MMA Fighting: All Posts by Andy Samuelson

Tyrone Spong says MMA motivated him to get back in the ring

2012-10-28T13:00:52Z

It was boredom from his first love that made veteran kickboxer Tyrone Spong decide to seriously pursue an MMA career.

"For a long period I wasn't really that motivated with kickboxing," said the 27-year-old Dutch-Surinamese kickboxer. "K-1 was going bad. I had accomplished so much in kickboxing … but just lost the motivation a little bit.

"But then I came here (U.S.) and helped Rashad Evans for his camp and started training in other stuff like wrestling and jiu-jitsu. Just going to the gym every day I got my motivation back, and I said I'd give it a try. I liked it. I can stand with everyone. I just need to work on my ground game. I like the challenge and I want to do it."

Spong makes his MMA debut Nov. 3 when he takes on Travis Bartlett in a light heavyweight bout in the inaugural World Series of Fighting event at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Initially Spong was not scheduled to be part of the NBC Sports Network-televised card, but officials confirmed this week he would be on TV.

"I know I'm not the world's best MMA fighter, but I am one of the world's best fighters. A lot people are going to tune in to watch me fight. It makes sense," Spong said.

"A fighter with status like me deserves to be on the main card I believe, without being cocky or anything. End of day I don't care, I just want to fight. If you get hit on television or off television it's still going to hurt."

Spong was considering making his debut with Titan Fighting Championship, but WSOF president Ray Sefo came calling — again.

"The contract with Titan was not done yet, this was better for me. Both parties agreed it was better. And we just made a decision," said Spong, who said his contract is for a "couple fights."

"I know the president of WSOF very well. He was the one who contacted me first when I moved to the states. I didn't hear from him in a long time so I didn't know if everything was happening with the organization or if it was going to fall through. Then I heard from him and he said everything is set up, and we still want you."

Spong admits he knows very little about his opponent, but says that doesn't really factor in his normal training plans anyway.

"I think he's talented. But like always I focus on myself, make sure I'm ready, make sure I feel good," he said. "I'm not planning to play anybody's game."

Spong — who has a career kickboxing record of 68-6-1 and 1 no-contest — says he's not giving up on kickboxing, but is "going to dabble" in both sports in the future.

"As for now I’m not going to make the switch completely," he said. "I make good money in kickboxing. Yeah we're pride fighters; everyone talks about how we fight for honor and respect and everything — yeah that's great. But you still have to eat, take care of your kids.

"Kickboxing gives me the opportunity to do both. To make good money in kickboxing and to build up a record in MMA and get some experience in MMA. Then we'll see what happens."

The one thing Spong hasn't wrapped his mind around is way kickboxing itself isn't better received in the U.S.

"I think it's stupid, I really don't understand. It's something about American culture. I haven't figured it out yet," Spong said. "At all the UFC (events), you see the people, the crowds, the audience they start booing when guys go to the ground, when they wrestle a lot or do jiu-jitsu. But then they start applauding and yelling a lot when they stand and strike and bang. I don't know if it's the ring or the Octagon or the small gloves. I don't know what it is.

"People in the states like to see guys bang it out, but at the same time kickboxing isn't that popular. Kickboxing is all about striking and people standing and trading and banging it out. I don't understand."

But he believes that if higher-profile kickboxers, like him, continue to come and train and fight in America — then they can help to change people's perspective.

"Maybe it will become bigger in the future. I'm here now if other big kickboxers move here and American people get to know us a little more, then maybe it becomes bigger and more popular here," he said.

While he hasn't even made his debut yet, Spong said he has heard other MMA organizations are interested in him, but first off he wants to focus on solidifying his skills.

"I know for sure that some big organizations are going to start knocking on my door. They want me already, but I still want to have a little bit of a record and build up some experience," Spong said.

Dana White reflects on Jeff Blatnick's death, talks other hot topics

2012-10-25T11:46:02Z

UFC president Dana White remembered longtime UFC friend and former commentator Jeff Blatnick Wednesday afternoon when he stopped by ESPN 1100 Radio in Las Vegas to address a few topics for Zuffa's hometown audience.

