UFC® HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION BROCK LESNAR TO DEFEND HIS TITLE AGAINST UNDEFEATED CAIN VELASQUEZ ON THE NEWLY MINTED BROCKTOBER 23RD
UFC Heavyweight Championship
BROCK LESNAR vs. CAIN VELASQUEZ
Co-Main Event
JAKE SHIELDS vs. MARTIN KAMPMANN
Plus
DIEGO SANCHEZ vs. PAULO THIAGO
TITO ORTIZ vs. MATT HAMILL
BRENDAN SCHAUB vs. GABRIEL GONZAGA
Live from the Honda Center – Tickets on Sale Saturday, August 21 at Noon PT
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The baddest man on the planet, UFC® heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, is back in the main event for UFC 121, and unbeaten Cain Velasquez is looking to take his belt and become the first man to knock him out. Lesnar proved he had beaten the severe illness that kept him sidelined for a year by withstanding the onslaught by Shane Carwin at UFC 116 and defending his heavyweight title with a slick submission in the second round. His opponent at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on October 23, 2010, Cain Velasquez, has already made short work out of the heavyweight division and he promises to make the most of his first shot at the title.
Also on this star-studded UFC 121 card, which is presented by Boost mobile, welterweight star Jake Shields makes his long-awaited UFC debut against perennial contender Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann. Also featured is an exciting welterweight matchup as Diego Sanchez battles Paulo Thiago, while it is teacher vs. student as Matt “The Hammer” Hamill takes on his coach from The Ultimate Fighter®, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz. Rounding out the main card is a bout pitting rising heavyweight star Brendan Schaub against veteran contender Gabriel Gonzaga.
“Throughout fighting history, there has never been a Mexican heavyweight champion, but at UFC 121, Cain Velasquez will try to make history and become the first,” UFC President Dana White said. “To do that though, he must defeat the baddest man on the planet, UFC heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. Also, fresh off his destruction of Dan Henderson, Jake Shields enters the UFC, and he’s got his sights set on the welterweight title, but he’s got to get by Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann first.”
“Having hosted the first-ever UFC event in the state of California, we’re thrilled to partner with Dana and the entire organization once again,” said Honda Center President/CEO Tim Ryan. “If the buzz already surrounding this fight card is any indication, October 23 should be one of the sport’s biggest spectacles of all time.”
Tickets for UFC 121 will go on sale Saturday, August 21 at noon PT and will be priced at $500, $400, $300, $200, $125 and $75. Tickets are available at HondaCenter.com, Ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone (800.745.3000) and all Ticketmaster retail locations. In addition, any remaining tickets will be available at the Honda Center Box Office beginning Monday, August 23 at 10:00 AM.
UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, August 19 starting at 10am PT via UFCFightClub.com. A special internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Friday, August 20 starting at 10am PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.
UFC 121 will be available live on Pay-Per-View 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). UFC 121 will also be available on Pay-Per-View in Spanish in the United States.
At UFC 121, Brock Lesnar (fighting out of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn./5-1) will be making his third title defense and, if successful, will tie Tim Sylvia for the most heavyweight title defenses. Lesnar will also set the record for most consecutive successful title defenses in the division. The four-time All-American wrestler at the University of Minnesota also won two Big Ten championships, as well as a National championship in the heavyweight division. The native of South Dakota showed his evolution as a fighter during UFC 116, as he was able to submit Shane Carwin with an arm triangle choke. A polarizing figure, Lesnar perhaps gained a stronger following from the courage and drive he displayed to overcome his bout with diverticulitis in 2009, and the best heavyweight on the planet has used his new lease on life to motivate him even further.
“I’m looking forward to getting right back in the Octagon,” Lesnar said. “After the long layoff, my last fight was just an appetizer, I’m still hungry. I’m in great condition and the timing couldn’t be better. Cain Velasquez is undefeated and he’s the legitimate No. 1 contender, but he’s not the guy that is going to take my UFC heavyweight title. It’s not his time; it’s my time. I’m coming to California to defend my crown, and on October 23rd, I’ll be walking out of the Octagon with my hand raised and the belt around my waist. Cain will be leaving with his first loss. It’s as simple as that.”
At 8-0 as a pro, Cain Velasquez (fighting out of San Jose, Calif./8-0) is the 20th fighter to fight for a UFC title with less than 10 professional fights. Of the 19 previous fighters, only four were successful in winning the title and interestingly, all were heavyweight fighters. Much like Lesnar, Velasquez was an outstanding collegiate wrestler, as he was a two-time All-American at Arizona State University. His speed and power may be the keys to a victory over Lesnar, as Velasquez has been very successful in using his athleticism to beat bigger foes throughout his career.
“I feel honored to be fighting for the heavyweight title against Brock,” Velasquez said. “He is a great fighter with a lot of size and is super athletic. This will be a great fight with a lot of action and it means a lot to me to be fighting for the title in L.A., close to my hometown. I will have a lot of people behind me cheering me on.”
After establishing an impressive international reputation, Jake Shields (fighting out of San Francisco, Calif./25-4-1) has made the transition to the Octagon to test his skills against the best fighters in the world. Shields’ resume is an impressive one, as he has been successful in defeating Carlos Condit, Mike Pyle, Robbie Lawler and former PRIDE champion and UFC veteran Dan Henderson. Shields’ signing has been highly anticipated by the MMA community and his first fight will be a true test to where he stands in the welterweight division.
An established fighter with the UFC, Martin Kampmann (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev./17-3) is riding a two fight win streak, and has also won four of his last five. Overall in the UFC, “The Hitman” has compiled a record of 8-2, dating back to August of 2006. The Denmark native has tremendous knockout power and an underrated ground game, which could prove to be a tough combination for Shields.
