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 - Kampmann vs. Story, Rosa vs. Maldonado Confirmed

MMA Combat - Kampmann vs. Story, Rosa vs. Maldonado Confirmed

Wednesday, August 17, UFC officials announced that welterweight contenders Martin Kampmann (17-5-0) and Rick Story (13-4-0) will square off this coming November at UFC 139 - dos Santos vs. Velasquez in San Jose, California.

Danish striker Martin Kampmann, who now fights out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Nevada, is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career when razor-close decisions failed to go his way against Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez respectively. 4-3-0 since vacating the middleweight division for the welterweight ranks, "Hitman" will be desperate to pick up a win against the powerhouse wrestler that is Story.

Rick "Horror" Story made considerable waves in the division his past May when he capped a 6-fight winning streak with a unanimous decision over one-time title challenger Thiago Alves. Riding the high from that contest, Story accepted a short notice fight against Nate Marquardt scheduled less than one month after his previous bout, but failed medicals saw Marquardt get replaced by Charlie Brenneman and "The Spaniard" made his opportunity count as he out-wrestled the hulking story en route to a unanimous decision win. Now looking to recapture some of that hype, Story will try to get back in the win column against the tough veteran in Kampmann later this year.

Also announced Wednesday, Aaron Rosa will make his return to the light heavyweight division when he battles Brazilian slugger, Fabio Maldonado at UFC Live 6 - Johnson vs. Cruz, scheduled to go down October 1 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.. A veteran of both Strikeforce and Bellator FC, Rosa came up short in his UFC debut this past June, suffering a TKO defeat at the hands of Joey Beltran. Team Nogueira representative Fabio Maldonado made a successful promotion debut at UFC 120, picking up a TKO victory against TUF alumnus James McSweeney; however, a second bout against Kyle Kingsbury would lead to a controversial decision defeat, despite the considerable damage Maldonado was able to inflict throughout the contest at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale, June 4.


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MMA Combat - Gamburyan Withdraws From UFC 135

MMA Combat - Gamburyan Withdraws From UFC 135

TUF finalist and one-time WEC featherweight title challenger, Manny "The Anvil" Gamburyan (11-6-0), has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled fight with Nova Uniao standout, Diego Nunes (16-2-0) citing a shoulder injury via his twitter account on Monday, a familiar problem for the Judoka who dislocated his shoulder during the Ultimate Fighter Season 5 Finale in 2007.

“I’m [off] from the UFC 135 card. I hurt my shoulder and MRI is not looking good,” Gamburyan wrote. “I just wanna say sorry to [all] my friends and fans. I’ll [be] back!”

Gamburyan [30] returned to the octagon this past June for the first time since January of 2009, when back to back losses at lightweight saw him vacate the division for the featherweight ranks. At UFC Live 4, June 26, Gamburyan fought a man in a similar position in Tyson Griffin, but was handed a unanimous decision defeat in his first fight after challenging champion Jose Aldo for his 145lbs strap. A replacement for Gamburyan has not yet been announced, but with more than five weeks before the event, which takes place September 24 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, it's expected the promotion will find another opponent for the tough Brazilian.


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MMA Combat - Zuffa Releases Trio of Golden Glory Fighters

MMA Combat - Zuffa Releases Trio of Golden Glory Fighters

Wednesday, August 3, 2011, Golden Glory trainer and coach, Martijn De Jong, announced via his twitter account that the Dutch gym had three additional fighters released from their Zuffa contracts; the news comes on the back of Friday's report that former Strikeforce heavyweight champion, Alistair Overeem, had been cut from the roster after declaring his intention to fight for another promotion this October, after declining a fight in September with Strikeforce.

Brother Valentijn Overeem, ADCC champion John Einemo, and shockingly, former Strikeforce women's welterweight champion Marloes Coenen, have now been added to that list as suggested by De Jong.

“I am very disappointed to let you know that Marloes Coenen, John Einemo and Valentijn Overeem have been cut from Strikeforce [and the] UFC,” de Jong wrote Wednesday.

