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UFC 149's Thiago Alves guarantees a knockout or submission win over Siyar Bah... by Adam Guillen Jr. 18 May 2012 at 7:00pmStrong statement from one of the strongest fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight division.
You can't say Thiago Alves is short on confidence heading into his upcoming fight with stand-up specialist Siyar Bahadurzada at UFC 149 on July 21, 2012. In fact, the Brazilian slugger "guarantees" that he has what it takes to finish "The Killer" when the two face off in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Alves, who at one time was considered one of the most lethal strikers in the 170-pound division, has fallen on tough times since losing to Georges St. Pierre in his lone title shot back at UFC 100. Including that loss, "Pitbull" has compiled a 2-4 record, with one of those victories coming by way of submission.
In fact, the Brazilian's last stoppage victory (via strikes) came at UFC 85 way back in 2008, when he defeated former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes with a beautiful flying knee and a few follow-up punches for good measure.
Whether it be via submission or knockout, Alves tells Tapout Radio that his fight against Bahadurzada will not go to the judges' scorecards.
Check it out:
"I'm very excited. I think it's not a better match-up, but that it's a better fight, because Siyar is coming from a big knockout against Paulo Thiago, and I definitely want to avenge that with a victory for my country, and of course for my camp as well. He has a lot of hype behind him, so I'm very excited to accept this challenge. I feel like I have the edge in experience and in the level of competition. The level of competition he was fighting wasn't the level of the competition that I'm used to fighting. That's definitely going to come into play with this fight. Also, the skill set comes into play. I think I'm a much better fighter everywhere in the game, and July 21, I'm going to go out there and execute it. He comes from a highly decorated striking background, and he's from Golden Glory, but, he's never rolled with the big boys before. The first fight he has in the UFC was too quick. We really don't know what he's made of yet. I'm going to put him to the test, though. I know I'm the better fighter. I know I'm more well rounded. I guarantee this fight won't go the distance. I'm either going to knock him out or I'm going to submit him."
Siyar, who made his long-awaited UFC debut in impressive form by knocking out Paulo Thiago in under a minute at UFC on Fuel TV: Gustafsson vs. Silva, got the call to step in against Alves when "Pitbull's" original opponent, Yoshihiro Akiyama, bowed out with a knee injury.
"The Killer" has yet to be knocked out in his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, with his four losses coming by way of submission or decision. On the flip side, he does know a thing or two about swinging heavy leather, knocking out six of his last seven opponents.
In what promises to be an entertaining affair, seeing as how Bahadurzada aims to always do his best Mike Tyson impersonation when he steps inside the cage, both are looking to prove a point.
Alves wants to remind the MMA world that he is still a forced to be reckoned with despite his recent setbacks and Siyar would undoubtedly like to show that his debut was no fluke performance.
Don't blink.
UFC 146: 'Depressed' Mark Hunt issues statement on pulling out of Stefan Stru... by Adam Guillen Jr. 18 May 2012 at 6:00pmIf you're looking for a feel-good story in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA), look no further than the surprising career resurrection of one of the hardest hitting men in the sport, Mark Hunt.
Heading into Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on a five-fight losing streak, the "Super Samoan" failed to make a splash in his debut, losing to Sean McCorkle in the second round of their UFC 119 fight. Surprisingly, Hunt was given an opportunity to redeem himself and narrowly avoided the dreaded pink slip.
Making the most of his opportunity, Hunt has now reeled off three straight victories over Chris Tuchscherer, Ben Rothwell and Cheick Kongo. The hard-hitting heavyweight was on such a roll that his loyal fans, "The Army of Doom," hit the Twitter boards and started a rally to the powers that be at Zuffa to allow Mark to step in for Alistair Overeem against UFC heavyweight kingpin Junior dos Santos at UFC 146 on May 26, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Though the support was strong, UFC president Dana White stated, "It ain't going to happen."
Hunt was to remain on the card to take on the towering Stefan Struve in the promotion's first all-heavyweight main card, and in the process, look for his fourth consecutive win and get himself closer to a potential title shot.
One week away from the event, an unfortunate injury to the former K-1 Grand Prix Champion forced him to bow out of his scheduled fight and add yet another crushing blow to the stacked event. With the injury, Lavar Johnson got the call to step in against Struve, leaving Hunt to face the road to recovery.
Speaking on The MMA (After) Hour, the New Zealander talked about the disappointment he feels after making the tough decision to pull out of the fight, which happens to be the first time he's had to do so in his eight year MMA career.
