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Barnett gets Monson at "Sengoku II"

by Dann Stupp on Apr 24, 2008 at 11:16 am ET

American heavyweights and former UFC fighters Josh Barnett (21-5) and Jeff Monson (24-7) will meet May 18 at World Victory Road's second-ever show, "Sengoku II."

The Japanese-based organization made the announcement earlier today.

The organization added Barnett to the card on Monday, and Monson was confirmed as his opponent early Thursday.

Barnett, a former UFC heavyweight champion and longtime PRIDE fighter, competed at the first Sengoku event and defeated Hidehiko Yoshida in March. It was his sixth win in his past eight fights; the only losses came to Antonio Rodrigo Noueira and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic.

Monson, a former UFC heavyweight contender, won 16 consecutive fights to earn a title shot against then-champ Tim Sylvia at UFC 65. He suffered a unanimous-decision loss to his much-bigger opponent and hasn't fought for the UFC since then. He last fought at a December Plainum Fighting Productions event in the Phillipines and defeated Hakim Goram via unanimous decision.

The latest Sengoku II card, according to the official World Victory Road website, now includes:

• Kwang Hee Lee vs. Eiji Mitsuoka
• Satoru Kitaoka vs. Ian Schaffa
• Jorge Santiago vs. Yuki Sasaki
• Yoshihiro Nakao vs. Jim York
• Dan Hornbuckle vs. Mike Pyle
• Ryo Kawamura vs. Kevin Randleman
• Josh Barnett vs. Jeff Monson
• Roger Gracie vs. TBA

Kawamura vs. Randleman announced for "Sengoku II"

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Apr 22, 2008 at 1:15 pm ET

Hard-hitting Ryo Kawamura (8-2-2), a longtime Pancrase fighter, has been selected to fight former UFC and PRIDE fighter Kevin Randleman (16-12) at World Victory Road's "Sengoku II" event.

The Japanese-based organization made the announcement earlier today. The event takes place at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan.

Kawamura, a light heavyweight who's finished five of his eight career victories via knockout, will make his second WVR appearance. The 26-year-old competed at the first Sengoku show and defeated previously undefeated Antonio Braga Neto (5-1) via unanimous decision.

Randleman, who held the UFC heavyweight title from November 1999 to November 2000, will fight for the first time in 19 months. After an October 2006 loss to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at PRIDE 32, Randleman failed a drug test (for submitting a fake sample), was hospitalized with kidney damage in January 2007, was arrested for drunk driving in August 2007, and then suffered a nasty staph infection in October 2007 that left a softball-sized hole in his thigh.

Once one of the sport's most dominant fighters, the two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion has since lost five of his past six fights -- and seven of his past nine.

He's currently slated to headline a June 21 Global Fighting event against Jeff Monson.

In addition to Kawamura vs. Randleman, WVR on Monday confirmed that former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett had also been booked for the event.

The latest WVR card now includes: _.

Josh Barnett vs. TBA _.
• Kwang Hee Lee vs. Eiji Mitsuoka _.
• Satoru Kitaoka vs. Ian Schaffa _.
• Jorge Santiago vs. Yuki Sasaki _.
• Yoshihiro Nakao vs. Jim York _.
• Dan Hornbuckle vs. Mike Pyle _.
• Ryo Kawamura vs. Kevin Randleman _.
• Roger Gracie vs. TBA _.

UFC cuts Kalib Starnes due to UFC 83 antics

by Kevin Iole on Apr 21, 2008 at 5:42 pm ET

It was a great night for mixed martial arts on Saturday in Montreal, as an enthusiastic sellout crowd of 21,390 packed the Bell Centre to watch hometown hero Georges St. Pierre reclaim the UFC welterweight title from Matt Serra at UFC 83.

It wasn't such a good night, though, for Kalib Starnes, who spent most of the evening running from Nate Quarry in their middleweight bout. A native of Surrey, B.C., Starnes was booed heavily by the Canadian crowd that had been boisterous in its support of all the other Canadians on the card. After losing a unanimous decision on scores of 30-26, 30-27, and an unheard-of 30-24, Starnes received even worse news: He was cut from his contract by UFC president Dana White. "He just doesn’t belong in the UFC and after his performance the other night, he should consider a new line of work," White said Monday.

Quarry pressed the action the entire fight as Starnes simply circled and refused to engage. Late in the third round, Quarry pretended to run like he was a track star in trying to find a way to get Starnes to fight.

After the bout, members of Quarry's corner were complaining to Starnes about his lack of activity. Starnes shouted an expletive at one member of Quarry's team, called him a derogatory term for homosexuals and challenged him to a fight.

Starnes couldn't be reached for comment about his performance, but Quarry expressed disappointment with Starnes' lack of effort.

A one-time contestant on The Ultimate Fighter, Starnes was 8-2 going into the bout and had had quality victories over Chris Leben and Jason MacDonald.

"I think if you're fighting in the UFC, you've got to come to fight," Quarry told UFC.com in a post-fight interview. "I would much rather get knocked out than lose a decision running backwards. No disrespect to Kalib. I know the stress really gets to you. A lot of guys, they focus on not wanting to lose instead of wanting to win. I didn't mean to disrespect him in any way. I just got frustrated because you can't fight when somebody's moving backward that fast."

Matt Lindland booked for July 19 Affliction show

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Apr 21, 2008 at 10:39 am ET

Highly ranked middleweight Matt Lindland (20-5) will next fight at Affliction's debut show, which takes place July 19.

Lindland made the announcement on Friday's edition of "Inside MMA" on HDNet.

Affliction, which recently announced its intentions to enter the fight-promotion business after building a popular clothing brand, will likely host a Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia main event at the show.