Coenen was recently featured in the co-main event at Strikeforce - Fedor vs. Henderson, July 30, as she put her title on the line against Alpha Male's Miesha Tate. Tate forced Coenen to tap from a submission for the first time in her career when she secured an arm-in triangle choke in the fourth round of a very competitive bout, becoming the new 135lbs champion with the victory

Einemo fought only once under contract with Zuffa when he was stopped on strikes at UFC 131 in June by Dave Herman. It's also worth noting that Einemo was awared fight of the night honors (and a handsome bonus) for his showing inside the octagon that night. At 29-26-0, Valentijn Overeem put together three consecutive wins before turtling under fire when a determined Chad Griggs opened up on him, forcing the TKO stoppage at 2:08 of the first round, June 18, at Strikeforce - Overeem vs. Werdum.


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MMA Combat - UFC Headed Back to Toronto, Silva Inks Deal with Nike

MMA Combat - UFC Headed Back to Toronto, Silva Inks Deal with Nike

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is headed North again as the promotion looks to host its second show in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, December 10, 2011, at the Air Canada Center - home to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors franchises. The news was first reported by ESPN Tuesday who referenced Zuffa chairman and CEO, Lorenzo Fertitta as their source.

No bouts have officially been announced for the card, which will be taken in by roughly 20 000 live spectators as opposed to the 55 000+ that played witness to the promotion's first ever Ontario event, April 29 of this year at the Rogers Center.

Also making headlines, UFC middleweight champion, Anderson Silva, has locked into a sponsorship deal with Nike Apparel becoming the first Brazilian mixed martial artist to do so when the 36 year old put pen-to-paper. The partnership was revealed Tuesday by director of sports marketing - Nike Brazil, Luis Alexandre.

Silva will join Japanese talents Yoshihiro Akiyama, Caol Uno, and Kazuyuki Miyata who are also backed by the brand as "The Spider" continues to accumulate big-name sponsors with the help of 9ine Sports Marketing, a firm founded by Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldo. In 2011 alone, Silva has added Burger King, Corinthians SC, and now Nike to his portfolio of partners.


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MMA Combat - Strikeforce Releases Alistair Overeem

MMA Combat - Strikeforce Releases Alistair Overeem

Strikeforce heavyweight champion, Alistair "The Demolition Man" Overeem has reportedly been released by the promotion who exercised that contractual right with one fight remaining on the fighter's contract. HDNet's Inside MMA initially broke the news Friday, July 29, but to many it will not come as a surprise with Overeem announcing Thursday his intention to fight this October for a Netherlands-based show promoted by his trainer at Golden Glory, Martin De Jong.

Undefeated in mixed martial arts competition since 2007 (a streak spanning eleven fights), Overeem has finished 33 of 35 career wins inside the distance with 14 [T]KOs and 19 submissions on record. The Dutch Striker last competed June 18, defeating Fabricio Werdum via unanimous decision and achieved new personal heights in 2010 by winning the K-1 World Heavyweight Grand Prix.

The news will surely send shock-waves through the MMA world as we await comment out of Overeem's camp. With seldom a top-ten talent outside the Zuffa banner, Overeem's intention to dip his toes in the boxing ring may not be as far fetched as once believed. Until then, he'll return to pummeling under-whelming competition inside Japanese promotions who have maintained close ties with the hulking heavyweight, or at least that's this writer's best guess.


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MMA Combat - Strikeforce - Fedor vs. Henderson, Results

MMA Combat - Strikeforce - Fedor vs. Henderson, Results

Strikeforce - Fedor vs. Henderson went live from the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, Saturday, July 30, 2011, and featured a heavyweight contest between "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko and current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, Dan Henderson.

Being tabbed as one of the most highly anticipated bouts of the year, if not all-time, the first round did not disappoint as the two legends swarmed each other with big power punches that threatened both men early on; finding the clinch Henderson pressed Emelianenko against the cage and the two jockeyed for position, while catching their wind for the second flurry of action that was to come.

