http://mmacrypt.com/forum/ Come in to discuss UFC news. en Thu, 23 May 2013 13:37:00 GMT vBulletin 60 http://mmacrypt.com/forum/images/ReptileGreen/misc/rss.png http://mmacrypt.com/forum/ http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31882-Jose-Aldo-gets-out-of-comfort-zone-with-Andy-Souwer&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 21:04:09 GMT Image: http://content.screencast.com/users/BluenoseGreig/folders/Jing/media/1bfd21ef-e0db-4126-bec5-e52ac7ef0e7a/2013-05-22_2203.png ...

May 22nd 2013
Jose Aldo has been in Amsterdam training with the former K-1 MAX champion Andy Souwer.

On August 3, Aldo will defend his featherweight title against top contender Anthony Pettis in the main event of UFC 163 in front of a Rio de Janeiro crowd.

It isn’t the first time that Aldo has trained with Souwer. He explains that the trips take him out of his comfort zone and have given him some new moves for his upcoming title defence.

“Andy Souwer is a great friend and a spectacular fighter. He always helped me a lot and I’m very happy to always count on this training in Netherlands. It was very useful the first time and now it was again.

“I’m sure I’ll show moves that Pettis doesn’t expect to see and I’ll keep this belt for Brazilian fans and my friends.

“Pettis is a big challenge, but I’ll be more than ready to face him. I’ll only be able to defend my belt if I train a lot, if I always seek to improve myself.

“And these trips are great because apart from training, I can develop the psychological part by being in a different country alone, focused only on training. There are new cultures and training and it only brings good things.

“I [have now returned to] train in Nova Uniao to fight, because it’s my home and where the best training in the world for light fighters reside.”

http://www.fightersonlymag.com/conte...th-andy-souwer ]]> UFC BluenoseGreig http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31882-Jose-Aldo-gets-out-of-comfort-zone-with-Andy-Souwer http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31881-Ultimate-Insider-UFC-Octagon-Girls-Bikini-Special&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 20:59:54 GMT ]]> UFC BluenoseGreig http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31881-Ultimate-Insider-UFC-Octagon-Girls-Bikini-Special http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31880-Dana-White-s-most-embarrassing-interview-ever&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 20:52:24 GMT ]]> UFC BluenoseGreig http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31880-Dana-White-s-most-embarrassing-interview-ever http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31878-Chael-and-Kenny-s-UFC-160-predictions-(video)&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 19:46:03 GMT ]]> UFC BluenoseGreig http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31878-Chael-and-Kenny-s-UFC-160-predictions-(video) http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31877-Overeem-vs-Browne-in-non-headliner-fight-at-UFC-on-Fox-Sports-1&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 19:32:00 GMT Jon Anik tweeted just a moment ago to say that Alistair Overeem will face Travis Browne at UFC on Fox Sports 1 in Boston on the 17th of August. ... Jon Anik tweeted just a moment ago to say that Alistair Overeem will face Travis Browne at UFC on Fox Sports 1 in Boston on the 17th of August.


https://twitter.com/Jon_Anik/status/337288003623989248

On reading the link, this is not the headline fight for the event, that has still to be confirmed. ]]> UFC BluenoseGreig http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31877-Overeem-vs-Browne-in-non-headliner-fight-at-UFC-on-Fox-Sports-1 http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31876-Matt-Serra-former-UFC-champ-walking-away-from-MMA&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 18:54:45 GMT *Image: http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.5315532.1369238652!/image/3893418191.jpg_gen/derivatives/display_600/3893418191.jpg Matt Serra,...


Matt Serra, former UFC champ, 'walking away' from MMA


Published: May 22, 2013 12:00 PM
By MARK LA MONICA mark.lamonica@newsday.com








Matt Serra felt pain while sitting in the corner during an MMA fight. Nothing unusual for the lifelong fighter, except for one unique distinction this time: he wasn't the one fighting.
Instead, the former UFC welterweight champion from East Meadow was cornering one of his fighters at Ring of Combat in Atlantic City on April 5. It was a pain that would put Serra in the emergency room for four days, lead to the surgical removal of one of his ribs and now, cause his exit from mixed martial arts competition.

