BENJI RADACH TO FACE OVINCE ST. PREUX SATURDAY IN ST. LOUIS ON SHOWTIME®

NEW YORK (Nov. 30, 2010) – Fresh off his fifth straight victory less than two weeks ago, former University of Tennessee standout linebacker turned rising Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) star Ovince St. Preux (8-4) will re-enter the cage to face hard-hitting Benji “Razor” Radach (21-5) this Saturday, Dec. 4, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

The 6-foot-3, 27-year-old St. Preux notched a unanimous three-round decision over Antwain “The Juggernaut’’ Britt during a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at Jackson Convention Complex in Jackson, Miss. on Nov. 19.

Before going the distance with Britt, St. Preux, who fights out of Knoxville, Tenn., had won all four of his fights this year in the first round in a total elapsed time of 7:10. He called it a night after demolishing tough UFC veteran, Jason “Dooms’’ Day, with a single punch in just eight seconds on July 24.

This will be unquestionably the toughest assignment for St. Preux, who won his STRIKEFORCE debut with a 0:47, first-round TKO (punches) over Chris Hawk last April 17.

St. Preux played for the Vols from 2001-2004. He made history on Feb. 20, 2009, by not only competing in Tennessee’s first sanctioned MMA event, but also by recording the first knockout there.

The heavy-handed Radach, a UFC and IFL veteran, will be making his first start since losing by dramatic third-round knockout (punches) to Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith on April 11, 2009. The epic, see-saw battle with Smith was one of the most memorable fights of the year.

In his outing before last, the rugged Radach registered an exciting second-round TKO (punches) over Murilo "Ninja" Rua live on The CBS Television Network. Radach has scored knockouts in 17 of his 19 career triumphs.

Outside the cage, Radach is remembered for foiling a 2006 armed-robbery attempt in Vancouver, Wash., by physically disarming a gunman who was trying to hold up the restaurant that Radach was patronizing.

In the main event of the star-studded STRIKEFORCE fight card, legendary MMA superstar Dan Henderson (25-8) of Temecula, Calif., will clash with former STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral (36-8) of Cerritos, Calif., via Brazil, in a rematch between world-class 205-pounders.

Other televised fights: Paul “Semtex’’ Daley (25-9-2) of Nottingham, England, confronts Scott “Hands Of Steel” Smith (17-7, 1 NC), of Elk Grove, Calif., in a matchup of power-punching welterweights (170 pounds), former world champion and exciting local favorite “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-6, 1 NC), of Granite City, Ill., goes up against 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland (22-7) of Oregon City, Ore., in a middleweight (185 pounds) bout and former heavyweight world champion Antonio “Big Foot’’ Silva (14-2) of Coconut Creek, Fla., by way of Brazil takes on streaking star Mike “Mak’’ Kyle (18-7), of San Jose, Calif.

YEAH I SAID IT! MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich:

I am disgusted by the way MMA clothing brands are buckling to “DW’s” handling of contracts regarding the sponsorship of specific fighters.

It’s almost comical – not on his part but on the part of these clothing companies. They cave in and pay his organization a great deal of money just to have the opportunity to sponsor fighters, who they then pay an individual fee to as well. What these clothing brands fail to understand is that the entire organization that “DW” runs is sponsored by a competing clothing company.

These other brands are paying to represent themselves, yet they will never get the brand recognition they are seeking since the company itself has what would be considered a title sponsorship with another clothing brand – probably the most-recognizable brand in the industry. You are competing in an uphill battle that you can never win.


Now “DW” has instructed these other clothing brands that they have to stop sponsoring other MMA events or they will not be allowed to sponsor fighters in his event – even after fully paying him for the right to sponsor and paying the fighters individually. He is collecting money by the armored truck full from these companies, and yet he’s still able to tell them where to spend the rest of their money at the same time. Has he or anyone in his company ever heard of something called “restraint of trade?”

In a million years, you would never get away with this is other sports. I would like to see Nike, Adidas, or Reebok be told how and where they can spend their sponsorship dollars. It would never happen.

Maybe it’s time the Maximum Fighting Championship stopped helping MMA clothing brands build their business, and for these businesses to be bullied into these types of situations, caving in, and walking away from what helped them get launched in the first place. These companies are compromising their long-term futures and don’t even realize it.

Right now they are not even running their own companies.

“DW” is running his show … and yours.

Breaking Down the Good and the Bad of UFC 124: St. Pierre vs. Koscheck 2

By Elton Hobson

For the second time in less then a year, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is set to come north of the border to the “Mecca” of Mixed Martial Arts – at least until the Octagon hits Toronto, that is.

Montreal, Quebec Canada plays host to UFC 124: St. Pierre vs. Koscheck 2, and with a hometown hero, a highly anticipated rematch and months of reality TV drama all riding into the evenings main event, the card already has Canadian fans shaking in anticipation.

Which is good, because its frickin freezing up here and any movement is good movement.

Putting on a major MMA event in fight-hungry Canada is a guaranteed sellout, and any PPV headlined by GSP is bound to get MMA fans -and their girlfriends, sisters, mothers and grandmothers – to tune in. If you’re an MMA fan, chances are you don’t have to be “sold” on this card.

But just how strong a card is it? I break down the good and the bad of the UFC’s latest Montreal offering to see what’s in store for fight fans come December 11.

The Good – Here’s what fight fans in Le Belle Province have to look forward to.

GSP Comes Home Again: Simply put, there’s nothing like watching a GSP fight live in Montreal.

My first ever event was UFC 83 featuring the St. Pierre vs. Serra rematch, and I have never before or since had a crowd experience that intense. 22,000 fans amped to the eyeballs, a defeaning chant of “GSP! GSP!” echoing forth all night like we were some sort of massive, satanic cult trying to summon a demon or something. Then finally he appears, set to devour the poor sacrifice standing alone in the centre of the Octagon. Roooaaarrrrr!!!!

A whole bunch of “Ole, Ole-Ole-Ole!” chants later, and the ritual is over, the sacrifice consumed, the demon now smiling and breakdancing to the delight of his ravenous zealots.

Yeah, it was that crazy. I had a Bell Centre security guard tell me he’d never heard so loud a crowd, not even for the Canadiens hockey team, which is practically the official religion in Montreal. Fans attending the event live are in for a real treat – assuming St. Pierre doesn’t get “Serra’d” again. Then fans might be in for a good old fashioned street riot (more on that later).

BJJ on Display: When looking over this card one thing about it jumps right out: from a grappling perspective, this card is absolutely stacked.

Now that may not be your cup of tea, I grant, but I’m also willing to bet this is the card that changes your mind.

Charles Oliveria vs. Jim Miller is a clash of two top level grapplers,both riding a wave of hype in the lightweight division. A highlight reel submission is almost guaranteed. Joe Stevenson and Mac Danzig are both extremely well rounded but boast submission skills as their primary calling cards. Again, a submission is likely in this one.

Mark Bocek and TJ Grant are two of the most accomplished Canadian grapplers in MMA, and both are on this card and matched with world class BJJ’ers in Dustin Hazelett and Ricardo Almeida, respectively. Toss in Joe Doerkson taking on another Miller brother, Dan, and you have a ready made night of twisted limbs and choked airways.

Or a whole bunch of terrible kickboxing. I’m choosing to remain optimistic, however – fans of “The Gentle Art”, take notice.

Alves vs. Howard: I know that nothing is certain in MMA, but I’d still bet dollars to donuts that Dana White already has two “KO of the Night” bonus cheques ready – one with “Howard”, the other with “Alves” written on it.

This fight has all the right ingredients to be a classic. Both men are accomplished strikers who combine power and technique. Both men are big, athletic welterweights who have no reservations about staying in the pocket and trading. Both men are coming off losses and are in a “must-win” situation. That all screams fireworks to me – and UFC brass as well, who have elected to open the show with this explosive welterweight clash.

The Bad – Wet blanket time folks. Here’s some of the wrinkles in the UFC 124 card.

Struve vs. McCorkle co-main event: The UFC must be supremely confident in GSP’s ability to headline, because they’ve given him absolutely no help anywhere else on the card -particularly in the usually coveted “co-main event” slot.

Now don’t get me wrong, Stefan Struve and Sean McCorkle are both exciting, talented prospects meeting in what should be a fun heavyweight tilt. But my lord, this has to be one of the worst co-main events in terms of star power the UFC has ever put on.

Neither of these guys is more then a blip on casual fan radars at the moment. Struve is mostly remembered for being lanky as all hell, or for being on the wrong end of a Roy Nelson KO. And unless they’ve been on the MMA forum The Underground before (or managed to catch his sweet prelim submission of Mark Hunt) I’m guessing no one knows who Sean McCorkle is.

