Leben Suspended 1-Year for Failed Drug Screen - MMA Combat

Leben Suspended 1-Year for Failed Drug Screen - MMA Combat

UFC officials announced Monday that middleweight contender Chris "The Crippler" Leben (22-8-0) has been handed a one-year suspension by parent company Zuffa LLC, after a failed post-fight drug screen at UFC 138, an event he headlined on November 5.

Leben's sample came back positive for banned substances oxycodone and oxymorphone, while the remaining nineteen competitors on the card passed their tests. UFC president Dana White made the following comment on the issue.

“I like Chris and I want him to do well, but based on his actions, he’s been suspended for one year. If he needs professional help, we are going to be there for him. We want to see him succeed not only in the Octagon, but in his personal life.”

"The Crippler" who coaches and represents Icon Fitness MMA in Oahu, Hawaii, posted three consecutive wins in 2010, defeating Jay Silva, Aaron Simpson, and Yoshihiro Akiyama respectively, but saw his momentum halted when he ran into Brian Stann on New Year's day. In July, the Portland, Oregon, native bounced back with a knockout victory over Wanderlei Silva, but Mark Munoz was not to be denied at UFC 138 where he stopped Leben with deep lacerations (TKO doctor stoppage).

The thirty-one year old veteran commented on the suspension Monday:

“I would like to make it known that I fully accept this suspension and apologize for embarrassing the UFC, my friends and family, and [the] sport of mixed martial arts. I’m learning that I’m my own worst enemy sometimes. I can’t succeed in the Octagon or in life behaving this way. I’ve got to make some real changes over the next year, and I’m going to focus on getting my life and career back on track.”


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MMA Combat - UFC 138 Main-Event Features Leben vs. Munoz

MMA Combat - UFC 138 Main-Event Features Leben vs. Munoz

Middleweight contenders Chris "The Crippler" Leben (26-7-0) and Mark "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" Munoz (11-2-0) will headline UFC 138, in Birmingham, England, at the National Exhibition Centre on November 5, 2011. UFC officials announced the bout on Tuesday, also confirming details for the event which is scheduled to air free on Spike TV. It was initially thought that November 5's show would be titled UFC Fight Night 25, but later it was determined that the date would have a traditional title, moving back Velasquez vs. dos Santos one number to UFC 139, scheduled for November 19.

Leben last appeared earlier this month, July 2, at UFC 132 - Faber vs. Cruz II where "The Crippler" devastated former PRIDE FC middleweight king, Wanderlei Silva, with a series of short uppercuts that ended "The Axe Murderer's" night 27 seconds into the contest. Leben has posted wins in four of his last five outings, losing only to Brian Stann on January 1 during that stretch when "The All-American" blitzed him in the first round with a barrage of strikes that overwhelmed the soon-to-be 31 year old Portland, Oregon, native.

Munoz is a winner in three consecutive bouts since his decision loss to #1 contender Yushin Okami at UFC Live 2 in August of 2010. Known for his ferocious power and top-notch wrestling ability, the Oklahoma State University alumnus is 6-2 since joining the UFC ranks. Munoz last appeared at UFC 131 - dos Santos vs. Carwin in Vancouver, Canada, June 11, where he salvaged a unanimous decision win over one-time title challenger, Demian Maia. The contest at UFC 138 is reported to be the UFC's first five round non-title fight.


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MMA Combat - UFC 132 - Cruz vs. Faber, Results and Bonuses

Tito Ortiz

MMA Combat - UFC 132 - Cruz vs. Faber, Results and Bonuses

Saturday, July2, 2011 UFC 132 - Cruz vs. Faber went live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was headlined by the first ever UFC bantamweight title defense when Urijah Faber challenged Dominick Cruz for the newly minted UFC gold.

