MMA Mania

Ready to 'Rumble' II: Josh Koscheck UFC 106 interview exclusive with MMAmania.com

2009-11-20T20:11:35Z

Josh Koscheck is a man people love to hate.

At this point it's safe to say he's embraced his role as the bad guy and continues to use it to fuel his fire.

Baseball Hall-of-Famer Reggie Jackson once said, "Fans don't boo nobodies," and that statement rings true with regards to Koscheck as well.

"Kos" is a legitimate top ten welterweight contender and has been for some time. Lately, however, he's been on a bit of a roller coaster going 2 - 2 in his last four fights and alternating wins and losses.

Most recently he registered a first round knockout of Frank Trigg at UFC 103. The UFC then scheduled him to fight Mike Pierce at UFC Fight Night 20 on January 11, 2010, but as it turns out, it was only a temporary matchup.

When a couple high profile fights dropped like flies off the upcoming UFC 106 card an opportunity presented itself and he jumped at the chance to face up-and-comer Anthony "Rumble" Johnson in the co-main event.

A win could have him knocking on the door of a potential title shot, but it will certainly not come easy.

Koscheck took some time out of his busy schedule to discuss calling out Matt Hughes, Josh Thomson's conflict of interest, and all things Anthony Johnson.

Check it out:

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I wanted to start off getting your thoughts on Mike Swick's fight at UFC 105 with Dan Hardy. What did you think about how the fight played out and what went wrong for Mike?

Josh Koscheck: I really would prefer to not answer any questions about that right now. I haven't really got to speak directly with Mike Swick. I'm focused on my fight and would prefer to keep the focus on that.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): A lot has been made recently about the so-called "feud" between you and Matt Hughes. What originally made you call him out after you beat Frank Trigg? It seemed like it kind of came out of left field at the time.

Josh Koscheck: I've been trying to get that fight for a number of years now. Probably three years. He just doesn't want to fight me. I called him out. Usually when people call you out and talk shit usually you step up and say, "Yeah, I'll fight the guy." Apparently he doesn't want to fight me so I guess it's almost pointless for us to even talk about Matt Hughes. (laughs)

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You were scheduled to face Mike Pierce in January so how did your fight with Anthony Johnson come about?

Josh Koscheck: I heard the UFC 106 card was in need of some fighters. I had my management call the UFC and let them know I'd fight whoever, just get me an opponent and I'll fight. Management put it in their ear and they said, "Yeah, that's a great idea. How about co-main event against Anthony Johnson?" I said, "Okay done deal."

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): It seems like you are a lot more active than most guys and never hesitate to jump at a fight even on short notice. You're one of the few who does this repeatedly. Do you get antsy after a few consecutive weeks of training? What is your mindset?

Josh Koscheck: I'm always training. I'm two or three weeks away from being in great shape always. My mindset is if I want to make money I need to be fighting. If I want to get a title shot I need to be fighting. Basically, I need to be in the cage. If I'm just sitting around waiting there is no opportunity for me to take those next steps.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Strikeforce champion Josh Thomson trains at AKA with you but is also a coach and good friend of Anthony Johnson. Is that a conflict of interest? What do you think about this situation?

Josh Koscheck: I won't throw him under the bus, but he's been my training partner for five years now. He's been my friend. I actually live with him right now. I knew that he was training Anthony Johnson prior to this fight. He's not training him right now. Josh can do what he wants in his free time, but out of respect for me he said he wasn't going to train him.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What is Johnson's biggest strength in your opinion?

Josh Koscheck: I think he's got some power in his punches. I think that's his biggest strength. I think the UFC did a very good job of building him and almost babying him. He hasn't really fought anybody yet in the UFC. This will be his first test. We're going to see how mentally tough this kid is and if he has the heart to be a champion.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you feel any pressure to stand up and bang with him and make it exciting for the fans?

Josh Koscheck: I don't feel any pressure at all in my fights. I can just tell you this fight won't go to a decision.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): We don't really know what kind of ground game Johnson has because he hasn't really needed it yet. Is that an area you're going to try to exploit?

Josh Koscheck: Like I said, I don't talk too much game plan. I'm just going to let you known that this fight won't go to the judges.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Are you going to plan on continuing to call out Hughes going forward? If you beat Johnson are you going to call him out again until he takes the fight?

Josh Koscheck: He's not going to take the fight. He doesn't want to fight me. The UFC must feel bad for him. They just want to continue to give him easy fights and let him retire with a winning record or in a winning way or whatever. For me, I don't care who I fight. I don't care where I fight. I don't care how often I fight. My goal next year is to fight twelve times.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I actually spoke with Johnson last night and I asked him what would happen if he ends up on his back at any point in the fight. He told me, "I can do enough to survive. I'm not a black belt or anything like that. I don't want to submit you. I know how to hold on to you and have the ref stand us up, let's put it that way." Your thoughts on this statement?

Josh Koscheck: (laughs) That's funny! He's going to hold on and let the ref stand us up? That's cool, whatever. If we end up on the ground that's not a good philosophy. I've trained with Anthony. I know what he has on the ground. I know he's a part time fighter. He's not training year round like me. I know his jiu-jitsu coach that teaches there (at Cung Le's gym), Paul Schreiner. He's never been to one jiu-jitsu class since Schreiner, who is a black belt in jiu-jitsu, has been there.