Lindland didn't mention an opponent for the fight but mentioned Murilo Bustamante and David Terrell as possibilities.

Lindland, who's currently running for the Oregon House of Representatives, will fight for the first time in 15 months when he debuts for Affliction. He last fought Fedor Emelianenko -- who fights two weight classes above Lindland -- at an April 2007 BodogFIGHT event. Lindland suffered a first-round submission loss.

It was just his second loss in his past 11 fights, which has included stops in the UFC, Cage Rage, and the International Fight League.

The July 19 Affliction show is expected to take place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, and will likely air on HDNet. A number of top-tier fighters have been rumored for the event, though Emelianenko, Sylvia and Lindland appear to be the only locks at this point.

Fedor: Fight with Sylvia now official

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Apr 19, 2008 at 12:43 am ET

Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) says a rumored bout with former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia (24-4) -- a bout he first announced earlier this month -- is now official.

The former PRIDE title-holder confirmed the July 19 fight on his personal website.

Although Emelianenko mentioned neither a host nor a venue for the fight, recent reports suggest that it'll be part of Affliction's first-ever MMA show, and it's likely to take place at the American Airline Center in Dallas.

Back in October, Emelianenko and the restructured M-1 Global organization announced a multi-fight, multi-million-dollar deal. However, CEO Monte Cox later confirmed that Emelianenko simply signed a letter of intent, and the fighter became a free agent after returning a $1.5 million signing bonus.

Earlier this month, Sylvia announced that he had parted ways with the UFC and had agreed to a non-exclusive deal with Adrenaline MMA, the new name for M-1 Global. Just minutes after the announcement, Sylvia said he wanted to fight Emelianenko.

Emelianenko, once considered the world's undisputed best fighter, has seen his legacy diminish due to a lack of top-tier opposition over the past couple years. In the past year, he's fought (and defeated) only Matt Lindland, a middleweight, and Hong Man Choi, who owns a mere 1-1 professional MMA record.

Report: Koscheck Re-Signs with UFC

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 27, 2008 at 3:38 pm

Josh Koscheck (10-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC), a stand-out from the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter" who's since emerged as a top welterweight contender, has re-signed with the UFC.

The report comes from Adam Morgan of fivesouncesofpain.com, citing sources close to negotiations.

Koscheck's original nine-fight UFC contract, which he signed after appearing on the UFC's reality series in 2005, was recently fulfilled after his UFC 82 victory over Dustin Hazelett earlier this month.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Earlier this month Koscheck defeated Hazelett with a second-round stoppage. The youngster gave Koscheck a tough fight, but the American Kickboxing Academy fighter eventually ended it with a second-round knockout.

The fight was Koscheck's first since an August loss to Georges St. Pierre, which snapped his five-fight win streak and cost him a shot at the title.

Koscheck is now 8-2 in the UFC, with six victories in his past seven fights. Since his transition into MMA, the former collegiate wrestling stand-out and four-time Division I All-American has become one of the welterweight division's most well-rounded fighters.

Monte Cox: Fedor a Free Agent, Show Goes on

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 26, 2008 at 9:53 am

M-1 Global CEO Monte Cox has confirmed that the recently restructured organization has split ways and made Fedor a free agent, but he vows a show will still be held on June 14 in Chicago without the famed Russian fighter.

Cox made the comments Monday on the "The Savage Dog Show" on Sherdog Radio.

According to Cox, "different philosophies" between the American and Russian divisions of the company forced the split. The Russians and Emelianenko have kept the M-1 name.

Cox also confirmed that Fedor never actually signed a contract -just a letter of intent -with the organization.

As MMAjunkie.com reported on Tuesday, Fedor is now entertaining offers from other organizations, including EliteXC. MMAjunkie.com was told that a four-fight deal could be worth millions of dollars, especially when factoring in potential pay-per-view bonuses. However, a stipulation that stated that the fighter must be billed as "M-1 Global's Fedor Emelianenko" now appears unneeded.

EliteXC is believed to be one of many organizations, including the UFC, vying for Emelianenko's services.

For now Cox and investors from Sibling Entertainment are moving forward on plans for a June 14 show. He's says it'll be along the lines of an EliteXC or WEC show "with a bigger headliner."

Cox said he expects to turn a profit with the show now that the organization doesn't have to pay Emelianenko's salary.

Ken Shamrock Responds to Steroid Allegations

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 25, 2008 at 11:11 am

Last week Strikeforce world middleweight champion Frank Shamrock accused his adoptive brother, Ken Shamrock, of being a longtime user of steroids. Today, Ken issued a statement to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) to counter the claims, saying they are "absolutely false."

Ken also countered Frank's claims that the MMA industry has largely turned a blind eye to the issue of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs, specifically pointing to new year-round testing procedures put in place by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The following statement was issued by Ken, a UFC hall-of-famer and 15-year veteran of MMA:

During a recent interview with MMA Madness, Frank Shamrock stated that I have used steroids "my whole life." In making such a reckless and irresponsible statement, Frank has attacked my character. As such, I unfortunately find it necessary to respond to his allegations. I'm not sure what his motives were, but Frank's allegations are absolutely false.

During the interview, Frank also comments on the percentage of fighters that are allegedly using steroids, promoters that supposedly don't care about their fighters unless they win, and the industry's drug testing policies, or lack thereof. I would like to set the record straight.

