Cage Religion

Video: Fallon Fox vs. Allanna Jones Full Fight From CFA 11

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Sat, 25 May 2013 08:14:00 +0000

Championship Fighting Alliance 11 took place at Coral Gables, Florida's BankUnited Center on Friday, and aired live on AXS TV.

In the co-main event, controversial transgender fighter Fallon Fox submitted Michigan native Allanna Jones to advance to the finals of the promotion's women's featherweight tournament. Fox will now face Ashlee Evans-Smith to crown CFA's inaugural women's 145-pound champion.

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CFA 11 Results: Mike Kyle KO's Travis Wiuff, Fallon Fox Submits Allanna Jones

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Sat, 25 May 2013 04:49:00 +0000

Championship Fighting Alliance 11
Friday, May 24
BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Florida

Main Card:
Mike Kyle def. Travis Wiuff via KO (punches) at 0:21 of round 1
Fallon Fox def. Allanna Jones via submission (shin choke) at 3:36 of round 3
Luis Palomino def. Robert Washington via KO (punch) at 3:26 of round 1
Sean Soriano def. Elvin Leon Brito via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
Alexis Vila def. Czar Sklavos via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Ed Gordon def. Oscar Delgado via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:32 of round 2

Preliminary Card:
Ailton Barbosa def. Frank Carrillo via TKO (strikes) at 4:45 of round 1
Yosdenis Cedeno def. Trent McCown via unanimous decision
Valdir Araujo def. Alik Tseiko via KO (flying knee) at 3:47 of round 3
Charles Rosa def. Aaron Steadman via submission (triangle choke) at 3:26 of round 1
Jose Caceres def. Kamaru Marty Usman via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:47 of round 1
Gleidson Dejesus def. Yvon Agneord via split decision
Rico Farrington def. Jake Gombocz via unanimous decision

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UFC 160 Weigh-In Results: Velasquez, 'Bigfoot' On Target For Heavyweight Title Headliner

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Sat, 25 May 2013 04:35:00 +0000

UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Silva II
Saturday, May 25
MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada

Main Card (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET.)
Can Velasquez (240 lbs.) vs. Antonio Silva (263 lbs.) - UFC Heavyweight Championship bout
Junior dos Santos (239 lbs.) vs. Mark Hunt (264 lbs.)
Glover Teixeira (205 lbs.) vs. James Te Huna (206 lbs.)
Gray Maynard (156 lbs.) vs. T.J. Grant (155 lbs.)
Donald Cerrone (155 lbs.) vs. K.J. Noons (156 lbs.)

Preliminary Card (FX, 8 p.m. ET.)
Mike Pyle (170 lbs.) vs. Rick Story (169 lbs.)
Dennis Bermudez (146 lbs.) vs. Max Holloway (145 lbs.)
Colton Smith (170 lbs.) vs. Robert Whittaker (171 lbs.)
Khabib Nurmagomedov (158.5 lbs.)* vs. Abel Trujillo (155 lbs.)

Preliminary Card (Facebook, 6:35 p.m. ET.)
Nah-Shon Burrell (171 lbs.) vs. Stephen Thompson (170 lbs.)
Brian Bowles (135 lbs.) vs. George Roop (135 lbs.)
Estevan Payan (145 lbs.) vs. Jeremy Stephens (146 lbs.)

* - Nurmagomedov was unable to make lightweight limit and agreed to forfeit 20 percent of his fight purse.

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UFC 160 Weigh-Ins Live Stream (7 p.m. ET.)

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:57:00 +0000

Today's UFC 160 weigh-ins take place at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena and will stream live right here on CageReligion.com at approximately 7 p.m. ET.

UFC 160 takes place tomorrow evening at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and airs live on pay-per-view, with the preliminary card broadcasting on FX and streaming on Facebook. The main event will see UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez defend his crown in a rematch against Antonio Silva, while fellow sluggers Junior dos Santos and Mark Hunt lock horns in the co-headliner.

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CFA 11 Weigh-In Results: Kyle, Wiuff On Target For Heavyweight Headliner

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:03:00 +0000

Championship Fighting Alliance 11
Friday, May 24
BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Florida

Main Card (AXS TV)
Mike Kyle (227.5 lbs.) vs. Travis Wiuff (258.5 lbs.)
Fallon Fox (144 lbs.) vs. Allanna Jones (145 lbs.) - Women's Featherweight Tourney Semifinal bout
Robert Washington (155.5 lbs.) vs. Luis Palomino (155.5 lbs.)
Elvin Leon Brito (144.5 lbs.) vs. Sean Soriano (145 lbs.)
Czar Sklavos (125 lbs.) vs. Alexis Vila (125 lbs.)
Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Anna Barone*
Oscar Delgado (190.5 lbs.) vs. Ed Gordon (189.5 lbs.)

