It started in Tokyo. The second round of World Victory Road's Sengoku featherweight grand prix in 2009, Marlon Sandro coming at him with what looked like an overhand right. Vitor Belfort (24-10) has not fought since Nov. 2013, and won't step into the UFC cage to try and take Chris Weidman's middleweight title until 2015, but "The Phenom" says he'll be sharp as ever come fight night. "The fact that I haven’t fought in 2014 will only make my opponents surprised with my performance," Belfort told Guilherme Cruz in a recent interview.
"I had time to adapt myself and evolve even more. Despite not having fought, I worked hard at Blackzilians and spent this whole time getting ready to win."
The 37 year-old Belfort says that he keeps himself in shape year-round. The Brazilian believes that intensity of his training in South Florida will keep him ready for Weidman (12-0), who is currently recovering from a hand injury.
My training routine is intense, it’s part of my lifestyle. I will continue focused on reinventing myself and getting stronger every day, waiting for the fight," Belfort went on.
"I have 18 years of a professional career and my preparation doesn’t depend on a fight schedule."
Belfort, of course, says he's doing all of this training without the aid of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) or other banned drugs and treatments that he's tested positive for in the past. Many of his middleweight rivals have predicted that Belfort - who failed his most recent drug test this year, but was not suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission, and was then given another title shot by the UFC - may not even make it to the fight with Weidman, because they predict his body won't be able to handle the brutal fight prep all professional MMA fighters go through, without the aid of the drugs hes used for at least the past several years.
Past coaches of Belfort like Olympic wrestling gold medalist Kenny Monday, however, say that the future hall of famer is as strong as ever, even without TRT. Let us know how you think the fight will go down (or, if it will at all) in the comments section.
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TracyLee/~3/NqGlpUsjzdk/as-i-drive-through-the.html
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Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/torchtoday/article_24061.shtml
Even though UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (17-2)' life has changed since becoming a world title-holder, he knows he won't have the full champ experience until he defends his belt. “I’ve got to get back in there and get a defense under my belt,” he recently told Thomas Gerbasi.
“I definitely got some cool experiences – the Wheaties box, The Ultimate Fighter show, sponsors like Reebok and some big companies out there, so I definitely experienced that end of it, but the actual fighting side is what I’m going for, so I think once I get some fights under my belt, I’ll get the full experience of being champ.”
Pettis' chance to do just that will come Dec. 6 at UFC 181 when he defends his title against Gilbert Melendez (22-3). And, though he admits that "El Nino" is a "tough" opponent, the champion says he doesn't feel threatened in the least.
“He’s one of those guys that just goes out there and likes to fight," Pettis said.
"You saw him in the Diego Sanchez fight throwing bombs, the Ben Henderson fight went five rounds - but that’s the thing for me, I don’t really see him as a big threat. He doesn’t really knock anybody out, he doesn’t submit anybody; he kinda goes out there and keeps the same pace the whole fight, so I’ve got to break that down and make sure he doesn’t go five rounds with me.”
Pettis may be arrogant to think he'll be the first man to ever stop Melendez. Then again, the whole world was shocked when he submitted Benson Henderson in less than one round, as well.
Pettis knows that he needs to make a splash to remind everyone who he is, after more than a year out of action. In less than two months, Pettis will have his chance to let everyone know that he is still, "Showtime."
“I gotta go out there and remind everybody of who I am,” he said.
Who are you picking to walk away with the UFC lightweight title in Vegas, at UFC 181? Let us know in the comments section!
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
Source: http://www.mmatko.com/ufc-181-cm-punk-interview-with-joe-rogan-talks-signing/
Source: http://www.mmatko.com/michelle-waterson-vs-herica-tiburcio-fight-video-invicta-fc-10/
For the second straight year, UFC fighter Chael Sonnen will serve as host of Fighters Only's World MMA Awards. UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo (24-1) has said talk of him potentially fighting Conor McGregor (16-2) is premature, and even "disrespectful." In a recent MMA Junkie interview, he seemed to maintain that stance, and insisted that he's singularly focused on challenger Chad Mendes and their Oct. 25 fight date.
However, Aldo didn't go so far as to say that he hasn't kept close tabs on McGregor's fights and progress. “I make it a point to observe all fighters in the featherweight category,” he said.
“I’m the champion, and I plan to remain the champion. I do pay attention to any featherweight fight where someone is ranked in the UFC, since that could potentially be my next adversary."
That said, Aldo isn't particularly concerned with what the Irishman brings to the table as a challenger. At least, Aldo doesn't see anything exceptional in the brash newcomer.
"Conor is no different than any other fighter," he said.
“I don’t see anything that stands out."
Like Frankie Edgar, however, Aldo seems to understand that the momentum and promotional push behind McGregor may, for now, be an unstoppable force. "Scarface" understands that, should he get by Mendes in their rematch in Brazil later this month, it's quite possible he'll have to fight the rising star McGregor.
Aldo is fine with that, and said he'll turn his attention to the "Notorious" hype train, next. “After my fight [with Mendes]," Aldo concluded, "I’ll have time to see what the hype’s all about.”
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
"With Manny Pacquiao, I feel I could win and I could knock him out," stated welterweight contender Luis Carlos Abregu, who explained why he would prefer a dream fight with 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao over undefeated pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather. Check it out!Source: http://mmalice.com/videos/luis-carlos-abregu-says-he-can-ko-manny-pacquiao-video_k1osgqru.html
More than two years after dropping his UFC debut, things haven't exactly gone David Mitchell's way.Source: http://www.mmatko.com/james-mcsweeney-vs-roger-gracie-fight-finish-gif-from-video-one-fc-23/
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Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/torchtoday/article_24085.shtml
Former UFC fighter Dennis Hallman is undoubtedly on an unlucky streak. 