Our sport has policies in place to deter steroid use and to weed out the guys that, as my brother says, "...are taking shortcuts to gain fame." I have been subjected to mandatory steroid testing countless times, and I have never tested positive for steroids, nor have I ever refused a test. Furthermore, my experience has always been that the promoters and fighters willingly comply with the drug testing mandated by the various athletic commissions.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has always administered steroid and drug testing for licensed fighters. Recently, in an effort to further strengthen steroid testing policies, the NSAC implemented short-notice drug testing for MMA fighters. Fighters are now required to test at fixed times during the year, and are also randomly tested. Commissions in other states have similar policies in place. These policies clearly work as fighters occasionally do test positive and the penalties are significant.

For Frank to state that a majority of fighters use steroids and that the promoters do not care, or that they somehow condone the use of steroids, is unbelievably irresponsible. It tarnishes the image of every fighter and promoter in this industry. The comments Frank made about me and about the industry itself are based purely on his personal opinion, not on facts.

Frank should acknowledge that his comments were without merit and irresponsible, and apologize for the disparaging remarks he has made towards the fighters, promoters, and to the various athletic commissions who regulate MMA.

Report: Silva-Jones in Ongoing Negotiations for Boxing Match

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 24, 2008 at 1:15 pm

Representatives of UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. have confirmed that they are actively engaging in talks for a future boxing match.

The news comes from our friend Mike Chiappetta at NBCSports.com.

Although the potential fight has been rumored since UFC 82 earlier this month, the report says that negotiations are now in the preliminary stage and that both Silva and Jones are pushing for it.

NBCSports.com, which first reported the possible boxing match during an interview with Silva prior to UFC 82, has also learned that the fight will be an official boxing match -- not an exhibition -- and that it would likely take place at a catchweight between 170 and 185 lbs.

There would be a few hurdles, of course. The UFC would have to sign off on the fight, and Silva would have to get a license from the hosting state's athletic commission. Silva and Jones would also have to agree on a split of the revenue.

However, NBCSports.com quoted Alan Hopper, director of public relations for Don King Productions, as saying the talks are ongoing and that Jones is interested in the fight.

No date or possible venue for the event has been decided. However, it would almost assuredly air on pay-per-view.

Silva, a 32-year-old who joined the UFC in late 2006, is a career 21-4 (including 6-0 in the UFC). After defeating Rich Franklin for the title at UFC 64, he's made three successful title defenses (and also has a win over Travis Lutter in a non-title fight). Silva, widely regarded as one of the sport's top strikers, has a seven-fight win streak with all seven victories coming via stoppage. He's 1-1 as a professional boxer, according to BoxRec.com.

Jones, 39, owns a career boxing mark of 52-4 with 38 knockouts, though his past five wins have come via decision. He won titles in the middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight classes before defeating John Ruiz for the WBA heavyweight championship in 2003. He was named the Boxing Writers Association of America's "Fighter of the Decade" for the 1990s, and he held the WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO, NBA, WBF, and IBA light heavyweight championships at the same time.

UFC president Dana White, who would need to approve the fight, has yet to comment on the matter.

Report: YAMMA Headliner Patrick Smith Arrested

by Dann Stupp on Mar 24, 2008 at 10:34 am

Don Frye (19-6-1), a headliner for the April 11 debut YAMMA Pit Fighting show, has pulled out of his main-event bout with Oleg Taktarov (15-5-2) and has been replaced by former UFC fighter Patrick Smith (14-13), the organization announced late last week.

However, just hours after the announcement, KXII TV 12 in Sherman, Texas, reported that Smith had been arrested after a high-speed police chase. Smith was clocked at speeds of up 130 mph while fleeing on his sports motorcyle, police said. He's been charged with felony attempting to elude, possession of a prescription drug without a valid prescription, and reckless driving.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has left a message with YAMMA's public-relations office for an update on Smith's status with the event.

The Smith-Oleg fight is currently slated to headline YAMMA's pay-per-view event, which takes place at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J.

Frye had to pull out of the event due to a shoulder injury. MMAjunkie.com first learned of the injury earlier this month, but Frye said he would try to fight through the pain. Unfortunately, he was eventually forced to undergo surgery to repair the shoulder.

Frye will attend the event and provide commentary during the broadcast. Officials expect him to return to the organization.

"We look forward to Don competing in YAMMA Pit Fighting in the future," said Bob Meyrowitz of Rope Partners, the event's promotional company,

In addition to the possible Smith vs. Oleg headline bout, the event features a "Masters Superfight" between Eric "Butterbean" Esch (10-5-1) and Gary "Big Daddy" Goodridge (23-15-1), as well as an eight-man heavyweight tournament featuring fighters such as Travis Wiuff, Sherman Pendergarst and Kevin Jordan.

Smith, who competed in the first two UFC events, has competed professionally in kickboxing and MMA for more than two decades. He last competed at an October 2007 Oklahoma KO show and posted a second-round TKO victory. The 43-year-old has won five of his past six fights.

Frank Shamrock on Steroid Allegations, Fight with Brother Ken

by John Morgan on Mar 22, 2008 at 11:55 am

Less than a week away from a headlining Strikeforce middleweight championship fight, Frank Shamrock seems a bit surprised by the amount of publicity generated by his recent comments regarding brother Ken Shamrock's alleged steroid use. Frank says he thought he was just stating the obvious.

He discussed the situation, among other topics, while a guest on Friday's edition of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), a content partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

"I thought it was common knowledge," Frank said. "I thought everybody knew. I've never done it, and I've always kind of stood against it. I just think it's a terrible thing to do to your body and mind, and to teach people to do that."

A master of self-promotion, many have questioned Frank's motives for coming forward with the accusations against his adoptive brother.

"What do I gain from it?" he asked. "Probably nothing. Somebody asked me the truth, and I have a little truth Tourette's -- it just kind of flies out when people ask me."

