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The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen season primer

2013-01-23T15:10:08Z

The 14 fighters selected to live in The Ultimate Fighter house and compete for a UFC contract are now public knowledge after Tuesday night's premiere episode of TUF: Jones vs. Sonnen.

The following is the list of competitors as they were selected by their respective teams, complete with records, world rankings and other notes of interest.

Team Jones

Clint Hester
World ranking: 246
Record: 7-3
Home: Atlanta, Georgia
Notable opponents: Douglas Lima (loss), Cale Yarbrough (loss)
Notes: Has an amateur boxing background; enters house on 3-fight win streak

Josh Samman
World ranking: 159
Record: 9-2
Home: Tallahassee, Florida
Notable opponents: Chris Cope (win), Mikey Gomez (win), Dan Cramer (loss)
Notes: Turned pro at age 19

Robert "Bubba" McDaniel
World ranking: 67
Record: 20-6
Home: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Notable opponents: Kyacey Uscola (win), Alexander Shlemenko (loss), Johnny Rees (win), Gerald Harris (loss)
Notes: Previously competed in Bellator and EliteXC'; enters house on 6-fight win streak

Gilbert Smith, Jr.
World ranking: unranked
Record: 5-1
Home: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Notable opponents: none
Notes: Tried out for a previous season of TUF but was not selected; at 5-foot-9, the shortest competitor in the field

Collin Hart
World ranking: Unranked
Record: 4-1-1
Home: Santa Rosa, California
Notable opponents: Joey Henle (draw)
Notes: Trains under former UFC middleweight contender David Terrell

Adam Cella
World ranking: unranked
Record: 4-0
Home: Fenton, Missouri
Notable opponents: none
Notes: Started his combat sports training as a kickboxer

Dylan Andrews
World ranking: 146
Record: 16-4-1
Home: Gold Coast, Australia
Notable opponents: Jesse Taylor (lost), Shonie Carter (won), Brian Ebersole (lost)
Notes: Was turned down for a spot on last season's TUF: The Smashes

Team Sonnen

Luke Barnatt
World ranking: 253
Record: 5-0
Home: Cambridge, England
Notable opponents: none
Notes: At 6-foot-6, the tallest contestant in the house, and would be tallest in UFC's middleweight division

Uriah Hall
World ranking: 160
Record: 7-2
Home: New York, New York
Notable opponents: Chris Weidman (loss), Costa Philippou (loss)
Notes: Competed in Chuck Norris' World Combat League

Zak Cummings
World ranking: 137
Record: 15-3
Home: Kansas City, Missouri
Notable opponents: Ryan Jimmo (lost), Tim Kennedy (lost), Terry Martin (won)Notes: Previously competed for both Strikeforce and Bellator

Tor Troeng
World ranking: 41
Record: 15-4-1
Record: Umea, Sweden
Notable opponents: Thales Leites (lost), Mamed Khalidov (lost)
Notes: Has won eight of his last nine fights; also holds a full-time job as a civil engineer

Jimmy Quinlan
World ranking: 347
Record: 3-0
Home: Metheun, Massachusetts
Notable opponents: none
Notes: Decorated collegiate wrestler and jiu-jitsu brown belt

Kevin Casey
World ranking: 179
Record: 5-2
Home: Hawthorne, California
Notable opponents: Matt Lindland (lost), Ikuhisa Minowa (lost)
Notes: Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt

Kelvin Gastelum
World ranking: unranked
Record: 4-0
Home: Yuma, Arizona
Notable opponents: none
Notes: Planned move to welterweight before being accepted onto show

Event Finals
April 13
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada

Coach matchup
April 27 - UFC 159
Prudential Center
Newark, New Jersey

(Editor's Note: World rankings compiled by MMA ratings site FightMatrix.com)

The MMA Hour Episode 120 Mizuka Koike

2012-03-01T05:55:41Z

Mizuka Koike, who became an overnight sensation at UFC 144 as a translator, was the "The MiO Energy Interview: Where Energy Strikes" on this week's MMA Hour.

MMA Fastball: Diego Sanchez deserves a title shot

2009-06-29T16:12:00Z

Diego Sanchez deserves a title shot. Get rid of one performance against Josh Koscheck and the bottom line is that you can make an argument that Sanchez won all of his fights in the welterweight division. We're talking about victories over Koscheck (on TUF 1), Karo Parisyan, and Nick Diaz, to go along with a close decision loss to Jon Fitch here too; he didn't just go and fight a bunch of nobody's. After defeating Joe Stevenson and now Clay Guida in one of the better fights of the year since dropping to the lightweight division, Sanchez deserves a shot against the winner of B.J. Penn and Kenny Florian.

Whether the fight comes in a TUF 1 rematch against a much better version of Florian, or a duel against Penn, it would be huge. In the end, ask yourself this: who else but Sanchez?

Wanderlei Silva at 185 looks good: Wanderlei Silva has lost five of his last six with three of those losses coming by way of devastating knockout. So his decision loss to Rich Franklin at a catch weight between the weight he's always fought at (205) and the weight he's aiming for (185), could be viewed by some as another derailment. Here's the thing though, Silva looked quite powerful against Franklin, who is on his way up to 205. That shouldn't be news considering the fact that he's one of the more brutal strikers of all-time. But since moving to the UFC, Silva has been looking rather small.

Until now, that is. Don't count out "The Axe Murderer" just yet. Something tells me that he may make some noise once he gets all the way down to 185. Franklin no doubt deserved that win he got, but it felt like he was up against a fighter with a lot more power. At 185, Silva's power advantage may be even more magnified.

Sure Cain Velasquez is good, but how about Kongo's toughness?: Whether Velasquez landed 184 punches on Cheick Kongo during their recent UFC 99 bout (CompuStrike) or 262 (Fight Metric), the one thing that we can all be sure about is that Velasquez absolutely annihilated his opponent. So can someone tell me how Kongo managed to keep fighting while taking all of that abuse?

If you didn't respect Kongo's toughness and heart before this fight, you have to respect it now. He took a licking like few heavyweights can and kept on ticking.

So how good is Cain Velasquez?: Velasquez got hammered on a couple of occasions by big Kongo punches only to recover in milliseconds and start in again with that brutal ground and pound of his. What we found out for sure about him is the following:

a) Velasquez has a great jaw.

b) Velasquez possesses great cardio.

c) Velasquez's takedowns and ground control are superior (we already kind of knew this).

d) His striking defense needs a little work.

Who else wants to see a Shane Carwin vs. Cain Velasquez at UFC 103? We'll see.

Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida and where it ranks: This was a great fight. Perhaps even the best fight of 2009 thus far. That said, it does not rank in the same class as Stephan Bonnar vs. Forrest Griffin I, Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn II, Eddie Alvarez vs. Joachim Hansen, or even Clay Guida vs. Roger Huerta. Why? Simply because this was a great fight for two reasons: Diego Sanchez showed off his severely improved stand up skills once again. and Clay Guida demonstrated amazing- repeat: amazing- heart and toughness. That said, Sanchez had Guida in terrible trouble during the fight in the first round (if it's actually possible to have that guy in bad trouble). On the flip side, Guida was never really in any position to stop his adversary.

That's the difference. Still, an awesome encounter that makes you watch Guida fight that much more.

Brett Rogers backs up the talk: Recently, in an interview at the site Rogers indicated that he'd been, "talking the talk," but was going to have "to walk the walk pretty soon." Well, a victory over Andrei Arlovski probably means that he has in fact walked the walk, don't you think?

Tom Atencio wins his second MMA fight: Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio won his second MMA fight after dealing with some adversity early in his bout against Randy Hedderick. Got to give him credit, how many VP's do you know in other sports that are willing to mix it up with the guys they pay?

Gina Carano vs. Cris "Cyborg" Santos is coming on August 15: This is the first female MMA fight that I've ever been truly stoked to see (since the first time Carano stepped onto a Showtime stage, anyway). After all, it's the first time that either of these fighters have stepped into a cage where the rest of the world didn't know who the better fighter was beforehand. Should be fun.

Mike Brown is the best: Just in case you didn't know, Brown's victory over Urijah Faber cements his place atop the featherweight division. And no, his first victory over Faber was no fluke. This guy is for real.

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic leaves a tarnished UFC legacy: If what Dana White tells us is real, then Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic really has let a bunch of us down. After promising more UFC fights to the organization and taking on a lower tier UFC guy at UFC 99, it appears that he has jumped ship to DREAM, which will leave people guessing at what he could've done in the UFC for years to come. On second thought, given his track record in the UFC, it won't leave most people wondering at all. Rather, it will leave many believing that he couldn't hack the UFC. It's a shame, too. Not sure what went into this decision on his part, but defeating Cheick Kongo or Gabriel Gonzaga in a rematch (or even losing in a great fight) would do a lot more for his legacy than defeating Mighty Mo in DREAM will. And it's quite doubtful that Dana White will ever even consider doing business with him again.