I'm not concerned to fight this fight on the feet. I'm not concerned to fight this fight on the ground to be honest with you. It depends on how I feel on Saturday night when I'm in the locker room warming up. Then I'll make the decision as to where I'll fight.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Johnson also told me he was at 185 pounds last night and is comfortably in line to make the cut. How is your weight by the way? What are you at right now?

Josh Koscheck: I woke up this morning at 181 pounds. I think I'm on track. I've never had a weight issue. I'm a little bit mentally tougher than that to puss out and not make weight.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What happens if Johnson comes in at 175 or 176 pounds on Friday?

Josh Koscheck: That's not going to change my philosophy. I'm still going to beat his ass. I'm going on with the fight. I don't care if he makes weight or he doesn't make weight. That's not up to me. That's up to him. At the end of the day I'm here to fight. If he doesn't make weight he's still going to get beat down.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You're one of the few guys that have taken Georges St. Pierre to a decision. How much have you improved since you fought him and do you feel like things would go differently in a rematch?

Josh Koscheck: I'm not really, obviously, thinking about that right now. After Saturday night if I'm not fighting St. Pierre next I'll call people up and I'll fight every three weeks. I'll have three weeks of training and then I'll fight every month next year. That's the plan. If I'm not fighting him next then line them up and let me fight twelve people so I can make some real money and then I'll fight St. Pierre.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Anything you'd like to pass along to your fans out there or any sponsors you would like to thank at this time?

Josh Koscheck: They can check me out on Twitter, @JoshKoscheck. All my sponsors. I plug them on my Twitter page so it's all good.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Josh, I appreciate the time. Good luck on Saturday.

Josh Koscheck: Alright, thank you.

Derek Bolender is a contributor to MMAmania.com, CBSSports.com, FoxSports.com, and BleacherReport.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/DerekMMAwriter and Facebook.com/Derek.Bolender.

Report: Matt Serra vs Frank Trigg set for UFC 109 on Feb. 6

2009-11-20T21:11:11Z

According to FightNetwork.com:

UFC welterweight Matt Serra spoke to The Fight Network on Friday morning and confirmed that he has signed on to fight Frank Trigg at the UFC 109 card on February 6th 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.... Serra also stated he would very happy to fight in the future at a catch weight of 160 or 165 pounds if the UFC were interested in promoting more catch weight bouts.

Strikeforce Challengers results for 'Woodley vs Bears' LIVE tonight (Nov. 20)!

2009-11-20T19:50:48Z

Strikeforce is set to pull the trigger on the fifth installment of its Challenger Series TONIGHT (Nov. 20) from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.

"Woodley vs. Bears" features an 11-fight card, including a welterweight main event between undefeated wrestling sensation Tyron "T-Wood" Woodley and winner of six straight, Rudy Bears. Also on tap is a female battle between the wives of current UFC light heavyweight fighters Randy Couture and Brandon Vera as Kim "Sugar Free" Couture and Kerry Vera are set to mix it up in a 135-pound affair.

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of the event, beginning with the Showtime telecast at 11 p.m. ET. In addition, up-to-the-minute quick results of all the other under card bouts will begin to flow around 9:00 p.m. ET.

Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the Showtime telecast to share their thoughts on the action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment (or 10) before you leave and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show -- it always turns out to be a great discussion.

Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after "Woodley vs. Bears."

We're still a few hours away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and event-related predictions in the comments section below.

Strikeforce Challenger Series V QUICK RESULTS:

170 lbs.: Tyron Woodley vs. Rudy Bears
135 lbs.: Kerry Vera vs. Kim "Sugar Free" Couture
170 lbs.: Erik Apple vs. Bobby Voelker
205 lbs.: Aaron Rosa vs. Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante
185 lbs.: Kevin Casey vs. Chad Vance
155 lbs.: Lee Gibson vs. Joe Wilk
145 lbs.: Brian Davidson vs. Russel Patrick
170 lbs.: Andrew Waters vs. Nick Nolte
185 lbs.: Darryl Cobb vs. Gary Tapasua
167 lbs.: Mike Chandler vs. Rich Bouphanouvong
190 lbs.: Dominic Brown vs. Lucas Lopes

Strikeforce Challenger Series V PLAY-BY-PLAY LIVE MAIN CARD COMMENTARY:

James here!

170 lbs.: Tyron Woodley vs. Rudy Bears

Round one:
Round two:
Round three:

Final result:

-end-

Kerry Vera vs. Kim "Sugar Free" Couture

Round one:
Round two:
Round three:

Final result:

-end-

Erik Apple vs. Bobby Voelker

Round one:
Round two:
Round three:

Final result:

-end-

Aaron Rosa vs. Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante

Round one:
Round two:
Round three:

Final result:

-end-

Phil Baroni vs Amir Sadollah UFC 106 video fight talk

2009-11-20T19:27:04Z

WEC 44 medical suspensions and injuries for ‘Brown vs. Aldo'

2009-11-20T19:23:40Z

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) recently issued its list of medical suspensions for WEC 44: "Brown vs. Aldo", which took place on Wednesday, Nov. 18, from "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino resort in Las Vegas.

