UFC 121 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Jake Shields vs. Martin Kampmann

 Posted by at 12:57 AM  MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 232010
 

Jake Shields has been promised a UFC title shot but first he must get past Martin Kampmann at UFC 121. (File Photo)

For UFC 121, Dana White and the Zuffa team return to the Honda Center in Anaheim, California with a sold-out card driven by the hype engine of a heavyweight super fight between incumbent champ Brock Lesnar (5-1) and the undefeated Mexican buzz saw Cain Velasquez (8-0).  In addition to match-ups between “The Nightmare” Diego Sanchez (21-4) and Paulo Thiago (9-2), “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga and “The Hybrid” Brendan Schaub (5-1), and “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-7-1) and “The Hammer” Matt Hamill (8-2), Joe Silva has given the fans an exceptional welterweight offering between the former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields (25-4-1) and kickboxing expert “The Hitman” Martin Kampmann (17-3).  Shields and Kampmann are as close to polar opposites stylistically as two men can be. Shields is a fighter who built his name with a 14-fight win streak started in 2005 that was fueled by a fist-full of first round finishes in the Elite XC organization. After the Strikeforce buy-out, Shields found himself faced with a choice between moving up a weight class or being forced to face friend and training partner “Diablo” Nick Diaz (22-8) en route to the welterweight belt. He chose the former and promptly developed a reputation as a boring lay-n-pray wrestler when forced to face larger opponents.  “The Hitman” has spent the majority of his career in the UFC where he has only lost twice and only seen the judges three times in 10 fights. He has built a name as a devastating kickboxer despite having won the majority of his UFC bouts via submission. Both men are knocking on the door of a title shot and each stands in the other’s way in a fight that will be a true test of a Strikeforce champion against an upper tier UFC fighter. Continue reading »

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UFC 121 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Diego Sanchez vs. Paulo Thiago

 Posted by at 9:48 PM  MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 222010
 

Paulo Thiago's (right) claim to fame was knocking out Josh Koscheck at UFC 95 in February 2009. The upset win propelled him through the ranks of the welterweight division. He hopes to accomplish the same against Diego Sanchez in tomorrow night's match-up. (file photo)

The UFC brings fans a prime cut of its well seasoned roster with UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez tomorrow night. The card is loaded not only with top class fighters but also a slew of superstars. The main event features heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar (5-1) and Cain Velasquez (8-0), and the under card is stacked with men worthy of supporting such a magnificent event as a fight for the most prestigious title in MMA: the UFC Heavyweight Championship of the World.  “The Hitman” Martin Kampmann (17-3) faces former Strikeforce middleweight king Jake Shields (25-4-1) in a welterweight tilt, TUF Season 10 stand-out “The Hybrid” Brendan Schaub (5-1) and “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (11-5) battle to remain relevant in the hunt for the belt Cain and Brock will dispute, and The Ultimate Fighter Season 3 contestant “The Hammer” Matt Hamill (8-2) will battle his former coach, the ultra-polarizing former UFC middleweight/light heavyweight champ “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-7-1). In a situation similar to Gonzaga’s bout with Brendan Schaub, “The Nightmare” Diego Sanchez (21-4) joins Brazilian sensation Paulo Thiago (9-2) in the Octagon.  The bout is similar in the fact that Gonzaga and Sanchez both were once title contenders but never had the completed skill set needed to remain at the top or tear a belt from the grasp of the respective champions they would face.  Meanwhile, Thiago and Schaub both rode into the UFC on a hype train that somehow managed to get off the tracks. Thiago came in to be a tomato can for “Kos” Josh Koscheck (15-4) and promptly knocked him out, igniting sparks of phenom-hood, only to be driven back into mediocrity by losses to Martin Kampmann and Jon Fitch (22-3). Continue reading »

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UFC 121 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Tito Ortiz vs. Matt Hamill

 Posted by at 5:22 PM  MMA News  2 Responses »
Oct 222010
 

UFC bad boy Tito Ortiz will use his underrated submission grappling to eek out a victory over "TUF" protege Matt Hamill at UFC 121. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