And the beat goes on.

Bellator XII Season Finale Live Play-By-Play Results

2009-06-19T19:30:00Z

Join MMAFighting tonight for live results of the final Bellator event of the season at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Good Evening everyone. I am LIVE from the Hard Rock Seminole Hotel and Casino here in Hollywood, Florida. We're about halfway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and getting ready to give you coverage of the season-ender for Bellator Fighting Championship. I'm here sitting practically cageside inside the Hard Rock Live. It is an intimate venue, with just a few thousand seats. Still a lot of setting up going on here, and people just starting to file in. The big headliner tonight is obviously consensus top-5 lightweight Eddie Alvarez as he battles Toby Imada for the right to be crowned the first ever Bellator Lightweight Champion. Imada is an internet sensation now, as he was the author of the beautiful inverted triangle choke against Jorge Masvidal to advance to the final tonight. The only way Imada doesn't win Submission of the Year is if Ryo Chonan decides to pull out a flying heel hook again, and I don't expect that anytime soon. Also on tap is the Middleweight Championship between Jared Hess and Hector Lombard. Lombard is the favorite, and rightfully so with his experience, but do not count Hess out. To show you what a warrior Hess is, he actually fought in between the first and second rounds of this tournament and was victorious via a 1st round TKO. Should be an oustanding championship bout. 8 fights total on the card here at the Hard Rock. I'll also be attending the post-fight press conference and should have some good updates from there. So stay tuned tonight for all the action. Special thank you to MMAFighting.com and Bellator for allowing me to cover the fights live for all you fans.

7:52 PM: Starting to fill up here but doesn't look like it will be a sellout. Looks like they are getting ready to get things kicked off shortly. Just had the Bellator commentary team of Jon Anik and Jason Chambers taping a segment for the English language broadcast. They'll be sitting right in front of me apparently. Gonna be a good night.

8:10 PM: Just about ready here. The lights have dimmed and the music is bumping. And sure enough, we're getting ready to introduce our first two fighters for the evening.

Fight #1 - Stefanie Guimaraes (144) vs. Yvonne Reis (146.5)

8:14 PM: Out first in the blue corner is Stefanie Guimaraes. Her entrance music is the UFC PPV intro music...interesting choice. Guimaraes is with American Top Team and "JZ" Cavalcante is in her corner tonight. Out next is Yvonne Reis from Tampa, FL. The fight card I have in front of me lists her style as Kung Fu. Don't see that very much anymore.

8:16 PM: Apparently Guimaraes goes by the nickname "Cyborg Jr" even though her style is listed as BJJ. Let us see if she lives up to the nickname.

Round 1: We are off tonight. Nice jumping kick by Guimaraes. Each fighter looking to find the distance. Reis definitely looking to mix it up. VICIOUS KNEE from Guimaraes and it is all over. Brutal first round KO from the ATT product. She caught Reis in the clinch and just planted her knee into her. Reis is alert and looks ok, already on her feet. Stefanie Guimaraes wins via first round KO at 0:49 (Knee)

8:19 PM: Guimaraes celebrates in the cage with the ATT team. Really impressive KO, and maybe she does have a little Cris "Cyborg" Santos in her. Just another Highlight Reel Stoppage at Bellator.

Fight #2 - Luis Palomino (149) vs. Troy Gerhart (151.5)

8:21 PM: Right into the next fight here. Out first is Luis Palomino, 10-5 record, a local boy fighting out of Miami, FL. Coming out to Ludacris' "Move B*tch." His opponent is Troy Gerhart, a 5-0 fighter who is fighting out of Venice, FL. This is a catchweight fight at 150 pounds. Palomino is a Muay Thai fighter while Gerhart is listed as a Freestyle fighter. The label "freestyle fighter" brings back memories of early UFC tournaments for me. Should be interesting to watch this one.

Round 1: Gerhart shoots twice by Palomino is able to sprawl. He gets hit hard by Palomino coming in for another takedown. They are really getting after it. After taking some huge shots, Gerhart gets Palomino down and carries him over to the fence. Luis has him tight with overhooks, not letting Gerhart get off much action. Crowd booing, a little uncalled for. Gerhart actually ends up picking Palomino up and puts him on his feet. Back in the center now. Good leg kick by Gerhart. Each fighter looking for his range right now. The crowd again booing. Tough crowd here at the Hard Rock. 2 minutes left. Gerhart misses with a left. 90 seconds left. Palomino attempts a jumping knee, but ends up getting taken down for his efforts. Gerhart not doing much in top control, but Palomino is not doing much off his back either. Some attempted elbows now. The ref stands them up, saying Gerhart is headbutting Palomino. Gerhart giving a warning, but no deduction. End of the round. Not a whole lot of action here, but based on takedowns, I score the round 10-9 Gerhart.

Round 2: Leg kick by Palomino to start. Missed kick by Gerhart. Not a lot to start off Round 2. Kick by Palomino. Big high kick misses from Palomino. Gerhart shoots and gets a takedown. Let us see if he is more effective this time around. A very quick standup from the referee. The crowd had started booing, and I think the ref may have taken that into consideration. 2:30 to go. A small Gerhart chant starts in the stands. Nice leg kick from Palomino, and a inside leg kick follows nearly tripping Gerhart to the mat. Big head kick partially connects from Palomino. A scramble ensues with Gerhart taking a shot but getting the takedown. We've seen this all fight long, Gerhart on top but not getting off any offense. His corner here in front of me pleading for Gerhart to get off some offense and score points. He is trying to oblige but not connecting enough. Some good lefts at the end of the round here. A close round here, and I've got it Gerhart 10-9 and two rounds to none. I think Palomino needs a stoppage.

Round 3: Almost a minute in and not much offense from either fighter. Palomino taunting Gerhart, begging him to come in. He sprawls a takedown from Gerhart and hits him to force Gerhart to retreat. Another sprawl from Palomino. Gerhart fighting hard for the takedown, but to no avail. Just about three minutes left. What action here as Palomino was upside down on Gerhart's back and Gerhart dropped him into the canvas and came out in side control. Now in North/South, back into side control. Good knee to the body by Gerhart. More knees but they are blocked by Palomino's arm. A quick reversal and Palomino takes control. Might've been a knee with Gerhart on the ground, too quick for me to be sure. He takes control and is controlling Gerhart as Troy seeks another takedown. Good body shots by Palomino. Those will hurt tomorrow. Gerhart finally gets him down, but an armbar attempt! Goes he have it? NO. Gerhart sneaks it out, very close though. Really good action here in the closing round. Gerhart looking to the corner for instructions. Palomino's corner begging for a standup. 10 seconds! Both fighters trying to score last second points. It's Over! I score the round 10-9 Palomino but the fight 29-28 Gerhart. Would not be surprised to see a split decision though.

8:48 PM: And here comes the decision. It is unanimous, 29-28, for Luis Palomino. Gerhart immediately storms out of the cage. Palomino is breakdancing in the ring. Not sure if I agree here, but like I said, that second round could've gone either way. Palomino takes it regardless.

Fight #3 - Rosi Sexton (123.25) vs. Valerie Coolbough (124.25)

8:50 PM: Next fight up is Rosi Sexton taking on Valerie Coolbaugh in a 125 pound bout. Sexton is out to the Fugees "Ready or Not." This is old school, brings back good memories. Sexton is fighting out of Manchester, England. Here comes Coolbaugh out to "Beat It" although it isn't Michael Jackson, that much I can tell you. She looks very excited to be here, big smile on her face while getting greased up outside the cage. Coolbaugh is 34 years old and bouncing around the cage like a two year old. She is fighting out of Mt. Olive, Illinois with a 2-1 record.

Round 1: Coolbaugh looking to establish her jab but Sexton clinches up against the fence. Sexton looking for the takedown and gets it with a trip. Sexton is apparently a BJJ fighter, so probably going to be looking for a submission. Sexton smothering Coolbaugh and passes to side control. Coolbaugh pushing her feet off the fence trying to slip out underneath but Sexton is not having it. Sexton passes to mount, this could be trouble. Big elbows from the mount. Now rights and lefts from Sexton. Coolbaugh gives up her back and Sexton locks in the hooks. Looking for the Rear-Naked Choke. Coolbaugh gets back to her back but still in mount. Tremendous sweep by Coolbaugh into guard. A real scramble here with Coolbaugh in North/South for a moment, but Sexton back on top. Coolbaugh holding a leg as Sexton tries to re-establish position. Sexton into side control again, and now back mount. Going for the armbar, this could be it. Yes it is! Sexton gets the W with a nice armbar, and an immediate embrace between the two fighters, pure class. Coolbaugh still has a big grin on her face, which is nice to see. Rosi Sexton wins via submission at 3:20 of round one (Armbar).