Some may disagree that Frank stands to gain nothing from the comments, as the publicity from the controversy could conceivably drive interest for an eventual showdown between the feuding brothers. Frank admits that discussions about the fight with Ken have been going on for some time.

"We talked about eight months ago in a business meeting when I was trying to finalize this deal, which was the first conversation I've had with him in seven or eight years," Frank said.

Frank said the feud between the brothers reaches much further back most people realize.

"I don't have a relationship with Ken," Frank said. "I haven't had a serious conversation with that man for my entire life... It's the weirdest thing. It's like I'm closer to my students than I am with Ken."

If (though it appears now to be a case of "when") the fight happens, Frank said he sees the bout as a chance to change the financial landscape of MMA, and introduce a business model more commonly seen in boxing. In short, the fight will be promoted by the Shamrocks rather than an organization.

"I think that's the business model of the future, is having the talent be in the place of the promoter, cut the deals, and do the shows themselves," Frank said. "I think that's how (the fighters) can maximize it... It's a good business model, and I think the promoters have enough money in the sport. I think the companies have plenty of power, and now it's time to shift a little of that to the talent."

Frank Shamrock also discussed his upcoming bout with Cung Le, his recovery from a torn ACL, and possible future opponents -- including TAGG Radio host Frank Trigg. To hear the full interview, download Friday's edition of TAGG Radio, available for free in the TAGG Radio archives.

Frank Shamrock: Ken Shamrock on Steroids "His Whole Life"

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 20, 2008 at 4:05 pm

So much for brotherly love.

Strikeforce world middleweight champion Frank Shamrock claims that his adoptive brother, UFC hall-of-famer Ken Shamrock, has done steroids "his whole life" and that the performance-enhacing drugs have given him a false sense of security.

Frank made the bold claims in a recent interview with MMA Madness.

When asked if he knew any fighters who were taking steroids, Frank mentioned only Ken.

"My brother Ken did them his whole life," Frank told MMA Madness. "Why do you think that his mind is so fried? Why do you think he crumbles before the big fights? He's got no psyche. He let steroids give him a false sense of security and the moment that stuff is gone he's no longer superman. He's just a regular man. But without all the hard work and without all the belief in himself that a regular man would have if he got up to that point. He's the only guy that I'll tell on, because he's always in trouble anyway.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) contacted one of Ken's representatives about the claims earlier today, and a response is expected to be issued soon.

It's worth noting, though, that Ken has never failed a drug test during an MMA event, and in recent years, the UFC almost always holds events in states in which drug testing is performed (though all fighters aren't always tested). However, fighters such as Dan Severn have long hinted that Ken uses steroids, and there's widespread speculation that Ken used during his days with the WWE.

Still, Frank gave no basis for his claims, nor did he mention any proof or specific instances in which he saw Ken use drugs.

Frank, who defends his Strikeforce title against Cung Le at next week's EliteXC/Strikeforce co-promotion, also spoke about the feud with his brother. The two have been estranged for a number of years, and Frank claims that it began when he decided to train on his own -- without the help of Ken. He said Ken was a "terrible teacher" and that jealousy over his own success caused the rift.

Both fighters have spoken openly about a potential fight, which would be billed as "brother vs. brother," taking place sometime in the next year. EliteXC live events president Gary Shaw said he'd be willing to promote it, but the brothers would likely produce it themselves.

Frank is eyeing an early 2009 fight date and said the bout would probably take place at 205 lbs.

With these latest claims, the fight probably got a whole lot more personal.

Couture Unwilling to Fight Emelianenko in UFC (Updated)

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 18, 2008 at 10:39 am

Estranged UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture is still determined to fight former PRIDE heavy title-holder Fedor Emelianenko. Just don't expect to see the fight take place in the UFC, Couture says.

The 44-year-old UFC hall-of-famer made the comments in a recent video interview with the m1mixfight.com website.

Even after he resigned from the organization back in October (citing a lack of respect from UFC executives, issues over his pay, and the UFC's inability to sign then-free agent Emelianenko), Couture said he would return to the organization if UFC president Dana White could arrange a fight with the famed Russian.

However, the UFC recently took Couture to court to bar his involvement with outside fight promotions. The litigation has apparently ruined any shot of a Couture-Emelianenko fight taking place in the UFC.

Couture made that perfectly clear when he was asked if he cares where the fight with Emelianenko takes place.

"I care at this point that it's not in the UFC," Couture said with a dejected laugh. "But outside of that, I don't care where it happens so long as it happens."

The Dallas-based HDNet Fights appears to be the frontrunner to get the heavyweight fight. In fact, HDNet Fights owner Mark Cuban recently joined the legal fight to get a declaratory judgment on Couture's contract status.

"By fall... we'll hopefully have the fight going," Couture said.

And while he would prefer to fight close to home, it's not mandatory.

"I prefer to fight here in the U.S.," Couture said. "It's where I'm confortable. For all the marketing reasons, this is the strongest market for the sport probably outside of Tokyo... but wherever it happens, it happens."

With Couture now unwilling to fight in the UFC, a rumor that Emelianenko was close to signing a one-fight deal with the UFC -- to fight Couture -- appears unlikely.

DREAM 1 Official Results

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 15, 2008 at 4:34 pm

The K-1 HERO's organization and former executives from PRIDE Fighting Championship today launched their first show under the "DREAM" banner.

The event, which featured the opening round of a stacked lightweight grand prix took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and aired locally on the Tokyo Broadcasting System.

A much-anticipated main event between grand-prix participants Gesias "JZ" Calvancante and Shinya Aoki ended in disappointment, and former UFC fighter Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic saw less than a minute of fight time, during the 10-bout event.