The UFC returns to Anaheim, California’s Honda Center for UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez on October 23.  Again the UFC delivers a card filled with top class fighters, fan favorites, TUF alumni, and heroes from days gone by. Headlined by heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar (5-1) and Cain Velasquez (8-0), UFC 121 also includes big names like “The Hitman” Martin Kampmann (17-3), former Strikeforce middleweight king Jake Shields (25-4-1), “The Nightmare” Diego Sanchez (21-4), Paulo Thiago (9-2), TUF Season 10 stand-out “The Hybrid” Brendan Schaub (5-1), and “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (11-5).  One fight that has fans talking is a match-up between The Ultimate Fighter Season 3 contestant “The Hammer” Matt Hamill (8-2) and his TUF coach “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-7-1). The bout raises several interesting ideas as to a potential hidden meaning. Ortiz was once the man to beat in mixed martial arts, the unstoppable middleweight/light heavyweight UFC champion. The problem is he hasn’t yet realized that his career has been steadily sliding downhill since 2004 and three losses separated only by a single draw has done nothing to bring this to his attention. Perhaps facing not only a gatekeeper, but a former student in Hamill is Dana White’s way of showing him just how far he’s fallen. On the other hand, maybe this has nothing to do with Ortiz and Dana is simply showing members of Greg Jackson’s camp and American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) that, whether it’s a training partner, a teacher, or a student he wants you to fight, he will get the fight he wants for the organization. Maybe, it’s just a fight between two fighters whose careers are passing each other’s in different directions. Continue reading »

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Bellator 33: The Aftermath

 Posted by at 4:28 PM  MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 222010
 

Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez retains his title after defeating UFC veteran Roger Huerta via TKO (doctor stoppage) following the second round. (Photo courtesy of Sherdog)

From its inception, Bellator 33′s main event between top-ten ranked MMA lightweight and Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez (21-2) and UFC veteran “El Matador” Roger Huerta (21-5-1) promised to be one of the most action packed fights of the year in the 155lb. division.  Despite mixed emotions about the outcome, the match-up failed to disappoint.  The Alvarez/Huerta fight saw action from start to finish as both men put on a slugfest for the champion’s hometown crowd who consequently neglected their seats throughout the bout. In the same evening, fans also expressed their distaste for more lackluster fighting styles.  Here’s how it all went down. Continue reading »

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Looking for the Underdog: Brock Lesnar

 Posted by at 12:39 AM  MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 222010
 

UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar has shown incredible progress in his growth as a mixed martial artist, but will it be enough to stop red hot competitor Cain Velasquez? (File Photo)

The UFC plays host to the top MMA fighters in the world. On top of them all holding the heavyweight crown is Brock Lesnar (5-1). This Saturday at UFC 121 he will face off against Cain Velasquez (8-0) in what will be a true test to the skill set of both competitors as mixed martial artists. If Lesnar wins he looks to continue a growing winning streak which includes two title defenses and wins against some of the toughest competition in the heavyweight division. With the contested number one heavyweight Fedor Emilianenko’s (31-2) defeat by the hands of Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1) in the main event at Strikeforce’s June card, some have questioned whether or not Brock could truly be dubbed the top heavyweight in the world. A win against Velasquez would solidify his status as the “Baddest Man on the Planet”.

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Bellator 33 Pre-fight Breakdown: Good vs. Askren

 Posted by at 11:14 AM  MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 212010
 

Bellator Welterweight Champion Lyman Good makes his first title defense at Bellator 33 tonight against Season Two Tournament winner Ben Askren. (Photo courtesy of Bellator)

The co-main event of Bellator 33 showcases a battle between undefeated welterweights. Bellator Welterweight Champion Lyman Good (10-0) takes on 2008 Olympic wrestler Ben Askren (6-0) for the 170lb. title. This match-up will be Good’s first title defense since winning the belt sixteen months ago and Askren’s first fight since his victory over Season Two favorite Dan Hornbuckle (18-3) earlier this summer. Continue reading »

