MMA Combat - DREAM 17 Adds Aoki vs. McCullough, Kitaoka vs. Freire

MMA Combat - DREAM 17 Adds Aoki vs. McCullough, Kitaoka vs. Freire

DREAM officials announced Friday that lightweight champion, Shinya Aoki (28-5-0) will officially defend his promotion title at DREAM 17 when he locks horns with former WEC lightweight champion, "Razor" Rob McCullough (19-7-0), September 24 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Aoki is riding a five-fight winning streak heading into the contest and most recently defeated UFC veteran Rich Clementi via neck-crank in May of this year. McCullough bounced back from his WEC exit with consecutive wins in 2010, but was TKO'd in his Bellator FC debut by Team Nogueira representative Patricky Freire this past March.

Additionally, leg-lock specialist Satoru Kitaoka (28-10-9) will square off with Nova Uniao product Willamy Freire (19-4-0) in a lightweight bout. Kitaoka has won three straight fights since suffering back-to-back losses for the first time in an eleven-year career. The former Sengoku lightweight champ owns 15 wins by way of submission and is renowned for his crushing strength. Former Shooto champion, Willamy Freire, won eleven consecutive bouts from September 2007 to May 2010, but had his momentum halted this past January in his UFC debut where he was defeated by Waylon Lowe via unanimous decision at UFC - Fight for the Troops 2.

Dream 17 will also feature the quarterfinal match-ups for the promotion's World Bantamweight Grand Prix which still has four remaining slots to fill with former DREAM champ Bibiano Fernandez, as well as Japanese talents Kenji Osawa, Masakazu Imanari and 2011 Japan Bantamweight GP winner, Hideo Tokoro already confirmed for the bracket.

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MMA Combat - Dream 17 Official with New Rules in Place

MMA Combat - Dream 17 Official with New Rules in Place

Wednesday, July 27, DREAM officials confirmed the first bout for DREAM 17, scheduled to take place September 24 at Saitama Super Arena, in Saitama, Japan; UFC veteran Caol Uno (26-14-5) will test his might against two-time Shooto featherweight champ, Takeshi Inoue (20-5-0).

Representing Shooting Gym in Yokohama, Japan, Inoue has secured nearly half his wins by [T]KO stoppage with nine to-date. The 31 year old last appeared at DREAM - Fight for Japan, May 29, where he stopped Koichiro Matsumoto on punches at 6:51 of the first round.

A Freelance MMA fighter, Uno takes a more grappling intensive approach with 13 of 26 career victories coming by way of submission, while he has posted only 2 TKOs in 45 professional appearances. The 36 year old veteran recorded his first win in six attempts this past May 29 against Akiyo Nishiura, picking up a unanimous decision over 15 minutes.

Also in the news, DREAM event producer, Keiichi Sasahara revealing Wednesday that the promotion would be adjusting the format of their fights to three, five-minute rounds to fall in line with international norms.

Traditionally, DREAM bouts are contested over one, ten-minute round, with a second 5-minute frame to conclude non-title bouts. Title fights would follow 10, 5, 5, but will now see 5, 5-minute rounds as is common place in most promotions.

"While I believe that a 10-minute first round gives fighters a greater chance at finishing a fight, since we've lately been focusing on the lighter weight classes, for some reason the chances of them getting a finish like a knockout have been smaller," Sasahara explained. "Therefore, I've decided to take a proactive stance to reset things by changing round times. One of the reasons we adopted the five-minute round was to follow the international flow."

"I don't believe that changing all bouts to be three fives will somehow make all fights wonderful, but the change gives us a great chance to reset the fights themselves," he added.

Sasahara left those attending today's press-conference in suspense by adding that the promotion was actively pursuing a big-name, foreign opponent for promotion lightweight champion, Shinya Aoki, however nothing has been made official as those involved are locked in negotiations. Stay tuned for an announcement on that.

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MMA Combat - Philippou Replaces Sakara vs. Rivera, Bradley Steps Up to Battle Natal

MMA Combat - Philippou Replaces Sakara vs. Rivera, Bradley Steps Up to Battle Natal

Some fights are just not to be, and this seems to be the case when it comes to middleweights Jorge Rivera (19-8-0) and Alessio Sakara (15-8-0) as Rivera's twitter account revealed Monday that the Italian has been forced to withdraw from their August 6 contest at UFC 133 due to a knee injury sustained while training.

This card marked the third attempt by the promotion to set up the bout, but not all is lost as Constantinos Philippou (7-2-0) will move up the fight-card to take on the veteran Rivera. Philippou rattled off seven consecutive wins heading into his UFC debut this past March at UFC 128 - Shogun vs. Jones, but had his momentum halted by New Jersey's Nick Catone, losing a unanimous decision on the judge's cards.

