of Bellator and Titan FC. Fighting at a catch weight of 140, Jens weighed in last night at 139. Here is the press release from Titan.
Despite multiple lineup changes in the weeks leading up to tonight’s “HDNET PRESENTS: TITAN FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP 18,” (www.TitanFighting.com and www.HD.net) yesterday’s weigh-ins at the Argosy Hotel Casino & Spa in Kansas City, MO went off without a hitch.
Seven world class professional fights are confirmed for the show, which will air live on HDNet starting at 10 p.m. ET and will emanate from the historic Memorial Hall in Kansas City, KS. The event will be headlined by former UFC lightweight champion Jens “‘Lil Evil” Pulver in his continuing comeback attempt taking on renowned Taekwondo practitioner and Bellator Fighting Championships and Strikeforce veteran Brian “Mr. D” Davidson.
The 36-year old Pulver, who has competed in the past at 155 and 145 lbs. tipped the scales at a svelte 139 lbs. for the 140 lbs. catchweight affair. His opposition, the 35-year old Davidson, weighed 141 lbs. even. The matchup has begun to draw a great deal of praise both nationally and locally, with the cover of the sports page in the Kansas City Star featuring an article on Pulver’s remarkable journey in MMA.
“Jens is one of the most beloved fighters in all of MMA. People genuinely want to see him do well and return to the highest levels of this sport,” said Titan Fighting CEO Joe Kelly. “He is without question a true pioneer in this sport and he still has a place as an active competitor in this sport. Brian Davidson is without question a very exciting and challenging opponent and from a fight quality standpoint, I anticipate this matchup being the best main event we’ve done on HDNet.”
In addition to the Pulver vs. Davidson main event, Titan Fighting Championship 18 received additional momentum earlier in the week when it was learned that former Oklahoma State University wrestling standouts Jake Rosholt and Jared Rosholt had both been added to the show.
The elder of the Rosholt brothers, Jake, weighed in at 198.4 lbs. Fighting for the fifth time in 2011, Rosholt will look to run his record for the year to a perfect 5-0 when he takes on another wrestling standout, John Ott. Ott, who made national headlines earlier this year following a courageous performance against former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley, weighed in at 199.6 lbs. for their 200 lbs. catchweight contest. Ott is looking to put on more than just a courageous performance this time out, as he hopes to defeat the former three-time NCAA heavyweight champion and ruin Rosholt’s plans of returning to the UFC.
“Jake has stream rolled his opponents so far this year – not only winning but winning in dominant fashion,” said Kelly. “He’s without question ready to return to the UFC right now. However, Ott is going to be the toughest opponent he’s faced this year and Jake’s ticket to return to the UFC could be lost after the fight vs. Ott tonight.”
The card will also feature Jake’s 23-year old younger but bigger brother, Jared “The Big Show” Rosholt. The younger Rosholt is already 2-0 in his young MMA career and has been branded by several scouts and pundits as a future UFC heavyweight champion. Jared Rosholt weighed in at 258.8 lbs. while his opponent, Kirk Grinlinton, weighed in at 253.8 lbs.
“Since our alliance with HDNet, we’ve already seen Jason High and Aaron Rosa get picked up by Strikeforce and the UFC, respectively,” began Kelly. “The scouts from every major organization watch Titan Fighting events in hopes of bolstering their rosters. All eyes will be on Jared tonight in his first television appearance. A strong performance will no doubt put him on the fast track towards winning a major national title. However, Kirk has more fights under his belt and has been training MMA a lot longer. I fully expect Jared to be tested.”
Complete weigh-in results for Titan Fighting Championship 18 are as follows:
- Jens “‘Lil Evil” Pulver (139 lbs./24-14-1) vs. Brian “Mr. D” Davidson (141 lbs./6-3)
- Jake Rosholt (198.4 lbs./11-3) vs. John Ott (199.6 lbs./8-8)
- Darryl Cobb (184.6 lbs./6-2) vs. Rudy “Bad News” Bears (184 lbs./12-7)
- Jared Rosholt (258.8 lbs./2-0) vs. Kirk Grinlinton (253.8 lbs./2-2) at 265 lbs.