"It's hard to say it," Serra told Newsday. "It's like you can't say it, even though it probably is true. I would love to put closure on my career with one last fight at the Garden, but at the same time, if that doesn't happen, I definitely consider myself done. It's hard to say the 'R word.' I might never say the 'R word.'"

That thrill of fight night, when the adrenaline pumps through the veins, the fans scream and invincibility consumes the brain and body -- putting that in the past is never easy. Not for Serra, the only man on the planet to knock out Georges St-Pierre in a pro fight. Not for many athletes, regardless of sport.

"I really think I'm walking away," he said. "I'm going to be 39, I just had my rib taken out. I'm having my third kid. My schools are doing well. What am I doing, looking for another pay day? It's not really for that. I mean, it doesn't stink, but it's not really for that. Am I still trying to hold on for the glory? Glory is a drug, dude. I'm telling you, that's the problem. It really is. I know why guys can't walk away. I absolutely get it."
Serra had always contemplated one more fight, but the ordeal of the past six weeks has forced him to face a new reality.

Serra first felt pain in his left arm after a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training session at one of his academies two days before the Ring of Combat event. He figured he had just pulled a muscle.
He came home to Massapequa after the fights. The pain never left. It intensified. Serra couldn't bend his arm. He couldn't lift his hand to touch his neck. He got out of bed around 2 a.m. and drove to the emergency room at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola. Tests revealed two blood clots in his arm and another in his lungs.

"Then I got freaked out," Serra said. "You don't catch that [and] after the lung, that stops your heart or your brain. Then you're done. I'm very fortunate to, basically, be here. Sounds kind of morbid. If I didn't catch that -- I was about to go to bed. I'm like, man, something's not feeling right."

Serra was put on blood thinners to address the clot in his lungs. He must now inject himself in the stomach with Lovenox, an anticoagulant, every day for the next three months.
The clots in his arm created a significant health issue as well. Serra's collarbone and first rib were compressing a blood vessel and restricting blood flow, a condition known as thoracic outlet syndrome. Serra had the first rib on his left side removed in early May, a procedure performed by Dr. George Hines, chief of vascular surgery at Winthrop. Hines estimated that Winthrop does about six of these surgeries a year.

"It's like taking out the floor of the whole area," Hines said. "You remove the rib and everything drops into place."

The procedure can take up to two hours to complete, and patients typically return home the following day.

"They had to cut me open through my armpit and cut through whatever they had to cut through and get my rib out," Serra said. "It's definitely strange and I'm feeling it in there."

Doctors told Serra he would need six to eight weeks just to recover from the rib removal. A month or so after that, Serra is expected to no longer need to take blood thinners and can resume active jiu-jitsu teaching and training.
"I need my jiu-jitsu, man," Serra said. "I don't need to spar. I don't need to kickbox or box every day. Even if you see me with some pasta, I'm still strangling and arm-locking people at least five days a week and I need that."
Serra could not bring himself to actually say the word "retire," but his active MMA career is essentially over. Serra (17-7, 7-7 UFC) last fought Sept. 25, 2010, a unanimous-decision loss to Chris Lytle at UFC 119. He turns 39 next month and doesn't want to be one of those athletes who hangs around too long.

"An aging fighter?" Serra said. "You know, it's like an aging stripper, but not as funny. Not a lot of people want to see that."

The biggest moment of Serra's career also serves as one of the greatest upsets in UFC and MMA history. On the night of April 7, 2007, inside the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, Serra did the unthinkable. A 9-1 underdog, Serra took St-Pierre's welterweight title with a first-round knockout.

St-Pierre has since credited Serra with helping him become the fighter he is now, one who beat Serra in the rematch and has eight straight title defenses, second best in UFC history behind Anderson Silva's 10.
Serra earned that title shot by winning Season 4 of "The Ultimate Fighter." That comeback season, the only one in the show's history, featured fighters who had competed in the UFC but never won a title.
"I know I can be beat by some of these guys, but I know I can still knock some of these guys out and be a threat on the ground," said Serra, the first American to earn a black belt under Renzo Gracie. "But at the same time, it used to be that the thing that made me happiest was the next fight. Now, I whistle to work going to my schools. I love hanging out with my kids, my family. That's something you never really anticipate or understand it until you have a family. I love spending time with my girls. I'm a very involved dad."