As they separated, Emelianenko moved forward once more with an onslaught of strikes that sent "Hendo" reeling to the mat in defense; as the Russian aggressively looked for the finish, Henderson was able to catch a leg and slip out from underneath his foe before landing a devastating upper-cut that saw Emelianenko's posture go limp if only for a second. Following up with swift strikes from the top, Henderson forced the stoppage as referee Herb Dean jumped in to halt the action at 4:12 of the first round, declaring Dan Henderson the winner of this all-time classic encounter.

In the co-main event, Alpha Male representative Miesha Tate was able to win the war of attrition as both ladies had their moments throughout the four-rounds of championship action. Entering the fourth anyone's match, Tate looked the more exhausted of the two combatants until a powerful take-down drove Coenen to the mat. Setting up an arm-in triangle choke, Tate was able to advance position from one-side of the champion's body to the other in order to secure the hold; with no avenue for escape, Tate forced the tap, becoming the first woman to do so against the seasoned dutch fighter. The win crowns Miesha Tate as the new Strikeforce women's welterweight champion.

Other results from the card are round below:

1 Gabriel Salinas-Jones def. Bryan Humes via Submission (Brabo Choke) rd3 1:19
2 Derek Brunson def. Lumumba Sayers via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) rd1 4:33
3 Alexis Davis def. Julie Kedzie via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
4 Tyler Stinson def. Eduardo Pamplona via KO (Punch) rd1 0:15
5 Gesias Cavalcante def. Bobby Green via Decision (Split) rd3 5:00
6 Tarec Saffiedine def. Scott Smith via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
7 Tyron Woodley def. Paul Daley via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
8 Tim Kennedy def. Robbie Lawler via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
9 Miesha Tate def. Marloes Coenen via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) rd4 3:03
10 Dan Henderson def. Fedor Emelianenko via TKO (Punches) rd1 4:12


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MMA Combat - Antonio Silva Switches Camps Ahead of Semi-Final Bout with Cormier

MMA Combat - Antonio Silva Switches Camps Ahead of Semi-Final Bout with Cormier

Alex Davis, currant manager of Strikeforce heavyweight, Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, has announced his fighter's permanent move from Imperial Athletics to Team Nogueira in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, citing organizational concerns at his former camp. The transition has taken place with approximately a month and a half of preparation time to go, before Silva squares off with AKA trained, former Olympic wrestler, Daniel Cormier September 10, on SHOWTIME in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix semi-finals.

"Minotauro asked Antonio to come help him for his upcoming fight against Schaub in Rio de Janeiro," Davis told MMAjunkie.com. "We all go way back – 'Minotauro' helped Antonio a lot in the beginning of his career and has continued helping since. Antonio actually calls Nogueira Godfather."

"I think Antonio came down to Brazil to help Minotauro and felt real comfortable training with Minotauro, Anderson Silva, Junior Dos Santos, Rafael Feijao Cavalcante and the rest of the camp. Like I said, we all go way back, and Team Nogueira is definitely one of the best places to train at the moment – even more so since everyone has fights coming up."

When speaking of Silva's change in opponent (click here for details on Overeem's departure) Davis had the following to say, but maintained Silva's ultimate goal of capturing the Grand Prix title to therefore get his shot at champion, Alistair Overeem.

"Antonio was fighting a tall striker, and now he faces a short wrestler," Davis said. "He was facing a big name, now he is facing an up-and-comer, which does not in any way take away from Daniel's capacity as a fighter. I think it's a tough fight... With this move to Team Nogueira, I think we'll continue to see improvement's in Antonio's game. We just hope that the problem with Overeem's toe was not life-threatening or anything. Hopefully he gets better soon so Antonio can beat him."


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MMA Combat - Overeem Scheduled for October, Not with Strikeforce

MMA Combat - Overeem Scheduled for October, Not with Strikeforce

In communications with MMAJunkie.com Alistair Overeem's trainer, Martin De Jong, expressed that the Golden Glory product and Strikeforce heavyweight champion would compete this coming October in a Netherlands-based event called United Glory, promoted by De Jong.

"Since he is out of the [Strikeforce] tourney, we need to keep him busy, and I am honored to have him fighting at my show," wrote De Jong on Wednesday evening.