Is the UFC hoping to build a star here? Perhaps. Are they seeking to test GSPs drawing power withour a Lesnar, Lidell or Mir to support him? Again, its possible. All I know is you’d have a hard time selling this fight to casuals as the co-main event of a “Fight Night” card, let alone one of the biggest PPVs of the year.

Canadians Buried on the Prelims: With one glaring exception, Canadian
talent is entirely absent from UFC 124′s main card.

Now I know this event is pretty much the GSP show, but the lack of any other Canadian fighters on the PPV card strikes me as odd. When the UFC does an event in the UK, the main card is always stacked with British talent. When they head to Australia, names like George Sotiropolous and even journeymen like Anthony Perosh dot the main card. You don’t do a UFC event in Germany without continental talent like Dennis Siver or Mirko “Cro Cop” on the PPV. Its just smart buisness.

Now I don’t think the booking of this event reflects bad buisness decisions on the UFC’s part as much as a troubling trend for Canadian MMA in general. Outside of GSP, it hasn’t been a stellar year for fighters from the great white north.

Touted prospects like Rory MacDonald, Mike Ricci and Chris Horodecki stumbled on the world stage, as have old veterans like Johnathan Goulet and Jason MacDonald. The last time the UFC came to Montreal in May, every Canadian on the card lost save for Joe Doerkson, who is still coasting on that win today. Tough as it may be to hear, there may not be Canuck worthy of a main card spot who doesn’t have his own Gatorade commercial and 12 month calendar.

Here’s hoping one of the Canadian stars on the undercard wins it big, makes the PPV broadcast and gives a much needed boost to what should be a charged and exciting Canadian MMA talent pool.

Josh Koscheck will be there: Now before I get started on this one, I promise I won’t bore you with talk of Kos’s personality or “antics” or any of the reality TV histronics that the sport passess off as “really getting to know” a fighter.

No, Josh Koscheck is a check in the “bad” category simply because he’s not Matt Serra. The “bad blood” between Serra and the Montreal crowd in 2008 was largely a product of the UFC hype machine (trust me, telling a Canadian to “drink red wine and watch a hockey game” isint an insult, its a Thursday night). Kos didn’t need any help from the marketing machine this time around. He openly insulted the crowd last time he was here, and genuine bad feelings have developed on both sides.

Koscheck is not Matt Serra, meaning he actually has a reasonable shot at winning his clash with GSP. Not to diss Serra here, but even his most ardent supporters had to admit that his chances coming into the rematch wern’t exactly stellar, and the oddsmaking pre-fight reflected that. So you have a legitimate crowd beef against a contender with a real shot at victory.

Assuming Kos pulls it off, expect a Montreal rage riot to equal the Metallica/Guns and Roses fiasco of 1999. Fun for some, but not exactly good press for the UFC.

S.L. FELDMAN & ASSOCIATES ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE A NEW GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP WITH PREMIERE MIXED MARTIAL ARTS ORGANIZATION MAXIMUM FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP

S.L. Feldman & Associates (SLFA) announces a new partnership with the Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC), one of the fastest rising mixed martial arts organizations in all of North America.

Over the past two years, the MFC has made amazing strides including repeat sold out live events, and the signing of multi-fight broadcast deals with HDNet, the U.S.-based cable network created by famed entrepreneur Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. The partnership with HDNet makes the Maximum Fighting Championship the only Canadian-based mixed martial arts organization with a live television deal.

The partnership between Feldman and the MFC is bound to bring in a wealth of new opportunities in the future.

“I’m very enthused and optimistic about the partnership with S.L Feldman & Associates”, says Mark Pavelich, Owner/President of MFC. “They bring decades of experience in live events, talent development, marketing and sponsorships to the table and that coupled with the explosive MFC business we envision an extremely successful collaboration.”

Jeff Craib, Senior Vice President at Feldman states, “We’re all very excited for this new joint venture with Mark. The MFC is flourishing, and our collective goal will be to continue to make inroads into further expanding the MFC business and its excellent and growing stable of world class fighters. Justin Sudds, Sr. Agent at Feldman states, “As SLFA continues to expand into many new areas of live entertainment, we’re thrilled to be working with Mark and his strong MFC business.”

S.L. Feldman & Associates (SLFA) is a leading full-service entertainment agency. With over 35 years of experience in artist representation, event services and corporate consulting. Feldman’s core business is talent representation, and its artist roster encompasses a wide array of internationally successful concert attractions as well as critically acclaimed up-and-coming talent. A team of 70-plus agents and staff work out of offices based in Vancouver and Toronto.

Feldman and Associates boasts an outstanding lineup of talent under its representation, such as The Tragically Hip and Hedley (see roster at www.slfa.com). The Maximum Fighting Championship is the first and only mixed martial arts organization working in partnership with Feldman and Associates.

Pavelich is not just a business owner, but also a pioneer in the world of mixed martial arts. The Maximum Fighting Championship was the first organization in Canada to host fully sanctioned shows outside of Quebec, and through his leadership the MFC is one of the very few mixed martial arts organizations to become a profitable business venture that is fully supported by corporate sponsors. Pavelich put all of his education and expertise into a concentrated effort resulting in the formation of the MFC brand.

The Maximum Fighting Championship currently headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, with a second office opening in Ontario in early 2011.

MIKE "MAK'' KYLE REPLACES INJURED VALENTIJN OVEREEM AGAINST 'BIG FOOT' SILVA THIS SATURDAY IN ST. LOUIS ON SHOWTIME®

NEW YORK (Nov. 29, 2010) - Streaking STRIKEFORCE star Mike "Mak'' Kyle (18-7) will replace the injured Valentijn Overeem and take on former heavyweight world champion Antonio "Big Foot'' Silva (14-2) of Coconut Creek, Fla., by way of Brazil, in one of the featured televised fights on STRIKEFORCE: Henderson vs. Babalu this Saturday, Dec. 4, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Overeem, the older brother of STRIKEFORCE heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, withdrew Saturday after suffering an elbow injury.

Legendary MMA superstar Dan Henderson (25-8) of Temecula, Calif., will clash with former STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight world champion Renato "Babalu" Sobral (36-8) of Cerritos, Calif., via Brazil, in a rematch between world-class 205-pounders in the main event.

Other televised fights: Paul "Semtex'' Daley (25-9-2) of Nottingham, England, confronts Scott "Hands Of Steel" Smith (17-7, 1 NC), of Elk Grove, Calif., in a matchup of power-punching welterweights (170 pounds) and former world champion and exciting local favorite "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (17-6, 1 NC), of Granite City, goes up against 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Matt "The Law" Lindland (22-7) of Oregon City, Ore., in a middleweight (185 pounds) bout.

Tickets are on sale at Scottrade Center, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com or by phone (800) 745-3000. Doors at Scottrade Center will open for the event at 6 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the first televised main card fight will begin at 9 p.m.

The 6-foot-3, 30-year-old Kyle, of San Jose, Calif., has gone 5-0 with one No Contest since losing to Fedor conqueror, Fabricio Werdum, on Aug. 15, 2009. In his last start, Kyle scored a first-round TKO (punches) over Stephen Oliver on Nov. 5.

Since April 2008, Kyle is 8-1 with one NC. One of the talented nine-year pro's most significant triumphs came on a second-round TKO (punches) over current STRIKEFORCE Light Heavyweight Champion Rafael "Feijao'' Cavalcante in June 2009.

In his last appearance for STRIKEFORCE on SHOWTIME, Kyle submitted (rear-naked choke) Ron "Abongo'' Humphrey during a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event last July 23.

The 6-foot-4, 31-year-old Silva has won seven of his last eight, including a decisive, lopsided decision over former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski in his most recent outing last May 15.

Silva's lone loss since December 2006 came when he was narrowly outpointed in a tight fight by fellow Brazilian, Werdum, on Nov.7, 2009.

