UFC 88 Flashback: Rashad KO's Liddell

By Ross Everett

Rashad Evans was fighting for respect. He didnt scream about demanding respect in his prefight interviews because hes smart enough to know that respect must be earned. He earned it and then some with a devastating 2nd round TKO of Chuck Liddell in the main event of UFC 88: Breakthrough.

If Evans needed any more validation of how little respect he was getting, he could have taken a look at the UFCs text message prediction poll of the main event which favored The Iceman by a whopping 81% to'% margin. Or he could have listened to the UFC announcers, who had all but penciled Liddell in for a return to light heavyweight title contention after his inevitable victory. Instead of complain, Evans let his fists do the talking and with a perfectly placed overhand right will likely never have to worry about a lack of respect again.

From the opening horn, Evans showed no fear of Liddells once legendary power. Instead, he danced and moved (which was dumbly criticized as showboating by the UFC announce team), using his slick footwork and speed to dart in and out of range of Liddells punches.

The end was to come in the 2nd round. Liddell backed Evans up near the cage wall and went to throw an uppercut. Simultaneously, Evans responded with an overhand right that landed quicker, harder and more accurately. The perfectly placed punch knocked Liddell out cold and referee Herb Dean jumped in to cover him up and wave off the fight without taking a second look.

Rashad Evans raised his record to 17-0-1, with the lone blemish a draw against Tito Ortiz at UFC 73. Liddell, meanwhile, saw his record drop to 21-6"with three of those six losses coming in his last 4 fights.

Liddells loss notwithstanding, it was a good night for UFC veterans as Rich Franklin and Dan Henderson won their fights in impressive fashion. Franklin looked particularly sharp in dismantling tough Matt Hamill, eventually prevailing by 3rd round TKO.

This was the UFCs first trip to Atlanta and despite a good attendance the crowd itself was somewhat disappointing. In a marked contrast to the knowledgeable and enthusiastic fans at the Target Center in Minneapolis for UFC 87"arguably the best MMA crowd ever at a US venue"the live crowd at Phillips Arena often acted as if they were at a taping of Georgia Championship Wrestling. Every foreign fighter was booed mercilessly"including South Korean Kim. Kim was treated like legendary Gary Hart managed pro wrestling heel Pak Song as he had to endure a USA chant during his fight. Perhaps the audience didnt realize that South Korea has been a US ally since its establishment after WW II. The fighters from other longtime adversaries of the United States"Brazil and Holland"fared somewhat better.

More problematic was the crowds utter lack of respect for the fighters postfight. Poor Dong Hyun Kim was booed during his postfight interview like he was Professor Toru Takana cutting a heel promo on Mr. Wrestling 2 after winning the Georgia Heavyweight Title by throwing salt in his opponents eyes while the referee was distracted. Not quite the respect that a 4th degree judo black belt whod just won a very tough fight deserves. Kims treatment by the fans cant be written off as a reaction to a close split decision victory; Rashad Evans was booed after his victory over Liddell, and short of decapitating The Iceman there was no way his win could have been more decisive. - 32506

About the Author:

Nick Diaz: MMA's Most Frustrating Fighter

By Ross Everett

Had things happened differently, Nick Diaz would forever be part of MMA history. Regardless of how his career transpired after February, 2007 he should have been remembered as part of one of the greatest fights ever. His PRIDE 33 matchup against Takanori Gomi should have created a legacy like the first Forrest Griffin/Stephan Bonnar bout, only it was better. It was a mixed martial arts version of Gatti/Ward or Castillo/Corrales 1. It should have been the biggest victory of Diazs career and the centerpiece of his highlight reel.

Unfortunately, Diazs moment of glory lasted only about six weeks. Diaz had tested positive for marijuana, and his THC level was off the charts. Nick Diazs THC level was an astounding 175 and that led NSAC Chairman Dr. Tony Alamo to speculate that in this situation marijuana was a performance enhancing drug. Diaz was fined, suspended and the result of his almost certain fight of the year winner with Gomi changed to a no decision.

