UFC welterweight contender Paulo Thiago faces his stiffest test to date …
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:
Epitaph: UFC 111
Written By: Dallas Winston (TheGARV.com)
I would say UFC 111 was painfully predictable; although as a mock soothsayer for the event, I dont’ even think I got the name of the organization correct (evinced in the WEC articles below).
Should Georges St. Pierre and Jon Fitch’s performances be construed as “disappointing” or flat-out “boring” because they fitted a saddle to their opponents and sat on them for the entirety of the fight as if incubating a pile of eggs? Their strategies offered the least amount of potential danger and epitomized the enforcement of a fighter’s strength versus the weakness of their adversary, but I couldn’t help but feel less than satisfied at the event’s conclusion. Perhaps the issue of more importance is the lack of opportunities generated by their foes.
On that note, how did Dan Hardy, Frank Mir, and Ben Saunders hope to win last night?
A trip to Fightmetric reveals that Hardy only unleashed a total of 42 strikes (34 of which were jabs) throughout the whole fight, which equates to about 8.5 strikes per round, so his logic, which I partially subscribed to, that five rounds was enough time to touch GSP’s chin with a fireball had little chance of becoming reality.
Of course, the fact that he was taken down at will with little to no resistance muffled any chances of him mounting a shred of threatening offense, which is a credit to the champion’s vice-like hold on the honors of being the best welterweight to grace the sport. Hardy’s refusal to capitulate and fierce fighting spirit were the most enjoyable aspects of the fight, and I believe the Team Rough House fighter earned some respect from the MMA community for his gritty toughness despite coming up short.
UFC 111: “That 170’s Show” (Repost)
Written By: Dallas Winston (TheGARV.com)
If you’re a fan of the UFC’s dynamic 170-pound stable of fighters, then you’re not going to want to miss UFC 111 on March 27.
Six of the ten allotted matches on the card will feature welterweight fighters. The event’s centerpiece will serve as the hinge for the future of the division as comfortably nestled champion Georges St. Pierre will defend his belt against top challenger Dan Hardy, the fiery brawler with a left-hook that registers on the Richter Scale. The clearcut number one and two contenders in the category, Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves, will collide in a highly anticipated rematch that will establish who is next in line for a crack at the title. These two fights alone absolutely stack the card, as these are the four best welterweights in the world.
If that’s not enough, the division will also be welcoming some talented new members to it’s ranks: fan-favorite Nate Diaz will climb a weight class and make his first UFC welterweight appearance versus the trigger-happy Rory Markham, and battle-hardened submissionist Ricardo Almeida will drop down after a storied middleweight career to make his divisional debut against one of the most under-rated and under-appreciated scrappers in the business, Matt “The Immortal” Brown, while undefeated Greg Soto will enter the octagon for the first time against former TUF-standout Matt Riddle.
You’re still not sold? Let’s throw in what’s sure to unfold as an explosive slugfest between two of the scariest strikers on the UFC roster with a Ben “Killa B” Saunders and Jake Ellenberger pairing, just for good measure.
THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® CONFIRMS REMAINING BOUTS FOR UFC® 111: ST-PIERRE VS HARDY
MAIN EVENT
GEORGES “RUSH” ST-PIERRE vs. DAN “THE OUTLAW” HARDY
CO-MAIN EVENT
FRANK MIR vs. SHANE CARWIN
BEN SAUNDERS vs. JAKE ELLENBERGER
JON FITCH vs. THIAGO ALVES
JIM MILLER vs. MARK BOCEK
NATE DIAZ vs. RORY MARKHAM
RICARDO ALMEIDA vs. MATT BROWN
KURT PELLEGRINO vs. FABRICIO CAMOES
RODNEY WALLACE vs. JARED HAMMAN
ROUSIMAR PALHARES vs. TOMASZ DRWAL
MATTHEW RIDDLE vs. GREG SOTO
SATURDAY, MARCH 27, 2010
Live from the Prudential Center – Newark, New Jersey – Tickets on Sale Now
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Two world titles will be on the line for the first time in 2010 when the Ultimate Fighting Championship® returns to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey for the sold-out UFC 111: ST-PIERRE vs HARDY, Saturday, March 27th, live on Pay-Per-View and presented by TapouT. In featured bouts, one of the best fighters in the game today, UFC® welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, looks to extend his reign and his six fight winning streak against British bomber Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy, and former heavyweight champion Frank Mir looks to become only the second man in UFC history to win the championship three times when he takes on number one contender Shane Carwin for the interim UFC heavyweight title.