Philippou was previously scheduled to battle Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ace Rafael Natal (12-3-1) at the event. Stepping in on late notice to face the Renzo Gracie black-belt will be Strikeforce veteran and two-time NCAA division 1, All-American wrestler, Paul Bradley. Under trying circumstances, Bradley (16-2-0) will make his promotion debut in a little under two weeks; "The Gentleman" has been stopped only once in 18 professional fights and is coming off three straight wins inside the cage with choke stoppages in each. The Minnesota Martial Arts Academy representative last competed this past weekend, July 23, defeating Eddie Larrea by triangle choke in the first round, and will look to start strong under the Zuffa banner, August 6 at UFC 133 - Ortiz vs. Evans scheduled to take place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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MMA Combat - Hirota Makes Return Against Kikuno at Deep 55 Impact

MMA Combat - Hirota Makes Return Against Kikuno at Deep 55 Impact

A lightweight title fight will be featured at Deep "55 Impact" as top Japanese talents Mizuto Hirota (12-4-1) and Katsunori Kikuno (15-3-2) collide August 26, 2011, at Korakuen Hall in Tokya, Japan.

Kikuno is the Deep lightweight champion

Training under UFC and PRIDE veteran Tsuyoshi Kosaka, 153lbs champion Kikuno captured the Deep title in April of 2009, knocking out Koichiro Matsumoto in the finals of the Deep lightweight tournament. The Karate-based fighter has been stopped only once in twenty professional bouts when Bellator lightweight champion, Eddy Alvarez, stopped him via arm-triangle choke at DREAM 12 in October of 2009. Kikuno last appeared at DREAM - Fight for Japan, May 29, where he defeated Daisuke Nakamura via unanimous decision.

Hirota is one of the most proficient strikers in Japan today, securing more than half (8) of his victories by [T]KO. Not unlike Kikuno, Hirota has been stopped inside the distance only once in seventeen fights when DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki brutally broke his arm on December 31, 2009, via hammerlock submission. Prior to that bout Hirota was crowned the Sengoku LW champion when he TKO'd leg-lock specialist, Satoru Kitaoka, in the fourth round of their championship affair.


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MMA Combat - Canadian, Jordan Mein Makes Strikeforce Debut Against Santos

MMA Combat - Canadian, Jordan Mein Makes Strikeforce Debut Against Santos

Canadian welterweight Jordan "Young Gun" Mein (22-7-0) out of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, will make his Strikeforce debut later this summer when he takes on Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos (18-14-0) this coming September 10, at an event yet to be confirmed by the promotion but according to recent comments by Dana White...

Click bolded link above to continue reading, or here

MMA Combat - Eastern MMA: Takaya, Mousasi, Bae, Victorious

MMA Combat - Eastern MMA: Takaya, Mousasi, Bae, Victorious

Saturday, July 16, 2011, Dream - Fight for Japan went live from Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan, with 8,124 fans in attendance to take-in the event. The show featured two championship bouts as Gegard Mousasi and Hiroyuki Takaya put their promotion straps on the line against Hiroshi Izumi and Kazuyuki Miyata respectively. Also on the card, Hideo Tokoro and Masakazu Imanari battled to a decision, deciding the winner of the 2011 Japan Bantamweight Grand Prix.

Mousasi (31-3-2) was simply too much for the former Olympian Izumi (4-2-0), as the Armenian's boxing was the difference in this one. Mousasi stopped the still-green Izumi on strikes at 3:29 of round 1, notching the 18th [T]KO of his professional career. After the fight, Mousasi indicated a deep interest in making the Olympics himself for boxing, and also suggested he would likely appear next this fall under the Strikeforce banner.

Takaya's (16-9-1) night proved to be a sterner test, as the featherweight champion was involved in a back and forth affair with Miyata (11-8-0) over 20 minutes that resulted in a split decision victory. It was Takaya's first title defense since capturing the DREAM belt in September of 2010. Meanwhile, Hideo Tokoro (30-23-1) walked away a happy man as he was crowned the 2011 Japan Bantamweight Grand Prix champion when he defeated submission specialist Masakazu Imanari (23-9-2) by unanimous decision.

In other action over the weekend, Chinese promotion Legend Fighting Championships held Legend FC 5, Saturday night at Macau’s City of Dreams where Auckland, New Zealand native and welterweight champion Rodney MacSwain (12-4-0) had his hands full with Korean, Myung Ho Bae (12-5-0). Bae used superior grappling to control where the match took place and wore down his foe over three hard fought rounds to take a unanimous decision on the judges cards. With the win, Bae improves to 4-0 under the Legend FC banner and hasn't been defeated since his KO defeat to Marius Zaromskis at DREAM 12 in October of 2009.