Comment from Zuffa officials is not yet available, but the news is sure to ruffle some feathers following Overeem's departure from the Grand Prix, which has its semi-final round scheduled for September 10, at SHOWTIME's request. UFC president, Dana White, at that time indicated the promotion would get him another fight as soon as his broken toe heals, but Overeem seems to be going ahead with his original plan to compete in October, under the Strikeforce banner or not.

Overeem last fought on June 18, defeating fellow top-ten heavyweight Fabricio Werdum via unanimous decision in the quarterfinal round of the aforementioned Grad Prix. He has not been defeated in mixed martial arts competition since his September 2007 loss at the hands of Sergei Kharitonov (who will appear in the semi-finals himself Sept 10), a streak spanning eleven appearances.


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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 - Bellator 47 - Results

MMA Combat - Bellator 47 - Results

Saturday, July 23, Bellator Fighting Championships went live from Casino Rama in Orillia, Ontario, Canada in what was the Chicago-based promotion's first show North of the Border. The event featured the semi-finals of the Bellator Summer Series Featherweight Tournament, with once-beaten Nazareno Malegarie squaring off with former Sengoku champ and Nova Uniao standout, Marlon Sandro; while top-ranked European, Ronny Mann, towed the line against one-time lightweight title challenger, Pat Curran on the other side of the bracket.

In the evening's co-main event and the first semi-final pairing, Sandro took the center of the cage early, looking to dictate the action with a measured stand-up attack. Landing a big right hand half way through the round, Sandro staggered Malegarie who began to look for the takedown more frequently with little success. As he settled into his groove, the Brazilian - who has now posted wins in five of his previous six outings - started to showcase a well rounded game complete with punches, kicks, knees and even the occasional takedown. It was all too much for Malegarie on Saturday night, as the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black-belt searched for answers that never came before his fifteen minutes were up, with all three judges scoring the contest 30-27 in favor of the Nova Uniao fighter.

The main-event saw England's Ronnie Mann take on 2010 lightweight tournament winner, Pat Curran; controlling the center of the cage, the larger Curran used more effective counter striking and a handful of flying knees to keep Mann cautious and at-bay throughout the bout. Mann never found his timing, and despite finishing rounds two and three strong it was too little too late, as all three judges scored the fight in the American's favor, sending Curran through to the tournament finals where he will face Marlon Sandro for the right to challenge 145lbs promotion champion, Joe Warren later this year.

Other results from Bellator 47 are found below:

1 Alex Ricci def. Alka Matewa via TKO (Elbows and Punches) rd 2 2:40
2 William Romero def. Daniel Langbeen via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
3 Alexandre Bezerra def. Jesse Gross via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) rd1 1:28
4 Neil Grove def. Zak Jensen via TKO (Punches) rd1 2:00
5 Chris Horodecki def. Chris Saunders via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
6 Marlon Sandro def. Nazareno Malegarie via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
7 Pat Curran def. Ronnie Mann via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00

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MMA Combat - Strikeforce - Challengers 17, Results

MMA Combat - Strikeforce - Challengers 17, Results

Strikeforce Challengers 17 took place Friday, July 22, at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was headlined by a welterweight bout with Bobby Voelker taking on Roger Bowling in what was the third time these two combatants have squared off inside the cage.

Despite a strong start by Cincinnati's Roger Bowling - who was able to produce significant offense in the first, nearly stopping his opponent after a big left hook to finish the round - it was not to be his night as the veteran Voelker caught his man with a powerful knee from the clinch, staggering Bowling before the ensuing onslaught of strikes brought an end to the contest at 2:16 of round 2.

With the win, "Vicious" Bobby Voelker (32) improves his record to 24-8-0 (4-1 SF), while "Relentless" Roger Bowling (28) drops to 9-2-0 (2-2 SF) with both losses coming at the hands of Friday's adversary.

In women's action, former 135lbs champion and British Columbia, Canada, native Sarah Kaufman (14-1-0) handled one-time title challenger Liz Carmouche (5-2-0) over three rounds as solid take-down defense and superior boxing technique won the night for Kaufman who has won consecutive bouts since losing her title to current champion Marloes Coenen in October of 2010. Carmouche, who challenged Coenen in March of this year, succumbing to a fourth-round triangle choke, has now been defeated in back to back contests as she returns to the drawing board.