Check it out:
"I am so gutted about this. I never pulled out of any fight, this is the first time ever in my whole career that I actually pulled out of a fight because of an injury. I've never been injured before. I put so much work into this fight, you know? I trained hard, it's just so disappointing for me now. I was going to go and do the fight anyway, I was still trying to tell my mind not to do it. When a fighter goes into the Octagon, the ring, they go in one hundred percent. They go in bazookas, guns and everything. You don't go in there to a fight with a butter knife. If you go in there you're supposed to go a hundred percent. If one fighter goes in there fifty percent, he is giving the other fighter the other fifty percent. So the other fighter is coming in a hundred and fifty percent and you only got fifty percent. So, it doesn't make sense to go in there. I don't think Stefan Struve would have liked to beat me the way I am injured anyway. So, I might as well would have just said, 'Here, take the fight, I don't want it.' It was disappointing to me, I wanted to do the fight, I still want to do the fight but my brain says it's not good. You'll have one kick on the leg and then it will just be a waste of time anyways. So be smart about it and come back a different day and fight. I'm more depressed than anybody. You know, I put so much time, despite of what I was talking about before, I never really trained (like this), I put so much hard work into this and a lot of people put some time into me. I wanted to gout there and prove that I'm a better fighter, but, the Lord has a plan for everyone and I'm just disappointed it happened. It's just the way it is, it's the first time pulling out of a fight with an injury. I could go in there and fight but you won't see much of a fight. Your probably see me get a hurting for three rounds and that's about it. I don't think you want that."
As evidenced by some recent pictures floating around, which you can see here, Hunt did indeed look to be in the best fighting shape of his career.
The heavy-handed brawler revealed that a tear in his meniscus is the root of the problem and though he still wanted to take the fight, people around him convinced him that it would just be better to bow out, recover, and come back one hundred percent.
"The Super Samoan" is now scheduled to undergo surgery to repair his knee and is looking at a couple of months of recovery time.
Upon his return, Hunt says he wouldn't mind facing the winner of the Struve vs. Johnson showdown, both of which could prove to be very intriguing match-ups.
Do you agree?
Strikeforce: 'Barnett vs Cormier' predictions, preview and analysis by Jesse Holland 18 May 2012 at 5:00pmStrikeforce is ready to (finally) tie a ribbon around its heavyweight grand prix tournament tomorrow night (May 19, 2012) LIVE on Showtime from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.
"Barnett vs. Cormier" will feature a headlining heavyweight hoedown between longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Josh Barnett taking on undefeated fight phenom Daniel Cormier in the night's main event. Elsewhere on the card, Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez puts his 155-pound title on the line in a rubber match against former division titleholder Josh Thomson.
Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., May 19, 2012), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET with the "Prelim" bouts on Showtime Extreme.
So who keeps themselves relevant on Saturday night?
After the jump, I'll be taking a quick look at all the main card action, as well as provide quick picks for all the undercard match-ups. There's a total of eight fights in all, and best of all, they're available to Showtime subscribers only for free!
Let's get to it.
265 lbs.: Josh Barnett (31-5) vs. Daniel Cormier (9-0)
Nostradumbass predicts: This is one of those bouts, that if I skipped the event and just hit the quick results the next morning, where I would not be surprised to learn that either man came out victorious. While I believe Josh Barnett is the superior fighter, a win for Daniel Cormier would hardly be an upset.
I still won't pick him.
"DC" has a lot of momentum heading into this bout because he was able to stop Antonio Silva via technical knockout last September, but "Bigfoot's" stock was elevated in the wake of his upset win over Fedor Emelianenko a few months prior. Let's not forget this was the same Silva that was knocked out by Eric Pele and floored to the canvas by Mike Kyle, a natural light heavyweight.
I don't want to call his stand-up stiff, but he makes the Tin Man look like Reed Richards.
I'm also not impressed by Danny's unanimous decision win over Jeff Monson. True, "The Snowman" is a grizzled veteran and Abu Dhabi champion, but he also has the wingspan of a shuttlecock and could be the only heavyweight on the roster who's shorter and stubbier than Cormier.
Yes, he's undefeated at 9-0, which ain't too shabby, but go ahead (without looking at his record) and rattle off a couple of his opponent's names and where they've fought.
Uh-huh, that's what I thought.
Barnett is far from perfect, and he faces an Olympian task (literally) of overcoming his enemy's wrestling while forcing the issue himself. I believe he gets it done, because there is very little Cormier can give him that he hasn't already seen in a career that spans 15 years across the world's top promotions.
Both are serviceable strikers, but this fight is decided in the clinch and on the floor.
