2012
Strikeforce results live stream and play-by-play TONIGHT (May 18) for ‘Barnett vs Cormier’ on Showtime
Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier."
If you're going to leave comments and discuss the fights with all the other MMAmania.com readers be sure to do it on the main Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" results post and not this one. Comments in this thread are turned off.
Enjoy the show, Maniacs!
2012
‘Barnett vs Cormier’ fight card: Josh Barnett vs Daniel Cormier close the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix in style
There was a time when the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix tournament was going to take the mixed martial arts (MMA) world by storm. The smaller San Jose based promotion had managed to assemble eight heavyweights with legitimate credibility (for the most part) that rivaled that of Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) 265-pound weight class.
But, like most things in life, nothing ever goes the way you plan it.
Indeed, Fedor Emelianenko was bounced in the first round while Alistair Overeem was released and ran off to the greener pastures of UFC. The two biggest names in the bracket failed out, albeit in differing ways, leading many an MMA fan to simply write off the grand prix as a failed experiment by a promotion in over its head.
The good news in all this is it finally, mercifully, comes to an end tonight (Sat., May 19, 2012) with the Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" event that takes place on Showtime from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, featuring Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier.
At the very least, it should go out with a bang.
That's because Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier are undoubtedly two of the most talented heavyweights in the division. The fact that they have yet to move over to the UFC is not a testament to their abilities so much as it's simply an issue of timing.
Gotta finish the business at hand, of course.
The match-up is intriguing on a few levels. Both are strong wrestlers with legitimate credentials in the grappling arts. "The Warmaster" is far better served once they start breaking out submissions but Cormier has shown he can hold his own standing and trading punches.
Just ask Antonio Silva and his gigantic noggin.
What this fight could really come down to is experience. Though Barnett is just one year older than his counterpart, he's just 36 professional fights under his belt to just nine for Cormier. That's a 27 fight gap for all you math wizards out there. Just think of how much a man can learn in that much time inside the cage.
You'll find out tonight.
Last chance for predictions, Maniacs. Who ya' got?
2012
Video: Anderson Silva Budweiser commercial featuring Steven Seagal
Doing commercials for Budweiser in Brazil is nothing new to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. After all, he's kind of big deal down in South America.
But this latest effort from "The Spider" and the popular alcoholic beverage may be their best yet.
That's because Silva is joined by mixed martial arts (MMA) referee Dan Miragliotta and Team Black House part time trainer and B-movie action superstar Steven Seagal. That's right, folks. Sensai Seagal is now lending his acting talents to Silva's career.
No word yet on whether or not he tried to take credit for Silva's solid performance.
Silva is scheduled to defend his middleweight championship in the main event of UFC 148 on July 7, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, against Chael Sonnen. To stay up to date on all the latest news and notes on the promotion's annual Independence Day weekend event click here.
2012
UFC Quick Quote: Junior dos Santos is going to push Frank Mir until he’s tired, then knock him out
"Frank Mir's strengths are his ground game, his jiu-jitsu is very good. He kicks very well, too. He's a little bit different because he's southpaw but I think the best of him is his ground game. I think his jiu-jitsu is an easier way for him to win this fight. But I don't think he has enough speed to do that. I'm way faster than him and I can punch him before he gets close. I will dominate the fight. I'm going to put my strategy into the fight and it's going to be my way to fight, not his way. I'm going to push him more and more until he gets tired and then I knock him out. I know he's tough but I don't care. I don't care about tough he is or how tough it's going to be to fight. I will win this fight and I will keep the belt with me for a long time. Nobody is going to take this belt."
No big surprise here, folks, as the narrative for the UFC 146 main event fight pitting Junior dos Santos vs. Frank Mir on May 26, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, remains the same. "Cigano" says he won't be losing his heavyweight championship any time soon and he'll defend it this coming Memorial Day weekend thanks to his superior speed and power. The Brazilian admits Mir may be better on the ground but if the fight never gets to the mat, it won't matter. And that's the big plan dos Santos will employ come fight night. Push the pace, get Mir tired, avoid ending up on his back and knock him out to retain the belt. Easy peasy, right?
2012
Strikeforce: Josh Barnett vs Daniel Cormier predictions from UFC 146 heavyweights
Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" goes down tonight (Sat., May 19, 2012) from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, and features the conclusion of the ambitious heavyweight grand prix tournament.
Finally.
Josh Barnett got to the big show by running through his side of the bracket via consecutive arm triangle submission victories over Brett Rogers and Sergei Kharitonov, respectively.
Daniel Cormier, meanwhile, needed just one win to get to the finals thanks to his replacing Alistair Overeem after he was dumped from Strikeforce in favor of the UFC. "DC" knocked out Antonio Silva in the first round of the semifinals but broke his hand in the process, leading to the long wait for tonight's final showdown.
So who wins this titanic clash of big men?
Our resident Nostradumbass sees the match-up going the distance and Barnett riding his experience to a split decision victory. But what about the pros? Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) got predictions from a few of the heavyweights competing on the UFC 146 card on May 26 in Las Vegas.
