UFC 128 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Nate Marquardt vs. Dan Miller

 Posted by at 3:18 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Mar 162011
 

"The Great" Nate Marquardt (top) hopes the third time is a charm as he takes on Dan Miller at UFC 128 in hopes of being the front runner for another shot at the UFC middleweight title. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)

Three months into 2011 and the UFC is still bringing the fans another stacked card of fights with UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones. PRIDE veteran “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (27-9-2) challenges former NFL player and The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 finalist “The Hybrid” Brendan Schaub (6-1).  “The Mongoose” Jim Miller (19-2) greets former WEC lightweight “The Prince of Persia” Kamal Shalorus (7-0-2) with the intentions of showing that he should be granted the next shot at the lightweight title. WEC bantamweights and crowd favorites collide when “The California Kid” Urijah Faber (24-4) and Eddie Wineland (17-6-1) meet for the first time inside the UFC Octagon. And in the main event, challenger “Bones” Jon Jones (12-1) steps in on month’s notice in attempt to seize the UFC light heavyweight crown from Pride FC veteran “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (19-4).  In an originally unplanned match-up, New Jersey’s own Dan Miller (13-4) answers the call to replace “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-4) on short notice when he tests himself against top ten middleweight “The Great” Nate Marquardt (30-10-2). With Marquardt still pushing for a title shot, Miller seeks to derail “The Great” one and pull off one of the largest upsets in his career. Continue reading »

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Titan Fighting Championship Makes HDNet Debut Tonight with Sylvia vs. Wagner Card

 Posted by at 6:01 PM  MMA News  1 Response »
Jan 282011
 

(Photo courtesy of Titan FC)

Kansas-based mixed martial arts promotion Titan Fighting Championship (TFC or Titan FC) makes its nationwide HDNet debut tonight at 10pm ET with its un-aired local undercard starting at 8pm ET.  Titan Fighting Championship 16: Sylvia vs. Wagner brings its fans at the Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas an impressive card stacked with former champions, UFC alumni, and local circuit stars. Headlining the event is a super heavyweight clash between UFC veteran and two-time champion “The Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (28-6) and The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 alum “Abe” Abraham Wagner (7-2). Continue reading »

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UFC Fight for the Troops 2 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Pat Barry vs. Joey Beltran

 Posted by at 11:21 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Jan 202011
 

"Hype or Die" Pat Barry's (black trunks) kicks will help play a significant role in his upcoming fight against Joey Beltran. With vicious power behind each leg, Barry likely will be able to slowly neutralize any threats Beltran offers. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

For all the men and women in uniform serving and fighting each day to protect Americans’ lives and freedom, it seems fitting at the very least that the UFC presents a second installment of Fight for the Troops as a way of saying “thank you”. This Saturday night from Fort Hood, Texas, UFC Fight for the Troops 2 aims to do just that and show both American and worldwide audiences just how grateful citizens are for the troops’ service. Before the card’s main event featuring the explosive “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (25-8-2) versus Jiu-Jitsu wizard Evan Dunham (10-1), undefeated The Ultimate Fighter 10 alum Matt Mitrione (3-0) competes against “The Thrashing Machine” Tim Hague (10-4) in the co-main event, former WEC featherweights George Roop (11-5) and “The Machine” Mark Hominick (18-7) battle it out as a supporting event, and proceeding American Top Team stand-out “Magrinho” Cole Miller (17-4) taking on “Handsome” Matt Wiman (12-5), two of the heavyweight division’s heavy-limbed strikers are set to take the stage at Fort Hood for a stand-up war. On one end of the Octagon will stand the energetically animated yet equally lethal kickboxer in “Hype or Die” Pat Barry (4-3). The opposite side will bear a former King of the Cage contender and concrete-handed “The Mexicutioner” Joey Beltran (10-3). With a majority of both fighters’ bouts ending in a (T)KO, the troops returning back home are promised a fight nothing short of memorable. Continue reading »

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UFC Fight for the Troops 2 Pre-Fight Breakdown: George Roop vs. Mark Hominick

 Posted by at 3:21 PM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Jan 192011
 

Muay Thai kickboxer Mark Hominick (red/black shorts) takes on WEC alum George Roop at UFC Fight for the Troops 2 this Saturday. If he wins, Hominick will face Jose Aldo for the UFC Featherweight Championship. (Photo courtesy of Al Quintero and Sherdog)