Full Results for both events can be found below:
Dream:
1 Eiji Mitsuoka def. Bruno Carvalho via Decision (Unanimous) rd2 5:00
2 Marius Zaromskis def. Eiji Ishikawa via Decision (Unanimous) rd2 5:00
3 Tatsuya Mizuno def. Trevor Prangley via KO (Knee to the Body) rd1 4:41
4 Kenji Osawa def. Keisuke Fujiwara via Decision (Unanimous) rd2 5:00
5 Tatsuya Kawajiri def. Drew Fickett via TKO (Punches) rd1 4:41
6 Gegard Mousasi def. Hiroshi Izumi via TKO (Punches) rd1 3:29
7 Hideo Tokoro def. Masakazu Imanari via Decision (Unanimous) rd2 5:00
8 Hiroyuki Takaya def. Kazuyuki Miyata via Decision (Split) rd3 5:00

Legend FC:
1 Sung Ming Yen def. Vincent Siu via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) rd1 N/A
2 Fransino Tirta def. Chengjie Wu via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
3 Mark Striegl def. Yusuke Kawanago via Decision (Split) rd3 5:00
4 Jingliang Li def. Alex Niu via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
5 Yui Chul Nam def. Rob Hill via TKO (Punches) rd2 1:12
6 Honggang Yao def. Nam Jin Jo via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
7 Myung Ho Bae def. Rodney MacSwain via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00


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MMA Combat - UFC Cuts John "Doomsday" Howard

MMA Combat - UFC Cuts John "Doomsday" Howard

TUF finalist Andre Winner was not the only fighter to find himself on the UFC chopping block come Monday, July 11; MMA Weekly confirmed via John Howard's manager, Malki Kawa, that the welterweight Muay Thai specialist out of Boston, Massachusetts, has also received his walking papers from the promotion.

Speaking through his twitter account, "Doomsday" had the following to say regarding the news:

“Only thing I can say is it is what it is. You get three straight losses in the UFC and this is what happens,” said Howard. “My plans right now is to go to Bellator or Dream, or something else, whoever makes me the best offer.”

After starting 4-0 with impressive knockout finishes of Dennis Hallman and Daniel Roberts, Howard slipped up and was defeated in his next three by Jake Ellenberger, Thiago Alves, and Matt Brown. With Brown rumored to be on the brink of release himself, the win was one Howard desperately needed after losing to a grappling-based opponent, then striker in his previous two. Brown however, proved busier and more effective on June 26, at UFC Live 4 - Kongo vs. Barry and picked up the unanimous decision nod, sealing Howard's fate. At just 28 years of age, Howard will make some waves yet, but under what banner we'll have to wait and see. If the welterweight fighter is capable of a weight-cut down to 155lbs, those are waters he might choose to explore as "Doomsday" was visibly undersized in a handful of bouts during his time with Zuffa.


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MMA Combat - Gomi vs. Diaz on for UFC 135

MMA Combat - Gomi vs. Diaz on for UFC 135

Gomi (above) will look to re-capture his best form vs. Diaz

"The Fireball Kid" Takanori Gomi (32-7-0) will make his return to the octagon at UFC 135 on September 24, where he'll face the crafty Nate Diaz in a lightweight tilt. Gomi, formerly considered to be the #1 lightweight fighter in the world with B.J. Penn's departure from the division years ago, is 1-2 since joining the world's biggest promotion with a quality knockout win over Tyson Griffin; Kenny Florian and most recently, Clay Guida both fared better against the Japanese star however, stopping Gomi via rear naked, and guillotine choke respectively.

Since 2007 Gomi is 5-4-1, but was also tapped-out by Nate's older brother Nick Diaz before the Gracie Jiu Jitsu student tested positive for marijuana, overturning the result to a 'no-contest'. In that particular bout, a strong start by "The Fireball Kid" gave way to cardio issues that saw a fit Diaz pour on his 'punches in bunches' style. Utilizing his reach advantage, Diaz pawed at Gomi keeping the power puncher at bay until a desperate take-down attempt resulted in a fight ending gogoplata (only the second time the maneuver has been pulled off in mixed martial arts competition, under a major promotion).

Diaz (13-7-0) last appeared at UFC 129 - St. Pierre vs. Shields, in Toronto, Canada, where he was out-wrestled by Canadian Rory MacDonald en route to a unanimous decision loss. The defeat was Diaz's second straight decision loss at welterweight, prompting a move back down to the 155lbs division. The Ultimate Fighter Season 5 winner has compiled a record of 8-5-0 since joining the UFC ranks, and with a similar style and frame, will likely use the blueprint drawn up by his brother in preparation for Gomi. The Cesar Gracie black-belt has been stopped only once in 20 professional appearances.

The fight card for UFC 135 as it currently stands can be found below. The event will take place at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, and is headlined by a light heavyweight title bout pitting challenger Quinton "Rampage" Jackson against champion Jon "Bones" Jones.