UFC 111 will be available live on pay-per-view on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 ($49.95/Canada) for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).
UFC will also hold a UFC 111 Viewing Party at the iconic Radio City Music Hall as well as its UFC 111 pre-fight press conference.
Tickets for the UFC 111 Viewing Party are on sale now and are priced at $25 in advance, or $30 on the day of the event (March 27th). Tickets can be purchased at the Radio City Music Hall Box Office, Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, or online at www.radiocity.com. Tickets are also available by Ticketmaster phone at 866-858-0008. Doors will open at 7:15pm ET; Q&A Session with UFC fighters and host will begin at 8:00pm ET. UFC 111 Screening begins at 9:00pm ET, including the Spike TV preliminary fights and the entire live UFC 111 Pay-Per-View card.
UFC 111 Viewing Party Schedule:
7:15pm – 8:00pm ET: Doors open/Exclusive Chuck Liddell autograph session for the first 200 attendees
8:00pm – 9:00pm ET: Q&A session with Chuck Liddell, Matt Serra and host Stephan Bonnar on stage
9:00pm – 10:00pm ET: UFC 111 on SPIKE TV prelims air live
10:00pm ET: Pay-Per-View screening begins/UFC 111 goes live!
UFC will hold its traditional pre-fight press conference on Wednesday, March 24th inside Radio City Music Hall’s main theatre. This event will be FREE and open to the public.
Dana White will take center stage and host the public press conference, with world welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, number one welterweight contender Dan Hardy, and interim heavyweight title contenders Frank Mir and Shane Carwin lining the dais. Immediately following the event, White, St-Pierre, Hardy, Mir and Carwin will remain on stage and take part in an unprecedented hour-long Q&A, just days before the fight, exclusively for the thousands of UFC fans in attendance. Doors will open for UFC® Fight Club™ members at 1:30pm ET. Doors will open to the General Public at 2:00pm ET. The press conference will begin at 3:00pm ET; the UFC 111 Q&A is expected to begin at 3:30pm ET and conclude around 4:30pm ET.
UFC 111 Press Conference Schedule
1:30pm ET Doors open for UFC Fight Club Members
2:00 pm ET Doors open for the General Public
3:00pm – 3:30pm ET: UFC 111 Press Conference
3:30 – 4:30pm ET: Q&A with UFC President Dana White and St-Pierre, Hardy, Mir and Carwin
UFC 111: St-Pierre vs. Hardy will feature a card loaded with explosive matchups such as Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin, Ben Saunders vs. Jake Ellenberger, Jon Fitch vs. Thiago Alves, Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek, Nate Diaz vs. Rory Markham, Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Brown, Kurt Pellegrino vs. Fabricio Camoes, Rodney Wallace vs. Jared Hamman, Rousimar Palhares vs. Tomasz Drwal, Matthew Riddle vs. Greg Soto.
Winner of four of his last five fights, former two-time heavyweight champion Frank Mir (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev., / professional record 13-4) is coming off an impressive victory over feared striker Cheick Kongo. Mir has shown an-ever improving striking game, coupled with his always impressive submission skills, and he hopes to use these assets to defeat Shane Carwin (fighting out of Denver, Colo. / 11-0) and become the interim heavyweight champion. Carwin, however, has plans of his own. Possessing a dominant physical presence and power, Carwin has steamrolled through every opponent he has faced in the UFC in the first round. With four straight UFC victories, most recently over Gabriel Gonzaga, Carwin has proven himself as one of the top competitors in the heavyweight division and he plans on winning the interim heavyweight belt when he takes on Mir.
