THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® RETURNS TO MONTREAL FOR UFC® 113: MACHIDA vs. SHOGUN 2
LYOTO “THE DRAGON” MACHIDA vs. MAURICIO “SHOGUN” RUA
UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Live from the Bell Centre, Saturday May 8, 2010 – Tickets on sale Saturday, Feb 20 at 10 a.m. ET
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – It was so good, the UFC® decided to do it again.
At UFC 104 last October, UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida and challenger Mauricio “Shogun” Rua engaged in a five round war that divided the mixed martial arts world when the unanimous decision verdict was rendered in Machida’s favor. On Saturday, May 8, these two warriors will have a chance to do it again and erase any doubt as to who is the best 205-pound fighter in the world, and both are vowing to take matters out of the judges’ hands, and into their own when The Ultimate Fighting Championship® heads back to Montreal for UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun 2, live from the Bell Centre and only on Pay-Per-View.
“The first fight between Machida and Shogun was very controversial, I think fans are very excited to see them fight again and find out who the best light heavyweight in the world is,” said UFC President Dana White.
Tickets for UFC 113 will go on sale Saturday, February 20 at 10am ET and will be priced at $600, $400, $250, $150, $100 and $50. Tickets are available at the Bell Centre box office, by phone at (514) 790-2525 / 1-877-668-8269 or at www.geg.ca.
UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, February 18 at 10 a.m. ET via the website ufc.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Friday, February 19 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through ufc.com.
UFC 113 will be available live on pay-per-view on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).
With eight fights and eight wins in the UFC, Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (fighting out of Belem, Brazil, 16-0 professional record) is cementing his place as one of the most dangerous men in the Octagon™ in any weight class. The 31-year-old Machida Karate black belt turned many heads with his wins over Thiago Silva, Tito Ortiz and Rameau Sokoudjou, but it was his second round knockout over then champion Rashad Evans at UFC 98 last May, that put him at the top of the 205-pound class. But on May 8th, he expects to be pushed to the limit once again as he turns his attention back to the man that gave him his greatest challenge yet.
With TKO victories over Mark Coleman and Chuck Liddell, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil, 18-4) re-established himself as one of the premier light heavyweights on the planet. The devastating 28-year-old striker came the closest to putting a blemish on Machida’s undefeated record last October and the former PRIDE® star, who holds wins over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Ricardo Arona, Kevin Randleman and Alistair Overeem, now looks to capture the very same title he came so close to winning in 2009.
About The Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship® is the world’s leading professional mixed martial arts organization and offers the premier series of MMA sports events. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve live Pay-Per-View events annually that are distributed residentially through North American cable and satellite providers including iNDEMAND Networks, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN Entertainment, Bell ExpressVU, SaskTel Max™, Shaw Pay-Per-View, Viewers Choice, and WOWOW in Japan, and via the Internet worldwide on Yahoo! Sports, and commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada. In addition to its North American distribution, UFC programming is distributed in over 100 countries and territories throughout the world. For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit ufc.com or uk.ufc.com or ufcespanol.com.
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, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC or other respective owners.
Moving forward: Shogun Rua to start training in January for second battle with Lyoto Machida
By: Eduardo Cruz (MMAmania.com)
Props: UOL.com.br
Quoteworthy:
“I no longer think [about UFC 104] and can’t live from it anymore. I must only think on the next fight that’s going to be a battle. I was glad with my performance but not with the outcome. I wanted the win but this is past for me. Actually I don’t know what criteria was taken in account for that fight. I just know they (judges) used it in favor of Lyoto. [Machida] is a tough guy and I already expected a complicated fight against him. In fact, he has been fighting for over ten years, so that, I think it’s difficult for him to change something now. He has done what he does well along his whole life, so as it’s also hard for me to change my game.”
Almost two months after his unanimous decision loss to Lyoto Machida at UFC 104, Mauricio Rua says he overcame the controversial outcome and is focused on their second encounter in 2010. “Shogun” intends to map out the campaign for the next fight starting in January, when he will sit down with his team to plan all the arrangements. Will history repeat itself? Or will Rua get the win many feel he should have gotten back in October?
ALDO LOOKING TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SILVA, MACHIDA
BRAZILIAN SEEKS DOMINANT REIGN AS CHAMPION
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Newly-crowned World Extreme Cagefighting® featherweight champion Jose Aldo had dreamed of winning a world title since he was a young boy. Growing up poor in Manaus, Brazil, Aldo didn’t have many material possessions, nor did he always know when his next meal would come.
Simply put, Jose Aldo was hungry. Starving, actually. But what makes this story so unique is that Aldo’s hunger could not be fulfilled by a cheeseburger. Despite his less-than-ideal upbringing, Aldo was craving a taste of success. Aldo wanted to become an elite fighter and escape the life of poverty, leaving championship gold as his only way out.
