DREAM: Dynamite!! 2010 Results

 Posted by at 10:03 PM  MMA News  No Responses »
Dec 312010
 

(Photo courtesy of DREAM)

—DREAM openweight bout—

Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Hiroshi Izumi: Izumi via TKO (Punches), Round 3, 2:50

—DREAM featherweight bout—

Kazuyuki Miyata vs. Caol Uno: Miyata via Unanimous Decision

—DREAM featherweight bout—

Hideo Tokoro vs. Kazuhisa Watanabe: Tokoro via Submission (Armbar), Round 3, 2:02

—DREAM Featherweight Championship Bout—

Bibiano Fernandes vs. Hiroyuki Takaya: Takaya via Unanimous Decision*

—DREAM lightweight bout—

Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Josh Thomson: Kawajiri via Unanimous Decision

—DREAM welterweight bout—

Andy Ologun vs. Katsuaki Furuki: Ologun via Unanimous Decision

—DREAM welterweight bout—

Hayato Sakurai vs. Jason High: High via Split Decision

—DREAM Welterweight Championship bout—

Marius Žaromskis vs. Kazushi Sakuraba: Zaromskis via TKO (Doctor Stoppage), Round 1, 2:16**

—DREAM heavyweight bout—

Sergei Kharitonov vs. Tatsuya Mizuno: Kharitonov via KO (Knee), Round 1, 1:25

—DREAM heavyweight bout—

Jérôme Le Banner vs. Satoshi Ishii: Ishii via Unanimous Decision

—DREAM Interim Heavyweight Championship bout—

Alistair Overeem vs. Todd Duffee: Overeem via KO (Knee and Punches), Round 1, 0:19***

—K-1 bout—

Gegard Mousasi vs. Kyotaro Fujimoto: Mousasi via Unanimous Decision

—K-1 MAX bout—

Akiyo Nishiura vs. Tetsuya Yamato: N/A, Majority Draw (30-30, 30-30, 29-30)

—DREAM/K-1 special rules bout—

Shinya Aoki vs. Yuichiro Nagashima: Nagashima via KO (Flying Knee and Punches), Round 2, 0:04

*Hiroyuki Takaya becomes the new DREAM Featherweight Champion.

**Marius Zaromskis retains his title as DREAM Welterweight Champion.

***Alistair Overeem earns the DREAM Interim Heavyweight Championship title.

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UFC 125 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard

 Posted by at 7:03 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Dec 312010
 

UFC Lightweight Champion "The Answer" Frankie Edgar (black trunks) makes his second title defense tomorrow night against top contender and undefeated "The Bully" Gray Maynard (white trunks). The two men first faced each other in April 2008 when Maynard handed Edgar the only loss in his career thus far. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

UFC 125: Resolution on New Year’s Day may or may not be a bad pun on the part of the UFC but either way the card is no joke. Among the list of fast paced fighters on the slate at the MGM Grand Garden are names like Thiago Silva (15-2), “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-7), “The Truth” Brandon Vera (11-5), “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (27-11), Nate Diaz (12-6), “The Crippler” Chris Leben (21-7), and Brian Stann (9-3), but all the attention is on the two men scheduled for the main event. Lightweight champion “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1) looks to defend his title for a second time against the only man to ever hand him a defeat, “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0). Maynard has emerged victorious in every one of his UFC bouts through use of his aggressive wrestling assault and high pressure top control. Edgar has developed into a more well rounded fighter and hopes that will prove the difference in this rematch. Continue reading »

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UFC 125 Live Weigh-In Results

 Posted by at 5:13 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Dec 312010
 

(Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

—PRELIMS—

Jacob Volkmann: 156lbs.
Antonio McKee: 156lbs.

Daniel Roberts: 171lbs.
Greg Soto: 171lbs.

Mike Brown: 146lbs.
Diego Nunes: 146lbs.

Phil Baroni: 186lbs.
Brad Tavares: 185lbs.

—LIVE on ION TV—

Josh Grispi: 146lbs.
Dustin Poirier: 145lbs.

Marcus Davis: 156lbs.
Jeremy Stephens: 156lbs.

—PPV—

Brandon Vera: 205lbs.
Thiago Silva: 206lbs.

Clay Guida: 156lbs.
Takanori Gomi: 155lbs.

Nate Diaz: 170lbs.
Dong Hyun Kim: 171lbs.

Chris Leben: 186lbs.
Brian Stann: 186lbs.

Frankie Edgar: 155lbs.
Gray Maynard: 155lbs.

