DID HE OR DIDN’T HE? CHAEL SONNEN ADDRESSES HIS CONTROVERSIAL TAP OUT ON “FIGHTING WORDS WITH MIKE STRAKA” – TONIGHT ON HDNET

August 14, 2010 by GFL · Leave a Comment
Filed under: MMA News 

“Fighting Words with Mike Straka” scores Sonnen’s first extended interview after his heartbreaking loss to Anderson Silva, while “Inside MMA” has Chuck Liddell talking about retirement – TONIGHT, Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET on HDNet
DALLAS (August 13, 2010) Just twelve hours after his epic battle with Anderson Silva, UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen sat down for a frank and emotional 30-minute interview with Mike Straka, set to air this Friday, August 13 at 8:30 p.m. ET on HDNet.

He also addresses the controversy that has arisen since the fight, questioning whether or not he really did tap out.

Sonnen dominated the pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva at UFC 117 in Oakland, CA – only to be caught in a submission with less than two minutes left in the fight.  Sonnen says he’s devastated by the loss.

“You’re a minute away from this ultimate goal. Some guys, they spend eight to ten weeks in a training camp. I’ve spent 25 years. I’ve worked out every single day but Christmas since I was nine years old for one moment, and it was last night…It’s a devastating, heartbreaking reality…I want to cry right this second,” Sonnen said through watery eyes.

View a clip here

Sonnen tells Straka that he lay in bed wide awake until 6:00 a.m., repeatedly going over that last round in his head and thinking of what he could have done differently to win the bout.

“I know how to stop a triangle,” he said. “He locked that thing up so fast and so deep. There’s a line of defense that you go through, and the one I went to is your last resort, and I went to it first, but I had to,” said Sonnen.

He also said he’s not counting on an immediate rematch.

“I’m not entitled to anything. They (UFC) don’t owe me anything,” he said.  “This is a business, and it’s going to come down to who is the number one draw…Vitor Belfort is a big draw. That’s a good fight. I understand it, but I’m the number one contender. I’m the one the fans want to see do the job, but if not, I’ll sit back and watch Vitor do it,” he said.

In the interview, Sonnen breaks down the already legendary fight for viewers, detailing when he first thought he broke Silva’s will, and when he says, “He (Silva) changed his mind out there. He was ready to go a couple of times. Then he decided no, I’m going to stick around a little bit longer.” He also talks about his controversial comments leading up to the fight.

Tonight’s “Inside MMA,” features Chuck Liddell talking about retirement, while Kenny and Bas panelists WEC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson, Reed Harris, and Javier Vazquez discuss Sonnen versus Silva.  Also, how are the New York Jets improving their Super Bowl chances by using MMA?  Find out tonight!

“Fighting Words with Mike Straka” airs TONIGHT, August 13, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. ET on HDNet – “Inside MMA” immediately follows at 9:00 p.m. ET.
About HDNet
HDNet (www.hd.net) is the independent network with unique and provocative content that appeals to men of all ages and is delivered in true high definition.

HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for popular, original programming, including television’s only HD news feature programs “HDNet World Report,” and the Emmy Award winning “Dan Rather Reports,” featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather.  Only HDNet goes beyond the headlines to deliver real news that is redefining the way we look at our world.  HDNet News is provocative, sometimes controversial and always relevant - telling the important stories of our time in-depth, with attitude and with independence. HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning documentaries as part of the InFocus series.  “NASA on HDNet” presents all live shuttle launches through 2010.

HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring the best of Mixed Martial Arts with its Friday night series, “HDNet Fights” (www.hdnetfights.com).  “HDNet Fights” works with leading MMA promoters including DREAM, Sengoku, King of the Cage, XFC, , K-1, K-1 Max, MFCand more.  HDNet produces more live Mixed Martial Arts events than any other network and HDNet’s “Inside MMA” is the hottest Mixed Martial Arts program on television, giving MMA fans their weekly fix for everything MMA, while “Fighting Words with Mike Straka,” goes one-on-one with some of the biggest names in the sport. HDNet also features regular season games from the newly formed United Football League.

HDNet also delivers the world’s largest and most diverse concert line-up through the HDNet Concert Series.  The HDNet Concert Series features leading artists and bands including Paul McCartney, Mariah Carey, John Mayer, Nickelback and more. HDNet also features revealing lifestyle programming featuring “Art Mann Presents,” “Girls Gone Wild,” “Deadline” and “Get Out!”

Only HDNet Movies (www.hdnetmovies.com) delivers exclusive Sneak Previews of new movies before they hit theaters.  The HDNet Movies Sneak Preview series features top Hollywood stars in critically acclaimed performances including Gwyneth Paltrow, Joaquin Phoenix, Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Tom Hanks, Vera Farmiga, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow, Eric Bana, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt, Robin Williams, Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger.