Preliminary Card:
Ailton Barbosa (169 lbs.) vs. Frank Carrillo (170 lbs.)
Trent McCown (160 lbs.) vs. Yosdenis Cedeno (158.5 lbs.)
Alik Tseiko (170.5 lbs.) vs. Valdir Araujo (170 lbs.)
Aaron Steadman (154.5 lbs.) vs. Charles Rosa (154.5 lbs.)
Marty Usman (170 lbs.) vs. Jose Caceres (168.5 lbs.)
Yvon Agneord (134 lbs.) vs. Gleidson Dejesus (135 lbs.)
Jake Gombocz (169 lbs.) vs. Rico Farrington (170 lbs.)

* - Ashlee Evans-Smith advances to the CFA Women's Featherweight Tournament finals after opponent Anna Barone forfeited the scheduled semifinal match prior to weigh-in time.

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Alistair Overeem Meets Travis Browne At August 17th 'UFC on FOX Sports 1' Event

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:46:00 +0000

As expected, heavyweight standout Alistair Overeem (36-12, 1 NC) will return to action this August against fellow slugger Travis Browne (14-1-1).

According to a report by MMAJunkie.com on Wednesday, the pair will meet at the August 17th UFC on FOX Sports 1 event, which takes place at Boston's TD Garden and helps kick off the launch of FOX's new sports cable network, FOX Sports 1.

Overeem was originally slated to compete at UFC 164 on August 31, though will now see action nearly two weeks earlier than expected.

While no headliner has been named for the upcoming UFC on FOX Sports 1 event, a lightweight tilt between Joe Lauzon and Michael Johnson has been booked for the summer event. Unbeaten heavyweight standout Daniel Cormier has also expressed interest in returning on the card.

Overeem will look to rebound from a vicious knockout defeat at the hands of UFC heavyweight title contender Antonio Silva last February. The loss snapped a 12-fight unbeaten streak for "The Reem", which included victories over Todd Duffee, Fabricio Werdum and Brock Lesnar.

Browne, meanwhile, returned to action last month, viciously knocking out Gabriel Gonzaga with a series of elbows in the first-round of their heavyweight affair. The win marked his fifth inside the Octagon.

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Bellator MMA Signs Submission Ace And UFC Vet Paul Sass

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:40:00 +0000

After a scouting expedition that took Bellator Talent Development Director and former MMA fighter Zach Light throughout the United Kingdom, Bellator has added three English standouts to the roster as Martin Stapleton, Rob Sinclair and Paul Sass have all signed long-term promotional agreements with Bellator MMA.

“Our talent development team does the best job in MMA by bringing hugely talented fighters to Bellator from around the globe,” Bellator CEO and Chairman Bjorn Rebney said. “The number one question I get from fans is ‘when will a UK television deal be completed with Bellator?’ With these three signings, along with a roster already featuring the likes of Paul “Semtex” Daley, Ronnie Mann and Michael Page, we are setting the table for making Bellator an every week televised occurrence in the UK.”

Only 24, Sass joins Bellator sporting an impress 13-2 record including victories over Jacob Volkmann and Michael Johnson. Training under the tutelage of Luta Livre master Marcelo Brigadeiro in Liverpool, Sass will be featured prominently with Bellator over the coming months, including a possible tournament appearance in 2014.

“I’m incredibly excited to get the chance to compete with Bellator,” Sass said. “After meeting with their staff and having a clear understanding of what’s next, I can’t wait to get into the cage and get into my first tournament.”

Armed with a devastating arsenal of knockout power, Rob Sinclair isn’t willing to waste any more time. At 33, Sinclair has done everything and more in the UK, compiling a 12-2 record that includes 10 finishes over his seven year professional career. Remarkably, Sinclair has never trained full time, instead working as an engineer to provide for his family Manchester. After meeting with the Bellator staff, it was obvious to Sinclar it was now or never.