Utilizing his superior footwork, Cruz - although hit more than he is accustomed to - danced his way to a unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the bout in his favor (50-45, 49-46, 48-47). With the victory, Cruz retains the bantamweight title and avenges his 2007 loss to Faber, the lone blemish on the young champion's career. A fast-paced five round affair that saw neither man gain significant advantage over the other, the contest won fight of the night honors allowing the 135lbs stars to pocket an additional $75 000 each.

In the co-main event, Chris Leben added to his tally of knockout victims with a swift stoppage of former PRIDE FC middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva at 0:27 of the very first round. As the fighters engaged, a free-swinging Silva clipped Leben as he pressed forward, but a series of short, counter-uppercuts buckled Silva in what could be the biggest win of Leben's career to date, and potentially, the last time we see "The Axe Murderer" inside the octagon as was hinted by UFC president, Dana White.

Taking home knockout of the night, Team Jackson's Carlos Condit made short work of Korean ace Dong Hyun Kim, catching him with a flying knee that sent Kim crashing into the cage before a series of punches solidified the finish with the referee's interjection. Condit continues to push up the welterweight ranks, and with a stale list of contenders at the top, could realize a title crack against teammate Georges St. Pierre, should St. Pierre defend later this year against Nick Diaz.

Submission of the night went to none other than "The Huntington Beach Badboy" Tito Ortiz who shocked the MMA world making quick work of Ryan Bader. Catching "Darth" with a short right that put him on the canvas, Ortiz followed up with some ground and pound before a recovering Bader shot for a single-leg takedown to regain his whits; but Ortiz in anticipation of the shot immediately locked up an arm-in Guillotine choke that forced the tap at 1:56 of round 1. The victory was Ortiz's first since 2006, and with his back against the wall, it looks as though the longest running UFC light heavyweight champion in history will get his opportunity to grace the octagon once more.

Below you can find all the official results from UFC 132:

1 Jeff Hougland def. Donny Walker via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
2 Anthony Njokuani def. Andre Winner via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
3 Aaron Simpson def. Brad Tavares via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
4 Brian Bowles def. Takeya Mizugaki via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
5 Rafael dos Anjos def. George Sotiropoulos via KO (Punch) rd1 0:59
6 Melvin Guillard def. Shane Roller via KO (Punches) rd1 2:12
7 Carlos Condit def. Dong Hyun Kim via TKO (Flying Knee and Punches) rd1 2:58
8 Tito Ortiz def. Ryan Bader via Submission (Guillotine Choke) rd1 1:56
9 Dennis Siver def. Matt Wiman via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
10 Chris Leben def. Wanderlei Silva via KO (Punches) rd1 0:27
11 Dominick Cruz def. Urijah Faber via Decision (Unanimous) rd5 5:00


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MMA Combat - UFC 132 - Cruz vs. Faber, Pick 'em

MMA Combat - UFC 132 - Cruz vs. Faber, Pick 'em

UFC 132 - Cruz vs. Faber takes place this Saturday, June 2, 2011, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, and features a bantamweight title fight between fierce rivals Uriah "The California Kid" Faber and Dominick "The Dominator" Cruz in what is expected to be a fight of the year candidate, although co-main event participants Chris Leben and Wanderlei Silva may have something to say about that. Below you will find our picks for this weekend's main-card, with a brief explanation behind each.

Matt Wiman (13-5-0) vs. Dennis Siver (18-7-0)
Matt Wiman is a winner in three straight appearances and looks to put together his second four-fight winning streak since joining the promotion. With his relentless pace and commitment to takedowns, Wiman can be a headache for any lightweight without solid takedown defense. Although he lacked just that at one time, Dennis Siver - a winner in three straight himself - has demonstrated great improvements in each of his recent bouts. A strong, technical striker with a growing knowledge of wrestling and submissions, I expect Siver to dictate the majority of this contest, ultimately stopping Wiman on third round strikes.