In addition to being the exclusive home of Sneak Previews, HDNet Movies viewers enjoy the best films from the classics of the 1950s-1970s, to favorite films from the 1980s and 1990s, to recently released theatrical films.

HDNet Movies offers subscribers a premium movie viewing experience in true HD, and more original movies shot entirely in HD than any other network.

Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, and Verizon FiOS.

The HDNet networks can be followed via Facebook at facebook.com/HDNet, facebook.com/HDNetFights and facebook.com/HDNetMovies and via Twitter at twitter.com/hdnet, twitter.com/hdnetfights and twitter.com/hdnetmovies.

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UFC 117 results: Sonnen shocks the world, but Silva is still king

August 8, 2010 by GFL · Leave a Comment
Filed under: MMA News 

By Phil Lanides of San Jose MMA Examiner

Middleweight title challenger Chael Sonnen talked so much trash heading into his bout with UFC champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva that many expected the 185-pound kingpin to awake from the slumber that seemed to have captured the Brazilian bomber in his last few fights. Riding an eleven-fight win streak heading into the bout, Silva had tons of pressure on him to perform. And for four rounds, he wasn’t able to, as Sonnen absolutely shut the champ down. But to his credit, the champion persevered and pulled off one of the most incredible submissions in MMA history.

The Bay Area was fully-represented as Oracle Arena in Oakland played host to UFC 117 Saturday night, and what an incredible slate of fights it was. San Jose’s Jon Fitch dominated his fight, but the night truly belonged to Anderson Silva. See the full description below.

Here are the results of the preliminary card:

• Dennis “Superman” Hallman defeated Ben “Killa B” Saunders via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
• Stefan Struve defeated Christian Morecraft via TKO (punches) at 0:22 of the 1st round
• Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch defeated Todd Brown via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Johny Hendricks defeated Charlie Brenneman via TKO (punches) at 0:40 of the 2nd round
• “Mr. Wonderful” Phil Davis defeated Rodney Wallace via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
• Rick Story defeated Dustin Hazelett via TKO (punches) at 1:15 of the 2nd round

Huge win for Hallman, one which breathes new life into his UFC career. Struve weathered a massive storm from Morecraft and pulled out a tremendous come-from-behind victory. In fat, the fight was nearly stopped between the 1st and 2nd round. Also, Phil Davis is really showing his skill, and is primed for a fight with a bigger-name opponent. Meanwhile, the slide of Hazelett continues, who has lost two straight and hasn’t won a fight since 2008. Here are the results of the main card:

• Junior dos Santos (12-1) defeated “Big Country” Roy Nelson (16-5) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27): It was clear early that dos Santos’ goal was to knock Nelson’s head off, while Nelson was playing a more defensive game, though he was the one advancing. “Big Country” ended up getting caught with a big shot from the Brazilian. He was able to weather the storm, and dos Santos seemed to tire a little from trying to end it. An uppercut landed again for dos Santos, and Nelson seemed to be on the ropes. But he was again able to survive, and made it into the second round…barely. In the 2nd, “Big Country” landed a couple times early, and both fighters started swinging. Neither was able to really hurt the other, however. Things slowed down from there, with the Brazilian developing a nasty mouse under his eye. Nelson shot in for a double-leg takedown, and even dos Santos got in the act, with neither succeeding. Both fighters seemed to be tiring extensively, with Nelson looking especially gassed. Entering the 3rd round, Dos Santos was definitely winning the fight. He even secured a takedown with a little over three minutes left in the fight. “Big Country” seemed to be content to function as a human punching bag, and just didn’t appear to have what it took to mount much offense. Yet, dos Santos was unable to finish the fight. In the end, it was a clear-cut win for the Brazilian, though Nelson earned much respect for never giving up and getting through the fight.
• Matt Hughes (45-7) defeated Ricardo “Big Dog” Almeida (12-4) via technical submission (modified arm-triangle choke) at 3:15 of the 1st round: Though Hughes and Almeida are known for their world class ground games, both were content to stand in this one early on. Almeida seemed to get the better of the exchanges, utilizing the clinch effectively. Meanwhile, Hughes was limited to one-punch strikes. However, he dropped his Brazilian counterpart with a left hook that put Almeida onto the seat of his shorts. Then in shocking fashion, the Hall of Famer followed up and cinched in a choke that is hard to name. It was kind of a bulldog/arm-triangle combo, one that Hughes labeled an old-fashioned “wrestling hold.” A few seconds later “Big Dog” went limp, despite his incredible BJJ skills, and referee Josh Rosenthal stopped the fight.
• “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (27-11) defeated Rafael dos Anjos (14-5) via submission (jaw injury) at 1:51 of the 3rd round: Not surprisingly, this fight was a blur of motion early on, with both fighters happy to stand and trade. Neither fighter gained much of an advantage, though both were able to connect. Dos Anjos shot in for a takedown less than two minutes into the fight, but Guida was able to defend and worked for his own. The Brazilian was also able to avoid the mat, and eventually the two fighters separated. Back to the standup game, and “the Carpenter” was able to shuck off another takedown attempt from his foe. Dos Anjos was utilizing a lot of kicks, especially to Guida’s legs, and with all the strikes landed, coupled with the takedown he got on the Chicago native at the end of the 1st round, it was clear that he took the opening frame. The 2nd round produced more of the same, with the high-energy approach of Guida being matched by dos Anjos. More strikes being traded, and the crowd was solidly in the corner of the American. However, it was clear that the Brazilian had the better technical striking, and was scoring more points with his strikes. Eventually, “The Carpenter” was able to secure a solid double-leg takedown and began to attempt to work his ground-and-pound. With that, Guida was probably able to win the 2nd round. In one of the weirder moments seen in MMA, Guida took out his mouthpiece to let out a large belch while on the stool in betweens rounds. The final frame saw “The Carpenter” get an early takedown and work his positions. Eventually, he was able to push dos Anjos against the cage on the mat and secure head and neck control. In an interesting submission, Guida pushed his shoulder into the Brazilian’s throat and garnered the tapout victory. It appeared that dos Anjos had his jaw broken in the 1st round via a right hand from Guida.
• Jon Fitch (23-3-0-1) defeated “The Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-7) unanimous decision (: Alves failed to make weight for the fight, declining to lose the last half-pound needed to get to 171 lbs., forfeiting 20% of his purse to Fitch and the state of California (we need the money) in the process. San Jose fighter Jon Fitch headed into the cage with his usual snarl, and was clearly the crowd favorite. Once the fight got started, Fitch showed he wanted to test his standup skills against the superior striker. However, it didn’t take long for him to grab a hold of Alves, lifting him and slamming him to the ground. The Brazilian was able to stand and get against the cage, but Fitch once again was able to elevate his foe and slam him to the mat. This time, however, “The Pitbull” was able to sweep and get on top. Unable to do any damage, Alves ended up backing up and letting Fitch to his feet. More standup exchanges ensued, with the American Kickboxing Academy member able to get the better of them. Alves stuffed a takedown attempt before the two clinched against the cage. This led to another Fitch takedown, and the horn sounded shortly afterward. Clearly a winning round for Fitch. In the second, both fighters traded a few jabs before Fitch landed another takedown, depositing Alves on the mat. The Brazilian was able to stand briefly, but Fitch got him back down and continued to smother him. He wasn’t doing any damage, really, but was completely controlling Alves. “The Pitbull” was able to stand again, but again, Fitch repeated his previous procedure. The crowd began to get restless. With about thirty seconds left, Alves was finally able to reverse position and use it to stand. Yet, he was unable to capitalize before the horn sounded. Another definitive round for Fitch. Alves looked very determined heading into the final frame, as he knew he’d have to stop his opponent to get the win. Stalking Fitch, “The Pitbull” pushed forward, winging blows. Fitch looked to go to the ground again, but Alves was able to avoid this time. Yet, the American persisted and got his prey to the mat once again. Fitch locked in the body triangle as well, began to look for a choke. He was never able to secure it, and Alves was never able to stand. “The Pitbull” was eventually able to reverse position and get in Fitch’s guard, but it was way too little way too late. Fitch rode out the victory, and garnered himself a future title shot along with his dominant decision victory.
• UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva (27-4) defeated Chael Sonnen (26-11-1) via submission (triangle choke) at 3:10 of the 5th round: Chael Sonnen’s trash talk apparently did nothing to endear himself to the Bay Area crowd, as they booed rather lustily as he entered the arena. Conversely, “The Spider,” who came out with action star Steven Segal in his corner, received a reaction that can only be deemed as polite. With the introductions out of the way, it was time to fight. Sonnen did exactly what he said he’d do right away, as he pushed the pace and took the fight right to the champ. The crowd showed its allegiance to Silva almost right away with a loud chant of his name. Yet Sonnen was undeterred. He landed a solid punch and hurt the Brazilian. Silva seemed to recover quickly, but Sonnen continued to press him. Silva got a takedown but Sonnen ended up on top. His smothering top game was in full effect as he landed elbows and punches to Silva’s face. The champ was never close to being finished, but the case could be made for the opening frame being a 10-8 round for the challenger. Silva had never looked that bad in his UFC career, and Sonnen was doing exactly was he said he would. The 2nd round saw Silva land a couple shots before Sonnen took him down. Once there, the challenger unleashed some unique strikes, which included him clapping his hands on Silva’s ears and slamming the back of the champ’s head against the mat. Eventually, Silva was able to get full guard. But Sonnen continued to land ground-and-pound, and took the 2nd round as well. Still a lot of time left in this one. The 3rd saw Silva land a spinning back kick, but that was it before Sonnen took “The Spider” down once again. It was clear that Sonnen was wearing his archrival out. None of his ground shots appeared to be doing any real damage, but Sonnen was clearly dominating. And the crowd noticed, chanting the Oregon native’s name. The remainder of the round continued in the same vein, with Sonnen taking another round. We were now at the point where Silva would have to knock out or submit his foe. Silva landed a great short elbow that wobbled Sonnen at the beginning of the 4th round. The challenger was in trouble, but weathered the storm. Silva took him down, but the Team Quest product was able to sweep and get his now-familiar top position. From there, the fight went back into its previously established path, with Sonnen continuing to drop strikes from the top. Silva was able to bloody him with some elbows from the bottom, but the round ended in the same position as the previous three. One more round of this, and Sonnen would have the belt. As the 5th began, it appeared that the champion slipped as he ducked a punch and went down. Ever the opportunist, Sonnen jumped on him and went right back into ground-and-pound mode. He began dropping shots again, and it looked like the fight was going to end in the same. But then the unthinkable happened. Sonnen appeared to get sloppy, and he got caught in a triangle choke. He fought it, but in the end, he tapped out, and Silva pulled off one of the biggest turnarounds in MMA history. He was beat up for four and a half rounds, but the winner is, and still UFC Middleweight Champion of the world, Anderson “The Spider” Silva.