Fight Card as it stands

MAIN CARD


Dan Henderson vs. Renato "Babalu" Sobral

Scott Carson vs. TBA

Paul Daley vs. Scott Smith

Robbie Lawler vs. Matt Lindland

Mike Kyle vs. Antonio Silva

PRELIMINARY CARD

Fernando Bettega vs. Wayne Phillips

Justin Lawrence vs. Max Martytniouk

Terrell Brown vs. Patrick Cummins

Lee Brousseau vs. Mike Glenn

Ben Brown vs. J.W. Wright

Middleweight Championship bout headlines 'TFC 12: Devastation'

By Mike Johnston

Canadian mixed martial arts promotion, The Fight Club, has announced a new main event for its upcoming show TFC 12: Devastation that will see Chad Cox and Nick Hinchliffe do battle for the TFC middleweight championship. This bout replaces a fight between Craig Brown and Chase Degenhardt that fell apart due to an injury to Degenhardt.
Nova Scotia native Cox is 5-2, while his opponent is much more experienced. Hinchliffe is from Nanaimo, British Columbia and holds a record of 17-6. The bout will be for the vacant TFC Canadian Middleweight title.
Hinchliffe has won six of his last eight, with his only losses being to fellow Canadian MMA stars, current UFC welterweight Rory MacDonald and former UFC fighter Kalib Starnes. Hinchliffe is currently pursuing a slot on Season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV. The TFC 12 bout will be the sixth fight for Hinchliffe in 2010.
His opponent, Cox, is coming off a decision loss to Nordine Taleb at W-1: New Ground, which took place in Halifax, Nova Scotia in October. Cox is a large middleweight with all of his wins coming by way of first-round stoppage.
Also on the card is former TFC Light Heavyweight Champion Victor Valimaki (16-7). He takes on Karl Knothe (17-6). Valimaki looks to get back in the win column after back-to-back losses to current TFC light heavyweight champ Martin Desilets. Undefeated rising welterweight star Rio Wells is also on the card as he takes on Louis Carles.
Here is the complete TFC 12 fight card to date:

185 lbs: Chad Cox (5-2) vs. Nick Hinchliffe (17-6) for the MW Title
205 lbs: Victor Valimaki (16-8) vs. Karl Knothe (17-6)
170 lbs: Rio Wells (4-0) vs. Louis Carles (7-2)
155 lbs: Dia Grant (2-3) vs. Alex Ricci (0-0)
155 lbs: Steve Beaumont (1-0) vs. Eric Andre (2-0)
170 lbs: Mike Scarcello (1-0) vs. Brandon Dumais (0-0)
265 lbs: Tom Benosocky (1-3) vs. Bobby Kalmakoff (2-7)
185 lbs: Travis Quesnel (1-0) vs. TBA
135 lbs: Sy Jewett (2-0) vs. TBA
For more info visit thefightclub.ca. For more MMA news and notes follow me on http://twitter.com/MikeyJ_MMA

STRIKEFORCE AND ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK TO HOLD “HOLIDAY HUNT” IN

Henderson vs. Babalu Prize Packs To Be Awarded To Winners Each Day Next Week Before Dec. 4 Mega-Event At Scottrade Center

ST. LOUIS (Nov. 27, 2010) – In the spirit of the holiday season, STRIKEFORCE and presenting sponsor Rockstar Energy Drink will hold a “Holiday Hunt” that will award lucky winners in St. Louis, each day between Monday, November 29 and Friday, December 3, a prize pack that includes, amongst other goods, tickets to the Henderson vs. Babalu Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) mega-event at Scottrade Center next Saturday, December 4.

Prize packs, some of which will also include STRIKEFORCE and/or Rockstar apparel, Rockstar canned beverages and a backstage tour at Scottrade Center during the event, will be awarded each day to a pre-disclosed number of winners who provide a codeword to a designated STRIKEFORCE or Rockstar representative stationed at a specific post in St. Louis at a particular time that day.

Information, including codeword and prizes at stake for each day’s hunt will be posted daily at 8 am CT, beginning Monday, with a follow up post in the afternoon or evening, containing additional information, online at STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com/hunt), on STRIKEFORCE’s Twitter page (http://twitter.com/strikeforce), and on STRIKEFORCE’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Strikeforce/61345743228).



In the main event of a stacked card on STRIKEFORCE’s return to Scottrade Center, MMA superstar Dan Henderson (25-8) of Temecula, Calif., faces former STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral (36-8) of Brazil in a rematch between world-class 205-pounders.



Other televised fights on SHOWTIME®: Former world heavyweight champion Antonio “Big Foot’’ Silva (14-2), of Coconut Creek, Fla., by way of Brazil, confronts the older brother of STRIKEFORCE heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, Valentijn “The Python’’ Overeem (28-23), of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Paul “Semtex’’ Daley (25-9-2) of Nottingham, England, battles Scott “Hands Of Steel” Smith (17-7, 1 NC), of Elk Grove, Calif., in a matchup of explosive welterweights (170 pounds), former world champion and exciting local favorite “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-6, 1 NC), of Granite City, Ill., goes up against 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland (22-7) of Oregon City, Ore., in a middleweight (185 pounds) scrap



The fight card will include eight undercard bouts, including a light heavyweight (205 pounds) match between Lee Brousseau (7-2), of River Wood, Mo., and Mike Glenn (6-4) of Springfield, Mo. Ben

Brown (1-0), of St. Louis, will take on J.W. Wright (pro debut) of St. Louis by way of Steelville, Mo., in a 130 pound catchweight bout.



The four upstart athletes - Fernando Bettega (6-4), Max “Payne” Martytniouk (pro debut), Patrick Cummins (pro debut), and Wayne Phillips (4-3) - who recently completed the EA SPORTS MMA and Sherdog.com fighter exchange training program by training with STRIKEFORCE fighter mentors will put their newly enhanced skills to the test on the undercard as well.



Tickets are on sale at Scottrade Center, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com or by phone (800) 745-3000. Doors at Scottrade Center will open for the event at 6 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the first televised main card fight will begin at 9 p.m.

Wreck MMA: Strong and Proud STACKED CARD for one of Canada's finest promotions

  After a successful event in Afghanistan, Wreck MMA will be returning home to Gatineau/Ottawa for its next event entitled Wreck MMA: Strong and Proud. The January 28th event, at the Casino de Lac-Leamy, will feature two UFC veterans and the top talent from the region. 

Brought to you by GumDocs.com, the January 28th event at the Hilton Lac-Leamy, will be headlined by a UFC veteran facing one of the most popular and talented fighters from Ottawa. Alberta’s own Jason ‘Dooms’ Day will be facing FIT MMA’s Craig ‘Farmer’ Brown in a fight between a pair of Canada’s top middleweights. Day is looking to get on a winning streak and make it back to the UFC and Brown is looking to take that next step and follow in the footsteps of other Wreck fighters and compete on the world’s biggest stage. Both fighters leave everything in the cage and the winners of this bout are the fans who will be seeing one of the biggest fights in the region's history!

In the co-main event, the first Ottawa fighter to compete in the UFC, returns home to showcase his skills in front of his home fans. Mark ‘Boots’ Holst returns to the Wreck cage following a stint in the UFC and this time he will take on one of the bad boys of MMA, Markhaile ‘Showtime’ Wedderburn. This feud has been brewing for a long time and the time has come to settle the score, once and for all. Either than personal satisfaction, this fight is important to both men as Holst is looking to get back to the UFC as quickly as possible and Wedderburn believes he can make a statement by beating a UFC veteran. The two muay-thai specialists are expected to go toe-to-toe as neither wants to leave any doubt on who is victorious.

In a battle between two accomplished welterweights, Nathan ‘Gunner’ Gunn will be making his Wreck debut against local talent Louis ‘The Joker’ Carle. Remi ‘Bam Bam’ Morvan will step into the cage against the exciting Speedy Gym product Dimitri Waardenburg; who despite his young age has a ton of MMA experience. Also on the card is a fight between two young up-and-coming lightweights with Rory McDonell facing London's Jesse 'The Body Snatcher' Ronson.

A mainstay at all Wreck MMA events as the master of ceremonies, Robin Black will now be making his much anticipated Wreck debut at Wreck MMA: Strong and Proud. Black, the well known fighter, color commentator and Fight Network Analyst is prepared to face an undefeated prospect; Rockland's Mike Reilly. When the possibility of fighting Black was brought to them, Reilly and his coaches jumped at the opportunity. Black’s goal will be to make Reilly regret that decision and come away with a victory, in what is rumored to be Black’s final MMA fight.

Wreck MMA: Strong and Proud is stacked from top to bottom with some of Canada’s most talented fighters. Scheduled to appear on the card are Stephane Bernadel, Ronin MMA’s Mustafa ‘Mufasa’ Khalil, Jeff Harrison, Peter Montrait, Aika Mateka, Jeffrey Laughren and many others!

Tickets for this star studded event, which is brought to you by GumDocs.com are available at TICKETMASTER.CA or by calling (613) 755-1111. Buy your tickets now to assure yourself a spot for the one show you do not want to miss!! Join us for 'Military Awareness Night' where all members of the military will receive 10% off any tickets! Please email tickets@wreckmma.com for details and to receive your discount!

