Fight Night MMA's Blog

Dana White Talks UFC 133

2011-07-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

UFC pres Dana White talking with Ariel Helwani about UFC 133, his frustrations with Lyoto Machida, and Alistair Overeem.

UFC 130 Fight Card & Predictions

2011-05-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

Main Card:

Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill

Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson

Stefan Struve vs. Travis Browne

Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story

Brian Stann vs. Jorge Santiago

Preliminary Card on Spike TV:
Miguel Torres vs. Demetrious Johnson
Kendall Grove vs. Tim Boetsch

Preliminary Card on Facebook:
Gleison Tibau vs. Rafaello Oliveira
Michael McDonald vs. Chris Cariaso
Renan Barão vs. Cole Escovedo

UFC 130 Fight Predictions:

UFC 130 will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arenda in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs Matt "The Hammer" Hamill as the main event. Also fighting on the main card that night will be Frank Mir vs Roy Nelson, Stefen Struve vs Travis Browne, Thiago Silva vs Rick Story, and Brian Stann vs Jorge Santiago. (A very stacked main card considering the main event was originally supposed to be Edgar vs Maynard III, but both had to push the date back due to injury.) Now lets get to the fun part, lets talk fight predictions.

Brian Stann vs Jorge Santiago: Both fighters enter this bout undefeated in their last two fights, looking for a third victory in a row. Brian Stann last defeated heavy hitter Chris Leban by TKO in the 1st round! (Not an easy thing to do, Leban has a chin of solid brass) With that being said, Stann's obvious advantages in this fight are going to be his power and striking ability. He is also very emotionally charged for this fight since Brian Stann is a decorated Marine, and will be fighting on Memorial Day weekend. Jorge Santiago is a very, very well rounded fighter that has good striking, Judo, Jiu Jitsu, and good ground control/GnP. Santiago has notable wins over Chris Leban, Jeremy Horn, and Trevor Prangley. I foresee Santiago standing and banging with Stann at first, but ultimately trying to get him to the ground were he can better manage the power Stann's striking and power. If Santiago can get the take down he will be able to land some GnP while constantly looking for the submission. However, if Stann can keep it standing I don't think it will last longer than the 2nd round. Stann has so much power and gas in his tank that he can push the pace at 100% for all three rounds, one of which he can and will catch Jorge with a hard shot that will end it all. I predict Brian Stann by TKO or KO.

Thiago Alves vs Rick Story: Rick story called out Thiago Alves because he wants to beat a fighter that is both a high level striker and a top 5 ranked fighter in his weight class. Alves is exactly that, but be careful what you wish for... Rick Story is an AMAZING wrestler that has shown serious improvements in his striking getting a KO victory over Dustin Hazelett. But is he actually ready for Alves? My answer is no. Alves is such an accurate and devastating striker that I don't see Story's wrestling abilities preventing the inevitable barrage or punches Story will eat. However, I do see Story's conditioning helping him to out last Thiago, where he might be a more effective fighter against Alves later in the rounds. I see this fight being a back and forth battle, with Alves ultimatley coming out on top. My prediction, Thiago Alves wins by unanimous decision.

Stefan Struve vs Travis Browne: I really have not seen a lot of Travis Browne, and I am partial to Struve just cause I love watching the guy fight. (Win or lose.) Either way this fight goes I see it being an exciting fight for the fans. Both fighters are hungry to prove they are the real deal, and both fighters have all the tools to dispatch the other. The question is who will be the one that works harder for it, the fighter that wants it more. My fight prediction is Stefan Struve by Submission.

Frank Mir vs Roy Nelson: This is a very interesting fight for me, since these two have crossed paths before. Nelson defeated Mir at a Jiu-Jitsu tournament called Grapplers Quest way back before Nelson was also known as "that fat guy". I have a feeling Nelson wants to knock Mir out for two reasons: 1) He already defeated him on the ground. 2) Nelson has been dropping BOMBS on ALL his opponents lately, and is constantly looking for the knock out. The only issue I see with this is that stylistically Nelson is perfect for Mir in a striking battle. The way Nelson throws hay makers from the outside, he is going to run head first into a HARD strait left or right upper cut from Mir. I deffinatley think this fight will be a slug fest just like Roy vs Jr. My prediction, Mir by TKO.

Rampage Jackson vs Matt Hamill: The main event, Rampage vs The Hammer... Everyone says Hamill is under rated, underestimated and "can" beat Jackson. I honestly don't see how people are giving Hamill a much of a chance in this match up. Why, because he beat Tito Ortiz after Tito was already washed up and full of excuses? Now don't get me wrong, I'm not counting Hamill out... I'm just being realistic in stating Rampage is more on Jon Jones' level, and we all saw what happened to Hamill! (against a very novice Jon Jones at that) I do see some problems Hamill can pose to Rampage, but they all stem from Matt's wrestling, and Rampage is a lot better at wrestling than a lot of people give him credit for. Jackson can hang with Hamill's wrestling skills, the question we will all find out is can Hamill hang with Jackson's striking. My fight prediction for final fight of the card is Rampage by either KO or decision. Although he will be gunning for the KO all night, Hamill might have just enough in him to drag it out all three rounds.

Written by: Rudy Mogavero
Fight Night MMA

Paul Daley Talks Title Fight With Nick Diaz

2011-04-03T19:08:00.000-07:00

"I was fully motivated before Zuffa ever thought of purchasing. Like I say, I look up to Nick as a fighter. Being away from the UFC, he's the only other big name out there; the only other fight that really means something to the fans. So that was always a fight that I was after, and it was always a motivating factor for me, being away from the UFC and signing with Strikeforce, to get a shot at Nick and getting a title."

