Jimmo vs. Sokoudjou Replaces McKee vs. Cobb as MFC 31 Main Event

 Posted by at 9:00 PM  MMA News  No Responses »
Aug 042011
 

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (red trunks) is set to make his MFC debut at MFC 31 on October 7 where he will take on light heavyweight champ Ryan Jimmo for the 205lbs. division title. (Photo courtesy of Al Quintero)

Premier Canadian mixed martial arts promotion Maximum Fighting Champion (MFC) is set to rock the Mayfield Conference Center in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on October 7. But instead of the IFL and UFC veteran “Mandingo” Antonio McKee (25-4-2) defending his MFC Lightweight Championship belt against Brian Cobb (16-6) in the main event as originally planned, fans will be treated to a light heavyweight clash between top Canadian fighter and reigning champ “Big Deal” Ryan Jimmo” (12-1) and UFC veteran “The African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (10-8) in which the MFC 205lb. championship belt is on the line. MFC 31 also marks Sokoudjou’s promotional debut. Continue reading »

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UFC 133 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Vitor Belfort vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama

 Posted by at 8:43 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Aug 042011
 

Depending on which Vitor Belfort (white trunks) shows up to the UFC 133 co-main event, the evening could be a very short one for "Sexyama". (Photo courtesy of Sherdog)

UFC 133 comes in full force Saturday night with some of the toughest veterans in its roster as a card headlined by “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (16-8-1) and “Sugar” Rashad Evans (15-1-1) storms the fighting city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The night starts in the welterweight division with two solid bouts between “Quicksand” Mike Pyle (21-6-1) and “The Water Boy” Rory MacDonald (11-1) and “Superman” Dennis Hallman (45-13-2) and Brian Ebersole (40-14-1). The middleweights then take over with a last minute pairing of “El Conquistador” Jorge Rivera (18-8) and Costantinos Philippou (7-2) and then 185lbs. contenders “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort (19-9) and “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-4) will go to war in the co-main event. Fresh off a pair of disheartening losses, Akiyama and Belfort are looking to get their names back into the title conversation. Continue reading »

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UFC 133 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Dennis Hallman vs. Brian Ebersole

 Posted by at 3:21 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Aug 042011
 

"Superman" Dennis Hallman (top) will have the rare opportunity to face an opponent with the same amount of experience as him in UFC 133 opponent Brian Ebersole. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

The UFC makes its return to the hard nosed streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this Saturday courtesy of UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz. The event has been plagued with injuries beginning with “Mr.Wonderful” Phil Davis (8-0) then “The Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (26-5) and lastly “Legionarius” Alessio Sakara (15-8), leaving three fighters without opponents. Former UFC 205lbs. champ “Sugar” Rashad Evans (15-1) will now have his long awaited rematch with fellow former champion and reinvented fighter “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (16-8). Ortiz steps in to face Evans on three weeks notice coming off his phoenix-style career win over “Darth” Ryan Bader (12-2). Supporting the rematch main event is a battle between top middleweight contenders “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-4) and perhaps the most lethal striker in the MMA world “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort (19-9).  “El Conquistador” Jorge Rivera (18-8) will possibly never meet Sakara in their often postponed middleweight showdown and instead he will face Ring of Combat veteran Constantinos Philippou (7-2). “Quicksand” Mike Pyle (21-6) returns to the Octagon against rising Canadian prospect Rory MacDonald (11-1) where a win will likely move the winner up the ladder to higher competition and a chance to reach for UFC gold. Two MMA veterans who have more fights to their credit than anyone in arms reach will go to war in the welterweight division in the main card opening bout as “Superman” Dennis Hallman (45-13) meets fellow veteran Brian Ebersole (40-14) in a fight to see which old dog has learned the most effective new tricks. Continue reading »

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