WRECK MMA: STRONG AND PROUD

Date: JANUARY 28th, 2011

Venue: HILTON LAC LEAMY

Location: GATINEAU, QUEBEC

MAIN EVENT

Jason ‘Dooms’ Day (BDB Martial Arts, Calgary) vs. Craig ‘Farmer’ Brown (FIT MMA, Ottawa)

CO-MAIN EVENT

Markhaile 'Showtime' Wedderburn (Team Sufferaz, Toronto) vs. Mark ‘Boots’ Holst (OAMA, Ottawa)

Nathan ‘Gunner’ Gunn (Leading Edge Gym, Thunder Bay) vs. Louis ‘The Joker’ Carle (FIT MMA/Tristar, Ottawa)

Dimitri Waardenburg (Speedy Gym, Granby) vs. Remi ‘Bam Bam’ Morvan (OAMA, Ottawa)

Mike Reilly (Bluewater Martial Arts, Rockland) vs. Robin Black (Billy Martin Boxing/MECCA/Xtreme Couture, Toronto)

Rory McDonell (Pura BJJ/Evolution Martial Arts, Hamilton) vs. Jesse ‘The Body Snatcher’ Ronson (Round One, Cambridge)

Amer Hussein (Bruckmann’s MMA, Oshawa) vs. Mustafa ‘Mufasa’ Khalil (Ronin MMA, Ottawa)

Vito Attanasi (Boreland Combat Team, Georgetown) vs. Jeff Harrison (OAMA, Ottawa)

Brett Biederman (Elite Combat, Brantford) vs. Jeffrey Laughren (RAMA, Rockland)

Aika Mateka (Team Tugboat, Belgium) vs. Peter Montrait (Mecca, Toronto)

Christopher St-Jean (Sudbury MMA, Sudbury) vs. Marc Lefebvre (RAMA, Rockland)

TBA vs. Stephane Bernadel (OAMA, Ottawa)

TBA vs. Anna 'Smiles' Barone (FIT MMA, Ottawa)

TBA vs. Wes Ranger (Florin’s MMA, Kanata)

Josh Koscheck Interview UFC 124

George St.Pierre UFC 124 Interview

Sam Stout to face Paul Kelly at UFC 126

By Mike Johnston

London, Ontario’s Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout is set to fight England’s Paul Kelly in a lightweight bout at UFC 126. Sources close to the fighters have confirmed that both men have verbally agreed to the bout.
Stout is coming off of a UFC 121 victory over another Brit named Paul. He defeated Paul Taylor by split decision in a fight that displayed some of the highest level kickboxing currently in the UFC’s lightweight division. The win put Stout (16-6-1) back in the win column after a split decision loss to Jeremy Stephens at UFC 113 in Montreal. In his last four fights, Stout has won three “Fight of the Night” Awards.

His opponent, Kelly (11-3), also snapped a losing streak his last time in the octagon. Kelly defeated T.J. O’Brien at UFC 123 via second round TKO. Since dropping down to the lightweight division, Kelly has amassed a 3-2 record, alternating wins and losses. Though not confirmed, this bout is speculated to take place on the untelevised preliminary card.
UFC 126 is headlined by a middleweight title bout between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort. Also featured on the card is a light heavyweight contender bout between Jon Jones and Ryan Bader. Here is the complete fight card to date:

Date: Feb 05, 2011


Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center

Broadcast: Pay-per-view-

Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort (for middleweight title)
- Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin
- Ryan Bader vs. Jon Jones
- Antonio Banuelos vs. Miguel Torres
- Jake Ellenberger vs. TBA
- Sam Stout vs. Paul Kelly
For more info visit ufc.com. For more MMA news and notes follow me on http://twitter.com/MikeyJ_MMA

New Ringside Welterweight Champion Chris Clements Interview on his Big Win and Future

A look backward and forward in the aftermath of MFC 27

Leading up to MFC shows over the past few years, The Z-Files takes an in-depth look at the card, the fighters themselves, and the ramifications of each bout, all leading to the Top 10 Questions.

And in the past year, following each show The Z-Files has expanded its review and added in a rundown of notes, quotes, and fallout. These are not necessarily answers to the Top 10 Questions that were posed coming into the event, but some insight into what happened and what’s in store in the future based upon the results.

So coming out of MFC 27:

Douglas Lima already ranks up there with Patrick Cote as the classiest MFC champion. Not only is Lima an immense talent, but he has the charisma factor going for him in a big way – an element that Cote brought to a title reign unlike any other champion that followed.

And at just 22, Lima is only going to further master the entertainment aspects (pre-fight hype interviews, etc.) as time goes by. Who Lima faces next in his first title defense is open for debate right now but he is the kind of fighter who could truly be a great representative to the organization with a healthy run at the top.

Cote was first-class all the way while holding the MFC middleweight belt and could easily slide into a role as an ambassador for the sport or top organization representative once his fighting days are done.

It sure doesn’t hurt that Lima has quite a pack surrounding him. His brother Dhiego looked fantastic in his promotional debut at MFC 27.

While Douglas’s strength is his outstanding jiu-jitsu skills, it appears as though little (though not smaller) brother has a knack for the stand-up game as he flashed a one-punch knockout in the face of sturdy Bill Fraser. Anchoring both their corners was well-accomplished veteran Roan Carneiro, who stepped to the forefront of the Lima-Jesse Juarez, ATT Atlanta vs. Team Body Shop online battle, and could very well take it to the next level if a deal is put in place for “Jucao” to square-off against “The Kansas City Bandit” Jason High.

The home-town crowd wants it, and it may very well be in the works, but a rematch between Ryan Ford and new welterweight champion Douglas Lima shouldn’t be up next for either fighter. Lima is likely to face a seasoned challenger in his next outing.

Ford, meanwhile, needs to put at least one more win together before forcing the issue on a second tilt with Lima, who dominated their first clash en route to a second-round submission win. Ford looked good at MFC 27, but not to the point of deserving a third chance at the MFC crown. Let’s not forget this is the guy who lost twice to smallish welterweight Pat Healy, including the inaugural MFC 170-pound title fight, and then was beaten by Lima.

And at while he did pick up the win at MFC 27, Ford clearly lost Round 1 to Pete Spratt before moving on to the win over the aging warrior. Ford is a top contender, but not the No. 1 man yet.

Much has been made about the lackluster showings of David Heath and Dwayne Lewis at MFC 27. Both were far below expectations and need to regroup fast as they are both likely ticketed for returns at MFC 28 in early 2011.

The matchup for Heath could come against Tom Watson – both are coming off disappointments and need to re-fire their engines to stay in the mix.

What fate lies ahead for Lewis is up in the air. He could possibly get Rodney Wallace, the late replacement who outpointed Heath, or Wallace could wind up against Razak Al-Hassan, who wasn’t given the nod by the judges but arguably dodged past Lewis in the close split-decision outcome. Lewis could also get a crack at Glover Teixeira if his travel visa issues are sorted out, and if the Brazilian doesn’t ultimately get his much-anticipated showdown with Ryan Jimmo. Much of that sorting out in the light heavyweight ranks will come down to whether the Jimmo-Teixeira bout comes off.

Kajan Johnson calling out for a title shot is a premature move on the part of the exciting lightweight. While he may now be on the right path thanks to a new training regimen, Johnson needs to get on a serious winning run before declaring he’s worthy of a run at the belt.

Let’s not forget that he is merely 2-1 in his last three fights, and while he dominated in both victories, the loss sticks out like a sore thumb. Johnson needs to put at least two more wins together, boast a three-fight streak, and then call for his shot.


Looking forward to seeing in early 2011:



Curtis Demarce, to see where he stacks up against a top-tier lightweight

A Knockout of the Year contender in David Heath vs. Tom Watson

Maybe one last hurrah from Pete Spratt

A return from Thales Leites

A clear-headed, eager-to-fight Ryan Jimmo

The first title defense of Douglas Lima with a opening act from brother Dhiego

MMA SUPERSTAR DAN HENDERSON TO APPEAR ON MMA LIVE ON ESPN2 THURSDAY

WHO: STRIKEFORCE Headliner and MMA Superstar Dan Henderson

WHERE: ESPN2

WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 25 (late night) at 1:30 a.m. ET / 10:30 p.m. PT

WHAT: Interview on MMA LIVE tomorrow/Thursday on ESPN2

Henderson will appear on MMA Live to discuss next Saturday’s STRIKEFORCE: Henderson vs. Babalu event on Saturday, Dec. 4 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO., live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

In the main event of the stacked card on STRIKEFORCE’s return to Scottrade Center, Henderson (25-8) of Temecula, Calif., will face former STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral (36-8) of Brazil in a rematch between world-class 205-pounders.