"He was a good guy. When we first bought the company back at UFC 30, he was one of the commentators. He was one of the guys who help Bob Meyrowitz (the old owner) really start putting some rules and regulations (into the sport)," White told hosts Steve Cofield and Dave Cokin about the gold medal-winning wrestler, who died at 55 from complications from heart surgery on Wednesday.

"A very good guy."

White related a story about how UFC matchmaker Joe Silva also underwent surgery on Wednesday for a hernia and a conversation the two shared.

"He calls me yesterday and goes 'Hey man just wanted to call you cause I'm going into surgery. I respect you, I love you man as a friend.' I'm like what the hell are you talking about. Dude you're going in for a hernia surgery, you're gonna be fine," White said. "But he's like when you go under the knife you never know what is going to happen I'd rather just say things beforehand.

"Sure enough Blatnik goes in for surgery today and didn't come out of it. Pretty crazy."

White briefly addressed his own medical issue of Ménière's disease, a disorder of the inner ear that causes spontaneous episodes of vertigo.

"I'm awesome, couldn't be better," said White, who has said he will delay a surgical procedure that has a "70-percent chance" of solving the situation until 2013. "All the things you're not supposed to do, which aggravate this thing, I do. It's basically my lifestyle.

"Nope (haven't dialed it down). I don't care. I'm gonna go head-to-head with this Ménière's thing. I'm not stopping anything, I'm doing things the way that I've (always) done it."

While White said he's pumped for the upcoming UFC 154 and 155 shows, talk quickly turned to the upcoming The Ultimate Fighter feature light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and outspoken Chael Sonnen as well as a possible superfight between Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva.

First off White addressed fans responses to Sonnen getting the shot for TUF despite his back-to-back losses to middleweight king Silva.

"I had tons of fans begging me to make that fight. Just to make it clear from the last press conference when they talk about all the top contenders and all the top contenders whining who didn't get that fight. I called every single one of them and they turned it down," White said. "Chael Sonnen accepted that fight on eight days notice, that's my kind of guy.

"There's tons of people who want to see Chael Sonnen, if you're not one of them, don't buy it. I'll guarantee you'll like the next fight, and if you don't like that one, we put on plenty of fights — there will be one that you do like."

White, as has been the case recently, downplayed specifics for a superfight involving Silva and GSP.

"I don't know how this whole thing plays out. We'll see how GSP does," White said. "Anderson has said publically now that he wants to fight GSP, GSP has a very close fight with Carlos Condit, anybody who is looking past Carlos Condit is nuts. We'll see what happens after that fight."

While White didn't completely rule out a Silva-Jones superfight, he said that GSP-Silva obviously had the best chance of happening.

No matter whom Silva fights, White said they would have their hands full.

"I've never seen anything like Anderson Silva. I say it all the time I'll say it again, he's the greatest fighter of all-time," said White, who shared a story of his return flight from UFC 153 with Stephan Bonnar.

"Bonnar flew home with me because his wife was having a baby and he was like: 'This guy lives in the matrix. I've never felt that way in a fight before and no one has ever stopped me period and let alone a body shot. He caught me right when I was breathing.

"And then at the press conference Anderson said (Bonnar) was breathing wrong. … He's a freak of nature and insanely talented."

Carlos Condit looks to play role of spoiler again at UFC 154

2012-10-21T14:00:38Z

Despite the talk seeming to involve everyone but him, Carlos Condit remains confident that he will hold the ultimate trump card in his championship fight in November.

"It doesn’t bug me, if anything it motivates me. The fact that I’m kind of being looked past, it kind of puts a little bit of a fire under my ass," Condit said on The MMA Hour about his upcoming UFC 154 fight against Georges St. Pierre.

"I love kind of being the spoiler. I was the spoiler in the Nick Diaz-Georges St Pierre scenario. Now I get to play that role again."

Condit said he isn't worried about all the hype being broadcast around a megafight between GSP and Anderson Silva and said that he believes their welterweight showdown in Montreal will be more than exciting enough for fans looking ahead towards a superfight.

"The hype for the superfight between Georges and Anderson is huge. It’s been talked about for a long time," Condit said. "The fight with me and Georges, there is not as much hype on it. Honestly I really don’t think that matters. I think we are going to have a hell of a fight. People are going to be wondering why they weren’t so excited about it, after the fight."