Diego Sanchez (fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M./23-4) made his UFC debut on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, defeating Kenny Florian to win a contract with the organization. The “Nightmare” was successful in the welterweight division, but chose to move to lightweight where he fought for the championship against BJ Penn. Sanchez has since moved back to the welterweight division, as well as back to Greg Jackson’s camp, where he hasn’t trained since he fought Josh Koscheck in 2007.
Special ops police officer Paulo Thiago (fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil/13-2) made a splash in the welterweight division in 2009 when he defeated Josh Koscheck via first round knockout. Thiago has only five UFC fights in his career, however he has proved to be a tough opponent with an iron chin. The submission specialist will be a formidable opponent for Sanchez, in a matchup that will help two fighters realize their position within the welterweight division.
One of the most recognizable figures in the MMA community, Tito Ortiz (fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif./16-7-1) is at an interesting place in his storied career. The “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” will be taking on his pupil from the third season of The Ultimate Fighter, Matt Hamill, and while Ortiz has dealt with some recent adversity due to injuries, the former world champion is healthy and firing on all cylinders in his quest to beat “The Hammer” and get his title back.
Matt Hamill (fighting out of Utica, N.Y. by way of Loveland, Ohio/10-2) has been flying under the radar recently, quietly putting together a four fight win streak. Impressive victories over Mark Munoz and Keith Jardine, coupled with a DQ victory over Jon Jones, have elevated Hamill to the upper echelon of the light heavyweight division. His status as a three-time Division III NCAA wrestling champion, as well as a two time world champion in freestyle wrestling, has helped “The Hammer” avoid 90% of total takedowns, as he continues to develop his standup technique.
Making his debut at The Ultimate Fighter 10 finale, Brendan Schaub (fighting out of Denver, Colo./7-1) has been victorious in his last two fights, most recently at UFC 116 when he defeated Chris Tuchscherer via first round knockout. A former Golden Gloves champion, “The Hybrid” has obtained a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which will help elevate his status in the heavyweight division.
Another fighter who is at a crossroads in his career is Gabriel Gonzaga (fighting out of Ludlow, Mass./11-5). Coming off tough battles with two of the division’s best in Junior Dos Santos and Shane Carwin, Gonzaga has seven wins in the UFC and has not been shy to fight top competition, as he has also fought Mirko Cro Cop, Fabricio Werdum and Randy Couture.
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.
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Former Strikeforce star Shields: “I really didn’t have an intention of going back”
By Phil Lanides of San Jose MMA Examiner
Apparently, it was always going to be the UFC.
Former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields, whose contract with the San Jose-based promotion recently ended when CEO Scott Coker released Shields from the remainder of their agreement, just put his signature on an accord with the UFC. According to the San Francisco fighter, he was always going to end up fighting in the Octagon next. Shields told MMAWeekly today, “I really didn’t have an intention of going back to Strikeforce. It’s nothing against them. I don’t think they’re a bad show. I just think the UFC, it’s the prime show right now; everyone knows UFC is the spot to be. It doesn’t mean Strikeforce is bad; I think it’s good they’re out there.”
He continued, “Being the Strikeforce champ’s cool and all, but I really had the dream of being the UFC champ.”
Certainly, most will perceive Shields’ comments as a swipe at his former promotional home. In his last bout with Strikeforce, Shields clearly dominated former UFC star Dan Henderson en route to a unanimous decision victory in defending his now former belt. A post-fight melee ensued when former title challenger Jason “Mayhem” Miller entered the cage post-fight and asked for a rematch from Shields, marring the victory for Shields. The ratings for the night’s broadcast on CBS were also considered less than stellar. Consequently, questions remain as to Shields’ viability as a main event performer.
Regardless, the UFC are putting their new star into a high-profile bout right away. His first fight in the UFC will be a likely co-main event fight against top contender Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann (17-3) at UFC 121 in October in Anaheim. The card will be headlined by a UFC Heavyweight Championship bout between Brock Lesnar and Bay Area heavyweight star Cain Velasquez.
Shields will also be returning to his original fighting weight, 170 lbs., for the bout. But the Bay Area star is up for the challenge. “There’s nothing quite like fighting for the UFC,” stated Shields. “It’s exactly what I wanted, a tough fight, a good card, go out there and try to make a mark right away.” It will be interesting to see if the UFC discusses Shields’ success in Strikeforce on-air.
Meanwhile, Strikeforce is certainly not sitting pat. After effectively stripping Shields of the belt, Coker and his matchmaker, Rich Chou, set up a bout between Tim Kennedy (12-2) and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (12-2-0-1) for August that will determine a new middleweight kingpin. Following that will be a tournament that will determine future contenders for the new champ.
JAKE SHIELDS, GILBERT MELENDEZ AND STEPHEN QUADROS GUEST ON TONIGHT’S “INSIDE MMA” ON HDNET
| JAKE SHIELDS, GILBERT MELENDEZ AND STEPHEN QUADROS GUEST ON TONIGHT’S “INSIDE MMA” ON HDNET
Insider panel previews “Strikeforce St. Louis: Heavy Artillery” and discusses after effects of Nashville incident – TONIGHT, Friday, May 14 at 9:00 p.m. ET DALLAS (May 14, 2010)
|
| WHAT: Tonight on HDNet’s “Inside MMA,” Strikeforce Middleweight champion Jake Shields and Strikeforce Lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez discuss their victorious title defenses, revisit the Nashville incident and give an update on any possible suspensions or fines.