A two-time U.S. Olympic wrestling team member (‘92, ‘96), Henderson is the only fighter in the sport's history to simultaneously hold two different titles in two different weight classes (welterweight and heavyweight) for a major fight promotion (PRIDE Fighting Championships). A former UFC star and coach on The Ultimate Fighter reality series, Henderson is also one of the most decorated fighters in MMA history.

Sobral is fresh off a unanimous decision victory over knockout artist Robbie Lawler on June 16 at STRIKEFORCE: LIVE in Los Angeles, his first fight since losing the STRIKEFORCE title to Gegard Mousasi on Aug. 15, 2009. Prior to the defeat, Sobral had reeled off five consecutive victories.

In other televised fights, former world champ “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler will face 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland in a matchup of 185-pound contenders; former world heavyweight champion Antonio “Big Foot’’ Silva faces Valentijn “The Python’’ Overeem, the older brother of STRIKEFORCE heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem; and Paul “Semtex’’ Daley faces Scott “Hands Of Steel’ Smith in a battle of explosive welterweights.

WEC 53: Henderson vs. Pettis

Date: Dec 16, 2010

Location: Glendale, Ariz.

Venue: Jobing.com Arena

Broadcast: Versus

MAIN CARD

Champ Benson Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis (for lightweight title)

Champ Dominick Cruz vs. Scott Jorgensen (for bantamweight title)

Donald Cerrone vs. Chris Horodecki (London, Ontario's ATC)

Bart Palaszewski vs. Kamal Shalorus

Danny Downes vs. Tiequan Zhang

PRELIMINARY CARD


Shane Roller vs. Jamie Varner

Ivan Menjivar vs. Brad Pickett

Ken Stone vs. Eddie Wineland

Danny Castillo vs. Will Kerr

Yuri Alcantara vs. Ricardo Lamas

Renan Barao vs. Chris Cariaso

UFC 125 Line-up revised

With the changes due to Aldo's injury and Nelson's Contract troubles here is the updated line-up for UFC 125

MAIN CARD


Champ Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard (for lightweight title)

Takanori Gomi vs. Clay Guida

Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim

Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann

PRELIMINARY CARD

Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera

Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens

Josh Grispi vs. Dustin Poirier*

Mike Brown vs. Diego Nunes

Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares

Daniel Roberts vs. Greg Soto

Antonio McKee vs. Jacob Volkmann

* - Not officially announced

Jean Claude Van Damme to fight in K-1 next year

 When people hear the name Jean Claude Van Damme, most associate it with the legendary movie Bloodsport or him getting knocked out by Chuck Zito. Few think of him as a martial artist with a black belt in Shotokan karate and a professioal kickboxing record of 20-2.

The former Hollywood star who made a name for himself in a variety of action movies has long since seen the inside of a ring—at least not for competitive reasons.

Recently 50, JCVD has apparently hit a mid-life crisis and announced that 2011 will be the return of Frank Dux......er I mean Van Damme to the competitive ring.

He will be going to battle in K-1 against Somluck Kansing, a two-time Olympic gold medal boxer.

I am sure you are thinking it is some sort of  publicity stunt to promote a movie, I know I did,

Not according to him. In his fight announcement, he stated, "I fell down rock bottom in my life, and I have that spot following me. The only way to convince people and also forgive myself to all those children with their posters for (Kickboxer) and their father telling them 'he's (Jean Claude Van Damme) a great guy and you should train like him, and then I f$%* up my life. I want to go back into that ring and to prove to those children that they'll fight in my heart, and it'll be a gret fight."

So like most people who are reading this, I think this is a complete freak show, or publicity stunt, but can you tell me you don't want to watch it? (question directed at people older than 24)

It appears that the movies are becoming real life, is this a sign of the end of the world?  Jean-Claude fighting in K1, Steven Segal training UFC fighters (successful ones at that), what's next Spider-man vs.Wolverine for the in a barbed-wire ring hovering above sharks with lasers on their heads? ( I would tune in to see that too) 

So Just one question remains in my mind, When the F^*k is Chuck Norris going to appear?

HERSCHEL WALKER INJURED, OFF DEC. 4 STRIKEFORCE CARD IN ST. LOUIS

NEW YORK (Nov. 24, 2010) – Herschel Walker sustained a deep cut under his left eye that required multiple stitches while training Monday at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., and will not be able to fight on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

“I feel terrible about this,’’ said Walker, who was cut from a knee strike while training with AKA teammate and two-time United States Olympic wrestling team member Daniel Cormier. “I know things like this happen in all sports, but I had trained very hard and was excited to be returning to the cage again. I hope to fight again as soon as the cut heals.’’

The four televised fights on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast): MMA superstar Dan Henderson (25-8) of Temecula, Calif., faces former STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral (36-8) of Brazil; Antonio “Big Foot’’ Silva (14-2), of Coconut Creek, Fla., meets Valentijn “The Python’’ Overeem (28-23), of The Netherlands in a heavyweight encounter, Paul “Semtex’’ Daley (25-9-2) of England battles Scott “Hands Of Steel” Smith (17-7, 1 NC), of Elk Grove, Calif., at welterweight and ex-world champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-6, 1 NC), of Granite City, Ill., goes up against 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland (22-7) of Oregon City, Ore., in a middleweight (185 pounds) scrap.

An announcement about a possible replacement fight for the telecast will be made in the coming days, STRIKEFORCE said.

Tickets are on sale at Scottrade Center, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com or by phone (800) 745-3000. Doors at Scottrade Center will open for the event at 6 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the first televised main card fight will begin at 9 p.m.

MMA Fans Encouraged to Bring Unwrapped Gifts To Scottrade Center on Saturday, Dec. 4

ST. LOUIS (Nov. 24, 2010) – In an effort to make the holiday season a happy time for as many St Louis residents as possible, world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion STRIKEFORCE has joined forces with Toys For Tots, the Marine Corps-managed, non-profit organization, to collect new, unwrapped toys for local underprivileged youth during the star-studded Henderson vs. Babalu MMA event, at Scottrade Center on Saturday, Dec. 4.

During the 10-bout event, several stations staffed by volunteers from the local Marine Corps will be set up inside Scottrade Center to collect toys from fans attending the event. Monetary donations are accepted as well.

“Everything we collect stays in St. Louis,” said Marine Corps Sergeant Gavin Lewis, who manages the Toys For Tots program in the Gateway City area. “It’s about local people helping local children, which is a phenomenal thing. When a company like STRIKEFORCE pitches in, it really helps spread our reach in the community and makes it a successful drive.’

“When considering what to bring, fans should think about what would make their own child, niece or nephew happy.”

“Any time we can use one of our events as a vehicle to help with the needs of others, we’re more than happy to do it,” said STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker. “St. Louis is a city that STRIKEFORCE has become attached to since last year and being able to give back to the community is a very rewarding feeling.”



In the main event of a stacked card on STRIKEFORCE’s return to Scottrade Center, MMA superstar Dan Henderson (25-8) of Temecula, Calif., faces former STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral (36-8) of Brazil in a rematch between world-class 205-pounders.



Other televised fights on SHOWTIME®: Former world heavyweight champion Antonio “Big Foot’’ Silva (14-2), of Coconut Creek, Fla., by way of Brazil, confronts the older brother of STRIKEFORCE heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, Valentijn “The Python’’ Overeem (28-23), of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Paul “Semtex’’ Daley (25-9-2) of Nottingham, England, battles Scott “Hands Of Steel” Smith (17-7, 1 NC), of Elk Grove, Calif., in a matchup of explosive welterweights (170 pounds), former world champion and exciting local favorite “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-6, 1 NC), of Granite City, Ill., goes up against 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland (22-7) of Oregon City, Ore., in a middleweight (185 pounds) scrap



The fight card will include five undercard bouts, including a light heavyweight (205 pounds) match between Lee Brousseau (7-2), of River Wood, Mo., and Mike Glenn (6-4) of Springfield, Mo. Ben

Brown (1-0), of St. Louis, will take on J.W. Wright (pro debut) of St. Louis by way of Steelville, Mo., in a 130 pound catchweight bout.