9:06 PM: They don't joke around here. Getting right into the fourth fight of the night. We've got Josh Martin taking on Sergio Moraes in a Welterweight bout. Martin is listed as a wrestler while Moraes is a BJJ fighter. I just want to say that it really is incredible sitting cageside. I've watched events on TV and live, but never this close, and the action is really something. The sounds are incredible, even when guys don't connect flush, that sound is something you can't get out of your head. It really is a different experience in these seats. And, for the guys out there, there is no shortage of attractive females in the crowd. Not surprising since we're this close to Miami. As for the females reading, if there are any, I'm sure there are plenty of good looking guys here, but I'm clearly not going to notice them, sorry!

Fight #4 - Josh Martin (170.25) vs. Sergio Moraes (168.5)

9:14 PM: Sorry guys, no play by play commentary for that fight. I was speaking with the CEO of Bellator Bjorn Rebney during the bout. I will post what he had to say after this next bout. Either way, Sergio Moraes defeated Josh Martin via triangle choke in the first round.

Fight #5 - Eric Reynolds (159.5) vs. Jorge Masvidal (159)

9:25 PM: We've got a 160 pound catchweight bout between the semi-final losers of the lightweight tournament, Eric Reynolds and Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal was a pre-tournament favorite to reach the finals, but as we all know, was the victim of Imada's crazy inverted triangle choke.

Round 1: The hometown Masvidal gets a loud ovation right before the round begins. They touch gloves and we are set to go. Reynolds comes in with a kick but it doesn't land flush. Reynolds misses with a right over the top. Kick by Reynolds. Reynolds definitely pushing the pace right now. A scramble insues and Masvidal ends up on top with Reynolds on his back. Reynolds scrambles up and Masivdal gives him some knees for his trouble. Good body shot by Jorge. Reynolds shoots and pushes Masvidal up against the fence. Reynolds misses with a wild right. Good combination by Masvidal. Good left by Jorge, but not a whole lot of action the past minute or so. Reynolds misses with a kick. Another good body shot by Jorge, just missed the liver. Jab by Masvidal. About thirty seconds to go. Masvidal definitely connecting with the better shots this round. Reynolds with a jumping knee as the round comes to a close. Reynolds taunting as the bell rings. Good action there in the first. I felt Masvidal scored with the better shots to take a close round 10-9.

Round 2: Both fighters shooting the jab out there. They clinch and Masvidal gets Reynolds to the mat. He is trying to finish here, landing good shots. Reynolds covering up. Reynolds misses with a spinning back fist. Masvidal gets him to the mat again. Big power shots by Masvidal from the guard. Reynolds tries to bring him close. More big shots as Masvidal tries to pass to side control, but Reynolds keeps him in the guard. Masvidal now in moving to side-control, and landing huge shots on Reynolds. He is really overwhelming Reynolds right now. Huge knees from the clinch by Jorge. Down goes Reynolds and Masvidal follws him, and has his back. Half-hooks in, Masvidal tries for the RNC but doesn't have it yet. Nice transition to a side-choke, he may have him. Nope, Reynolds squirms out, but Jorge is in mount. Big shots down on Reynolds, who tries to roll to avoid them. Reynolds almost escapes to the feet but Masvidal still has his back, trying to get him on the mat again. Round coming to a close shortly. Masvidal lands more shots as the round ends. Huge round for Jorge, and the debate is whether to make it 10-9 or 10-8. I have it 10-9 Masvidal.

Round 3: Round 3 kicks off with Reynolds sending some kicks out towards Jorge but not landing. Nice right by Reynolds. Reynolds slips and nearly gets hit with a huge right, but both men back on their feet. Wild Chuck Liddell style right from Masvidal before bringing Reynolds to the deck. Jorge in side control, but not a lot going on. Jorge trying to swing into mount, and he has it, but Reynolds trying for a choke. Masvidal breaks it and is in full mount with Reynolds trying to hold him close. Now with Reynolds back, he is looking for the choke. Hooks are in but not fully secured. Now Masvidal has the body triangle on Reynolds, this is trouble. The choke is locked in, and it is over. Jorge Masvidal chokes out Eric Reynolds with a textbook rear-naked choke at 3:33 of the third. A pretty dominating performance from Masvidal.

Bjorn Rebney, CEO of Bellator

9:53 PM: During the Martin/Moraes fight, I got to speak with Bjorn Rebney, CEO of Bellator. First impression is that Bjorn is a definite fight fan, and that makes for success. You've got to really love the fight game to make your company successful. I asked him for his thoughts on the first season of Bellator, and he was very happy. He mentioned as a perfectionist, he feels certain things can improve, but overall he was very pleased. He said ratings are going through the roof and it has been a successful first season. Bjorn also mentioned he has a lot of "bigger" name fighters calling him, trying to get on with Bellator. He said at first, a lot of these guys weren't that interested, but now that they've seen how successful the company has been, he has a list of guys who want to come fight for him. I then asked him if he had a favorite fight or moment from the first season. He first mentioned Yahir Reyes, he of the amazing spinning backfist KO. He said after the fight Reyes came up to him and personally thanked him, telling Bjorn how important this win was for him and how important and "big" the purse was to him. Bjorn said it was a really nice moment on a personal level for him. Additionally he mentioned how the viral campaign has really helped the company and how excited he it to see how well it has taken off. I then asked him when we were going to see the next season of Bellator, and he said we could expect it in the Fall with a series of "Challenger" tournament to crown contenders for the four champions Bellator is crowning. Lastly I asked if we'd see Bellator on ESPN or ESPN2 in addition to Deportes, and he wouldn't confirm anything but said next season would be taped in both English and Spanish and would reach "a much bigger audience." Take that for what you will. Overall, Bjorn seems like a class act, and I appreciate him taking time out during the fight to speak with us. He seems like he knows what he is doing, and I think he has the ability to really make something out of Bellator.

9:57 PM: Up next is Fabio Mello (5-6), fighting out of American Top Team taking on Sami Aziz (5-0-1). Mello is a Freestyle fighter (there is that term again) taking on, you guess it, a Freestyle fighter in Aziz. Aziz is wearing pink trunks, obviously proving how confident he is in his manhood.

Fight #6 - Fabio Mello (145.75) vs. Sami Aziz (145.5)

Round 1: They touch gloves and Mello floors Aziz seconds later. He almost catches him with an illegal kick to a downed opponent, but luckily he misses. Mello in Aziz' guard, trying to land some body shots. Mello has him pressed up against the cage, but not a lot of action right now. Still in Aziz' guard. At least this referee is giving him time to work, but a standup might be warranted at this point. Big shots now from Mello, really laying it on. This could be it. Really overwhelming stuff, and Aziz isn't doing much to defend himself. Another huge left, but Aziz has survived, although now in half-mount. Aziz is apparently cut, and is leaking blood pretty good. Mello going for a choke now, but a scramble ensues and Aziz ends up on top. Just about 30 seconds left here. Nice strikes from Aziz, but not nearly enough to take this round. Mello 10-9.

Round 2: Mello tests Aziz with a high kick but it doesn't connect. Looks like Aziz' left eye is swollen. Nice leg kick from Mello puts Aziz down for a moment. Back on their feet now. A nice knee nearly connects from Mello, but Aziz has him up against the fence now. Aziz tries for a judo throw but Mello is able to stay off the mat. Another nice low kick from Mello. Beautiful body kick connects to Aziz' midsection. Mello catches a kick from Aziz but Sami manages to push Mello up against the cage. Mello lets go and reverses position, and then gets reversed against the cage. Mello appears to be bleeding from the back of his head, but that may just be Aziz blood. Under a minute to go, and not a ton of action. I think this round is still up for grabs. Aziz with a nice shot. Flying knee nearly connects, and I think it stunned Mello just a bit. Tight round, I think Aziz takes it 10-9. I've got it a round a piece with the third deciding it.

Round 3: Both fighters looking to exchange in this final round. Mello shoots and Aziz attempts to sprawl. Aziz trying to lock in a guillotine but it doesn't appear to be successful. I've got a drunk three rows behind me chanting "GUILLOTINE" which is something I'd like someone to put him in right now. Aziz now in side-control but not landing much in the way of offense. Mello gets him to full guard. Aziz standing up as Mello goes for the armbar. We've got controversey here. Mello seemed to be locking in the armbar, but Aziz was attempting to spin out. Ref came in to stop the fight. Aziz is not protesting though. Here is the replay, and it is still inconclusive. There was no clear tap there, but I have no idea if there was a verbal submission. The announcer says the red corner tapped out, but like I said, we did not see it at cageside or on the big screen. Nonetheless, Fabio Mello wins via submission (armbar) in the third round.

10:26 PM: And now it is time for the first of our two championship fights tonight. Up first is the Middleweight title bout between Jared Hess and Hector Lombard. Lombard is the favorite here, with more than double the fights of Hess and also having fought twice in PRIDE. There, he lost both bouts, the first to Akihiro Gono in the first round of the 2006 WW Grand Prix and the second to Gegard Mousasi. He also has defeated Daiju Takase, best known for submitting UFC Middleweight Kingpin Anderson Silva many years ago. Hess is first out, coming out to a country song I am not familiar with. Already 4-0 this year, he is definitely the underdog, but I believe Hess can win this fight. "Shango" Lombard, an American Top Team product, is a true physical specimen. His corner is right in front of me and he is just jacked. In addition, props to the ring announcer. He transitions back and forth between English and Spanish very easy. The only problem is, he sounds too much like Michael Buffer for my liking...in fact, it is almost eerily similar.