Other results from the card are found below:

1 Sterling Ford def. Brian McLaughlin via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
2 Bill Cooper def. Maka Watson via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) rd2 2:39
3 Anthony Smith def. Ben Lagman via KO (Punch) rd2 0:33
4 T.J. Cook def. Lionel Lanham via TKO (Punches) rd1 4:59
5 Adlan Amagov def. Ronald Stallings via Decision (Split) rd3 5:00
6 Sarah Kaufman def. Liz Carmouche via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
7 Ovince St. Preux def. Joe Cason via Submission (Punches) rd1 1:12
8 Devin Cole def. Shawn Jordan via Decision (Unanimous) rd3 5:00
9 Bobby Voelker def. Roger Bowling via TKO (Knee and Punches) rd2 2:16


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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.”


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MMA Combat - Life After the UFC Begins, Marquardt Signs with BAMMA

MMA Combat - Life After the UFC Begins, Marquardt Signs with BAMMA

Former UFC middleweight title-challenger, Nate Marquardt (31-10-2) has officially found a new home, as British promotion BAMMA (British Association of Mixed Martial Arts) announced the signing of the Team Jackson representative today, inking the veteran to a multi-fight deal.

“As soon as we received word that the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission lifted Marquardt’s suspension, we jumped at the chance to sign him,” BAMMA Vice President Liam Fisher said. “He is a top-ranked contender and an asset to any promotion. Words cannot express how excited we are that Marquardt is now fighting under the BAMMA banner.”

Marquardt's highly publicized dismissal from the UFC has resulted in some of the most trying times to-date for the 32-year old out of Grudge Training Center in Colorado. But with today's announcement, "The Great" hopes to get things back on track as he looks forward to new opportunities.

“Now that my suspension has been lifted and I’ve found a home with a new fight promotion, I can move forward and turn my focus back to my fight career,” Marquardt said. “This has been an extremely difficult time, and I’m very thankful to those who stood by me.”

“Offers came in from several fight promotions, but we felt that BAMMA was definitely the best fit,” he said. “They put on high-quality shows, stack their cards with top-level fighters and sign those fighters to multi-fight deals. They are also the only fight organization in the UK that implements PED testing. To be honest, that is one of the main reasons that we chose BAMMA. I want to prove to my fans and to the world that I’m the real deal and that I belong on top.”

The former middleweight contender that recently announced his return to the welterweight ranks owns 15 victories by way of submission in a career with more notable wins than most have fights. While friends, family, and teammates supported Marquardt after his sudden released from the UFC (click here for background story), many went public with their disapproval; Marquardt looks to settle the score with those who called him out, at first opportunity inside the cage.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to fighting, and there are some guys out there that I would definitely like to get my hands on. I’m talking about the fighters that kicked me while I was down. BAMMA is known for signing top talent, so I may just get my chance.”

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MMA Combat - Faber vs. Bowles Tabbed for UFC 139

MMA Combat - Faber vs. Bowles Tabbed for UFC 139

A second 'big-time' bantamweight contest was announced on Thursday by UFC officials - see Cruz vs. Johnson for first - as former WEC featherweight champion and one-time UFC bantamweight title challenger, Urijah Faber (25-5-0) has verbally agreed to a fight with once beaten, former WEC bantamweight champion Brian Bowles (10-1-0) at UFC 139 - Velasquez vs. dos Santos. The event is scheduled for November 19, 2011, at the H-P Pavilion in San Jose, California.

Faber challenged Dominick Cruz earlier this month for the promotion's 135lbs title at UFC 132 - Cruz vs. Faber, dropping a unanimous decision over five rounds of action, while picking up fight of the night honors for his efforts. "The California Kid" has finished more than half of his opponents by submission, with thirteen to his name. Representing Team Alpha Male, the California native is 1-1 inside the octagon and 6-4 in his last ten bouts. With a great deal of 'big fight' experience under his belt, Faber has been stopped only twice in thirty professional fights.