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UFC 125 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Brian Stann vs. Chris Leben

 Posted by at 8:17 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Dec 312010
 

Chris Leben (black trunks) has devastating power in his punches but has shown in the past that he lacks the ability to land them when faced with a patient and skilled striker with the cardio to last a full three rounds. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

UFC 125: Resolution at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada seeks to usher in a promising new year for the world’s largest MMA organization. As has been the status quo over the last several years, the UFC isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to showcasing its ever deepening roster. The card features Thiago Silva (15-2), top Asian fighters “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-7) and “Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim (10-4-2) as well as premier stateside talent from “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (27-11), Nate Diaz (12-6), and “The Truth” Brandon Vera (11-5) all capped off with a lightweight title affair between “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0) and current champ “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1). In the evening’s co-headliner, crowd pleasing TUF Season 1 veteran “The Crippler” Chris Leben (21-7) pits his iron fists and granite jaw against former WEC 205lbs. champion and USMC Silver Star recipient Brian Stann (9-3). The pairing is a matchmaker’s dream. A straight-laced, clean-cut and technically precise marine squaring off against a free spirited, trouble making brawler, Leben/Stann has all the makings of the classic baby face vs. heel story and the two men involved are two of the most exciting fighters to watch in the middleweight division. One thing is very clear in this bout – regardless of the winner, the fans will be happy following this match-up. Continue reading »

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UFC 125 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera

 Posted by at 4:57 PM  MMA News, UFC  1 Response »
Dec 302010
 

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Thiago Silva's (camouflage shorts) vicious striking will likely be his UFC 125 opponent Brandon Vera's undoing. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

On New Year’s Day, the  UFC returns to its old stomping grounds at the MGM Grand Garden for UFC 125: Resolution. The main event of the evening is a rematch between “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1) and “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0) for the UFC lightweight belt and the supporting cast includes Brian Stann (9-3), “The Crippler” Chris Leben (21-7), “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-7), “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (27-11), “Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim (10-4-2), and Nate Diaz (12-6). In a bout that is sure to have fans talking for weeks, Brazilian wrecking machine Thiago Silva (15-2) takes on Muay Thai striker “The Truth” Brandon Vera (11-5). Both of these light heavyweight finishers like to let their fists do the talking and they will surely have a lot to say in a bout that many fans believe is a winner-takes-all and loser-gets-a-pink-slip type of affair. Continue reading »

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UFC 125 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim

 Posted by at 7:12 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Dec 302010
 

Southpaw Nate Diaz (white trunks) uses his heavy-handed striking and dangerous ground game to pick apart and finish his opponents. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)

The MGM Grand Garden will host the UFC’s annual New Year’s card, UFC 125: Resolution. The marquis bout between “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0) and “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1) is the fight perhaps most prominent on the fans’ minds but there are several rather notable matches on the card as well. Thiago Silva (15-2), “The Truth” Brandon Vera (11-5), “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-7), “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (27-11), “The Crippler” Chris Leben (21-7), and Brian Stann (9-3) help round out the card, but one of the more interesting Pay-Per-View bouts features welterweight warriors Nate Diaz (12-6) and “Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim (10-4). The Stockton, California native and brother of Strikeforce champion “El Diablo” Nick Diaz (23-7) takes on the tough and well rounded Korean-born Hyun Kim, who is unbeaten in the UFC, in a race for a chance at welterweight king “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (21-2). Both men are dynamic ground fighters with contrasting clinch fighting styles that will make for a very interesting battle to the mat. Continue reading »

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MMA Gospel Technique of the Week: Guard Pass to Quarter Mount Hammer Lock

 Posted by at 1:34 AM  MMA News, Technique of the Week  No Responses »
Dec 302010
 

Before taking a week off for the Christmas holiday, Ed Perdomo and Johnny Rodriguez had one last technique left in the current arch that began with an escape from a Guillotine Choke in the opponents full guard. The first move was to fall back for an ankle lock. When the opponent defended that attack, Ed moved on to sweep into back control and snatch a Rear Naked Choke with a gable grip. This week, Ed Perdomo will end the current arch with a finish designed to make an opponent pay for preventing the sweep from last time, a devastating Hammer Lock from the quarter mount. Continue reading »

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Chuck Liddell Takes the Fight From the Cage to the Office

 Posted by at 12:35 AM  Features, MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Dec 302010
 

"The Iceman" Chuck Liddell is calling it quits after more than a decade of being a staple in the UFC's light heavyweight division. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

After much speculation about his future in mixed martial arts, “The Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-8) is officially calling it quits and hanging up his 4oz. gloves. But, this isn’t the last the long time veteran has seen of the UFC. The promotion’s president Dana White announced today at the UFC 125 pre-fight press conference that the former face of the UFC will serve as the organization’s new Executive Vice President of Business Relations. Liddell was visibly emotional when he addressed the media concerning his retirement from fighting and stated that he was looking forward to a new chapter in his career serving as an ambassador to those involved with the UFC’s global expansion.  Continue reading »

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Chris Horodecki Dropped from Zuffa Roster; Fans Ask, WHY?