Let's see who Junior dos Santos, Frank Mir, Cain Velasquez and Antonio Silva think will win tonight's showdown.
Junior dos Santos, reigning UFC heavyweight champion, said: "They are both great fighters and this is a fight that could end very quickly for each guy. But Cormier is more explosive and has the better chances to end this early. It could be very exciting, but I think Cormier wins."
Frank Mir, two-time UFC heavyweight champion, said: "I think Cormier takes this. I can't see Barnett getting him to the ground, his wrestling is too strong. And on the feet I think Cormier has the power to end things. But with two top heavyweights, anything can happen. That's why this division is so exciting - anyone who is world class can beat anyone else with one punch. You can't say that about the lighter weight classes and that's why heavyweight fights are so cool to watch."
Cain Velasquez, former UFC heavyweight champion said: "I pick Daniel Cormier. Number one, because I train with him but also because he's so hungry in this sport, I don't think he will be denied. He was really raw when he came into our gym the first time a couple of years ago but he picked up everything a lot faster than most. He has dangerous strikes and I can't see Josh getting him to the ground. Daniel's wrestling is too good; I think he takes this fight and makes a statement about his future in the division."
Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, who reached the Grand Prix semi-final stage before losing to Cormier, also picked his old rival for the win, saying: "I think Cormier will win this fight and be the Grand Prix Champion. I was very surprised by him in our fight. I think he is too strong, too powerful in this fight. He punches very hard and his wrestling is very good. I think he will win inside the distance unless Josh Barnett gets this to the ground quickly."
That's four picks for Cormier, none for Barnett. You Maniacs agree with the UFC heavyweights?
2012
Jon Jones camp releases statement on DUI arrest, more details on car crash
Just a short while ago, it was reported by the bloodhounds at TMZ that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones crashed his car around 5:00 a.m. this morning in New York and he was subsequently arrested for DUI once police arrived on the scene.
After spending a few hours in the clink, he was bailed out by his mother.
As the day has worn on, more and more information has become available. In fact, Jones' manager, Malki Kawa, released the following statement not long ago:
"I can confirm that Jon Jones was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI. While the facts of this situation are still being gathered and situated, First Round Management fully supports Jon and we are asking for fans and media to respect the privacy of Jon and his family during this time."
MMAFighting.com also has a few more details from the Broome County Sheriff's Office, including the fact that Jones was arrested at approximately 5:02 a.m. after his car struck a pole. It was a single car accident and Jones suffered only "minor injuries."
The UFC has yet to release a statement on the matter. Jones is currently scheduled to defend his light heavyweight championship at UFC 151 on Sat., Sept. 1, 2012, against Dan Henderson.
For the initial report on Jones' DUI arrest click here.
2012
Strikeforce ‘Barnett vs Cormier’ fight card: Gilbert Melendez hoping to close book on Josh Thomson rivalry
It's almost to the point where you feel like you should feel sorry for Gilbert Melendez. Almost.
The Strikeforce lightweight champion has been languishing in the second tier promotion as one of the most talented 155-pound fighters on Earth. He'll continue to do so for the foreseeable future, too.
Tonight (Sat., May 19, 2012), he defends his title against an old rival, Josh Thomson, in the co-main event of the Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" fight card set to go down on Showtime from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.
That's part of why sympathy seems prudent. This is the third fight between these two and while they've split the first two meetings, their careers have gone on entirely different trajectories since they last met back in Dec. 2009. Melendez has been dominant, destroying Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri and Jorge Masvidal, respectively.
He's been so good, in fact, that UFC President Dana White started speaking openly about bringing him over to swim with the sharks inside the Octagon. But that talk suddenly stopped, for reasons that were never made apparent, and "El Nino" has been stuck in Strikeforce ever since.
And that means he's at the mercy of the talent pool available outside the UFC, which, in short, is quite shallow.
Thomson is no can, don't mistake that. He's a former Strikeforce lightweight champion and he does own a victory over Melendez, although it came all the way back in 2008.
That said, his 3-1 record since his loss to Melendez in the rematch is a tad misleading.
Sure, he submitted Pat Healy with a rear-naked choke and looked extremely impressive considering the fact that he had broken two ribs early in the contest. But it went downhill from there. He was awarded a unanimous decision victory over Gesias Cavalcante that some would argue should have gone the other way. He followed that up by losing to Tatsuya Kawajiri before turning in an uninspired performance against K.J. Noons. He won a decision in that fight but his win hardly inspired confidence that he was ready to take on Melendez to complete their trilogy.
Nonetheless, because of Strikeforce's dwindling roster, this is what we're left with. Melendez, one of the most talented lightweights in the world, giving out undeserved rematches.
He signed a contract to stay in San Jose, so it's difficult to feel too sorry for the man. But it's difficult not to wonder how well he would do in the UFC if given the opportunity.
A loss tonight could go a long ways toward changing that ... and not in a good way.
2012
The ambituous beginning and disappointing end to the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix odyssey
The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament, featuring a live finale of Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier this Saturday night (May 19, 2012) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, finally concludes after a long and tumultuous journey.