Serra runs successful BJJ academies in Levittown and Huntington and recently opened a third in Bayside. He is also working to create affiliate Serra BJJ schools across the country, a system where those who earned their black belts under him would open academies under the Serra BJJ flag.

Serra and his wife, Ann, have two daughters with a third due in June. Angelina is 4, Maria is 2.

"Angelina is already arm-locking me, and I have her teaching Maria," Serra said. "They're doing it on the teddy bears. It's awesome."

http://www.newsday.com/sports/mixed-...-mma-1.5315512 ]]> UFC Kickass32 http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31876-Matt-Serra-former-UFC-champ-walking-away-from-MMA http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31872-Chael-Sonnen-“I-gave-Wanderlei-a-timeline-and-he-didn’t-meet-it-”&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 17:51:21 GMT Image: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/63857141-750x340-1369238587.jpg Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Chael Sonnen:...
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports


Chael Sonnen: “I gave Wanderlei a timeline and he didn’t meet it.”

By Brendhan Conlan
on May 22, 2013




If UFC light heavyweight Chael Sonnen doesn’t want to fight Wanderlei Silva anymore he has a funny way of showing it. Though Sonnen recently shrugged off a rumored rumble with “The Axe Murderer” based on the deal not being almost immediately agreed to, he isn’t backing off his continuous stream of insults directed at the Brazilian brawler.
Sonnen’s latest verbal tirade came on this week’s edition of UFC Tonight where he touched on the fight’s failure to materialize.

“I gave Wanderlei a timeline and he didn’t meet it. In his defense, I can’t expect him to understand time,” Sonnen cracked. “He’s going to have to wait outside a third grade classroom, wait until it clears out, sit with the teacher, have her get out a book and show him the clock with the left hand.”

“Once he gets a grasp on time, I’m going to teach him about space, which is exactly where I’m going to send him with the same spinning wheel kick I taught Luke Rockhold out at Stone Cold’s ranch three weeks ago,” Sonnen concluded, adding, “I can’t expect Wanderlei to know the word ultimatum when he doesn’t even know the word sandwich.”

Based on the rant, it is evident his openness to a showdown with Silva still exists. The two have been at each others’ throats for years dating back a few years to some harsh words Sonnen had about Brazilians in general.
A bout between Sonnen-Silva been linked to UFC on FS 1 as the evening’s headliner. The card is scheduled for August 17 in Boston.

http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2013/05/...didnt-meet-it/ ]]> UFC Kickass32 http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31872-Chael-Sonnen-“I-gave-Wanderlei-a-timeline-and-he-didn’t-meet-it-” http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31871-Tim-Kennedy-“I’m-Chael-Sonnen-with-better-jiu-jitsu-and-better-hands”&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 17:08:40 GMT

Tim Kennedy: “I’m Chael Sonnen with better jiu-jitsu and better hands”


ED KAPP
Tim Kennedy recently caught up with AboveAndBeyondMMA.com to talk about fighting for the UFC, his upcoming bout with Roger Gracie at UFC 162 and a potential matchup with 185-pound champion Anderson Silva.

How did you learn that you would have the opportunity to fight in the UFC?
Strikeforce had said, regardless if I won or lost the last fight with Strikeforce — having been a title contender twice, being undefeated outside of title fights — that they were going to bring me over regardless. I didn’t believe them. I’m confident that, had I lost that last fight with Strikeforce, they wouldn’t have brought me over. They said I was coming over one or the other. After the last Strikeforce event, where I fought Trevor Smith, they were like, “Well, we’ll be looking for a card early summer to get you on in the UFC.” I was like, “Huh.” That was the first time I had heard about it.

