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Bute vs Froch: Live Stream, Fight Time, TV Schedule, Odds, and Undercard

Scott Christ, Bad Left Hook — Sat, 26 May 2012 10:03:32 -0000

Today's fight between Lucian Bute and Carl Froch for the IBF super middleweight title in Nottingham is live on Sky Sports in the UK, Epix in the United States, and PPV in Canada. We'll have live, round-by-round coverage of the full show this afternoon, and like all boxing fans, we're definitely looking forward to this one.

[ Related: Scott's Bute vs Froch Fight Preview ]

Those looking for a free, legal live stream for the fight in the U.S., look no further than EpixHD.com. We'll be covering from 5 p.m. EDT via Sky Sports.

Here's how you can watch and join us:

Fight time: 5:00 p.m. EDT (UK and Canada) / 6:00 p.m. EDT (US)

Location: Capital FM Arena - Nottingham, England

TV channel: Sky Sports 1 (UK), Epix (US), EpixHD.com (US), PPV (Canada, $54.99)

Odds: The unbeaten Bute, defending his title, is the favorite here, but the lines are pretty tight. Bute is listed at -210, -210, and -220 on three major sportsbooks, with Froch at +170, +170, and +180. Odds this close for a major fight are, quite frankly, fairly rare.

[ Related: Oli Goldstein's Look at Carl Froch ]

A look at the undercard after the jump.

Super Bantamweights, 12 Rounds
Carl Frampton (13-0, 9 KO) vs Raul Hirales (16-0-1, 8 KO)

It's become almost a running gag how much Barry McGuigan may be overstating the ability of Frampton, but you'll have to forgive "The Clones Cyclone" for his infatuation with Belfast's Frampton. Right now, this is a very strong division on the domestic scene in the UK, with Frampton probably third or fourth in the UK behind Scott Quigg, Rendall Munroe, and maybe Kid Galahad. At worst, he's a good, very entertaining fighter.

But beyond my own like of Frampton, let's be honest: Robbie Turley is a tough cookie, but past that, there's not a lot to talk about with his opponents. Mark Quon is 5'2", Kris Hughes can't punch his way out of a wet paper bag, and his last opponent, an unknown Ghanaian named Prosper Ankrah, wound up being a farce.

Hirales, 28, is a Mexican fighter, so of course the talk to hype this fight up has been "Mexican warrior" this and "tough Mexican" that. Internationally, promoters like to talk up bland, hand-picked Mexican foes as if everyone in the country who fights professionally is Marco Antonio Barrera or something. It's not the case -- there are plenty of mediocre and downright lousy Mexican fighters in the world, same as fighters from anywhere else. I do not know this to be the case with Hirales -- but thus far he's got a record not much more impressive than Ankrah's. This is not a notable fighter, and if Frampton loses, then the reality is that some screwed up scouting an opponent. Make no mistake, Hirales has not been brought to Nottingham to win.

Junior Welterweights, 8 Rounds
Pier Olivier Cote (18-0, 12 KO) vs Mark Lloyd (15-5, 3 KO)

Cote, 27, is fighting for the first time since last November, when he left jaws on the floor with his second round knockout of Jorge Luis Teron on ShoBox. Cote is an offensive powerhouse -- he lets his hands go with good speed and really big power, power that isn't even properly reflected in his KO percentage. Defensively, he's got a lot of issues, but those who have seen him fight a few times will be looking forward to seeing him fight every time out. He's that much fun when he's bringing the heat.

I don't know much about Lloyd, other than a couple of Prizefighter appearances, one in 2008 and one in February of this year. He wasn't particularly impressive either time and even though at 5'10" he'll have a height advantage here, he's also 36 years old. And, well, Teron was six feet tall. So...

Asian MMA: Roger Huerta Vs. Phil Baroni Set For ONE FC 4 In Malaysia

Anton Tabuena, Bloody Elbow — Sat, 26 May 2012 09:57:47 -0000

Yesterday, we brought you news about Roger Huerta signing with ONE Fighting Championship, stating that he was set to compete on the promotion's fourth show next month in Malaysia.

Now we know who he's facing. As I mentioned on twitter yesterday, there have been rumblings about Huerta continuing his run at welterweight against Phil Baroni, and just a few short hours ago, they have put pen to paper, making the bout official for June 23rd.

The duo became good friends as they spent an extended period training in Thailand. I asked Phil about the idea of facing a buddy and a former training partner, and he makes no qualms about it, saying "(My manager) Monte Cox points, and I shoot. I guess its a fight."

Considering the circumstances, it may not have been the fight that people expected, but it is definitely guaranteed to be an entertaining scrap. Unlike some instances we see in MMA, they're both willing to set things aside for a date in the cage, even promising to celebrate with some "cobra blood shots" right after.

Check out the current fight card for ONE FC 4 here. Follow me on twitter -- @antontabuena.

