Aldo vs. Mendes at UFC 142, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - MMA Combat

Aldo vs. Mendes at UFC 142, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - MMA Combat

UFC president Dana White revealed Monday in an interview with FoxSports that featherweight champion, Jose Aldo Jr. (20-1-0) will defend his title next in his home country of Brazil when the feared striker collides with undefeated wrestling stand-out, Chad "Money" Mendes (11-0-0). Little is known about UFC 142, which will take place January 14, 2012, but it is expected to land back in Rio de Janeiro at the HSBC Arena, the same venue that hosted UFC 134 in August of this year.

"Pound-for-pound superstar Jose Aldo will return home to fight in Brazil for the first time since 2007 when he defends his UFC featherweight title against unbeaten powerhouse Chad Mendes," UFC president Dana White told FOXSports.com. "Aldo hasn’t lost in over five years, but Mendes has yet to lose in MMA, and after clearing out all the contenders put in his way, he believes he has what it takes to beat the champion."

Representing Team Alpha Male, Mendes (26) was set to challenge Aldo at UFC 133 this past August, but after an injury sidelined the champion, "Money" elected to remain on the card and battle replacement Rani Yahya, deferring his title opportunity. Mendes picked up his fourth consecutive decision win at the event and his second in as many fights inside the octagon. The Hanford, California, native has won seven of his eleven professional bouts on the judge's scorecards.

Nova Uniao's Jose "Scarface" Aldo (25) by contrast has finished fourteen of twenty-one career opponents with twelve of those victories coming by [T]KO. The once-defeated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black-belt from Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, possesses some of the most dynamic stand-up in the sport today and has compiled thirteen consecutive wins dating back to 2005. He most recently defended his title at UFC 136 on October 8, 2011, where he defeated three-time title challenger, Kenny "Kenflo" Florian via unanimous decision.


Follow us on twitter @mmacombatDOTcom
facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/update_secur...63733427002469
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mmacomba...m?feature=mhum
Blogger: http://mmacombatdotcom.blogspot.com/
And on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mmacombatdotcom

MMA Combat - UFC 134 - Silva vs. Okami, Bonuses

MMA Combat - UFC 134 - Silva vs. Okami, Bonuses

August 27, 2011, UFC 134 - Silva vs. Okami went down at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The event, which was the promotion's first in Brazil in 13 years, did not disappoint as the knockouts were plenty; but when the dust settled and the soccer chants subsided, three men walked away $100 000 richer when the evening's bonuses were determined.

Without a submission on the card, naturally, no bonus was awarded for submission of the night, but TUF winner Ross Pearson and Brazilian Muay Thai specialist, Edson Barboza, banked fight of the night honors after a 3 round war that saw the home-country fighter take a split decision on the judge's cards.

Also walking away with a bigger smile (if that was at all possible) was "Minotauro" Nogueira who blitzed Brendan Schaub with a devastating flurry of punches that landed the American face-first on the canvas. After more than 18 months on the shelf, recovering from multiple surgeries, Nogueira picks up knockout of the night thrilling fashion.


Follow us on twitter @mmacombatDOTcom
facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/update_secur...63733427002469
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mmacomba...m?feature=mhum
Blogger: http://mmacombatdotcom.blogspot.com/
And on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mmacombatdotcom 

MMA Combat - Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos Re-signs with Strikeforce

MMA Combat - Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos Re-signs with Strikeforce

Strikeforce women's middleweight champion, Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (10-1-0) has officially re-signed with the promotion according to the fighter's official twitter account which stated earlier today:

“Contract with @StrikeForce SIGNED! Stay tuned for next fight info!”

The Brazilian Muay Thai specialist out of the Chute Boxe Academy in Curitiba is perhaps the biggest draw as a women's MMA competitor globally, but after prolonged inactivity and contract negotiations earlier this summer, questions loomed over the future of Santos inside the Strikeforce cage. It appears their respective issues have been resolved and we can finally look forward to seeing the champ back in action.

With eight TKOs in ten career wins, Santos has not lost since her first professional fight in 2005, running through all opponents including former champion Gina Carano, before defending her title twice against Marloes Coenen and Jan Finney in 2010.

How many fights the renewal is for has not yet been made public, but with the uncertain future of the promotion and the UFC's stance on promoting women's MMA, it's expected the number is modest in total.