How did that feel?
Frustrating [laughs]. I’m sure you were expecting, like nirvanic, so excited. But I’ve been fighting professionally for 10 years and there are plenty of opportunities out there. Of course I want to fight the guys at the highest level. But finishing a fight and then them coming up and saying, nonchalantly, “Hey, we’re going to try to get you on a card early summer.” Like, “Alright, thanks. Good to know.”

Were you ready to move on outside of Zuffa?
No. I don’t care where I’m fighting. I love that I’m fighting for Zuffa, I love that I’m fighting for the UFC, but not because of the promotion, but because of the level of guys that are there. If you just look at the 185-pound division, there’s really nowhere else in the world that has any of the [top] guys. Strikeforce had four out of the top 10 in the world, in my opinion. Now the UFC, having brought over the Strikeforce guys, have all of the top 20 in the world. I’m just excited about the prospect of potential matchups. I’m going to be able to face the best fighters in the world — that’s what I’m excited about.

How does it feel to be in the thick of, as you say, the 20 top fighters in the world?
Awesome, you know? I was told yesterday that I’m ranked 19th in the UFC’s 185-pound rankings, with Roger Gracie being ranked 11th. I’m pumped that I get to fight a guy above me. Looking forward to all the other guys after him, just really every single matchup in that division is going to be an exciting one.Nineteen? That’s not accurate, is it?No [laughs].

Where do you rank yourself?
Twelfth. I think I’m an unproven commodity. I think I’m better that that, but I have to go out and demonstrate it. The two biggest fights of my career, I looked flat, I lost crappy decisions. One fight against “Jacare” [Ronaldo Souza] for the Strikeforce title was really close, but I won it. Regardless, I fought a horrible fight. On the two biggest stages of my life, I — I — came up short. Me, I sucked. I should’ve done way better. I’m not taking anything away from Jacare or Luke [Rockhold], but I beat me; they didn’t beat me. Now I’m hungry and I have a chip on my shoulder. I have something to prove and that something is to prove that I deserve to fight the best guys in the world.

Do you feel Gracie’s ranking — 11th — is accurate?
He is very talented, albeit slightly one-dimensional. Is he a complete mixed martial artist? Not in my opinion. Should he be ranked that high? No. Do I think most guys after him could probably beat him? Yes. But he is very dangerous and he is very talented. The only way that I can demonstrate that he shouldn’t be there and I should be there, is to go out there and beat him. That’s just what I’ve got to do.

How is this one going to play out?
I think a lot of people are going to be surprised by what he’s going to do. Everyone knows I hit hard, I have heavy hands on my feet, I’m hard to take down. But I think they’re going to be surprised that Roger is going to want to stand. He’s going to try to use his jab and he’s going to try to force me to close the distance and there won’t be any surprises there. I’m hard to take down, I hit hard and I’m not scared to grapple with him. It’s going to be an all-around mixed-martial-arts fight. It’s not a jiu-jitsu tournament; it’s not going to be a boxing match. This fight is going to go where I want it to go.Where does a win over Gracie put you?I don’t know. Am I a contender? No. Am I in the mix? I don’t know. I’m not a judge of that. I think it’s going to depend on how I perform. The responsibility falls on me to go out there and prove that I deserve to go out and fight bigger and tougher guys. It depends how I perform. I’m just going to have to go out there and show that I can beat the best and I can beat them in exciting ways. And we’ll see where it goes from there.

What’s the next step after July 6?
Enjoy the end of the summer with my kids, get to do a bit of shooting and then, you know, there are some major 185 fights in the very near future. And that is going to change the landscape of the division. With Luke Rockhold and Vitor Belfort fighting and then Andrew Craig and Chris Leben and Mark Munoz — who is he fighting at the same time? [Tim] Boetsch. And then, of course, Anderson and Weidman. Those are the biggest guys in the division, so the only guy left out of that is [Costa] Philippou, who got injured. If “Jacare” beats Chris [Camozzi], that’s another big win over a UFC guy after just beating Ed Herman … By the end of July, I think we’re going to have a real clear picture as to who are the contenders, who are in the mix and who have something to prove.

What do you have to prove at this point?
That I deserve to fight the best guys, you know? I need to be considered one of the best athletes in the world in my division and that I can finish a fight anywhere. I’ve got a lot to prove.