Former UFC welterweight contender and current Strikeforce title Challenger, Paul Daley, tells the media on yesterday's conference call that his motivation for signing with the San Jose based promotion was to fight Nick Diaz.

Coming off the announcement that ZUFFA LLC bought the promotion, Daley was very public about his desire to back out of the April 9 main event. However, cooler heads have prevailed and Daley stuck to his obligation to face the champ, Nick Diaz in San Diego.

Hughes Says Shields Will Be "A Pretty Easy Fight" For GSP

2011-03-25T15:54:00.000-07:00

"I think that's gonna be a pretty easy fight," Hughes said when asked about St-Pierre's upcoming fight against Jake Shields. "I really do. I think GSP's going to be able to do whatever he wants. Jake's not going to be able to get on top, so I just don't see him being effective really anywhere. I definitely don't think he's going to be able to take him down, and if Shields is on his back I just don't see him being effective. I have to really wonder why he got a title shot in the first place... but, I'll tell you why he got a title shot is there's no one else."

Former welterweight champ Matt Hughes recently did an interview with fivenuckles.com where he stated the above about Jake Shields. The former Strikeforce champ has not lost a match in 6 years, and is widely considered one of the best bjj practitioners alive. But none the less, the former champ has no issues with letting the world know what he thinks about Jake Shields and how he will do April 30th.

Sneak Peak: Team Lesnar vs Team Dos Santos

2011-03-25T15:31:00.000-07:00

Sneak Peek: Team Lesnar vs Team Dos Santos
Tags: ">Watch The Ultimate Fighter

Rashad Evans Sets Up New Camp At Imperial Athletics

2011-03-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

Mixedmartialarts.com recently reported that former champion Rashad Evans has set up his new training camp at Imperial Athletics in Florida.

The Report reads as follows:

When a knee injury forced Rashad Evans out of a title shot against then champion, fellow Jackson's MMA teammate Jon Jones took his place. After Jones took the throne, a match with #1 contender Evans was inevitable. Evans felt betrayed and disrespected and publicly left Jackson's, vowing "I'm going to create my own camp from here on out."

"Jones can have whoever he wants. Take Mike Winkeljohn. Take Greg Jackson. He can have whoever he wants and take the entire team" said Evans. "Like I said it doesn't matter anymore and it is what it is ... I stay thirsty baby and I'm not going to let my little brother spank my ass that's for sure."

Fans immediately wondered where the new camp would be. The answer is Boca Raton, Florida, at Imperial Athletics.

Rashad Evans, Mike van Arsdale, Baltimore Raven Ray Lewis and the rest of the camp are already gathering for what promises to be an epic showdown.

UFC Purchases Strikeforce - Dana White Exclusive Interview

2011-03-12T12:24:00.001-08:00

Cesar Gracia Commenting On Nick Diaz

2011-01-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

UFC 126 - Silva vs Belfort, Griffin vs Franklin, & Bader vs Jones

2011-01-24T13:33:00.000-08:00

The year 2011 is just getting started and already things are looking very promising for the UFC. With the merger of WEC and UFC, we are starting to see more promising fight cards that are getting more and more stacked with every PPV event. UFC 126 is no different, boasting a middleweight title fight, a light heavyweight bout between two former UFC champions, and a fight between to young rising stars in Jon Jones and Ryan Bader.

Other matches scheduled to fight at UFC 126 are:
Ellenberger vs Rocha, Torres vs Banuelos, Cerone vs Kelly, Mendes vs Omigawa, Taylor vs Ruedigar, Yamamoto vs Johnson, Kingsbury vs Romero, Pierce vs Robertson.

Rising Stars

Jon "Bones" Jones vs Ryan "Darth" Bader is scheduled to be the first fight out of the mega fight trio. I feel this will be one of the most exiting fights of the night, and possibly a contender for "fight of the night" honors. Ryan Bader first got his start on season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter reality TV series. (Mir vs Nogueira) He became the winner of season 8 by defeating Vinny Magalhães via TKO at the TUF finale. Bader posses some serious KO power in both of his hands and is a very talented wrestler, coming from a wrestling background.

Jon Jones also comes from a wrestling background but not as prestigious of one as Ryan Bader. Instead Jones uses his athletic abilities along with unorthodox striking to dominate his opponents. Add that to the fact that Jones trains under Greg Jackson in Albuquerque with the likes of Rashad Evans, Shane Carwin, Nate Marquardt, GSP and many many more and you have a recipe for destruction. Although Bader will be the biggest threat Jones has ever faced, I still think Jones will be too much for Darth Bader. I see this fight being mostly a stand up battle and fully expect to see some one get KO'd or dropped and then finished with punches (TKO). My fight prediction for Jon Jones vs Ryan Bader - Jon Jones via 2nd round TKO.

Battle Of Former Champions

Next up we have a fight between two former UFC belt holders and MMA legends in Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin. One of the more interesting things about this fight is Franklin moved up from middleweight to light heavyweight, meaning Griffin will definitely have a size and strength advantage. Both fighters like to strike and have the ability to finish the fight with one punch. Griffin won the first season of TUF by defeating Stephan Bonner at the finale with what can only be described as the bloodiest brawl in UFC/TUF history. Griffin is about as tough as they come, and has cardio that is hard to keep up with.

Franklin on the other went from high school math teacher to MMA superstar, eventually capturing the UFC light heavyweight title. Franklin is a very technical fighter that can knock out his opponents or submit them in order to finish the fight. Only four of his fights have gone to decision, and out of his 28 wins Franklin has won 15 of them by KO or TKO. Another great fight that will be a striking fest both standing up and on the ground. With Franklin is looking to cement his place in the 205lbs division, and Griffin being Forrest Griffin, I don't see this fight going the distance. My fight prediction for Forrest Griffin vs Rich Franklin - Forrest Griffin via 3rd round submission.

