MMA Fighting: All Posts by MMA Fighting

Gina Carano-Cris Cyborg presser in Madison Square Garden

2009-07-13T20:33:00Z

In anticipation for its biggest event to date, Strikeforce will hold a press conference for "Carano vs Cyborg" on Tuesday, July 14 at "The World's Most Famous Arena" in New York City.

Madison Square Garden has hosted numerous historic boxing fights but has never housed a mixed martial arts card since the sport remains illegal in New York. The closest experience has been a closed circuit screening in the venue for UFC 79 in December 2007.

"Carano vs Cyborg," happening on Aug. 15 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, features a total of four championship bouts: women's 145-pounders Gina Carano (7-0) vs. Cris Cyborg (7-1), welterweights Joe Riggs (30-10) vs. Nick Diaz (20-7), heavyweights Alistair Overeem (29-11) vs. Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1) and lightweights Josh Thompson (16-2) vs. Gilbert Melendez (15-2).

Strikeforce.com will stream the conference at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Diego Sanchez to face winner of Penn-Florian

2009-07-13T16:09:00Z

Diego Sanchez will have the opportunity to scout his next opponent fight in the luxury of a ringside seat at UFC 101.

Sanchez told FanHouse at the UFC Fan Expo over the weekend in Las Vegas that he will take on the winner of the BJ Penn-Kenny Florian title fight happening on Aug. 8 in Philadelphia.

"This comes from Lorenzo [Fertitta] and Dana [White]," Sanchez said. "They're flying me out to Philadelphia. I'll be sitting there ringside. I'll probably be in the ring afterward. It's on."

It is typical for the UFC to bring the next challenger inside the Octagon after a championship fight to stir up drama for the champ's next fight. Perfect for a future pre-fight package, a recent confrontation was when Rashad Evans engaged in trash talk with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson after Jackson's win over Evans' teammate Keith Jardine at UFC 96.

Sanchez (21-2) is unbeaten as a lightweight with wins this year over Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida.

Stats agree with Akiyama UFC 100 victory

2009-07-13T15:46:00Z

Stats for UFC 100 agree with the final decision that Yoshihiro Akiyama was the rightful winner in his UFC debut against Alan Belcher Saturday in Las Vegas.

Scores were all over the place for the fight with 30-27 and 29-28 for Akiyama and 29-28 for Belcher, awarding Akiyama his thirteenth win out of fourteen tries (not including no contests).

FightMetric, which measures a fighter's total effectiveness by tracking strikes, takedowns, submissions and position advancement, gave Akiyama the fight 29-28 and in its "Total Performance Rating" Akiyama bested Belcher 72 to 55.

Through CompuStrike, Akiyama landed 99 total strikes compared to 78 by Belcher and scored on all three takedown attempts while Belcher attempted none. The only thing Belcher excelled at was leg/knee kicks, which he landed 29 to Akiyama's six.

The fight, an exciting opener to the televised card, was later declared Fight of the Night and both fighters were each awarded a $100,000 bonus by the UFC.

Jim Ross: Lesnar's level of competitiveness can be dangerous

2009-07-13T13:50:00Z

WWE Hall of Fame color commentator Jim Ross backs Brock Lesnar's post-fight press conference comments that the UFC heavyweight champion's intensity inside the Octagon stems from his competitiveness.

"Lesnar's post match, unscripted remarks did not completely surprise me," Ross wrote on his blog. "Those that do not personally know Lesnar as do I need to understand that his level of intensity and fury is scary."

Ross, who has been with the WWE since 1993, was around Lesnar during Lesnar's tenure with the pro wrestling group from 2000-2004.

"Brock has said many things in private conversations that I have been a part of that would make one do a double take," Ross continued. "He is an intimidating, emotional jock who has been known for speaking first and thinking later. I don't think Brock is an inherently evil person whatsoever but his level of competitiveness can be dangerous."

Ross points to a match at Wrestlemania 19 in March 2003 where Lesnar botched a high flying move and landed face-first onto the mat. Lesnar attempt a "Shooting Star Press," which is basically a forward moving moonsault from the top rope. The move is typically done by lighter weight wrestlers, not by near 300-pounders.

"It's like Brock 'moonsaulting' at Wrestlemania 19 in Seattle against Kurt Angle when being advised not to prior to the bout," Ross explained. "Lesnar was told that men his size don't do top rope moonsaults which was the wrong thing to say to the former NCAA All-American and National Champion. Lesnar came close to tragically ending his athletic career that night while defying logic and doing what others told him that he could not do."

Lesnar basked in the jeers after the fight, flipping off fans and further inciting the crowd's boos with remarks that drew a backstage conversation later in the night with UFC president Dana White regarding conduct. In the pro wrestling realm, Lesnar is playing a perfect "heel," someone who makes his living by being hated.