It's a disappointing end to one of the promotion's most ambitious endeavors, which has now become less about crowning a tournament king and more about padding a resume for prospective employers in Las Vegas. We recently learned that Strikeforce has torched its heavyweight division and most of the valuable parts have already been picked from the burning wreckage.
Look no further than the UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Mir" fight card for proof, where Shane del Rosario, Lavar Johnson and Antonio Silva try to get themselves "into the mix" later this month in "Sin City."
Expect the winner, and perhaps even the loser of "Barnett vs. Cormier," to soon follow.
I called it a disappointment, but I'm not suggesting "The Warmaster" and "DC" won't hold up their end of the bargain and deliver a thrilling finale -- they most likely will -- but it's hard to flash back to the opening brackets and not wonder what could have been, rather than what was.
So what went wrong?
The easy "out" is to blame ZUFFA's inevitable purchase of Strikeforce. While it certainly complicated matters, there's very little evidence the tournament would have unfolded any differently.
Here's why.
In late 2010, when Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker first gave birth to the idea of a heavyweight grand prix, it mattered.
It mattered because the 265-pound division was like the Devil's Island of mixed martial arts (MMA). Name one other weight class at that time, not shackled by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), with four fighters ranked in and around the top ten?
That means Strikeforce had an eight-man tournament with half its participants widely considered to be among the world's best.
But most importantly, it had Fedor Emelianenko.
Despite a shocking submission loss to Fabricio Werdum earlier in the year, the former PRIDE champion was pegged as the tournament favorite from the onset. An eventual showdown with Alistair Overeem, who had recently captured the K-1 World Grand Prix title (to hang alongside his DREAM and Strikeforce belts), was all but a foregone conclusion.
Too bad "Bigfoot" didn't stick to the script.
"The Last Emperor" was smashed by the Brazilian behemoth in the opening round with a performance that turned the grand prix on its head -- but only temporarily -- since we still had another fan favorite to keep the momentum going.
Except we didn't.
That's because Andrei Arlovski was knocked clean out by a Russian paratrooper that most causal fans had never heard of. Popular among the fanatics and Japanese crowds who recognized him from PRIDE, Sergei Kharitonov could barely utter a few words in English, let alone hype a stateside fight.
But hope was not lost.
Down late in the game, "Demolition Man" was prepared to take over and crank out a few innings of relief -- until he bombed against Fabricio Werdum in a fight he nearly lost. Not that it mattered, seeing as how he stubbed his toe and decided to withdraw from the grand prix altogether.
Enter Cormier.
The undefeated (but unheralded) tournament reserve came in and made Emelianenko's loss look even worse by knocking out Silva with relative ease and sashaying his way into the championship final.
And just like that, the entire left side of the original bracket had been eliminated.
Over on the "other" side, embattled free agent and grappling wizard Josh Barnett had it so easy he might as well have earned two byes. His first bout paired him against a former tire mechanic, who could punch your head into the second row, but had the ground game of an overturned turtle.
Tapping Brett Rogers was simply a tune-up for his submission win over the equally mat-challenged Kharitonov.
So here we are, over a year later, thanks in part to Cormier's hand injury and the ZUFFA red tape that came with the Strikeforce acquisition. That kind of thing happens when the two sides (Showtime and the UFC) can't stand the sight of each other.
So what went wrong?
Well, to be fair, nothing. You know the old expression about "The best laid plans." The tournament was a noble idea and it had the best heavyweights that Strikeforce could produce; however, they failed to produce. Emelianenko (Plan A) couldn't get the job done, Overeem (Plan B) proved to be as reliable as his testosterone levels and Arlovski (Plan C) was about as durable as a Faberge egg.
That leaves Barnett vs. Cormier.
Probably not the way anyone expected the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament to finish, but at least this odyssey has a happy ending. After all, within the next year, the remaining heavyweights (at least the ones worth their salt) will be repackaged and later opened inside the Octagon with a new lease on life.
And if UFC 146 is the heavyweight appetizer, I can't wait for the main course.
2012
UFC’s Jon Jones arrested for DUI in New York after crashing car into a pole
Remember that sweet Bentley Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones was riding around in that reportedly cost $190,000 (pic after the jump)? Yeah, it's been totaled.
That's because "Bones" crashed it into a pole in the early morning hours today (Sat., May 19, 2012) in Binghamton, New York. But that's not even the worst part.
Once police arrived on the scene, Jones was arrested for driving under the influence. TMZ.com has the story:
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Jones was involved in an accident at around 5:00 AM in Binghamton, NY. We're told the car -- which Jones crashed into a pole -- was totaled and cops arrested Jones on the scene for DUI.
According to our sources, Jones was taken into custody by Broome County Sheriff and bailed out a few hours later ... by his mom. Jones is from nearby Ithaca.
This comes less than one month after Jones successfully defended his 205-pound title with a unanimous decision victory over former teammate Rashad Evans at UFC 145 in Atlanta. His next fight is scheduled for Sept. 1 against Dan Henderson at UFC 151 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this story as it develops.