Shields also gives Kenny and Bas some insight on where his next fight will be – UFC or Strikeforce. The panel also discusses the upcoming Strikeforce card and reviews UFC 113, including the issue of Dana White cutting Paul Daley after Daley sucker punched Josh Koscheck. And, in this week in Kruck’s Korner, Ron goes high art when he heads to the Peter Blake Art Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA for artist Jorg Dubin’s MMA inspired series, “Submit.” WHEN: “Inside MMA” airs on HDNet, TONIGHT Friday, May 14 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 presents championship sports coverage featuring five regular season games from the Premiere Season of the United Football League. HDNet also features 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, M-1, K-1, K-1 Max, MFC, Adrenaline and 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. 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,” “New York Confessions,” “Deadline” and “Get Out!” 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. 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. |
Dana White, Scott Coker, Jake Shields, “Mayhem” Miller, others comment on StrikeForce melee
By Phil Lanides of San Jose MMA Examiner
On Saturday evening, UFC president Dana White posted a very simple message on his Twitter account after the in-cage melee following the StrikeForce Middleweight title fight between Jake Shields and Dan Henderson: a smiley face.
To review, Shields was being interviewed by CBS sportscaster Gus Johnson after his victory over MMA legend Dan Henderson. The man Shields beat for the belt, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, stepped in and tried to hog the spotlight by asking the champ for a rematch. Shields’ camp, including StrikeForce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez, StrikeForce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz, and his brother, UFC fighter Nate Diaz, took exception. Melendez pushed “Mayhem,” and Nick and Nate jumped in and started grappling and throwing blows. It was a full-fledged in-cage riot.
Today, White elaborated on his feelings. He blames Showtime for the debacle: “Of course, everyone thinks I’m anti-competition, but I’m not. But everyone knows that they didn’t belong on CBS. Even if you’re the biggest UFC hater out there, you know that. Shame on CBS for this. They knew they should have been with us, but they went out and let those Showtime idiots talk them into going with EliteXC. Now, they’re stuck with a bush league, C-level promotion that will probably be out of business next month. And what you saw on Saturday is the kind of thing that happens when you put a product like that on national television.”
White’s views left little to the imagination. He hasn’t been the only one to check in with his thoughts on the Nashville brawl. Here’s a sampling of what’s been said:
• Jason “Mayhem” Miller (Saturday night through Twitter): “Whoops.”
• Jason “Mayhem” Miller (Monday, in a statement): “I would like to formally apologize to CBS, Strikeforce, and all fans of mixed martial arts for my role in the events following the Strikeforce: Nashville event. In retrospect, my timing could not have been worse to ask for my rematch with Jake Shields, and I take full responsibility for entering the cage and setting off a chain of events that cast a dark shadow on the sport. I’ve been a fighter and a fan of MMA for over 12 years, and would never do anything to intentionally tarnish the sport I’ve given my life to. In the excitement of the moment I let my emotions run high and made a bad choice that resulted in a debacle; for that, I sincerely apologize.”
• Shields/Melendez/Diaz trainer Cesar Gracie (to MMAJunkie): “My biggest problem with what happened is that it distracted from the fights. (We) just saw two of my very best guys have masterful performances – tactically, physically and everything – and people are talking about the post-fight fight that should have never happened.”
• Gracie: “I went to a hockey game, a (San Jose) Sharks game last week; there were three fights where the teams were fighting each other. That was at a hockey game where there are supposed to be no fights. So a fight broke out at a fight. That’s not a good thing, and I’m not condoning it … but a lot of people are jumping on this because they’re babies. The same night, they had an NBA fight. They want to talk about a fight at an MMA fight between MMA fighters.”
• StrikeForce CEO Scott Coker (Saturday night): “There’s no room in Strikeforce for that type of behavior. I will not condone and reward that type of behavior. If you’re a fighter fighting at the highest level, and you’re fighting on CBS, you’re fighting on Showtime, you’re fighting for Strikeforce – or any other mixed-martial-arts league – there’s no room for that type of behavior. This is not something that we’ll support or reward in the future.”
• Shields: “He got in my face. My emotions were high. I felt disrespected, so I pushed him. I shouldn’t have, but I feel like he shouldn’t have got in my face like that right after a fight. A little rumble broke out, I guess, between my team and him. I was getting held back, so at that point, I just calmed down and stayed out of it. I expected him to be disrespectful. Isn’t he always disrespectful to everyone? Isn’t that kind of a known thing? It’s his personality.”
• Melendez: “I have nothing against [Miller], but it’s Jake’s moment. If he hadn’t stolen the mic from him, there wouldn’t have been a problem. But that’s Mayhem for you.”
• CBS programming vice president Kelly Kahl: “I don’t think [the brawl is] going to be an issue because I don’t think it’s going to happen again, or at least I hope it’s not. It’s not what the sport needs. Things get out of control at times in every sport.”
Will StrikeForce be back on CBS? The ratings, which haven’t been released yet, will help determine that. Either way, this is a controversial event that isn’t going to be going anyway anytime soon.
JAKE SHIELDS, DAN HENDERSON, ‘KING MO’, GEGARD MOUSASI, GILBERT MELENDEZ, SHINYA AOKI: THURSDAY’S FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
STRIKEFORCE World Championship Tripleheader This Saturday, April 17,
On The CBS Television Network At Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 15, 2010) – The six fighters who will appear on the STRIKEFORCE World Championship Tripleheader on The CBS Television Network this Saturday, April 17 (9 p.m. ET/PT) – five of which are ranked among the top five in their respective weight classes – participated in the final press conference Thursday here at Bridgestone Arena.
In the main event Saturday at Bridgestone, Jake Shields (24-4-1), of San Francisco, Calif., will risk his STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight belt against one of the most decorated fighters in MMA history, Dan Henderson (25-7), of Temecula, Calif. Shields has won 13 in-a-row and is unbeaten since December 2004. Henderson will be making his first start since he left the UFC to join STRIKEFORCE.