Welterweight Ben Saunders (fighting out of Orlando, Fla. / 8-1-2) has won four of his last five fights. In his last fight, a win over Marcus Davis, Saunders became the first person to ever knock out the “Irish Hand Grenade.” With his devastating striking and aggressive style, Saunders intends to make it two straight when he takes on the heavy-handed Jake Ellenberger (fighting out of Omaha, Neb. / 22-5). A native of Omaha, Neb. Ellenberger defeated Mike Pyle via TKO in his last fight and engaged in an exciting three rounder with former WEC Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit in his UFC debut, setting up what should be another memorable battle with Saunders.
One of the most dominating fighters in the UFC, welterweight Jon Fitch (fighting out of San Jose, Calif. / 24-3, 1NC) is currently on a three fight winning streak. A former wrestling standout at Purdue University, the 12-fight UFC veteran has 11 career wins and plans to make it 12 on March 27th. Standing in his way is another UFC veteran with an equally impressive resume. Thiago Alves (fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. / 22-5) has won four of his last five fights. With wins over Karo Parisyan, Matt Hughes, and Josh Koscheck, it is difficult to deny the talent and ability of Alves and he hopes to even the score with Fitch in this rematch of their 2006 battle.
Winner of five of his last six fights in the UFC, Jim Miller (fighting out of Whippany, N.J. / 16-2) has proven himself to be a force in the lightweight division. Miller illustrated his impressive submission skills in his last fight when he defeated Duane Ludwig via armbar in the first round. His opponent, Mark Bocek (fighting out of Woodbridge, Ontario / 8-2), has illustrated a strong ground game of his own, defeating his last three opponents via choke.
Making his debut in the welterweight division, Nate Diaz (fighting out of Stockton, Calif. / 11-5) hopes to see continued success with the jump in weight classes. The 24-year-old boxing and jiu-jitsu specialist draws a difficult challenge as he takes on knockout artist, Rory Markham (fighting out of Bettendorf, Iowa / 16-5). A native of Chicago, Ill. Markham is known for his punching power, and he plans to use it to welcome Diaz to the welterweight division.
Known for his impressive ground game, Ricardo Almeida (fighting out of Hamilton, N.J. / 11-3) has won two of his last three fights. He will face a difficult stylistic matchup when he takes on powerful striker Matt Brown (fighting out of Cincinnati, Ohio / 13-7). Brown is a Xenia, Ohio native who has won his last three fights by stoppage (2 TKO’s 1 submission) and his hot streak is coming at the perfect time as he readies to face Almeida.
With three straight wins under his belt, Kurt Pellegrino (fighting out of Point Pleasant, N.J. / 20-4) looks to continue to climb the ladder in the lightweight division. Owner of three submission victories in the UFC, Pellegrino has a proven ground game that will be tested by his opponent Fabricio Camoes (fighting out of San Diego, Calif. / 10-4-1). A black-belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Camoes is looking for his first win in the Octagon against Pellegrino.
A native of Bamberg, S.C., Rodney Wallace (fighting out of Charlotte, N.C. / 9-1) is a skilled grappler looking for his first UFC victory. Standing in his way will be a fellow college football veteran, Jared Hamman (fighting out of Segundo, Calif. / 11-2). Also looking for his first win in the UFC, the 6’3” Hamman hopes it will come at UFC 111 when he takes on Wallace.
A submission specialist, Rousimar Palhares (fighting out of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil / 19-2) has won three of his last four fights, most recently defeating UFC veteran Jeremy Horn at UFC 93 and Lucio Linhares at UFC 107. Taking on the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt will be Tomasz Drwal (fighting out of Krakow, Poland / 17-2). Drwal has won three of his last four fights and intends to stay on the winning end of things when he squares off with Palhares.
A contestant on season seven of The Ultimate Fighter®, Matthew Riddle (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. / 3-1) is an accomplished wrestler and winner of three of his four fights in the UFC. His opponent will be UFC newcomer Greg Soto (fighting out of Belmar, N.J. / 7-0). The undefeated Oakhurst, N.J. native is a submission specialist looking to make an impact in the welterweight division.
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.