“This is something I’ve wanted for a long time, but the timing has just never been right,” Sinclair said. “After meeting with Bellator and talking to guys like Paul Daley and Ronnie Mann, it really seemed like the perfect fit. This chance with Bellator will give me the opportunity to fully train and prepare for fight like I should, and with a full camp in place, the lightweights in Bellator better be on notice.”

Stapleton opened eyes recently after winning an eight man, one night tournament held in England last December. It put Stapleton back on the map after three years of duty with the Royal Marine Commando Unit forced the man they call “.50 Cal” away from the cage. Back and ready for a long tournament run, Stapleton is eager to get his Bellator career started.

“This is an awesome opportunity for me to get a chance to show the world what I’m capable of, and not to sleep on a guy like me,” Stapleton said. “I’ve worked my ass off over the last few years for this exact opportunity, and I’m not going to let it get away from me. The lightweight division in Bellator is stacked, and it just got a little deeper with me.”

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Former Heavyweight Champ Josh Barnett Returns To UFC

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:40:00 +0000

Former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett (32-6) has signed a multi-fight deal to return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

MMAJunkie.com first reported the news late Tuesday and Barnett later confirmed the report via Twitter.

"The War Master" first made his Octagon debut in 2000 with a perfect record of 10-0, before stopping Gan McGee, Semmy Schilt and Bobby Hoffman. At just 24-years-old, Barnett went on to stop Randy Couture on strikes to capture the UFC heavyweight title, though was stripped of his belt after testing positive for banned substances.

Over the next five years, the submission expert would compete exclusively in Japan for the PRIDE FC promotion, scoring notable victories over Alexander Emelianenko, Mark Hunt and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Barnett then signed with Strikeforce in 2011, where he earned back-to-back submission victories over Brett Rogers and Sergei Kharitonov. The 36-year-old came up short on points to unbeaten standout Daniel Cormier in the finals of the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament.

In his most recent outing, Barnett submitted Nandor Guelmino under the Strikeforce banner, marking his ninth win in ten outings.

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Roy Nelson vs. Stipe Miocic Added To Next Month's UFC 161

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:25:00 +0000

A heavyweight tilt between fellow sluggers Roy Nelson (19-7) and Stipe Miocic (9-1) has been added to next month's UFC 161 card.

UFC officials confirmed the booking to MMAJunkie.com late Tuesday.

UFC 161 was originally scheduled to feature an interim bantamweight title fight between champion Renan Barao and challenger Eddie Wineland. Barao was forced from the bout earlier this week due to a foot injury, so a pivotal light heavyweight clash between Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson will now serve as the main event.

UFC 161 takes place on June 15 at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada's MTS Centre and airs live on pay-per-view.

Nelson is currently riding a three-fight win streak — all by way of first-round knockout. After quick stoppages of Dave Herman and Matt Mitrione, the former IFL heavyweight champion went on to viciously knock out Cheick Kongo at last month's UFC 159.

Miocic, meanwhile, recently tasted defeat for the first time in his career after being stopped on strikes at the hands of Stefan Struve. Prior to the loss, the 30-year-old striker was on a nine-fight win streak, including victories over Joey Beltran, Phil De Fries and Shane del Rosario.

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With Renan Barao Injured, Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson Will Now Headline UFC 161

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:51:00 +0000

As previously reported, UFC interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao has suffered a foot injury that has forced him out of next month's UFC 161.

Barao was slated to defend his title against Eddie Wineland in the evening's main event. With the title bout scratched, a light heavyweight showdown between division standouts Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson will now serve as the UFC 161 headliner.

UFC officials confirmed the news on Tuesday.

UFC 161 takes place on June 15 at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada's MTS Centre and airs live on pay-per-view. The summer event also features a pivotal 205-pound rematch between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

Evans (17-3-1) will look to get back on the winning track after suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time in his career. The 33-year-old had a four-fight win streak snapped after coming up short in a title bid to rival Jon Jones last year, and was later outpointed by Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at February's UFC 156.

Henderson (29-9) too will look to get back to his winning ways after coming up short on points to Lyoto Machida in February. Prior to the defeat, the former PRIDE and Strikeforce champion notched notable victories over the likes of Renato Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante, Fedor Emelianenko and Mauricio Rua.

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CFA 11's Allanna Jones Talks Fallon Fox Fight: 'I'm Not Afraid To Fight Fox'

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:36:00 +0000

When Allanna Jones steps into the cage with Fallon Fox this Friday, she'll be the first to do so since Fox controversially revealed that she was previously a man.