Fight #7 - Jared Hess (184.25) vs. Hector Lombard (184.5)

Round 1: We are underway. Hess strikes first with a kick, but Lombard catches it and promptly puts Hess on his backside. Hess up against the cage in Lombard's corner. Hess works out and makes his way back to the feet. Both fighters weighed in within a half pound of each other, but Lombard is by far the bigger fighter. The drunk guy behind me is yelling again, and I realize he is calling every fighter "Pete." Instead of "Guillotine" he is calling for "Knees." Hess shoots with a poor takedown and Shango sprawls easy. Hess takes a shot as he gets up. Low kick by Hess. Jared has a mouse under his left eye, and takes a big shot but gives one in exchange. Low kick lands just above the belt on Lombard. Hess takes a huge right and nearly goes down, but he recovers nicely. You could see the spit fly out of his mouth, that is how close I am. Hess takes another shot, and he is in trouble. He manages to clinch as we are under thirty seconds. That eye is really swelling up. The round comes to a close and its easily 10-9 Lombard.

Round 2: Shango comes out swinging and nearly connects. Hess with another shot that has no chance of being finished. Both fighters back on their feet now. Looks like Hess took a poke to the eye and the ref stops the fight. Here comes the Doctor. Hess is ok apparently and we are back fighting. Lombard sprawls another shot from Hess and is controlling him. Both guys now back on their feet. From here, that eye looks like it is nearly swollen shut. Hess slips and Lombard goes down with him into guard. 2:30 left here in round two. Not a lot of action right now, Hess is not working for any submissions and sure enough, the ref brings the fight up. Hess goes for a body kick that partially gets through. Lombard is not showing much offense this round, and as I say that, he starts moving forward and throwing more. Hess misses with another takedown and Lombard controls again. 10-9 Lombard.

Round 3: Hess with a weak shot again. He is just shooting in and trying to get Lombard down, but not setting it up with any striking. Lombard pushes Hess against the fence and puts Hess on the deck. Lombard should be working the swollen eye of Hess but he is content to throw a few body shots. Hess swings for an armbar but it is no good. Lombard has Hess tacked up and is bleeding excessively. I think the eye busted. No way Hess can get an armbar here. The ref stops the action to check the cut. It looks bad. Doctor is in, and Hess seems like he is saying he is ok. And we will continue here. Hess going for a takedown, but fails. The ref calls the doc in yet again. This is a nasty cut. It is over the right eye area. And the fight continues again. Crowd loves it. They clinch with over/unders. Lombard gets Hess to the mat. Lombard really working Hess, but Hess will not quit. Lombard in for the attack again. Side-control for Shango. Lombard working a neck-crank, but I don't think it has much of a chance. Under a minute. Lombard just not doing much here. I don't know why he isn't trying to work the cut. Hess back to the feet but down again. There is blood all over both of these guys. The round ends. 10-9 Lombard. All I can say is that Jared Hess has a ton of heart.

Round 4: No stoppage yet due to the cut. That left eye is really bad. Looking at Hess, he may be better suited for 170. Hess attempts his 800^th lazy shot of the night, only for Lombard to sprawl. It almost reminds me of Tito Ortiz trying to get Chuck Liddell down. Lombard now in Hess' guard as a big "Hector" chant makes the rounds here at the Hard Rock. Lombard should be raining down elbows on that cut, and one seems to land. The referee stops the fight again to have the cut looked at. It is over! This one has been stopped due to the cut. Hector Lombard is your new Bellator Middleweight Champion via TKO stoppage (cuts) at 1:40 of the fourth round. Bjorn is in the ring with the belt and presents it to Lombard.

11:00 PM: Like I said, Hess has a ton of heart. He really hung in there though he could barely see and had a huge cut flowing. I also think 170 might be a better class for him. Lombard was too big, too strong. Now I will channel my best GSP and say I was not impressed with Hector's performance. I feel like he could've stopped him earlier if he tried harder. He could've worked that eye and cut much earlier. Regardless, he earns the TKO stoppage to lay claim to the title belt. Lombard is being interviewed saying he didn't want to "risk anything" because of how talented Hess is. Not sure if that means you can't take chances during fight. Bjorn says Lombard was dominating and is one of the best 185 pound fighters in the world. I think Lombard still has a way to go in my opinion. Hopefully Bellator can bring in a legitimate challenge for him. They show Eddie Alvarez on the screen, and I've just realized I have his whole family sitting in front of me. Not sure if you've ever seen his wife, but she is truly beautiful. All the kids are here tonight in support of Eddie.

11:15 PM: They play some clips of both fighters talking about the bout. Both are very respectful. Imada enters the ring first to Rage Against the Machine. Eddie Alvarez out now and his family is on their feet right in front of me. They might be more nervous than he is. Alvarez is hyped up, pacing back and forth. Jason Herzog has the duties for the main event of the evening.

Fight #8 - Toby Imada (154.25) vs. Eddie Alvarez (155)

Round 1: Not often you can watch a top 5 fighter this close. A true privlege. Imada sends in a knee and Alvarez answers. Eddie sends off a combo and hits Imada nicely. He presses Toby up against the fence. Someone in Eddie's party yells out "Murder Time Ed." Imada trips Alvarez to the mat but Eddie is back up. Imada with the thai clinch but Eddie powers out. Three minutes left here. Imada with a nice slam from the clinch. Eddie quickly back up. Clinched up against the cage again and now they take the center of the cage. Nice right by Imada. Fighters clinched up against the fence in front of me now. Alvarez tries to get off some shots but Imada works to control him. Close round so far. Eddie wading in, trying to connect with a big shot. Imada returns fire. Eddie's wife on the edge of her seat. Alvarez may have a mouse under his left eye. Imada is bleeding around the right eye. Alvarez clinches up against the cage. Tough, tough round to score here at cageside. Too much action for 10-10, so I'm going to go with Imada 10-9. Could've easily gone the other way though.

Round 2: Alvarez sends Imada down almost immediately. I almost missed it. Now on top, but Imada working. Alvarez has back-mount, going for a choke. This could be it. It is over! Eddie Alvarez scores a quick second round submission. Alvarez chokes out Imada. And in typical Eddie fashion, he gives us the backflip off the cage. The Alvarez clan is going wild here at ringside. Eddie Alvarez comes out to hug his wife. Bjorn in the ring with the belt. Big right put Imada down, and it was an overwhelming Alvarez from there. Eddie Alvarez is your winner via submission (rear-naked choke) at 0:38 of the second round.

11:27 PM: We have a Marcus Aurellio sighting in the crowd, surrounded by some nice eye-candy. Crowd emptying out quickly here. It was at least Ã‚Â¾ full here tonight, pretty good showing from the Florida fans. Eddie in the ring getting the belt. Alvarez did what a top 5 lightweight does, and that is win impressively. All three of Alvarez' wins came by submission in this tournament, pretty impressive for a guy generally known for his standup. Alvarez pleads for a break from fighting to spend time with his family during the post-fight interview. Stay tuned for news from the post-fight press conference.

11:48 PM: I'm up here in the VIP room of the arena waiting for the fighters and Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney to address the media. It looks like we'll be hearing from both competitiors in the championship fights tonight. Stay tuned to MMAFighting.com for all the fallout from the final event of the first season of Bellator.

Presser: Bjorn Rebney starts off about how he wanted to bring in both "name" guys and younger talent to create a nice mix of overall talent. Bjorn expresses how happy he is with Eddie and Hector's victories tonight. Bjorn says his first call was to American Top Team to recruit Jorge Masvidal, and before hearing about who was fighting at 155 and said he'd fight "King Kong" for that kind of money. Bjorn says Jorge will likely be entering the next tournament in the Fall. Bjorn talks about Jared Hess and how proud he is of him and how he also likely will be fighting in the fall in the185 tournament. Bjorn says a female tournament is possible within the next two seasons.

Eddie Alvarez now on the mic. Eddie says he has been training for over a year straight due to his training for the DREAM tournament. Eddie just says he is happy to be here in the States and it was an incredible journey. Hector Lombard says now people know what he is all about. He thanks all his fans. Jared Hess talks about how much respect he has for Lombard and how surprised he was at his takedown defense. Hess says he will be back in the next tournament. Jorge Masvidal says he will also be back in the Fall and wants a piece of Eddie Alvarez. Bjorn thanks the Seminole tribe for having them again, and how great events were here. According to Bjorn, not a bad seat in the house. He also thanks Ford and ESPN.