UFC welterweight Thiago Alves wants payback — first for Fitch, then St. Pierre
Written By: Eduardo Cruz (MMAmania)
http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/405011/i_cfc_medium.jpg
Props: Tatame
Quoteworthy:
“I’m thrilled and already prepared. I’ve been waiting for this fight for four years and now I got the chance for the revenge. I like revenges. It’s time to payback. I think I was too young when we fought. I wasn’t new in the sport but was in UFC. This American system of losing weight, everything else… Nowadays, I’m a totally different fighter. I learned a lot and I am more experienced and a much better fighter when it comes to standing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu… It couldn’t be a better time. I’m coming off a loss and I want to go back to the winners list. Beating Fitch, I will fight for the belt again. I want to take him on, and go after the belt, no matter who holds it. I think Saint Pierre is going to win but you never know. If it’s Dan Hardy, I’ll take the belt from him and get the revange with St. Pierre next.”
Brazilian striking sensation Thiago Alves has been hard at work over at American Top Team in an effort to return to his number one contendership status in the UFC’s welterweight division. In order to do that, Alves must avenge the loss he suffered to Jon Fitch four years ago when the two meet at UFC 111 on March 27 from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. So what do we think? Will Alves get the revenge he so desperately craves against Jon Fitch and Georges St. Pierre? Or is Fitch the guy who is gonna be propelled back on the path to another shot at welterweight gold?
Georges $t. Pimp
Written By: TheGarv
GSP takes lessons in Pimpin’ from legendary Pimp Daddy Shonie Carter. Another great video from lookoutawhale.
UFC® 111 IS OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT – UFC TAKES OVER RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL TO CELEBRATE MEGA-FIGHT
UFC to Hold UFC 111 Viewing Party and Press Conference Inside NYC Landmark
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – UFC® 111: St-Pierre vs. Hardy, one of the most anticipated UFC® events ever, is officially sold out. Now, for everyone who wants to see Georges St-Pierre, Dan Hardy, Frank Mir and Shane Carwin live and in person, and watch this epic Ultimate Fighting Championship® event in New York, the UFC is taking over Radio City Music Hall and other sites in Manhattan to celebrate the UFC 111 mega-fight and deliver unprecedented access to the fighters getting ready to battle for world titles.
Among the first of several planned events, UFC today officially announced it will stage a UFC 111 Viewing Party at the world famous Radio City Music Hall, presenting a closed-circuit screening of this historic fight card. Fight fans can watch all the action in High-Definition on Radio City Music Hall’s 70’ x 35’ screen, the largest screen to ever broadcast UFC® events.
“We are holding this viewing party so all of our fans in New York can experience UFC 111 at the iconic Radio City Music Hall, one of the coolest places in the city, and with some of our biggest UFC stars,” said Dana White, UFC President.
“The excitement of mixed martial arts will once again be on display in New York City with this unique UFC 111 Viewing Party at the Showplace of the Nation, Radio City Music Hall,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, MSG Sports. “All the loyal UFC fight fans will have a rare opportunity to come together for this historic night and watch the action on Radio City’s epic 70 foot screen in what will be another electric atmosphere.”
The sport’s biggest star, Hall of Famer Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, along with former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra, will make guest appearances at the Radio City Music Hall Viewing Party. UFC fighter and World Extreme Cagefighting® commentator Stephan Bonnar and Sirius Satellite host Jason Ellis will serve as event hosts.
Tickets for the UFC 111 Viewing Party are on sale now and are priced at $25 in advance, or $30 on the day of the event (March 27th). Tickets can be purchased at the Radio City Music Hall Box Office, Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, or online at www.radiocity.com. Tickets are also available by Ticketmaster phone at 866-858-0008. Doors will open at 7:15pm ET; Q&A Session with UFC fighters and host will begin at 8:00pm ET. UFC 111 Screening begins at 9:00pm ET, including the Spike TV preliminary fights and the entire live UFC 111 Pay-Per-View card.