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THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP®CONFIRMS REMAINING BOUTS FOR UFC® 117: SILVA vs. SONNEN

July 15, 2010 by GFL · Leave a Comment
Filed under: MMA News 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2010

JON FITCH vs. THIAGO ALVES

MATT HUGHES vs. RICARDO ALMEIDA

CLAY GUIDA vs. RAFAEL DOS ANJOS

ROY NELSON vs. JUNIOR DOS SANTOS

THIAGO SILVA vs. TIM BOETSCH

DUSTIN HAZELETT vs. RICK STORY

STEFAN STRUVE vs. CHRISTIAN MORECRAFT

JOHNY HENDRICKS vs. CHARLIE BRENNEMAN

BEN SAUNDERS vs. DENNIS HALLMAN

RODNEY WALLACE vs. STANISLAV NEDKOV

Live from the Oracle Arena – Oakland, CA

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The middleweight title fight at UFC 117 between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen will be accentuated by one of the most stacked cards in UFC history. The main card features the long-awaited rematch between welterweight contenders Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves, as well as such notable fighters such as recent UFC Hall of Fame inductee Matt Hughes, the electrifying Clay Guida, and a heavyweight matchup between two fast rising stars in the division Roy Nelson and Junior Dos Santos. With all of the intriguing fights lined up on the fight card, the championship ramifications in the main event will add the icing to the cake.

The undercard bouts feature the following matchups: Jon Fitch vs. Thiago Alves, Matt Hughes vs. Ricardo Almeida, Clay Guida vs. Rafael Dos Anjos, Roy Nelson vs. Junior Dos Santos, Thiago Silva vs. Tim Boetsch, Dustin Hazelett vs. Rick Story, Stefan Struve vs. Christian Morecraft, Johny Hendricks vs. Charlie Brenneman, Ben Saunders vs. Dennis Hallman, and Rodney Wallace vs. Stanislav Nedkov.

UFC 117 is available live on Pay-Per-View at 10pm ET/7pm PT on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

The co-main event of UFC 117 will be a showdown to elevate one fighter to the top of contention for the welterweight championship. UFC veteran Jon Fitch (fighting out of San Jose, Calif./ profesional record – 25-3, 1 NC) has had a remarkable career in the organization. One of the division’s most consistent fighters, Fitch has won four fights in a row and has an overall record of 12-1 in the UFC. His lone loss came at the hands of welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre via unanimous decision at UFC 87. The durable fighter from Indiana wrestled collegiately at Purdue University and has the endurance to battle until the end. This decisive battle will be a long awaited rematch as Thiago “The Pitbull” Alves (fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla./22-5) aims to seek revenge on Fitch. The 26-year old fighter has elevated himself to the top of the division by winning nine of his last eleven fights in the UFC. Alves believes he has improved as a fighter more than Fitch has since their last fight in 2006, which he hopes will lead him to victory. The ramifications of this fight extend beyond a statistic on their career record.