Diaz had singlehandedly removed the luster from a classic bout. Following an action packed and very close first round Gomi took control in the second. Gomi had opened a cut on Diazs face and it was bleeding a gusher. On several occasions Gomi implored the referee to stop the fight, or at least check on the cut due to the excessive blood flow. With the ref showing no signs of stopping the fight and Diaz hanging tough, Gomi took the fight to the ground and in a matter of seconds found himself forced to tap out to a gogoplata.

While Diaz might not be a bad person, hes definitely someone who attracts trouble. While the relative risk pot smoking is debatable and beyond the purview of this article one thing is certain"fighters are prohibited from its use. Sadly, it appears that Diaz places a greater value on his recreational drug use than his legacy as a professional prizefighter. Hes gone so far as to obtain a prescription for medical marijuana in California.

Ironically, Japans notoriously lax oversight of mixed martial arts makes it a perfect fit for Diaz. He doesnt have to worry about drug tests or athletic commissions who arent sympathetic to his claiming a need for medical marijuana. His workrate, conditioning and versatility as a fighter will be appreciated by the Japanese fans, and offers countless matchup opportunities for the promotion. Most significantly, perhaps, his participation with Japanese promotions DREAM or Sengoku provides Diaz the opportunity to put his missteps behind him and reassert himself as one of the sports most exciting fighters and not as a 'cautionary tale'. - 32506

About the Author:

UFC 94 Flashback: GSP, Machida Gain Victories

By Ross Everett

Reigning lightweight champ BJ Penn entered his main event battle against welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre looking to become the first man in UFC history to simultaneously hold titles in two weight classes. GSP never gave him the chance to make history, as he stopped Penn after four increasingly dominant rounds to retain his belt with a TKO victory and make a compelling case for being the pound for pound best fighter in mixed martial arts.

Both fighters had considerable fan support, with vocal, flag waving delegations from the Hawaiian Islands and Canada in evidence. During ring introductions, both men received enthusiastic cheers tempered with a few boos. After the opening horn sounded, however, the Penn backers had little to cheer about while the champions supports broke out in G-S-P chants on several occasions.

Boxing guru Freddy Roach recently praised Penn as the best technical puncher in MMA, but he had no opportunity to bring this weapon to bear as he had trouble finding the range from the outset. GSP mixed up his look perfectly, either staying just outside Penns range using his 6 reach advantage effectively or more often smothering his opponent on takedown attempts.

GSP began to assert his dominance in round two"with Penn starting to fatigue he was no longer able to fend off St. Pierres single leg takedown attempts by balancing on one leg. GSP got a takedown early in the frame and began to mount a ground and pound assault while moving around in Penns legendary guard almost at will moving from half guard to side control with frightening ease. At this point, it was apparent that GSPs superior strength and insane physical conditioning were going to figure prominently in the outcome of the fight.

The eventual outcome was foretold between rounds two and three, as the obviously exhausted Penn required a pep talk from his entourage that his fatigue was all in his head. Across the cage, GSP calmly sipped water looking for all the world that he could go 12 rounds.

Round three was similar to the previous one, with GSP taking his opponent to the mat with a decreasing level of resistance and mauling him with punches and elbows once he got there. His complete control over the BJJ black belt Penn was incredible, but hardly surprising given the way that GSP dominated four time NCAA All American wrestler Josh Koscheck on the ground during their matchup.

The fourth round was a wall to wall rout for the Canadian welterweight champion, who started by effectively trading strikes with Penn before taking him down once again and resuming his highly successful ground based attack. At this point with GSP moving around at ease and Penn mounting little resistance it was apparent that the challenger was physically spent. St. Pierre almost ended the fight on the ground, as referee Herb Dean repeatedly reminding Penn that he needs to fight back. Penn survived the round on instinct alone, moving around just enough to keep the referee from stopping the proceedings. After the horn sounded to end the fourth round, however, it was evident that Penn had nothing physically or emotionally left. As he leaned headfirst against the cage in exhaustion, an impromptu conference amongst his handlers on whether or not to continue became moot when the fight was stopped by Dean on advice from the ringside physician. There was no argument whatsoever from Penn or his entourage.

Displaying his characteristic class, GSP delayed his celebration until he had crossed the cage and kneeled by his vanquished foe to honor his competitive spirit.