“My dream has always been to win a world title,” Aldo said. “When I started my career, I set out to be the best. I wanted a better life for my family and for myself.”
In front of a packed house at The Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas last Wednesday, the 23-year-old Aldo realized his dream, scoring a second round TKO victory over Mike Brown to win the WEC Featherweight Championship. In doing so, Aldo knocked off one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport and claimed the title he long had an appetite for. Like his fellow countrymen Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida, Jose Aldo had finally achieved his goal of becoming a world champion.
“You could see how much the title meant to Jose when he was announced as the winner,” WEC GM Reed Harris said. “Behind the devastating strikes and knockout power, Jose is actually a very emotional, humble man. To see him well up with tears was an awe-inspiring moment for me. It was a rare look at one of the most feared athletes in the sport.”
At the post-fight press conference on Nov. 18, Aldo beamed with joy as Harris announced him as the new featherweight champion. However, as Harris told the assembled media that Aldo had the potential to be as dominant as Silva and Machida, Aldo admits that his thoughts drifted back to the days in which he struggled to stay afloat. He reflected on the shortage of food, clothes, and other necessities. While Harris was gushing about his new titleholder, Aldo, at least mentally, was back in Brazil.
“It’s just nice to finally be the world champion,” Aldo said shortly after the press conference concluded. “I am so happy that my dream came true.”
As Aldo left the press conference, he handed the title belt to a member of his team and let out a huge breath of air. When asked by a WEC official how he felt, the young Brazilian offered a humorous response via his translator.
“I’m pretty hungry,” Aldo said. “I think I want a cheeseburger.”
Aldo, to no one’s surprise, is still hungry.
*VERSUS WILL RE-AIR ALDO’S CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY TOMORROW, NOV. 24 AT 8PM ET*
For more information on Jose Aldo, visit www.wec.tv. Follow WEC at http://twitter.com/WEConVERSUS.
About World Extreme Cagefighting®
The WEC brand is recognized as one of the premier mixed martial arts organizations in the United States. WEC, founded in 2001, is the sister organization of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® and today features the most prominent light weight fighters in the world. Owned and operated by WEC Holdings LLC., and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., the WEC produces live and taped events annually that are distributed through the Versus network.WEC programming is also available on Fox Sports en Espanol. In addition to its U.S distribution, WEC programming is shown on the TSN network in Canada, Setanta Sports in Australia, Globosat in Brazil, and Cadena Tres in Mexico. For more information and current WEC fight news, visit wec.tv. World Extreme Cagefighting® and WEC® are registered trademarks, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by WEC Holdings, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions and are licensed to WEC Productions, LLC.
About VERSUS
VERSUS celebrates real competition across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the national cable home of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the IndyCar® Series as well as best-in-class events such as The Tour de France, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Boxing. The network also offers collegiate sports featuring nationally-ranked teams from top conferences such as the Pac-10, Big 12, Mountain West and Ivy League. VERSUS features the best field sports programming on television and is a destination for sports fans, athletes and sportsmen to find exclusive, competitive events and original programs, such as Sports Soup and The Contender that audiences can’t find elsewhere. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
Lyoto Machida to ‘close all holes’ for rematch with Shogun Rua (Video)
By: MMAmania.com
Whenever that may be … this appears to be shot before news of his looming hand surgery broke:
Weekend wrap-up: the unofficial ProMMA.info Sunday night link dump
By: ProMMA.info
There was a ton of news going on this week in MMA. Here’s a whole horde of information you can’t just start the new week and new month without knowing:
In this video interview Dan Henderson talks about why he has not signed a new contract with the UFC and why he is currently pro MMA homeless.
Remember when TUF veteran Corey Hill ’s leg was rubberized at the UFC Fight for the Troops event? Corey plans to be back in the Octagon maybe around January.
Lyoto Machida needs hand surgery and won’t be giving that rematch to Shogun any time soon and Anderson Silva is still recovering from elbow surgery and won’t be fighting Vitor Belfort at UFC 108 as expected.
To view the complete article go to: ProMMA.info
Cecil Peoples: If you don’t like the way I scored ‘Machida vs Shogun’ you can go to hell
By: Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com)
Props: MMAWeekly
Quoteworthy:
“The fans and all the naysayers, I don’t worry about. I don’t back down because it’s not popular. My thing is, Rua did hit him more. But Machida hit him harder, especially in the early rounds. I’m really perplexed about how you give (Rua) [Round 1], because Shogun was kicking (Machida) a lot in the legs, but every time he kicked him in the legs, he got hit in the face. Shogun would put his hand up, and Machida would go right through, sweat’s flying off (Rua’s) face. Shogun kicked (Machida) in the belly –- that’s how he got the red mark. But you gotta remember, Machida is stepping back, so when he gets kicked, he’s getting brushed. But he counters Shogun with a hard kick to the belly. Which one counts more for the exchange? I give it to the (second one), because it was harder. It wasn’t brushed. Machida was controlling that round because he was dominant in not getting beat up in that round. He was the general in that first round. I give the fight to Machida in a very, very close fight. Now you’re pissed off because it’s my fault that you lost your money. No, it’s not. It’s Machida’s fault. If you don’t like it, you can go to hell.”