Ideally, what does the future hold for you?
I think, unless you want to fight for a title, you shouldn’t be fighting. I want to go out there and beat some good guys and demonstrate that I deserve the chance to fight at the highest level. And whoever that is, I’m excited to try and punch him in the face. What is left for me to do? Win a major world title, beat some of the best guys on the planet, demonstrate that I am and have been one of the best fighters in my division in the world for a long time.

Can you beat Anderson Silva?
Yeah. I would love to go out there and … not to go out there and give it my best shot. That’s what losers say. I think I could beat him. Everybody will be shaking their head, “Oh my gosh, Tim is insane!” No. Stylistically, I think I’m a bad matchup for him. I’m Chael Sonnen with better jiu-jitsu and better hands. How I look in the first round is how I look in the fifth round. I love making fights ugly. It’s a fight that I can go out there and make a guy that is music personified into violence — like Anderson — and just grab the record and start going [record-scratching noises] and play my own song.

[Laughs] What is the Tim Kennedy song?
It’s really loud and it doesn’t sound very pretty, it’s usually bloody and only a few people can appreciate how it sounds.


http://aboveandbeyondmma.com/?p=563 ]]> UFC Kickass32 http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31871-Tim-Kennedy-“I’m-Chael-Sonnen-with-better-jiu-jitsu-and-better-hands” http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31869-Bitter-Volkmann-plans-to-expose-the-UFC&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 16:51:09 GMT


Jacob Volkmann on a mission to “expose” UFC, offers advice to President Obama


ED KAPPJacob Volkmann — poised for a June showdown with Lyle Beerbohm at World Series of Fighting III — recently caught up with AboveAndBeyondMMA.com to talk about his early days in MMA, the politics that cloud his sport and his advice for Barack Obama.

You grew up on a farm and have been a pro fighter since 2007. Is it easier to make it in MMA or farming?[Laughs] Well, they both take a lot of work. I’m used to mixed martial arts — I grew up wrestling since I was four and then when I got to college, I wrestled. I just kind of had to do something because I wasn’t quite good enough to make the world team … so I figured I might as well try MMA.

How did that — your introduction to MMA — evolve into what it is today?Well, I didn’t realize there was that much politics in martial arts, especially in the UFC. That was kind of frustrating. It’s not who is the best; it’s more of a political kind of BS.

What do you mean by that?You’ve got to know the right person, have the right manager in there. And your style determines if you stay in, too. The guys that stand and bang are the ones who are still fighting for the UFC. The ones that take the fights to the ground and focus more on the technique on the ground, they’re not in there because apparently the fans don’t like that. That really bothers me because the UFC made the interest of the sport more of a stand-up fight because that’s what they put on the main card and that’s what the fans saw. They started liking that more than the ground game. That’s what really bothers me.

Is that because you come from a wrestling background, where winning is paramount?
Well, not really. Plus the fact that I got cut [laughs] — there goes my paycheque.

Why were you released?I was released after a loss against Bobby Green, which I should’ve never lost. It was kind of a fluke loss, going into the fight sick. I lost and then after that, they cut me. I was 6-2 at lightweight and they still cut me. That was back in February.

Were you expecting to be released?
No, no. I said in a few interviews that I did expect it, but I was just playing with the media. I had no idea.

How can a fighter go 6-2 and still be released?
You tell me. Politics, my friend.

Are you at all bitter about how things worked out with the UFC?
Very bitter. They always claim that they treat the fighters so well. Yeah, they treat the top five per cent of the fighters well — the ones that are on the main card all the time. They don’t treat the rest of them very well. The healthcare plan is horrible, with a $1,500 deductible per injury — the catastrophic-injury insurance is not even really good insurance. There’s no retirement fund, there’s no signing bonus. You start off at six-and-six, you’re really not making too much money because you’re self-employed, so you’re paying the self-employment tax and you’re paying the regular tax and income tax. So you’re paying twice as much in tax. They claim they’re treating the fighters well, but they’re not, realistically.