Matchups:

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Jon Jones (No. 1 LHW, No. 6 PFP) vs. Quinton Jackson (No. 4 LHW)

Matt Hughes vs. Diego Sanchez
Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi
Damacio Page vs. Norifumi Yamamoto
Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt
Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton


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Jon Fitch - Picky Picky Picky

Welterweight contender Jon Fitch

http://www.mmacombat.com/blogs/blog230-jon-fitch-picky-picky-picky.html

In a recent interview with mmaweekly.com, UFC welterweight veteran Jon Fitch (23-3-1) boldly stated that he was not interested in a match-up with rising star Rick Story. Story, who recently toppled Thiago Alves via unanimous decision at UFC 130, May 28, 2011, called out the division's #2 ranked fighter citing that Fitch made perfect sense after defeating a top 5 opponent in Alves (whom Fitch has also handily defeated in past competition). But those words fell on deaf ears at the AKA camp.

“I’m at a point in my career where I need to be fighting main events and main event fighters... If you don’t have a belt, currently, or you haven’t owned a belt in the UFC, I’m not really interested” said Fitch.

Although Fitch boasts one of the most impressive records in the UFC today, and since the formation of the organization for that matter, it is not the fighter's call to decide who he will and will not fight. With increasing pressure placed on promotions to make certain fights happen based on fan sentiment or 'twitter wars' between competitors, strengthening the bargaining power of the athlete will only leave mixed martial arts in a boxing-like conundrum; where the right fights simply do not take place based on individual and/or promoter disagreements. The champion has to take on all comers, contenders should not get to choose their path to the title either.

We now know that Rick Story has stepped in for the injured Anthony Johnson at UFC Live 4, and will take on former middleweight title challenger Nate Marquardt, June 26. What an opponent like Story would have brought to the table vs. Fitch are the same tools that get the Purdue alumnus through each of his fights, strong cardio and wrestling ability.

Waiting for the rematch against B.J. Penn isn't going to do anything to bolster Fitch's resume in this commentator's eyes. It's a fight he should control and win, and a second bout that looks any different from what the third round did in their first would be a disappointment.

Fitch has refused to fight fellow top-10 and teammate Josh Koscheck in the past, which is why I personally feel fighters shouldn't align themselves with training partners of similar size, in the same promotion, unless of course they're willing to put all that aside for sport. The last time Fitch fought a high-level wrestler was in his 2008 defeat to champion Georges St. Pierre. Prior to that, Diego Sanchez and Brock Larson are the only two names under the UFC Fitch has battle with any sort of wrestling credential.

At this point, Jake Shields is the man in the division that makes the most sense for each competitor. He owns a submission grappling victory over the AKA captain, has a solid wrestling base and is more than comfortable on his back regardless. Neither man is particularly threatening on the feet, and both cut considerably to get down to 170lbs. Give Penn a smaller welterweight in his next, and challenge the Indiana native with a skill-set more similar to his own; it's been a while.


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MMA Combat - Diaz vs. St. Pierre Headlines UFC 137

MMA Combat - Diaz vs. St. Pierre Headlines UFC 137

Instantly creating one of the year's biggest headlines in the world of mixed martial arts, Wednesday evening UFC president Dana White announced via his official twitter account that reigning welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (22-2-0) will defend his place atop the 170lbs division against UFC veteran and Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz (25-7-0). The bout will be contested at UFC 137, which is slated to take place October 29, 2011, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"U wanted it! U GOT IT!!! GSP vs DIAZ Oct 29th UFC 137 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas." stated White, who recently shot down a series of rumors that the highly anticipated bout would take place this coming December at UFC 140 in Montreal, Quebec.

This certainly is the fight fans have been calling for, particularly since the Zuffa acquisition of the Strikeforce brand. Although White initially declared that cross-promotional champion vs. champion super-fights were out of the question, it appears as though the company's upper brass has softened to the idea; and why not? Nick Diaz is a fan favorite from coast to coast, and is especially popular in the West where he wears his Stockton colors on his sleeve.

The outspoken Cesar Gracie disciple has posted ten consecutive victories with only one bout going to the judges cards during that time. He owns thirteen of his twenty-six career wins by way of [T]KO and has endeared himself to fans by way of his trash talking, 'punches in bunches' style that has stifled opponent after opponent for three years running. Recently, Diaz's boxing aspirations appeared to be taking priority in his professional life, but after Zuffa presented their offer, it's understandable that those same aspirations will see their way to the back-burner once more. The Gracie Jiu Jitsu black belt had asked for this fight after teammate and friend Jake Shields saw his streak snapped at the hands of the champion on April 29, at UFC 129, in Toronto, Canada; now he will get his crack without running the gauntlet that is the UFC welterweight division, and you can be sure he'll make the most of it.