The Main Event

Anderson "The Spider" Silva vs Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort. This is the fight we have all wanted to see since UFC 108, but it got rescheduled due to Anderson Silva's elbow surgery. Again they were scheduled to fight at UFC 109 but it to was rescheduled again due to Silva's slow elbow surgery recovery. Again the UFC tried to reschedule Silva vs Belfort for UFC 112, but this time it was Vitor that withdrew due to injury. Some interesting things about Anderson Silva is that he has been the UFC middleweight champion for over 5 years, has defended the belt 7 times, and has the longest running winning streak in UFC history. (13 consecutive wins) Silva was considered to be the number one P4P fighter in the world until recently when he moved down to number two giving the number one position to GSP. Anderson Silva trains at Black House under the Nogueira Brothers with fighters like Lyoto Machida, Jose Aldo, Junior Dos Santos, and many more. Silva is a black belt in BJJ, and is widely regarded as one of the most accurate strikers in all of MMA. The Spider posses incredible counter punches, vicious Muay Thia clinch and knees, and a mean ground game making Silva one of the most well rounded fighters in the sport today.

Vitor Belfort is one of the fastest and most intense strikers I have ever seen in MMA. His hand speed is almost unmatchable, giving The Phenom 13 out of his 19 wins by way of knock out or TKO. Belfort has notable TKO victories over Randy Couture, Wanderlei Silva, Matt Lindland and Rich Franklin. On a bad note for The Phenom, he has not competed in the cage since September of 2009. I've said it before and Ill say it again, ring rust is real and it IS a factor. Going almost a year and a half with out a fight will effect you and can even cost you the fight, just ask Rampage Jackson. ;-)

This fight has been hyped up so much for so long and it is finally here. I see this fight being mainly a striking match since both men are predominately strikers. With things like ring rust and the fact that Belfort has never gone more than three rounds come into play, I just don't see how Belfort will be able to keep up with Silva. Belfort's only hope is to catch Anderson early on in the first round with a flurry of punches and finish the fight right then and there. But if he lets Silva take him into the 4th and 5th rounds Belfort will tire and start getting sloppy. That is when Anderson will be able to pick his shots better and ultimately catch Belfort with a knee or counter punch that will drop Belfort. My prediction for the fight - Anderson Silva via 5th round TKO.

Written by: Rudy Mogavero of Fight Night MMA

Jon Jones Not A Fan Of Thiago Silva

2011-01-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

While watching the fight between Brandon Vera and Thiago Silva, Jones tweeted that he thought it was: "disrespectful," and added "i'd love to give him a slap in the face." He was referring to Thiago Silva slapping the crap out of Brandon Vera during the 3rd round at UFC 125. Silva destroyed Vera in their fight, but he also humiliated him in on live television by slapping him repeatedly while looking for openings as Vera balled up in submission.

Jones Cleared up what looked like an instant rivalry between himself and Silva during an interview with MMA Fighting. Jones stated in the interview that, "It kind of bugged me, only because we all fight, and just losing alone is humiliating enough," Jones said. "It's embarrassing. If someone ever did that to me, where they would beat me like that and then drum on my back, I would be humiliated. Just absolutely humiliated."

"Think about all the people who watched those fights. All his fans, all the members at his school, all the kids that look up to him. Man, it just kind of rubbed me the wrong way. It's not something I would ever want done to me and it's not something I would ever do to someone else."

Jon Jones is scheduled to face off against Ryan Bader for a light heavyweight title shot at UFC 126. Jones says although he is "rubbed the wrong way" by the lack of respect Silva showed, he is still focused 100% on his next fight and getting a title shot. During his interview with MMA Fighting he also said:

"It came out afterwards that he said he slapped him to try and get him to open up, and I do believe that he was looking for an opening, but at the same time he was having a little fun, too," said Jones. "There's ways of looking for an opening besides playing pattycake on a guy's back."

Written by; Rudy Mogavero of Fight Night MMA

Scott Coker Talks Heavyweight Tourny & Fedor Re-Signing With Mike Chiappetta

2011-01-05T09:20:00.000-08:00

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker faced his share of criticism in 2010 for the perceived difficulty in putting his heavyweight fighters in the cage together. That criticism came to a screeching halt on Tuesday, when MMA Fighting broke the news that an eight-man tournament had been finalized that would feature some of the promotion's biggest names.

The tournament, which begins on Feb. 12, is expected to run over several months and is expected to culminate with the winner as the Strikeforce heavyweight champion (more on that later).

Just hours after his big announcement, Coker spoke with MMA Fighting about the tournament, bringing Fedor Emelianenko back into the fold, the possibility of Strikeforce on pay-per-view and more.

Mike Chiappetta: A tournament like this is ambitious and quite challenging. Why did you decide to do it?

Scott Coker: When we were in the process of collecting all these heavyweights, and signing these top 10 guys, the only fighter we really had to extend was Fedor, which as you know took a long time. I went to Showtime with this plan about 3 months ago. I saw what they did with the Super Six tournament in boxing. I thought it was a great format and definitely made some more stars in the boxing world. They definitely created more hype and more stars in that sport. I thought it'd be a good way for USA fans to get to know some of these top heavyweights that we have fighting, like [Sergei] Kharitonov, like having Josh [Barnett] back in America. It's a great way to unveil it and roll it out.

And I came from a background in K-1 where we did tournaments all the time. Take it back even further than that; If you grew up in a martial arts school, whether it was judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, taekwondo, the first time you ever compete is in a tournament. We thought it made sense on a lot of levels. Now we get to see it roll out, and we're going to see some amazing fights over the next months.

MC: Is this a stand-alone tournament, where the winner is called the Grand Prix champion, or is the winner the Strikeforce heavyweight champion?