Do you feel that’s a misconception among fans?
Of course … People always tell me, “You’re rich — you’re on TV!” Are you kidding me? I made $54,000 two years ago, paid $9,000 in taxes, so that leaves me with $45,000. This last year, I made $50,000 and paid $8,000 in taxes. That leaves me with $42,000 — that’s barely above poverty. I have three kids and a wife I’m supporting.

After you were released, did anything in the way you approach the sport change?
Not really. I hired a boxing coach, so I’m working my hands a little more, just because I wasn’t very happy with how I fought against Bobby Green — he did land quite a few more punches than me. Even though I was really sick, I feel like my hands are the down point right now. I’m mostly doing stand-up.

Do the politics exist with the World Series of Fighting?
Who knows? The World Series just started — this is only their third event coming up. I hope that’s not the case. I hope they’re more for the guys that are actually good fighters.

At the end of the day, what are you hoping to accomplish with the World Series of Fighting?
I’m trying to make the fans realize what the UFC is really like — I’m going to expose them as much as I can. But also my goal is to win in World Series and try to stay undefeated. Obviously it’s to win. The short-term goal is to win. The long-term goal is, as soon as they come out with that belt, I’d like to get that belt.

What would that mean to you?Well, it’s been a while since I got one, so it would be really nice to get another one.After your first fight, are you going to get, for lack of a better term, political?
No — maybe a little bit. More of just UFC bashing.

You’re going to give Barack Obama a pass?
As long as he doesn’t try to force new policies that don’t make any sense, I’m good to leave him alone. So far this second term, he’s been pretty good about doing absolutely nothing.

Any advice for Obama?
Keep doing nothing [laughs]. Do absolutely nothing so you can keep the ratings high.

What’s going to happen in the next presidential election?Who knows? It’s going to be a cluster because there’s going to be so much debt and they’re going to have to try and deal with that. Good luck to the next president.

How many votes did you end up getting?
[Laughs] I don’t know. I don’t even know how to look that up. There was at least 100. I saw quite a few people put my name down because they tweeted it or put it on Facebook.

Have you written off another political run?
No. Maybe I’ll think about it down in the future if I get really sick of somebody that’s doing a bad job. But probably not.

What does the future hold for Jacob Volkmann?
Future? Well, hopefully I can continue fighting and make a living doing it. If not, I guess we’ll see. I’m a chiropractor also, so I have an office I’m trying to get full-bore in case the fighting doesn’t work out.

http://aboveandbeyondmma.com/?p=582 ]]> UFC Kickass32 http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31869-Bitter-Volkmann-plans-to-expose-the-UFC http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31868-Gegard-Mousasi-expresses-interest-in-bout-with-Vitor-Belfort&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 16:43:28 GMT Image: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/69335043-750x340-1369237438.jpg USA TODAY Sports Gegard Mousasi expresses...
USA TODAY Sports


Gegard Mousasi expresses interest in bout with Vitor Belfort

By Brendhan Conlan
on May 22, 2013




UFC stand-out Gegard Mousasi has been competing at 205 pounds for the past few years, but it appears his future in the Octagon will be as a middleweight. Though he hasn’t wholeheartedly decided to dip back down to the division he called home before signing with Strikeforce, Mousasi has mentioned the likelihood on a number of occasions based on his belief he has a better chance of winning a title against similarly-sized opponents.
Mousasi elaborated on his mindset in a recent interview with MMAFighting where he made it clear he wasn’t necessarily intimidated by larger foes but wanted to avoid giving his adversaries any advantages.

“It’s all about match-ups. Let’s say they’re going to give me somebody like Vitor Belfort that’s maybe a contender. That’s the kind of fight I want,” said Mousasi. “The fight I had last the guy wasn’t known, he wasn’t ranked. It doesn’t mean anything. But I have a history. I only haven’t fought in UFC, but I have a history.”

“People come and get immediate title shots. I don’t think that’s going to be the case for me, but I’ve beaten champions, ex-champions. So it’s all about one, maybe two big names and then I hope to get a title-shot,” he continued.
Belfort is considered by most to be the top contender at middleweight after back-to-back knockouts of Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold. He’s also one of the larger 185ers on the roster, adding weight to Mousasi’s claims that size isn’t the biggest factor involved in the decision-making process.