The talented Gegard Mousasi (27-2-1), of Armenia, will put a 15-fight winning streak and his STRIKEFORCE World Light Heavyweight crown on the line against one of the most confident, fastest-rising fighters in the world, King Mo (6-0), of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Gilbert Melendez (17-2), of San Francisco, will make his first defense since regaining the STRIKEFORCE World Lightweight crown against DREAM belt-holder and Japanese superstar Shinya Aoki (23-4), who has won three straight and six of his last seven.
Tickets are on sale at the Bridgestone Arena ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com).
What the fighters had to say on Thursday:
STRIKEFORCE WORLD MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION JAKE SHIELDS
“I am very excited and confident. Henderson is obviously a very big name, but this is a great opportunity for me. I’ve had a lot of big fights but this is the biggest. It will not be an easy fight, for sure. This is going to be an all-out war.
“I may feel a little slighted the way this has played out because I put a lot into becoming champion, but I certainly understand why and I’m fine with it. Being the underdog doesn’t bother me; it only gives me added motivation.
“I’m ready to fight. Let’s see if I can surprise him. I’m looking forward to seeing how he reacts when I hit him and he goes down.’’
LEGENDARY DAN HENDERSON
“A huge part of why I signed with STRIKEFORCE was to be on CBS. Having fights on network television helps better the sport and it introduces people to it so they can fall in love with it.
“I’m all ready to go. This is going to be exciting for the fans.
“Jake is very good at certain things. I’ll be trying to avoid those kinds of situations just like he’ll be trying to avoid what I am good at.’’
.
STRIKEFORCE WORLD LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION GEGARD MOUSASI
“I don’t like King Mo as a person. He is arrogant and cocky. I respect him a fighter like I would any fighter who enters the cage, but I’ve never faced anyone who talks as much as he does. At the beginning, I would take what he said as personal, but not anymore.
“Before the fight, I try to be professional. I’ll do my talking in the cage and afterward.
“He’s a good, strong, athletic fighter with a good wrestling base. But I am confident I will win.’’
UNDEFEATED CHALLENGER “KING MO”
‘He’s the one who is arrogant and cocky. I’m just me and trying to have some fun.
“I am a little anxious but totally prepared and not worried. Fighting five rounds, if it goes that long, will not be a problem. There is absolutely no pressure.
“I’m confident and really looking forward to Saturday. After our fight, the city of Nashville is going to be known as Mo-Town.’’
STRIKEFORCE WORLD LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION GILBERT “El NINO” MELENDEZ
“I am ready for this fight, ready to defend the STRIKEFORCE title, thrilled to be on CBS and representing the United States, and expecting this to be my toughest fight.
“Aoki is No. 2 in the world for good reason. He does a lot of crazy stuff in the ring. I study a lot of tapes and it took me a long time to figure him out, but I’ve got him down now.
“The key for me, like always, is calm and patience. This will be a great fight on a great night. This is a show all fans will be watching.’’
DREAM CHAMPION AND CHALLENGER SHINYA AOKI
“The timing is right that we are finally fighting. I am here and totally just focused on this fight. I feel Melendez is a nice guy.’’
About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.
FREE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WEIGH IN
JAKE SHIELDS, DAN HENDERSON, GEGARD MOUSASI, “KING MO” LAWAL, GILBERT MELENDEZ, SHINYA AOKI
& ALL THE FIGHTERS TO WEIGH IN
Tomorrow/Friday, April 16 at 4 p.m. CT at Bridgestone Arena Plaza in Nashville
WHO: STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight Champion Jake Shields
Legendary MMA Champion and Two-Time U.S. Olympian Dan Henderson
STRIKEFORCE World Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez
DREAM Champion and Japanese superstar Shinya Aoki
STRIKEFORCE Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi
Undefeated Light Heavyweight Contender “King Mo” Lawal
MMA Star & MTV “Bully Beatdown” Host Jason “Mayhem” Miller
Former University of Tennessee Linebacker Ovince Saint Preux
& More
WHAT: All 20 fighters will participate in the final weigh in tomorrow/Friday, April 16, just one day prior to the CBS AND STRIKEFORCE World Championship Tripleheader that features five fighters ranked among the best in their respective weight classes on Saturday, April 17, live on The CBS Television Network (9 p.m. ET/PT), from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
In the main event, legendary MMA champion and two-time Olympic wrestler Dan Henderson (25-7), of Temecula, Calif., will make his STRIKEFORCE debut when he challenges Jake Shields, the STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight Champion (24-4-1) of San Francisco, who has won 13 in-a-row and is unbeaten since December 2004.
Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (17-2), of San Francisco, by way of Santa Ana, Calif., will risk his STRIKEFORCE World Lightweight belt against DREAM champion and Japanese superstar Shinya Aoki (23-4).
The third world title fight will feature one of the elite mixed martial artists at 205 pounds, Gegard Mousasi (27-2-1), of Armenia, who will put a 15-fight winning streak and his STRIKEFORCE Light Heavyweight crown on the line against one of the fastest-rising and most charismatic fighters in the world, “King Mo” Lawal (6-0), of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Doors at Bridgestone Arena will open at 5 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Bridgestone Arena ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/> ) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ).
The weigh in is open to the public, free of charge.
WHEN: Tomorrow/Friday, April 16 at 4 p.m. CT
WHERE: Bridgestone Arena Plaza (Outside the main entrance at 5th Avenue and Broadway)
501 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37203
“StrikeForce: Nashville” on CBS predictions: San Francisco’s Melendez will outwork Aoki
By Phil Lanides of San Jose MMA Examiner
San Jose’s local MMA promotion, StrikeForce, offers its next event this Saturday, April 17th, live from Nashville, Tennessee. “StrikeForce: Nashville” will be broadcasted live on CBS, and will feature three championship matches. In the main event, StrikeForce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields will defend his belt against former PRIDE champion and UFC headliner Dan Henderson. The co-main event will feature what has become something of a grudge match between StrikeForce Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi, and in the third and final televised match, StrikeForce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez will lock horns with DREAM lightweight kingpin Shinya Aoki. Notables on the undercard include the man who Jake Shields defeated for the vacant middleweight belt, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, Hunter Worsham, the son of MMA pioneer Cal Worsham, and former Ultimate Fighter contestant Cale Yarbrough.