The Calvancante-Aoki fight, first slated for December (but canceled due to a training injury suffered by Calvancante), was halted in the first round. Calvancante struck his opponent with a series of illegal elbow strikes while trying to avoid a takedown. Aoki was unable to recover during a rest period, and the bout was ruled a no-contest. (However, the matter will likely go under the review of DREAM executives for an official decision.)

Six of the remaining seven grand-prix bouts advanced a fighter to the next round. They included Tatsuya Kawajiri, Eddie Alvarez, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Katsuhiko Nagata, Luiz Firmino and Joachim Hansen.

Meanwhile, in one of the night's three non-tournament bouts, former UFC fighter Filipovic rebounded from back-to-back losses in the octagon with a 56-second TKO of an outmatched Tatsuya Mizuno.

The full results included:

• Gesias "JZ" Calvancante vs. Shinya Aoki ruled no contest (illegal elbow from Calvancante ) -- Round 1, 3:46
• Tatsuya Kawajiri def. Kultar Gill via unanimous decision
• Eddie Alvarez def. Andre Amade via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 6:47
• Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic def. Tatsuya Mizuno via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 0:56
• Mitsuhiro Ishida def. Bu Kyung Jung via unanimous decision
• Katsuhiko Nagata def. Artur Oumakhanov via unanimous decision
• Luiz Firmino def. Kazuyuki Miyata via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 1, 7:37
• Joachim Hansen def. Kotetsu Boku via unanimous decision
• Hayato "Mach" Sakurai def. Hidetaka Monma via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 4:12
• Ikuhisa Minowa def. Bum Chan Kang via submission (kneebar) -- Round 1, 1:25

Saturday's DREAM 1 Fight Card

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 13, 2008 at 5:55 pm

DREAM, the upstart fight promotion born out of the former K-1 HERO'S organization with help from former staffers of PRIDE Fighting Championships, has (nearly) finalized its fight card for Saturday's debut show.

The event, which takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, includes the opening round of a lightweight grand prix, as well as the return of former UFC and PRIDE fighter Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic.

The event airs in Japan on the Tokyo Broadcasting System beginning at 7 p.m. JST. The event won't be broadcast in the U.S.

"DREAM 1" is slated to feature a main event between Shinya Aoki (14-2) and Gesias "JZ" Calvancante (14-1-1), two of the 16 lightweights taking part in the grand prix. Ikuhisa Minowa -- who's slated to compete in the night's first bout -- is without an opponent. Additionally, only 14 participants have been announced for the 16-man grand-prix tournament.

The latest card, according to dreamofficial.com, includes:

• Shinya Aoki vs. Gesias "JZ" Calvancante
• Kultar Gill vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri
• Andre Amade vs. Eddie Alvarez
• Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic vs. Tatsuya Mizuno*
• Mitsuhiro Ishida vs. Jung Bu-Kyung
• Katsuhiko Nagata vs. Artur Oumakhanov
• Luiz Firmino vs. Kazuyuki Miyata
• Koutetsu Boku vs. Joachim Hansen
• Hidetaka Monma vs Hayato "Mach" Sakurai*
• Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Lee Gwan*

*non-grand prix bout

Report: Anheuser-Busch Top Sports Marketer in 2007

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 12, 2008 at 1:13 pm in

Just days after ProElite, Inc. announced a groundbreaking deal between EliteXC and CBS two weeks ago, Dana White countered with an announcement that the UFC had signed a deal with blue-chip sponsor Anheuser-Busch.

In the days after the announcement, White continually stated that the brewer was the largest marketer in all of sports. However, in the official press release touting the deal, UFC executives wouldn't go that far and instead said Anheuser-Busch was "one of the top marketers in all of sports."

As it turns out, White was correct all along.

According to Tuesday's edition of the SportsBusiness Journal (using data from Nielsen Monitor-Plus), Anheuser-Busch reclaimed the top spot as the world's largest sports marketer last year, having spent $218.2 million in 2007. That's $45 million more than Chevrolet, the second-largest sports marketer, according to the report.

In a pre-UFC 82 press conference, White announced that the deal would call for Bud Light to become the official beer of the UFC and WEC. Additional details of the deal can be found in the MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) archives. The sponsorship begins at UFC 84 in May, but financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

However, while Anheuser-Busch is now the world's largest sports marketer, that wasn't the case in 2006. Chevrolet actually edged out Anheuser-Busch in total spending -- $271 million to $252.5 million -- that year. However, Chevrolet dropped its spending in 2007 by 36.1 percent to just $172.3 million. Anheuser-Busch dropped its spending by just 13.6 percent to $218.2 million to reclaim the top spot.

Anheuser-Busch has actually been the largest sports marketer every year -- except 2006 -- since Nielsen Monitor-Plus began tracking the data in 1994. Chevrolet took the top spot in 2006 because of drastically increased spending on the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.

The top 10 sports marketers in 2007 (and the amount of spending) include:

• Anheuser-Busch, $218.2 million
• Chevrolet, $173.2 million
• AT&T Mobile, $172 million
• Ford, $139.5 million
• Verizon, $139.2 million
• Spring-Nextel, $137.5 million
• Toyota, $134.8 million
• Nissan, $99.8 million
• Coors, $89.5 million
• DirecTV, $85.4 million

Matt Lindland Enters Oregon Political Race

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 12, 2008 at 11:18 am in

Matt Lindlnd's resume is impressive: a 20-5 career MMA record, former UFC middleweight contender, International Fight League coach, Olympic silver medalist, two-time Pan-American champion.

However, the 37-year-old Northwest-based fighter could add an all-together-different gig to his list of accomplishments: Oregon state represenative.

Lindland has entered the Oregon political race, filing on Tuesday's deadline day, for a State House of Representatives seat, according to a report from the Associated Press.