Earlier in the evening, Lyoto Machida kept his undefeated professional MMA record intact with a first round TKO victory over Thiago Silva. Machida may be the best in the world at fighting while backing up, and Silva found his aggressive style working against him. Machida took his opponent down and knocked his opponent down twice"all counters as Silva was coming forward and Machida backing away. As the first round entered its final seconds, it appeared that Silva started to ease up in anticipation of the horn. Machida used this opportunity for another takedown, and then nailed his surprised opponent with a powerful punch that ended the fight. - 32506

About the Author:

Anderson Silva Dominant In UFC 101 Victory

By Ross Everett

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva had lost a lot of his luster coming into Saturday nights UFC 101 matchup with former light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin. He was undefeated in his previous nine UFC contests, but his last three victories had been far from impressive. In his most recent bout, hed pouted and showboated his way to a unanimous decision victory by default against a thoroughly overwhelmed Thales Leites. On that night in Montreal hed heard an abundance of boos from the fans who at one point started a GSP chant in reference to his most frequent challenger for pound for pound MMA supremacy. Even Dana White criticized his effort and finally conceded that St. Pierre might, indeed, be the best all around fighter in the game.

There was none of that on display at UFC 101. Silva was simply dominant as he overwhelmed the naturally larger Griffin, knocking his opponent down three times before finishing the fight with a spectacular"yet almost effortless"straight right hand.

The live crowd in Philadelphia clearly favored the likable Griffin and gave him a huge ovation as he bounced to the ring to his trademark walk-in song Shipping Up To Boston by the Dropkick Murphys. Silva, meanwhile, received a smattering of boos as he confidently strode to the ring to the sound of Aint No Sunshine by rapper DMX. Silva displayed much more humility toward the fans than he has in his recent outings, bowing in all four directions after the entered the cage.

Once the fight began Silva transformed into the wrecking machine that UFC fans had grown accustomed before his recent run of lackluster performances. Forrest came right at Silva, assuming that his natural size advantage would equate to a strength advantage as well. After an early feeling out process, Griffin flashed a body kick which was caught by Silva and countered with a short punch that sent him to the canvas for a flash knockdown.

The resolute Griffin quickly bounced to his feet, this time flashing a high kick which Silva easily countered for another knockdown. This one clearly hurt Griffin, though he once again made it back to his feet quickly and landed a combination of his own. This was his best"and last"offense of the fight. Silva quickly floored Griffin with a left hand that left little doubt to the eventual outcome of the contest.

Silva, backing up, countered it perfectly and landed an almost effortless straight right that sent Griffin down for good. The referee didnt even bother to count as he waved his arms over the prone fighter as Silva celebrated his win. Griffin quickly exited the cage and, reportedly, the arena. Postfight reports suggested that he wanted to get immediate medical attention for a dislocated jaw suffered on the penultimate knockdown.

Silva, apparently making an effort to be more fan friendly, did his postfight interview in English with a Portuguese interpreter standing at the ready. His message was simple: I want to fight against the best. Whoever the best is at the time, I want to fight them. Though Silva didnt really affirm that hed be campaigning more at the heavier weight, that was the implicit message of his comment. - 32506

About the Author:

MMA Flashback: 'Babalu' Cuts Up Southworth To Take Strikeforce Title

By Ross Everett

Renato Babalu Sobral defeated Bobby Southworth by TKO to become Strikeforce light heavyweight champion in the co-main event of the promotions 'Destruction' card. Despite leaving with the belt around his waist, it wont be the centerpiece of Babalu's highlight reel with the way it transpired.

A -350 wagering favorite despite his challenger status, Sobral was expected to use his world class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu skills and vast experience against superior competition to dominate the tough but limited Southworth. It didnt happen that way, as Southworth easily got the better of things in the first round. Southworth looks to use his strength and conditioning to control his opponent en route to a decision victory. While the result makes him something of a MMA equivalent to boxing's John Ruiz, it does afford him the best chance of victory.

The first round displayed Southworth's style in microcosm, with much of the frame spent pushing Babalu up against the cage or on the ground inside his guard not really doing much. Sobral did get a clinch against the cage wall and rocked Southworth with a hard elbow strike that not only busted his nose but opened a huge cut over his right eye.