Strong words from a defiant and oft-criticized scorekeeper, Cecil Peoples, who places emphasis on the quality of damage inflicted over the total number of strikes landed. Peoples came under fire along with Nelson Hamilton and Marcos Rosales at UFC 104 after awarding a unanimous decision to Lyoto Machida, who appeared to be on the receiving end of a Shogun beatdown in last Saturday’s (Oct. 24) main event. Is Peoples merely a victim of the system? Or a loose cannon with no understanding of what he’s seeing? And how do you respond to his “go to hell” attitude? Sound off, Maniacs.
Lyoto Machida: Sometimes the strategy doesn’t work
By: Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com)
Props: MMAWeekly
Quoteworthy:
“Every time you go in there, you always want to try and make the fans happy, and it’s a little depressing when they don’t cheer for you, when they boo you. I didn’t really feel too much on the rib cage, but the legs, I started to feel it on the inside of one of my legs, and it was bothering me. I was a hundred percent, but sometimes when you get in there, you’re strategy doesn’t always work exactly like you planned it to. I would have liked to perform better, but it happens sometimes. I was looking to finish the fight whenever I could, but it showed that Shogun came very well prepared for this fight. I was constantly trying to find openings to finish the fight, but unfortunately, I didn’t get that. It’s just going to motivate me to train harder and I can guarantee you I’m going to put a better performance next time.”
Reigning light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida talks about his controversial unanimous decision win over challenger Mauricio Rua at UFC 104 last Saturday night in Los Angeles. “Shogun” appeared to be getting the better of the exchanges in their five round title fight and all but three people in attendance were prepared to crown Rua the new 205-pound champ. Unfortunately those three people were cageside judges Nelson Hamilton, Marcos Rosales and Cecil Peoples.
Shogun Quiets the Machida Hype
By: Dallas Winston (TheGarv.com)
On a Sunday morning preceding a sum of twenty different top-level fights spread out between UFC 104 and DREAM 12, the MMA media motif centers around the astounding spectacle of the Shogun Rua and Lyoto Machida encounter.
Despite exhibiting a career defining-performance, overcoming the weight of ridiculously slanted odds as high as -500 from betting sites, deciphering the constantly cited “enigma”, and firmly apprehending what was previously thought to be immeasurably “elusive”, Mauricio Rua lost a unanimous decision to Lyoto Machida last night.
Perhaps even more impressive than that long list of accomplishments was the manner in which Rua accepted the shocking news. He choked back tears of frustration and disappointment in his post-fight interview, and accepted the bittersweet defeat with class and humility as cheers resounded throughout the crowd. The cantankerous army of MMA fans throughout the world have not swallowed the controversial ruling of the California State Athletic Commission judges so graciously, however.
Cries of robbery, corruption, and fight-fixing have erupted in a heated and emotional backlash across the internet. To put it gently, the overwhelming consensus is that Rua should be the new UFC light-heavyweight champion, and that Machida did not do enough to deserve the win. This is quite scientifically explained by Yahoo Sports journalist Kevin Iole, who places the blame on Rua’s cornermen and chalks up the fan’s outrage as misplaced animosity on account of how fans are distracted, because fans “tend to look away from the action for a split second or two several times in a fight, whether it be to talk to a friend, grab a snack or gesticulate after a big blow.” Perhaps this deeply analytical epiphany courtesy of Mr. Iole can be written off to his own issues of distraction while perusing a Thesaurus for stunningly appropriate verbs like “gesticulation”.
Nevertheless, the war between Machida and Rua was one of the most beautifully technical of sorts we’ve had the pleasure of witnessing in the sport’s history, and although many, including myself, feel that Rua won the fight, the gap seperating the two combatants was not vast enough to consider the ruling in favor of Machida to be inconceivable. For whatever it’s worth, two-thirds of the governing panel was indeed comprised of a pair of figures who bear a notorious reputation for rendering questionable judgment in Nelson Hamilton and Cecil Peoples, and this fight may have been the most painfully appropriate reminder of the truth to the popular sentiment about the consequences of leaving the fight (and your fate) in the judges’ hands.
Jettisoning the burden of the inflammatory afterglow, the fight itself was miraculous to behold. Never before have we seen such an advanced and enticing level of cat-and-mouse play out for five rounds entirely on the feet, topping even the Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko CroCop battle in Pride. The fighters seemed to be creatively and instinctively improvising their attacks based on their opponents each and every move, both men displaying nearly inhuman reaction times during their back-and-forth exchanges, as brilliant counterstrikes resulted from uncanny advances, all punctuated by some of the best footwork and use of motion we’ve ever seen effectively implemented in modern day MMA.
