Chael Sonnen Hosts Seminar, Private Workout For Clay Guida’s MMA Stop Fitness

 Posted by at 6:43 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Jan 252012
 

Middleweight contender Chael Sonnen (front center) took time from his pre-UFC on FOX 2 fight preparations to visit with fans at Clay Guida's (back center) MMA Stop Fitness in Crest Hill, Illinois. (MMA Gospel File Photo)

Last night outspoken middleweight contender Chael Sonnen (25-11-1) took time out from his packed schedule in the week leading up to his UFC on FOX 2 bout against “The Count” Michael Bisping (22-3) to hold a mini-seminar, private workout, and autograph signing for the fans and fighters at “The Carpenter” Clay Guida’s (29-12) MMA Stop Fitness in the Chicago suburb of Crest Hill.

Though a busy week preparing for his fight limited the affair to just two hours and a few dozen people, it was another prominent display of how top level MMA fighters remain accessible to their fans despite continued mainstream growth in the sport. In his seminar, Sonnen covered wrestling drills and a few other training tips as well as how to handle stepping into the big show. With a series of questions he addressed handling the bright lights saying, “Are you the toughest guy in your family? If that guy [your UFC opponent] comes over are you now the second toughest? Does he get to take the remote and hold the Doritos? Of course not! If you can beat him in your house, then you can beat him Saturday night in the Octagon, it’s no different.”  Chael Sonnen gave the members of the gym more than just the two hours promised despite becoming physically ill after his workout. Continue reading »

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Spilled Bag of Chat: Chael Sonnen!

 Posted by at 3:13 AM  MMA Gospel Exclusives, Spilled Bag of Fights, UFC  4 Responses »
Jan 192012
 

(Photo courtesy of DiazBrothers.com)

Way back in July of 2011, Chael Sonnen said he would do an interview with me but suggested that I might want to wait. Chael was doing a ton of media at the time so I took that rain check. Now with the exciting and unexpected news that Chael will be fighting Michael Bisping next Saturday at UFC on FOX 2, with his original opponent Mark Munoz out due to injury, I decided to cash in that rain check. I reminded Chael about it and told him that whenever he was free we’d do the interview. Later that day, Chael called me for a chat. Never let it be said that Chael isn’t a man of his word.

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UFC 139: The Aftermath

 Posted by at 11:40 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Nov 202011
 

Former PRIDE superstar "The Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva reigned supreme in his slugfest with striking sensation Cung Le, knocking out the Strikeforce veteran in the second round. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

The UFC followed up its monumental FOX debut with one of the best cards of the year, UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson. It was a one-sided affair when former The Ultimate Fighter alumni met  in the card’s opener. It was a battle of attrition between two of the welterweight’s most demanding forces. The bantamweight division saw its next title contender break out of the pack in flying colors. The co-main event was a matter of “do-or-die” between the hometown hero and a legend still proving to show he is a threat to be taken seriously. The main event was an instant classic when PRIDE veterans met for the very first time and did not leave a single seat in San Jose’s HP Pavilion disappointed. Now that all has been said and done, here’s a recap of each of the main card’s bouts as well as potential fights that could be put together later on down the road for the victors. Continue reading »

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Paulo Filho: Against Himself

 Posted by at 6:56 PM  Features, MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 242011
 

Long considered one of the most talented middleweights in the world, "Eli" Paulo Filho (top) has been his own worst enemy throughout his career. (Photo courtesy of DREAM)

“Eli” Paulo Filho (22-4) was at one time considered the number two middleweight in the world, directly under countryman and UFC middleweight ruler “The Spider” Anderson Silva (29-4). But that was in 2008 – before his first professional loss to the Kryptonite of the MMA kings, Chael Sonnen (25-11). Prior to that loss he was in the midst of one of the longest dominating streaks in the world with 16 consecutive victories, eight by stoppage. Many believed he was the only man to prove a true challenge to “The Spider”, but as he stepped on the scale for his WEC 36 weigh-in for what would be the final middleweight fight before the promotion dropped the larger weight classes, “Eli” began losing his footing at the top of the middleweight mountain, and rumors regarding his descent swirled overhead.

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Spilled Bag of Fights: Absolutely Suck!