Georges St. Pierre has simply been dominate since picking up the UFC welterweight championship for a second time. He is a winner in nine straight appearances, and has successfully defended his title six times while unanimously winning thirty-three consecutive rounds in that span. Taking out top-ten names like Fitch, Penn, Alves, Hardy, Koscheck, and Jake Shields, the level of competition these warriors have faced in the last five years is hardly comparable. That isn't to say that Diaz is not a dangerous match-up... St. Pierre has already proven he can out-grapple even the strongest wrestler in MMA competition, but Diaz presents an opponent that offers a furious number of combinations standing, while owning one of the better BJJ games in the sport without being hampered by a limited gas tank.

We can however, be mindful that Diaz has not faced an opponent with a strong wrestling base for nearly half a decade (Gleison Tibau being the last), and has dropped three of four bouts against such competition if you start with Diego Sanchez in 2005. Here lies the key to the match; can Nick Diaz develop his traditionally weak take-down-defense enough in the coming months to keep this fight standing?

Be sure to check back with MMA Combat for all the updates on UFC 137; with only one fight booked for the card at present, it already promises to be a great one!

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MMA Combat - Footnotes for May in the World of MMA

Rampage Jackson can still get it done!

MMA Combat - Footnotes for May in the World of MMA

Keeping in line with our monthly tradition MMA Combat presents to you the May addition of Footnotes for the Month, chronicling the major events and news that passed us by in the last 31 days. Please feel free to join the conversation, adding your own footnotes for anything that I may have missed, or was significant enough for you to feel it should be mentioned.

Footnotes for May in the World of MMA:

• A highly anticipated lightweight match-up pitting Evan Dunham vs. George Sotiropoulos at UFC 132 was thwarted when Dunham was forced to pull out due to an injury suffered while training; Dangerous Brazilian Rafael dos Anjos has replaced Dunham on the card.

• The Score Fighting Series announced its June 10, 2011, card in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, which will feature Strikeforce and UFC veterans in Marius Zaromskis, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, and Canada's own, Joe “El Dirte” Doerksen.

• **Honorable mention, Manny Pacquiao easily defended his crown against Shane Mosley who threw 5 combinations in 12 rounds of action.... Yes, you heard it right, 5.

• At the Fighter's Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, Zuffa announced it would be extending full medical insurance to all of its contracted fighters, 365 days a year.

• Both Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard pull out of their UFC 130 main-event, 155lbs championship bout, citing injuries sustained during training. Thank God for that insurance.

• Surging heavyweight Brendan Schaub will get his opportunity to add another PRICE FC legend's feather to his cap when he takes on former PRIDE and UFC champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 134 in Rio, Brazil.

• Former MFC welterweight champion Douglas "The Phenom" Lima (18-4-0) signs with Bellator FC, joining their ever-deepening roster of 170lbs talent.

• Top 10 lightweights Benson Henderson and Dan Miller sign on the dotted line to face each other at UFC Live 5, August 14, at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; this match-up will have title-shot implications.

• Reports surface regarding a conflict between sister of Charles "Mask" Lewis and TapouT apparel executives over the distribution of some cremated remains of the late TapouT co-founder at a service held in his memory.

• It is announced that UFC 131 in Vancouver, Canada will feature ringside monitors for judges to use as an alternative vantage point. The NSAC would follow-suit shortly after granting permission to use them at UFC 130.

• Zuffa announces that they will begin to award fighters with "twitter bonuses" who meet a certain criteria with concern to creativity, followship, and increase in followship quarterly. Read more: http://www.mmacombat.com/content/294...%94-zuffa.html

• Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesner pulls out of his UFC 131 title eliminator against Junior dos Santos as he underwent a second bout with diverticulitis, again requiring surgery. Shane Carwin steps into the main-event vs. dos Santos.

• Bellator 44, Hector Lombard extends his unbeaten streak to 23 appearances with a third round knockout over Falaniko Vitale, while All-American wrestler Michael Chandler was victorious over Patricky "Pitbull" Freire in the Season 4 Lightweight Tournament Finals

• Consequently, we now know Michael Chandler will be Eddie Alvarez's next test for the promotion's 155lbs title

• After a number of options fell through including Shane Nelson, Jamie Varner, and Antonio McKee, Dream - Fight for Japan finally secured UFC veteran Rich Clementi as a short notice opponent for promotion lightweight champion Shinya Aoki.

• Antonio "Big Foot" Silva was in the news when he had critical words for fellow Strikeforce heavyweight Josh Barnett; Silva believes Barnett has always slighted Brazilian fighters, and looks to face him at some point during the Strikeforce HWGP.