2012
How to watch Strikeforce tonight (May 19) for ‘Barnett vs Cormier’ live video stream/TV details
Strikeforce returns to Showtime tonight (Sat., May 19, 2012) with its "Barnett vs. Cormier" event, which will begin around 8 p.m. ET with its preliminary card broadcast airing LIVE on Showtime Extreme.
Then it's time to kick it on over to the main Showtime channel for the main card portion of the event, headlined by the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix tournament final between Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier, beginning promptly at 10 p.m. ET.
Don't get Showtime as part of your subscription package?
You can call up your local cable and/or satellite provider, of course, or you can click here to order it up so you can make sure you're able to tune in for tonight's mixed martial arts (MMA) extravaganza.
However, if you need your Strikeforce results as soon as possible, and don't have a provider that carries the network and have zero desire to order the channel just for tonight's event, MMAmania.com will deliver up-to-the-minute results and live fight coverage, including round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of all the "Barnett vs. Cormier" action before, during and after the event RIGHT HERE.
More details on tonight's Strikeforce fight card and line-up after the jump.
Main Event:
265 lbs.: Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier
Main Card (Showtime):
155 lbs.: Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thomson
205 lbs.: Rafael Cavalcante vs. Mike Kyle
170 lbs.: Nah-Shon Burrell vs. Chris SpangPreliminary Card (Showtime Extreme):
155 lbs.: Gesias Cavalcante vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg
205 lbs.: Virgil Zwicker vs. Guto Inocente
205 lbs.: Derrick Mehmen vs. Gian Villante
170 lbs.: Quinn Mulhern vs. Yuri Villefort
For all the news and notes surrounding the Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" Showtime card check out our extensive news archive by clicking here.
2012
Video: Bellator 69 highlights from ‘Falcao vs Spang’ last night (May 18) in Lake Charles
Ladies and gentlemen, a new Bellator middleweight title challenger has been crowned.
Last night (Fri., May 18, 2012), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran Maiquel Falcao got on his grind and scored a unanimous decision victory over Andreas Spang. The pre-fight hype promised fireworks, and they delivered early with Spang nearly scoring a knockout, but after that it was Grapple City and Falcao was the mayor.
That was just the main event, though.
Bellator Fighting Championships has put out a highlight video from all four main card fights, including Mark Holata submitting Abe Wagner with an ankle lock, Jessica Aguilar's decision victory over Megumi Fujii, and Karl Amoussou's controversial split decision victory over David Rickels.
For complete Bellator 69 results, including blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action, click here. And to check out a complete recap of the mixed martial arts (MMA) event that aired on MTV2 click here.
2012
History in the Making: Josh Barnett collects another skull with a first round tap out over Sergei Kharitonov
When Josh Barnett finally lost the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Championship, he didn't do so after getting knocked out by a challenger. It wasn't after an opponent wrapped his arms around Barnett's neck, forcing the American to tap.
He lost it after the lights in the arena had gone out, after the roar of the crowd had dissipated. He lost the title after a drug test he took following his victory over Randy Couture at UFC 36 came back positive for steroids.
He's maintained his innocence, a position taken with a grain of salt by most fans considering positive tests both prior and after his title bout with "The Natural." One came during an exploratory test by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the other derailed his fight with Fedor Emelianenko on the ill-fated third Affliction card.
Still, Barnett remains one of the highest ranked heavyweights, more than a decade after his initial title win. With wins over Aleksander Emelianenko, Mark Hunt and "Big Nog" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, his resume speaks for itself.
He collected another skull, as Barnett himself colorfully puts it, by defeating Sergei Kharitonov in the semifinals of Strikeforce's heavyweight grand prix, pitting him against Daniel Cormier in tonight's final.
Before Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" goes down, let's take a look at the catch wrestler's impressive submission win over the stoic Russian.
Let's go.
Kharitonov nearly jumps to the center of the hexagonal cage, immediately pressuring Barnett against the chain-link fencing. But Barnett is a long-time veteran and has seen just about everything that can be seen. He remains calm and collected, snapping out two quick jabs which connect cleanly on his opponent's chin.
Barnett, for as much as he espouses catch wrestling, is looking remarkably apt with his striking in the early going. His boxing is crisp and his movement keeps him from absorbing too much damage from the heavy-handed Russian.
"The Warmaster" is again pressured towards the cage but manages to fight his way off, shooting in for a takedown but instead opting for a bodylock when the attempt is stuffed by Kharitonov. Arms wrapped firmly around his opponent, Barnett drags Kharitonov to the mat and immediately transitions into full mount.
For many opponents who have tangled with Barnett in the past, this was the last position they were in before they lost the fight.
Kharitonov knows this and instantly tries to buck his opponent off to no avail. Barnett is beginning to drop elbows across the Russian's skull coupled with simply grinding his forearm across Kharitonov's face. Another attempt to get the American off is met with failure after some punches land from above.