Upon seeing the gusher of blood Referee John McCarthy brought the ringside physician over to take a look. The doctor took some time to examine the cut, but eventually the round resumed following the consultation with only a few seconds remaining. As Southworth's corner futilely worked on the gaping wound during the break the doctor once again took a look and recommended to McCarthy that the fight be stopped. As a result, Sobral was awarded the TKO victory and the championship belt.

The other half of the co-main event was decided in much more decisive fashion as Scott Smith knocked out well traveled veteran Terry Martin in a mere :24 seconds. The rap against Martin has always been that hes a slow starter, but he had the right gameplan in theory as he pushed Smith to the cage wall right after the opening bell. Unfortunately, Martin didn't adequately close the distance against a fighter dubbed 'Hands of Steel' and was caught with a perfectly placed punch that knocked him out cold.

In the semifinal event, Duane 'Bang' Ludwig defeated Yves Edwards by unanimous decision in a very closely contested bout. Edwards was originally slated to face lightweight champion Josh Thomson until a toe injury necessitated his withdrawal.

Earlier in the evening, Kim Couture made short work of overmatched Lina Kvokov as she TKOd her foe in 1:44 of the first round. Couture, the wife of UFC legend Randy Couture, gained even more notoriety for the courage she displayed in her professional debut last June. After having her jaw broken early in the first round, she refused to throw in the towel and went the distance despite a horrific injury. She had a much easier time here"despite the fact that both fighters entered with 0-1 records Couture was significantly more polished as she put Kvokov on the defensive from the outset with her sharp punching combinations. Kvokov kept displaying the rookie mistake of trying to turn away from Couture's blows which prompted commentator Bas Rutten to question if she wanted to continue the fight. She recovered momentarily and survived the initial onslaught. The reprieve was only temporary, however, as Couture launched another barrage of punches prompting the referee to step in and wave off the non-competitive affair. - 32506

About the Author:

UFC 103: Belfort Blasts Franklin In Main Event

By Ross Everett

Vitor Belfort made his first appearance in the UFCs iconic octagon in five years, headlining the main event of UFC 103 in Dallas, Texas. Just over three minutes later, he had already become a top contender. Belfort dominated veteran Rich Franklin en route to a devastating knockout victory just past the midway point of the first round.

The fight against Franklin was contested at a catchweight of 195 pounds, and Belfort took several tries to finally make weight on Friday afternoon. The pace of the bout was tactical and deliberate until the very end"Belfort landed a few leg kicks, but for the most part it was several minutes of the fighters circling each other. Belfort was clearly measuring Franklin for a big power shot, and he found it after a brief flurry in which neither man gained an advantage. Out of nowhere, Belfort floored Franklin with a nasty uppercut and quickly mounted a ground and pound assault on his fallen adversary. It only took three or four big shots to Franklins head before the referee jumped in to stop the fight.

At the post fight press conference, Dana White quickly endorsed the prospect of a matchup between Belfort and UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva"either for the title or at a 195 catchweight. Silva has only three fights remaining on his UFC contract, after which hes insisted that hell retire (although he continues to toy with the idea of boxing against Roy Jones, Jr.). Obviously nothing has been signed, but White clearly wants to get his moneys worth out of the fights remaining on Silvas deal.

A changing of the guard was in evidence in the co-main event, as Junior Dos Santos defeated former PRIDE Open Weight GP champion and MMA legend Mirko Cro Cop by verbal submission. Cro Cop appeared to be moving much better on his surgically repaired knee than in recent fights, though he still demonstrated an overreliance on his counterpunching. Still, through the early part of the fight he was doing well with his straight left hand counter. As the fight wore on, however, Dos Santos began to pick Cro Cop apart and in the third round began to use his Muay Thai knee strikes to good effect. It was a knee strike to Cro Cops head followed by an uppercut that ended the fight"Cro Cop suddenly indicated to the referee that he couldnt see and was unable to continue. Ironically, he may have suffered a broken eye socket similar to the one he famously inflicted on Bob Sapp in a 2003 K-1 bout.