The 11-year professional MMA fighter is running for the House seat vacated by retiring Rep. Patti Smith in District 52, which includes rural portions of Clackamas and Multnomah counties, and all of Hood River County in Oregon. Lindland is hoping to become the Republican nominee for the seat.

Lindland, who was born and still lives in Oregon, attended junior college in the state (and won a junior national championship) before finishing his collegiate wrestling career at the University of Nebraska.

Lindland is familiar with at least one part of the state's political process: he was a key player in the effort to legalize MMA in Oregon. After becoming the state's first licensed promoter, he introduced professional MMA (via his Sportfight organization) to the state in February of 2004.

According to the AP report, Lindland recently signed a fight deal with Affliction, the popular clothing line that's expected to launch its own fight organization in June. Lindland reportedly inked a three-fight deal with the company.

Lindland hasn't fought professionally since an April 2007 loss to heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko. It was just his second loss in his past 11 fights.

Chuck Liddell Willing to Fight for Heavyweight Title

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 11, 2008 at 10:58 am

First things first: Chuck Liddell wants to remain at 205 lbs. so he can reclaim his light heavyweight title. However, the former champ says he's willing to move up to the heavyweight division to fight interim champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira if the UFC makes the request.

Liddell talked about the possible move while a recent guest on Fight Network Radio.

"That's a possibility if they want to do it," Liddell told host Mauro Ranallo when asked about the fight with Nogueira. "If they want to set it up. I'm willing to do it."

Nogueira, the former PRIDE heavyweight champion, made his UFC debut in 2007. After a victory over Heath Herring, he took on Tim Sylvia at UFC 81 and won the organization's interim heavyweight title with a third-round submission.

UFC hall-of-famer Randy Couture is the organization's current heavyweight champ, but he resigned from the organization in October after a dispute with key UFC executives. The UFC maintains that Couture, in fact, retired from the sport, and UFC president Dana White said he won't strip him of the title until Couture fulfills the terms of his contract (fighting twice more in the UFC). Couture and his lawyers maintain that he's free to fight for other organizations when his contract expires in October. The matter will likely be determined by the courts.

In the meantime, the organization is moving forward with Nogueira -- for all intents and purposes -- as the UFC's current heavyweight champion. Fabricio Werdum was expected to get the next title shot, but as MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) passed along last month, the UFC instead scheduled him to fight Brandon Vera at UFC 85 in June.

The UFC has yet to schedule Nogueira for his first title defense.

Liddell, meanwhile, will fight Rashad Evans in UFC 85's main event. With a victory, he hopes he'll get a third shot at Quinton Jackson, who took his belt this past May at UFC 71, if he gets by Forrest Griffin in July (at UFC 86).

"I would definitely like it to happen before the end of the year," Liddell said.

However, he's not ruling out a fight with Nogueira.

"Honestly I would like to get my title back at light heavyweight and then talk about moving up," he said. "But if that came up, (that) too is a possibility."

As it stands, there may be no better time than now to move up since the UFC's heavyweight division is in a bit of disarray. A year ago, the division never looked so stacked. However, Couture recently resigned, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic suffered back-to-back losses and left the UFC, former champ Tim Sylvia lost to Nogueira in February, one-time contender Gabriel Gonzaga has lost two fights in a row, fringe contender Cheick Kongo was recently stopped by Heath Herring, and former title-holder Andrei Arlovski may be on his way out of the organization now that he's a free agent.

Report: Fedor Emelianenko to Become Free Agent

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 06, 2008 at 11:45 pm

Famed heavyweight fighter Fedor Emelianenko will part ways with the M-1 Global organization next week and will officially become a "free agent," according to a report from ESPN.com.

"Divorce negotiations" are currently underway, according to the report, with a formal announcement of Emelianenko's exit from M-1 Global expected in the next few days.

Emelianenko, the reigning PRIDE heavyweight champion until the organization's eventual demise last year, signed with M-1 Global in October. A group of American investors purchased the organization from Emelianenko's manager, restructured it, and hired noted fighter agent Monte Cox as its CEO. However, the organization has yet to host its first event, nor has it announced any additional fighter signings.

With the reported free agency, a superfight between estranged UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture and Emelianenko could once again become a reality. Prior to signing with M-1 Global, Emelianenko turned down an offer to fight exclusively for the UFC, saying the contract was too restrictive.

Soon after, Couture announced his resignation from the UFC, citing the organization's inability to sign Emelianenko as a reason why.

It is unknown if Emelianenko's camp will be willing to revisit discussions with the UFC. However, the UFC is apparently ready. When UFC president Dana White was asked by ESPN.com if the organization would be willing to re-open negotiations to bring Emelianenko to the UFC, White responded with a big affirmative.

"Absolutely, 100 percent, in a heartbeat," he was quoted as saying. "People think he's the best; I don't, not even close. But if it's somehow possible, I would make it happen."

One other organization that may be interested in the heavyweight's services is EliteXC, which recently signed a groundbreaking deal with CBS. With the partnership, MMA will appear on major U.S. network television for the first time.

The 31-year-old Emelianenko, who held the PRIDE heavyweight belt for more than four years before the UFC owners purchased and disbanded the organization this past summer, is a career 27-1. Although he's defeated some of the top fighters in the sport -- including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic and Heath Herring -- he's fought few (if any) top-tier guys in recent years.

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic: I'm Fighting Yoshihiro Nakao on March 15

by Dann Stupp on Mar 06, 2008 at 11:01 am

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (22-6-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC), a former UFC heavyweight who left the organization to compete in Japan, will fight Yoshihiro Nakao (6-1) for the upstart DREAM promotion's show on March 15.