- Joe “The Nose” Wilk (148 lbs./11-5) vs. Jesse Zeugin (153.2 lbs./5-1) at 145 lbs.
- “Super Duper” Bobby Cooper (176.2 lbs./5-3) vs. Nick Budig (176.2 lbs./5-1) at 155 lbs.
- Sean “P-Town” Wilson (156.2 lbs./27-15) vs. Deryck Ripley (155 lbs./11-19) at 155 lbs.
Old School: Alistair, Rampage and Ronald McDonald [Pic]
May 26, 2011 by Matt
Dig the funky fresh hair of a much smaller Alistair Overeem, and Rampage picking the nose of Mr. Ronald McDonald. Total classic.
h/t: reddit
Eddie Wineland vs. Joseph Benavidez in Milwaukee
May 26, 2011 by Matt
Eddie Wineland will get a shot at another Team Alpha Male fighter when he takes on Joseph Benavidez at UFC on Versus 5 in Milwaukee on August 5th.
Wineland is coming off his decision loss to Urijah Faber at UFC 128. Now he’ll do battle with Faber’s teammate, the fiery Benavidez, who is hoping to get back to contender status. Benavidez fought for the bantamweight title and lost to Dominick Cruz at WEC 50. Since then he has scored 2 straight wins, beating Ian Loveland at UFC 128 and Wagnney Fabiano at WEC 52.
Wineland produced 4 consecutive wins in the WEC before dropping the decision to Faber at UFC 128. He needs a win here or it’s to the back of the line as far as a title shot is concerned.
The card for UFC on Versus 5 is shaping up nicely.
- Jim Miller vs. Ben Henderson
- Chris Lytle vs. Dan Hardy
- Amir Sadollah vs. Duane Ludwig
- Eddie Wineland vs. Joseph Benavidez
- Stephan Bonnar vs. Karlos Vemola
- Alex Caceres vs. Leonard Garcia
- C.B. Dollaway vs. Jared Hamman
- Jacob Volkmann vs. Danny Castillo
Fabricio Werdum Kicks Guy Right In the Goods
May 24, 2011 by Matt
I have no idea why, but some dude named Horse wants Fabricio Werdum to kick him right in the crotch. Werdum obliges. We all get a laugh. And the guy named “Horse” will never have kids, which might be a good thing.
BELLATOR FEATHERWEIGHT TOURNEY READY TO ROCK
May 23, 2011 by Matt
Pat Curran has already established himself in the lightweight division. Now, Curran will get a chance to make noise with the featherweights, as he drops down to 145 to fight in Bellator’s Summer Series Featherweight Tournament.
The tourney will kick off on June 25th LIVE on MTV2 from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Bellator 46 will feature four featherweight quarterfinal fights, as well as a talent-filled undercard.
The night will see Brazilian knockout artist Marlon Sandro taking on fellow Brazilian Genair da Silva in an incredibly intriguing featherweight fight. With both fighters known for their knockout ability, fans should expect fireworks.
“I am coming to the United States to become a world champion,” said Sandro. “I see Bellator as the place to really make a name for myself here in the U.S. I’m here to put on great fights, entertain the fans, and fight my way to the Bellator Featherweight World Championship.”
The night will also see UK-based submission specialist Ronnie “Kid Ninja” Mann return to the Bellator cage to face off with the dangerous Adam Schindler, who enters the fight holding an 9-1 record. Having already notched an impressive victory at Bellator 20, Schindler is preparing for a long tournament run.
“I’m just ready to get in that cage and win,” said Schindler. “This is the time where I take the step from everyone around me knowing how good I am, to everyone seeing how good I am all across the country. This is my chance to shine.”
Mann has similar ideas, and will be looking to dispatch Schindler in quick order to move onto the Bellator Featherweight Tournament Semifinals.
“Trying to capture the Bellator Featherweight World Championship is absolutely my main goal,” said Mann. “I don’t care how long it takes; that’s what I’m here to do.”