Earlier in the card, Paul Daley made the most of his role as a late substitute for injured Mike Swick as he stopped Martin Kampmann by second round TKO. Kampmanns defense was nonexistent, and his decision to stand and trade with a noted power striker was highly suspect. The end came after a brutal left hook knocked Kampmann to the canvas, after which Daley followed up with some ground and pound until the stoppage. - 32506

About the Author:

UFC Flashback: Joe Lauzon Tops Jeremy Stephens In Ultimate Fight Night Main Event

By Ross Everett

Ever since he burst onto the MMA scene with a shocking first round KO upset of Jens Pulver at UFC 63, Joe Lauzon has been working to earn respect. For some reason hes had trouble being taken seriously as a top contender in the UFCs lightweight division. He may not fit the classical profile of a fighter, looking more like a fresh faced kid and is often referred to as a geek due to his educational background in computer science. In the main event at the UFC Ultimate Fight Night in Tampa, Lauzon withstood a game challenge from late replacement Jeremy Stephens to earn a 2nd round submission victory.

Lauzon was in control of the fight throughout, but Stephens gave a good account of himself. Stephens wasnt able to match up with Lauzons ever improving BJJ skills, but he used good old fashioned tenacity and some powerful punching to keep the fight competitive throughout. Lauzon appeared to be on the verge of ending the fight midway through the second with a ground and pound assault that he attempted to transition into a rear naked choke. Stephens fought back with a vengeance despite his disadvantageous position and opened a nasty cut on Lauzons forehead with an elbow strike.

Lauzon gained a new sense of urgency not wanting to lose on a stoppage due to the cut. He regained control on the ground and from full mount twisted into a nasty arm bar. Stephens tried to extricate himself, but was eventually forced to tap giving the bloody Lauzon a hard fought triumph.

The semifinal matchup featured another impressive effort from Cain Velesquez, who many have pegged as the heavyweight superstar of the future. Velesquez is a formidable physical presence at 62 241 pounds, and has very well developed technical skills for a fighter with only five bouts under his belt.

Velesquez was never really threatened in the fight, but he did have difficulty finishing off tough UFC newcomer Dennis Stojnic. Stojnic displayed impressive toughness and a chin of granite, which is less surprising given his training home at Amsterdams Golden Glory gym where he works alongside such fighters as K-1s Semmy Schilt and DREAMs Alistair Overeem. Stojnic did become the first of Velasquezs opponents to make it into the second round as he withstood a brutal beating near the end of the first to make it to the bell.

In the second round, Velesquez quickly caught his opponent and sent him to the canvas with a nice combination which he followed up with another ground and pound attack. Stojnic again kept trying to defend himself despite a hellacious beating, though the referee finally jumped in and stopped the contest awarding Velesquez the TKO verdict.

On the undercard, Josh The Dentist Neer earned a tapout victory over the sports best known (and perhaps only) vegan, Mac Danzig.

In the opening bout of the evening, up-and-coming welterweight Anthony Rumble Johnson used his significant height and reach advantage to dispatch tough Luigi Fioravanti. After the fight he was very critical of himself in his postfight interview calling his performance sloppy.

The live crowd in Tampa gave a very poor account of themselves, at times booing fighters mercilessly for no apparent reason whatsoever. This was in addition to the usual booing when the fight goes to the ground typical of uneducated MMA fans"they often turned on fighters midbout for no discernable reason. Their behavior reached a nadir in Cain Velasquezs post fight interview, where he was booed mercilessly despite an impressive victory and informing Joe Rogan that he was about to become a father for the first time. It was somewhat surprising, since the Tampa/St. Pete area is home to a flourishing MMA scene. - 32506

About the Author:

Brian Bowles Shocks Miguel Angel Torres At WEC 42

By Ross Everett

Brian Bowles used a counter right hook late in the first round to defeat Miguel Angel Torres by TKO and win the WEC Bantamweight title in the main event of another exciting fight card from Zuffas MMA promotion showcasing the lighter weight classes. Though Bowles entered as a highly respected, undefeated challenger his stoppage victory over Torres"a fighter who ranked high atop most pound for pound best lists"has to be considered one of the major MMA upsets of the year.