Only seven of the 20 athletes who competed on the card have been sidelined by the commission doctors, including former WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown, who lost his 145-pound title to Jose Aldo.

"Junior" was not listed on the injury report, as he avoided any significant damage in his title fight that lasted just over six minutes.

Cub Swanson, Diego Nunes, and Antonio Banuelos all landed lengthier suspensions, lasting upwards of six months, unless a doctor clears them at an earlier time.

Here is the list of WEC 44 injuries and their medical instructions.

Mike Brown: Suspended until Jan. 3 with no contact until Dec. 19 due to lacerations above each eye.
Rob McCullough: Suspended until Jan. 3 with no contact until Dec. 19 due to left hand contusion and cut on right eye.
Diego Nunes: Suspended until May 18 with no contact due to orbital fracture on right eye or must be cleared by oral surgeon.
Cub Swanson: Suspended until May 18 with no contact due to broken left hand or must be cleared by an orthopedic doctor.
Antonio Banuelos: Suspended until May 18 with no contact due to a fractured nose or must be cleared by an ENT doctor.
Karen Darabedyan: Suspended until Dec. 19 due to a right cheek laceration.
Will Kerr: suspended until Dec. 19 due to a right cheek laceration.

Just a quick reminder: Fighters often return to action much quicker once doctors give them the green light. The lengthy suspensions are just a precaution in most cases.

For complete WEC 44 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

UFC 106 weigh in results LIVE from Las Vegas for 'Ortiz vs Griffin 2'

2009-11-20T19:14:00Z

The official weigh-in event for UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" will soon get underway today (Nov. 20) from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It is currently scheduled to air LIVE right here on MMAmania.com, as well as on several other online destinations, via streaming video. The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 7 p.m. ET.

As usual, MMAmania.com will provide the latest coverage of the UFC 106 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude.

UFC 106 features a rematch between former light heavyweight champions, Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin, filling the gaping main event void left by Brock Lesnar, who was forced to withdraw from his heavyweight title defense against Shane Carwin because of a serious illness.

Top welterweight contender, Josh Koscheck, will once again step up on relatively short notice to see if the hard-hitting Anthony Johnson belongs among the division’s elite.

Here are the complete UFC 106 weigh in results:

Main event:

205 lbs.: Tito Ortiz () vs. Forrest Griffin ()

Main card (Televised):

170 lbs.: Anthony Johnson () vs. Josh Koscheck ()
205 lbs.: Luis Cane () vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira ()
170 lbs.: Phil Baroni () vs. Amir Sadollah ()
170 lbs.: Paulo Thiago () vs. Jacob Volkmann ()

Under card (May not be broadcast):

170 lbs.: Marcus Davis () vs. Ben Saunders ()
185 lbs.: Kendall Grove () vs. Jake Rosholt ()
170 lbs.: Brian Foster () vs. Brock Larson ()
155 lbs.: Fabricio Camoes () vs. Caol Uno ()
155 lbs.: George Sotiropoulos () vs. Jason Dent ()

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, Nov. 21), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view from the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET with Spike TV telecast of select prelim bouts.

It’s going to be a fun night of fights so don’t miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 106 coverage you can handle.

Video feed courtesy of UFC.com.

UFC 106 predictions, preview and analysis

2009-11-20T18:09:06Z

UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" is set to go down this Saturday, November 21, 2009 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, live via pay-per-view.

Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates with blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action on fight night, which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET.

To get us pumped for the event, MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer, Jesse Holland (that’s me), has once again rallied the troops for a breakdown of the televised main card fights. All your favorite contributors are here, bringing you an in-depth look at each contest.

One of the big stories coming into this event is of course the headlining fight (and rematch) between Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin. It's the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy's" first bout at light heavyweight since coming up short against Lyoto Machida back in May 2008.

Is the former UFC light heavyweight champion still a viable threat at 205-pounds?

There are also a lot of unanswered questions regarding the future of the welterweight division. Is Josh Koscheck the final test for Anthony Johnson before he becomes a serious title contender?

And does "Rumble" stand a chance against "Rush" if he passes?

Also on tap is a defining match between Luis Cane and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Can "Banha" solidify himself as the next big thing at 205-pounds? Or will the well-traveled "Lil' Nog" overcome the rising star with his unique balance of boxing and jiu-jitsu?

There will certainly be a lot to talk about on Sunday morning.

I’ve also included the current betting lines for each fight so that you can get a feel for what the money has to say about the chances of each combatant.

Now, enough with the formalities … let’s get cracking:

205 lbs.: Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz (15-6-1) vs. Forrest Griffin (16-6)

Backgrounds:

Ortiz:

Record (last five fights): 2-2-1
Notable wins: Beat the geriatric Ken Shamrock into exile...hardly "notable."
Notable losses: The last guy to be finished by Chuck Liddell, the aforementioned "Dragon" loss.
Strengths: Powerful wrestler, good cardio, ton of experience.
Weaknesses: Hasn't fought in over a year. Hasn't won in over three.