Tickets are on sale at Scottrade Center, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com or by phone (800) 745-3000. Doors at Scottrade Center will open for the event at 6 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the first televised main card fight will begin at 9 p.m

EFC #6 “NO MERCY” Line up

Location: Centennial Civic Centre Arena in Lloydminster, AB


Address: 5409-49 Avenue

Date: Saturday, December 4, 2010

Time: TBA

Tickets: $40

Special Guest

Clay Guida

Tickets at Sound Obsessions, Northern Factory Workwear, World Class Gym & The Kooler Nightclub




Main Event: Corey Knapp vs. Greg Welsh Featherweight title fight

Co Main Event: Travis Cloud  vs. Paul Grandbois  Middleweight title fight

Wade Phillips vs. Kelly gervais

Jesse Stieberg vs. Marc Beausoliel

Phil Deschambault vs. Teague Smith

Devon Neis vs. Lance Desnoyer

Billy Torrence vs. Nick Kyeros

Leo Constant vs. Mitch Edmonds

Mitch Mignealt vs. Cole Argue

Joe Gobeil vs. Ben Stewart

Don Sather vs. Jon Gashorn

Micheal Glover vs. Derek Abrhamson

Aaron Shyme vs. TBA

Jesse Vetri vs. TBA

UFC 124 GSP vs. KOS this DECEMBER 11th in Montreal

The full UFC 124 card includes:




MAIN CARD

Champ Georges St-Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck (for welterweight title)

Sean McCorkle vs. Stefan Struve

Jim Miller vs. Charles Oliveira

Mac Danzig vs. Joe Stevenson

Thiago Alves vs. John Howard

PRELIMINARY CARD (* note there is a Canadian in every undercard fight)

Mark Bocek * vs. Dustin Hazelett

Jesse Bongfeldt * vs. Rafael Natal

Sean Pierson * vs. Matthew Riddle

Joe Doerksen * vs. Dan Miller

Ricardo Almeida  vs. T.J. Grant *

Pat Audinwood vs. John Makdessi *

Lee Brousseau Faces Mike Glenn; Ben Brown Meets J.W. Wright on Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu

NEW YORK (Nov. 23, 2010) - Four Missouri mixed martial artists, including three from St. Louis and the area, will compete in two fights formally announced by STRIKEFORCE Monday for the non-televised portion of STRIKEFORCE: Henderson vs. Babalu on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

In a light heavyweight (205 pounds) match, Lee Brousseau (7-2), of River Wood, Mo., will be opposed by Mike Glenn (6-4) of Springfield, Mo., while Ben Brown (1-0), of St. Louis, will take on J.W. Wright (pro debut) of St. Louis by way of Steelville, Mo., in a 130 pound catchweight bout.

In the main event of a stacked card on STRIKEFORCE's return to Scottrade Center, MMA superstar Dan Henderson (25-8) of Temecula, Calif., faces former STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight world champion Renato "Babalu" Sobral (36-8) of Brazil in a rematch between world-class 205-pounders.

Other televised fights: Former world heavyweight champion Antonio "Big Foot'' Silva (14-2), of Coconut Creek, Fla., by way of Brazil, confronts the older brother of STRIKEFORCE heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, Valentijn "The Python'' Overeem (28-23), of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Paul "Semtex'' Daley (25-9-2) of Nottingham, England, battles Scott "Hands Of Steel" Smith (17-7, 1 NC), of Elk Grove, Calif., in a matchup of explosive welterweights (170 pounds), former world champion and exciting local favorite "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (17-6, 1 NC), of Granite City, Ill., goes up against 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist Matt "The Law" Lindland (22-7) of Oregon City, Ore., in a middleweight (185 pounds) scrap and football legend, the remarkable Herschel Walker (1-0), of Wrightsville, Ga., will clash with Scott Carson (4-1), of Lake Forest, Calif., in a heavyweight fight.

Tickets are on sale at Scottrade Center, online at Ticketmaster.com and Strikeforce.com or by phone (800) 745-3000. Doors at Scottrade Center will open for the event at 6 p.m. CT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the first televised main card fight will begin at 9 p.m.

Brousseau has won three of his last four fights, including a 1:21, first-round submission (guillotine choke) over Oscar Glover in his last start on Aug. 21.

"I'm absolutely looking to make amends on Dec. 4,'' said Brousseau, who was submitted (rear-naked choke) by Francisco France in his STRIKEFORCE debut last May 15 at Scottrade. "Honestly, I just got caught. I'd love to have a rematch. I don't talk down to anybody and have respect for everybody that does what we do, but I don't feel he is that much better than me. It just turned out he took advantage of an opportunity before I could. He deserves credit.''

Shortly after the loss, Brousseau became a fulltime member of Matt Hughes' H.I.T. Squad in nearby Granite City, Ill. "I'd been going there on and off for two-and-a-half years, but I decided after my fight in STRIKEFORCE to go there all the time,'' said Brousseau, a native of Brockport, N.Y.

Brousseau's other loss came on a second-round submission to Greg Lofink on Oct. 11, 2009. They rematched on April 11, 2010, and Brousseau won in 18 seconds (TKO, punches).

"Before I can think about a rematch with France, I know I have to win on Dec. 4,'' said Brousseau, who went 4-0 at the outset of a career that began in 2006. "I'm definitely looking forward to fighting at home and showing the fans what I'm all about.

"My coaches tell me Glenn is a tough, scrappy guy who is decent all-around and not bad anywhere. He is definitely going to be a tough opponent. This should be a great fight. I'm looking forward to it.''

Glenn, who was born, raised and still resides in Springfield, Mo., is confident he can regain his winning ways in his STRIKEFORCE debut.

"I am 100 percent ready, physically and mentally, and totally motivated for this opportunity,'' said Glenn. "In this fight you have two fighters with a lot to prove. This means a lot to both of us and it is our chance to move up. It ought to be a very exciting fight from start to finish.''

The 6-foot-1, recently turned 33-year-old Glenn was an excellent athlete at Parkview High in Springfield. He was the starting quarterback in football and the Most Valuable Player on the baseball team. He gravitated to combat sports after graduation.

"I boxed and kick-boxed and my brothers boxed,'' Glenn said. "Then, I got into Jiu-Jitsu. After about three weeks, I was submitting my instructor.''

Glenn made his MMA debut in September 2007. "I don't exactly know how to describe my style,'' he said. "I consider myself a true mixed martial artist and feel I can do it all, whether on the ground or standing.''

Regarding his opponent, the longtime member of the Springfield Fight Club said, "I don't know a lot about Brousseau but from what I've seen on film he's athletic, strong and likes to bang. In a lot of ways, he actually reminds me a lot of me, although I may have the advantage in the ground game.''

Wright, 34, will be making his professional and STRIKEFORCE debut. The 5-foot-7 married father of two boys was born in Steelville, Mo., and moved to St. Louis at the age of 16.


Wright fought amateurs several years ago but has been doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu the last 14 years. In 2008, he earned a Royler Gracie black belt.

"Getting that black belt is what really got me going and thinking MMA would be the way to go,'' Wright said. "There aren't a lot of American-born black belts.

"I've been training and doing well against MMA fighters and, now, especially since small fighters like me who only weigh around 130 pounds are getting opportunities, I decided to go for it. Before, nobody wanted to watch us little guys, just the heavyweights.


"I know Brown is a well-rounded MMA fighter and solid in all the disciplines. He'll obviously be a tough opponent. But I'm definitely prepared. I've competed all my life.''

Wright is a full-time instructor at his own school, Grappling Concepts in St. Peters, Mo. He won the Black Belt Pan American Games in Irvine, Calif., in April 2010. It is the biggest tournament of its kind the world with over 2800 competitors.

Brown (2-2), who was born in St. Louis and always lived in the area, is an instructor at Jesse Finney's MMA in St. Louis. He's won his last two fights by submission, but will be making his first start since winning by rear-naked choke over Brian Jordan on May 5, 2007. All of Brown's fights have ended in the first round.

Growing up, the 5-foot-7, 25-year-old trained in Muay Thai, Pancrase, Taekwondo and Jiu-Jitsu. He became interested in wrestling in middle school. He was an all-state wrestler at 119 pounds at Lafayette High in Ballwin, Mo., before attending the University of Missouri.

"I knew I wouldn't have time to wrestle and study at Mizzou,'' he recalled, "so one day I googled 'intramural wrestling' and stumbled on a website, Mezzo Pankration Club, which met at rec centers a few times a week. That was the first time I really trained in all the aspects in one place.''

Brown went 6-0 in the amateurs before turning pro. "I've been a competitive guy since I became involved in combat sports when I was seven or eight,'' he said. "I've always felt I was on the path of what I was supposed to do, and now I am doing it.''