Filipovic confirmed the news on his blog at www.mma-id.com.

The event, which also includes the opening round of a lightweight grand prix with many of the world's top 155-lb. fighters, takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

DREAM was founded by the Fight Entertainment Group, which is the parent company of the successful K-1 promotion, and former executives of the now-defunct PRIDE Fighting Championships, which was bought out and dismantled by the UFC's parent company a year ago. DREAM has replaced the K-1 HERO'S MMA promotion.

Filipovic, who made his octagon debut at UFC 67 with a first-round TKO of Eddie Sanchez, has since suffered back-to-back losses to Gabriel Gonzaga and Cheick Kongo. They were the first consecutive losses of the fighter's career, and they led to speculation that Filipovic might consider retirement.

After the September 2007 loss to Kongo, Filipovic did admit that the thought of quitting crossed him mind. However, he later stated that he expected to return to the UFC in early 2008.

However, during press events for last month's UFC 81 event, UFC President Dana White said that Filipovic and his camp hadn't been in contact with the organization. White said he was forced to implement a Feb. 4 deadline for the fighter to confirm whether or not he would be continuing his career with the UFC.

Despite the lack of communication, both sides maintain the split was amicable. Additionally, Filipovic has stated numerous times that he plans to return to the UFC.

His opponent, Nakao, has lost just once -- to Kazuhiro Nakamura. The PRIDE and K-1 fighter had defeated the likes of Don Frye, Wesley "Cabbage" Correira and Eun Soo Lee.

World Victory Road "Sengoku" Results

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 05, 2008 at 10:08 am

"Sengoku," the first-ever show held under the World Victory Road banner, was held today at the Yoyogi National Stadium Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.

Notables Josh Barnett, Takanori Gomi and Kazuo Misaki were all in action.

WVR launched earlier this year and made an immediate splash by announcing that then-top free agent Gomi had signed a lucrative long-term deal with the Japanese-based organization. Today he took on veteran and former UFC fighter Duane "Bang" Ludwig.

Gomi was victorious in his WVR debut, scoring an early TKO victory by opening a cut on Ludwig's nose. Favorites Josh Barnett (third-round submission) and Kazuo Misaki (second-round submission) also posted victories.

Additionally, there's some good news for Strikeforce and EliteXC. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, who yesterday was confirmed as a late replacement for Joe Rigg to fight Joey Villasenor on March 29, inflicted little damage in his first-round submission of Makoto Takimoto.

The full results included:

• Josh Barnett def. Hidehiko Yoshida via submission (heel hook) -- Round 3, 3:23
• Takanori Gomi def. Duane Ludwig via TKO (cut) -- Round 1, 2:28
• Kazuo Misaki def. Siyar Bahadurzada via submission (guillotine choke) -- Round 2, 2:02
• Kazuyuki Fujita def. Peter Graham via submission (north-south choke) -- Round 1, 1:32
• Evangelista Santos def. Makoto Takimoto via submission (heel hook) -- Round 1, 4:51
• Ryo Kawamura def. Antonio Braga Neto via unanimous decision
• Nick Thompson def. Fabricio Monteiro via unanimous decision

YAMMA Pit Fighting Finalizes April 11 Card

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 05, 2008 at 10:44 am

YAMMA Pit Fighting, the upstart organization launched by UFC creator Bob Meyrowitz, has announced the full card for its debut April 11 show.

The event, which includes a state-sanctioned eight-man heavyweight tournament and two "Masters Superfights" with veteran MMA fighters, takes place at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J.

The show airs on pay-per-view starting at 10 p.m. ET. The cost is $34.95.

The night's heavyweight tournament will require fighters to compete in up to three bouts in one night. However, the fights will use modified rules. Preliminary and semifinal fights last just one round of five minutes, and the tournament finale lasts three rounds of three minutes each. Advancing fighters must pass physical exams between each round of the tournament.

The full card for the event includes:

Masters Superfights

• Don Frye (19-6-1) vs. Oleg Taktarov (15-5-2)
• Eric "Butterbean" Esch (10-5-1) vs. Gary Goodridge (23-15-1)

Heavyweight Tournament

• George Bush (5-0)
• Alexey Oleynik (6-3)
• Sherman Pendergarst (10-8)
• Marcelo Pereira (5-0)
• Rex Richards (4-1)
• Tony Sylvester (10-1)
• Chris Tuscherer (10-0)
• Travis Wiuff (47-11)

Ryan McGivern Survives to Win IFL Middleweight Title

by Dann Stupp on Mar 04, 2008 at 8:10 am

By John Morgan/TAGG Radio Network

Despite facing a near-certain submission loss to IFL middleweight champion Matt Horwich (21-10-1) in the second round of their title fight Friday night, Miletich Fighting System's Ryan McGivern (12-5-0) was able to dig deep within himself to weather the storm en route to a unanimous decision victory.

McGivern reflected on the fight while a guest on Monday's edition of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), a content partner site of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

"Well, it was kind of a weird scramble, and I knew once I got my arm caught, I knew it was a bad situation," the 28 year-old McGivern said of the second round omoplata that almost ended his night. "I was trying to just keep it from going in any weird angles as long as I could. I knew the time was running down. And as soon as he started to sit up and my arm started getting cranked bad, I knew I was in a lot of trouble."

McGivern said the strength to survive the final seconds of that round came not from training or experience, but rather from someplace far more significant to him.

"Leading up to this fight I was really praying and crying out to God that I would have the determination and the heart to keep fighting no matter what for all five rounds," McGivern said. "I definitely believe it was an answered prayer, and I definitely received a little extra strength to make it through, and fortunately I came out on top."