 Posted by at 1:07 PM  Features, MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Dec 292010
 

Chris Horodecki's (right) superior striking and kickboxing posed a viable threat to his lightweight competitors in the IFL and WEC, and certainly would have continued to do so in the UFC. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)

“The Polish Hammer” Chris Horodecki (16-3) is the most recent addition to a slew of fighters that have felt the wrath of Zuffa’s chopping block. It was announced Tuesday that the lightweight kickboxer, who  partook in four bouts in the WEC over the last year, will in fact not be moving on to the big show with the impending WEC/UFC merger only a few days away. Sure the UFC is fickle about its roster and fighters come and go, but this cut in particular leaves a lot of MMA fans wondering how and why the 23-year-old Canadian could have been dubbed a UFC reject in the first place. Zuffa certainly is establishing its subsidiary the UFC as the mixed martial arts organization with the utmost top notch talent in the world, but many still wonder – was cutting Horodecki warranted? Continue reading »

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UFC 125 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi

 Posted by at 7:13 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Dec 292010
 

The brutal striking of "The Fireball Kid" Takanori Gomi (black trunks) poses a substantial threat to his UFC 125 opponent "The Carpenter" Clay Guida. (Photo courtesy of Tracy Lee and Yahoo! Sports)

The Ultimate Fighting Championship rocks the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on New Year’s Day putting on an incredible night of fights with UFC 125. The card is star studded, with promising matches between Nate Diaz (12-6) and Dong Hyun Kim (10-4-2), “The Truth” Brandon Vera (11-5) and Thiago Silva (15-2), “The Crippler” Chris Leben (21-7) and Brian Stann (9-3), and a lightweight title bout of epic proportions featuring “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1) taking on the undefeated “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0). Also on the card is a bout that is a sure candidate for Fight of the Night in “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (27-11) facing PRIDE and Shooto veteran “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (29-7). Let’s take a closer look at how this one could play out. Continue reading »

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Spilled Year of Fights: 2010

 Posted by at 2:11 PM  MMA News, Spilled Bag of Fights  10 Responses »
Dec 282010
 

As 2010 comes to an end and as nothing particularly happened in MMA in the past week ‘cause of that whole Christmas thing going on, I decided to do a little 2010 highlight wrap-up and include some things that I’ve mentioned in previous columns and a few that happened before I started writing this very column that you all love so, so dearly.

I’m not going to go too in depth about UFC 109 which spawned yours truly since the SBoI “birthday” is around six weeks away and I’m sure I’ll want to do a retrospective “Spilled Bag of Fights” for that special event.  So, without further ado, 2010: stuff happened in MMA. Continue reading »

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Tito Ortiz Makes It Official, Signs Contract to Face Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

 Posted by at 6:42 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Dec 272010
 

Looks like “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-8-1) will be getting another shot in the UFC after all. Ortiz made his next and perhaps final bout in the promotion official by signing a contract to face “Little Nog” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (18-4) as the main event at UFC Fight Night 24 on March 26 in Seattle, Washington. Continue reading »

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Gray Maynard: Breaking Down the Bully

 Posted by at 10:58 AM  Features, MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Dec 272010
 

"The Bully" Gray Maynard (right) is set to fight UFC Lightweight Champion "The Answer" Frankie Edgar at UFC 125 this Saturday. Maynard comes into the fight with not only a strong wrestling background but the confidence from knowing he alone has defeated the champion, a feat not even past champions Sean Sherk and BJ Penn have done. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

Love or hate him, “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0) is “here to break your will”.

He bears an attitude befitting of his nickname, “The Bully”, and a wrestling pedigree which virtually renders his opponent’s takedown defense futile and asserts that their ground game had better be developed.  However in terms of the UFC’s lightweight division what holds Maynard to the highest degree as the number one contender is not his honor of earning one of the fastest knockouts in the promotion’s history or wins over notable fighters such as fellow TUF 5 alum Nate Diaz (12-6), “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (13-5), “The Mongoose” Jim Miller (19-2) or “El Matador” Roger Huerta (21-5-1).  It is the fact he is the only person who holds a victory, unanimous no less, against reigning Lightweight Champion “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1).  With a challenger bearing a perfect record seeking the title and the champion who seeks to avenge the only loss on his record, UFC 125 on New Year’s Day has set the stage for these two lightweight titans to compete. Continue reading »

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