If there is any consolation at all for not having a world championship belt around his waist, Rua can rest assured that his performance far transcended the scrawls on three paper score cards, and the diverse Brazilian fighter has clearly staked his claim amongst the elite of the world’s light-heavyweight division, gained mountains of respect and admiration for his respectable showing, and Dana White has indicated through his Twitter page that an immediate rematch might be imminent. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, “the old Shogun” is back, and will surely provide many more exhilerating performances in the future.
Machida and Shogun agree to rematch following UFC 104 controversy
By: ProMMA.info
UFC President Dana White wants to see a rematch between light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. “I think there will be a rematch. I talked to both of them and they both agreed to a rematch,” White stated at the UFC 104 post-fight press conference.
White, along with the majority of MMA media and fans, felt that Shogun defeated Machida in their UFC 104 light heavyweight main event title fight Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif.
The fight marked Machida’s first title defense since he took the belt from Rashad Evans at UFC 98 with vicious punches that left the TUF winner in a crumpled unconscious heap.
To view the complete article go to: ProMMA.info
Dissection by Dallas: Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida Vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
By: Dallas Winston (TheGarv.com)
This fight will be decided by footwork, timing, and each fighter’s adherence to the cerebral application of their strategies. All of the talk about Machida being an “enigma” and such a unique, evasive myth can be boiled down to the way he both engages opponents and counters their advances into striking range.
If Shogun can corner Lyoto and effectively cut off his angles of retreat or get a hold of him in the clinch for some Muay Thai work or a takedown–Lyoto becomes human, and Shogun’s resplendent light-heavyweight history of attacking relentlessly with devastating results make him the favorite should he succeed in creating this scenario.
Of course, easier said than done. Mid-level combatants like Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Kazuhiro Nakamura were able to close distance and tie Machida up; although one could argue that Machida allowed this to take place, being equally confident in his clinch and ground skills against said opposition, and will not surrender these circumstances so easily against the much more threatening and marauding style of Shogun.
Both men have extraordinary timing, colossal striking power, fluid combinations, and flawless chins, but Machida’s cage presence and movement is more focused on defense and abstract attacks where Shogun’s intent and approach is much more deliberate in nature. That does not imply that Shogun is merely a straightforward, stalking Muay Thai machine utilizing the one-dimensional caveman strategy that exemplified the fan-pleasing Chute Boxe formula of the past, as the young fighter keenly blends a methodical and calculative science to compliment the pure violence of his well-rounded onslaught.
Additionally, Shogun could also be categorized as an enigma of sorts, begging the oft-inquired cliche’ of “which fighter will show up?” The Shogun that systematically dismantled Pride’s elite light-heavies en route to building himself into an invincible phenomenon? Or the sluggish post-Pride Shogun that struggled to put away a spent Mark Coleman and floundered his way into a Forrest Griffin rear-naked choke? The answer is somewhat clouded by the shocking re-emergence of “the old Shogun” in his last outing against Chuck Liddell, where the Brazilian was clearly more fleet afoot, as explosive as ever, poised to unleash ferociously at the drop of a hat, and seemingly back to his previously unstoppable self.
Lyoto Machida rightfully deserves all of the praise that has lifted him onto the pedestal atop the 205 class, but this pedestal happens to be Shogun’s old throne. The sport of MMA and its fans have a tendency to live in the moment, and if you expand your horizon a bit wider to examine the overall careers of both men and their cumulative performances, Shogun has fought and defeated the higher level of competition, and Machida has been surrounded with a sense of intangible mysticism that seems to give him many magical advantages in the eyes of fans and betting sites. Shogun Rua must be on his game 100% to win this fight, both physically and mentally.
The smallest mistake or the slightest sign of frustration or fatigue will make Mount Machida too tough to climb, but if Shogun is in top form and can implement a patient and methodical strategy, anchored by wise aggression, athleticism, and experience at the top level, I see him having all the tools to topple “The Dragon” by TKO or decision. I believe Shogun’s credentials on the ground and with submissions give him the edge there, and his trip takedowns and striking from the clinch have been excellent. I would not be completely dumbfounded to witness another untouchable performance by Machida, marveling at his superb movement amidst repetitive claims of “elusive” from Joe Rogan, but I have a gut feeling that the karate master has been fasttracked to omnipotent status on account of his uncommon and inimitable style, perhaps from being a training partner of Anderson Silva and absorbing some of his otherworldly aura.
No one is giving Shogun much of a chance, with many betting lines having Machida obscenely favored as high as -500 or -450, so I will. My guess: Shogun by split-decision
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