McGivern had previously beaten Horwich in a three-round fight at the IFL's championship final in December 2006. While McGivern said the experience of the first bout was beneficial in game planning, the actual fight took a much different course.

"The first fight we fought was kind of more of a grappling match because there was a lot of tie-ups and takedowns, but this one we stood and traded a lot more," McGivern said. "I don't think I realized that he hits hard. Even though he's unorthodox -- he's throwing it at very different, odd angles, and the way he throws those kicks and things like that -- he definitely had a lot of strength and power behind them."

McGivern had a 5-4 record in the IFL before the fight, and he only received the shot at Horwich's belt by stepping up on less than a month's notice to replace Tim Kennedy, and active Army Ranger, who had to step down due to a military commitment.

Now it appears that Kennedy will be McGivern's opponent in his first title defense.

"I heard bits and pieces of conversations that that's most likely the next match-up," McGivern said.

Until then, McGivern will enjoy his role as the IFL's new middleweight champion, and is looking forward to returning to ring.

"I'm just trying to heal up, then get back in the grind, start training hard," McGivern said. "Whoever it comes out to be, you know, (I will) be ready for a fight and go in there and fight hard. That's the plan.

The full results from Friday' IFL event included:

• Ryan McGivern def. Matt Horwich via unanimous decision
• Nelson def. Fabiano Scherner via TKO -- Round 1, 3:20
• Ryan Schultz def. John Gunderson via unanimous decision
• Jake Ellenberger def. Pat Healy via unanimous decision
• Alexandre Ferreira def. Lew Polley via submission (guillotine choke) -- Round 1, 0:20
• Josh Haynes def. Leopoldo Serao via unanimous decision
• Rafael Dias def. Santino Defranco via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 1, 2:03
• Ian Loveland def. Dennis Davis via submission (guillotine choke) -- Round 2, 0:58

To hear the full interview, as well as a recap of UFC 82, download Monday's edition of TAGG Radio, available for free in the TAGG Radio Network archives.

This story was produced by TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com) specially for MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). The show -- which is hosted by fighter/broadcaster Frank Trigg, Gorgeous George and Goze -- books some of the biggest names in MMA. Download all the former episodes at www.taggradio.com, or tune into TAGG Radio's live shows Monday-Friday at noon ET/9 a.m. PT.

UFC's Press Release Regarding Randy Couture/IFL Situation

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 01, 2008 at 6:00 am

In wake of the organization's success in halting Randy Couture's planned involvement with Friday's IFL event, the UFC has issued a press release about the situation.

Couture, the UFC's heavyweight champion who resigned from the organization in October (over what he perceived to be a lack of respect from UFC officials, as well as issues over his pay), had intended to lead an "Xtreme Couture" squad at yesterday's IFL event.

A preliminary injunction was issued, but before the court ruled, "Xtreme Couture" was changed to "Xtreme Tompkins," and Sean Tompkins took over as team leader. Couture didn't attend the event.

The UFC claimed that Couture's involvement with the event would have violated his contract.

As posted on UFC.com:

In a ruling made early (Thursday) evening, Las Vegas District Court Judge Jennifer Togliatti granted the request of Zuffa, LLC, owner of the UFC, for a preliminary injunction preventing Randy Couture and those acting in concert with him from violating Couture's contractual commitment not to promote competing mixed martial arts events.

Specifically, Judge Togliatti agreed that it appeared Couture had violated his non-compete agreement with Zuffa by promoting the International Fight League's (IFL) upcoming event to be staged Friday, February 29, 2008.

Judge Togliatti also granted Zuffa's request to immediately conduct a deposition examination of Couture regarding other claimed violations of his one year non-compete agreement.

Zuffa attorneys, Donald Campbell and Colby Williams, stated they look forward to examining Couture under oath regarding what they termed "Couture's chronic and brazen violations of his contractual obligations to Zuffa."

Bud Light Partners with UFC for Three-Year Sponsorship

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Feb 28, 2008 at 2:16 pm

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The UFC has inked a three-year deal with Anheuser Busch, arguably the biggest sports marketer of them all, that will go into effect at UFC 84 in May.

The deal, which will focus solely on the Bud Light brand, was announced today at a pre-UFC 82 press conference at Nationwide Arena -- the same Columbus, Ohio venue that hosts Saturday's pay-per-view event.

Early this morning, the UFC's official website stated that a "special announcement" would be made at today's press gathering. MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported that it would likely be the unveiling of a new blue-chip sponsor.

And as far as blue-chip sponsors go, they don't get much bigger than Anheuser-Busch. The St. Louis-based brewer is responsible for 48.5 percent of all beer sales domestically. The company, founded in 1852, brews more than 40 different beers and malt liquors.

However, the deal with the UFC will focus solely on the Bud Light brand. In addition to becoming the exclusive beer sponsor for the UFC, the brand will be showcased with the UFC's sister organization, World Extreme Cagefighting, as well as future seasons of "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series on Spike TV. The WEC deal begins June 1.

"The UFC has developed a huge following in recent years and is wildly popular with the 21-34 year old fans we want to reach," stated Tony Ponturo, vice president of global media and sports marketing for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "The number of people attending live events, buying the pay-per-views and talking about UFC around the water cooler continues to grow. Itâ??s just a great place for us to be"

Financial terms of the deal were not released.

Bud Light signage will appear prominently in UFC events, including on the cage's mat and on vertical posts/bumpers. Signage will also be displayed during UFC weigh-ins and press conferences.

"Seriously, this is a historic moment for the UFC," UFC president Dana White said.

Bud Light will be the presenting sponsor of UFC pay-per-views twice per year. It'll also become the official beer sponsor of UFC Fight Night events on Spike TV.