Condit, the fellow member of the Greg Jackson gym, is used to playing spoiler before as he beat out Nick Diaz at UFC 143 to throw a wrinkle in the game plan of the good-guy/bad-guy showing between GSP and Diaz.

But unlike Diaz, Condit said he believes that even GSP's fans respect his abilities.

"I didn’t feel any hostility at all," Condit said after his UFC press obligations in Montreal earlier this month.

"They were great. They were excited and cheering for Georges. He’s there hometown guy. But I got a pretty warm reception as well. Everybody was very respectful and it really strikes me as a great fight town. The fans seem knowledgeable and respectful. I can’t wait to go out in November."

While both he and GSP train under Greg Jackson, Condit said that won't be a problem when they take the Octagon in Montreal.

"I never have trained with Georges. We’ve never sparred each other," Condit said. "We’ve been at the gym at the same time maybe two or three times. The last couple of years he has come down here less and less.

"I’m not working with Greg on an individual basis. We’re not game planning, or were not working on specific techniques. He does run classes, he runs practice for the fighters and I’m there training during that time. As far as working with me specifically for this fight or specifically for Georges, he has completely stepped away."

Condit said he doesn't believe that St. Pierre's leg injury will present a problem either.

"Georges is one of the best fighters to ever grace the Octagon. I think he was rehabbing and recover his knee, but he was also doing whatever he could to keep his skills sharp and improve in some areas also," Condit said.

Despite his obligations with WSOF and training, Ray Sefo insists he's not done fighting

2012-10-18T21:00:21Z

As if Ray Sefo wasn't wearing enough hats already, serving as the president of the newly-announced World Series of Fighting promotion, and continuing his position as a full-time trainer based in Las Vegas, the 41-year-old New Zealand native says he's not done fighting yet either.

"I'm still very active. I want to fight seven more fights to make it 100 (pro fights) then retire," Sefo told Ariel Helwani Wednesday on The MMA Hour.

"I promise. I really don't know when that final date is gonna come, but that's what I have set in my head."

But Sefo admitted that balancing his own career, instructing a strong stable of fighters, and juggling the responsibilities of the WSOF has been a challenge — but one the former kickboxing champ would not trade for anything in the world.

"I love being involved … martial arts has been my life since I was five," Sefo continued. "Being a coach is another part of my life I love and enjoy. I would say being a head coach and being president of a company goes hand and hand. It's all about making the right decisions.

"At some point I'm gonna get busy with World Series of Fighting stuff, but right now I can do all this. If it gets to a point where it's going to compromise certain things, I will make adjustments to it."

Making the right decisions and adjustments for the WSOF — which hosts its first event Nov. 3 at the Planet Hollywood Casino & Resort in Las Vegas — is what Sefo believes will separate his NBC Sports-backed organization from a handful of other MMA upstarts.

"The mistake is a lot of these guys come out and try to be bigger than the UFC, bigger than life," Sefo said. "For us, we're not trying to compete with UFC, we're here to start small.

"We're gonna take the talent that's available or don't have a home to go to. We're going to build our own young talent. There's so much talent out there. With that mindset we're going to be around. We're just taking it one step at a time.

"We got to crawl before we walk. We are definitely keeping eye on our budget and what we can do and what we can't do. I'm blessed to have the team that we have, smart people, very levelheaded people. We're not trying to be more than what we are. We are crawling, eventually going to walk and then run."

Despite hosting the event in the UFC's hometown, Sefo believes there is remains an untapped MMA audience that could be watching the sport for the first time on Nov. 3.

"With the card that we have I think it's worth having on a network like NBC Sports," Sefo said. "It's free on television, it's going to hit markets with non-MMA fans and hopefully they became MMA fans."

It certainly won't hurt the company's initial offering that a scheduled Strikeforce show featuring a main event between champ Daniel Cormier and former UFC champ Frank Mir set for the same night in Oklahoma City was canceled.

"I was kind of 50-50 to be honest. Being a fighter I know a lot of the guys on the Strikeforce card had trained eight or nine weeks and put in their camps. This is how they make their living; this is how they get paid. So I feel for those guys," Sefo said. "But am I happy that we're the only show on that night? Yeah. I'd be lying if I said otherwise.