• B.J. Penn calls out Jake Shields via twitter; Shields welcomes the challenge

• One-time UFC middleweight title challenger Chael Sonnen receives an indefinite suspension from the NSAC for testing positive for excessively high testosterone levels during his fight with Anderson Silva at UFC 117. The penalty would later be reduced to a 12 month suspension.

• Rumors swirl that Nick Diaz will face Georges St. Pierre at UFC 140, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada later this year. UFC preseident Dana White would later deny there is any truth to the speculation.

• Hermes Franca turns himself in on charges of sexual abuse in the State of Oregon and is released by MFC; Franca used to operate a BJJ facility out of Oregon, but now makes his home in Florida.

• Canadian Ryan Ford deals UFC veteran Karo Parisyan another disappointing loss after stopping the Armenian Judo ace at MMA Live 1 in London, Ontario, Canada via doctor stoppage when a thudding knee opened a severe gash on Parisyan's forehead.

• Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, despite sporadic activity of late remains in the title picture at 205lbs with an easy decision victory over Matt "The Hammer" Hamill at UFC 130. Rampage was tabbed to fight Jon Jones this fall for the title, but may face a 6-month medical suspension for a fractured hand (pending x-ray results).

• Brian Stann spoiled Jorge Santiago's return to the octagon with a second round TKO stoppage at UFC 130; Stann continues his march up the 185lbs ladder.

• Rick Story also climbed into the welterweight top-five with a solid decision victory over a game Thiago Alves. Story called out Jon Fitch immediately afterward, but Fitch has maintained he's not interested in the match-up (curiously)

• Frank Mir also stayed relevant in the heavyweight division with his second consecutive victory at UFC 130 when he defeated Roy Nelson via unanimous decision

• Dream 17, Shinya Aoki defeats Rich Clementi via neck-crank, while Masakazu Imanari and Hideo Tokoro advance to the Dream Bantamweight Tournament Final.

• Strikeforce announces Dan Henderson vs. Fedor Emelianenko for their July 30, 2011 card. The highly anticipated match-up which has been rumored for months will be contested at heavyweight

• Dream announces that promotion champions Gegard Mousasi and Hiroyuki Takaya will defend their titles at Dream 17, July 16, 2011

• Shooto and Sengoku 143lbs champion Hatsu Hioki announces that he will relinquish his titles under the Japanese promotions to pursue accolades on a 'new stage'. As well, the grappling ace will attend UFC 131 in Vancouver, Canada, hint hint**

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MMA Combat - Title Fights Added to Dream 17, Tavares Replaces Miller at UFC 132

Dream LHW Champ, Gegard Mousasi

MMA Combat - Title Fights Added to Dream 17, Tavares Replaces Miller at UFC 132

The fight card for Dream 17 has recently been bolstered by the addition of two title fights promotion officials announced on Monday, May 30. Dream 17 is set to take place July 16, at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan, and will also feature the finals of the Dream Bantamweight Tournament.

Light heavyweight title holder Gegard Mousasi (30-3-2) will take on 2004 Olympic Games Judo silver medalist Hiroshi Izumi (4-1-0) as "The Dreamcatcher" looks to bounce back from a disappointing yet controversial draw with UFC veteran Keith Jardine in April of this year. Mousasi is a perfect 7-0 under the Dream banner while Izumi is a winner in four-straight appearances under both the K-1 and Sengoku RC promotions.

As well, featherweight titleholder Hiroyuki Takaya (15-9-1) will square off with wrestling ace, Kazuyuki Miyata (11-7-0) who has found his stride of late winning 6 consecutive bouts including his most recent against UFC veteran Caol Uno. Takaya last appeared April 9, 2011, at Strikeforce - Diaz vs. Daley where he dropped a split decision to Robert Peralta.

Also in the news, TUF alumnus and Season 11 semifinalist, Brad Tavares (7-0-0) will replace Jason Miller at UFC 132 - Cruz vs. Faber II this July 2, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he'll take on Aaron Simpson (9-2-0). Perfect to start his professional career, Tavares has only been to the judges cards once thus far in seven outings, while stopping five of his opponents inside the first round.

Simpson, who also posted seven-consecutive wins to begin his career, will now look to make it two straight after coming off a one-sided victory against Mario Miranda this past March 26, at UFC - Fight Night 24. Jason Miller recently signed-on to coach opposite Michael Bisping on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter (14) after Chael Sonnen was handed down a 12 month suspension by the California State Athletic Commission for a positive doping test following UFC 117 where he contested the promotion's 185lbs title.


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MMA Combat - Dream 17 - Fight for Japan

MMA Combat - Dream 17 - Fight for Japan

May 29, 2011, the Saitama Super Arena, in Saitama, Japan hosted Dream 17 - Fight for Japan. The event featured the promotion's Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal and Semifinal match-ups, as well as a highly publicized appearance for Shinya Aoki who's opponent for the evening was uncertain until a mere 10 days ago when UFC veteran Rich Clementi took the fight on short notice.