Carlos Condit (26-5-0) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (14-0-1)
A winner of three in a row "The Natural Born Killer" Carlos Condit is a finisher by nature. Having posted 13 submissions and 12 [T]KOs in 26 professional wins, Condit has been to decision only three times in 31 bouts to date. If there is a vulnerability, it's against high-level grapplers, but as he demonstrated against Rory MacDonald, victory is never more than one or two big strikes away. Dong Hyun Kim is a big welterweight with fantastic takedowns and stifling top control. Undefeated at 5-0 (1 NC) inside the octagon, Kim simply grinds a little harder than his opposition as is proof by his seven decision wins. We're going with the South Korean here via unanimous decision as the style match-up does not appear favorable for the Team Jackson representative. It is worth noting that this bout could be a sleeper for fight of the night honors.

Tito Ortiz (15-8-1) vs. Ryan Bader (12-1-0)
Former UFC light heavyweight champion, Tito Ortiz, has not realized top form since 2004/2005. Hampered by lingering injuries that have made the once explosive wrestler and ground and pound specialist rely on other parts of his game, Ortiz is in deep against a fighter with a similar skill-set to his own with far fewer miles on his body. Look for Bader to negate any takedowns Ortiz may attempt as he is the more accomplished wrestler regardless of the age gap. Something else Bader possesses, is power in his hands that Ortiz has never been known for. The odds are stacked against "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy," which is why we're picking Ryan Bader via unanimous decision.

Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) vs. Chris Leben (25-7-0)
Wanderlei Silva for more than a decade has been one of my favorite fighters to watch. Five years he reigned over the PRIDE FC middleweight division, striking fear into his opponents with the game's most fabled staredown, which fighting with a chip on his shoulder larger than could be found anywhere in the game. PRIDE epitomized the young Brazilian; a 34 year-old father today, Silva has mellowed from his earlier days, but showed in his debut at 185lbs against Michael Bisping that he is still a very dangerous man, flooring Bisping in the final moments of the bout and picking up with win with a unanimous decision. Chris Leben lives and dies by the sword in a similar fashion. A brawler with big knockout power in his hands, "The Crippler" posted three great victories in 2010 before being stopped by the powerful Brian Stann on first round strikes this past January 1. My thinking is Silva finds himself in similar waters to Ortiz; coming off an injury, having not competed since February 2010, he will likely experience some rust as Leben takes a close decision from the man he once emulated as a young fighter himself.

UFC Bantamweight Championship
Urijah Faber (25-4-0) vs. Dominick Cruz (17-1-0)
One thing everyone agrees on heading into Saturday's main-event for the UFC bantamweight title is that you can throw the history books out with concern to their first encounter; both of these world class athletes are different fighters today, and particularly the champ, Dominick Cruz. Cruz is one of the sport's more elusive fighters, bobbing and weaving for as long as the fight lasts with an endless gas tank at his disposal. He has been defeated only once in eighteen professional bouts and has showed flashes of possessing the timing and well rounded game akin to welterweight champion, Georges St. Pierre; but at 25-4 and 32 years of age, Faber is one of those special talents blessed with a healthy body after years of competition and hasn't lost a step to-date. He remains one of the more creative and crafty fighters in MMA and with consecutive wins since joining the 135lbs ranks, has the confidence back that made him too a top pound-for-pound fighter not long ago. The pick here is Faber; the creativity and experience of the one-time featherweight champ will be the difference in a highly contested bout, as Faber locks in a submission in the championship rounds.


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Leben Relishes in Opportunity to Fight Silva

UFC middleweight contender and TUF Season 1 alumnus Chris "The Crippler" Leben is no stranger to the 'fisticuffs,' although the young Oregon talent that once fought with a chip on his shoulder has matured into a veteran of the sport with different motivations today.

In an interview with MMA Junkie, the fan favorite who is credited with countless unforgetable moments inside the octagon both in victory and defeat, had the following to say:

"It's more to inspire my kids at my gym and say, 'If I can do it, you guys can do it, too,'" said Leben. "As long as my body is going to let me, I don't see why I wouldn't (fight) because I see how much motivation it gives a lot of the people around me."