The “swing” bout of the evening is an early favorite to garner Fight of the Night honors. The always-exciting Clay “The Carpenter” Guida (fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M. by way of Johnsburg, Ill./26-8) is renowned for his memorable battles in the Octagon. Coming off a submission victory over Shannon Gugerty, Guida has won four of his last six fights. The former collegiate wrestler is set to lock up with the winner of three fights in a row, Rafael Dos Anjos (fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/14-4). The Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion has entered the Octagon twice already in 2010, most recently for UFC 112 when he was able to submit Terry Etim with an armbar at the end of the second round. The young fighter has only had five fights in the UFC, but is steadily climbing the ladder in the lightweight division.

The context of the first welterweight matchup on the main card extends beyond a typical fight, as honor and history are on the line. Recent UFC Hall of Fame inductee Matt Hughes (fighting out of Hillsboro, Ill./45-7) is a legend of the UFC, with 22 fights and a UFC record 17 victories. The two-time UFC welterweight champion has defeated future champions in Georges St-Pierre and BJ Penn, but in the context of this fight, Hughes has defeated Royce Gracie, Matt Serra and Renzo Gracie. Both Serra and Ricardo “Big Dog” Almeida (fighting out of Hamilton, N.J./12-3) are coached by the legendary Renzo Gracie, which sets up the opportunity for Almeida to defend the honor of the Gracie clan. Almeida is on a three fight win streak and a winner of five of his last seven. The four-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu National Champion not only has his own reputation to defend, but the reputation of an entire legendary MMA family.

The Ultimate Fighter® Heavyweights Finale winner Roy Nelson (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev./16-4) has only two UFC fights under his belt, but has scored a first-round knockout in both of them. A grappler with world-class experience and a black belt under Renzo Gracie, he has quickly elevated himself as a worthy heavyweight contender. His matchup with Junior Dos Santos (fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil/11-1) provides a glimpse into the exciting future of the heavyweight division. Dos Santos has been victorious in his five fights within the organization by way of four knockouts, and a submission victory over Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 103. The Brazilian native’s boxing and jiu-jitsu background have helped establish Dos Santos as a legitimate contender for the heavyweight title.

Thiago Silva (fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil/14-2) started his UFC career with a bang, winning his first four fights (three by TKO), dating back to UFC 71 in 2007. He has since battled the elite fighters in the light heavyweight division, including former champions Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans. His latest opponent, Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch (fighting out of Lincolnville, Maine/11-3), makes a return to the UFC after a short hiatus. Previously, Boetsch had four fights in the UFC, establishing a record of 2-2.

Of the five victories that Dustin Hazelett (fighting out of Cincinnati, Ohio/14-5) has obtained in the UFC, four have come via submission. The submission specialist has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and hopes to secure a win over Rick Story (fighting out of Vancouver, Wash./10-3).The young fighter out of Washington has been on a roll lately, winning his last three fights. Story’s supreme conditioning is exemplified by the fact three of his four fights have gone all three rounds.

In one of the tallest matchups in recent UFC history, the 6’11” Stefan Struve (fighting out of Beverwijk, Netherlands/23-4) is set to face the 6’5 ½ Christian Morecraft (fighting out of Plymouth, Mass./6-0). Known for his height and length, the 22-year-old Struve has utilized his skills in kickboxing and submissions to secure three wins in his five fights in the UFC. Morecraft is making his UFC debut after establishing a solid professional record.

Two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Johny Hendricks (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev./8-0) has split time between the UFC and World Extreme Cagefighting®(WEC®). After winning his first two fights in the WEC, Hendricks made a smooth transition to the UFC and continued his winning ways through his first three fights. His opponent, Charlie Brenneman (fighting out of Whippany, N.J. by way of Hollidaysburg, Pa./12-1), improved his already solid professional record after winning his UFC debut against Jason High last March at UFC Fight Night Live®. Also a former Division I wrestler, this matchup could very well be decided on the ground.

Welterweight striker Ben Saunders (fighting out of Orlando, Fla./8-2-2) has been successful in his UFC career thus far. The aggressive fighter has won four of his six fights, and is the only man to knock out veteran contender Marcus Davis. Although Saunders has had a relatively short fighting career, his opponent Dennis Hallman (fighting out of Yelm, Wash./64-13-2, 1 NC) has had 80 professional fights. Hallman made a return to the UFC at The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights Finale in December of 2009 after a four year hiatus. The gritty fighter has the experience and knowledge required to secure a longer stay in the UFC.