If this was a collegiate wrestling match, I would have the AKA product all day, but MMA wrestling belongs to Barnett and nobody transitions into submissions, at least in this division, like "The Warmaster" does. Key lock, heel hook, toe hold ... you name it, he can secure it.
I think if Cormier was 23 and not 33, he might be able to stay fresh enough to grind this one out with his aggressive offense, but all things considered, I predict his conditioning (torpedoed by Barnett's defensive wrestling) will fade midway through the fight and he'll likely give away rounds three through five.
Final prediction: Barnett def. Cormier via split decision
155 lbs.: Gilbert Melendez (20-2) vs. Josh Thomson (19-4)
Nostradumbass predicts: Oh cool, these guys are fighting again. I know that's probably an unfair jab since it is a rubber match, but if Gilbert Melendez doesn't care about this fight, why should we?
I think part of that comes from our desire to see "El Nino" crossover to the UFC and make some noise in what could be one of the deepest divisions in all of MMA. Add Eddie Alvarez to that melting pot and well, it's easy to see why "Melendez vs. Thomson III" is not garnering the Showtime network any new subscribers.
Still, it should be an entertaining and fairly competitive fight.
Thomson is a credible threat, but I can't pick him outright because he's the exact same fighter he was when they first met back in 2008, while Melendez has clearly evolved. That was evident in their 2009 rematch and it will become painfully obvious tomorrow night
In fact, don't bother with a scouting report, just compare their respective bouts against Tatsuya Kawajiri.
"El Nino" is the better wrestler, the better striker and will prove in the co-main event he's the rightful champion. The problem is, we knew that already, so expect hellfire and brimstone from the fans in attendance the second this thing stalls on the ground.
Only a highlight reel finish can save these two from a bore of attrition.
Final prediction: Melendez def. Thomson via unanimous decision
205 lbs.: Rafael Cavalcante (11-3) vs. Mike Kyle (19-8-1)
Nostradumbass predicts: Oh cool, these guys are fighting again. I know Strikeforce is going to eventually eliminate its heavyweight division, but when this is your co-main event, you can make an argument the 205-pounders gotta go as well.
Especially with Dan Henderson in the UFC and Muhammed Lawal in Bellapact. Heck, even Lorenz Larkin got the heck outta Dodge.
Anyway, for those who just got to the party, Mike Kyle pasted Rafael Cavalcante at the Strikeforce event in St. Louis back in 2009. "Feijao" was bloated and out-of-shape after a long layoff and got his ass handed to him in a fight he was supposed to win.
Now it's payback time, but will history repeat itself?
Probably not. "MAK" is a powerful fighter and aggressive in his attack, but he's more fire than finesse and I still think the Brazilian is more well-rounded. He made the mental mistake of going punch-for-punch against Dan Henderson and paid the price for it, but was also the first guy to finish off "King Mo" and has 10 of his 11 wins coming by way of (T)KO.
Heavy are the hands that crack the crown.
Kyle has also done his share of winning since their last encounter, with equal success, but I just have a hard time seeing a fully prepared Cavalcante giving this one away. He's the better fighter in every skill set, now he has to go out there and prove it.
I believe he does.
Final prediction: Cavalcante def. Kyle via technical knockout
170 lbs.: Nah-Shon Burrell (8-1) vs. Chris Spang (4-1)
Nostradumbass predicts: I know most hardcore fight fans are too fickle to give Nah-Shon Burrell a second look and casual fans, well, they won't even be watching.
That's unfortunate.
It's hard to build a "one to watch" case for "The Rock-and-Rolla" based on the ugliness that was his split decision win over James Terry earlier this year, but let's not forget he just turned 22 and has less than two years of professional experience.
And he can strike.
Like the Philly fighter, Spang is one of the taller welterweights, measuring in over six feet, but his inability to implement his reach in this fight will be his undoing.
He looked unimpressive in his unanimous decision loss to Ricky Legere Jr. at the "Rockhold vs. Jardine" event back in January and despite beating some decent competition on the regional scene, I expect him to get lit up by Burrell by the end of the first frame.
Final Prediction: Burrell def. Spang via technical knockout
155 lbs.: Gesias Cavalcante (16-4-1) vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg (12-3-1)
Nostradumbass predicts: Remember back in late 2007 when "JZ" was one of the world's top lightweights? How the mighty have fallen. He's still a dangerous fighter and he was robbed blind against "The Punk." Vallie-Flagg is on a hot streak but when you compare their quality of opposition, well, there's no comparison. Cavalcante by TKO.