UFC 146 Video: Junior Dos Santos And Frank Mir Respect Each Other After Weigh Ins

Nate Wilcox, Bloody Elbow — Sat, 26 May 2012 05:16:32 -0000

Ariel Helwani spoke to UFC Heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos and his opponent Frank Mir for Fuel TV's UFC Tonight after the UFC 146 weigh ins. Dos Santos makes his first title defense tomorrow night in Las Vegas.

Dos Santos won the title from Cain Velasquez at UFC on Fox 1 last fall. He was originally scheduled to face Alistair Overeem this weekend but Overeem failed a pre-fight urine test for elevated testosterone:epitestosterone ratios.

SBN coverage of UFC 146: Dos Santos vs. Mir

Helwani also caught up with former champ Cain Velasquez and his discussed Cain's opponent Antonio "Big Foot: Silva. Velasquez was originally set to face Mir in a #1 contender's match before Mir got the call to replace Overeem.

Here's Ariel talking to Lavar Johnson and Stefan Struve who open the pay-per-view card.

UFC 146 will be the first-ever UFC card to feature an all-Heavyweight main card. Roy Nelson vs Dave Herman and Shane del Rosario vs. Stipe Miocic round out the card.

Michael Chiesa vs Al Iaquinta Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 Finale fight set for June 1 in Las Vegas

Geno Mrosko, MMAmania.com — Sat, 26 May 2012 04:00:14 -0000

After 12 episodes and 13 weeks of captivity, two men are left standing in season 15 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 "Live," and they will meet at the Finale next Fri., June 1, 2012, at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Finalist number one is Michael Chiesa, who won four fights to get to the finals: A first round rear-naked choke submission of Johnavan Vistante in the TUF entry fight, a unanimous decision over Jeremy Larsen, a technical knockout (TKO) in the sudden victory round over Justin Lawrence, and last night's second round TKO victory over James Vick.

But perhaps most impressive is that Chiesa did all this with the death of his father hanging over his head.

On the other side of the Octagon will be Al Iaquinta. The 25-year-old Serra-Longo Fight Team product took out Jon Tuck to get into the house before becoming Urijah Faber's top pick. He proceeded to upset early favorite Myles Jury before utterly destroying Andy Ogle.

Last night, he earned a hard fought decision over Vinc Pichel to advance to the finals.

The final is set, Maniacs. Chiesa vs. Iaquinta for the six-figure contract and coveted glass trophy. Who 'ya got?

After the jump, check out the complete TUF 15 Finale fight card, as it stands now. And for complete results from TUF 15 episode 12 click here.

Main Event:

170 lbs.: Jake Ellenberger vs. Martin Kampmann

Main Card (FX Channel):

155 lbs.: Michael Chiesa vs. Al Iaquinta

Preliminary Card (FUEL TV):

145 lbs.: Max Holloway vs. Pat Schilling
145 lbs.: Jonathan Brookins vs. Charles Oliveira
155 lbs.: Justin Lawrence vs. John Cofer
155 lbs.: Myles Jury vs. Chris Saunders
155 lbs.: Daron Cruickshank vs. Chris Tickle
155 lbs.: Cristiano Marcello vs. Sam Sicilia
155 lbs.: Jeremy Larsen vs. Joe Proctor
135 lbs.: John Albert vs. Erik Perez

For the latest TUF 15 Finale news and notes check out our complete event archive right here.

Friday Night Fights Results: Ji-Hoon Kim Outworks Ali Rahimov in Main Event

Scott Christ, Bad Left Hook — Sat, 26 May 2012 02:57:55 -0000

South Korean slugger Ji-Hoon Kim may not throw the gigantic right hand that he used to, but subtle improvements defensively and a more workrate-based offensive attack got him the win tonight over Ali Rahimov, handing the former amateur standout from Uzbekistan his first loss as a pro.

As you can see above, Kim (24-7-1, 18 KO) threw an absurd amount of punches over the 10 rounds, leading him to winning scores of 96-94, 97-93, and 98-92. Rahimov (23-1, 12 KO) was effective in the fight, but just could not always handle the crazy activity of the fearless and improved Kim, who deserved the W and got it.

Kim, 25, would seem an unlikely candidate for long-term contention, but who knows? His record isn't pretty, but he's always fun to watch, and given his limitations, there's a good chance he'll get a couple more title shots along the way. If he gets the right one, there's no great reason he can't become "world champion."

For Rahimov, 34, this is a big setback. He really needed the win here, and given his age and his own limitations (he's not a puncher and he's pretty small for the weight), it's far more likely that it will be the technically sound Rahimov who fades out than the wild, risk-taking Kim.

It should also be noted that it was a hell of a good fight, and that both would be welcome back on my TV any time. I'd personally love to see Kim rematch Lenny Zappa, who stopped Kim in one round in 2010, only to lose his next two. Zappavigna is now on a rebuilding mission, but maybe later this year that fight could find a home on Friday Night Fights. If not, Kim could fight just about anyone, and it will be worth tuning in.