"It's very important for us for the ratings to be good. With the card that we have, I don't doubt that a lot of people will tune in. And now being the only show on that night, thank God. I hope it's a million. But I have no idea to be honest."

Even though the card — which features a main event between former UFC heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski and Devin Cole as well as former UFC fighters in Anthony Johnson and Miguel Torres — is loaded with former talent from the top MMA league in the world, Sefo reiterated that WSOF's goal is not to go head-to-head with the UFC.

"As many shows as the UFC has put on, there's still the need for another stage to showcase talent," Sefo said. "With MMA is such a young sport, but it's still growing.

"If we can all share that piece of the pie and provide that stage for (more) guys to showcase their talent, why not?"

Roy Nelson ready to 'settle beef, squash the juice' at TUF finale

2012-10-15T15:00:02Z

Never one to shy away from his own thoughts Roy Nelson had plenty to say this past Wednesday as he addressed a group of media members at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The boisterous heavyweight talked about his ongoing beef with UFC boss Dana White, what he thinks of Shane Carwin's coaching ability on the latest edition of The Ultimate Fighter, and why he wants to be the first heavyweight to push MMA's drug testing policies.

The first question out of the gate concerned why White and Nelson were having more words for one another on the 16th installment of TUF than the two coaches were.

"I think me and Dana are gonna fight, I think I even offered. We'll handle it like men, like everybody else," Nelson told the group of reporters gathered at the same property that plays host to the TUF finale on Dec. 15.

"But at the end of the day, Dec. 15th I'm fighting Shane Carwin. He's going to settle his beef with me and I'm gonna squash the juice with him. Pretty much if the fight happens, it happens."

A media member pressed Nelson as to why his latest feuding with White seems more volatile than usual.

"I guess I've just stolen the thunder from Dana and Dana likes to be the front man and it's switching," Nelson said. "I don't know, maybe there is a switch of power or something. Dana says he loves me, he hates me, he says it all. I'm confused. And all I want to do is eat because it just puts me in a depression."

But that was just the beginning of Nelson's sarcasm as the Las Vegas native later opined that he really wasn't good enough to be in the Octagon with Shane Carwin, but isn't so sure the engineer from Colorado will be the one he actually fights on Dec. 15.

"Maybe the fight is gonna be just like how it is on TV: I coach, he doesn't," Nelson said, getting a rise out of a handful of reporters. "I was told 'Hey guess who is gonna coach against you? And I thought it was gonna be Shane Carwin, but instead its Trevor Wittman.' So I guess I’m fighting Trevor on Dec. 15."

In the select moments where the bushy bearded Nelson was serious, his attention turned to helping clean up the sport, claiming he and Carwin have agreed to VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency) testing procedures.

"We're always trying to create new boundaries and new lines, that's why we're going to be the first heavyweights to do VADA," said Nelson, who is coming off a first-round knockout of Dave Herman at UFC 146 in May.

"I think all fighters should do it. I'm just looking to just make sure that whoever I fight from now on, has to be on the same playing field. You're gonna have to be the man that has to be the better fighter that beats me, not because you're stickin' it in your ass."

While Nelson said he's not personally scared to fight guys who might be jacked up on illegal substances — saying he's had plenty of bouts with guys using performance enhancers — he wants to help "level the playing field" across the sport.

"I know a bunch of guys (who I've fought have been on something). That's when the tell-all book will come out. I'll be like Jose Canseco, but the difference is I'm clean," joked Nelson, the winner of TUF No. 10.

"If I knew you were on the juice or doing something wrong, I just wanted to basically for my own morals, I just beat a guy who was sticking it in (he said pretending to jam a fake syringe in his backside). He wasn't the better fighter, he was the guy who cheated. I got off on that.

"But now that we’re in the business aspect and we're in the fight business, it's a dog-eat-dog world and now that my wife is pregnant — now you're taking money from my kid. Now it's a business aspect and I just want everyone to be level. Either I can juice, or you can make everybody not juice. It's either one or the other. I don't care really which it is. I just need to know what the rules are so I can play by the rules and make everybody level."