Griffin:

Record (last five fights): 3-2
Notable wins: Shocked the world with back-to-back wins over "Shogun" Rua and "Rampage" Jackson.
Notable losses: Then lost all the accolades with back-to-back defeats to Rashad Evans and Anderson Silva.
Strengths: Great cardio, good fundamentals, comes to fight.
Weaknesses: Inconsistent, questionable chin, not a lot of power in his hands.

Derek Bolender predicts: Here is a battle between two former UFC light heavyweight champions and two of the most beloved fighters in UFC history. It's basically a mainstream fans' wet dream and the perfect UFC 106 main event filler for the defunct Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin title fight.

Last time we saw Forrest he was busy getting obliterated by Anderson Silva at UFC 101, however, there is no real shame in losing to a guy who is the caliber of Silva. Everyone has had a bad night against him at one time or another in the UFC it seems like.

On second thought it was a severe ass kicking, borderline embarrassing, and he probably still wakes up in a cold sweat thinking about it, but let's move on.

It's been a bit longer since Tito has graced the octagon. He has not fought since May 2008 at UFC 84. We all remember. That was the weekend he donned his infamous "Dana is My Bitch" T-shirt at the weigh-ins as his UFC contract was coming to a close. Then the following evening Lyoto Machida proceeded to make Tito his bitch en route to a unanimous decision victory.

Since that time Tito has had major back surgery to repair an old injury, kissed and made up with UFC President Dana White, and as a result, signed a new UFC fight contract.

His first comeback fight against Forrest will be a rematch of their UFC 59 match in which Tito squeaked out a controversial split decision victory. Needless to say, a lot has changed since April 2006.

At the time Tito was in his prime having fought in eight championship bouts already. Forrest, on the other hand, was fighting in just his fourth UFC fight overall. He would not sniff a title fight for another two years until he fought Quinton Jackson in July 2008 at UFC 86.

Now Forrest is in his prime and Tito is past his while attempting to resurrect his career at the age of 34.

I expect to see the same qualities from Tito that we have seen in the past; great cardio and wrestling, solid ground and pound, and a phenomenal tan. The problem is that he is still largely a wrestling-based martial artist in a new world stocked full of well-rounded mixed martial artists.

The good news for fans is that there is a good chance this fight will be standing for the majority of the time as both will likely try their best to put on a show in the form of a slugfest.

For me the deciding factor in the fight will be Forrest's ability to land damaging leg kicks similar to how he defeated Quinton Jackson. They will be crucial in order to take power away from Tito's punches and take away his base in order to hamper his ability to shoot for takedowns. Once that is taken off the table Forrest should be able to slowly chip away at Tito with his hands.

I know Tito has been looking great in camp, his motivation is through the roof, and he's done some training with Freddie Roach. I get all that, however, that sounds eerily similar to what people were saying about Andrei Arlovski before Fedor Emelianenko played Rock Em' Sock Em' robots with his cranium.

I did not think Tito beat Forrest at UFC 59, so how can I pick him to win now that he is an aging fighter coming off both a long layoff and a major surgery? I cannot and I will not.

Betting lines (as of Nov. 20):

Ortiz: +105 ((Bet Now))

Griffin: -135 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Griffin via unanimous decision

170 lbs.: Anthony "Rumble"Johnson vs. Josh "Kos" Koscheck

Backgrounds:

Johnson:

Record (last five fights): 4-1
Notable wins: Finished his last four wins by way of scary knockout.
Notable losses: Eye-poke loss to Kevin Burns -- that he quickly avenged with a brutal head kick KO.
Strengths: Enormous for a welterweight, ridiculous power, athletic.
Weaknesses: Untested against upper-tier fighters, questions surround his ground game.

Kos:

Record (last five fights): 3-2
Notable wins: Stopped a returning Frank Trigg by way of TKO, deported "Zenko" Youshida via knockout.
Notable losses: Embarrassing TKO loss to an unknown Paulo Thiago, nearly crippled by Thiago Alves.
Strengths: Great cardio, outstanding wrestler, durable.
Weaknesses: Good but not great, may not have the stand-up to compete at the highest level.

James Iannotti predicts: Koscheck practically begged the UFC matchmakers to line him up with an opponent who would want to fight and push the pace with him. Unfortunately for him, the UFC did just that by pairing him up with Anthony Johnson, who is perhaps the most dangerous striker on the promotion's roster, having knocked out five of his seven opponents inside the Octagon.

"Rumble" does really well against fellow strikers, but we don't know yet how he'll handle being put on his back. We don't even know if there's anyone in the 170 pound division who's capable of putting him on his back. But if there is a UFC welterweight that may be able to negate that ridiculous striking with a strong wrestling attack (besides the champion of course) it's Josh Koscheck.

"Kos" has been working hard to improve his stand-up over the past few years, which he's done a nice job with, but if he wants to win this fight he's going to have to return to his roots and try to score points with his wrestling, because if he opts to stand with Anthony Johnson, he won't last long. With that said, Johnson is a gigantic welterweight and someone even the most skilled wrestlers at 170 pounds could have a hard time dealing with physically.

Add that with his devastating power and that equals a really bad match-up for not only Koscheck, but a lot of other 170 pounders. I like Koscheck and part of me feels like he's got a few tricks up his sleeve for this fight, but "Rumble" is on a roll and his confidence is high. I've got "Kos" taking a nap in this one, probably early in the second.