The event will be remembered for the main event and the shocking upset of Torres, whom commentator Frank Mir had been championing as the pound for pound best fighter in the sport of late. Torres certainly had the credentials"a fighter equally as dangerous on his feet as on the ground, hed compiled a 37-1 record entering the fight against Bowles.

Bowles quickly announced his presence with authority rocking Torres with an overhand right and scoring a takedown within the first minute. After a groundfighting sequence, the two fighters exchanged punches again and initially it looked like Torres was getting the best of things as he landed a multiple punch combination that sent Bowles backing up. Almost out of nowhere, however, Bowles countered with a perfectly placed short right hook that sent the champion to the canvas. He followed up with some nasty ground and pound punches including a big left hand that knocked his opponent unconscious and forced the referee to wave off the fight.

In his postfight interview, Bowles sounded unsurprised by the outcome. His comments indicated that hed been very well prepared for Torres considerable skills and though he conceded that hed been stung by the punching barrage waited for the opening to throw the right hook that ended the fight. Bowles displayed considerable class in victory, and Torres conducted himself in a matter befitting a champion as he accepted the defeat.

A rematch between Bowles and Torres is almost inevitable, but theres plenty of talent in the WEC bantamweight division. The semifinal bout on the card pitted two of these competitors in what may have been an elimination match for #1 contender status as Dominick Cruz handed feisty Joseph Benavidez his first professional loss via unanimous decision. The unorthodox and insanely athletic Benevidez had a good deal of trouble with the superior height and reach of Cruz. Benavidez managed to give a good account of himself, but in the end the physical disparity along with Cruzs repeated takedowns and sharp striking skills spelled the difference in this matchup.

Further muddling the picture in the bantamweight division was an earlier fight on the card, in which Takeya Mizugaki outlasted Jeff Curran to win a split decision victory. Mizugaki had trouble with the active guard of Curran, but scored takedowns in all three rounds. He did enough from the top position while fending off submission attempts to earn the verdict and to make his claim for #1 contender status. - 32506

About the Author:

UFC 94 Flashback: GSP Defends Welterweight Title

By Ross Everett

Reigning lightweight champ BJ Penn entered his main event battle against welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre looking to become the first man in UFC history to simultaneously hold titles in two weight classes. GSP never gave him the chance to make history, as he stopped Penn after four increasingly dominant rounds to retain his belt with a TKO victory.

Both fighters had considerable fan support, with vocal, flag waving delegations from the Hawaiian Islands and Canada in evidence. During ring introductions, both men received enthusiastic cheers tempered with a few boos. After the opening horn sounded, however, the Penn backers had little to cheer about while the champions supports broke out in G-S-P chants on several occasions. The first round was fairly evenly contested, with St. Pierre trying to get a first hand feel for Penns often unorthodox"but highly successful"takedown defense. GSP made several takedown attempts, but had them repeatedly stuffed by Penns incredible balance and flexibility.

Boxing guru Freddy Roach recently praised Penn as the best technical puncher in MMA, but he had no opportunity to bring this weapon to bear as he had trouble finding the range from the outset. St. Pierre was unable to complete any takedowns during the first round, but easily dictated the pace and style of the bout.

GSP began to assert his dominance in round two"with Penn starting to fatigue he was no longer able to fend off St. Pierres single leg takedown attempts by balancing on one leg. GSP got a takedown early in the frame and began to mount a ground and pound assault while moving around in Penns legendary guard almost at will moving from half guard to side control with frightening ease.

The eventual outcome was foretold between rounds two and three, as the obviously exhausted Penn required a pep talk from his entourage to continue. Across the cage, GSP calmly sipped water and listened intently to trainer Greg Jacksons instructions looking for all the world that he could go 12 rounds if necessary.

Round three was similar to the previous one, with GSP taking his opponent to the mat with a decreasing level of resistance and mauling him with punches and elbows once he got there. His complete control over the BJJ black belt Penn was incredible, but hardly surprising given the way that GSP dominated four time NCAA All American wrestler Josh Koscheck on the ground during their matchup. That may be the most exceptional thing about Georges St. Pierre"his willingness to attack his opponents strengths and success at doing so.