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MMA Gospel Technique of the Week: Back Mount to Belly-Down Armbar

 Posted by at 11:03 PM  MMA News, Technique of the Week  No Responses »
Oct 202010
 

This week, MMA Gospel’s Technique of the Week closes it’s current arch with a belly-down armbar from the rear naked choke defense. This arch began using a three strike combination to set up a body drag takedown and has focused mainly on using strikes to set up grappling techniques. This week, Ed Perdomo finishes the chain, and the fight, with a smooth transition to a tight armbar submission that uses his opponents own defense against him. Continue reading »

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MMA Gospel Technique of the Week: Back Mount to Belly-Down Armbar

 Posted by at 10:50 PM  MMA News, Technique of the Week  No Responses »
Oct 202010
 

This week, MMA Gospel’s Technique of the Week closes it’s current arch with a belly-down armbar from the rear naked choke defense. This arch began using a three strike combination to set up a body drag takedown and has focused mainly on using strikes to set up grappling techniques. This week, Ed Perdomo finishes the chain, and the fight, with a smooth transition to a tight armbar submission that uses his opponents own defense against him.

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Bellator 33 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Eddie Alvarez vs. Roger Huerta

 Posted by at 9:08 PM  MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 202010
 

Roger Huerta and Eddie Alvarez will face off for the Bellator Lightweight Championship on Thursday. (File Photo)

This Thursday, Bellator brings the fans their biggest fight yet, a super fight between Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez (18-2) and former UFC top ten lightweight “El Matador” Roger Huerta (21-4-1). The two men have been an elephant in the living room for the organization since Huerta’s arrival, and one could hear the cries of frustration over lost ticket sales when Huerta dropped his bout against Pat Curran (12-3) in May.  This was the super fight that the lightweight tournament was supposed to lead to and Huerta left Bellator with a garage full of promotional material gone to waste. Then Curran hurt his shoulder in training and the Bellator brass was more than eager to ask “El Matador” to step in.  Both of these men have something to prove and a freight train full of hype behind them, and that will make this the breakthrough fight for the Bellator organization. Continue reading »

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Alvarez, Huerta Fight for More Than Just A Belt at Bellator 33

 Posted by at 8:03 PM  MMA News  2 Responses »
Oct 202010
 

Bellator 33's headliner pits Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez against UFC veteran Roger Huerta, promising to be one of the most explosive and dynamic match-ups ever witnessed in the 155lb. division. (Photo courtesy of Bellator)

Prepare for the biggest lightweight fight since Edgar vs. Penn 2 as Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez (20-2) meets UFC veteran and lightweight super star “El Matador” Roger Huerta (21-4) in Bellator’s first real super fight.  From the moment the MMA world knew of Huerta’s signing with Bellator, fans salivated at the thought of this one fight. Unfortunately, Huerta’s title hopes were derailed by underdog Pat Curran (13-3) in the final rounds of the lightweight tournament; but fortune smiled on Huerta in the form of a shoulder injury Curran sustained in the late summer. Now fans will have their fight between two of MMA’s most elite lightweights in one of the first true pairings between a top tier former-UFC lightweight, and a fighter commonly counted among the top ten despite having never graced the Octagon. Continue reading »

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Looking for the Underdog: Cain Velasquez

 Posted by at 7:24 PM  MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 192010
 

Cain Velasquez looks to maintain his undefeated record and walk away the UFC Heavyweight Champion with a victory over current champ Brock Lesnar at UFC 121. Here, Velasquez lands a solid left hook to the face of "Minotauro" Antonio Nogueira at UFC 110. (Photo courtesy of Sherdog)