"Lesnar is seemingly so detested right now by MMA purists and fanatics that they will continue to pay big money to see someone humble Lesnar and kick his ass," Ross said.

"...Bottom line is the next man to beat Lesnar is 'made.'"

Brock Lesnar apologizes for post-fight comments

2009-07-12T20:25:00Z

Overshadowing Brock Lesnar's win has to be the unified heavyweight champion's actions immediately following the fight.

Flipping off the fans, ripping on a major UFC sponsor and adding insult to injury to his challenger Frank Mir, Lesnar certainly did not endear himself to the majority of the 10,673 in attendance at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Lesnar had a behind closed doors talk with UFC president Dana White afterwards and apologized during the post-fight press conference.

"I acted very unprofessionally after the fight," Lesnar said. "And I'll leave it at that. I'm a sore loser, okay? I don't like to get beat. I believe that Frank and I's first bout, I gave that fight to him. So there was a lot of emotion in this fight for me."

Lesnar said his competitiveness and his background in pro wrestling drove him to his over-the-top actions inside the Octagon, which included telling the crowd his intentions to get on top of his wife later in the night.

"You guys ask me all the time: Is there anything I can drag over from the WWE?" Lesnar said. "And I guess you've seen a little bit tonight."

With a bottle of the UFC's official beer sponsor Bud Light in front him, Lesnar added, despite his post-fight actions, that he holds no ill will towards Mir.

"I have nothing against Frank," Lesnar said. "Like I said, the only thing I had against Frank was that he beat me. We both talked a lot of crap and in the end, I was just amped up."

Live UFC 100 Results

2009-07-11T23:01:00Z

UFC 100 results from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

FIGHT CARD:

Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir (live blog)
Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves (live blog)
Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago (live blog)
Michael Bisping vs. Dan Henderson (live blog)
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher (live blog)
Stephan Bonnar vs. Mark Coleman (live blog)
Mac Danzig vs. Jim Miller (live blog)
Jon Jones vs. Jake O'Brien (live blog)
C.B. Dollaway vs. Tom Lawlor (live blog)
Matt Grice vs. Shannon Gugerty (live blog)
T.J. Grant vs. Dong Hyun Kim (live blog)

UFC's Anthony Johnson arrested for domestic violence

2009-07-10T15:23:00Z

UFC welterweight Anthony Johnson (7-2) is facing misdemeanor charges for an alleged altercation with an ex-girlfriend on June 27.

Johnson, currently out on bail, was charged with domestic violence, battery, death threats and destroying a phone to prevent the report of a crime, according to a report by the San Jose Mercury News.

Police said Johnson was on poor terms with his ex-girlfriend for allegedly at some point marrying another woman while being in a three-year relationship with his ex-girlfriend. In the police report, Johnson forced himself into his ex-girlfriend's home after being denied entry to check on his dogs. An altercation followed that left both with minor injuries to the face.

Johnson is claiming that he was struck first and acted in self-defense.

The top UFC prospect holds a record of 4-2 in the UFC, one of which was a wrongful loss as a recipient of an illegal eye poke. Johnson would avenge the loss to Kevin Burns with a Knockout of the Night-winning head kick. He was scheduled to fight last month on the "TUF 9 Finale" card but pulled out due to a knee injury.

Johnson's agent Ken Pavia is asking for judgment to be withheld until all relevant facts are known. In a statement e-mailed to the media, Pavia said, "Mr. Johnson is completely and unequivocally innocent of all charges. These charges are completely outside the realm of Mr. Johnson's character; he has no prior criminal record and has never been in trouble with the law."

Johnson has a trial date set for July 17.

UFC 100 Weigh-In Results

2009-07-10T14:23:00Z

All 22 fighters made weight Friday to make their fights official for Saturday's UFC 100 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Video of the weigh-ins are available at FanHouse.

FIGHT CARD:

Pay-Per-View Bouts:

Brock Lesnar (265) vs. Frank Mir (245)
Georges St-Pierre (170) vs. Thiago Alves (170)
Jon Fitch (170) vs. Paulo Thiago (170)
Michael Bisping (186) vs. Dan Henderson (185)
Yoshihiro Akiyama (185) vs. Alan Belcher (186)

Preliminary Bouts:

Stephan Bonnar (205) vs. Mark Coleman (205)
Mac Danzig (154) vs. Jim Miller (155)
Jon Jones (206) vs. Jake O'Brien (206)
CB Dollaway (186) vs. Tom Lawlor (184)
Matt Grice (155) vs. Shannon Gugerty (156)
TJ Grant (170) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (171)