Let’s take a look at the Melendez-Aoki tilt. Below is my analysis and prediction.
“El Nino” Gilbert Melendez (17-2) vs. Shinya Aoki (23-4-0-1): This is not a classic striker versus grappler match by any stretch of the imagination, as neither fighter appears to carry KO power in his hands. While the San Francisco native Melendez definitely possesses the better standup game of the two, Aoki is on another planet when it comes to submissions. Melendez is a strong wrestler who utilizes a frenetic pace to overwhelm his opponents. He’s never lost by submission, and he’s only submitted one opponent (Harris Sarmiento, who submitted while being punched). It’s safe to assume that “El Nino” has no intention of trading leg-locks with his Japanese opponent. In fact, he’ll most likely do his best to avoid the ground at all costs. Look for him to try to keep the fight standing for as long as possible, and utilize his wrestling in reverse in order to keep upright. However, Aoki has showed that he doesn’t like being punched (i.e. his losses to Joachim Hansen and Tatsuya Kawajiri), so if Melendez sees an opportunity to turn the lights out, even on the mat, he may not be able to resist the temptation.
Both Melendez and Aoki have three-fight winning streaks entering their scrap. Aoki is an unbelievable grappler, a man that has transitioned his jiu-jitsu skills into MMA in a way that most only dream of. His list of victims reads like a “Who’s Who” in lightweight division: Joachim Hansen (Aoki holds the 2-1 edge in the trilogy), Akira Kikuchi (who he beat twice), Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante, Caol Uno, current Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez, and Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro. He’s one of the top 155ers in the world. However, his lack of striking prowess is equally as amazing as his ground game. He seems to have no interest in trading blows with his opponents. Against a frenzied striker like “El Nino,” getting the fight to the ground will be a very tall order.
If this fight does head to the ground for any prolonged period of time, Melendez’s title will certainly be in jeopardy. Look for him to do everything in his power to keep it standing, and with his advantage neutralized, Aoki won’t have much recourse. He’ll survive, but Melendez will take home the decision victory – Prediction: Melendez via decision
Here’s the full card for “StrikeForce: Nashville” on CBS:
MAIN CARD
• Champion Jake Shields vs. Dan Henderson (for StrikeForce Middleweight title)
• Champion Gegard Mousasi vs. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (for StrikeForce Light Heavyweight title)
• Champion Gilbert Melendez vs. Shinya Aoki (for Strikeforce Lightweight title)
PRELIMINARY CARD
• Jason “Mayhem” Miller vs. Tim Stout
• Zach Underwood vs. Hunter Worsham
• Josh Schockman vs. Cale Yarbrough
• Dustin Ortiz vs. Justin Pennington
• Andrew Uhrich vs. Dustin West
• Chris Hawk vs. Ovince St. Preux
• Thomas Campbell vs. Cody Floyd
**** FREE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WEIGH IN **** JAKE SHIELDS, DAN HENDERSON, GEGARD MOUSASI, “KING MO” LAWAL, GILBERT MELENDEZ, SHINYA AOKI & ALL THE FIGHTERS TO WEIGH IN
Friday, April 16 at 4 p.m. ET at Bridgestone Arena Plaza in Nashville
WHO: STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight Champion Jake Shields
Legendary MMA Champion and Two-Time U.S. Olympian Dan Henderson
STRIKEFORCE World Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez
DREAM Champion and Japanese superstar Shinya Aoki
STRIKEFORCE Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi
Undefeated Light Heavyweight Contender “King Mo’’ Lawal
MMA Star & MTV “Bully Beatdown” Host Jason “Mayhem” Miller
Former University of Tennessee Linebacker Ovince Saint Preux
& More
WHAT: All 20 fighters will participate in the final weigh in on Friday, April 16, just one day prior to the CBS AND STRIKEFORCE World Championship Tripleheader that features five fighters ranked among the best in their respective weight classes on Saturday, April 17, live on The CBS Television Network (9 p.m. ET/PT), from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
In the main event, legendary MMA champion and two-time Olympic wrestler Dan Henderson (25-7), of Temecula, Calif., will make his STRIKEFORCE debut when he challenges Jake Shields, the STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight Champion (24-4-1) of San Francisco, who has won 13 in-a-row and is unbeaten since December 2004.
Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (17-2), of San Francisco, by way of Santa Ana, Calif., will risk his STRIKEFORCE World Lightweight belt against DREAM champion and Japanese superstar Shinya Aoki (23-4).
The third world title fight will feature one of the elite mixed martial artists at 205 pounds, Gegard Mousasi (27-2-1), of Armenia, who will put a 15-fight winning streak and his STRIKEFORCE Light Heavyweight crown on the line against one of the fastest-rising and most charismatic fighters in the world, “King Mo” Lawal (6-0), of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Doors at Bridgestone Arena will open at 5 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Bridgestone Arena ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com).
The weigh in is open to the public, free of charge.
WHEN: Friday, April 16 at 4 p.m. CT
WHERE: Bridgestone Arena Plaza (Outside the main entrance at 5th Avenue and Broadway)
501 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37203
JAKE SHIELDS, DAN HENDERSON & GILBERT MELENDEZ STRIKEFORCE CEO SCOTT COKER CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS
CBS AND STRIKEFORCE will present a World Championship Tripleheader that features five fighters ranked among the best in their respective weight classes and an undefeated star hoping to join their ranks on Saturday, April 17, live on The CBS Television Network (9 p.m. ET/PT), from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
In the main event, legendary MMA champion and two-time Olympic wrestler Dan Henderson (25-7), of Temecula, Calif., will make his STRIKEFORCE debut when he challenges Jake Shields, the STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight Champion (24-4-1) of San Francisco, who has won 13 in a row and is unbeaten since December 2004.
Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (17-2), of San Francisco, by way of Santa Ana, Calif., will risk his STRIKEFORCE World Lightweight belt against DREAM champion and Japanese superstar Shinya Aoki (23-4).
The third world title fight will feature one of the elite mixed martial artists at 205 pounds, Gegard Mousasi (27-2-1), of Armenia, who will put a 15-fight winning streak and his STRIKEFORCE Light Heavyweight crown on the line against one of the most confident, fastest-rising, charismatic fighters in the world, “King Mo” Lawal (6-0), of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
What the fighters and Coker had to say on Friday’s call:
OPENING COMMENTS:
SHIELDS: I’m super excited to be a part of this, to be on CBS again and on the main event for the first time on CBS and for the opportunity to fight Dan Henderson, who’s one of my favorite fighters of the past 10 years. It’s a huge opportunity for me to go out there and showcase my skills against someone of Dan Henderson’s caliber.”
HENDERSON: “I’m as excited as everyone else is to be a part of this CBS card and to have the opportunity to help broaden the sport and bring it to the masses. I’m excited and hopefully all the new fans will be hooked just like the rest of us are.”
MELENDEZ: “I’m very excited and I feel very privileged to be on a card with such great fighters. Not only am I fighting the biggest star in Japan on American soil, but I’m fighting on CBS with guys like Jake Shields, Dan Henderson, Gegard and King Mo. I’m very pumped up, I’m very excited and I’m very thankful that Strikeforce has given me this opportunity and I hope I fight first so I can watch the other fights.
QUESTIONS:
Jake, what kind of fight do you expect on Saturday?
SHIELDS: “A really tough one. It’s really hard to predict where this fight is going to be. I think we’re going to be everywhere, you know. I think we’re going to be on our feet, I’m going to take Henderson down, he’s going to take me down. It’s going to be an all-out war.”
Dan, what about Jake Shields in terms of his abilities poses the biggest threat to you in the cage?
HENDERSON: “Jake has been on a big winning streak and he’s very dangerous in certain aspects of the game. I’m sure he plans on taking me down and using some of his submissions. There are definitely things I need to watch out for and be careful for. I think Jake was right; this fight is going to be on the ground and everywhere else. I think it’s got the potential to be a really exciting fight.”
Scott, how much pressure do you feel to match the TV ratings you drew in November, especially since you don’t have Fedor on this card?
COKER: “Well, not only would we like to match November, but we would like to exceed November. And we’re all working hard to try to get as many eyeballs as we can on this event. I think CBS has done an amazing job with their promotions, I saw a ton of them on the basketball tournament and CSI and Survivor and different top-rated shows. I think in the MMA community we’ve been driving the message as hard as we can. And, the matchups speak for themselves. These are matchups that are going to be amazing and it took us a long time to put these fights together. Every one of these fights could be a main event, so we’ll have a triple main event next Saturday on CBS. We’re hoping to have a great rating, that’s definitely one of our goals and we’re working hard to achieve that.”
Jake, I hear you’ve put on a few pounds?
SHIELDS: I’ve bulked up. I’m still not a huge 185 pounder, but I feel a lot better. I’ve been working with strength trainers. I feel really strong and fast at this weight, it’s the best I’ve felt at185.”
Dan, can you talk about your decision to leave the UFC for Strikeforce?
HENDERSON: “What more do you want to know, I’m pretty much happy with the big aspect of fighting on CBS. There’s no bigger platform and CBS was a huge part of my decision.”
Was the exposure of TV the main lure for you?
HENDESON: “You know, it didn’t bring me over here to just be on CBS, but to be able to still have some big challenges as far as fights go in STRIKEFORCE, they’ve got a pretty good, big roster of fighters now, some big challenges. That’s why it’s not only the money and everything else, but without the challenge it wouldn’t really excite me. So, I’m fairly excited about being on CBS and fighting Jake Shields.”
Why has MMA gained so much popularity?
HENDERSON: “The sport itself is just so exciting, anything can happen at anytime. To have platforms like CBS broadcasting fights is bringing a lot of fans to the sport, so that definitely helps.”
Jake, do you feel any pressure to put on a show considering it’s the main event on CBS. Some people question your style?
SHIELDS: “Yeah, yeah, definitely. I want to put on a great fight. Of course the two things I want to do are win, of course, but I also want to put on an exciting fight. I know Henderson is a tough fight. But, the other thing is stylistically it will probably be an exciting fight. I want to go out there and use heavy striking and try to put him away with submissions or ground and pound, whatever. I’m definitely trying to end this fight.”
Gilbert, you’ve now avenged both your career losses? How are you so much more dynamic than you were when you first lost to Josh Thomson?
MELENDEZ: “I guess I took a step back after that loss and decided, do I want to do this sport for fun or do I want to make a career out of it? I decided I wanted to make a career out of it so, with that said, I became more motivated, more focused and I promised myself I will never come into a fight unprepared. I don’t care about losing. I just care about not being prepared.”
Dan, on a scale of one to 10, how hungry are you for the STRIKEFORCE Middleweight Championship belt? And, if you obtain that, would you consider moving back up to light heavyweight to fight for the belt there?
HENDERSON: “I’m very excited and hungry to just get out there and fight and fight well. It’s been a while since I’ve been out there and I definitely want to be impressive with my first fight in Strikeforce. There is a belt on the line, so I’m very excited about that. We’ll look where I’ll be after that, but I’ve got to take care of what’s in front of me first, then we’ll go from there. Beyond that, I have no idea and really haven’t thought very much about what I will do.”