But even during his serious conversation about drug testing, "Big Country" couldn't resist taking a final shot at White and UFC brass.

"I actually got it (VADA) sponsored, so Dana doesn't have to talk about sponsorship no more. I got it handled," Nelson said. "The UFC didn’t want to do it, so I went out of my way and got sponsors involved. Me and Shane are going to be covered by this. So the UFC doesn’t have to pay for it, so it’s good for them.

"I know that athletic commissions can only do so much. The only people who can do it are nonprofits, apparently. Stupid can't fix stupid. But if a nonprofit can do it, then a profit company certainly can."

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira says he's 'still hungry' after UFC 153 win

2012-10-15T00:53:55Z

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira certainly wasn't thinking about hanging up his fingerless gloves after recording his first victory in more than a year at UFC 153 on Saturday night.

In fact, quite the opposite was true as the 36-year-old MMA legend discussed where he sees his career going after submitting Dave Herman via a second round armbar in the co-main event of 153, which took place at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro — less than a mile from Nogueira's own gym.

"I still can fight," said a smiling Nogueira at the post-fight press conference, whose stoppage also earned him a $70,000 bonus for Submission of the Night.

"I feel amazing and I'm still hungry. I feel good physically. I'm very happy to be a part of the co-main event in Brazil and I want to be back fighting in Brazil next year or anywhere (UFC president Dana White) puts me."
Nogueira (34-7-1 MMA, 5-3 UFC) won for the first time since knocking out Brendan Schaub at UFC 134 in Rio in August of 2011. The bout also marked the first time the former Pride champion had fought in the Octagon since having his right arm broke against Frank Mir when he refused to tap at UFC 140 last December.

More Coverage: UFC 153 Results | UFC News
Download New MMA Fighting iPhone App

While a handful of injuries, including hip surgery in 2010, have limited "Minotauro" to just five appearances in the last three years, Nogueira has told his wrestling coach Eric Albarracin that he wants to fight at least three more years.

"As long as he stays injury free, I think he can. I'm on board," Albarracin said recently on The MMA Hour.

"Big Nog" doesn't want to just fight either. He wants to test his skills against quality opponents.

"I want to fight Top 10 guys," Nogueira, said, although admitting a title shot is not currently on his radar. "I can’t ask for the belt, because my buddy, Junior dos Santos, is the champion. He’s kind of my brother, and I’m going to be helping him for the next two weeks for his fight against Cain Velasquez. But I want to fight against the best guys."

White said he wouldn't stand in the way of Nogueira continuing in the sport and admitted he was blown away by his performance against Herman.

"Dave Herman is a monster," White said. "He's a big athletic guy and I thought it was going to be a rough night for Nog.

"The guy is a warhorse. He's fought all the best in the world. I told him when he came out, I'm honored to have you here fighting in the UFC. He's the nicest guy in the world, he's been incredibly successful and I couldn't be happier for him."

Anderson Silva's wrestling coach offers Stephan Bonnar advice

2012-10-13T15:38:03Z

Eric Albarracin had a simple message to Stephan Bonnar when they stepped off a plane together in Rio de Janeiro in preparation for UFC 153 last week: "Whatever you do, don't piss off Anderson. Don't say anything about Brazil."

"That was the best strategy I could give him," said Albarracin, Silva's wrestling coach, who offered the reminder to Bonnar of how Chael Sonnen's opposite strategy of disperraging "The Spider's" home country didn't work out so well at UFC 148.

Bonnar, who is trying to pull off the biggest upset in MMA history tonight, joked back: "Please tell me he's hurt, or out of shape."

No such luck, but despite Albarracin's role in the opposite corner, he thinks the bulky American has a chance to make tonight's main event interesting.

"Ah yeah, he'll do better than Forrest Griffin," Albarracin said. "He's a big guy. That poses some adversity for Anderson. I think it's going to be real interesting to watch."

Albarracin has seen the "The American Psycho's" skills up close as the two were actually both helping former WWE star Dave Bautista train for his MMA debut down in Flordia.