His four pro fights emanated in mid-Missouri; this is his first fight in St. Louis. Ironically, he was at the last STRIKEFORCE event in The Gateway City - as a spectator.

"My dad and I had tickets and during the fights we were kind of joking around about how cool it would be once I got to fight on a great card like that one. Who knew I'd be fighting on the next STRIKEFORCE card in my hometown? This is really cool and a tremendous opportunity.

I know Wright is a tough Jiu-Jitsu guy with a Sambo background, but I'm really looking forward to fighting him in front of my family and friends. It's an honor for me to fight on such a great show.''

What's Next for UFC 123's Big Winners?

By Elton Hobson

Before we get into it, I just want to mention that I learned an important life lesson this past Saturday night: if your Spicy Salmon Roll tastes like cigarettes, you probably shouldn’t keep eating it.

I did, and my digestive system paid the price. One case of food poisoning later, and what should have been a fun Saturday went right down the drain. Or the toilet, if we really want to drive home the metaphor. I didn’t even manage to stay awake for the UFC, so exhausted was I from the ordeal of my rectal exorcism (ok I’ll stop now).

I’m not the only one who had a disappointing night this past Saturday, however. Like every UFC event, UFC 123 from Auburn Hills, Michigan had it’s fair share of losers, men who came up short in a big way – and opponents who capitalized on the moment to make big moves in their careers.

All in all, it was a surprising and exciting night of fights, a good refresher after the slower Marquardt/Okami headlined UFC 122. Also unlike that card, UFC 123 featured many fights (and fight outcomes) with far reaching implications. A lot was on the line when the lights went down in Auburn Hills, Michigan this past Saturday.

So without further ado, here are the biggest winners coming off this past Saturday’s UFC, and what victory will mean for them.


Quinton “Rampage“ Jackson: Amid all the crying foul and calls for judging reform coming off the Machida/Jackson main event, an important story is being buried: Quinton Jackson looked pretty damn good Saturday night. When he‘s on, he‘s a handful for anybody.

Face it folks: “Rampage” earned this win. He pressed forward the whole fight, and threw fast, tight combinations. He caught Machida inside with several stiff shots that hurt him. He took a page out of Rashad’s book and pressured up against the fence. And when Machida had him caught in that armbar in the 3rd round, he showed trademark “Rampage” strength and ferocity hoisting the Karate Kid up in the air with seeming ease.

For a fighter facing all the old accusations – distracted, unmotivated, over the hill unstable, and the list goes on – his performance in the fight was a reaffirming statement of Jackson’s place atop the 205 lb. top 10, even if you don’t agree with the judges decision.

What’s Next?: Jackson is likely 1 fight away from a title shot still, though potential storylines emerge with either Rua or Evans winning the belt (whenever that fight actually happens). In the interim, a rematch with Forrest Griffin would be intriguing providing he gets by Rich Franklin ins February. The Jon Jones/Ryan Bader winner could also present a unique “old lion vs. young lion” setup.

Lyoto Machida: Wait, I thought Lyoto lost his fight on Saturday night?

Ok, yes he did. In the strictest, most technical sense, he lost on Saturday. I think overall, from a “big picture” perspective, the Karate expert’s stock actually went up after his performance against Jackson.

For starters, there is all the complaining about the decision – as there was bound to be in the mega-close fight no matter which fighter they gave the nod to – and that only helps provide validation for the fighter who didn’t get the judges mercy. And after two uninspiring rounds, Machida turned it on against ‘Page in the 3rd and showed us all the tools that once made him champion: lightning speed, unorthodox striking, surprising power, good takedowns from the clinch and underrated grappling accumen.

What’s Next?: Even in defeat Machida proved two things he desperately needed to: that he’s recovered mentally from the “Shogun” loss, and he’s still capable of putting on a show. Even though an immediate rematch seemed likely, Dana White seemingly vetoed any such notions at the post-fight press conference. Now rematches with Thiago Silva or Rich Franklin beckon to Machida. Or if the UFC is feeling particularly sadistic, they could always match him up vs. Couture in a title eliminator.

BJ Penn: All these years’ I’ve waited for the epic conclusion to the Penn/Hughes trilogy and the damn thing only lasts 21 seconds? That’s like challenging your friend to an epic game of Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter, only to have him pull off the unblock able, 25 button combo and finish you instantly while you helplessly flail. Which is essentially exactly what happened.

The win was a nostalgic moment for Penn’s long suffering fans, made even more so by his post Cal Uno-esque sprint from the cage after knocking Hughes out. After the deflating defeats at the hands of Frankie Edgar, this is just the sort of definitive, reinvigorating win that can launch Penn back into contention at 155, by far his most competitive weight class.

What’s Next?: So of course, he decides to make a move back to 170. Of all the greats of MMA, none can squander or waste a win quite like Penn can. He crushes Caol Uno – only to disappoint against Pulver in his next fight. He crushes Dwayne Ludwig to establish himself as the world’s best 155 lb fighter – only to chase after horrendously uneven fights vs. the likes of Lyoto Machida. He becomes kingpin of the UFC’s 155 lb division – only to reduce his P4P credibility by chasing after GSP in futility.

Which seems to be exactly where he’s headed, again. Hey, if he feels like this is the better weight class for him, who am I to argue? He’s the 2 division champ, I’m just the amateur journalist. But I\if I were on Team Penn, I’d be having nightmares about the wrestlers of the division holding Penn down and controlling him after the much smaller Frankie Edgar handily accomplished the feat.

Phil Davis: For a long time, being a muscular, shiny, well-built black man in pink hot pants with the name “Mr. Wonderful” was probably the quickest way to kill tough guy cred to be found. Credit Phil Davis for finding the formula to turn that one around.

Phase 1: become 4 time All-American collegiate wrestler at Penn State University and former NCAA national champion. Phase 2: Go on an undefeated tear in MMA, including 4 straight wins in the UFC. Phase 3 (and this is the key phase IMO): Win a fight via one-handed kimura.

What’s Next?: In another exciting outing for the touted LHW prospect, Davis showed he has the tools to mix it up on the feet with the veteran striker Boetsch, and the ground acumen to blend his phenomenal wrestling with some pretty clever submissions. When Joe Rogan is naming a submission after you, you know you’ve earned your paycheque for the evening. Time for “Mr. Wonderful” to step it up in competition. Fights vs. Matt Hamill, or the Ortiz/Nogueria winner could make for entertaining scraps. Jason Brilz could also make for a good ground battle.

George Sotiropoulos: In just a short span of time, the rubbery “Sot” has established himself as the “Great Aussie Hope” of the Lightweight division. After steamrolling through proven vets Joe Stevenson and Jurt Pelligrino, a fight vs. Joe Lauzon was seen as a placeholder for him, a “make busy” fight until the timing for his LW title shot in Australia came about. Joe rose to the occasion like a pro, surviving a first round scare to tap the rubbery Lauzon with his trademark slick Jiu-Jitsu. With this win, George surely puts himself in line for a fight with the division’s best.

What’s Next?: …which is exactly why he’s facing Denis Siver at UFC 127 in Australia. Once again, the UFC has sidestepped moving George up the line in favour of a fun, but entirely lateral fight against a mid-level fighter. Don’t get me wrong, Denis Siver is an exciting fighter with a big future, but rankings wise he isn’t any more of a boost then was Lauzon. The UFC is usually extremely competitive with their matchmaking – if you can’t swim, you sink sorta thing – but in Sot’s case they seem to be going a little easier.

My guess is he’s being protected for – wait for it – an eventual title shot down the line, most likely in Australia. That means until the UFC LW picture and the timing of UFC events in Australia coincide, George is destined to hover in mid-division limbo.

As a final thought, it was a low moment to watch the once legendary Matt Hughes flop to the canvass in less the 30 seconds, especially after the nice little run he was in the process of putting together. The old cowboy of the welterweight division has earned every right to ride off into the sunset, but I think only last draw is still out there for the wizened old sheriff (enough with the old west metaphor!). Match him up with Dennis Hallman, let him exorcise his greatest career embarrassment (other then Saturday night, I suppose) then have him put those guns and that badge in the ground – he can’t shoot them, anymore (somebody stop me).