 Posted by at 6:19 PM  Spilled Bag of Fights  2 Responses »
Oct 112011
 

There’s been a lot of fights since my last Spilled Bag of Fights but I’m going to mainly focus on UFC 136 which was really one of the most impressive and stacked cards in recent memory. It featured two title fights as well as the return of the entertaining albeit polarizing Chael Sonnen. So, let’s just dive right in. Continue reading »

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UFC 136: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

 Posted by at 7:41 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Oct 092011
 
Frankie Edgar had all the answers at UFC 136, ending his UFC career-long rivalry with Gray Maynard in indisputable fashion with a TKO win in the championship rounds. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

UFC 136 burst into Houston, Texas with all the fan fare of a UFC Fan Expo and all the hype of the rematches between “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (14-1-1) and “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-1-1), who fought to a hotly contested draw at UFC 125, and “Bad Boy” Leonard Garcia (15-8-1) and Nam Phan (19-10), who first met in one of the worst judging decisions in MMA history. The card was stacked to the ceiling with a co-main event title bout between “Ken-Flo” Kenny Florian (14-6) and “Junior” Jose Aldo (19-2), a middleweight contest between top contenders Chael Sonnen (25-11-1) and “All-American” Brian Stann (11-4), and a lightweight tilt between ailing submission ace “J-Lau” Joe Lauzon (21-6) and red hot striker “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (27-9-2). While the fans certainly were not disappointed and the card was controversy free, something rare indeed in this era of mixed martial arts. There were more than a few fighters on the card who suffered bitter defeat at UFC 136, and to explore this, MMA Gospel has The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Continue reading »

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UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III Results

 Posted by at 4:55 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Oct 082011
 

UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar (left) puts his title on the line for the third time, the second against challenger Gray Maynard (right), in tonight's UFC 136 main event. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

—MAIN CARD (on Pay-Per-View)—

Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard: Edgar via TKO (Punches), Round 4, 3:54

Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian: Aldo via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46), Round 5, 5:00

Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann: Sonnen via Submission (Arm-Triangle), Round 2, 3:51

Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon: Lauzon via Submission (Rear Naked Choke), Round 1, 0:47

Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan: Phan via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), Round 3, 5:00

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UFC 136 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard III

 Posted by at 5:55 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Oct 072011
 
The speed and movement of Frankie Edgar (right) are his tools of choice to combat Gray Maynard’s (left) strength). Edgar’s offense should be more diverse after he was able to stuff Maynard’s takedowns and land some of his own in their UFC 125 encounter. If he can outlast Maynard, then another successful title defense is in the books. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

The Toyota Center in Houston, Texas gets its second serving of UFC action when UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III storms in this Saturday night. Nam Phan (18-10) takes on “Bad Boy” Leonard Garcia (15-7-1) again in order to avenge his controversial loss in 2010.  ”J-Lau” Joe Lauzon  (20-6) and “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (27-8-2)  hope to collect another bonus check when they battle in a lightweight showdown. “All-American” Brian Stann (11-3) welcomes Chael Sonnen (24-11-1) back to the cage in what could be considered the most patriotic middleweight fight known to man, with Stann playing the part of decorated war hero and Sonnen the part of staunch Republican and aspiring politician. ”Ken-Flo” Kenny Florian (14-5) puts another weight class under his belt as he drops down to 145lbs. to challenge “Junior” Jose Aldo (18-1) for his featherweight title in the co-main event. UFC 136 marks the third fight between current lightweight champion “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1-1) and a challenger he knows too well, “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0-1). UFC 125 saw both men go tooth and nail trying to take the belt home and while Edgar was successful, it was only because the judges saw the match as a Draw. With the history between these two made in the Octagon, no fan should count any man out when the cage door seal shut behind them. Continue reading »

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UFC 136 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian

 Posted by at 1:01 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Oct 072011
 
Kenny Florian’s (top) considerable size to featherweight champion Jose Aldo should assist his overall game plan but turning to his Jiu-Jitsu to at least maintain control could make his title dreams finally come to fruition. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

Houston, Texas plays host to one of the biggest cards the UFC has presented to date when the Toyota Center houses the Octagon this Saturday for UFC 136. The featherweights kick off the main card off Ultimate Fighter veteran Nam Phan (18-10) faces “Bad Boy” Leonard Garcia (15-7-1) in a long awaited rematch. A knockout artist takes on a submission specialist when “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (27-8-2) battles fellow lightweight “J-Lau” Joe Lauzon (20-6). In the middleweight division, trash-talk extraordinaire Chael Sonnen (24-11-1) returns to action when he faces “All-American” Brian Stann (11-3). In the main event, the lightweight title is up for grabs as the champion “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1-1) battles “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0-1)  in a follow-up of their highly entertaining fight in January where the match was ultimately ruled a Draw. The co-main event though has another title up for grabs with “Ken-Flo” Kenny Florian (14-5) challenging one freight train of a featherweight in “Junior” Jose Aldo (18-1) for his featherweight title. Both men are coming off impressive performances. Aldo has been successful keeping his place on top of the 145lb. division ranks but with Florian dropping down a weight class to come after him, he has bigger challenges than what he had fought before. Continue reading »

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