Reports from the event, which did not air live in Japan or the United States, speak of Aoki (28-5-0) utilizing his superior grappling ability, achieving a back-mount on his opponent for nearly the duration of the first round, while peppering Clementi (40-20-1) with shots. "No Love" survived the first frame but experienced much of the same in the second when Aoki took his back once more; softening the American with blows, the Dream lightweight ace stopped Clementi at 2:32 of the second round via neck-crank.

In tournament action, Masakazu Imanari (23-8-2) and Hideo Tokoro (29-23-1) saw their way through to Bantamweight Grand Prix Finals defeating Kenji Osawa and Atsushi Yamamoto respectively in the semifinals.

Other results from the evening can be found below:

Bantamweight Tournament Semifinals
Masakazu Imanari def. Kenji Osawa via submission (Achilles lock) - Round 2, 0:58
Bantamweight Tournament Semifinals
Hideo Tokoro def. Atsushi Yamamoto via split decision

Shinya Aoki def. Rich Clementi via submission (neck crank) - Round 2, 2:17
Katsunori Kikuno def. Daisuke Nakamura via unanimous decision
Caol Uno def. Akiyo "Wicky" Nishiura via unanimous decision
Takeshi Inoue def. Koichiro Matsumoto via TKO (strikes) - Round, 6:51
Joachim Hansen def. Mitsuhiro Ishida via split decision

Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinals
Kenji Osawa def. Takafumi Otsuka via split decision
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinals
Masakazu Imanari def. Keisuke Fujiwara via unanimous decision
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinals
Hideo Tokoro def. Yoshiro Maeda via TKO (corner's stoppage) - Round 2, 0:43
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinals
Atsushi Yamamoto def. Yusaku Nakamura via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 8:43


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MMA Combat - Ford Victorious, Stops Parisyan via Doctor Stoppage

MMA Combat - Ford Victorious, Stops Parisyan via Doctor Stoppage

The tough times continue for UFC veteran Karo Parisyan (19-7-0) as the Armenian dropped his second-straight contest on Thursday, May 19 at MMA Live 1 at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario, Canada; "The Heat" - who has picked up a victory once once in his last five bouts - went toe-to-toe with Canadian, Ryan "The Real Deal" Ford (15-3-0) in a welterweight showdown that headlined the evening's card.

Parisyan utilized his superior grappling technique early to gain favorable positions on the ground, but had to survive some scary moments standing as Ford pressed forward with an aggressive attack. Just as the Judoka seemed to be settling in for the decision victory, Ford landed a thudding knee that buckled his opponent, while opening a huge gash on his forehead. The ringside physician stopped the contest at 1:26 of the third round, handing Edmonton's Ryan Ford his third win in a row.

“My corner said 'get your head together and do something. Finish this fight now'... So I made sure to go out and finish the fight.” stated Ford in his post-fight interview.

Parisyan's next move is anyone's guess; many fighters have difficulty coping with losses, but Karo's recent past is one highlighted by struggles with anxiety, among other things, and it's increasingly difficult to say whether or not he'll bounce back stronger. At only 28 years old, Parisyan is still a remarkable talent with plenty of mileage left if he plays his cards right. Will "The Heat" re-capture the desire that made him one of the UFC's top welterweight contenders? Only time will tell, but we'll stay optimistic.


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MMA Combat - Hermes Franca Arrested, Released by MFC

MMA Combat - Hermes Franca Arrested, Released by MFC

One-time UFC lightweight title challenger and nine-year veteran of sport, Hermes Franca (22-12-0), has been arrested in the State of Oregon on alleged charges of sexual abuse.

Franca formerly owned and operated a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school out of Clackamas, Oregon, which is where the charges were laid; he turned himself into state authorities on Monday, May 16. Examiner.com broke the news on Thursday, and it has since been reported that the 36-year old had bail set at $250 000 with a trial scheduled for July 12 at 9 am PST in the Clackamas County Courthouse in Oregon City, Ore.

Maximum Fighting Championship had matched up Franca with fellow UFC veteran Drew Fickett (41-13-0) for their June 10 event, where the two would contest the promotion's lightweight title. Plans have since changed; MFC Owner and President Mark Pavelich had the following remarks regarding Franca's pending charges, and his relationship with the organization after competing three times in the month of April:

“Mr. Franca’s legal situation is a matter in the hands of law enforcement officials and soon to be going before the courts... Because of that, there will not be any further comment on those allegations, but I have taken immediate action to indicate that he is no longer going to be part of my organization.”

“Mr. Franca breached his contract by fighting outside of the organization only 15 days after his bout at MFC 29, and then he fought again six days after that in Brazil and lost,” said Pavelich. “I find these actions to be incredibly disrespectful to my company and Mr. Franca is no longer welcome as part of the Maximum Fighting Championship.”