SC: Right now, Alistair Overeem is the Strikeforce heavyweight champion. That's something we can answer tomorrow, because what we're trying to do is clear it with the commissions to allow the fighters to fight more than three rounds outside of the title. The rules of MMA now say a five-round fight has to be a championship fight, and so we're working on that. Hopefully we'll have an answer soon on that.

I saw what they did with the Super Six tournament in boxing. I thought it was a great format and definitely made some more stars in the boxing world.
-- Scott CokerMC: So you'd like all the tournament fights to be five-round fights?

SC: We'd like to, yes.

MC: You've been criticized a bit for infrequent heavyweight fights. Was it tough to bite your tongue knowing the news you were about to unveil?

SC: To me the fans are always going to think what they want. I've always known we have the best heavyweight division in mixed martial arts. I had this in my back pocket. I don't really gauge what's going out in the viral world, the virtual world. I just know that this is a special moment in time. All these heavyweight fighters are here and in their youth, young enough to compete at high levels. We're going to let them all fight each other, and this is the best way to do it.

MC: Why include your champion in the tournament, instead of having a fight with him as the final. Would it be him sitting too long, or is there another reason?

SC: We originally thought he could fight the tournament winner, or fight a superfight. But when I talked to [Overeem's management] Golden Glory, they said he wanted to fight in the tournament. And then when I talked to Alistair and Bas Boon, his manager, over the weekend when I was in Japan, Alistair came to me and said, 'I want to fight Fabricio Werdum. You have to give me that fight.' And I said, 'Let's do it.' It's something he wanted to do. He wanted to avenge that loss from three or four years ago, so it's good for everybody.

MC: Matching him and Werdum together is a great first-round fight, but was there any thought to the belief it might be a fight better saved for later in the tourney?

SC: With a tournament, you never know who's going to win, and we have to put it together now. Let all these bad boys fight each other, and let the better man win.

MC: Will Overeem's belt be on the line in the early rounds? If Werdum beats Overeem, will he be considered the champion? Or will the belt be vacated for this tournament? How will that work?

SC: It goes back to the commission and what they're going to allow us to do. That's something I can't answer right now but hope to have an answer very soon.

MC: You spoke of Werdum-Overeem, but how did you decide the other pairings?

SC: The pairings were done on some timing. Fabricio is coming off surgery of his arm, so he was not available until March anyway. And those two wanted to fight each other. Fedor wanted to fight Jan. 29, or even Jan. 7. He's ready to go. He's itching to get back in there. We felt Bigfoot [Antonio Silva] was the perfect opponent for the first round. You never know what'll happen in MMA when you have two buys guys. As far as Kharitonov, he's coming off a win in Japan. And [Andrei] Arlovski is ready to go. These guys are ready, so let's put them in a cage and let them go.

No more renegotiation ... Fedor will be doing co-promotion with Strikeforce, M-1 and Showtime for many years to come.
-- Scott Coker MC: The Showtime press release included a bracket, which would have the Fedor-Silva winner meeting the Overeem-Werdum winner in the semis. Is that correct, or will the semifinal pairings be decided after the first four matches are over?

SC: That is correct. When we looked at it, we want to put the best fights on and have the most exciting matchup on every event. If Fedor wins, he fights the winner of Werdum vs. Alistair, so we know we're going to get one of those two fights. The sooner we could make that fight the better. Think of it the other way, if Josh Barnett wins two fights, we might get to see Fedor-Barnett. In this tournament, we could see Fedor fighting any one of those 3. There are lots of great possibilities. Any way you cut it, you're going to see some exciting fights. Let's put them in the toughest situation and let them prevail. In the old days, it was all in one night. These are single fights over a period of eight months.

MC: So you hope to complete the tournament in eight months?

SC: Yes. We'll be done before the end of the year.

MC: Fedor & M-1 have renegotiated after each of your first two fights with him. Does this new deal with him cover the entire scope of the tournament?

SC: Yes, it covers the tournament and even further. No more renegotiation. The beauty of the deal, and I can't get into the details of the contract, but it's multi-fight and multi-year. Fedor will be doing co-promotion with Strikeforce, M-1 and Showtime for many years to come.

MC: So you can't say how many fights this adds to his deal?

SC: I can't talk about the details of the contract.

MC: Do you think you have him locked up for the rest of his career, or is that too far-reaching?

SC: I think it's very possible.

MC: Did that added wrinkle of putting him in this tournament and having his commitment add a big degree of difficulty into the negotiations?

SC: You know what's admirable about these guys, including Fedor? They wanted to be in the tournament. They came to us and said we want to be in it. I said, 'OK, fantastic.' And we made it happen. Believe me, he was trying to talk us into letting him fight on the Jan. 29 card. I said, 'Fedor, I think you'll be OK two weeks later.'"

MC: Does that mean you've seen him recently?

SC: No, but we've been talking to the M-1 folks, and we're all one, big, happy family now.

MC: Is there any concern about Josh Barnett getting a license?

SC: Not at all. We've talked to four athletic commissions that will license him with a clean test. We feel confident that won't be an issue. Keep in mind Josh Barnett went to Sacramento six weeks ago, took a test and was clean. He hasn't fought for a year-and-a-half in America. He still has issues in California, so his fight won't be in California, but Josh has moved on, and we're moving on, too. He's been out of the fight business in America for 18 months. I think he's served his time.

MC: What happens if a fighter advances but gets injured and would have to be out a few months? Are there alternates?

SC: The No. 1 alternate will come from a fight you see on Feb. 12 at the Izod Center, Shane Del Rosario fighting Lavar Johnson. Those two will fight, and the winner will be the No. 1 reserve spot. We will have probably two more. I think Daniel Cormier will probably be one of them, and then we'll probably have another pair fight off. But Del Rosario or Johnson will be the No. 1 reserve and go in only if a fighter gets injured to the point he's going to be out for an extended period of time.