In the televised co-feature, which I beg you not to watch if you have not already, novice heavyweight Vince Thompson (11-0, 2 KO) outpointed Joell Godfrey (14-7-1, 6 KO) in a dreadful non-event on scores of 80-72, 80-72, and 78-74. Keep in mind that Godfrey was meant to face Guillermo Jones in "stay busy" fight on June 23. That should give you an idea of the sort of opponents Jones would prefer to face, since Godfrey wasn't even close to beating a pretty bad fighter tonight. I mean no personal offense to Vince Thompson when I say that, but let's put it this way: You don't need to add him to your list of heavyweights to watch.

Titan Fighting 22 Results And Live Discussion

Nate Wilcox, Bloody Elbow — Sat, 26 May 2012 02:08:00 -0000

Make Bloody Elbow your home for discussion of tonight's Titan Fighting Championship 22 featuring UFC veterans Anthony Johnson vs. Dave Branch in a catchweight bout. Titan Fighting 22 takes place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. The entire main card airs on HDNet.

The main event has been the focus of some controversy as Johnson failed to make weight and had to give up a big chunk of his purse to Branch. This is Johnson's umpteenth failure to make weight. Initially he was a Welterweight who struggled with the cut to 170lbs but recently he's developed into a Middleweight who never even comes near the 185lb limit.

So far he's 0-2 against the scales at MW.

He failed to make weight 3 times in his 11 fight UFC career.

Complete results after the jump

MAIN CARD (HDNet)

Anthony Johnson def. Dave Branch via unanimous decision.
L.C. Davis def. Bill Kamery via TKO at 2:59 of Rnd 2
Andrew Whitney def. Jose Vega via KO at of 2:55 of Rnd 1
Fabio Mello def. Angelo Duarte via submission (arm triangle) at 4:34 of Rnd 1
Rudy Bears def. Nick Nolte via submission (punches) at 3:57 of Rnd 1.
Mirsad Bektic def. Willie Mack via TKO at 0:27 of Rnd 2.

UFC 146 weigh in photos gallery for 'Dos Santos vs Mir' in Las Vegas

Geno Mrosko, MMAmania.com — Sat, 26 May 2012 01:35:04 -0000

UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Mir" is all set to pop off tomorrow night (Sat., May 26, 2012) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring a heavyweight championship showdown pitting strap hanger Junior dos Santos putting it all on the line against Frank Mir.

Also on tap for the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion's return to "Sin City" is an all heavyweight main card that features quite a few compelling match-ups, like Cain Velasquez return against Strikeforce import Antonio Silva, Roy Nelson vs. Dave Herman, and Stefan Struve vs. Lavar Johnson.

That's not all.

Before we can get to the good stuff, however, every one of the competitors on tomorrow night's fight card had to hit the scales to make sure they weren't carrying any extra baggage. Thankfully, none of them were and we're all good to go for the Memorial Day weekend extravaganza.

After the jump, you can check out photos (via Tracy Lee of CombatLifestyle.com) from today's UFC 146 weigh-in event. For complete UFC 146 weigh in results click here, for staredowns click here and to watch the full "Dos Santos vs. Mir" weigh-in video replay click here.

Junior dos Santos

Frank Mir

Cain Velasquez

Antonio Silva

Roy Nelson

Dave Herman

Stipe Miocic

Shane Del Rosario

Stefan Struve

Lavar Johnson

Last, and definitely not least, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ring girl, Brittney Palmer.

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the UFC 146 on tomorrow night, which is slated to air at 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view. We'll also deliver live results from the "Prelims" bouts on Facebook earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET.

For more on UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Mir" be sure to check out our complete event archive right here. To view Tracy Lee's complete photo gallery for this event CLICK HERE.

Friday Night Fights Live Results and Round-By-Round Coverage: Ji-Hoon Kim vs Alisher Rahimov

Scott Christ, Bad Left Hook — Sat, 26 May 2012 00:56:59 -0000

Starting in just a few moments on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com, Friday Night Fights is back with an always-entertaining lightweight in the main event against an unbeaten, old prospect.

Ji-Hoon Kim (23-7, 18 KO) brings his big right hand back to the ESPN airwaves tonight, as the South Korean slugger meets up with Alisher Rahimov (23-0, 12 KO) in the 10-round main event from the Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, Missouri.

Kim, 25, has won two in a row, including a win on FNF his last time out over Yakubu Amidu, in what was a solid, fun fight to watch. Rahimov, 34, was born in Uzbekistan and now lives in Russia. He turned pro in 2004 and really hasn't done much of note, though he does have a win over the suddenly relevant Sergio Thompson via split decision in 2010.

The co-feature is an eight-round heavyweight fight between Vince Thompson (10-0, 2 KO) and Joell Godfrey (14-6-1, 6 KO). Thompson, 29, has faced nobody of note, while the 31-year-old Godfrey is actually lined up as a stay busy opponent for WBA cruiserweight titlist Guillermo Jones on June 23. Godfrey has only beaten two fighters over .500 in his career, and they weren't any damn good either. I'd elaborate on that or the hilarity of Jones in a "stay busy" fight, but this is actually about to start.