Barnett continues to chip away at his opponent, landing short punches and elbows and even ramming his forearm into Kharitonov's neck. It won't submit the tough as nails Russian but it doesn't feel very good either. "The Warmaster" is slowly but surely wearing his opponent down with a constant barrage of offense.
Another attempt to shrug his American opponent off fails and it seems to be Kharitonov's last grasp at turning the fight around. Barnett raises up and starts to land a flurry of ground and pound which the Russian responds to by turning onto his belly, turtling up and offering the submission expert his back.
Barnett begins landing punches to the side of his opponent's skull and then short punches from underneath Kharitonov's armpit. The fight -- and I use the term loosely -- has been a one-sided beating. At this point, it becomes apparent it's only a matter of time before Barnett finishes Kharitonov.
The American flattens the Russian out on the mat and begins to waylay on his skull with punches, almost daring him to try to return to his back. When Kharitonov finally does take the bait, Barnett is waiting there with an arm triangle choke.
"The Warmaster" locks his arms around his opponent's head and arm, shifts his body to the side of Kharitonov's and secures the submission victory.
It seemed like a remarkably easy day at the office for Barnett. He accumulated almost no damage and walked out of the cage with his babyface still intact.
Will he be as lucky against Cormier tonight?
2012
Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 episode 11 post-fight power rankings
We're down to four!
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 15, episode 11, showcased the last two quarterfinal match ups, as well as the revealing of who will fill the shoes of injured TUF coach and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz in the UFC 148 co-main event versus Urijah Faber.
The first quarterfinal bout saw Vinc Pichel of "Team Cruz" win a very close decision victory over "Team Faber's" Chris Saunders. The decision was somewhat controversial, as everyone in the building seemed to think a third, sudden-death round was coming, before UFC President Dana White entered the Octagon to make it know that the fight was done.
In the last quarterfinal pairing, two members of "Team Faber" went to war, as Al Iaquinta was simply too much for Andy Ogle, en route to a first round KO victory that proved he is deserving of being "The California Kid's" first overall pick.
After the jump, we'll take a look at the ramifications of this latest offering of TUF 15, as well as the post-episode 11 power rankings:
The big news of the episode hinged on Urijah Faber's new opponent for UFC 148. It was announced by Dana White that Renan Barao will step in and fill the void and will take on Faber for the newly minted interim bantamweight title belt.
As far as the rankings go, I don't want to toot my own horn, but "beep, beep." The rankings held up, and the bottom two fighters on the totem pole were eliminated.
With that said, everything essentially stayed the same. The only change being that Saunders and Ogle have dropped off from the bottom.
It will be interesting to see if that's a statement that can be made after next week. There is no great disparity in talent between any of the final four.
If you think it sounds like I'm setting up an excuse, I can neither confirm nor deny that sentiment.
At any rate, here are the TUF 15 power rankings as they currently stand:
(Note: The numbers in parenthesis indicate each fighter's ranking from the previous week.)
1) Michael Chiesa (1)
2) Al Iaquinta (2)
3) James Vick (3)
4) Vinc Pichel (4)Chris Saunders, Andy Ogle (RIP)
The semifinal match ups were announced by Dana White. The pairings make for some intriguing stylistic bouts. They also allow for the possibility of our #1 and #2 ranked fighters to see each other in the final.
Here are the fights that we can look forward to for next week:
- Michael Chiesa vs. James Vick
- Al Iaquinta vs. Vinc Pinchel
It should end up being a dynamic night of MMA combat as the final four battle it out for the right to fight for the UFC six-figure contract.
If you weren't able to catch all the LIVE action, no worries. Read a complete recap of TUF 15: "Live" episode 11 right here.
2012
Bellator 69 results recap from last night (May 18): Maiquel Falcao scores unanimous decision victory over Andreas Spang to win middleweight tournament
Bellator Fighting Championships has wrapped up another Friday night fight card as Bellator 69: "Falcao vs. Spang" invaded the L'Auberge du Lac Casino Resort in Lake Charles, La., last night (May 18, 2012).
The event was headlined by a bout between Maiquel Falcao and Andreas Spang to determine the winner of the Season Six Middleweight tournament champion. Due to some recent Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) wheeling and dealing, the winner, luckily unfortunately, will not have to get to fight former Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard, but the tournament championship and gigantic winner's check will have to do for now.
Bellator 69 also featured an exciting Welterweight tournament semifinal match up between David Rickels and powerful French judo practitioner Karl Amoussou.
Add to that the fierce women's throwdown that occurred when Japanese submission ace Megumi Fujii took on American Top Team's Jessica Aguilar, and the result was quite an explosive affair.
Follow me after the jump, where we'll review all the highs and lows of Bellator 69: "Falcao vs. Spang:"
The main event between Maiquel Falcao and Andreas Spang did not disappoint, delivering a middleweight mash up with blistering exchanges and diverse positions.
After eating a big shot early on, Falcao recovered and came forward to put on a pretty dominant first round performance. Unfortunately, Falcao was deducted a point for an illegal knee, causing the round to, in all probability, result in a 9-9 tie.
From that point on, it was all Falcao, who made great work of the clinch and his ground game to apply pressure on Spang and never let off the accelerator.