This Saturday night The Ultimate Fighter 8 alum and WEC veteran George Roop (11-5-1) will face “The Machine” Mark Hominick (18-7) in a main card featherweight clash at UFC Fight for the Troops 2. The event also features “Handsome” Matt Wiman (12-5) taking on American Top Team stand-out “Magrinho” Cole Miller (17-4), a heavyweight tilt between fan favorite “Hype or Die” Pat Barry (4-3) and “The Mexicutioner” Joey Beltran (10-3), TUF 10 alum “Meathead” Matt Mitrione (3-0) facing “The Thrashing Machine” Tim Hague (10-4), and top lightweight Evan Dunham (10-1) versus “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (25-8-2). Mark Hominick originally was slated to challenge WEC Featherweight Champion turned UFC featherweight champ “Junior” Jose Aldo (18-1) in his first UFC title defense at UFC 125 on New Year’s Day but an injury forced Aldo from the card.  Now, Roop steps in for a fight Hominick can’t afford to lose. Following his stint on The Ultimate Fighter, Roop went 1-2 in the UFC and was consequently dropped by the organization. He went on to earn a win in a regional promotion then signed with the WEC 15 months after receiving his UFC pink slip. There, Roop found himself down a weight class, at featherweight, where he’s gone 1-1-1 including a second round head kick KO victory of “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung (10-3).   Mark Hominick has also had a run in the UFC previously, going 2-0 before dropping down from lightweight to featherweight and currently rides a four fight winning streak coming into his main card tilt with George Roop. The match has serious implications for both fighters, as a loss could easily result in being dropped from Zuffa’s roster once again. Continue reading »

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UFC Fight for the Troops 2 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Cole Miller vs. Matt Wiman

 Posted by at 7:46 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Jan 192011
 

Matt Wiman (white/blue trunks) faces American Top Team stand-out Cole Miller this Saturday at UFC Fight for the Troops 2. The lightweights will be fighting to earn a coveted spot at the top of the 155lbs. division. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)

This Saturday night the UFC presents their second edition of Fight for the Troops out of Fort Hood, Texas. The card may lack the typical plethora of mainstream contenders, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that just because names such as “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-8) or “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (21-2) are not on the card that this is a lackluster event. UFC Fight for the Troops 2 presents a who’s who of fighters ready to take their game to the next level.  In the main event the Greg Jackson protege “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard  (25-8-2) takes on the rising star of Evan Dunham (10-1). Former NFL star and The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 stand-out Matt Mitrione (3-0) will encounter King of the Cage veteran “The Thrashing Machine” Tim Hague (10-4) and the newly acquired WEC featherweights will make their UFC debut with Mark Hominick (18-7), currently riding a four fight win streak, against another TUF alum in George Roop (11-5) who is returning to the Octagon after a second round head kick knockout of “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung (10-3). Two of the UFC’s heavyweight colossuses will encounter in a fan-friendly stand-up war when “Hype or Die” Pat Barry (4-3) meets with “The Mexicutioner” Joey Beltran (10-3), but the honors of kicking the main card go to three-time Submission of the Night winner “Magrinho” Cole Miller (17-4) and three-time Fight of the Night winner “Handsome” Matt Wiman (12-5). These two not only will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of America’s servicemen and women at Fort Hood, Texas, they will set the bar for the night to follow. Continue reading »

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For Many Fighters, UFC Fight for the Troops May Also Be A Fight for Their Jobs

 Posted by at 11:57 AM  MMA News, UFC  No Responses »
Jan 152011
 

It may be the last chance to prove they belong in the UFC for many of the fighters slated to fight at the UFC's second installment of Fight for the Troops. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

In another of its events centered around the support for the U.S. Military, the UFC brings the men and women in uniform at Fort Hood Military Base its most recent effort with UFC Fight for the Troops 2. The card features several rising stars including “The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (25-8-2) who is on a quest to continue his rebirth as a UFC standout, top prospect Evan Dunham (10-1) who looks to improve on his 4-1 UFC record, The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 contestant Matt Mitrione (3-0) who continues to build his name as a heavyweight, and another TUF alum in “The Deadliest Catch” Cody McKenzie (12-0) who looks to remain undefeated at the expense of yet another UFC lightweight.  All of these men are talents that the UFC seems to have a vested interest in cultivating; win, lose, or draw chances are, they aren’t going anywhere. However, for several fighters on this card, Fight for the Troops could be more aptly named Fight for Your Job. The UFC has been leaving pink slips in the lockers of the most unexpected fighters for several months now to make room for the influx of new talent from the WEC which has many fighters wondering if they’re next. Continue reading »

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