Dan, where do you think you stack up with Jake in terms of submission defense?
HENDERSON: “I feel like over there years I’ve fought guys as good or better than Jake on the ground that are great at submissions. I’m not too bad there myself, so I’m not really too concerned too much about it. But I am also aware that that’s probably the biggest danger for me when fighting Jake Shields, but I’m going to be very comfortable there.”
Jake, Dan is known as a great wrestler and striker. How do you think you stand up in terms of the wrestling and striking?
SHIELDS: “We’ll have to see when we get out there, but I’ve been working on a ton of wrestling and trying to get stronger in those areas. As far as power goes, I know he has good power, but I’m not the easiest guy to hit and I certainly can take a punch. I’m ready for it, I’ve worked hard on it. I know on paper he’s a better wrestler, but a lot of times it doesn’t always stack up that way when you get in the cage.”
Jake, do you think you’re a full fledged 185 pound fighter now?
SHIELDS: “Yeah, I don’t know. I feel comfortable at this weight, that’s all I know. Weight is not going to be a factor. If Dan is a better fighter then that has nothing to do with weight. At this point, he’s coming down and I’m coming up, so it’s not going to be a big deal. There’s probably going to be a five pound weight difference, but it’s not going to be a factor in the fight.”
Scott, there have been some reports about Jake’s contact. Is this his last fight with Strikeforce?
COKER: “Jake does have the ability to exercise his one other fight. We’re going to wait to see what happens with this fight.”
SHIELDS: “For the most part, too, I’m really happy with Strikeforce. Everywhere I read people say I’m going to UFC, but I just said I’m not sure where I’m going. The media seems to keep jumping and changing words I say and kind of pushing that I’m jumping away, which isn’t the case. I haven’t said for sure where I’m going. I’ve been very happy with Strikeforce. I’m fighting in the main event on CBS against Dan Henderson. This is, like Dan said, the biggest platform possible. So it’s not like I’m in any hurry to jump and run away.
Dan, how helpful has your wrestling background been for you in MMA?
HENDERSON: “I’ve said it many times that wrestling is the best base to have in MMA. It’s been instrumental in my MMA career and it doesn’t hurt to be able to use that and still have the ability to knock guys down as well. I can’t say enough about wrestling and what it’s done for my MMA career.”
Jake, are you confident going into this fight or are you worried about him taking the belt?
SHIELDS: “No, I’m vey confident. Obviously, Henderson is a tough fighter so I’m not thinking it’s going to be an easy fight, but I’m relaxed. I love having the belt, but it’s not about the belt it’s about the fight. This is a huge fight, but in my mind, I expect to keep the belt. I know Henderson is good, but I have no intentions of letting him take my belt.”
Gilbert, everyone knows what Aoki did in his last fight. What is your reaction to his antics after he beat Mizuto Hirota?
MELENDEZ: “First of all, breaking a guy’s arm is part of the game. The guy should have tapped out. My mentality stepping in the cage is kill or be killed, and I’m sure most top fighters have the same mentality. With him running around, dancing around and doing the middle finger? I thought it was a little uncharacteristic; it’s really not my style. But I’m not one to judge Aoki. Maybe this guy was talking bad about his Mom in the back or spit on him in the back, so I can’t really jump and judge him. If he continues to act like that over and over I’ll probably think he’s kind of weird. It just comes with the game and sometimes when you see blood you act a little crazy.”
How important is it for you to not only win but step up the ladder?
MELENDEZ: “It’s crazy. I had two losses in 2008 and I fell off the rankings. I was ranked No. 2 in the world for a minute, No. 3 in the world. But, Scott Coker gave me an opportunity to avenge both those losses, I’m back in the top 10 now and I’m fighting the No. 2 fighter in the world. It’s pretty nuts. I’m really excited and I’m excited to take advantage of the opportunity. Not just that I’m fighting the No. 2 guy in the world but also that I think I have a good chance of beating this guy.”
What’s the key for you in this fight against Aoki?
MELENDEZ: “A perfect fight would be we never hit the ground and I sprawl and brawl this guy. But, you got to be prepared for every scenario in this fight and I believe I am. I have to be able to defend all his submissions, I have to be able to be confident on the ground, and, like I said, best case scenario I never touch the ground and I knock him out. But you got to be prepared for everything from this guy.”
Gil, are you worried about Aoki finding a way out of the fight?
MELENDEZ: “I’ve studied a lot of tapes on him and one thing I’ve noticed is he’ll look for the way out and I can’t give him that opportunity. If I accidently hit him in the nuts or I elbow him wrong I have to realize that he might try to take advantage of that and find a way out. I just have to be very careful and not give him that opportunity. It’s just something that I’m aware of and I almost would blame myself if I gave him that opportunity to get out of there. It’s definitely something that’s on my mind.”
Do you think training with Nick (Diaz) and Jake (Shields) is an advantage for you against Aoki?
MELENDEZ: “Definitely, a lot of people fight Aoki and they’re three months out of a fight and they think they have enough time to start training Jiu-Jitsu. I’ve been training for this guy unconsciously for years. I’ve had Jake, who’s tapping guys out, I’ve had Nick (Diaz) and Nate doing crazy Jiu-Jitsu and a stacked team of guys. I’ve really been preparing for this guy unconsciously for five years. I’m very fortunate I have a great team and I think it’s going to help a lot.”
Jake, how much of a benefit for you is it that your last fight went five rounds?
SHIELDS: Yeah, maybe it is. I guess if it was the first time I’ve fought five rounds, but Dan has fought five rounds as well. When you fight five rounds you don’t forget how to do it. It’s one of those things that you either can do or you can’t. But I think me and Dan both know how to fight five rounds, so it won’t really make a difference.”