For more than two rounds, Falcao was draped all over the back of Spang, who could not find a way to shake him, eating absorbing plenty of punishment to the sides of his head, his ribcage and quads via the short punches, hammerfists and knees of Falcao.
After three full rounds, it was an easy decision, as Falcao took down the victory and the right to take on Alexander Shlemenko for the Bellator Middleweight Championship.
The welterweight bout between David Rickels and Karl Amoussou featured two 170-pounders who did not like each other one bit. The prize, a slot in the final match opposite Bryan Baker, was a highly motivating factor for each fighter, and it was evident during each second of the highly anticipated match up.
The first round produced a bizarre scene, wherein Amoussou's jock strap rip after a low kick from Rickels. The next few minutes were spent trying to find Amoussou a back up jock strap, before they finally opted to tape his cup onto his groin with athletic tape.
I've never had to swear God I wasn't lying in an article before today. There's a first time for everything.
After the unpleasantries were finally dealt with, the fight got back into full swing, and it was a raucous first two rounds, to say the least.
"Psycho" appeared to clearly win the first round by making use of his striking, some good knees inside the clinch, a few nice judo throws and a dominant top game. At no point did it look like Rickels was in danger of being finished, but Amoussou did a good job of keeping him down and landing some decent ground and pound.
The second round was close. Razor thin, really. Amoussou appeared to have outstruck Rickels again, but near the end of the fight, Rickels was able to throw on an armbar attempt that was very close to securing a submission, before Amoussou escaped at the bell.
The third round saw Rickels score a takedown midway through, and he never relented, staying on top the entire time and landing some serious ground and pound.
For two-plus minutes, Rickels used hammerfists and Sakuraba-esque two-handed palm smashes to takedown a very one-sided third round.
Ultimately, the fight had to be decided by the judges, which was no easy task. The split decision went to Amoussou, which was met by the disapproval of the crowd, who seemed to believe Rickels was robbed of the win.
Amoussou will go on to fight Bryan Baker in the Bellator Welterweight tournament final, sometime later this summer.
Megumi Fujii vs. Jessica Aguilar pitted the top two 115-pound women's mixed martial artists in the world against each other in the Bellator cage.
The fight started off somewhat slowly, as each fighter showed a good deal of respect for the other in the opening minutes.
The early key to the fight that proved to be the overall difference in the bout was the stand up of Aguilar. "JAG" was able to use her movement and striking to get in and out and pepper Fujii with punches throughout the first and second rounds.
Fujii came forward, much more aggressively, in the third round, as it appeared she knew she was down on the scorecard. Though she did make a good push, scoring a takedown and staying on top for the majority of the final frame, it was too little, too late.
Aguilar earned the much deserved unanimous decision victory and was emotional in the cage afterwards. It was a nice moment to be sure.
For complete Bellator 69 results and detailed round-by-round commentary of all the televised fights as well as the main event click here.
2012
Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 episode 11 results recap from last night (May 18) on FX
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was back on cable television last night (Fri., May 11, 2012) with episode 11 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 "Live" on FX.
And this time they had one hell of a hook to get viewers to tune in.
Indeed, with the series moving to a live format this season, that provided the promotion an opportunity for something unprecedented. When Dominick Cruz blew his knee out, it left a gaping hole in the UFC 148 fight card set for July 7, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was decided he would continue coaching throughout the remainder of the season but his previously scheduled opponent and rival coach, Urijah Faber, would need a new foe for the Independence Day weekend extravaganza.
So the UFC used the situation to tease fans into watching last night's episode in wait for the big reveal of who Faber's opponent would be, though word had been circulating through mixed martial arts (MMA) circles throughout the past week.
As it turned out, the rumors were true and Renan Barao revealed himself to be the lucky man to fill the void left by Cruz. He and Faber will battle for the interim bantamweight championship in less than two months. Yippie!
As for the rest of episode 11, it was fairly uneventful, despite another show featuring two fights and very little fluff. In fact, we were treated to maybe 15 minutes worth of training montages and back story.
By now, that's a welcome change.
Unfortunately, last week's stellar episode cast a long shadow over this week's proceedings. Vinc Pichel and Chris Saunders engaged in a plodding two round affair that saw the former take his coach's advice to heart en route to grinding out a majority decision.
Blah.
The second bout saw a far more thrilling conclusion, as the cold and calculated Al Iaquinta blasted Andy Ogle into next week with one of the prettiest standing elbow strike knockouts in recent memory.
It was somewhat bittersweet, considering Ogle was one of the few fighters in the TUF house who showed real emotion that allowed fans to feel somewhat invested in his progress. He overcame his demons to win his elimination fight but was felled here.
At least he'll likely end up fighting on the Finale card.
Speaking of which, we're down to the final four and the semifinals will play out next week in the form of Michael Chiesa vs. James Vick and Vinc Pichel vs. Al Iaquinta. The winners will meet on June 1 in Las Vegas for the coveted glass trophy and six-figure contract with the UFC.
It's almost over, Maniacs. Hang in there. You know I am.