After racking up a 2-0 record as a professional — both wins by way of first-round stoppage — Fox (2-0) revealed to SportsIllustrated.com in March that she had undergone gender reassignment in 2006.

The news came only three days after Fox viciously knocked out Ericka Newsome with a knee just 39-seconds into their featherweight affair. With the victory, Fox advanced to the semifinals of the Championship Fighting Alliance women's featherweight tournament, which will ultimately crown the promotion's inaugural 145-pound champion.

Across the cage from Fox will be Michigan native Allanna Jones (2-1), who punched her ticket to the tourney semifinals after outpointing Kelsey De Santis at CFA 10 in March.

Despite what Jones sees as a physical disadvantage, the 26-year-old is none too concerned.

"I know for sure she's going to be stronger than any girl," Jones told CageReligion.com leading up to Friday's bout. "Technically she was a man, and I believe she's still going to have the strength. I'm already aware of that.

I'm not afraid to fight Fox. I'm not a person who's going to back out of any fight no matter the situation, even when I don't agree with it."

The pair were originally slated to square off on April 20th, however, due to Fox's licensing issues, the event in its entirety was postponed.

Jones and Fox will now meet in the co-main event of Friday's CFA 11 card, live from the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Florida. The event — which is headlined by a heavyweight clash between Valentijn Overeem and Travis Wiuff — will mark the first of a multi-event deal to broadcast live on AXS TV.

The other side of the women's tournament bracket will eventually pit Ashlee Evans-Smith against Peggy Morgan.

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New EA Trailer Features First Glimpse At 'EA Sports UFC' XBOX One Game

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:22:00 +0000

While details still remain close to the vest, EA Sports unveiled a brief glimpse of its upcoming EA Sports UFC video game.

The game's announcement came on Tuesday afternoon during the official launch of Microsoft's new gaming console, XBOX One. The new system is expected to hit shelves later this year to compete with the holiday launch of Sony's Playstation 4.

In conjunction with Tuesday's news, EA Sports released a video (found below) of its new IGNITE engine, which features early clips of the EA Sports UFC game.

Late last year, EA Sports announced that it had signed an exclusive multi-year-, multi-product partnership with the UFC. The UFC video game license was previously held by THQ, which saw the release of three popular titles in the UFC Undisputed franchise, though the company has since been hit by financial plague.

“We’re thrilled to begin a long-term partnership that will bring fans incredibly authentic, and deeply connected, UFC video games,” said Andrew Wilson, EVP and Head of EA SPORTS. “UFC has become a global powerhouse because they have the world’s best fighters, competing in the world’s best mixed martial arts events. We share UFC’s passion for the sport, and we look forward to capturing all of the intensity and excitement of the action with unique new game experiences across a range of platforms.”

“There’s no one better at creating authentic sports video games than EA SPORTS, and we’re excited to have a partner who shares our vision of deep, connected and multi-platform global game experiences,” said UFC President Dana White.

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July 31 Bellator MMA Event To Feature Askren vs. Koreshekov Title Bout, Lima vs. Saunders

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:02:00 +0000

The Summer Series continues for Bellator MMA as the promotion returns to Albuquerque Wednesday, July 31st as the Santa Ana Star Center will play host to reigning Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren defending his title against Andrey Koreshkov live on Spike TV.

The night will also feature the long awaited conclusion to the Bellator Season 8 Welterweight Tournament Finals as Douglas Lima takes faces Ben Saunders in a rematch, while featherweights collide as Patricio "Pitbull" Freire returns to battle Rob Emerson.

The event has a special early start time and will broadcast live starting at 7:00 p.m. EST on Spike. The preliminary card will be streamed live and free on Spike.com starting at 6:00 p.m. EST.

Askren comes to Albuquerque sporting a spotless 11-0 record and is regarded as one of the best welterweights in the world. The former US Olympian has continued to impress during his illustrious career with Bellator, and will be looking to add another title defense to his resume with a huge victory on July 31st from the Santa Ana Star Center.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back into that cage and putting on a show,” Askren said. “I feel like I’ve continued to mature and get better in every one of my fights, and July 31st should be no different. I don’t think Andrey has any ability to stop my wrestling and ground attack, so this will be another successful title defense.”

Only 22, Koreshkov had a 2012 to remember as the Russian knockout artist was 5-0 over the year, including a tournament run that featured victories over Jordan Smith, Marius Zaromskis and Lyman Good.