Betting lines (as of Nov. 20):

Johnson: -120 ((Bet Now))

Koscheck: -110 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Johnson via technical knockout

205 lbs.: Luis "Banha" Cane (10-1) vs. Antonio Rogerio "Minotoro" Nogueira (17-3)

Backgrounds:

Cane:

Record (last five fights): 4-1
Notable wins: Ended the Sokoudjou experiment at UFC 89.
Notable losses: Bizarre DQ loss to "Sandman" Irvin at UFC 79.
Strengths: Scary striking, underrated jits, finishes his fights.
Weaknesses: Fought just once in the past 13 months.

Nogueira:

Record (last five fights): 5-0
Notable wins: A busy 2008/9 saw him avenge a 2002 "Janitor" loss.
Notable losses: Hasn't seen the lights since Sokoudjou shocked the world at PRIDE 33.
Strengths: May have the finest balance of boxing and jiu-jitsu.
Weaknesses: He's a Nogueira: A lotta miles on these tires....

Adam Wagner predicts: UFC 106 marks the long-awaited promotional debut of 10-fight PRIDE FC veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3). With 20 MMA fights under his belt, "Minotouro" brings tremendous experience to the cage, having bested such legends as Dan Henderson, Alistair Overeem (twice), Vladimir Matyushenko and Kazushi Sakuraba.

And while the Black House team member is both a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and a Pan Am bronze medal-winning boxer, what concerns me most about this fight is Nogueira’s propensity to go to a decision. Yes, he can withstand punishment, but can he withstand Luis Arthur Cane?

Cane (10-1, with 1 NC) is undefeated, for all intents and purposes, having his only loss come from a disqualification due to an illegal ass-kicking of James Irvin. And while Cane has never faced anyone close to the caliber of Nogueira, he has a habit of crushing his opponents early and often, having seen the second round just twice and the third only once.

While Cane went to his first decision at UFC 97 in April against Steve Cantwell, he showed he can take a punch in the process. Nogueira, on the other hand, has only been knocked out once, by the over-rated Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, who Cane TKO’d in the second round of their fight. This has all the makings of the Fight (or Knockout) of the Night. And while Nog has shown a recent improvement in his tenacity, having finished fighters in five of his last six victories, something tells me this is the coming out party for Cane.

Betting lines (as of Nov. 20):

Cane: +120 ((Bet Now))

Nogueira: -150 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Cane via technical knockout

170 lbs.: Phil "New York Bad Ass" Baroni (13-11) vs. Amir Sadollah (1-1)

Backgrounds:

Baroni:

Record (last five fights): 3-2
Notable wins: Beat three people you've never heard of on the independent circuit.
Notable losses: Finished by Joey Villasenor, outworked by Joe Riggs.
Strengths: Decent hands, lots of experience, big heart.
Weaknesses: Hasn't had a meaningful win in five years.

Sadollah:

Record (last five fights): 1-1
Notable wins: Captured the TUF 7 crown by subbing CB Dollaway.
Notable losses: Then got smoked by Dan Miragliotta at UFC 101 (with an assist from Johnny Hendricks).
Strengths: Crafty, good cardio, tricky submissions.
Weaknesses: Has a lot to prove coming into the big time.

Akimitsu Kuwabara predicts: Amir Sadollah enters the contest after a devastating 29-second knockout loss to Johnny Hendricks in his official UFC debut after his TUF stint at UFC 101. The momentum following his cinderella run through the seventh season of TUF has been diminishing, and he must announce his presence to the world with a victory over New York Bad Ass.

Phil Baroni inexplicably returns to UFC following a decision loss to Joe Riggs in June at Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields. Riggs outworked Baroni throughout fifteen minutes of action, and showed superiority in striking and grappling. With his win-loss percentage teetering on the brink of 50% and former charisma chipping away, Baroni could use an emphatic victory against Sadollah.

Baroni is at his most lethal when swarming his opponents with power punches in bunches. Having fought as a middleweight for a large portion of his career, the NYBA has wised up and dropped to welterweight -- a more suitable weight class for him, however late it may be to salvage his career. Presumably, his move to a lower weight class accentuates the power in his hands. On a more somber note, his last fight against Joe Riggs demonstrated that, despite looking leaner and meaner than eva, the all-too-familiar flaws in his game remain out in the open: Though his infamously atrocious conditioning improved somewhat, he is still terribly one-dimensional with mediocre grappling and striking that precipitously turns anemic once his power runs out along with his gas tank.

The key factor in this fight is which Sadollah shows up: The patient and durable fighter who emerged victorious from the throes of defeat during his stint in TUF 7 or the one who could not withstand the barrage of punches once stunned at UFC 101.

Baroni's knockout power is a threat to anyone while his gas tank lasts (a round and half at most). If Baroni comes out guns blazing and succeeds in penetrating Sadollah's less-than-airtight striking defense, he will score an emphatic knockout victory.