Someone asks Hector how he likes fighting here in Miami and he says it is like fighting at home. It feels good because the crowd is usually against him. The motivation gave him extra strength.

Another reporter asks Eddie about the tournament format and how rigorous it is and where it fits in MMA. Eddie says it is not for everyone and you really have to love it because of the sacrifices you have to make.

Bjorn is asked at what weight class a potential women's weight class would be. Bjorn says it is not easy because he needs to find 7 other world class fighters to fill out the bracket. But he certainly would like to. Bjorn also reiterates what he said to me earlier about the next season reaching a much larger audience. Bjorn says that the tournaments next season could be in the same weight classes or possibly other weight classes, depending on who signs with Bellator.

Hector is asked about him carrying an Australian flag to the ring and whether he should or would carry a Cuban flag to the ring. Lombard is pretty offended apparently by this question, and says Australia gave him a chance to fight and he loves that country. He then glares at the questioner. Not sure what the backstory is here, but Hector was not pleased.

This ends the press conference. Overall a tremendous night, a really solid show. I hope you enjoyed the pbp and enjoy the rest of your evening.

UFC 99 Review: Franklin wins decision over Silva

2009-06-13T22:59:00Z

UFC 99 came to us all live from the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany for the very first time. Despite the fact that everyone seemed focused on the future UFC 100 card coming in, there was still some serious firepower for the German fans to check out.

First, there was the main event between former superstar PRIDE Middleweight Champion Wanderlei Silva and former UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin. Then there was the highly intriguing bout between Cheick Kongo and up and coming superstar Cain Velasquez. Beyond that, you had a bad blood match between Marcus Davis and Dan Hardy and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic's return to the UFC.

Maybe people shouldn't have been so focused on UFC 100 coming in after all.

"I'm gonna knock him out," said Marcus Davis coming into his fight with Dan Hardy. Hardy, of course, had basically referred to Davis as a "fake Irishman," perhaps prompting those words. But words are words and fighting is fighting, no?

Early on, both fighters were somewhat inactive. After a couple of leg kicks, Davis hit home with a body kick and then shot in for a takedown. Davis pressed Hardy up against the cage. After some trading inside, Davis did eventually get Hardy to the ground where he began to pound away, taking the mount momentarily. Hardy got off of his back but ended up with Davis on top of him in a turtle position, raining down punches. Eventually, Hardy got to his feet, connecting with a huge elbow on Davis that hurt him after a couple of body blows. Davis took Hardy down while in the clinch, but the two got right back to their feet. Davis is cut on his head.

Then the bell. Marcus Davis won more of that round and probably took it. But Davis was hurt for a moment.

The second round started with both fighters trading kicks, with Hardy connecting more. From there, Davis began connecting with left hands in spots, even though Hardy was connecting as well. Then Hardy nailed Davis with a huge knee that dropped him. From there, Hardy found himself on top looking to ground and pound his adversary. But then Davis transitioned to a solid armbar attempt. Hardy escaped. Both fighters started connecting with strikes on the ground, with Davis actually hitting home more until the referee decided to stand them up (not sure why, there was a significant amount of striking going on). Davis connected with a huge left hand that caused Hardy to smile, indicating that it hurt, before coming in and gaining a takedown. Then Davis moved to side control. Some mild ground and pound followed before the bell.

Give Davis the first round. Give Hardy the second round (though both stanzas were close). The third round should probably decide things.

Davis connected with a nice left; Hardy slipped to the canvas. Davis followed him to the ground where he began connecting with some mild ground and pound. He moved to Hardy's half guard. Then Davis went for a toe hold and then a heel hook on Hardy. Neither move worked, and Hardy got to his feet. They remained in the clinch along the wall before Hardy managed a takedown himself. Hardy nailed Davis with a huge elbow that bloodied him up big time. From there, the referee stopped things for a moment for the doctor to look at the cut before putting them back in the same situation. Due to a lack of action, the referee then stood them up.

Davis landed a nice left hand; at the same time, Hardy connected with a kick. Then the fight ended.

That was a close fight. Davis controlled the fight more; but Hardy hurt him. Hardy is probably going to take this one home.

Dan Hardy wins via split decision. Afterwards, he noted that the psychological games he played before this fight were just that, games.

Next up was a highly intriguing match up between Caol Uno and Spencer Fisher. Would Fisher's strength and wrestling advantage make Uno's submission skills an afterthought? Let's see.

Uno shot in early, but Fisher sprawled out of trouble. Some knees to the shoulder on the ground followed from Fisher before the two came to their feet along the wall. Fisher landed some knees again before they eventually broke. Fisher then landed a couple of nice strikes before he was forced to sprawl out of trouble once more. Uno pressed his opponent up against the fence but was unable to do anything with the position. Then came the bell. Not a lot of activity in this one. But Spencer Fisher clearly took the opening stanza.

Early in the second, Fisher landed a low kick and came in looking to land a punch. Uno dropped under it and took him down. Fisher got up, however, and started with the knees in the clinch again before the two separated. Later, Uno shot in and missed with another takedown. Fisher connected with an excellent low kick. Then Uno connected with two straight of his own before missing with another takedown. Fisher ended up on top on the ground, but Uno turned him over, ending up in Fisher's guard. Fisher grabbed Uno's ankles, sent him backwards, and managed to get to his feet. Lots of changing positions, and movement before the bell. Hard to call this round- not a lot of exciting action.

Uno shot in looking for a takedown early in the third, but Fisher sprawled out. Fisher connected with some knees and then a big left hand. Uno took him down; then Fisher got back up. Uno connected with a knee. Uno then landed a low kick upon separation but fell afterwards. Fisher let him back up and connected with a good right hook. Fisher found himself on the ground and then back up, connecting with the better shots. Then Uno ended up on top in the mount, transitioning between there and half guard. Some serious ground and pound followed. Then the bell.

Uno won the last round due to what he did at the end of the stanza. Did he win the second round? That's the question.

Answer- no. Spencer Fisher wins via decision.

"He hasn't fought any of the top tier fighters yet," said Mike Swick coming into his bout against Ben Saunders. "And it's a whole nother story when you step in there with guys that are at that level. . . I think Ben Saunders is in over his head in this fight."

Enough said. Let's get it on.

Early on, Henderson went for a takedown but ended up on the bottom for his efforts. Henderson simply held on tightly, looking for nothing but to survive for a significant period of time. Swick connected with mild shots to the side of his head during this time. It even got to the point where Swick asked him if he was going to hold him all night. To which Henderson noted that he thought they could stand back up.

Not exact words. But close enough. Great job by the UFC of catching that while the fight was going on.

Eventually, the referee stood the two of them up. Swick hit home with a decent flurry after Henderson connected with a nice body kick. The two clinched and Saunders connected with some decent knees. Still, the fact that Henderson decided to simply hold on when he hit the canvas should give Swick the round (there at least was some ground and pound).

Early on in the second, Swick landed a punch and then a knee. Once they clinched, Saunders began connecting with knees. However, Swick took him down and immediately mounted him. Then Saunders got back to guard rather quickly. Swick connected with some mild ground and pound; this time Saunders employed the rubber guard to an extent. Then the referee stood them back up.

The two traded knees. Later, Swick landed a decent knee of his own. Then came an excellent left hand from Swick followed by a huge flurry by Swick that dropped Saunders; he followed him down to the canvas with a those patented fast strikes of his. And that was that.

Mike Swick wins via TKO at 3:48 of round two.

Next up was the highly anticipated return to the UFC by Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic. Taking on Mustapha Al Turk, Cro Cop said, "I don't know if I'm going to take the UFC belt, I don't know. But I will die trying."

Got to love hearing that. Let's see how it went for the former PRIDE star.

Early on, Al Turk connected with a nice right hand and then a leg kick. Then Al Turk attempted a takedown and was thrown to the side like he wasn't even there. Al Turk was connecting with low kicks and coming forward rather wildly. Cro Cop landed a straight left and then threw another takedown to the side. Cro Cop landed a mild left. Al Turk is just coming forward with wild punches. Eventually, Cro Cop came forward like we've seen him do in the past, with a flurry that dropped Al Turk. Rather than follow him to the canvas, Cro Cop let him back up and then proceeded to land a left that poked Al Turk in the eye. The referee didn't see it, and Cro Cop finished him off. Too bad on the eye thing. Still, Cro Cop had already hurt him and it was looking like he was going to end this one anyway.

Too bad for the ending. Still, it was nice seeing Cro Cop come forward looking for the kill.

Coming into his fight against Cain Velasquez, Cheick Kongo said, "I'm ready to win again, just to get the opportunity to be the new champion. It's now or never." That said, a lot of people believed that Velasquez was the best up and coming heavyweight in the world coming in. So would Kongo be able to make this into a striking match that he was capable of winning, or would Velasquez turn this one into a ground fight?