205 lbs.: Virgil Zwicker (10-2) vs. Guto Inocente (5-0)
Nostradumbass predicts: I know Filho is supposed to be the big bad Brazilian, who is undefeated and unbreakable and blabbity, blabbity blah, but he's going to get smashed by "Rezdog." Don't tell me that getting pasted by Lavar Johnson is a knock on Zwicker, since that guy can punch his way out of a bank vault.
205 lbs.: Derrick Mehmen (12-4) vs. Gian Villante (9-3)
Nostradumbass predicts: Villante was nearly sent back to Ring of Combat (ROC) after two consecutive losses, but I think he's finally got his groove back following a pair of wins and should outwork the tough (but inconsistent) "Meh"men en route to a unanimous decision victory.
170 lbs.: Quinn Mulhern (17-2) vs. Yuri Villefort (6-0)
Nostradumbass predicts: Villefort is undefeated and has five finishes in six wins, but there is no way I'm picking a guy who hasn't competed in two years against a guy who is 17-2 with 11 submissions. Yuri gasses and Mulhern passes.
That's a wrap, folks.
What do you think? Now it's your turn ... let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for tomorrow night's event.
UFC Quick Quote: CB Dollaway is getting his fart-face knocked off by Mayhem M... by Jesse Holland 18 May 2012 at 4:30pm"I just look at who he’s fought in the past, and I look at — you know — I look at who he’s fought in the past, and how I match up with them, and I know that… this should be an easy night for me. On top of that, I trained my ass off. I’m not gonna make this a personal thing with the guy, but at the same time, I’m not gonna pretend to respect him. There’s a stark contrast between me and him. You can see that I’m mentally tough, and I’m a bit of a masochist, so I’ll take the abuse, and go through it. When the going gets tough, this guy quits, and I’m gonna make him quit. I’m going to knock his fart-face off, and I’m going to send him packing. There’s no way around it."
Strikeforce import and former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 coach Jason Miller (via UFC.com), who promises he'll quit mixed martial arts (MMA) if he loses to C.B. Dollaway, plans on knocking the "fart-face" right off "The Doberman" when they hook 'em up next week on the undercard of the UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Mir" event on May 26, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. "Mayhem" had his face pounded in by Michael Bisping after running out of gas in his Octagon debut last December. He's now promised to redeem himself for that lackluster performance at the expense of Dollaway, or else. Any "Monkeys" out there predicting a career-defining performance from the longtime veteran? Or should we already start planning his retirement party?
Littlefoot? UFC 146's Antonio Silva is 'very light and fast' heading into Cai... by Jesse Holland 18 May 2012 at 4:00pmIt's not often you hear someone who weighs 270 pounds claiming to be "very light and fast."
Then again, it's not often you see an athlete like Antonio Silva, who has to cut weight to make the 265-pound cutoff when weighing in for a mixed martial arts (MMA) fight.
Such will be the case when "Bigfoot" tips the scale next week in "Sin City," as he prepares to take on former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez at the UFC 146 pay-per-view (PPV) event on May 26, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Silva was upended by one of Velasquez's teammates, Daniel Cormier, last year in Strikeforce, after "DC" beat him to the punch using his speed and agility, something "Pezao" expects from his opponent next weekend in the co-main event of the "Dos Santos vs. Mir" fight card.
That's why, Silva explains to MMA Fighting, he's employed the services of fight nutritionist Mike Dolce:
"For first time I'm at 270 three weeks out of the fight. Things are going extremely well, I'm very light and fast. We're diametrically opposed. I have jiu-jitsu and he has wrestling. I see his speed and his lightness and I'm trying to counter it. I faced three great opponents in Strikeforce, [Fabricio] Werdum, Fedor, and Arlovski, now I get the chance to face guys like Velasquez. It's a great opportunity the UFC has given me."
Silva was riding the wave of momentum in last year's Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament after putting the screws to former PRIDE deity Fedor Emelianenko; however, that party was crashed by Cormier in the semifinals. All's well that ends well, from a career perspective, as Silva now gets the chance to reinvent himself inside the Octagon.
Against one of the very best heavyweights on the planet.
Who ya' got?
See more on their pending match-up right here.
UFC 146 results and LIVE fight coverage for 'Dos Santos vs Mir' on May 26 in ... by Jesse Holland 18 May 2012 at 3:31pmUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC) recently put the finishing touches on its upcoming UFC 146 fight card scheduled for the MGM Grand Garden Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
"Dos Santos vs. Mir" will feature an all-heavyweight main card, headlined by a 265-pound title fight that pits reigning champion Junior dos Santos against former division titleholder Frank Mir.