July 2, 2011, Leben (21-7-0) will square off with legendary slugger Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva (33-10-1) in what promises to be a 'fight of the year' (or KO of the year) candidate.  While Silva is coming off a win in his most recent appearance, the former PRIDE FC middleweight champion has not competed since February of 2010 when he defeated Michael Bisping via unanimous decision at UFC 110 - Nogueira vs. Velasquez.  When discussing his opponent this Sunday, Leben had nothing but praise for the man he once emulated.

"Honestly, I'm so excited to fight Wanderlei. He's one of my heroes... Believe it or not – I really don't want to tell him this – but he's one of the reasons I started. When I very first started fighting, I used to go get bootleg PRIDE videos and watch them, and in some ways try to emulate some of the stuff he did."

2010 saw "The Crippler" enjoy a defining year in a career that has spanned nine years.  Leben defeated Jay Silva, Aaron Simpson and Yoshihiro Akiyama, before Brian Stann caught Leben in their January 1st encounter at UFC 125, stopping him on first round strikes.  Leben anticipates a different result in next week's bout, and talks about the butterflies that accompany him heading into fight night.

"For me to be able to fight one of my heroes, man, I'm so stoked," Leben said. "It's the passing of a torch is what I'm hoping for, and a little fear is good. I might be a little worried, but I'm going to get in there and do what I do because that's what we do. We look it in the eye. We look our issues in the eye and then we conquer them." 

UFC 132 - Cruz vs. Faber II, is headlined by a bantamweight title fight where reigning champion Dominick Cruz will look to defend his 135lbs belt and avenge the only professional loss of his career against former WEC featherweight champ Uriah Faber.  Be sure to follow the action next Saturday, July 2, on PPV television or UFC.tv. 

Other bouts on the card are found below:

Matchups:
UFC Bantamweight Championship
Dominick Cruz (No. 1 BW) vs. Urijah Faber (No. 3 BW)

Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben
Brian Bowles vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Brad Tavares vs. Aaron Simpson
Rafael dos Anjos vs. George Sotiropoulos
Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader
Matt Wiman vs. Dennis Siver
Melvin Guillard vs. Shane Roller
Andre Winner vs. Anthony Njokuani
Erik Koch vs. TBA 

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The Score Fighting Series in Mississauga, Ontario

Wednesday April 4, Score Media Inc. officially announced that they will be holding an event at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, scheduled for June 10, 2011. Mississauga is Ontario’s third largest city by population and ranks sixth inside Canada with nearly 700 000 inhabitants; the show will mark the first time the city has hosted a mixed martial arts event and the venue has a capacity of 5400-6000 persons depending on seating arrangements.

Hershey Centre, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Although the card is yet to be announced, there are a number of fighters already signed to participate in the event including UFC veterans Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (11-8-0), and Canada’s own Joe “El Dirte” Doerksen (45-15-0). Other notable competitors include Shooto veteran Antonio Carvalho, Jordan Mein (who recently bested Josh Burkman this past month in Orillia, Ontario), Adrian Wooley, and BJJ ace Jorge Britto.

Team Quest’s Sokoudjou burst onto the scene in 2007 when he knocked out perennial top ten, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in 23 seconds of the first round at PRIDE 33; less than two months later, “The African Assassin” would follow that up with a knockout of world ranked Ricardo Arona in under two minutes at PRIDE 44. Since that time Sokoudjou has traded wins and losses in pairs, but with his latest two appearances being the former, he will look to snap that pattern June 10, in Canada.

Doerksen, out of Winnipeg, Canada, is a twelve-year veteran of the sport and holds one of the more impressive resumes in Canadian mixed martial arts history. The 33 year old has secured 33 victories by way of submission, and holds notable wins over Tom Lawlor, Patrick Cote, Ed Herman, Chris Leben, and Denis Kang to name a few. “El Dirte” has made several stints with the UFC but was recently cut after his split decision defeat to Dan Miller at UFC 124; a loser in three-straight, Doerksen will look to regain his winning form this June in front of a partisan crowd.

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