MC: Was there any thought to including one or two of those younger fighters like Cormier or Lavar Johnson in the tournament?

SC: I think the guys who are in the tournament deserve to be there. It's something at this point in time, we were successful in putting it together, and those other guys will have their time. It's just not this time.

M: What are the chances we'll see Rogers-Barnett & Werdum-Overeem at your March show in Columbus, Ohio?

SC: In Columbus, we're going to do a regular show, not part of the heavyweight tournament. In April, we'll come back with the other two quarterfinals. We're looking for venues right now so we don't have the location.

MC: You've talked before about doing pay-per-view. Is there any possibility the semifinals and/or finals will mark Strikeforce's entry into pay-per-view?

SC: The quarterfinal fights will air on Showtime, and then we will re-evaluate from there. After the quarterfinals are over, then we'll determine whether this is going to be on Showtime or built into a pay-per-view event. There is a possibility we can jump into the pay-per-view business at that time.

Interview by: Mike Chiappetta

Source: mmafighting.com

Brandon McDowell - The Fighter

2011-01-03T08:02:00.000-08:00

When you think about MMA now a days, you undoubtedly think about the UFC and all the fame and glory that comes along with it. But fame and fortune is not the real reason fighters work so hard to become the high level athletes that they are. They do it because they love it, they do it because its apart of who they are as fighters. Brandon McDowell is a prime example of what a true MMA fighter is molded from. A mixture of dedication, drive, skill and heart is what it takes to compete in mixed martial arts, and with out that a fighter will fizzle out way before they ever make it to the pro level.

Brandon McDowell has been fighting at the pro level for over a decade, and has competed in promotions like Free Style Cage Fighting (FCF), Xtreme Fighting Championship (XFC), Kings of Kombat (KOK), and Bellator. With over 80 professional fights under his belt and a title shot with FCF in the middleweight division, McDowell is a true fighter at heart. We had a moment to talk with Brandon about his most recent win over Tom "Vulgar" Jone, and a possible match up against UFC vet Jake Rosholt for his next fight.

FNMMA: First off Brandon thanks for taking the time to speak with us, how are things going?

Brandon: No problem at all, I'm doing very good actually. Just got back to Austin, taking a little time off after my last win and then its back to the gym to start training for my next fight.

FNMMA: You took your last fight on short notice against a very tough opponent in Tom "Vulgar" Jones and won, how did it feel pulling off the upset?

Brandon: Great, it was awesome actually! A huge win for me, I beat him in his hometown and I finished him in the 1st round with a mcarmbar. That's kind of a patented move of mine, I have finished 26 fights with that submission. Yeah, that one was a big win for me!

FNMMA: Any word on who your next fight will be with?

Brandon: Yeah, its not official yet but it looks like it's going to be UFC vet Jake Rosholt.

FNMMA: Jake has a win over iron jaw Chris Leban, and fights with Kendall Grove and Dan Miller. Anything special or different your doing for this fight in your training?

Brandon: Well, his hands are limited (striking is not very good) He is an incredible wrestler, so I am not thinking I can beat him in a strait out wrestling match. But he isn't a full, well rounded MMA fighter like I am, So the plan is to keep it standing at first, weather the storm and stuff a few take downs to tired him out. Inevitably he will get the take down, and I will be fighting off my back, but I want to make work for it the first round or two. Once we get to the mat, which we will, I'll be in my world look for submissions to finish the fight. My training camp will consist of lots and lots of train from my back. Like I said, Jake is a hell of a wrestler and I don't have any illusions of him not being able to take me down. So I'll be training from my back a lot and working my guard. I think I have a really good guard and can open him up for many different kinds of submissions there.

FNMMA: Do you think the fight will go the distance, or are you looking for an early finish?

Brandon: The longer the fight goes, the better it is for me. I want to finish him, and to do that the fight needs to go into rounds 2 and 3. The longer we are in that cage, the better I will be able to neutralize his wrestling and power.

FNMMA: Where are you training right now and how is it going?

Brandon: Everything is going great right now. I am training at Mario "Esfiah" Queiroga's BJJ gym and at NDBJJ up in Plano. Also, I am now fighting at 185 which is a much more natural weight for me.

FNMMA: Whats next for you, is there a certain belt or promotion your aiming for?

Brandon: With MMA and fighting, I do it because I love it. I have been competing in MMA since way before it was popular. I do it for the love of fighting. I will continue to take fights that are the most intriguing match ups for me. Fights with guys that are higher up on the food chain is the only thing I am after. I am not looking to get on TV though, that is not why I fight in this sport. As long as there is a cage and someone else is in it and ready to fight, sign me up! Also because of my last win with FCF I should be getting info soon on a title fight offer for the FCF middleweight belt, although nothing is official yet.

FNMMA: You know I have to ask, got any pics for the trio of super fights that are happening in UFC 126?

Brandon: Anderson Silva, Forrest Griffin, and Jon Jones. Belfort is going to give him hell, but I still see Silva coming out with the win on this one. Its MMA though, so you never really know.

FNMMA: Thanks for your time Brandon, and good luck on your next fight!

Brandon: No prob man, anytime. Thanks.

Interview by: Rudy Mogavero of Fight Night MMA.

Ben Henderson vs Anthony Pettis

2010-12-20T19:34:00.000-08:00

Pettis Wins WEC Lightweight Belt.

2010-12-16T22:33:00.000-08:00

Anthony "Showtime" Pettis ends with a SUPER KICK!