Sadollah needs to stay patient and survive the early onslaught. In addition to the patient, methodical grappling he displayed against CB Dollaway in TUF, he possesses decent footwork, a nice repertoire of kicks, and much better technical striking than Baroni. His knockout loss to Hendricks probably strikes caution in him and make him gun-shy, especially early in the fight: If he can stick and move to stay busy on the feet while keeping Baroni at bay, it is a matter of time before Baroni's gas tank starts to deplete.

Betting lines (as of Nov. 20):

Baroni: +175 ((Bet Now))

Sadollah: -220 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Sadollah via submission

170 lbs.: Paulo Thiago (11-1) vs. Jacob "Christmas" Volkmann (9-0)

Backgrounds:

Thiago:

Record (last five fights): 4-1
Notable wins: Stunned Josh Koscheck with a TKO at UFC 95.
Notable losses: Had no answer for the wrestling of Jon Fitch at UFC 100.
Strengths: Ridiculous grappling credentials, strong for a welterweight.
Weaknesses: Striking leaves a lot to be desired, can be controlled on the ground.

Volkmann:

Record (last five fights): 5-0
Notable wins: Nice submission win over Kevin Knabjian in Bellator last May.
Notable losses: Perfect through nine.
Strengths: Tremendous wrestler, great cardio, durable.
Weaknesses: Untested on the big stage.

Nate Lawson predicts: The last time Paulo Thiago entered the Octagon he was introduced to the advanced wrestling pedigree of former welterweight top contender Jon Fitch at UFC 100 this past July. After his scheduled bout with another former top contender and Georges St. Pierre’s most recent victim Thiago Alves fell through, the Brazilian submission ace landed a UFC newcomer in Jacob Volkmann.

Volkmann brings a solid grappling game to the fight, with a strong wrestling base and effective jiu-jitsu. Six of his nine professional fights, all of which are wins, have come via submission. “Christmas’” last fight ended in a Brabo choke at Bellator Fighting Championships 6 over Kevin Knabjian.

However, whatever ground game Volkmann brings, the jiu-jitsu wizard Thiago will certainly have an answer, at least in terms of submission defense. Thiago boasts a nearly unblemished record at 11-1, with seven of those victories coming by way of submission. His ground game is phenomenal, but submitting Volkmann will not come any easy way, making Thiago’s ability to finish the fight exceedingly difficult as the three round bout wears on.

While the three-time NCAA Division 1 All-American wrestler will not be able to control Thiago on the ground in the same manner that Jon Fitch did, Volkmann’s wrestling and jiu-jitsu will be enough to stifle anything that the Brazilian grappling machine tries to throw at him, while leading to effective ground and pound.

When the submission game falls short, Thiago will run out of options for finishing the fight. Look for the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy member to work his wrestling and ground and pound en route to a unanimous decision upset.

Betting lines (as of Nov. 20):

Thiago: -260 ((Bet Now))

Volkmann: +200 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Volkmann via unanimous decision

That’s a wrap, folks.

Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and coverage of "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2."

What do you think? Now it’s your turn … let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for Saturday’s event.

DREAM and Sengoku co-promotion update for Dec. 31 'FieLDS Dynamite!!'

2009-11-20T19:03:02Z

The Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) and World Victory Road (WVR) brass have maintained silence regarding the rumored co-promotion for a New Year's Eve (NYE) show.

The co-promotion deal was reported last week by Tokyo Sports: Though one must be wary of the tabloid bent of the publication, many no doubt have come to acknowledge that WVR faces grave peril in hosting the NYE show that features the showdown between two former judo Olympic gold medalists, Hidehiko Yoshida and Satoshi Ishii.

Earlier this week, Shukan (weekly) Playboy reported on the background information behind the formation of the putative co-promotion, claiming that WVR needed money to purchase the television time for its big-budget NYE show. When the estimation of the cost to produce came out, Don Quijote, Sengoku's main sponsor, supposedly balked the price tag and withdrew the support. The loss of the sponsor subsequently dealt a huge blow to Sengoku's NYE show, forcing WVR to seek collaboration with K-1.

Yesterday, World Victory Road broke the silence and issued a formal announcement that it is trying to secure a new venue for the NYE show. WVR claims that, due to the large interest generated by the fight card, a mid-sized arena like Ariake Coliseum cannot hold the size of the audience the show is now expected to draw. WVR now cedes the booking of Ariake Coliseum to Japanese Wrestling Foundation to host an amateur wrestling event on NYE.

A bizarre news from the WVR brass indeed -- we will just have to wait for FEG and WVR officials to lift the fog and elucidate what has been happening behind the scene (the supposed agreement between FEG's Sadaharu Tanikawa and chairman Yasuda of Don Quijote, in particular).

Stay tuned to MMAmania as more details regarding the FEG/SRC New Year's Eve mega-show surface.

Tito Ortiz on Forrest Griffin rematch: 'People haven't seen a fight like this since UFC 100' (Video)

2009-11-20T18:24:35Z

Watch UFC 106 online LIVE stream Nov. 21

2009-11-20T17:10:45Z

Mixed Martial Arts fans who may not have access to their cable boxes or cement-bucket satellite dishes can still catch all the pay-per-view (PPV) action of UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" this Saturday night (Nov. 21) at 10 p.m. ET from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, via Online LIVE stream at Yahoo! Sports or Smooth HD on UFC.com.