This Saturday at UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez, the newly dubbed “Baddest Man on the Planet” UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar (5-1) puts his belt on the line against perhaps his toughest competitor yet – the undefeated heavy hitter Cain Velasquez (8-0).  Both men will face new challenges in each other, and both Lesnar and Velasquez will more than likely have to exhaust their skill sets in order to pull off a win. If he beats Velasquez, Lesnar will have two consecutive wins against previously undefeated opponents, the first of which being Shane Carwin (11-1).  MMA fans across the world will be watching and wondering if the “Brown Pride”-adorned Velasquez will pull off what Carwin seemingly came oh-so-close to accomplishing at UFC 116 in July – stripping the champion of his belt.  Perhaps watching even more closely will be their fellow heavyweight competitors, as the Lesnar vs. Velasquez outcome will have a direct effect on the division match-ups for months to come.


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UFC 121 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Brendan Schaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga

 Posted by at 1:06 PM  MMA News  2 Responses »
Oct 192010
 

Expect Brendan Schaub (right) to control the stand-up in his UFC 121 bout against Gabriel Gonzaga. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

The world’s premier MMA organization returns to its home away from home at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California for UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez.  With UFC 121 being their second event in as many weeks, many fans would likely expect a drop in the quality of the card, but once again the UFC shows its depth by delivering yet another star-studded card for the fans’ viewing pleasure. For both its live audience and Pay-Per-View crowd, the UFC has offered a heavyweight title fight between incumbent champ Brock Lesnar (5-1) and Mexican wrecking machine Cain Velasquez (8-0) along with a slew of other bouts including big names like “The Hitman” Martin Kampmann (17-3), UFC newcomer Jake Shields (25-4-1), “The Nightmare” Diego Sanchez (21-4), Paulo Thiago (9-2), “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-7-1), and “The Hammer” Matt Hamill (8-2).  Also making the main card is an intriguing heavyweight match-up between one-time title contender “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (11-5) and The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 runner-up “The Hybrid” Brendan Schaub (5-1).  The bout makes for a display of skill and technique not often seen in the heavyweight division, as both men are known for their exceptional finesse – Schaub in his striking and Gonzaga in his elite level grappling. The fight also promises to see both fighters bringing their best, as the match holds career changing implications for each of the two men. For Schaub, Gonzaga represents a chance to break into the title hunt.  For Gabriel, a loss means a possible cut from the UFC. Continue reading »

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Bellator 32: The Aftermath

 Posted by at 12:55 AM  MMA News  2 Responses »
Oct 192010
 

Cole Konrad is crowned Bellator's first Heavyweight Champion and receives his $100,000 check. Also that evening, Zack Makovsky defeated Ed West to become the first Bellator Bantamweight Champion. (Photo courtesy of Bellator)

Bellator 32 in Kansas City saw the crowning of the heavyweight and bantamweight champions of the Season Three tournaments. Cole Konrad (7-0) becomes Bellator’s first heavyweight champion while Zack Makovsky (12-2) received the honor of being dubbed Bellator’s first bantamweight champion, but the night also saw an action packed decision in the welterweight division.

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W-1 Pre-Fight Breakdown:New Ground

 Posted by at 10:57 PM  MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 182010
 

MMA is big with our neighbors to the north. So big, in fact, that the fan base has managed to overturn many MMA bans within just a few short months whereas a similar feat has taken US fans almost a decade. With a fan base this strong, it’s only logical that several solid Canadian-based MMA promotions have begun to climb the ranks. One such promotion is Warrior One MMA (W-1). W-1 normally holds their cards in Quebec, but on Saturday, October 23, the cage travels to Halifax, Nova Scotia for W-1: New Ground. The card is filled with some well known international MMA stars as well as some of the best Canadian MMA names. The main event is a heavyweight battle between Strikeforce veteran “The Grim” Brett Rogers (10-2), who has been forced to step out of Strikeforce after back-to-back losses to “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (31-2) and “The Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (30-12), and fellow slugger “Warpath” Ruben Villareal (18-18-3). The card also features “Ninja” Murilo Rua (17-10-1) who is coming to North America for the first time since the collapse of Elite XC, and is chock full of Canadian all-stars and up-and-comers. Continue reading »

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