Anthony "Showtime" Pettis put on a hell of a display at WEC 53, the last event ever for the WEC. The newly crowned champ will go on to face the winner of Frankie Edgar vs Gray Maynard, for the unified title between the UFC and WEC champions. Who will be the last man standing? Will it be "Showtime" with his impressive stand up, Edgar with his fast hands and good take downs, or "The Bully" Gray Maynard?

Koscheck Suffers Brocken Orbital Bone

2010-12-12T16:02:00.000-08:00

During the title fight Saturday night between GSP and Koscheck at UFC 124, Josh Koscheck suffered a broken orbital bone. Through out the entire fight GSP landed hard left jabs to Koscheck's right eye causing it to swell and eventually close completely.

The pain was apparent between rounds when Koscheck kept pulling away from the ice bag his corner was applying to stop the swelling. The pain must have been brutal each time GSP landed the left jab, which he did at will through the entire 5 round fight.

The ring side doctor at the fights Saturday night came close to stopping the bout due to the injury, and Koscheck not being able to see out of his right eye. After the 3rd round the doctor gave Kos the chance to stop the fight, but he chose to press on and fight the remaining 2 rounds instead, even with the broken orbital bone.

Josh Kosheck was not able to fly home due to his injury's, and will drive to Boston to have surgery on Monday or Tuesday. There is no telling how long he will be out of commission, Fight Night MMA will post updates on his recovery as they come in.

Written by Rudy Mogavero of Fight Night MMA.

Dana White interview post UFC 124.

2010-12-12T10:53:00.000-08:00

Ariel Helwani talks with UFC president Dana White after the fights at UFC 124, GSP vs Koscheck 2 in Montreal, Canada.

K-1 Grand Prix 2010 Finals

2010-12-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

The MMA Hour with Amir Sadollah

2010-12-07T17:08:00.000-08:00

Rudy with Fight Night MMA talks with Amir Sadollah (4-2), UFC fighter who made his way into the big show by winning season 7 of The Ultimate Fighter. Amir talks with FNMMA about going for the finish, and being mentally prepared to put on a show for the fans.Oh, and just for fun we have a video of Amir being tasered below, enjoy!

Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga Interview

2010-12-05T13:35:00.000-08:00

Gabriel Gonzaga comes from Brazil, and at one time he was thought to be the number one UFC heavyweight contender. He fought for the heavyweight title against Randy Couture back at UFC 74, but was stopped in the 3rd round by way of TKO (strikes). Gonzaga has a strong Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu background, and is widely considered one of the best BJJ heavyweights to ever cross over from BJJ to MMA. What made Gonzaga famous and what most people know him for is his famous head kick KO of Mirko Cro-Cop, who at the time was the most feared striker in all of MMA, especially when it came to head kicks. Gonzaga had done the impossible and knocked out the croation with his own signature move, a head kick knock out. We had a chance to ask Gabriel some questions about his experiences in the UFC, his future in MMA, and more. Below is the translated interview we did with Gabriel Gonzaga:

FNMMA: You stated on twitter you would only do BJJ from now on, does this mean fight fans will never see Gabriel Gonzaga in the octagon again?

Gonzaga: Maybe, let's see...but if the opportunity is right and I felt comfortable I could be back.

FNMMA: What is your feeling on fighters in the UFC using wrestling alone to secure a decision win?

Gonzaga: This is a game and you have to play well to remain in the game. Wrestling is a big part of MMA and if they are using it to win fights it is all good but they also need to keep improving in all aspects of MMA to make a exited fights that’s all.

FNMMA: Chael Sonnen made some pretty rude comments about Brazil, and fellow Brazilian fighter Wanderlei Silva told Sonnen he needed to respect Brazil... How do you feel about Sonnen's comments about Brazil, and BJJ?

Gonzaga: I don't know about any comments but here anyone can say whatever they want it's a freedom of speech. Anyway, I don't think anyone should talk bad about Brazil it is a gorgeous country!

FNMMA: What are your thoughts on steroid use in MMA?

Gonzaga: I am against any kind of illegal substance, it is not fair with your opponent but even more you are using something that can cause a big health problem. Also, we are examples for this new generation of fighters and we can not grow it on our sport. Some athletic commissions are on top of it and we have to go deep and deep all the time to try avoid it.

FNMMA: If you could chose anyone in the world to fight or have a BJJ match against, who would it be?

Gonzaga: You...

FNMMA: If Anderson Silva were to face off against GSP, who do you think would win that fight?

Gonzaga: It is something hard to predict because they are two phenomenal fighters and it could go either way. The winner would be the fans that would have the chance to see one of the best fights ever.

FNMMA: Jon Jones is a rising star in the light heavyweight division, do you see anyone in that division posing any challenges for him?

Gonzaga: Jon Jones is a great fighter and still very young he will only get better but the light heavyweight division is changing the champion all the time nobody can keep the title for long time so I believe he will have a enough of challenge out there. All the last champions impose a big challenge for him.

FNMMA: Who is your favorite fighter, and also who do you believe to be the best fighter in the world of MMA today?

Gonzaga: My favorite fighter is Wander Braga. I believe the best is every single one that goes there and fight and at the end bring a show for us

FNMMA: Cain Velasquez easily defeated heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar at UFC 121. Did you think that match was going to end up being such a one sided fight in Cain’s favor?

Gonzaga: I knew it would be a good fight and a fight like that always can go to either way. I thought Brock's weight would make a difference but Cain's speed was too much for Brock.

FNMMA: Who is your pic for the Cain Velasquez vs Junior Dos Santos title fight?

Gonzaga: I think both are great fighters and it is hard to make a prediction but definitely it will be a fight that the fans will be happy to see.

FNMMA: What is one thing the fans don't know about you that they should?

Gonzaga: I am funny and happy guy but I believe they already know about that.