The fourth round was a wall to wall rout for the Canadian welterweight champion, who started by effectively trading strikes with Penn before taking him down once again and resuming his highly successful ground based attack. Penn survived the round on instinct alone, moving around just enough to keep the referee from stopping the proceedings. After the horn sounded to end the fourth round, however, it was evident that Penn had nothing physically or emotionally left. As he leaned headfirst against the cage in exhaustion, an impromptu conference amongst his handlers on whether or not to continue became moot when the fight was stopped by Dean on advice from the ringside physician. There was no argument whatsoever from Penn or his entourage.

Displaying his characteristic class, GSP delayed his celebration until he had crossed the cage and kneeled by his vanquished foe to honor his competitive spirit. After a quick celebration among GSP and his team, he faced his next challenger in the person of Thiago Alves. While clearly brought into the cage to start the fight promotion early, Alves appeared somewhat in awe as he congratulated the welterweight champion on his victory.

In the co-feature attraction, Lyoto Machida kept his undefeated professional MMA record intact with a first round TKO victory over Thiago Silva. Silva had no answer for Machidas well rounded skills and unorthodox Shotokan karate based style. Machida may be the best in the world at fighting while backing up, and Silva found his aggressive style working against him. Machida took his opponent down and knocked his opponent down twice"all counters as Silva was coming forward and Machida backing away. As the first round entered its final seconds, it appeared that Silva started to ease up in anticipation of the horn. Machida used this opportunity for another takedown, and then nailed his surprised opponent with a powerful punch that ended the fight. - 32506

About the Author:

Jacare' Signs Deal With Strikeforce MMA Promotion

By Ross Everett

The San Jose, CA based Strikeforce MMA promotion recently announced that they have signed Brazilian middleweight Ronaldo Jacare Souza to a multifight contract. He is expected to make his Strikeforce debut on the same October event as recently signed Fedor Emelianenko, which will be broadcast on the Showtime premium cable network. Though it didnt receive anywhere near the media attention of Emelianenkos rejection of the UFC for Strikeforce, MMA experts know full well that 'Jacare' is a top notch acquisition.

In a statement released by the promotion, Souza expressed his pleasure at the signing:

I am very excited that I will have the opportunity to fight in STRIKEFORCE amongst many of the worlds best middleweight fighters. STRIKEFORCE has an extremely deep roster of top middleweight fighters. I am looking forward to the challenge and to taking my career to the next level.

Souza got the nickname 'Jacare' as a child in his hometown of Manaus, Brazil"its Portuguese for a species of alligator that is common to the area. He clearly likes the moniker, and is known for making ring entrances while making alligator jaws with his arms.

He was a runner up in the 2008 DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament, losing in the finals to Gegard Mousasi. Jacare was in control of the fight until he got caught by a Mousasi upkick that knocked him unconscious. In his last fight, he faced American Jason Mayhem Miller in a rematch of their DREAM tournament bout. This fight ended in a no contest after Mayhem was cut by an inadvertent illegal blow.

Souza began training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the age of 17 and fought MMA legend Randy The Natural Couture to a draw in a grappling contest in 2006. Shortly thereafter he began training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. He has since returned to training in his homeland but will reportedly begin training with Couture again in the near future.

MMA fans are already anticipating several excellent potential matchups for Jacare in Strikeforce, most notably an almost inevitable showdown with another of the worlds top middleweights, Jake Shields. Also of great interest would be a catchweight matchup between Souza and Shields Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu teammate, Nick Diaz. - 32506

About the Author:

YouTube Street Fighting Sensation Kimbo Slice To Appear On UFC Reality Show

By Ross Everett

While its debatable that the UFC has the best heavyweight in mixed martial arts, they may soon have the most famous. Dana White announced recently that Kimbo Slice will be a contestant on season 10 of the UFCs MMA reality show The Ultimate Fighter. A good performance there could see him get a shot at fighting for the promotion.

In the past, Dana White has dismissed Slice and suggested that the only way hed ever fight in the UFC is by winning The Ultimate Fighter. Kimbo will get the opportunity to do just that, and combined with the recently announced coaches Rashad Evans and the always entertaining Quinton Rampage Jackson could be the highest rated season in series history. For Kimbo (real name Kevin Ferguson) it is yet another strange twist in his bizarre career as a professional fighter.