The opening fight for UFC 117 features two up-and-coming light heavyweights. Rodney Wallace (fighting out of Charlotte, N.C./9-2) made his debut against Brian Stann at The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights Finale and has since fought Jared Hamman at UFC 111. On August 7th, Wallace is seeking his first victory in the UFC against Stanislav Nedkov (fighting out of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria/11-0). Nedkov is an impressive light heavyweight fighter with a background in wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, who is making his UFC debut at UFC 117.

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com.  All bouts live and subject to change.

Ultimate Fighting Championship® – www.ufc.com

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually and 30 live arena events around the world.  UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s Versus network.  UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada.  Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 130 countries, territories and jurisdictions, reaching 430 million homes worldwide, in 20 different languages.  Ancillary businesses now include UFC.com with over 5 million unique visitors per month, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, articulated action figures and other media including best-selling DVDs and a U.S. bimonthly magazine.

Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa®, The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC, its affiliates or other respective owners.

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CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWDOWN BETWEEN SILVA AND SONNEN HIGHLIGHTS UFC 117 – FIRST UFC® EVENT IN OAKLAND

June 3, 2010 by GFL · Leave a Comment
Filed under: MMA News 

UFC® Middleweight Championship

ANDERSON SILVA vs. CHAEL SONNEN

Co-Main Event

MATT HUGHES vs. RICARDO ALMEIDA

Plus

CLAY GUIDA vs. RAFAEL DOS ANJOS

Live from the Oracle Arena – Tickets on Sale Friday, June 11 at 10am PT

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – For nearly four years, UFC® middleweight champion Anderson Silva has ruled the 185-pound weight class with an iron fist. On August 7th, at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, he will look to add to his record six title defenses when he takes on the one man brash enough to call him out, number one contender Chael Sonnen. This championship bout, which is the main event of UFC 117: SILVA vs. SONNEN presented by Tequila Cazadores, headlines the first UFC® event in Oakland.

UFC 117 also features former Ultimate Fighting Championship® welterweight champion and recent inductee into the UFC® Hall of Fame Matt Hughes against 170-pound contender Ricardo “Big Dog” Almeida, and an explosive lightweight bout pitting Clay “The Carpenter” Guida against Rafael dos Anjos.

“When we offered Chael Sonnen this shot at the title, he promised us one thing: that he was going to make this a fight,” said UFC President Dana White. “I know he means it, and after beating three legit contenders in Nate Marquardt, Yushin Okami, and Dan Miller, he’s definitely going to bring the best out of Anderson Silva on August 7th. And as far as Anderson is concerned, he wants to remind everybody why he’s considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.”

“We are very excited about this event coming to Oakland and have been receiving many inquiries about the match,” said Mark Kaufman, SMG’s GM at Oracle Arena. “We anticipate seeing many more fights in years to come.”

Tickets for UFC 117 will go on sale Friday, June 11 at 10am PT and will be priced at $400, $300, $200, $150, $100 and $50. Tickets are available either online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, by visiting the Oracle Arena Box Office or at any Ticketmaster outlet. The Oracle Arena Box Office is open Monday thru Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-2pm. Prices do not include service charges.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, June 9 starting at 10am PT via UFCFightClub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Thursday, June 10 starting at 10am PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC 117 will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10pm ET/7pm PT on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

Undefeated in the UFC and one of the most dominant champions to ever grace the Octagon™, Anderson “The Spider” Silva (fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil / professional record – 26-4) made his sixth successful title defense against Demian Maia at UFC 112, a streak that dates back to July of 2007. Known for his striking abilities, Silva is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under the world-renowned Nogueira brothers and a dynamic fighter who can do it all in the Octagon. His length often causes problems for his opponents, as only two of his last 11 victories have gone to the scorecards. But the champion now faces a fighter that believes he has figured out a way to stop The Spider.

“Chael is a very good fighter,” Silva said. “I am training very hard with my team, and Minotauro Nogueira and Lyoto Machida, and I will be ready. This is a title fight and I expect him to be ready because I know I will be. If the guy wants to talk that’s fine. It’s a lot different inside the Octagon.”

Unbeaten in his last three UFC fights over top-level competition, Chael Sonnen (fighting out of West Linn, Ore. / 26-10-1) is an experienced fighter, with a high pedigree in wrestling. Sonnen is a former U.S. Olympic team alternate, as well as a two-time National Champion in Greco-Roman wrestling at the University of Oregon. Sonnen, who is known for putting constant pressure on his opponents, is coming off impressive wins over Dan Miller, Yushin Okami, and Nate Marquardt, and he wants to make it four in a row by adding the name of Anderson Silva to that list.