"I'll be 110% ready for this fight,” Koreshkov said. “I'll make sure that Askren's tactics to put everybody in the audience to sleep won't work this time. Instead, I'll keep everybody entertained by putting him to sleep."

After two devastating knockout victories on his way to the Bellator Welterweight Tournament Finals, Douglas Lima is ready to collect his second Tournament Championship with a victory over Ben Saunders July 31st. Originally schedule for March of 2013, Lima suffered a fractured hand that delayed the fight, but is fully healed and ready to capture his $100,000 prize and shot at the Bellator Welterweight Championship.

“It’s an honor to fight a fighter like Ben again,” Lima said. “With the time off I’ve been able to fully heal to 100% and like always, will be looking to finish the fight early.”
For Saunders, the South Florida native is looking to avenge his 2011 Tournament Finals loss to Lima with a signature finish and finally achieve the title shot that has since evaded him.

“Quite simply, it’s about damn time Douglas and I get back into the cage,” Saunders said. “July 31st can’t get here soon enough. Can’t wait.”

The night will also feature the return of featherweight slugger Patrico Freire, as the Brazilian striker will battle California native Rob Emerson. After suffering just the second loss in his career to the hands of reigning Bellator featherweight champion Pat Curran, "Pitbull" is eager to get back to his winning ways.

"I'm very motivated to get back in the cage, and I feel that I still haven't left totally removed myself from my fight with Curran, a lot of me is still in the fight,” Pitbull said. “But it's gone now and I have a tough opponent ahead, I'll be going stronger for this next challenge and doesn't matter how tough my opponents will be I will be stronger than I was! It's great to know I'm back."

“Our first event in Albuquerque was a huge success,” said Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney. “With a Welterweight Title fight, the conclusion of our Welterweight Tournament, and a stacked fight card top to bottom, we’re looking at another huge night of fights July 31st live on Spike.”

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Dana White UFC 160 Video Blog Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:06:00 +0000

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Bellator MMA Officially Announces Matt Riddle Signing, Welterweight Tournament Spot This Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:40:00 +0000

With a division already boasting the likes of Ben Askren, Paul Daley, Douglas Lima, Ben Saunders, Andrey Koreshkov and Karl Amoussou, Matt Riddle knows he will be swimming in “Deep Waters” when he enters the Bellator Welterweight Tournament this Fall as Bellator has signed a long-term promotional agreement with the controversial Pennsylvania native.

Riddle joins Bellator coming off four straight victories with the UFC, but was recently released as he failed his post-fight drug test after his victory over Che Mills. Known for his strong wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu background along with a stifling takedown defense, Riddle is ready to challenge himself against the best in the world inside the Bellator cage.

“I had so many options after I left the UFC, but knowing that I was able to compete in a tournament against guys like Paul Daley, Ben Saunders, and Douglas Lima, signing with Bellator was an easy decision,” Riddle said. “This division is just so stacked, and being able to fight in a tournament makes it even better. Bellator is doing a lot of great things right now, and I want to be a part of it.”

Bellator CEO & Chairman Bjorn Rebney understands some of the risks involved with signing Riddle, but after discussions with Riddle, Rebney is confident the 27 year old welterweight is in the right place to impact the welterweight division.

“Matt’s got all the tools to be a force in our welterweight division,” Rebney said. “When I saw Matt get released from the UFC coming off 4 straight wins including his dominant win over Mills in February, we took notice. We both realize that Matt will have a target on his back for his past indiscretions. But having discussed it with him, I’m comfortable that he’s in the right place to enter the Bellator cage this fall in what will be the most loaded Bellator Welterweight Tournament in the promotions history.”

While Riddle isn’t looking too far ahead of himself, it’s clear there are a number of goals he’d like to accomplish on his way to a title shot.

“No questions asked, I want to win the next Bellator Welterweight Tournament, get my shot at the title and take my beautiful wife to the MTV Awards and meet Snoop Dogg,” Riddle remarked. “I’ve seen all the pictures of Bellator guys walking red carpets and it’s something I want to earn and be able to do. What could be better than that?”

Riddle’s journey to a Bellator title shot and future red carpet appearances will begin this fall live on Spike.

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Mark Hunt Receives Visa; Cleared To Face Junior Dos Santos In UFC 160 Co-Headliner

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:36:00 +0000

With less than a week until his co-main event clash with Junior dos Santos at UFC 160, heavyweight slugger Mark Hunt dodged a bullet.