Kimbo quickly became an online cult hero before he officially turned pro as a fighter. He began to train under MMA legend Bas Rutten, and his meteoric rise to superstardom was underway. Not long after, he signed with EliteXC and they quickly made Kimbo the centerpiece of their promotion. While building a MMA promotion around a fighter with almost no experience likely led to their downfall, at the time Kimbo became a media sensation and Elite XC parlayed his popularity into a prime time network TV deal with CBS.

Things started out fine for Kimbo as he made short work out of his first two overmatched opponents. He had a tougher time with PRIDE veteran James Thompson in his third pro fight, with Thompson controlling much of the bout on the ground until Kimbo earned a TKO victory in the third. Kimbos fourth fight was originally scheduled to be against former UFC mainstay Ken Shamrock, but due to a last minute injury he eventually faced substitute Seth Petruzelli. Petruzelli caught Kimbo with a perfectly placed counter right hook and knocked him out. That was the beginning of the end for Elite XC, and the promotion was out of business in a matter of weeks.

Following the demise of Elite XC Kimbo kept a fairly low profile. He made a few appearances in a promotional capacity for the K-1 kickboxing organization in Japan while considering his next career move. UFC president Dana White would occasionally be asked if hed ever have an interested in Kimbo, which hed dismiss with the offhanded suggestion that the only way hed fight in the UFC was to compete in The Ultimate Fighter reality show.

While its unclear when that off-handed dismissal by White became a viable reality, but regardless of how the deal came together Kimbo will be a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter. Some have speculated that White is something of a sadist, and is looking forward to embarrassing Slice even further. More likely, hes taken note of his incredible popularity and decided to take advantage of it to revitalize a series that has become somewhat predictable and formulaic of late. Its really a no-lose proposition for the UFC"if Kimbo doesnt do well, they were right all along and if he *does* do well they can make some money with him. In any case, the media coverage and ratings for their MMA reality show will likely be at an all time high. - 32506

About the Author:

MMA Flashback: Shinya Aoki Tops JZ Calvan

By Ross Everett

After a controversial no contest in their first matchup, there was no doubt as to the winner of the DREAM 2 rematch between Shina Aoki and JZ Calvan. Aoki controlled the fight from the opening bell and used a wide repertoire of submission attempts to keep his opponent off balance and on the defensive.

Aoki scored early with a takedown and controlled Calvan on the ground, working a heel lock attempt before taking his opponents back and attempting a rear naked choke. He was never able to complete the hold, but maintained a bodylock on JZC for the rest of the round. In the second, Aoki put on a submission clinic and demonstrated his ungodly flexibility as he spun from an armbar to a triangle choke and back again. Calvan was able to counter or escape, but looked completely out of sync as he generated almost no offense whatsoever over the 15 minutes.

Aoki was very emotional in his postfight speech to the crowd, while JZC just looked disgusted with himself for losing such a one sided contest. JZC had grumbled about the no-contest in their DREAM 1 matchup, and the one sided decision made this an even more bitter pill to swallow.

With the victory Aoki advances to the semifinals of the lightweight GP tournament. Thats the plan at least, as Aoki made some statements in the Japanese press leading up to the fight that win or lose there would be no way hed be ready for the next round with only half the preparation time as the rest of the field.

The rest of the card was devoted to the opening round of the middleweight GP tournament. Taiei Kin defeated Minowa-man Ikuhisa Minowa in a very closely contested and entertaining fight. Despite Kin taking a 3-0 unanimous decision (DREAM judges, like their PRIDE predecessors, judge the fight in its entirety) the first round could have gone either way. Minowa was clearly tired in the 2nd, and that likely sealed the deal for Kin.

Korean judoka Yoon Dong-Sik also advanced with a unanimous decision victory over Shungo Oyama. Two one sided contests followed, with Zeleg Galesic submitting Magomed Sultanakhmadov via arm bar in a minute and a half of the first round. That was followed by the MMA debut of former Pac 10 wrestling standout Ian Murphy, was dominated by BJJ specialist Ronaldo Jacare - 32506

About the Author:

Sign Up for our Free Newsletter

Enter email address here