“He’s been ducking me for four years,” Sonnen said of the UFC middleweight champion. “This fight is a large part about the title and a large part about him. We’re not going to be friends. He’s not my kind of guy. But this fight is also to prove a point to the rest of the guys in the division. One guy has challenged him in four years and it’s been me.”

Matt Hughes (fighting out of Hillsboro, Ill. / 45-7) is perhaps the greatest welterweight the UFC® has ever seen, having defended the UFC® welterweight title an unprecedented seven times over two reigns. Hughes has beaten some of the biggest names in MMA, such as Georges St. Pierre, BJ Penn and Royce Gracie, and is riding a two-fight winning streak with victories over Matt Serra and Renzo Gracie. One of Hughes’ strengths is his wrestling ability, stemming from his college career where he was a four-time collegiate wrestling All-American, and he will bring that talent to the Octagon to face Almeida in August.

After winning his debut fight in the welterweight division at UFC® 111 against Matt Brown, Ricardo “Big Dog” Almeida (fighting out of Hamilton, N.J. / 12-3) looks to further prove he is a contender at his new weight. Almeida looked impressive with his submission of Brown, which is no surprise since he takes pride in his ground game. Along with that, Almeida is a third degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a four-time Brazilian national champion. Almeida has been victorious in his last three fights, but his match against Hughes will have added meaning given the fact that the former welterweight champion defeated his jiu-jitsu professor, Renzo Gracie, in April.

Known for his solid chin and relentless endurance, Clay “The Carpenter” Guida (fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill./26-8) has helped create some memorable fights for the UFC, garnering ‘Fight of the Night’ honors three times, most recently versus Diego Sanchez at The Ultimate Fighter®: US vs. UK finale. Every time Guida steps into the Octagon, he is almost guaranteed to be in one of the most exciting fights of the evening. The Illinois native has won four of his last six fights, with his submission victory over Shannon Gugerty being his most recent victory.

Rafael dos Anjos (fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/14-4) is riding a wave of momentum, having won his last three fights. The experienced Brazilian has fought five times in the UFC and has proven to be a worthy contender in the lightweight division, most recently defeating Rob Emerson, Kyle Bradley, and Terry Etim.

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com, UK.UFC.com, GERMANY.UFC.com, UFCJapan.jp or UFCEspanol.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

Ultimate Fighting Championship® – www.ufc.com

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually and 30 live arena events around the world.  UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s Versus network.  Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 130 countries, territories and jurisdictions, reaching 430 million homes worldwide, in 20 different languages.  Ancillary businesses now include UFC.com with over 5 million unique visitors per month, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym™,

UFC Fight Club™ affinity program, UFC Fan Expo™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, articulated action figures and other media including best-selling DVDs and a U.S. bimonthly magazine.

Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa®, The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC, its affiliates or other respective owners.

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Anderson Silva: Foot in Mouth

April 15, 2010 by kenny · Leave a Comment
Filed under: MMA News 

Written By: TheGARV

Many people believe that Anderson Silva put his foot in his mouth with his verbal antics inside the Octagon at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi. But as this pic proves, his foot was actually in Demian Maia’s mouth.

I hope this isn’t too corny. Anderson’s foot that is.

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UFC welterweight contender Paulo Thiago faces his stiffest test to date …

April 15, 2010 by kenny · Leave a Comment
Filed under: MMA News 

Written By: Eduardo Cruz (MMAmania.com)

A Q&A with the MMAmania.com readers …

Fast-rising UFC welterweight contender Paulo Thiago is here and while we know he’s tough enough to make it as both a mixed martial artist and a Brazilian supercop, what we don’t know is if he has the chops to hang with the inquisitive minds of the MMAmania.com community.

Hear what Thiago has to say about Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre, his favorite submission and what physical attribute he considers to be “God’s Gift.”

Check it out:

Continue reading this post »

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Anderson vs. Fedor: Artist Conception

April 14, 2010 by kenny · Leave a Comment
Filed under: MMA News 

Written By: TheGARV

(GIF found on the UG. Brilliant work!)

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Leave Anderson Silva Alone!

April 14, 2010 by kenny · Leave a Comment
Filed under: MMA News 

Written By: TheGARV

(Anderson toying with Maia. GIF courtesy of the UG.)
Ok, the title is a little facetious, but really, it’s time to move past the whole Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia saga. Silva dominated the scoring in his fight against Maia and retained his crown. Keeping the strap is what the fight was about, not entertaining Dana White and/or the fans. Sure, we all love kill or be killed fighters like Wanderlei Silva, but with opponents as dangerous as the top contenders in the UFC, sometimes it’s prudent to be safety-first.