UFC 123 recap: Rampage wins decision, BJ Penn KO’s Hughes quickly

By Mike Johnston

After 15 minutes of light heavyweight action, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Lyoto Machida are already anticipating a rematch. Jackson won a split decision over Machida in the main event at UFC 123. Machida clearly won the third round, but Rampage was aggressive enough to take the first two rounds. When the decision was announced, Jackson seemed surprised and even offered Machida a rematch.
In the co-main event, it took just 21 seconds for BJ Penn to knock out Matt Hughes in their rubber match. Most fans and pundits expected this fight to go the distance, but that wasn’t the case as Penn came out as a man possessed. Penn landed a right cross that dropped Hughes and he finished him with a barrage of punches. Penn won the “KO of the Night” award.
Also on the main card, George Sotiropoulos submitted Joe Lauzon in the second round of their lightweight bout, shooting him up the lightweight rankings. After an electric first round the Australian took advantage of a tired Lauzon, gained top position, and locked in a kimura. Dana White, at the post-fight press conference, said that Sotiropoulos will fight Dennis Siver at UFC 127 in Australia. Top light heavyweight prospect, Phil Davis remained unbeaten in his MMA career with a “Submission of the Night” win over Tim Boetsch. Plus, Maiquel Flacao won an embarrassingly dull decision over Gerald Harris in a fight that saw not one strike landed in the third round.
In preliminary action, Brian Foster submitted Matt Brown in a back-and-forth matchup. In the second round, Foster locked in a guillotine choke and Brown tapped. Mark Munoz defeated his friend Aaron Simpson. After Simpson came out strongly and won the first round, Munoz battled back and won the last two rounds in a close, exciting decision. Veteran Dennis Hallman TKO’d Karo Parisyan in the first round in what will likely be Parisyan’s last fight in the UFC.
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full results after the jump
MAIN CARD

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson def. Lyoto Machida via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

B.J. Penn def. Matt Hughes via KO (punches) - Round 1, 0:21

Maiquel Falcao def. Gerald Harris via unanimous decision (29-27. 29-28, 29-28)

Phil Davis def. Tim Boetsch via submission (kimura) - Round 2, 2:55

George Sotiropoulos def. Joe Lauzon via submission (kimura) - Round 2, 2:43

PRELIMINARY CARD

Brian Foster def. Matt Brown via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 2, 2:11

Mark Munoz def. Aaron Simpson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Dennis Hallman def. Karo Parisyan via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 1:47

Edson Barboza def. Mike Lullo via TKO (leg kicks) - Round 3, 0:26

Paul Kelly def. T.J. O'Brien via TKO (strikes) - Round 2, 3:16

Nik Lentz def. Tyson Griffin via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)

UFC 123 Press Conference

Justin Wilcox Notches Unanimous Decision Win Over Vitor Ribeiro

Ovince St. Preux Earns Unanimous Decision Over Antwain Britt At STRIKEFORCE Challengers on SHOWTIME®

JACKSON, MISS. (Nov 19, 2010) – A ferocious Justin Wilcox power punched his way to a unanimous decision victory over Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro in the lightweight (155 pounds) STRIKEFROCE Challengers main event, Friday night on SHOWTIME. Former University of Tenn., linebacker turned MMA rising star Ovince St. Preux (8-4) also notched a unanimous decision win over Antwain Britt (11-5) in featured light heavyweight (205 pounds) action from Jackson Convention Complex in Jackson, Miss.

The 31-year-old Wilcox (10-3), a former NCAA wrestling standout for Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, opted to keep the fight standing, punishing Ribeiro with straight right hands throughout their three-round bout. Ribeiro repeatedly tried to take the fight to the ground, but Wilcox fended his opponent off with a well-timed sprawl.

“We came out wanting to exploit his stand up. At AKA, we’ve got the best stand up,” said Wilcox, who was awarded all three rounds by the three judges scoring the fight. Wilcox’s win was his fifth straight.

Asked about a potential matchup with another star in STRIKEFORCE’s lightweight division, undefeated Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm, after the win over Ribeiro, Wilcox acknowledged his interest in facing Beerbohm.

“He keeps calling out the big dogs,” said Wilcox of Beerbohm, “but, if he wants to fight, I’m your Huckleberry.”

A much anticipated bout between go-for-broke strikers Marius Zaromskis (13-5, 1 NC) and Waachiim Spirit Wolf (8-7-1, 1 NC) took a quick, anti-climactic turn after Zaromskis attempted a flying knee out of the gate in the first round, but accidentally stuck a finger in Spirit Wolf’s eye on the way down.

Unable to see properly, a frustrated Spirit Wolf was allotted a five minute period to regain his vision, but could not do so. After he was examined by the ringside physician for the second time during his recovery period, it was determined that the laceration to Spirit Wolf’s eye was too severe for him to continue, prompting a stoppage to the bout and a no contest being declared.

“In the case of an accidental foul, the referee has the discretion to give the fighter up to five minutes regardless of what kind of foul occurs,” said Cory Schafer, STRIKEFORCE Rules Director and ISKA President. “If the foul occurs in the first or second round of a three round fight and the fighter can’t continue as a result of the accidental foul, the bout is declared a no contest.”

One fight later, lightning inexplicably struck for the second time when St. Preux accidentally poked Britt in the eye in the opening seconds of the first round. Fortunately, Britt regained enough of his vision to continue after a brief break and examination from the ringside physician.

After the action resumed, Britt went on the offensive, scoring a hard right hand to St. Preux’s chin. St. Preux returned the favor, though, landing a left round kick to the liver and, then a right round kick to Britt’s ribs.

Britt caught his opponent’s right leg off the kick and took St. Preux down, but St. Preux scrambled to take Britt’s back and began firing away with punches to the body and side of Britt’s head. As the round winded down, St. Preux suddenly attempted a calf slicer to submit Britt, but Britt survived the round.

Britt made a strong stand in the second round, taking St. Preux down and blasting him with repeated punches, including a series of short hammer fists while St. Preux remained relatively inactive in guard.

In the third stanza, St. Preux turned the tides again, taking Britt to the ground and mounting him. Britt fought his way back to guard and the referee stood the fighters up after neither was advancing his position. After stopping a Britt takedown attempt, the final round came to a close with St. Preux working from half guard.

All three judges scored the fight two rounds to one in favor of St. Preux, whose win was his fourth straight and second under the STRIKEFORCE banner.

“I feel like I’m ready for anything,” said the 27-year-old St. Preux, a resident of Knoxville, Tenn., after the fight. “I’ll put everybody in check in alphabetical order.”

In other SHOWTIME televised STRIKEFORCE Challengers action, Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche (6-0) continued her unbeaten run by stopping brawler Jan Finney (8-9) with a ground and pound offensive in the third round of their welterweight (135 pounds) matchup.

Carmouche, the winner of the STRIKEFORCE women’s 135 pound tournament “reserve” matchup in Phoenix, Ariz. on Aug. 13, was quick on her feet, pelting Finney with round kicks and working aggressively on the ground.

After dominating the first two rounds, Carmouche, who hails from San Diego, Calif., scored her third takedown of the fight in the third and final scheduled round and quickly mounted Finney.

A short flurry of punches from Carmouche prompted Finney to turtle up, giving Carmouche the opportunity to inflict more damage with an onslaught of punches to the side of Finney’s face. The referee soon after stepped in and halted the fight, giving Carmouche a TKO win at the 1:30 mark of round three.

Twenty-six year old, Caros “The Future” Fodor (4-0, 1 NC) earned his second victory in STRIKEFORCE Challengers competition using a slick ground game against STRIKEFORCE newcomer Derek “The Pretzel” Getzel (2-2), who secured a spot on the Challengers card by winning an eight-man qualifying tournament in Minnesota earlier this year.

Fodor, a member of Matt Hume’s AMC Pankration in Kirkland, Wash., secured a takedown in the first stanza and landed in side control. Getzel escaped a Fodor keylock attempt, but Fodor quickly initiated a d’arce choke while inside Getzel’s guard and sunk in the choke while simultaneously passing guard. Getzel tapped out from the hold at the 4:39 mark of the first round.

Complete STRIKEFORCE Challengers Results:

Main Card:

Justin Wilcox def. Vitor Ribeiro via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Ovince St. Preux def. Antwain Britt via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Marius Zaromskis vs. Waachiim Spirit Wolf – No Contest due to laceration of Spirit Wolf’s eye as a result of an accidental eyepoke in Round 1

Liz Carmouche def. Jan Finney via TKO (punches) - Round 3, 1:30

Caros Fodor def. Derek Getzel via submission (d’arce choke) – Round 1, 4:39



Preliminary Card:

Wes Shivers def. Goldman Butler via KO (punch) – Round 1, 2:15

Jacob Noe def. Wesley Little via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Jeremiah Riggs def. James Sharp via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Anthony Mitchell def. Jeffery Hedgepeth via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:02

Thomas Vazquez def. Brian Hall via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 2:11

Joel Cooper def. Brian Burse via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 1:27

Ken Duboise def. Travis Robertson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)