MMA Combat - Ahead of Bellator 47, Sandro Talks Malegarie

MMA Combat - Ahead of Bellator 47, Sandro Talks Malegarie

Bellator FC featherweight, Marlon Sandro (18-2-0), is one of the more exciting 145lbers you will find today, which is saying a lot considering the pace that typifies the division. The former King of Pancrase and Sengoku champion out of Nova Uniao has made his name primarily on the Japanese circuit, with his North American debut coming in the quarterfinals of the Bellator Summer Series featherweight tournament, June 25, where he defeated Genair da Silva via split decision, a result the Brazilian star was not content with.

“I don’t want to belittle anyone, but I was surprised when they called a split decision,” Sandro told Sherdog.com. “Me, Andre Pederneiras and Jose Aldo, who were in my corner, couldn’t understand how they decided that. I pressured him all fight, always moving forward. He was always walking backwards, and I hit him much more.”

Ahead of his Bellator FC 47 clash Saturday night with fellow Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black-belt Nazareno Malegarie (20-1-0), Sandro took a moment to discuss the bout and what he plans to do against the dangerous Argentinian, who bounced back from the first loss of his professional career with a submission victory over Jacob Devree in the quarterfinal match-ups.

“I’ve already seen some fights from Malegarie and I know he has a good BJJ background. He comes from a good school, he’s a Thiago Tavares pupil, but I’m going to fight MMA, and wherever the fight goes, I’ll be ready.”

“I believe he will exchange a little and try to put me down. “I’ve trained both on my feet and on the ground. I’m really confident that I’ll win.”

In 20 professional fights, Sandro (34) has never been stopped inside the distance, losing only to UFC talent Michihiro Omigawa via split decision in August of 2009, and most recently, newly acquired UFC featherweight, and world ranked Japanese star Hatsu Hioki this past December by unanimous decision. Sandro has a clear vision of his goals as he attempts to advance in the tournament bracket, Malegarie is merely another obstacle he must overcome to achieve them.

“I respect everyone, but my thoughts are always on being the champion,” said Sandro. “Every fight I have, I do it with the intention to be No. 1 in the promotion. To achieve that dream, I’ve gotta beat Malegarie, a very tough guy, but I’m ready for that.”


Follow us on twitter @mmacombatDOTcom
facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/update_secur...63733427002469
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mmacomba...m?feature=mhum
Blogger: http://mmacombatdotcom.blogspot.com/
And on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mmacombatdotcom

MMA Combat - Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago at UFC 136

MMA Combat - Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago at UFC 136

Although the promotion is yet to confirm the news, multiple outlets have reported that Brazilian talents Jorge Santiago (23-9-0) and Demian Maia (14-3-0) will meet at UFC 136, October 8, 2011, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Both middleweights are coming off recent losses and will look to stay relevant at the top of the 185lbs division this fall.

Maia last appeared at UFC 131 - dos Santos vs. Carwin in Vancouver, Canada, where the highly decorated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black-belt fought Mark Munoz for three hard rounds, but could not gain the upper hand on the judge's scorecards, losing a unanimous decision despite a strong first round. Maia is 8-3 since joining the UFC in 2007.

Departing from the UFC in 2006, Santiago went 11-1 fighting mostly in Japan, until earlier this year when the 9-year veteran of the sport re-signed stateside as a top-ten ranked middleweight. Making his second debut with promotion on May 28, at UFC 130, Santiago took on Brian Stann, but was [T]KO'd by "The All-American" with a flurry of punches in the second round. With 32 professional fights on his resume, Santiago hopes to recapture some of the thunder accompanied by his signing with an impressive performance against the one-time title challenger, Maia.

Other confirmed bouts for the event include:

Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann
Dave Herman vs. Mike Russow
Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago
Josh Grispi vs. Matt Grice


Follow us on twitter @mmacombatDOTcom
facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/update_secur...63733427002469
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mmacomba...m?feature=mhum
Blogger: http://mmacombatdotcom.blogspot.com/
And on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mmacombatdotcom

MMA Combat - Canadian, Antonio Carvalho Out of UFC 134, Arantes in vs. Alcantara

MMA Combat - Canadian, Antonio Carvalho Out of UFC 134, Arantes in vs. Alcantara

Canadian featherweight, Antonio "Pato" Carvalho (13-4-0) out of Toronto, Ontario, has withdrawn from a scheduled bout with Brazilian, Yuri Alcantara (25-3-0) at UFC 134 - Rio. The reason behind the news is not yet available, but the UFC has already found a replacement in Chute Boxe talent, Felipe "Sertanejo" Arantes (13-3-0, 2NC).