"He was sparring with Dave, but you could tell the difference when he didn't have a fight and when he (knew) he was gonna fight Anderson," Albarracin said. "He definitely picked up the pace."

Albarracin — who has seven fighters out of the Team Nogueira camp fighting at UFC 153 — believes that all his clients are motivated for their respective bouts, but the elder statesman of the team, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, has as much on the line as any of them.

"He said he wants to go three more years, as long as he stays injury free, I think he can. I'm on board," Albarracin said of Nogueira, who fights Dave Herman in the co-main event.

"He's always trying to improve. He's trying to make his team the best in the world and we are on the way to doing that."

But Albarracin, a former captain in the U.S. Army, decided to provide an extra mental advantage for Nogueira — putting together a mix-track with songs combined with motivational comments from teammates as well as strategy.

"I actually got Anderson, Junior dos Santos and some of the other Team Nogueira fighters that he's motivated. I recorded their voice and they gave him positive reinforcement and expressed how he's a natural leader to them, he's their inspiration," said Albarracin, who started training with Nogueira right before the UFC's first return show to Rio in August of 2011.

"I put it together to some of his favorite songs and even the theme song of his favorite cartoon, ThunderCats while growing up. I threw in some Rocky themes and some other stuff to reiterate wrestling terminology that would stick in his head. He said he really liked it and it really helped him."

But just fighting in their native Brazil, the fourth UFC event in the country in the last two years, provides plenty of motivation, Albarracin says.

"The buzz is big. Anytime the UFC is in Rio, it's gonna be big. Any time "Minotauro" fights, anytime Anderson fight, people are going to watch," he said.

Dave Bautista victorious in MMA debut

2012-10-07T03:49:50Z

The back-and-forth talk after the fight certainly seemed more professional wrestling than mixed martial arts, but after all the showmanship was done former WWE star Dave Bautista walked away victorious in his MMA debut Saturday night.

The 43-year-old former WrestleMania headliner took out veteran Vince Lucero (22-22-1) with a series of punches in the first round at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. during the CES 12 event dubbed "Real Pain."

"I think my nerves got the best of me a little bit. He hits like a (expletive) horse," Bautista said of his debut. "He rocked me. I couldn't my legs under me for a while. I was just so nervous. It took me a little while too get my composure."

But when the bodybuilder did, he took control of the portly Lucero, who was a last-minute fill in after two other opponents were scrapped.

However, Lucero came out swinging and landed a series of right hands in the early moments of the fight that pushed Bautista against the fence and had fans momentarily wondering what they were in store for.

Bautista, who had been training in Tampa, Fla. with UFC fighter Stephan Bonnar in preparation for his debut, gained control with a double-leg takedown. He was able to pin Lucero's arms and then slipped in underhooks and wailed away with a series of unanswered punches to Lucero's head before the bout was called at 4:05 in the first.

Apparently a few of the shots landed to the back of the head as Lucero had words with Bautista after the fight and made a hip gyrating gesture towards his opponents who lobbed a few choices words in return. But after the official results were read to the two hugged it out and Bautista said he would soon be ready for a second appearance in the cage.

"I want to fight again for sure," Bautista said. "It was a matter of getting this first one out of the way. I was just so nervous. I had so many butterflies coming out, I think it got the best of me a little bit. I'm better than I showed tonight."

A pair of UFC vets made quick work of their opponents, thanks in part to some vicious cuts Saturday night.

First up it was John "Doomsday" Howard, who it opened up a cut under his opponent, Brett Chism's eye early in the fight. The UFC vet capitalized on the cut in the second, delivering a series of blows to the area to stop the action at the 1:30 mark in the second round.

"People ask me if I want to go back to the UFC, but I'm sure excited by CES," said Howard, who was his fourth straight bout. "It's the next best thing to the UFC. CES puts on a good show, look at this crowd."

Fellow ex-UFC fighter David Loiseau also made quick work of Chris McNally with a handful of damaging elbows in the first round.

"I stop throwing elbows for years. But the people asked for the elbows so I brought the people's elbows back," said Loiseau, making a WWE reference for his signature move that stopped the fight just 2:30 into the first round.

"I had so many people that had my back. It's hard for me to make it out here. I battle inside a lot, … but you know I fought good."