Hunt has been stuck in Australia for the past week unable to travel to the United States due to a visa issue stemming from a prior arrest. With it appearing less and less likely that Hunt would make the event in time, UFC officials began to arrange for Roy Nelson to fill in against dos Santos had the situation not improved at the 11th hour.

On Sunday, however, Hunt tweeted that he had in fact received his visa.

The resurging Hunt (9-7) is currently riding a four-fight win streak inside the Octagon — three by way of knockout. After besting the likes of Chris Tuchscherer, Ben Rothwell and Cheick Kongo, the 39-year-old went on to viciously stop Stefan Struve on FUEL TV last March.

Dos Santos (15-2), meanwhile, will look to rebound from the second loss of his career after being dominated by Cain Velasquez en route to dropping his UFC heavyweight title. The defeat snapped a ten-fight win streak for "Cigano", which includes victories over Fabricio Werdum, Shane Carwin, Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez.

UFC 160 takes place on May 25 at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena and airs live on pay-per-view, with the preliminary card broadcasting on FX and streaming on Facebook. In the main event, UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will defend his crown in a rematch against Antonio Silva, while Hunt and dos Santos lock horns in the co-headliner.

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'UFC On FX 8' Post-Fight Press Conference Full Video

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:01:00 +0000

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'UFC On FX 8' Quick Results: Belfort Spinning Heel Kick KO's Rockhold; Jacare Submits Camozzi

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Sun, 19 May 2013 04:52:00 +0000

UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold
Saturday, May 18
Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Main Card (FX)
Vitor Belfort def. Luke Rockhold via KO (spinning heel kick and punches) at 2:32 of round 1
Ronaldo Souza def. Chris Camozzi via technical submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:37 of round 1
Rafael dos Anjos def. Evan Dunham via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Rafael Natal def. Joao Zeferino via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Preliminary Card (FUEL TV)
Nik Lentz def. Hacran Dias via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)
Francisco Trinaldo def. Mike Rio via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:08 of round 1
Gleison Tibau def. John Cholish via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:34 of round 2
Paulo Thiago def. Michel Prazeres via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Yuri Alcantara def. Iliarde Santos via TKO (punches) at 2:31 of round 1
Fabio Maldonado def. Roger Hollett via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-27)

Preliminary Card (Facebook)
John Lineker def. Azamat Gashimov via TKO (punches) at 1:07 of round 2
Jussier Formiga def. Chris Cariaso via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Lucas Martins def. Jeremy Larsen via KO (punch) at 0:13 of round 3

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Report: Injury Forces Renan Barao Out Of Next Month's UFC 161 Headliner

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Sat, 18 May 2013 22:50:00 +0000

It appears that the UFC's bantamweight division could be on its way to having an interim, interim champion.

According to a report by Brazilian outlet Tatame on Saturday, UFC interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao has been forced to pull out of next month's UFC 161 due to a foot injury. Barao was slated to defend his title against Eddie Wineland in the main event of next month's event.

UFC 161 takes place on June 15 at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada's MTS Centre, and airs live on pay-per-view. Additional bouts for the summer event include Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson.

UFC officials have yet to comment on Barao's injury.

Barao (30-1, 1 NC) is currently riding an unparalleled 30-fight unbeaten streak, including a 4-0 record under the UFC banner thus far. With UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz on the sidelines for an extended period due to a series of injuries, Barao captured the interim 135-pound title last July by outpointing Urijah Faber. In his first title defense, the 26-year-old submitted Michael McDonald on FUEL TV last February.

Wineland (20-8-1), meanwhile, is riding back-to-back victories over fellow world-ranked talent. The WEC vet scored a vicious knockout over Scott Jorgensen last June, before outpointing Brad Pickett at December's UFC 155.

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Matt Riddle Headed To Bellator After Promotion Buys Out Legacy FC Contract

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:44:00 +0000

Matt Riddle is gone from Legacy FC before ever stepping foot in the promotion's cage.

During Friday's episode of "Inside MMA" on AXS TV, it was reported that Bellator MMA has bought Riddle's (7-3, 2 NC) contract from Legacy FC. Legacy FC officials later confirmed the news to MMAJunkie.com on Saturday.

Riddle was released from the UFC earlier this year after testing positive for marijuana for the second time in six months. In his first offense, the 27-year-old submitted Chris Clements with an arm-triangle choke, which was later overturned to a no-contest ruling. In his most recent bout, a split decision over Che Mills was also ruled a no-contest after failing his post-fight drug screen.