Speaking with Sherdog.com, Arantes' trainer Diego Lima had the following to say regarding his fighter's new found opportunity:

“For us, it’s a great joy to have a Chute Boxe representative at UFC Rio... He’s been showing great performances in training and I’m sure everything will go well for him.”

A winner in seven of his last nine outings - with two no contests mixed in - Arantes has stopped ten opponents in his professional career with six [T]KOs and four submissions to his name. The Sao Paulo, Brazil, native is just 23 years of age as he looks forward to his promotion debut next month.

Alcantara has posted eleven consecutive victories with only one of those bouts going to decision; in fact, in 28 professional fights "Marajo" has left it in the hands of the judges only three times. A one-time WEC veteran, Alcantara last fought December 16, 2010, at WEC 53 - Henderson vs. Pettis where he defeated Ricardo Lamas via first round knockout.

UFC 134 takes place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the HSBC Arena, on August 27, 2011, and is headlined by a middleweight title fight pitting reigning champ Anderson Silva against Japanese Judoka Yushin Okami.


Follow us on twitter @mmacombatDOTcom
facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/update_secur...63733427002469
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mmacomba...m?feature=mhum
Blogger: http://mmacombatdotcom.blogspot.com/
And on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mmacombatdotcom

MMA Combat - Nogueira Eyes Knockout at UFC 133

MMA Combat - Nogueira Eyes Knockout at UFC 133

Ahead of his bout against former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin (28-6-0) at UFC 133 - Davis vs. Evans, Brazilian star Antonio Rogerio Nogueira realizes there are parts of his game that required tweaking since joining the UFC ranks, as well as a mental adaptation he must undergo with his promotion future hanging in the balance of his next performance. While "Minotoro's" takedown defense has shown signs of improvement of late, he's still adjusting to a state-side mentality and rule-set that has presented its challenges to the perennial top-ten light heavyweight.

In an interview with Sherdog.com, Nogueira had this to say:

“My camps and the way I prepare for fights doesn’t change much,” he said. “What really changed from Pride to the UFC was the style of the fighters, who are better prepared and have more power and physical potential. I think the rules are very different, as well. The UFC allows tighter fights, more ground fights. It’s different, but I’ve got to get used to these rules, or I can’t fight here [in the UFC].”

When discussing the challenge that stands before him in Franklin, Nogueira makes clear his intention on August 6 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

“It’s the most important fight of my career,” said Nogueira. “I have to walk through him and always move forward. I can’t accept his game. Franklin is a guy who likes to rush in, and I have to be careful with that. After these two losses, I’ve got to beat him in a good fight. I’ve got to knock him out and look for it from the first round.”

With little more than a month remaining to prepare, Nogueira vows to fans that they can expect to see a more aggressive "Minotoro" than the one who has been stifled by wrestling minded fighters in his previous two outings, resulting in the first two-fight losing streak in the ten-year veteran's career. Franklin has always been one to stand and bang when the opportunity presents itself, so the former PRIDE FC standout should get plenty of opportunities to execute his plan; whether or not Franklin obliges is another thing all together.


Follow us on twitter @mmacombatDOTcom
facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/update_secur...63733427002469
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mmacomba...m?feature=mhum
Blogger: http://mmacombatdotcom.blogspot.com/
And on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mmacombatdotcom

MMA Combat - White Gives Added Incentive to Schaub, Nogueira

MMA Combat - White Gives Added Incentive to Schaub, Nogueira

UFC president Dana White announced on Thursday, June 16, at a promotion press conference in Brazil, that the winner between the ever-improving Brendan Schaub and heavyweight legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 134 - Rio will put themselves in line for a title shot following the highly anticipated dos Santos vs. Velasquez showdown later this year.

Nogueira will be the crowd favorite in Rio

"This is a big fight in the heavyweight division," said White. "The winner of this fight between Big Nog and Brendan Schaub puts one of these guys right in the mix of the heavyweight division."