Top welterweight contender, Josh Koscheck, will once again step up on relatively short notice to see if the hard-hitting Anthony Johnson belongs among the division’s elite.

Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 106, beginning with the pay-per-view (PPV) telecast at 10 p.m. ET. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action on fight night.

Of course many of the MMA maniacs out there like to rally the troops and head over to the local watering hole to catch the PPV event. In that case, you'll probably want to get a list of bars and restaurants airing the fight card in your area.

To check out where "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" might be playing near you, click here and here. Remember to call ahead for confirmation and seating availability.

And of course we'll see you right back here at MMAmania.com after the fights for all the UFC 106 results, recaps and coverage you can handle.

Dear Brock: Get well soon! Sincerely, Fedor

2009-11-20T15:55:01Z

"I would like to wish my fellow fighter Brock Lesnar a good and fast recovery. It is always unfortunate when a fighter has to pull out of a fight because of an injury."

Top ranked (an oft-maligned) heavyweight wrecking ball Fedor Emelianenko extends his well wishes on TeamFedor.com after learning that current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar was forced to withdraw from his title defense against Shane Carwin due to a bacterial infection. "The Last Emperor" is often paired up with the pasty-face Goliath in a fantasy-matchmaking scenario despite the unlikelihood they'll ever compete against one another. Still, that hasn't stopped the WAMMA champ from hoping Lesnar gets back on the road to recovery and into the MMA spotlight once again.

(Thanks to Josh B. for the tip)

Paulo Thiago vs Jacob Volkmann promoted to UFC 106 televised card

2009-11-20T15:40:30Z

It looks as if "Christmas" will be coming to the televised card of UFC 106 as Jacob Volkmann (9-0) and Paulo Thiago (11-1) have been bumped up a slot to replace the now defunct Karo Parisyan vs. Dustin Hazelett bout at "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday night (Nov. 21).

Parisyan apparently couldn't take "The Heat," so UFC President told the talented-but-troubled Judo star to get his ass out of the kitchen -- permanently -- after Karo left Dustin Hazelett high and dry for the upcoming card.

The fact that this wasn't the first time Parisyan has backed out of a fight, coupled with the litany of recent fighter injuries and illnesses, likely sent White into a rage, prompting him to issue the Armenian a lifetime ban from the promotion.

One door closes, another door opens.

Volkmann was last seen at Bellator Fighting Championships back in May, submitting Kevin Knabjian via brabo choke in the first round of the promotion's sixth televised event.

In addition to Bellator, "Christmas" stayed busy by competing six times in 2008, including stints under the Max Fights and Xtreme Fighting Organization (XFO) banners.

Now Volkmann can thank Thiago Alves for this new opportunity, as "The Pitbull" got yanked from his fight with Paulo Thiago to rematch Jon Fitch -- who was stranded after Ricardo Almeida was injured and forced to withdraw from the event.

That didn't work out for Fitch either, but that's a different story.

The Constrictor Team product stunned the division with a TKO stoppage over Josh Koscheck at UFC 95: "Sanchez vs. Stevenson" in his Octagon debut last January. Fitch, friend and training partner of "Kos," was looking for revenge at UFC 100, where he handed Thiago the first defeat of his career.

He now stands at an even 1-1 inside the Octagon.

For all the latest on the UFC 106 fight card click here.

Jose Aldo: If you think my striking is good, you should see my jiu-jitsu

2009-11-20T14:31:45Z

Props: OC Register

Quoteworthy:

"I’m young and I know it takes a lifetime to get a dream like this. With everything that happened to me back in the days, now it’s like a dream come true. I always want to please my public, my fans, and I want to keep my fights standing. That’s what everybody expects. But, like I said before, I’m a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under master Andre Pederneiras and it’s my base. Jiu-Jitsu is my base. So if you think I’m a good striker, you are going to be very impressed with my ground fighting."

Newly crowned WEC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo celebrates his stunning TKO victory over Mike Brown at WEC 44 last Wednesday night (Nov. 18) in Las Vegas. "Junior" has rattled off six straight (T)KO victories since joining the Zuffa roster back in June 0f 2008 and has looked about as unbeatable as you can get inside the cage, doing it exclusively with his striking. That however, is just a bonus to his jiu-jitsu game, which Aldo contends is his fighting foundation. The Brazilian earned his black belt under Andre Pederneiras -- the same teacher to award BJ Penn his black belt back in 2000. Can anyone on the WEC roster stop Aldo's meteoric rise to greatness?

Tito Ortiz wears his sunglasses at night ...

2009-11-20T12:37:29Z

... so he can hide this black-eyed baby:

Props: Las Vegas Sun

Dustin Hazelett responds to getting stood up by Karo Parisyan at UFC 106 (Video)

2009-11-20T12:20:34Z

Dustin Hazelett responds to getting stood up by Karo Parisyan at UFC 106 (Video)

Brock Lesnar video: 'Project Reincarnation'

2009-11-20T03:29:35Z

Strikeforce Challengers weigh in results for 'Woodley vs. Bears'

2009-11-20T02:29:00Z

The official fighter weigh in for Strikeforce Challengers: "Woodley vs. Bears" today took place from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., for the event scheduled to air tomorrow night (Friday, Nov. 20) on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET.