Early on, Kongo found himself backpedalling, hitting home with punches. Then a hard right hand of his hurt Velasquez, dropping him for a mere moment before he got to his feet and took Kongo down. However, Kongo got up for a moment before Velasquez reasserted his takedown, this time taking side control. Then Velasquez mounted Kongo. Then he took the big man's back, looking for the rear naked choke. Kongo got to his feet, but was taken down right into side mount again. He then began with the ground and pound before mounting once more. Then Velasquez took his back again. After some movement, Velasquez found himself nailing his turtled up adversary with big punches. Kongo got up again, but Velasquez picked him up and slammed him into the canvas once more.

This guy Velasquez looks like a killer right now. That said, you have to give it to Kongo. He keeps working and trying. Along with this, just before the bell, Kongo got to his feet and landed a nice knee inside.

Don't need to tell you who won that round.

Velasquez came forward and connected with some nice punches, but Kongo dropped him with a big punch again to start the second. This time, Kongo followed him down and ended up in a clinch with him on the cage. Kongo should separate, but instead is looking for knees. Then Velasquez grabbed his leg and took him down. On the back of his opponent (on all fours), Velasquez hit home with ground and pound and eventually mounted Kongo. Then he ended up taking his back again. Lots of ground and pound as positions continually changed. Again, though, Kongo made it to the bell. He's a tough guy.

But he needs a stoppage in order to win.

Early on, Kongo landed some punches and actually took Velasquez down. But then Velasquez reversed him. From there, it was more of the same until just past the halfway mark when Kongo got up and began connecting with knees. Then he hit home with a nice punch.

Unfortunately for Kongo, Velasquez took him down again. Then came some more of what we were used to seeing until the bell.

Cheick Kongo has a big heart. Cain Velasquez dominated but just couldn't finish him off.

Cain Velasquez wins via unanimous decision.

"He's afraid, he knows the power in my hands," said former PRIDE Middleweight Champion Wanderlei Silva coming into his UFC main event bout against Rich Franklin. There's no doubt that Franklin was quite aware of his power. That said, to look past Franklin's power in the past has proven to be a bad move. What else is there to say? Someone was about to get hurt, right?

Early on, both fighters were very cautious. Silva landed a low kick. Soon after, he threw a big flurry that missed, allowing Franklin to land a decent punch. Franklin landed a left, then a kick. Silva connected with a punch. A high kick by Silva missed. Then Silva connected with a body kick. Franklin landed an excellent body kick. Then Silva took him down.

That's right, Silva took him down.

Silva landed some decent ground and pound. Then Franklin got to his feet. Silva tried for a standing guillotine and missed on his way to the ground, allowing Ace to start in with the ground and pound from the top position on the canvas. Then he mounted Silva for a moment. Silva got to his feet, but not before eating a lot of shots. Franklin landed a nice head kick. Then the bell.

Rich Franklin wins the first round. In between rounds, he said that he thought he broke Silva's nose.

Silva connected with a solid body kick to start the second. The two traded low kicks. Then Franklin hit home with some kicks and punches; Silva connected with an uppercut. Soon after, Franklin hit home with some nice punches and a body kick. He then connected with a jab that left an off balance Silva on the canvas. Silva got up easily. Until the one minute mark, Franklin picked Silva apart with more of the same until a big right by Silva landed. From there came a flurry of punches by Silva that really hurt Ace. But he survived. Then Franklin connected with a high kick and a bunch of punches at the end of the round. That's a hard stanza to score. Franklin dominated until Silva caught him. Even after that, Franklin did well.

Either Silva needs a stoppage or this is the round that will decide everything. Franklin basically picked Silva apart for the first half of the stanza until a nice left by Silva landed. He followed that up with a knee in the clinch. That said, Franklin began doing his thing again when Silva came forward very aggressively soon afterwards. Franklin took Silva down and connected with some nice punches. Silva got up, allowing Franklin to take his back on their feet. The fight ended with Franklin punching his adversary from this position and Silva making use of elbows. What a great fight! The decision should go to Franklin. But Silva looks a lot better in a lower weight class.

Rich Franklin wins via unanimous decision.

In the end, UFC 99 was a very good night of fights. Cain Velasquez did a great job of dominating a very tough Cheick Kongo. Dan Hardy won a fight with a lot of bad blood coming in over Marcus Davis, and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic won his comeback fight in the UFC, even if there was an eye poke. In the end, though, as it always should be, this event was about the main event. Wanderlei Silva and Rich Franklin fought like warriors.

FULL RESULTS:

John Hathaway def. Ricky Story via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Stefan Struve def. Denis Stojnic via submission (RNC) - R2 (2:37)
Paul Kelly def. Roli Delgado via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Paul Taylor def. Peter Sobotta via unanimous decision
Dennis Siver def. Dale Hartt via submission (RNC) - R1 (3:23)
Terry Etim def. Justin Buchholz via submission (D'arce choke) - R2
Dan Hardy def. Marcus Davis via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Spencer Fisher def. Caol Uno via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Mike Swick def. Ben Saunders via TKO (punches) - R2 (3:47)
Mirko Cro Cop def. Mostafa Al Turk via TKO (punches) - R1 (3:06)
Cain Velasquez def. Cheick Kongo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Rich Franklin def. Wanderlei Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

UFC 99 'The Comeback' Preview

2009-06-11T22:44:00Z

UFC 99: The Comeback will come to us all live on June 13, 2009 from the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany. Interestingly, this event will be watched by hardcore MMA fans for three likely reasons. First, the UFC will be in Germany, which is kind of cool. Second, Wanderlei Silva will be dropping down to a catch weight to take on Rich Franklin in a battle of two MMA legends. And finally, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic is back (say what you will, but people do tend to tune in to see what the former kickboxer might do, good or bad).

Rich Franklin (26-4) vs. Wanderlei Silva (32-9-1): Rich Franklin seems to define the term mixed martial artist, as he possesses the full repertoire of skills needed to compete at the highest level of the sport. Franklin has power on his feet and demonstrates diverse striking skills. He also possesses strong takedowns, takedown defense, and underrated submission skills. Beyond that, Franklin always comes to fights in shape.

Putting it another way, his only losses have come at the hands of Lyoto Machida, Anderson Silva, and Dan Henderson. That says something.

Wanderlei Silva is a legend in the sport. Yes, he possesses excellent striking skills, to include a tremendous amount of power, excellent kicks, and a devastating clinch. But it's his sheer ferocity- his killer instinct, if you will- that has mesmerized fans for so long. On the ground, Silva is difficult to submit and has pretty good takedown defense. But he's never been a submission threat in MMA.

Unfortunately, Silva has been on a terrible downward slide lately, losing four of his last five fights (three by devastating knockout).

Prediction: On the ground it would appear that Franklin will have the edge here. There was a time when on his feet, no one seemed to hold an edge over Silva. But he's taken a lot of abuse in recent fights and Franklin is a very smart and dangerous striker. Expect the combination of the threat of Franklin taking this fight to the ground- giving Silva something else to worry about- to give Franklin an edge on his feet. Connecting with more strikes will eventually allow him to finish things off on the canvas.

Rich Franklin wins via TKO in round two.

Cheick Kongo (24-4-1) vs. Cain Velasquez (5-0): Cheick Kongo is a freak of nature when it comes to size and athleticism. Further, he has very good striking skills (and of course, power). On the ground, he's improved immeasurably over the last several fights. Along with this, his takedown defense is solid and his submission defense is improving.

Cain Velasquez has outstanding wrestling skills. Further, he's proven to be quite adept on his feet as well, having looked good in winning all five of his fights by way of TKO. It's hard to know what his submission skills or submission defense is like, as that really hasn't been a point of contention in his short career to date.

Prediction: Kongo's ground skills and takedown defense have improved a lot. But with Velasquez, he still may find it difficult to stay on his feet. Since Kongo isn't much of a submission threat, expect Velasquez to do just enough on his feet to keep the bout close. Eventually, that will lead to a takedown and ground and pound.

Cain Velasquez wins via decision.

THE REST OF UFC 99

Mike Swick (13-2) vs. Ben Saunders (7-0-2): Both guys have strong striking skills and lots of reach. Expect Swick's more vast experience against top flight competition to be the difference.

Mike Swick wins via decision.

Marcus Davis (21-5) vs. Dan Hardy (21-6): First, there's some bad blood here, making this an interesting encounter. Both guys are also quite tough and like to strike. But the difference is that Davis's striking skills, particularly in the area of boxing, are world class. His better technical skills on his feet should be the difference.

Marcus Davis wins via decision. Hardy is a tough guy to stop.

Spencer Fisher (23-4) vs. Caol Uno (25-11-4): It's hard to find a more compelling match up amongst guys that are just under championship radar than this one. Uno is a huge submission threat that's crafty and good at everything. Fisher may be the better stand up fighter and is stronger. His better wrestling will allow him to dictate where the fight goes, and that may be the difference.

Spencer Fisher wins via decision.