Silva himself said as much: “When it comes to fighting an opponent of Demian’s caliber, who is very dangerous on the ground, then you have to be very careful in your strategy.”

Read more…

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UFC 112 main card predictions: Silva will notch another KO

April 9, 2010 by GFL · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Boxing News 

By Phil Lanides of San Jose MMA Examiner

UFC 112 has two title fights slated for the co-main and main events, respectively. In one of the them, a lightweight title bout between champion B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar, the bout features a champion facing someone most would call a worthy title challenger. In the middleweight title bout between champion Anderson Silva and Demian Maia, that may not be the case. Regardless, the bout is a very interesting one between two Brazilian superstars.

Anderson “The Spider” Silva (25-4) vs. Demian Maia (12-1): What can be said about “The Spider” that hasn’t already been said? It appears that his biggest problem is staying motivated, as evidenced by his less than coma-inducing wins over Patrick Cote and Thales Leites. It’s saying a lot when the worst thing you can say about a fighter is that his wins don’t always end in spectacular fashion. Silva has completely run the table in the UFC’s middleweight division, to the point where a fighter that is 1-1 in his last two fights like Maia is getting a shot at the belt. The champ’s Muay Thai is incredibly efficient in MMA, and, as he showed against world class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Travis Lutter a couple years ago, his ground game is nothing to be overlooked, either. Like B.J. Penn, it’s simply difficult to find a hole in his game.

Demian Maia is one of the best jiu-jitsu players in MMA today. He has transitioned his style over from the grappling world in a way that others have tried and failed. He ran off a streak of five straight submission victories to start off his UFC career before running into a right hand from Nate Marquardt that put his lights out in 21 seconds. Following up this tough loss with a solid decision victory over Dan Miller at UFC 109 in February, Maia got back on the right track. But now he steps in there with the guy that dropped Marquardt. Suffice to say, it’s going to be a very, very tough fight for Maia.

There’s not much else to say: if Marquardt is going to knock Maia out, Silva shouldn’t have any problem doing the same – Prediction: Silva via KO

Here’s the full card for UFC 112:

MAIN CARD
• Champion Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia (for UFC Middleweight title)
• Champion B.J. Penn vs. Frankie Edgar (for UFC Lightweight title)
• Matt Hughes vs. Renzo Gracie
• Terry Etim vs. Rafael dos Anjos
• Kendall Grove vs. Mark Munoz

PRELIMINARY CARD
•Phil Davis vs. Alexander Gustafsson
• John Gunderson vs. Paul Taylor
• Nick Osipczak vs. Rick Story
• Brad Blackburn vs. DaMarques Johnson
• Paul Kelly vs. Matt Veach
• Mostapha Al Turk vs. Jon Madsen

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UFC 112 Weigh-In Results:

April 9, 2010 by GFL · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Boxing News 

UFC Middleweight Championship

Demian Maia (184) VS Anderson Silva (185)

UFC Lightweight Championship

Frank Edgar (154) VS BJ Penn (155)

Renzo Gracie (171) VS Matt Hughes (170)

Rafael Dos Anjos (156) VS Terry Etim (154)

Mark Munoz (185) VS Kendall Grove (185)

Phil Davis (204) VS Alexander Gustafsson (205)

John Gunderson (154) VS Paul Taylor (155)

Rick Story (169) VS Nick Osipczak (170)

Brad Blackburn (170) VS DaMarques Johnson (170)

Matt Veach (155) VS Paul Kelly (156)

Mostapha Al Turk (235) VS Jon Madsen (252)

About UFC 112

Following a hard-fought three round win over Dan Miller at UFC 109 that showed him to be more than just a submission expert, Demian Maia meets UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in the main event of UFC 112 Saturday April 10 live from Ferrari World on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. In the co-main event of UFC 112, lightweight champion BJ Penn looks to continue his dominant reign when he takes on Frankie Edgar. Also, two legends meet for the first time when future UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes battles groundfighting master Renzo Gracie.

UFC 112 will be available on Pay-Per-View Saturday, April 10 at 7pm PT/10pm ET on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com, UK.UFC.com, GERMANY.UFC.com, UFCJapan.jp or UFCEspanol.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

Ultimate Fighting Championship® – www.ufc.com

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually and 30 live arena events around the world.  UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s Versus network.  UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada.  Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 130 countries, territories and jurisdictions, reaching 430 million homes worldwide, in 20 different languages.  Ancillary businesses now include UFC.com with over 5 million unique visitors per month, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, articulated action figures and other media including best-selling DVDs and a U.S. bimonthly magazine.

Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa®, The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC, its affiliates or other respective owners.

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