All 22 fighters slated to compete on the card tipped the scales and were given the green light to beat each other up, including main event participants, undefeated wrestling sensation, Tyron "T-Wood" Woodley, and winner of six straight, Rudy Bears.

In addition, the female version of the UFC 105 main event, Kerry Vera and Kim Couture (pictured), is set to go, as well as the light heavyweight showdown between "Minotauro" Nogueira protege, Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante, and the very talented Aaron Rosa.

Here are the complete "Woodley vs. Bears" event weigh in results:

Main event:
170 lbs.: Tyron Woodley (171) vs. Rudy Bears (170)

Main card:
135 lbs.: Kerry Vera (135) vs. Kim "Sugar Free" Couture (136)
170 lbs.: Erik Apple (170.5) vs. Bobby Voelker (170)
205 lbs.: Aaron Rosa (206) vs. Rafael "Feijao" (205)
185 lbs.: Kevin Casey (185) vs. Chad Vance (185)

Under card:
155 lbs.: Lee Gibson (155) vs. Joe Wilk (155.5)
145 lbs.: Brian Davidson (147) vs. Russel Patrick (144)
170 lbs.: Andrew Waters (171) vs. Nick Nolte (171)
185 lbs.: Darryl Cobb (184) vs. Gary Tapasua (185)
167 lbs.: Mike Chandler (166) vs. Rich Bouphanouvong (164)
190 lbs.: Dominic Brown (190) vs. Lucas Lopes (191.4)

Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than their respective division limits without penalty.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide live coverage of the main card, beginning with the SHOWTIME telecast at 11 p.m. ET. Up-to-the-minute quick results of the under card action will begin to flow around 8:30 p.m. ET.

Check in early and often -- it should be an exciting night of fights!

Shogun Rua wants the belt, not vengeance, in Lyoto Machida rematch

2009-11-20T02:20:36Z

Props: Graciemag.com

Quoteworthy:

"I don’t want to face him because I felt I won. I want to fight Lyoto because it’s for the title, and that is my dream. What I want most is that belt and, therefore, I want to fight Lyoto again."

After the rematch was announced for May 1, 2010, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua says that his dream of becoming the UFC light heavyweight champion comes first rather than a desire for revenge. Lyoto Machida defeated Shogun at UFC 104 this past October with all the three judges scoring the bout 48-47 in favor of "The Dragon." It's a result that to this day still sparks debate and discussion. Think Chapter 2 will end the argument once and for all?

UFC 106 press conference photos gallery for 'Ortiz vs Griffin 2'

2009-11-20T00:39:14Z

Props: CombatLifestyle.com (Click the link to check out the complete gallery)

Former light heavyweight champions Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin go nose-to-nose after the jump.

WEC 44 paydays and salaries for 'Brown vs Aldo'

2009-11-20T01:48:56Z

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) today released the official fighter purses for those who competed at WEC 44: "Brown vs. Aldo" this past Wednesday (Nov. 18) from "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Freshly minted WEC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo was the second biggest earner of the night, pocketing a crisp $26,000 for his TKO win over former champ Mike Thomas Brown.

Manny Gamburyan took the top spot after racking up $36,000 -- and a unanimous decision win over fellow one-time UFC lightweight Leonard Garcia.

"Razor" Rob McCullough earned $20,000 in his losing effort to Karen Darabedyan and claimed the highest base salary for the show, which was $5,000 more than event headliner Mike Brown.

Here is the complete list of WEC 44 payouts:

Jose Aldo -- $26,000 ($13,000 to show, $13,000 to win)

Mike Brown - $15,000

Aldo defeated Brown via technical knockout.

Manny Gamburyan -- $36,000 ($18,000 to show, $18,000 to win)

Leonard Garcia -- $14,000

Garmburyan defeated Garcia via unanimous decision.

Karen Darabedyan -- $6,000 ($3,000 to show, $3,000 to win)

Rob McCullough -- $20,000

Darabedyan defeated McCullough via split decision.

Shane Roller -- $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)

Danny Castillo -- $9,500

Roller defeated Castillo via submission.

Kamal Shalorus -- $6,000 ($3,000 to show, $3,000 to win)

Will Kerr -- $2,000

Shalorus defeated Kerr via technical knockout.

L.C. Davis -- $14,000 ($7,000 to show, $7,000 to win)

Diego Nunes -- $5,000

Davis defeated Nunes via unanimous decision

Cub Swanson -- $18,000 ($9,000 to show, $9,000 to win)

John Franchi -- $4,000

Swanson defeated Franchi via submission.

Antonio Banuelos - $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)

Kenji Osawa -- $6,000

Banuelos defeated Osawa via unanimous decision.

Ricardo Lamas -- $8,000 ($4,000 to show, $4,000 to win)

James Krause -- $2,000

Lamas defeated Krause via unanimous decision.

Frank Gomez -- $6,000 ($3,000 to show, $3,000 to win)

Seth Dikun -- $3,000

Gomez defeated Dikun via unanimous decision.

Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc.

For example, the WEC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for WEC 44 go here.

The total base fighter payroll for the Versus network event was $236,500.

For complete WEC 44 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.