Dan, what are the pros and cons of having the layoff at this time of year career?
HENDERSON: “I don’t see any cons in it, other than it gave my body a chance to relax and recover from different injuries. But, I’m in the gym every day that I’m home training my guys and training with them, so I feel like I’ve been fighting the whole time while I’ve been home in the gym. The pros, I guess, is it’s been a while since I’ve been in there and I’m pretty excited and hungry to be back in there. I’ve been chomping at the bits for months now waiting to get back in the cage.”
Jake, what do you think is the key to your big win streak?
HENDERSON: “I think the key is just hard work. I’ve been training hard and I also have a good team behind me. We just train really hard and just push ourselves to get better. I’m really confident right now but I try not to be over confident because when you get over confident that’s when you lose. I’m confident but I know I’m in for the toughest fight of my life on April 17.”
Gilbert, how is Aoki so good if he’s so seemingly one-dimensional?
MELENDEZ: “The thing with Aoki is he’s a very intelligent fighter and it’s obvious you want to stay on your feet with him. Basically, you just want to keep it on your feet. Once he gets to the ground he has a great back attack, he has a great rubber guard, and you have to be prepared for all of those. As I study his tapes, I get scared of all those positions, but the closer I get to the fight I feel more confident about it. But, yeah man, just being prepared for all those positions on the ground.”
Jake, how much help have you been for Gil? I know you’ve wanted to fight Aoki for at least a couple of years.
SHIELDS: “Yeah, I want to fight Aoki, but I’m bigger now and he’s smaller so that’s probably not going to happen. Instead, Gil gets to fight him. He’s a guy that I’ve really studied and know a lot about so I’ve definitely tried to help him some. I definitely see how to beat Aoki and I definitely understand it, and I think Gil has the perfect style to go out there and put him away.”’
Gilbert, do you think it will make a difference that Aoki is fighting in a ring rather than a cage?
MELENDEZ: “Well first of all, I have thought about it but it’s not something that I’m banking on U.S. rules helping me out. I’ve fought in a ring and I’ve fought in a cage and there are differences, but sometimes you get a little bit more lost in a cage and you don’t know where you are, whereas in a ring you’re a little bit more aware. In Japan when you fight in the ring you have to dialogue with the referee and you have a bunch of people dragging you to the middle where you can work on your submissions. In a cage the referee is not involved at all. He needs to stop a fight or penalize someone for hitting below the belt or poking in the eye. I think the cage can play an advantage in the Jiu-Jitsu game for me, if I wedge him against there he might be a little uncomfortable. I’m not banking on the cage helping me a lot, but I can see how it could make him a little confused and hurt his Jiu-Jitsu game a little.”
This fight is likely to feature a lot of grappling, what’s your approach to that since you’ll have such a huge audience?
MELENDEZ: “Best case scenario, I never hit the ground with this guy, but, realistically, I have to be prepared to hit the ground with him, and I am. Fortunately, my style of Jiu-Jitsu is high paced and scrambles and Aoki’s is tricky and entertaining. So, if we do hit the ground I think it will be entertaining for all the viewers. I don’t think anyone will be booing and saying ‘stand up and fight.’ They’re probably be pretty caught up in it and maybe slightly confused at what’s actually going on. I would like to display my Jiu-Jitsu skills. I’m pretty confident in them. I’m looking forward to displaying my mixed martial arts skills.”
Scott, can you run through the process of putting together the fight with Aoki? I know he’s in pretty strong demand.
COKER: “It was a tough road getting Aoki here. It started a year ago when we announced the relationship with SHOWTIME and CBS, one of my goals was we have to have the DREAM fighters come to the U.S. and fight our guys because those would be some of the most amazing matchups in mixed martial arts. So I started working towards that. I thought we were going to have it towards the end of last year and then it got postponed for different reasons. He was busying fighting in Dynamite. I really am appreciative for DREAM letting this fight happen because it was a very difficult task to have this happen. He’s really a Japanese treasure and a superstar over there. For him to take the risk and come over and fight Gilbert was something that was tough to do. Luckily, after Dynamite he had an opening and we grabbed it.”
What if Aoki wins and becomes the champion? It would be difficult to get a lot of dates.
COKER: “That’s a good question. I think what would have to happen is Gilbert would have to go to Japan and beat him up over there.”
Gilbert, what are your thoughts on an immediate rematch?
MELENDEZ: “An immediate rematch sounds cool. I would love to fight him again. Obviously, I’m trying to get through this fight and win. I’m just very excited that Scott has the confidence in me and he gives me confidence. I really believe I can win this fight. Like I said, I’m a soldier here. If Scott wants me to go to Japan and fight Aoki I’ll do it. I have no problem going over there. I’d like to make a statement and beat him here and I’d like to go over there and beat him and make a big statement in the MMA industry.”
Jake, are you happy fighting at 185 or do you see yourself going back to welterweight?
SHIELDS: “I take it one fight at a time. I’m just trying to get through this fight for now and look at my options. I feel like I could go back to 170 pretty easily. I walk around at 185, so I think I could make weight in two weeks if I had to. But I think I’ll just take it one fight at a time. I’m just looking for the biggest fights. “
###
Doors at Bridgestone Arena will open at 6:30 CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Bridgestone Arena ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com).
You can follow CBS and Strikeforce on Twitter at @CBS_MMA and @StrikeforceMMA
TUF 11 conference call with Chuck Liddell – notes and audio
Written By: ProMMANow
ProMMAnow.com, along with other media outlets, was on a conference call today with Chuck Liddell. Liddell will be coaching the fight team opposite Tito Ortiz on this season of “The Ultimate Fighter 11″. The season premiere of TUF 11 airs this Wednesday night at 10pm PT/9pm CT on Spike TV. Here is a sneak preview of the first episode which reveals the show’s first elimination bout fighters.
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