FNMMA: Is it difficult to balance being a father as well as a professional fighter for the UFC? And does is play a role in your mind set before going into a fight?

Gonzaga: Yes it is hard but like any other job you have to conciliate it with your family’s obligations. It never affected me going to a fight. The hard is spend time in the training camp and stay away from them.

FNMMA: Was Dana White wrong for letting you go, or were you at that point in your career were you ready to move on?

Gonzaga: I started to fight in UFC in 2005 and it was great. Dana, Joe and everyone always took care of me I can't complaint. I believe they could wait one more fight but I believe they did not like my last performance, as it counts a lot, so I can understand their decision.

FNMMA: Whats in store for team Link?

Gonzaga: Since we started in 2005 our team is doing really well. We consolidate our team as one of the best grappling school in the country. We also won for the 8th time straight the Overall Best Team at Naga New England Championship. Just to give you an example I had a guy starting BJJ with me 8 months ago with his teenage son, he is on his 40's and they took first place in the last competition, it is awesome!
We also have guys fighting MMA and doing really well. A world class fighter and world champion just had join our team.
For more info about us please visit www.linkbjj.com or www.gabrielgonzagabjj.com

FNMMA: Is this the last we have seen of Gabriel Gonzaga in the MMA world?

Gonzaga: Maybe......

Written and translated by: Rudy Mogavero of Fight Night MMA & Adam "Buck" Clark of Let's Bang Em MMA.

Dan "Hendo" Henderson vs Renato "Babalu" Sobral

2010-12-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

Sonnen meets with CSAC today to appeal steroid allegations

2010-12-02T08:05:00.000-08:00

Chael Sonnen will appear before the California state athletic commission (CSAC) today to appeal the steroid allegations from his title bout back in August. Sonnen was sent notice of his failed drug screening on September 16^th of this year. He was also fined $2,500 and suspended until September 2^nd, 2011, knocking him out of his rematch with UFC middleweight king pin Anderson Silva.

Leading up to the title fight between Sonnen and Silva at UFC 117, Chael could be found any and everywhere doing interviews and guest appearances. He proceeded to talk trash about Anderson, the Nogueira brothers, Black House, BJJ, Brazil it self, and even Lance Armstrong. The man was on a PR rampage, running his mouth to anyone with a mic and camera that would listen to him. One thing is for sure, love him or hate him Sonnen did exactly what he set out to do, and that’s get your attention.

Walking into the fight I remember everyone sitting in anticipation, waiting to see if Sonnen would be able to back up the trash talk leading up to the fight. For over 20 minutes of the scheduled 25 minutes, he did exactly that. Taking Silva down at will, landing devastating ground and pound, and ultimately doing exactly what he said he was capable of doing to the 185 pound champion. Sonnen was with in minutes of proving to the world he was the best, when Silva slapped on a tight triangle from the guard and submitted Sonnen just before the end of the last round. Sonnen may have lost at the last second, but he gained the respect from just about everyone for doing what no one has ever done before, dominate Anderson Silva for four and half rounds. But that would all come to an end very quickly for Sonnen, as he tested positive for PED’s from drug screening prior to the bout.

According to the documents, on Aug. 6^th (the day of his drug test) Sonnen admitted to event supervisor Frank Munoz that he had taken testosterone the day prior to coming in for the test. Chael Sonnen listed "1 shot" of testosterone on the form, which he stated he took on Aug. 5, just two days before his title match with Silva. On Sept. 2^nd the lab informed the CSAC that Sonnen's testosterone to epitestosterone ratio (T/E) tested at 16.9. Testosterone is natural in all human’s, however the maximum T/E ratio for a normal person that is not taking steroids is almost 3 times less than that of Sonnen’s. (Maximum T/E level for a normal person is 4.1)

Today is D-day for Chael Sonnen. He will stand before the CSAC and attempt to prove he is innocent in hopes to reduce his suspension. He is likely to claim testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) as the reasoning behind the elevated testosterone levels, but even then CSAC requires necessary documentation form a physician well before the fight and drug screening take place. Also it was noted that Sonnen never asked for an exemption for TRT prior to the fight with Silva, nor has he ever in the state of Nevada for that matter. Below is a copy of the actual form Sonnen filled out at the steroid screening prior to his UFC 117 title bout.

Written by: Rudy Mogavero FNMMA

MMA Knockouts & Dream Finishes: Volume 1.

2010-12-01T09:34:00.000-08:00

A highlight of knockouts and dream finishes brought to you by Fight Night MMA & Freedom Fighter Productions. Please leave a comment and tell us what you think of our latest MMA Highlight.

Interview with MMA legend Bas Rutten

2010-11-29T07:02:00.000-08:00

El Guapo, otherwise known as Bas Rutten, is one of the biggest legends in MMA history today. He was the UFC Heavyweight Champion, a three time King of Pancrase world champion, and finished his career on a 22 fight win streak. From world champion to co host of Inside MMA and HDNET, along with doing commentary for MMA events, Bas is still as relevant in MMA today as he was 10 years ago. Below is an interview done by Strikeforce's Johnny Preston with the man himself, Bas "El Guapo" Rutten.

JP: You’re an integral part of the EA Sports MMA videogame. How was the overall experience of being in the game for you?

BR: It was awesome. When I did the photos for it, I knew I was involved in something great. I always like to do videogames, but the cool thing was that this was not the plan for my involvement in the game. I was supposed to be just another fighter you could fight as or against. But when I walked in and started to do the lines that I was supposed to say as a fighter, I got animated. I can go over-the-top…I don’t care if you’re the Queen of England, I’m still me. After about two hours, they said they were thinking of having me as the host of the game. And it just went from there. I got my gym in the game…the whole nine yards. I think I did a total of six days of talking. And you really have to plan that the right way. The first two days, I did all the screaming, and it really messed up my voice. Next time, we’ll have to do all the screaming at the end (laughs). But it was great, man.