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (24-6-2) vs. Mostapha Al Turk (6-4): Lately, it's been hard to call Cro Cop's fights; you never know which guy will show up. Still, you have to believe that Turk doesn't have a chance unless he gets things to the ground. Perhaps Filipovic's UFC coming out party?

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic wins via TKO in round one.

Terry Etim (12-2) vs. Justin Buchholz (9-2): Etim is a tough guy and a well-rounded fighter.

Terry Etim wins via first round submission.

Dennis Siver (13-6) vs. Dale Hartt (6-1): Siver is a good fighter. But Hartt, coming from Team Sityodtong, has some excellent striking skills.

Maybe he pulls one out here.

Dale Hartt win via third round TKO.

Paul Taylor (9-4-1) vs. Peter Sobotta (8-1): Taylor has been on the big stage before.

Paul Taylor wins via decision.

Paul Kelly (9-1) vs. Rolando Delgado (8-3-1): Kelly is probably just too physical.

Paul Kelly wins via first round TKO.

Denis Stojnic (12-2) vs. Stefan Struve (20-3): If Struve takes this fight to the ground, he wins. If not, he loses.

Denis Stojnic wins via first round TKO.

John Hathaway (11-0) vs. Rick Story (7-2): Tough fight to call.

John Hathaway wins via TKO in round three.

WEC 41: Brown vs. Faber Review

2009-06-08T13:34:00Z

The first time that Urijah Faber took on Mike Brown, most believed that a Faber win was already a foregone conclusion. One big punch later and they realized how wrong they were. Since then, Leonard Garcia also found out just how hard Mike Brown hits. So before WEC 41: Faber vs. Brown 2 on June 7, 2009, the question coming in was simple. Was Brown just a guy with a very powerful punch, or was he here to stay? Was their first fight a fluke or was it simply the fight that brought Mike Brown to our consciousness?

Let's find out what happened at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California.

"Everybody's talking about me retiring, and the reality is I'm one win away from you all forgetting about it," said Jens Pulver coming into the first televised fight of the night against Josh Grispi. The question was, would that win come on June 7th?

Answer: No.

Early on, Pulver took his opponent down to the canvas and got caught in a guillotine choke for his efforts. It was tight. And Pulver tapped. That's that.

Afterwards, Grispi literally patted him on the back, feeling just how devastated Pulver was by the mistake that cost him the fight. A big win for Grispi; a huge loss for Pulver.

Josh Grispi wins by way of guillotine choke after 33 seconds. Afterwards, Pulver spoke as if it might be his last fight.

Before taking on Donald Cerrone, James Krause said, "I don't think he's been tested with his jiu jitsu at all." Of course, Cerrone didn't agree. So would Krause still be undefeated when this one was all said and done?

Krause came out and took Cerrone down quickly only to watch him get right back up. After eating a Cerrone punch, Krause took him down again. Cerrone then sunk in an omoplata, which helped him to get to his feet. Krause took him down again and found himself in the omoplata again. Krause rolled out and was left on the bottom on the canvas. Some nice ground and pound from Cerrone followed. Krause eventually used a heel hook attempt to help him get to his feet and then landed a head kick. Krause shot in for a takedown and almost got caught in a standing guillotine. Then Cerrone connected with a nice knee. Moments later, a hard left-right combination floored Krause; Cerrone followed him down to the ground, sunk in the rear naked choke, and ended the fight.

Donald Cerrone wins via rear naked choke at 4:38 of round one.

Next up was a fight between Scott Jorgensen and Antonio Banuelos.

Early on, Banuelos landed a huge uppercut that seemed to stun his opponent. Soon after, he clinched with Jorgensen and took him down. Jorgensen got up, eating a knee for his efforts. Banuelos continually connected, sometimes partially, with hooks and hard punches. Jorgensen connected with a nice right. Soon after, Jorgensen went for a couple of takedowns that were shirked by Banuelos. Though Jorgensen definitely began to turn up the temperature with his striking, nice footwork by his adversary and timely punches won out.

Banuelos took the first round.

The second round saw Banuelos continue his excellent side to side footwork and timely punching. Though Jorgensen definitely connected with some hard punches and knees, Banuelos's speed won out again throughout the stanza.

Jorgensen needs a stoppage in order to win this fight. Lots of action. Commentator Kenny Florian disagrees, believing that the fight is even going into the final round.

In the third, Jorgensen came out aggressively, connecting with some big punches and a huge knee midway through the stanza. When Banuelos went for a takedown, his opponent took his back momentarily. Eventually, Jorgensen ended up in Banuelos's guard. A couple of Jorgensen submission attempts fell by the wayside quickly in this stanza, including a guillotine choke early on.

Antonio Banuelos wins by way of split decision in a barnburner of a fight.

Next up was a bout between Jose Aldo and Cub Swanson. "Rumor has it that we're fighting for number one contendership," said Swanson coming in. Probably. So who would prevail?

Don't blink. Aldo came out with a huge flying knee to start things off that connected. The knee left Swanson on the canvas bleeding above his left eye. Aldo hit home with a few punches on his turtled-up opponent before the referee stepped in.

Jose Aldo wins via TKO after only eight seconds.

Next up was a bout between Rolando Perez and Seth Dikun. Early on, Perez caught a Dikun kick and threw him to the canvas. Dikun got up soon after and then pulled his opponent into his guard, straight into a triangle. Perez persevered for a long time, but in the end he had to tap.

Seth Dikun wins via triangle choke at 2:30 of round one.

Next up was a fight between Mike Campbell and Anthony Pettis. Early on, Campbell caught a leg and went for a takedown, only to find himself in a guillotine that he would slam his way out of. Then Campbell escaped a strong armbar attempt. Campbell then hit home with some nice ground and pound. Soon after, though, Pettis sunk in the triangle choke. And that was that.

Anthony Pettis wins via triangle choke at 1:49 of round one.

"I can't wait to get in there, end the speculation, end the reign of Mike Brown, get my belt back," said Urijah Faber coming into his highly anticipated fight against Mike Brown. The last time these two mixed it up, it was Brown who stood victorious. Would Faber recapture the magic or would Brown once again prove that he was the man?

Early on, both fighters were cautious. Faber landed a high kick after more than a minute had gone by. At around the 3:20 mark, he connected with a nice combination. Brown came forward aggressively afterwards missing with punches and looking for the takedown. Faber tried for a guillotine, but it fell by the wayside. Brown took Faber's back on the canvas, but Faber got up. Still with his back in a standing position, Brown landed several knees to the face. Then Faber turned to face him in the clinch and connected with some knees of his own. Brown followed with a big overhand right. Brown's left eye is puffy. Faber landed a nice body kick. Both fighters traded right hands, with Faber's seeming harder. That said, Brown ended up in a position to get the Anaconda Choke on the ground but Faber rolled out. Then Brown moved to side control, but Faber forced the north-south position. Then Brown began looking for the guillotine. When it failed, Brown connected with punches on the way up.

That was a good, close round. It could've gone either way.

Early in the second, Brown landed a nice uppercut. Faber connected with a solid body kick. Later, Brown connected with a big right hand, took Faber down, and ended up with side control. Brown connected with some hard, pointed elbows to Faber's ribs. After several position changes, Faber got to his feet with Brown still on his back. Brown took him down again after connecting with some strikes. Faber tried a guillotine, but he never had the leverage for it; thus, Brown took his back again. Faber pulled a nice reversal and the two ended up on their feet. Faber landed a nice front kick to the face. Soon after, he connected with a knee. The two traded lefts with some space inbetween. Brown then took his opponent down again. Faber got up and ate some punches for his effort. Then the bell.

That round definitely went to Brown based on ground control.

Early on in the third, Faber landed a nice standing elbow. Brown went for the guillotine on the ground to no avail. Then he took the back of a turtled-up Faber. Brown continued to land punches on the ground until Faber got up again. Faber then landed a nice knee to the head, and followed it with an elbow and knee. Brown connected with a hard right hand to the head. Then he connected with a terrific body punch. Brown clinched with his opponent and tried for a takedown. Faber turned him over on the canvas, but Brown ended up looking for a leglock that never came that close. The two got to their feet and Faber connected again. Brown then landed a big right hand. Faber connected with an elbow. Brown again connected with a big right hand. The two clinched; both are beginning to look tired.

That was a close round. It probably went Brown's way.

Early on, Faber landed a nice front kick to the face. Brown clinched with him and connected with several short right uppercuts. Both guys traded shots. All fight long, Faber has looked quicker while Brown has hit harder. Faber hasn't used his right hand in awhile, perhaps indicating that he hurt it in the second round. For the rest of the stanza, Brown connected with tons of punches on Faber. Though Faber had his moments in spots, it definitely was not enough to win the stanza. Brown is leading going into the final round. Faber should need a stoppage for victory.