Bowles also made an appearance at UFC 132, notching a unanimous decision victory over tough Japanese talent Takeya Mizugaki. The former champ has won two-straight bouts inside the octagon since losing his title to Dominick Cruz in March of 2010. Fighting out of Athens, Georgia, Bowles (31) has a solid mix of wrestling and boxing ability that has seen him pick up notable wins over Miguel Torres, Marcos Galvao, Damacio Page (2), and Charlie Valencia.

UFC Heavyweight Championship
Cain Velasquez (No. 1 HW) vs. Junior dos Santos (No. 4 HW)

Chris Weidman vs. Tom Lawlor


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MMA Combat - Swanson First Fighter to Use UFC Accident-Insurance Coverage

MMA Combat - Swanson First Fighter to Use UFC Accident-Insurance Coverage

28-year old WEC import, Cub Swanson (15-4-0) is officially the first fighter under contract with Zuffa to use the company's newly secured accident-insurance coverage, maxing out his annual allowance at $50 000 after a severe sparring injury left the UFC featherweight with a broken jaw, as well as orbital, cheek, and nasal fractures.

The incident occurred June 2, when a training partner at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, inadvertently kneed Swanson flush in the face during an intense sparring session. According to Swanson, who spoke with MMAJunkie.com on Thursday, UFC veteran Joe Stevenson as well as seven or so other training partners accompanied him to the hospital.

"I'm officially the first person to ever use it," said Swanson. "But I guess if I do something, I do it big. That's kind of my thing."

Thankful for the help that saved him a considerable amount of bank, Swanson is eager to repay the organization with his performances inside the Octagon, once the healing process is complete of course, as the fighter continues to feed on an all-liquid diet seven weeks out from the night the injury was first incurred.

"We knew it'd be tough for them to find a company willing to insure 400 ultimate fighters," Swanson said. "I'm glad they found it. And they said the coverage that we have is a start, and I believe it'll evolve into even better coverage... I'm super thankful. I can't wait to get back in there and repay them."

Swanson last fought in November of 2010, notching a split-decision victory over Mackens Semerzier at WEC 52 - Faber vs. Mizugaki. The Team Jackson product was 5-3 inside the WEC cage before amalgamation.

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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 - Bellator 48 Complete with Nine Bouts

MMA Combat - Bellator 48 Complete with Nine Bouts

The fight card for Bellator 48, August 20, at the Mohegan Sun in Unicasville, Connecticut, is now complete with nine fights signed to the event. The third and final installment of their "Summer Series" set of shows, Bellator 48 will feature the finals for the promotion's Featherweight Grand Prix, with those spots being determined this coming weekend in the semi-final pairings at Bellator 47 in Orillia, Ontario, Saturday, July 23.

The main-card will also include a non-title heavyweight tilt pitting Bellator champion, Cole Konrad (7-0-0) against UFC veteran, Paul Buentello (29-13-0). Additionally, former UFC heavyweight champion, Ricco Rodriguez (46-11-0) will be making his Bellator debut when he takes on TUF alumnus, Seth Petruzelli (13-6-0).

Speaking with the Savage Dog Show on the Sherdog Radio Network, Rodriguez had the following to say regarding his new-found opportunity with Bellator FC:

“Bjorn [Rebney] went to the networks and fought for me. I’m grateful. I’ve been begging Bjorn for almost two years to get me in.… This opportunity will definitely change my life.”

The four fight main-card will be broadcasted live on MTV2 (The Score in Canada). Below is the full card.

MAIN CARD (MTV2)

Featherweight-tourney final
TBA vs. TBA
Cole Konrad vs. Paul Buentello (heavyweight non-title fight)
Seth Petruzelli vs. Ricco Rodriguez
Juan Barrante vs. Rene Nazare

PRELIMINARY CARD

John Clarke vs. Dan Cramer
Andrew Calandrelli vs. Matt Nice
Brett Oteri vs. Ryan Quinn
Nik Fekete vs. Mark Griffin
Saul Almeida vs. Tateki Matsuda

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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