For complete results and the running live blog of TUF 15, episode 11 click here.
2012
UFC 146 ‘Primetime’ video for ‘Dos Santos vs Mir’ on FX (Episode 2)
In cased you missed any or all of it last night (May 11, 2012), here is the second of three episodes (via IronForgesIron) of the "all access" behind-the-scenes look at the UFC 146 main event between Junior dos Santos vs. Frank Mir.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and FX collaborated for the latest "Primetime" series, which follows Heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos as he prepares to fight former division kingpin and de facto number one contender, Frank Mir, in the main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 26, 2012.
This second episode features a deeper look into the back stories of both men, like "Cigano" coming from the poverty ridden streets of Brazil that has taught him to pay it forward in regards to his mixed martial arts (MMA) training.
As for Mir, they touch on his horrific motorcycle accident that shattered his leg and nearly ended his fighting career. But, thanks to his wife and family, he recovered and battled his way back, all the way to the title shot he's been given over the Memorial Day weekend this year.
Episode one of UFC 146 "Primetime" aired last week and you can watch the complete video of that right here. Episode three of will air on May 25, also on FX. Get up to speed on the reaction to episode two of UFC 146 "Primetime" click here.
For more on UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Mir" be sure to hit up our event archive right here. To check out the latest UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Mir" fight card and rumors click here.
2012
History in the Making: Daniel Cormier stakes claim to a top 10 ranking by dominating Antonio Silva
The odds were not in Daniel Cormier's favor.
Sure, he had been wrestling since high school but he had only made his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) debut less than two years prior to his Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix semifinal bout against Antonio Silva. This is the same Silva who was coming off an absolute trouncing over potential G.O.A.T. Fedor Emelianenko.
Cormier's toughest test up to this point was a fight against Jeff Monson, a veteran heavyweight whose best days are definitely behind him. The former OIympian dominated his opponent over the course of three rounds in an impressive but altogether uninspiring affair.
Silva, meanwhile, was undefeated since 2007 aside from a decision loss to Fabricio Wedrum. Wins over Andrei Arlovski and Mike Kyle punctuated a three fight win streak along side the aforementioned technical knockout (TKO) over "The Last Emperor."
Cormier wasn't given much of a chance.
It's a far different story going into tomorrow's (May 19) Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" event where he takes on Josh Barnett to -- finally -- crown the promotion's heavyweight grand prix winner.
Despite Barnett's experience, Cormier is seen by many as the favorite. Perhaps it's because of how well he performed against "Bigfoot."
Let's take a closer look at that bout.
The Brazilian takes the center of the cage to start off the bout while the American is forced to stay on the outside and work his way in. Silva connects with a leg kick and catches the one Cormier throws in response. "Bigfoot" rushes his unbalanced opponent but fails to land anything solid before smothering Cormier along the cage.
The Olympian immediately shoves his opponent off and makes his way back to the center of Strikeforce's hexagon. Seconds later, his right fist flies through the air as if it's done this a million times before, betraying Cormier's inexperience, and connects flush with Silva's chin.
The massive Brazilian crumbles to the mat as the Cincinnati, OH crowd roars in approval. Cormier follows him to the canvas, standing over his opponent to deliver devastating ground and pound. Although staggered, "Bigfoot" recovers quickly enough to avoid more damage and the two heavyweights fight to a standstill, forcing the referee to restart the action on the feet.
Silva begins throwing one-two combinations out but none connect. Meanwhile, a sneaky jab from Cormier finds its home right on the Brazilians' nose and he's momentarily -- but visibly -- rocked by the punch. Cormier dodges another punch from Silva and answers back with a fast three-punch combination, the last strike of which again staggers "Bigfoot."
Before our very eyes, a heavyweight star is being born.
The Brazilian eats a hook to the jaw and laughably attempts to take down the Olympic-level wrestler. Cormier easily stuffs the takedown and winds up on top of his opponent before allowing Silva back to his feet.
There, Silva lands a body kick on his smaller opponent, but his leg is caught by Cormier and "Bigfoot" is then tripped, ending up on the canvas for the third time in as many minutes. He spends some time chipping away at the Brazilians's thighs until the referee once again restarts the bout.
Once the two heavyweights get back to their feet, "Bigfoot" is much more aggressive than he's been so far in the bout. And it ends up costing him the fight.
He pressures Cormier along the cage, throwing punch after punch, none of which land. In fact, the wrestler smiles after the barrage, either out of disbelief none of the strikes landed or out of a bit of cockiness. Perhaps a bit of both.
Another body kick from Silva is caught and he throws a punch before spinning around to free his lower limb. When he is once again facing his opponent, however, Cormier is there to greet him with a combination of punches. They separate and the American lands a stiff jab and then a short hook before going inside with a vicious uppercut.
Silva's knees immediately buckle and falls to the mat for the fourth and final time. Two hammerfists across his jaw are the cherries on top. The wrestler had outstruck the heavy-handed Brazilian and secured a date in the grand prix finals.
Cormier surprised everyone -- except perhaps himself and his training partners -- that night.