UFC 111 Viewing Party Schedule:
7:15pm – 8:00pm ET: Doors open/Exclusive Chuck Liddell autograph session for the first 200 attendees
8:00pm – 9:00pm ET: Q&A session with Chuck Liddell, Matt Serra and hosts Bonnar and Ellis on stage
9:00pm – 10:00pm ET: UFC 111 on SPIKE TV prelims air live
10:00pm ET: Pay-Per-View screening begins/UFC 111 goes live!
Fans can get their first glimpse of the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Wednesday, March 24, when UFC will hold its traditional pre-fight press conference inside Radio City Music Hall’s main theatre. This event will be FREE and open to the public.
Dana White will take center stage and host the public press conference, with world welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, number one welterweight contender Dan Hardy, and interim heavyweight title contenders Frank Mir and Shane Carwin lining the dais. Immediately following the event, White, St-Pierre, Hardy, Mir and Carwin will remain on stage and take part in an unprecedented hour-long Q&A, just days before the fight, exclusively for the thousands of UFC fans in attendance. Doors will open for UFC® Fight Club™ members at 1:30pm ET. Doors will open to the General Public at 2:00pm ET. The press conference will begin at 3:00pm ET; the UFC 111 Q&A is expected to begin at 3:30pm ET and conclude around 4:30pm ET.
UFC 111 Press Conference Schedule
1:30pm ET: Doors open for UFC Fight Club Members
2:00 pm ET: Doors open for the General Public
3:00pm – 3:30pm ET: UFC 111 Press Conference
3:30 – 4:30pm ET: Q&A with UFC President Dana White and St-Pierre, Hardy, Mir and Carwin
Also on Wednesday night, Tequila CAZADORES® the Official Spirits Sponsor of the UFC will host a post-press conference party at Johnny Utah’s with UFC fighters expected to attend. The event, located at 25 West 51st Street, will take place from 5:00pm – 7:00pm ET featuring Tequila CAZADORES® cocktails and hand-passed hors d’oeuvres. Media are encouraged to attend.
UFC will hit other parts of Manhattan throughout the week, including Thursday, March 25 when St-Pierre, Hardy, Mir and Carwin will perform afternoon workouts for members of the Tri-State and International press at Peak Performance Strength & Condition Center located at 54 West 21st Street.
Also on Thursday, UFC and THQ® will take over M2 Ultralounge to mark the launch of the new UFC Undisputed 2010 Video Game. UFC President Dana White along with UFC Fighters Cain Velasquez and Frankie Edgar are expected to attend.
On Friday, March 26, UFC will hold the UFC 111 official weigh-in event — FREE and open to the public — in Newark at the Prudential Center. Doors will open at 3:00pm ET and all the fighters competing on the UFC 111 card will step on the scale at approximately 4:00pm ET.
Prior to the UFC 111 weigh-in event, UFC will offer a two-hour autograph session with several UFC fighters – FREE and open to the public – starting at 1:00pm ET and concluding at 3:00pm ET.
Members of UFC’s Fight Club can enter the arena early at 12:30pm ET and catch Matt Serra in a question-and-answer session from 2:00 – 4:00pm ET.
Later Friday evening, UFC will host a UFC 111 pre-fight VIP party in Soho. Dana White, UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar and Chuck Liddell are among the guests expected to attend.
UFC may be making other unscheduled stops in New York and New Jersey throughout the week. Stay tuned to UFC.com and follow UFC on Twitter @ufc for more information.
UFC 111 takes place Saturday, March 27th, live, on Pay-Per-View and presented by TapouT. In featured bouts, one of the best fighters in the game today, UFC® welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, looks to extend his reign and his six fight winning streak against British bomber Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy, and former heavyweight champion Frank Mir looks to become only the second man in UFC history to win the championship three times when he takes on number one contender Shane Carwin for the interim UFC heavyweight title.
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.