Speaking of former champions, Cain Velasquez will try to rebound from his brutal knockout loss to "Cigano" last November by taking on Strikeforce import and Brazilian "Bigfoot" Antonio Silva. Elsewhere on the card, Shane del Rosario and Lavar Johnson represent the latest additions to the UFC roster taking on Stipe Miocic and Stefan Struve, respectively.
And let's not forget about Roy Nelson vs. Dave Herman.
UFC 146 promises to be an action-packed card with serious title implications in the heavyweight division. But that's not the only group of combatants looking to right some wrongs in "Sin City."
Check out the rest of the "Dos Santos vs. Mir" fight card and line-up after the jump.
Main Event:
UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos vs. Frank Mir
Main Card (pay-per-view):
265 lbs.: Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva
265 lbs.: Roy Nelson vs. Dave Herman
265 lbs.: Shane del Rosario vs. Stipe Miocic
265 lbs.: Lavar Johnson vs. Stefan Struve
Preliminary Card (FX Channel):
145 lbs.: Diego Brandao vs. Darren Elkins
155 lbs.: Edson Barboza vs. Jamie Varner
185 lbs.: Jason Miller vs. C.B. Dollaway
170 lbs.: Dan Hardy vs. Duane Ludwig
Preliminary Card (Facebook):
155 lbs.: Paul Sass vs. Jacob Volkmann
205 lbs.: Glover Teixeira vs. Kyle Kingsbury
145 lbs.: Mike Brown vs. Daniel Pineda
MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., May 26, 2012), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET with the "Prelims" bouts on Facebook and FX.
See you then!
For more on UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Mir" be sure to hit up our event archive right here.
UFC on FUEL TV 3 payouts and salaries: Cowboy Cerrone wrangles event-high $60... by Jesse Holland 18 May 2012 at 3:00pmUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will be cutting a few checks this week following its UFC on FUEL TV 3: "Koran Zombie vs. Poirier" broadcast last Tuesday night (May 15, 2012) from the Patriot Center in Fairfax, and figures released from the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation in Virginia tell us who's getting what.
"Cowboy" up.
Donald Cerrone leads the payday way with $60,000 following a lopsided unanimous decision win over Jeremy Stephens. "Lil' Heathen" takes home $24,000 in defeat. Coming in second was former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 champion Amir Sadollah, who banked $48,000 for squeaking past Jorge Lopez ($6,000) via split decision.
That's not all.
The complete list of UFC on FUEL TV 3 payouts and salaries after the jump.
Chan Sung Jung: $34,000 ($17,000 to show, $17,000 to win)
Dustin Poirier: $14,000
Jung def. Poirier via submission
Amir Sadollah: $48,000 ($24,000 to show, $24,000 to win)
Jorge Lopez: $6,000
Sadollah def. Lopez via split decision
Donald Cerrone: $60,000 ($30,000 to show, $30,000 to win)
Jeremy Stephens: $24,000
Cerrone def. Stephens via unanimous decision
Yves Jabouin: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)
Jeff Hougland: $8,000
Jabouin def. Hougland via unanimous decision
Igor Pokrajac: $34,000 ($17,000 to show, $17,000 to win)
Fabio Maldonado: $11,000
Pokrajac def. Maldonado via unanimous decision
Tom Lawlor: $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)
Jason MacDonald: $19,000
Lawlor def. MacDonald via knockout
Brad Tavares: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)
Dongi Yang: $12,000
Tavares def. Yang via unanimous decision
Cody McKenzie: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)
Marcus LeVesseur: $6,000
McKenzie def. LeVesseur via submission
T.J. Grant: $30,000 ($15,000 to show, $15,000 to win)
Carlo Prater: $10,000
Grant def. Prater via unanimous decision
Rafael dos Anjos: $32,000 ($16,000 to show, $16,000 to win)
Kamal Shalorus: $11,000
Dos Anjos def. Shalorus via submission
Johnny Eduardo: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)
Jeff Curran: $8,000
Eduardo def. Curran via unanimous decision
Francisco Rivera: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)
Alex Soto: $6,000
Rivera def. Soto via unanimous decision
The total disclosed payroll for UFC on FUEL TV 3 was $481,000.
Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments such as PPV bonuses, among others. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc.
For example, the UFC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for the "Korean Zombie vs. Poirier" event click here.
For complete UFC on FUEL TV 3 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.
Pic: Jorge Lopez broken hand suffered in the first round of his split decisio... by Jesse Holland 18 May 2012 at 2:30pmPic: Jorge Lopez broken hand suffered in the first round of his split decision loss to Amir Sadollah last Tuesday (May 15, 2012) at the UFC on FUEL TV 3 event from the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia. Ouch.
Props: MMA Weekly