If he beats Barnett tomorrow, will it be as shocking?
2012
Full Strikeforce weigh in video highlights for ‘Barnett vs Cormier’ in San Jose
The Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" weigh-in event took place tonight (Fri., May 18, 2012) from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., where all 18 competitors tipped the scale to make their respective bouts official for tomorrow night's mixed martial arts (MMA) event on Showtime.
It was a mostly uneventful affair, with main event participants Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier coming in looking slim and trim for their heavyweight grand prix tournament final. Main card participants Gilbert Melendez, Josh Thomson, Rafael Cavalcante, Mike Kyle, Nah-Shon Burrell, and Chris Spang are all featured in the video above.
For complete Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" weigh in results click here.
2012
UFC 146 ‘Primetime’ LIVE discussion thread for ‘Dos Santos vs Mir’ on FX (Episode 2)
Junior dos Santos vs. Frank Mir, take two.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns with its "Primetime" preview show for UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Mir," featuring a behind-the-scenes look as current UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos prepares to defend his belt against former division titleholder Frank Mir on May 26, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
If you missed episode one, click here to watch it in its entirety.
Episode two premieres TONIGHT (May 18) at 11 p.m. ET on the FX Channel immediately following episode 11 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 "Live." Feel free to talk, complain, whine, boast -- whatever it is you do -- about the program in the comments section below.
Episode three of "UFC Primetime" will air next Friday (May 25) in the same time slot.
Mir was the beneficiary of the headlining spot when "Cigano's" original opponent, Alistair Overeem, couldn't keep his testosterone in check, leading to a nine month time out from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). The domino effect blew holes throughout the main card line-up, but UFC matchmaker Joe Silva got things all patched up and ready to roll.
If you think losing "Demolition Man" as the headliner is a disappointment, I'd ask you to watch a pair of stellar pre-fight video promos here and here, which may lead you to reconsider your position.
For more on UFC 146 be sure to hit up our complete event archive right here. To check out the latest UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Mir" fight card and rumors click here. To see more of the fallout from Overeem's April 24 hearing in front of the NSAC click here.
2012
UFC 148: Urijah Faber vs Renan Barao fight announced for July 7 in Las Vegas
Renan just a minute here, folks.
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 episode 11 went down tonight and with that came UFC President Dana White's announcement of what bantamweight would replace injured champion Dominick Cruz in an interim title bout at UFC 148 on July 7, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada, against Urijah Faber.
And standing behind poorly constructed TUF gym door number three was Renan Barao.
On the surface, it doesn't look like a fight that will sell all too well, considering Barao's name doesn't carry a whole hell of a lot of weight stateside. But upon a deeper glance, he makes more sense than anyone else out there.
One could argue Michael McDonald deserved the shot and that may be so. But he's dealing with an injury at present time and once he was declared out, the choice seemed obvious.
Barao, a 25-year-old Brazilian, has just three fights inside the Octagon. He's notched impressive wins over Cole Escovedo, Brad Pickett and Scott Jorgensen, respectively. That run, by itself, is impressive enough.
But that's not even factoring in that this man has 30 professional fights and has lost only one of them, his debut back in April 2005. His win streak of 18 is as such thanks to a no contest back in 2007.
Either way, there's no denying Barao is supremely talented and has all the credentials to fight for a title in the world's largest fight promotion. Maybe not the legit bantamweight championship but an interim title will do.
For now.
UFC 148 will be headlined by a middleweight championship rematch pitting "The Spider," Anderson Silva, against his arch nemesis, Chael Sonnen. Faber vs. Barao will serve as the co-main event of the evening.
For all the latest and greatest news and notes on UFC 148 click here.
Archives
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
MMA Big Show News
- Mojo Horne Interview on Brendan Seguin Part 2 June 24, 2009[…]
- Mojo Horne Interview on Brendan Seguin Part 1 June 24, 2009[…]
- Missy Scalia and Mojo Horne Introduction Video June 24, 2009[…]
- Missy Scalia & Josh Hendricks Interview June 24, 2009[…]
Blogroll
- Cincinnati Strippers
- CrazyFists
- DirtyKnuckles
- FighterBlog
- HeavyHitters
- Hot Momma Fitness
- KnuckleUp
- Make Money Online Forums
- MMAFightersToday
- MMAUpdate
- Mortgage Rate
- ProFighter
- The Big Show
- TheSideKick
- TheUFCBlog
- UFCBlogOnline
- UFCmanic
- UFCmma
- UFCsludge
- UFCToday
Contributors
Recent Posts
- Strikeforce results live stream and play-by-play TONIGHT (May 18) for ‘Barnett vs Cormier’ on Showtime
- ‘Barnett vs Cormier’ fight card: Josh Barnett vs Daniel Cormier close the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix in style
- Video: Anderson Silva Budweiser commercial featuring Steven Seagal
- UFC Quick Quote: Junior dos Santos is going to push Frank Mir until he’s tired, then knock him out
- Strikeforce: Josh Barnett vs Daniel Cormier predictions from UFC 146 heavyweights