MSG Sports Properties
MSG Sports Properties, which includes world championship boxing, college basketball, tennis, track & field, and all other sports events, is part of Madison Square Garden, a fully-integrated sports, entertainment, and media business. The company is comprised of three business segments: MSG Sports, MSG Entertainment and MSG Media, which are strategically aligned to work together to drive MSG’s overall business, which is built on a foundation of iconic venues and compelling content that MSG creates, produces, presents and/or distributes through its programming networks and other media assets. MSG Sports consists of owning and operating sports franchises, including the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL), the New York Liberty (WNBA), and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL). MSG Sports also features other sports properties, including the presentation of a wide variety of live sporting events including professional boxing, college basketball, track and field and tennis. MSG Entertainment is one of the country’s leaders in live entertainment. MSG Entertainment creates, produces and/or presents a variety of live productions, including the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Radio City Rockettes. MSG Entertainment also presents or hosts other live entertainment events such as concerts, family shows and special events in MSG’s diverse collection of venues. These venues include Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theater, The Chicago Theater and the Wang Theater. MSG Media is a leader in production and content development for multiple distribution platforms, including content originating from MSG’s venues. MSG Media consists of the MSG Networks (MSG Network, MSG Plus, MSG HD and MSG Plus HD) regional sports networks and the Fuse Networks (Fuse and Fuse HD) a national television network dedicated to music. MSG Media is also responsible for managing MSG interactive initiatives across all business segments. More information is available at www.msg.com.
TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT FOR UFC® 111 IN NEW JERSEY
FC WORLD WELTERWEIGHT TITLE
GEORGES ST-PIERRE vs. DAN HARDY
UFC WORLD INTERIM HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
FRANK MIR vs. SHANE CARWIN
(Click image to view fighter highlights)
PRE-FIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE AND VIEWING PARTY
AT NEW YORK CITY’S LEGENDARY RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL
SATURDAY, MARCH 27, 2010 – LIVE FROM THE PRUDENTIAL CENTER, NEWARK, N.J.
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – As the Ultimate Fighting Championship® heads back to the East Coast, the fans have responded once again, and welcomed the UFC® back with open arms. Tickets are officially sold out for UFC 111: ST-PIERRE vs. HARDY, which is presented by TapouT and is taking place Saturday, March 27th from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
“I love every time we go to the East Coast,” UFC President Dana White said. “The fans always come out and show their support. We’re coming there with a stacked card and two championship fights. This time New Jersey – New York is next.”
In featured bouts, one of the best fighters in the game today, UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, looks to extend his reign and his six fight winning streak against British bomber Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy, and former heavyweight champion Frank Mir looks to become only the second man in UFC history to win the championship three times when he takes on number one contender Shane Carwin for the interim UFC heavyweight title.
UFC 111 will be available live on pay-per-view on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 ($49.95/Canada) for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).
UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 19-2 professional record) has been unstoppable since regaining the title in 2008. The 28-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt holds two career wins a piece over the legendary Matt Hughes and current UFC lightweight champion and former welterweight champion BJ Penn. The 170-pound champ defended his crown most recently against feared striker Thiago Alves at UFC 100 last July, and now St-Pierre makes his fourth title defense against one of the fiercest threats to his crown in UK superstar Dan Hardy.
“Dan Hardy is a very worthy contender and I’m preparing for a war,” said St-Pierre. “He is hungry for the title and that makes him very dangerous, but I’m just as hungry to keep the belt and I am going to train and fight like I am the challenger on March 27th.”
Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy (fighting out of Nottingham, England, 23-6 1 NC) is unbeaten in the UFC and fresh off wins over Marcus Davis and Mike Swick. A black belt in Tae Kwon Do and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the brash 27-year-old is looking to extend his seven-fight win streak as he becomes the first British fighter to contend for a UFC title. With 11 wins by KO/TKO and three by submission, the UK fighter with the 4-0 mark in the UFC always looks for the finish.
“I think I am underestimated by the fans a little,” Hardy said. “But GSP is smart enough to realize that I could knock him out with either hand. He will come fully prepared and I expect to face the very best GSP in March – and wouldn’t want it any other way. When I came into the UFC in October 2008, I didn’t expect to be the first Briton to fight for a UFC world title, but I am proud to make a little bit of history. But the real prize is becoming the first British UFC champion and that’s what is going to happen.”