"Minotauro" last competed at UFC 110 where he was stopped by current champion Cain Velasquez on first round strikes; sidelined for a year and a half following the bout, Nogueira opted to undergo a series of hip and knee surgeries to repair injuries that were clearly hobbling the once indestructible fighter. With a record of 3-2 inside the octagon the twelve-year veteran of the sport looks to make what could be his final run at a major promotional title, and potentially earn an opportunity to avenge his most recent defeat.

Grudge Training Center product, Brendan "The Hybrid" Schaub, has put together four consecutive victories since he was knocked out in The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale by Roy Nelson in his promotion debut. Most recently, Schaub stopped another PRIDE legend in Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic when he knocked out the former K-1 kickboxer at 3:44 of the third round at UFC 128 - Shogun vs. Jones. Schaub and his management immediately set their sights on Nogueira after the bout, and were granted their wish as he will square off with the former PRIDE and UFC heavyweight champ in hostile territory.


Follow us on twitter @mmacombatDOTcom
facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/update_secur...63733427002469
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mmacomba...m?feature=mhum
Blogger: http://mmacombatdotcom.blogspot.com/
And on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mmacombatdotcom

MMA Combat - Gracie vs. Lawal Official for Strikeforce, July 30

MMA Combat - Gracie vs. Lawal Official for Strikeforce, July 30

Roger Gracie (left) is top-class on the ground

Sunday, June 5, Showtime officials announced that two bouts have been added to the Strikeforce - Fedor vs. Henderson July 30 card in Chicago, Illinois. ADCC World champion Roger Gracie (4-0-0) will square off with once beaten, former 205lbs promotion champion Muhammed "King" Lawal (7-1-0), while Marloes Coenen (19-4-0) will put her 135lbs title on the line against Miesha Tate (11-2-0).

Gracie last competed for Strikeforce on January 29th of this year, submitting journeyman Trevor Prangley via rear naked choke at 4:19 of the first round; fighting in mixed-martial-arts competition only four times in nearly five years, the grappling ace owns each of his victories by way of submission. It will have been nearly a full year this July since the last time Lawal appeared inside the cage. The former light heavyweight champion was TKO'd by Team Nogueira representative Rafael Cavalcante in August of 2010 and will look to put himself back in title contention with a win against the Brazilian this summer.

Coenen's last outing was a thriller against the hard-nosed Liz Carmouche who gave the champ all she could handle for three rounds before succumbing to a triangle choke early in the fourth. The Golden Glory fighter has posted a record of 3-1 inside the Strikeforce cage, losing only to 145lbs champion Cristiane Santos. Tate is a winner in five consecutive appearances, and in ten of her last eleven; the 24 year-old wrestler out of Tacoma, Washington, is 4-1 under the Strikeforce banner and will aspire to bring the 135lbs title stateside July 30.


Follow us on twitter @mmacombatDOTcom
facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/update_secur...63733427002469
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mmacomba...m?feature=mhum
Blogger: http://mmacombatdotcom.blogspot.com/
And on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mmacombatdotcom

UFC 134 - Rio adds Thiago vs. Mitchell

Paulo Thiago will be the crowd favorite in Rio

UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil continues to shape up on paper like one of the year's best, adding once beaten David Mitchell vs. Brazilian standout, Paulo Thiago in a welterweight showdown to the card.

"I'm signing my contract right now and I'm very happy ," Thiago told Sherdog.com on Monday evening. "Fighting in Brazil again is like a dream.  All my friends and family will be in Rio de Janeiro."

13-3-0 Thiago last competed at UFC 121 in October of last year where he dropped a unanimous decision to Diego Sanchez; the loss marked the first time the now 30 year old Brazilian has lost back to back fights in his career, after losing out on the judge's cards against Martin Kampmann prior to that.

After starting his career a perfect 11-0-0, David Mitchell stumbled out of the blocks in his UFC debut dropping a unanimous decision to Anthony Waldburger at UFC Fight Night 22 in September of 2010.  The 31 year old Californian owns 9 victories by way of submission in his 5 year career.

UFC 134 will be headlined by middleweight champion Anderson Silva when he attempts to defend his title against Japanese grappler - and the last man to hold a victory over Silva (by way of disqualification) - Yushin Okami.  The event takes place August 27, at the HSBC Arena, which has a capacity of 18 000.

Visit us @ www.mmacombat.com
Follow us on twitter @mmacombatDOTcom
On facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/update_secur...63733427002469
We're also on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mmacomba...m?feature=mhum

And on Blogger: http://mmacombatdotcom.blogspot.com/