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MMA Combat - St. Pierre vs. Diaz at UFC 140?

MMA Combat - St. Pierre vs. Diaz at UFC 140?

Montreal’s David Simon, host of Ringside Report Radio on ‘The Team’ 990 AM and owner/writer for www.ringsidereport.net posted yesterday on his official twitter account that not only would the UFC return to “La Belle Province” for UFC 140 – expected to take place December 10, 2011 – but that UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre (22-2-0) would likely defend his belt at the event, most probably, against Stockton, California’s favorite son, Nick Diaz (25-7-0).

“#UFC140 December 10 at the Bell Centre. Get ready #Montreal. The #UFC is coming back!!!!”

“Nick Diaz vs. GSP is a possibility for the main event of #UFC140 on December 10 in #Montreal.”

The speculation comes on the heels of a radio interview Simon conducted with UFC Director of Operations Tom Wright on Wednesday, May 18. The promotion has achieved great successes in Montreal thus far, and looks to maintain close ties with the city and market going forward.

“We know how important this market is to us and putting on great fights,” Wright said. “It’s a great venue (Bell Centre), it’s a great fan-base, it’s a great environment. The energy in that building is as good as any building in North America. We’ll always have a soft spot for Montreal.”


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MMA Combat - UFC's Chael Sonnen Suspended Indefinitely

MMA Combat - UFC's Chael Sonnen Suspended Indefinitely


On Wednesday, May 18, the California State Athletic Commission by a vote of 4-1 decided to uphold the suspension of one-time UFC middleweight title challenger, Chael Sonnen (25-11-1). The promotion had plans to feature Sonnen as a coach opposite Michael Bisping on the next season of The Ultimate Figther reality series, but yesterday's ruling has effectively put an end to that agenda, and potentially the 34 year old, Oregon native's career.

Sonnen's nine-month journey with the CSAC began last August when his pre-fight sample was flagged for elevated testosterone levels; Sonnen took four hard-fought rounds from champion, Anderson Silva on August 7, 2010, before succumbing to an arm-bar submission in round five.

The California Code of Regulations explicitly states that licensees for boxing and mixed martial arts may have their licenses revoked for conduct which discredits their sport. One month ago, the CSAC announced that Sonnen would be suspended indefinitely on the back on two violations; one, that Sonnen was found to have made untruthful statements under oath at a December 2nd hearing, and two, for pleading guilty to money-laundering on April 8, 2011, in his home state of Oregon.

“I’ve worked for this chance my whole life, since I was nine, and I don’t want to retire today,” Sonnen stated at yesterday's hearing. “I volunteered in my community 18 hours a week the last decade. Never had a drop of alcohol in my life. Never smoked anything... I’m truly embarrassed from the last hearing and until now... I will not make these mistakes again. I will not ask for forgiveness again. Please just let me go back to work.”

Those words fell on deaf ears; as the common sentiment held by CSAC officials could be summed up in the remarks of Commissioner Eugene Hernandez: “Past actions are the best indicator of future performance.”

A formal announcement has not been made regarding Sonnen's future with the UFC and his career in general; tune in for updates as this story continues to unfold.


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MMA Combat - A -250 Favorite, dos Santos Predicts Knockout

Shane Carwin has big KO power

MMA Combat - A -250 Favorite, dos Santos Predicts Knockout

Zuffa Extends Additional Medical-Insurance to All Contracted Fighters

Zuffa CEO Lorenzo Fertitta

Monday, May 9, Zuffa officials announced today - at a four-day fighter summit in Las Vegas, Nevada - that all fighters under contract with their promotions, the UFC and Strikeforce, would now be afforded accident-insurance coverage.

Formerly, only injuries sustained during a contracted fight would be covered in full by the organization, which was in compliance with requirements by the regulatory state-athletic commissions; but today's announcement ensures that all injuries, including those suffered in training, will be taken care of by the parent company.

UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta had to follow to say:

"Our athletes are some of the very best in the world, and we've committed significant financial resources to provide them with insurance that complements the gold standard we have set for event-related coverage," UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta stated in today's announcement. "We’re pleased to provide coverage that enables our athletes to seek and receive treatment for injuries sustained while preparing for bouts."

The organization's policy will now include 24-hour worldwide medical-life insurance and dental coverage with Zuffa picking up 100% of all premiums; Houston Casualty is the third party provider and a full-time claims processor will reportedly be in-house.

"As this sport continues to grow, we have been working hard to secure additional insurance coverage so that our athletes can perform at the highest levels," UFC president Dana White added. "We're proud to give our athletes access to this type of insurance."

How much the additional coverage will cost Zuffa is yet to be reported, but with 350+ athletes under contract further elaboration on the subject is expected shortly.


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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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