Winner of four of his last five fights, former two-time heavyweight champion Frank Mir (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev., 13-4) has put on the necessary muscle and weight to face the biggest challengers in the heavyweight division, and he is refocused on earning back the world title. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with immensely improved striking, the 30-year-old knocked down feared striker Cheick Kongo at UFC 107 and then proceeded to submit the French contender with a guillotine choke, putting him firmly back in the title picture.
“Shane Carwin is an extremely dangerous opponent and being matched up against him is an honor,” Mir said. “It’ll be a great challenge to face him and get to match wits against his coaches. Greg Jackson is like the ‘Yoda’ of mixed martial arts and I will need a strong gameplan heading into this fight.”
Originally scheduled to face UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, No. 1 contender Shane Carwin (fighting out of Denver, Colo., 11-0) has been on a tear ever since he stepped foot into the Octagon™. A former national wrestling champion with dynamite in his fists, Carwin has made quick work of all three of his UFC opponents, finishing Christian Wellisch, Neil Wain and Gabriel Gonzaga within 91 seconds each. Now he takes the next step in his career against Frank Mir.
“It’s an honor to not only fight for the interim UFC heavyweight title, but to do so against a respected former champion like Frank Mir,” said Carwin. “This is going to be a fight to remember for the fans, and I plan on making it one of my most memorable performances as well. Beating Frank is going to be a test, but I’m confident that it’s a test I will pass with flying colors.”
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
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Dan Hardy fires back at critics and AKA
Written By: ProMMA
As UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre prepares to defend his title against Dan Hardy on March 27, there are those who feel Hardy is not deserving of a title shot. In a blog post entitled, “Dan Hardy: It’s fun being in the spotlight,” published Monday on thisisnottingham.co.uk, “The Outlaw” addresses some of those critics.
I am a big underdog against GSP and every interview, every day, in emails from fans, I’m getting asked: ‘How do you expect to beat GSP?’ and ‘Do you think you deserve a title shot?’ I am getting those questions all the time, like GSP is some kind of god and shouldn’t even have to defend his title… I’ve beaten everyone the UFC has put in front of me; I’ve never turned down a fight and I am not about to now.
Let’s look at who Hardy has defeated in the UFC. In his promotional debut at UFC 89, he won a split decision over Akihiro Gono. He knocked out Rory Markham at UFC 95. He won a split decision over Marcus Davis at UFC 99, and he won a unanimous decision over Mike Swick at UFC 105.
Jon Fitch: ‘Thiago Alves is a fight I need to prove I deserve a rematch against GSP’
Written By: Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com)
Props: ProFightingFans.com
Quoteworthy:
“I’ve made huge improvements in my last year of training. I think I’m at the point where I can technically matchup with [Georges St. Pierre] and I think I can beat him. I think right now I’m a better fighter than him. I’m just waiting for the opportunity to prove it. [Thiago Alves] is a very powerful guy with great leg kicks. Since the last time we fought he has grown mentally. He is just all-around a stronger opponent mentally and physically since we last met. It’s going to be a hell of a fight and I believe it’s a fight I need to prove that I deserve a rematch against GSP.”
Former welterweight number one contender, Jon Fitch, makes the case for another crack at division champion Georges St. Pierre if he turns in a convincing winning performance against Thiago Alves at UFC 111 on March 27. Fitch — who stopped a much younger (and smaller) “Pitbull” back in 2006 via technical knockout — lost a punishing five-round unanimous decision to “Rush” at UFC 87: “Seek and Destroy” in 2008. He’s since reeled off three consecutive wins. And he’s won 19 of his last 20 — St. Pierre is the lone blemish during that span. So does another stoppage of Alves earn Fitch another title shot or is the winner of 170-pound scrap between Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley at UFC 113 more deserving?
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- ESPN News
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- Juan Manuel Marquez has deal to fight Michael Katsidis September 1, 2010Lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez has agreed to fight Michael Katsidis at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas on Nov. 27. […]Associated Press
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- Bernard Hopkins to fight light heavyweight champ Jean Pascal on Dec. 18 September 1, 2010Bernard Hopkins is slated to meet newly crowned light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal Dec. 18 in Quebec City, both sides told ESPN.com on Tuesday. […]Dan Rafael
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