Faber came out active, connecting with some shots. But then Brown took him down again. Faber got to his feet and landed some elbows there. After some striking, Faber looked for a standing guillotine, forcing Brown to pick him up and slam him to the canvas. Faber got up again. Faber connected with some strikes, but then Brown took him down again. Faber got up again and landed a few knees. From there, Faber caught Brown in a choke. It was deep, but Faber did not have his hands locked up and Brown got out. With a little less than 30 seconds left, Brown took him down. Faber landed a big elbow. Soon after, came the bell.

Mike Brown should win this fight. That said, Faber's right hand appeared injured and that was a great battle. Both guys deserve props.

The judges agree. Mike Brown wins via unanimous decision.

In the end, WEC 41 was a fun night of fights. Lots of stoppages. The battles between Antonio Banuelos and Scott Jorgensen and Urijah Faber and Mike Brown were excellent. Now there is no question: Mike Brown is the true champion, even if everyone would've probably liked to see Faber fight with both hands working. Maybe someday there will be another rematch.

Strikeforce: Shields taps Lawler; Rogers shocks Arlovski

2009-06-07T10:48:00Z

Strikeforce: Lawler vs Shields came to us all live from the Scott Trade Center in St. Louis, Missouri on June 6, 2009. In sum, it was a highly anticipated night of fights with battles like Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Shields, Nick Diaz vs. Scott Smith, and Brett Rogers vs. Andrei Arlovski set to play out.

Would the night live up to its billing? Here's a hint: yes.

In the first televised fight of the night, Mike Whitehead took on Kevin "The Monster" Randleman. Randleman has always been one of the most talented guys in MMA. That said, there have been all types of lapses, mental difficulties, and more. Coming in the question was, could he come back from injury to once again make his mark?

Whitehead connec ted with several low kicks and then a body kick to start things off. Then he threw a high kick that missed, allowing Randleman to come forward with a takedown. But Whitehead got up soon after. After some work in the clinch, Whitehead dropped a level and took Randleman down. But that was short lived, as Randleman flipped him over and got up. Again, Whitehead came forward and took his adversary down only to watch Randleman turn him over quickly. Then came another takedown by Whitehead. This time he moved straight to Randleman's half guard. But when he tried to move to full mount, Whitehead was again turned over. On their feet, Randleman connected with a nice punch. Whitehead hit home with a couple of strong uppercuts and jabs. Soon after, Whitehead took him down again. And that's how the round ended.

A clear round for Whitehead. He's outwrestling Randleman, which is surprising.

Whitehead started off the second with a nice right hand. Then he shot in and took Randleman down again. Eventually, he moved to side control. From there, Whitehead looked to smother his opponent for a significant amount of time before moving to mount. Then Randleman somehow managed to get up, following the feat up with a hard upper cut and jab. Whitehead answered with a couple of shots of his own. Inaction took them the rest of the way.

Whitehead clearly took the second round as well. Randleman needs a stoppage or he loses.

Randleman half connected with a big punch to start things off in the third. From there, Whitehead began connecting in spots with his punches. But then a huge left by Randleman dropped his opponent. He then followed things up on the ground with several hammerfists; but Whitehead persevered to his feet. Soon after, the two traded jabs. Then Whitehead took Randleman down, ending up in half guard and looking for a kimura. At around the 45 second mark, Randleman got to his feet.

This is a fun fight!

Whitehead connected with a hard right that didn't really seem to phase his adversary. Then a jab by Randleman ended things.

Whitehead clearly won the fight, even if the third round was close. But Randleman showed heart.

Mike Whitehead wins via unanimous decision.

Next up was a fight between Phil Baroni and Joe Riggs. "I'm a real fighter. I got in this before it was popular to prove myself, to be tough," said Baroni. Of course, Riggs was a real fighter too. Question was, which man would prove to be the better fighter on this night.

The two clinched early on, and Riggs immediately took Baroni down. From there, he took his opponent's back. But Baroni fought his way to the guard. After taking a hard shot, Baroni gave up his back again. Then things moved to half guard. Baroni shimmied to the cage wall, trying to use it to get up. Then he did get up, only to be deposited back down again. When Baroni got up again, Riggs went for a takedown that actually allowed Baroni to take the top position. "The New York Badass" then started hitting home with punches to the midsection. With a relative lack of action, John McCarthy brought them to their feet. Riggs threw one punch and shot in for the takedown, but Baroni sprawled out and ended up on top throwing some punches. That's how the round ended.

That was a close stanza. Riggs probably won it, but it was close enough to be entertaining.

Riggs connected with a body kick early on in the second. Then he connected with another. The two traded punches. Riggs landed a strike and then took Baroni down. Once again, Baroni got to his feet. Interestingly, he then took Riggs down to the canvas with a double leg. Riggs got up but ate some punches on the way. Then Riggs connected with some hard shots before they broke. He then landed some low kicks. Baroni shot in, but his efforts got him nowhere. Then a big knee from Riggs landed. The two then started looking for takeodwns on one another to no avail. Riggs connected with a couple of strikes and Baroni shot in for the takedown again. Though he didn't get it, Riggs pulled guard moments later and nearly sunk in a triangle. But Baroni got out and connected with some mild punches before the bell.

Joe Riggs won that round. If he won a close first stanza, Baroni needs a stoppage for victory.

Riggs started the final round out with a low kicks. Then came a big knee inside followed by a flurry. Then Riggs connected with a spinning sidekick. Riggs began connecting from every possible angle, including some very impressive flying knees. Baroni is one tough guy. Riggs is putting on a clinic. The only positive thing you could say for Baroni was that he once again showed his amazing toughness and threw some big punches at the end. But just before the bell, Riggs took him down just to add to the point total.

Another entertaining fight. So far this Strikeforce card is living up to its billing.

Joe Riggs wins via unanimous decision.

Next up was one of the big ones: Nick Diaz vs. Scott Smith. "I have the heart; I'm never going to give up," said Smith coming in. Well, everyone knows that Diaz never gives up. So if both showed up with that mentality? this was going to be one outstanding fight.

Smith landed a nice right hand early on. Then he connected with a nice right in the clinch. Diaz, as usual, began taunting and then started connecting with those punches in bunches of his. As often is the case, the shots seemed soft but began to take a toll. In fact, after a head kick that landed from Diaz, Smith looked somewhat rattled. Smith then hit home with a huge right. But he followed up too quickly and got nailed by Diaz for his efforts. After taking some abuse, Smith shut off the taunting with a big right. He then took his opponent's back on their feet after a clinch and took Diaz down hard, getting right up afterwards. Diaz once again began hitting home with strikes in bunches. Smith connected with a good low kick and then landed several punches at the end in a flurry, before Diaz took him down near the bell.

That was an excellent round. A close one, too.

Diaz started the second with punches in bunches. Smith landed a huge right hand to Diaz's body. But then Diaz began doing what he does; connecting with punches from everywhere. The shots clearly began to do what they always do, as Smith was looking hurt. Punch after punch. Diaz's cardio is just amazing and his fighting style is unique; there's no two ways about it. Basically, the whole round was about him coming forward and connecting with punches all over the place. At the end of the stanza, Smith slumped to the canvas. He was hurt. But he was game to keep fighting.

The third round started off like a war; along with this, both fighters connected with punches. Smith was clearly in it to win it, throwing big shots everywhere. But then Diaz connected with a body shot that left Smith on the canvas. He followed him there and took his back. Moments later, came the choke.

Nick Diaz wins by way of a rear-naked choke at 1:41 of round three. It really seems that he's a better fighter in these higher weight classes.

Next up was a fight between Andrei Arlovski and Brett Rogers. "I'm gonna knock him out, first round," said Rogers. What else was there to say?

Arlovski connected with a low kick early on. Then Rogers connected with a flurry that included a huge left hand that dropped the former UFC Heavyweight Champion. Then that was that.

That's right, Rogers knocked Arlovski out in lightning fast fashion. Can you believe it? Brett Rogers is certainly for real.

Brett Rogers wins via TKO after 22 seconds in round one.

Remember the days when it used to be all about the striker vs. the grappler in MMA? You know, the old Royce Gracie days? Well, of course those days are for the most part over. That said, when it came to the main event of the evening there was certainly a grappler vs. striker feel with Jake Shields taking on Robbie Lawler. After all, if the fight went to the ground for any significant length of time, Shields would probably win. If the opposite were to occur, the fight would almost certainly go to Lawler.

Let's get to it.

Early on, Shields shot in looking for the takedown. It looked like he was going to get it, but then Lawler got right up, using his strength and weight advantage. While struggling inside, Lawler connected with a couple of nice punches. Shield landed a body kick and then a jab. Despite the fact that Shields was looking uncomfortable and somewhat stiff on his feet, he did connect with several kicks on his opponent. Then they clinched, and Shields jumped into a guillotine. Lawler tried to stand up out of it.

But that made no difference.

Jake Shields wins by way of guillotine choke at 2:02 of round one.

In the end, Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields was an awesome night of fights. Every fight, either for shock value, a great ending, or just a plain entertaining fight, was worth watching. It was UFC worthy in every way, which is a rarity these days.