Former Season 2 Lightweight Tournament winner Pat Curran will be a featured participant in the upcoming featherweight tournament, as the Illinois native is making the drop down to featherweight after a hard-fought five round loss to current Bellator Lightweight World Champion Eddie Alvarez. Curran will take on long time Bellator veteran Luis Palomino, who will enter the tournament riding a three fight win streak, and holds notable victories over TUF alum Marc Stevens, Strikeforce and Bellator veteran Jorge Masvidal; and current M-1 Featherweight Champion Jose Figueroa. Even with the impressive resume, Curran feels confident heading into the Summer Series Tournament.
“I’ve fought at featherweight for most of my career, so I’m really excited to get back to a weight class where I can really do some damage,” said Curran. “I had some great results as a lightweight, but I’m really going to make some noise in this summer featherweight tournament.”
Rounding out the tournament will be Argentine submission finisher Nazareno Malegarie, who makes his return to the tournament holding an impressive 19-1 record. Malegarie will take on fast-rising Arizona native Jacob Devree for the chance to move onto the Bellator Featherweight Tournament Semifinals.
The undercard for Bellator 46 will be filled with familiar names to most, with Florida native Josh Samman taking on Bellator veteran Mike “El Gringo Diablo” Bernhard in middleweight action, and heavyweight prospect Tony Johnson Jr. meeting a yet to be determined opponent. The women’s division will also be on display, as Bellator Season 3 Tournament vets Jessica “Jag” Aguilar and Carla Esparza return to action.
“Bellator 46’s stacked Featherweight Tournament continues to build on our tremendous 145 pound division.” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “And, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has been a fantastic host for us in the past, and I can’t wait to make the trip down to Hollywood this June.”
JEFF CURRAN: UFC IS INTERESTED
May 23, 2011 by Matt
Jeff Curran entered the arena for XFO 39 with his manager holding a blue UFC hat high in the air and pointing to the logo. Curran wants badly to be back in the world’s biggest proving ground for MMA, so much so that after his decision win over Billy Vaughan at XFO 39, Jeff Curran told the crowd that he was going to the UFC or he was calling it a career.
Many were surprised by that statement. Curran has been in the game for a long time, but he is only 33 years old and has won 4 of his last 5 fights. So I followed up with Jeff via e-mail and asked him about his XFO 39 post-fight comments.
“I wasn’t frustrated with Billy,” Curran said. “I am a “Play safe” fighter when I don’t know much about them. He was punching hard and hasn’t been KO’d from what I know. My hard shots weren’t affecting him much. Either way, I meant what I said. I have won 4 of my last 5 fights actually and UFC is interested in me. Just not sure when. So, I am gonna sit back and wait. UFC or BUST!”
It’s good to hear that the UFC is interested because Curran has too much to offer to the fight game to call it a career. There are still plenty of fights out there for him.
RAMPAGE JACKSON CAN’T FLOAT
May 20, 2011 by Matt
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson can’t float. And not in the “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” sense. Rampage uses swimming as a method to improve his cardio during training. There’s just one issue: he can’t float. Here’s the latest “Rampage Diaries”.
Rampage will battle Matt Hamill next week at UFC 130. It has the potential to be a brilliant brawl or a snoozer hug fest up against the cage. Rampage has made all kinds of noise about how he’ll be finished with fighting sooner rather than later, so we’ll see if he comes out ready to rock.
If he doesn’t Hamill will be able to do what he said he will do: break Rampage’s will.
BARTIMUS OUT OF UFC 130
May 20, 2011 by Matt
Matt Erickson reports at MMA Fighting that Bart Palaszewski has withdrawn from his UFC 130 bout due to injury. Palaszewski was initially scheduled to face Cody McKenzie, but McKenxie backed out a few weeks ago with his own injury.
Gleison Tibau was the replacement for McKenzie, and now Rafaello “Tractor” Oliveira will step in to fight Tibau.
While Tibau is a BJJ Black belt, he loves to stand and bang. Which is why it’s a shame this fight is off, because Bart and Tibau had “Fight of the Night” potential. But that bout, and Bartimus debut in the UFC will have to wait.
Maybe the McKenzie/Palaszewski fight will be on again as soon as both fighters recover from injury.