JP: You’ve been around MMA since the very beginning. With all the videogames, commentating, and other media opportunities, what are your thoughts on how far the sport of MMA has come?

BR: It’s gotten big! With guys like me, we had fighting as a job. It’s clear the sport has gotten bigger. It could get even bigger, but really, how much bigger do you want to have it? Do we want to see more and more shows? For me, lots of mixed martial arts is always good. But with so many fighters out there, are there enough slots for them all? There’s no question that the sport is going very strongly, and is going in the direction it needs to go. I was at a local sports store near where I live, and I saw posters of Georges St-Pierre in Under Armour gear. So I think the sport is going really good.

JP: With all the cross-training, and fighters now starting out training all disciplines as kids, how much better do you think fighters are going to get in the coming decades?

BR: We have MMA classes for kids at my gym, actually. As far as how much better the fighters will get, I think you’re going to get guys that make almost no mistakes. We do have fighters like that already, and they know the techniques, but now it’s going to become about getting different setups that your opponent doesn’t know. Everybody knows a guillotine choke, and most know how to get to one. But if you can create a different way to get to that choke, then you’re going to surprise people. However, that will only happen one time, because once it gets used that one time, everyone will see that and start to train for it. So that’s really the only thing that I think might continue to evolve. Well, that and stamina. I think stamina will get better. I think we will see guys in better shape in the future, too.

For more info on Bas, fans can head to BasRutten.com, check out his gym at EliteMMAGym.com, or they can follow him on Twitter at @BasRuttenMMA.

Interview by: Johnny Preston
Source: www.strikeforce.com

Jonny Bones Jones: Just like Superman, Kickin Ass and Takin' Names.

2010-11-27T15:54:00.000-08:00

Ever since the first time I watched Jon Jones fight in the octagon I knew he had something special. I have a friend who swears by him. He always says that “Jon Jones will be the next champ, you wait and see”. I have to agree with him on this one.

His upcoming fight with Ryan Bader will be just like the rest. Sure, Bader hosts a big threat towards Jon but does Bader possess the skills to defeat possibly one of the greatest fighters to ever step foot into the octagon? I know calling him one of the greatest is premature, but wait until he hits the top heap of the division. Think of how Jon Jones took care of Stephan Bonnar; the man who gave us the greatest MMA fight we have ever seen against Forrest Griffin. Next on the list is the defeat of Jake O'Brien with the Guillotine Choke in the second round. The next three fights ended relatively quick, although, in one fight he was disqualified for an illegal 12 to 6 elbow hit, while in the mount position against Matt Hamill. The next two fights against Brandon Vera and Vladmir Matyushenko were both over in the first round, due to TKO.

In all of these fights Jones has remained a humble man. He portrays the personality of a champion and he hasn't even had a shot. His reaction to the DQ against Matt Hamill was that of an honest man. He made no excuses and took it as it came. He hasn't let the media get to his head. He knows he is the one of the best and doesn't need to talk about it.

Jones' title shot will come; its his destiny. To be in his position at the young age of 23 it is inevitable that he will stand there and face the man that wears the UFC Light Heavyweight Belt. Let it be Shogun Rua, Rampage Jackson, Lyoto Machida, or his friend and training partner “Suga” Rashad Evans. As a fan I would love to see any of these fights happen. Jones is a potential threat to any of these men.

What stands in Jones' way before he reaches these guys? I think of two names off the top of my head and they are Rich “Ace” Franklin and Forrest Griffin. Two guys that have fought top tier fighters who both have been champions. They both could be the stop sign for Jon Jones. The sad thing though is that they could both be stepping stones for the man as well.

Looking at Jon Jones and the way he carries himself reminds me of a modern day Clark Kent. He is very humble and laid back. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy that could beat the tar out of someone.

Once he steps in the cage and the suit comes off, Jon Jones looks like the one guy that can defeat anyone; Superman. That is, unless Ryan Bader brings the kryptonite on February 5, 2011.

Written by: Adam Buck Clark @ Lets Bang Em' MMA.

Penn Explains His Desire To Stay Active

2010-11-25T14:08:00.000-08:00

“I just want to fight. Like I said, I want to be as active as possible. I’m 31 and I want to probably fight until I’m 35. To do that, I don’t want to fight once a year until I’m 35. I want to try to get as many fights in as I can. … Honestly, I don’t feel it’s that hard. I don’t really want to get into it, but it’s the way that I’m training for the fights. I really feel like I understand my body. I’m not trying to tear down my body. I feel like I’m getting the most bang for my buck. Every time I choose a workout, I know exactly what I’m trying to achieve in each workout. If you look at the old boxers -- I know it’s not what we do, but they fought what, 200 to 400 fights in their careers? I know they really needed the money and I’m sure it was hard times and they needed food on their table, but a fighter’s a fighter. … Another motivating factor is if I’m not fighting, if I’m not training, what am I going to be doing? I’m sure I could be hanging out with my daughter and stuff like that, but she’s at the tutor during the daytime and this and that. I’ve got to keep my mind busy.”

On a recent edition of Bruce Buffers "It's Time" radio show, BJ "The Prodigy" Penn explains his motivation to stay as active as possible as he enters the last 3-4 years of his professional career. While BJ remains somewhat vague on his training secrets that he believes can keep him more active than usual, it is clear that if he continues to take guys out like he did at UFC 123 he could literally fight every day. One would have to think that his sparring sessions in preparation for that fight were more taxing on him than the 21 seconds he spent in the cage last Saturday.

Source: www.bjpenn.com