“I don’t have any problem fighting Jon Jones either,” he clarified when asked about making a run at Anderson Silva. “So before people make something else out of it and say, ‘Ah, he’s already losing’ — I’m confident. I’m a fighter. If I don’t have any confidence I can win a fight, then I shouldn’t be fighting. So it’s not about that. It’s just being smart.”

The 34-3-2 Mousasi made his UFC debut in April, beating Ilir Latifi on short notice when original opponent Alexander Gustafsson went down with injury. He is currently sidelined with a knee injury but should be back in action by year’s end.

http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2013/05/...vitor-belfort/ ]]> UFC Kickass32 http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31868-Gegard-Mousasi-expresses-interest-in-bout-with-Vitor-Belfort http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31867-Countdown-to-UFC-160&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 16:24:22 GMT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrSTrmFsWbY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--6xjnRc6g4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmiPY9V3pII Enjoy guys.



Enjoy guys. ]]> UFC Hired_Merc http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31867-Countdown-to-UFC-160 http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31864-UFC-on-FX-8-TV-Ratings-Return-to-Normal-Following-Record-Setting-January-Event&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 15:30:59 GMT Image: http://admin.mmaweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/UFC-on-FX-8-Jacare-vs-Camozzi-Poster.jpg ...


UFC on FX 8 TV Ratings Return to Normal Following Record-Setting January Event

Posted on May 21, 2013 by MMAWeekly.com Staff



The TV ratings for Saturday’s UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold came back down to earth following January’s record-setting UFC on FX 7.

UFC on FX 7 drew an average of 1.9 million viewers, the most of any UFC event on the FX network. UFC on FX 8, meanwhile, dropped down to 1.3 million viewers, which matches the average for live UFC events on FX.
Both events featured former UFC light heavyweight champion and Brazilian native Vitor Belfort in the main event.

Belfort knocked out Michael Bisping at UFC on FX 7, and did the same to former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold on Saturday night.

The UFC on FX 8 preliminary bouts on Fuel TV drew slightly better than the average of 132,000, drawing 156,000 viewers for the three-hour telecast on the action sports network.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-on-fx-8...-january-event ]]> UFC Kickass32 http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31864-UFC-on-FX-8-TV-Ratings-Return-to-Normal-Following-Record-Setting-January-Event http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31863-Donald-Cerrone-“K-J-is-coming-to-throw-down-and-I’m-excited-about-it-”&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 15:16:37 GMT Image: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/59363961-750x340-1369158318.jpg Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Donald Cerrone:...
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports


Donald Cerrone: “K.J. is coming to throw down and I’m excited about it.”

By Brendhan Conlan
on May 21, 2013



While he may boast a ton of submission stoppages in comparison to TKOs, UFC lightweight Donald Cerrone has kickboxing skills and isn’t afraid to use them. Fortunately for “Cowboy”, his foe at UFC 160 should be more than willing to engage him in a stand-up scrap if so desired. After all, eight of K.J. Noons’ eleven wins have come by way of strikes and he’s a former pro boxer who had mitts strapped to his hands at an early age.
The match-up of styles has Cerrone stoked about what’s to come, though not just because he’s interested in testing his abilities against Noons’. Rather, the 30-year old is especially eager to prove he’s grown since losing to Anthony Pettis in January.

“I was at the top of the heap until I got liver kicked and knocked back to the bottom. Now I have to start all over again. I think you have to earn your way up to the top, but when you get there, you have to keep performing,” admitted Cerrone in an interview with the UFC’s website. “When you perform like I did, you deserve to go back to the bottom and work your way back up. I deserved to be up there twice but now I have to get back in there and prove myself. The other guys in the division have to do the same. I have no problems going out there and fighting. I would like to fight more to be honest.”
Focusing on the specific showdown at hand, Cerrone dismissed Noons’ assertions that he won’t truly trade shots in their tilt.