An alum of The Ultimate Fighter 7, Riddle has fought all 12 of his professional bouts under the UFC banner, having signed with the promotion in 2008. Among his seven victories include wins over DaMarques Johnson and John Maguire.

No time frame has been announced for Riddle's Bellator debut as the promotion has not yet publicly commented on the matter.

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Video: Vitor Belfort And Luke Rockhold Heated Face-Off From 'UFC On FX 8' Weigh-Ins

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:13:00 +0000

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Nate Diaz Receives 90-Day Suspension, $20,000 Fine From UFC For Gay Slur

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:49:00 +0000

An ill-advised tweet from UFC lightweight Nate Diaz has proven to be a costly one.

The fighter found himself in hot water this week after taking to Twitter to defend Pat Healy, who tested positive for marijuana following his submission victory over Jim Miller last month. As a result of the failed drug test, the UFC withheld Healy's $130,000 post-fight bonus money — $65,000 of which it awarded to Bryan Caraway for winning "Submission of the Night" honors.

"I feel bad for Pat Healy that they took an innocent man's money and I think the guy who took the money is the biggest fag in the world," Diaz tweeted. The tweet in question has since been removed.

UFC officials released a statement on Friday and later detailed Diaz's punishment.

"The language used in his tweet was regrettable, offensive and inconsistent with the values and culture of the organization, and is not tolerated," the statement read.

As a result of the offensive tweet, Diaz has received a 90-day suspension from the UFC and has been fined $20,000. UFC officials noted that the fine will be donated to charity.

Diaz is currently riding back-to-back losses inside the Octagon. In his first UFC title bid, the 28-year-old come up short on points to reigning lightweight champion Ben Henderson in December. In his most recent outing, Diaz was stopped due to strikes by Josh Thomson on FOX last month.

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UFC Vet Paul Kelly Found Guilty Of Heroin Trafficking

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:41:00 +0000

Former UFC lightweight Paul Kelly was found guilty in England this week on charges of trafficking heroin.

According to a report by The Liverpool Echo, Kelly was convicted Friday afternoon after a four-day trial in his native Liverpool, England. While a charge of such magnitude generally carries a lengthy prison sentence with it, no exact time frame was noted as of this writing.

During the brief trial, prosecutors unanimously convinced a jury pool that Kelly was a major drug trafficker, and that the fighter was considered "the boss" amongst a group of fellow dealers.

The nine-time UFC vet made his first Octagon appearance at 2008's UFC 80, outpointing fellow countryman Paul Taylor in a "Fight of the Night" performance. During his three years with the UFC, Kelly posted a record of 5-4 before being released after a submission defeat to Donald Cerrone in 2011.

The 28-year-old recently got back on the winning track on the regional circuit, scoring a pair of second-round stoppage wins since moving up to welterweight late last year.

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'UFC on FX 8' Weigh-In Results: Belfort, Rockhold On Target For Middleweight Headliner

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:27:00 +0000

UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold
Saturday, May 18
Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Main Card (FX, 9 p.m. ET.)
Vitor Belfort (186 lbs.) vs. Luke Rockhold (186 lbs.)
Ronaldo Souza (186 lbs.) vs. Chris Camozzi (186 lbs.)
Evan Dunham (156 lbs.) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (156 lbs.)
Rafael Natal (186 lbs.) vs. Joao Zeferino (185 lbs.)

Preliminary Card (FUEL TV, 6 p.m. ET.)
Nik Lentz (146 lbs.) vs. Hacran Dias (146 lbs.)
Mike Rio (156 lbs.) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (154 lbs.)
Gleison Tibau (156 lbs.) vs. John Cholish (156 lbs.)
Paulo Thiago (170 lbs.) vs. Michel Prazeres (171 lbs.)
Yuri Alcantara (136 lbs.) vs. Iliarde Santos (134 lbs.)
Fabio Maldonado (205 lbs.) vs. Roger Hollett (204 lbs.)

Preliminary Card (Facebook, 4:30 p.m. ET.)
Azamat Gashimov (126 lbs.) vs. John Lineker (126 lbs.)
Chris Cariaso (126 lbs.) vs. Jussier Formiga (126 lbs.)
Jeremy Larsen (155 lbs.) vs. Lucas Martins (153 lbs.)

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Dana White 'UFC On FX 8' Video Blog Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Manzella) — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:16:00 +0000

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