“K.J. is coming to throw down and I’m excited about it. He likes to stand up and let it go. Stylistically it is going to be a hell of a fight and that’s what the crowd wants to see. It should be interesting,” said Cerrone. “I’m confident all around in this fight. For this training camp, I’ve been working on my weaknesses and making them my strengths. Every time after a loss, you always try to focus on what you did wrong and what you need to improve on. I feel confident in my ground game but I like to stand, man. I like to throw down and that is what people love to see. I never ever want to go out there and get booed. People like to see fighters come out there and throw and that’s what I love to do.”
Cerrone’s loss to Pettis dropped his record to 19-5, also ending his hopes of a three-fight winning streak after having previously beaten Jeremy Stephens and Melvin Guillard. His bout with Noons will kick off the PPV portion of UFC 160 this Saturday night.

http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2013/05/...ited-about-it/ ]]> UFC Kickass32 http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31863-Donald-Cerrone-“K-J-is-coming-to-throw-down-and-I’m-excited-about-it-” http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31861-UFC-162-Mark-Munoz-s-Training-Vlog-1-with-Uriah-Hall-Brendan-Schaub-amp-Jake-Ellenberger&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 12:41:03 GMT http://youtu.be/VsjMKZejBVs ]]> UFC BluenoseGreig http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31861-UFC-162-Mark-Munoz-s-Training-Vlog-1-with-Uriah-Hall-Brendan-Schaub-amp-Jake-Ellenberger http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31857-Report-Roy-Nelson-vs-Stipe-Miocic-fight-in-the-works-for-UFC-161-in-Winnipeg&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 08:39:53 GMT *Report: Roy Nelson vs Stipe Miocic fight in the works for UFC 161 in Winnipeg* By Thomas Myers on May 21 2013, 11:55p Image:... Report: Roy Nelson vs Stipe Miocic fight in the works for UFC 161 in Winnipeg

By Thomas Myers on May 21 2013, 11:55p



"Big Country" is suddenly in demand, the big-bellied knockout artist UFC officials continue to turn to when in a pinch.

With Mark Hunt receiving his work visa in the eleventh hour to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, and punch Junior dos Santos in the face at UFC 160, which takes place this upcoming Saturday night (May 25, 2013), it took the heat off Roy Nelson to make a quick turnaround and help save the Memorial Day weekend pay-per-view (PPV) event.
Not so fast.
When interim Bantamweight champion Renan Barao was forced to withdraw from his upcoming UFC 161 main event appearance against Eddie Wineland at MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on June 15, 2013 (more here), the world's leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion was left with another fight card hole to fill.
It implemented a quick fix, promoting the pivotal 205-pound showdown between Dan Henderson vs. Rashad Evans to the top of the marquee (more here), but Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) matchmakers continued to tinker into the late evening.
And once again "Big Country" was integral piece of its short notice plans, according toDamon Martin at Bleacher Report.
Nelson, fresh off a first round knockout of Cheick Kongo at UFC 159 last month (April 27, 2013), will indeed make a rapid return to the Octagon, taking on up-and-comingHeavyweight prospect Stipe Miocic, who most recently suffered the first loss of his professional 10-fight MMA career at UFC on Fuel TV 5, getting pounded out by Stefan Strufe in the second round of their main event clash back in Sept. 2012.
Miocic was already booked to welcome Soa Palelei back to the eight-walled cage on the UFC 161 "Prelims" under card; however, it appears that the former Golden Gloves boxing champion, NCAA Division I wrestler at Cleveland State University and in-demand collegiate baseball prospect, will have a much bigger fish to fry this summer.
Will he pull off the upset or will Nelson make it four straight?
In addition to the main event between Henderson and Evans, UFC 161 will feature another meaningful Light Heavyweight bout between Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Mauricio Rua on the PPV, as well as a Heavyweight tilt between Pat Barry vs. Shawn Jordan, among others.
It's unclear at this time who the promotion will find to step up and take on the suddenly opponent-less "Hulk."

http://www.mmamania.com/2013/5/21/43...v-winnipeg-mma ]]> UFC AaronP95 http://mmacrypt.com/forum/showthread.php?31857-Report-Roy-Nelson-vs-Stipe-Miocic-fight-in-the-works-for-UFC-161-in-Winnipeg