Strikeforce took a gamble by loaning out Jordan Mein, one of its top welterweight prospects, for Friday's Score Fighting Series 7 headliner.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/6g8-voA-wek/score-fighting-series-7-results.mma
Check out simulations for this Saturday’s UFC 181 main and co-main event fights courtesy of “EA Sports UFC.” The video game, which is currently available, offered up a possible finish for both Johny Hendricks-Robbie Lawler and Anthony Pettis-Gilbert Melendez. See all the “virtual” action in the video below:
The post “EA Sports UFC” Simulations For UFC 181 appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2014/12/05/ea-sports-ufc-simulations-for-ufc-181/
Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/ufc/189346-answer-all-things-conor-mcgregor.html
Ronda Rousey was captured by the TMZ Sports camera recently and asked about her personal life. For the most part, the UFC female bantamweight champion has remained quiet on the subject despite rumors floating around. While she didn’t “name names” during the interview, which you can see below, she did describe one of her now-former […]
The post UFC 184: Ronda Rousey Talks Dating, Previous Boyfriend appeared first on MMA Convert.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/CVi5xmkFFD8/
Featherweights Mirsad Bektic and Alan Omer will square off this January in Sweden at UFC on FOX 14, officials announced recently. Set for January 24 from the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm, the card features Alexander Gustafsson vs. Anthony Johnson in the main event. Bektic (8-0) earned a decision victory over Chas Skelly in his Octagon […]
The post UFC On FOX 14: Featherweight Prospects Added To Lineup appeared first on MMA Convert.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/EqnJ3TrBU2Q/
Fight Network presents M-1 Challenge 53 LIVE tomorrow, Nov. 25 at 7:00 am ET is a post from: MMA Interplay
If you planned on seeing Cung Le back in the Octagon soon, after the UFC announced recently it was lifting the middleweight’s suspension, well, you may want to re-evaluate that hope. Yes, it looks like it will take a lot of pleading and apologies from the UFC, if it hopes to have Le step into […]
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/112707/cung-le-wants-ufc-contract-wake-rescinded-suspension/
IMMAF Review of Amateur Application Criteria for IMMAF International Competition is a post from: MMA Interplay
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson might be making a move to another MMA home after receiving a number of “call-outs” on social media recently. The latest, from former adversary Matt Hamill, prompted Jackson to send out his own message on Twitter. Funny how a lot of fighters are calling me out in Bellator,I know deep down y'all […]
The post Could Quinton “Rampage” Jackson Be UFC-Bound? appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2014/12/04/could-quinton-rampage-jackson-be-ufc-bound/
Nate Diaz had a little fun at the expense of his bosses after the UFC announced a deal with Reebok to provide “Fight Night” uniforms for the fighters. The deal was met with mixed results, Diaz included. Here's for your Bitchass uniforms.. http://t.co/Fqh2bAEZKC pic.twitter.com/2rYYsOI84l — Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) December 3, 2014 A few hours after […]
The post UFC On FOX 13’s Nate Diaz Not Impressed With Reebok Deal appeared first on MMA Convert.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/p6figHK198M/
Stephan Bonnar (15-8) felt relieved. It was the spring of 2005 and the light heavyweight had just lost a razor-thin decision in the finals of the first ever Ultimate Fighter (TUF) series to Forrest Griffin.
The stakes were high for fighters like Bonnar and Griffin, all throughout the TUF season. The winner in each weight class (Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez met in the middleweight finals) was to get a UFC contract.
Sitting with Cagewriter after a lunch in his home of Las Vegas, Bonnar remembers the pressure at that time feeling great. After laying it all out in a desperate attempt to win the light heavyweight UFC contract and losing the decision, he felt a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
The feeling wouldn’t last.
Bonnar and Griffin both fought so well that, moments after the decision was rendered and announced, UFC president Dana White came into the Octagon and announced that both fighters were receiving contracts. “The whole time, we were all convinced that one winner in each division would get a contract,” Bonnar remembers.
“We tried so hard to win it, and when I lost, I was relieved. I thought, ‘cool, I guess I can get back to my life now.’ Then, Dana offered me the contract as well, and it was kinda scary. I thought, ‘Ok, looks like I’m going to do this for a living.”
Bonnar had fought extensively from his then home of Chicago, but did so for virtually no money. It was the college-educated fighter’s day job, and continued studies that paid the bills.
Suddenly, that was about to change. Bonnar’s professional life and identity was about to be swallowed by MMA. “April 9, 2005,” he says of the TUF 1 Finale date.
“That was really when I saw myself as a professional fighter.”
Identity crisis
About a decade of big fights, wins, injuries and other tribulations later, Bonnar retired for a second time, and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Stepping away from active competition was not easy on Bonnar, however much his body may have appreciated the break. But his mind, which had almost his whole identity wrapped up in being a professional fighter, had a harder time making the adjustment.
“Yeah it was hard,” he says, of retirement.
“I had stepped down from fighting, and had a position with the UFC, was getting my health insurance and all that. Then, I was offered the fight with Anderson [Silva]. Once again, opportunity knocked. I thought that I might as well jump on it. Things didn’t work out, though.
“I ended up getting suspended, losing my job, and all that. That’s when it really crumbled. I took stock and realized that every part of my identity was UFC-related. I was doing a lot of TV work, I had the t-shirt company, I was working with the company. My whole life was UFC, and when that all got wiped away, I had to look at what was left. It was a hard thing to go through. It was good for me to have had to deal with it, then, though. I got into day trading and finally found something outside of fighting that I could pour my heart and energy into. It got easier. It was kind of a relief to be able to pour my energy into something outside of fighting, and the day trading also became kind of my security blanket, financially. There was no longer the pressure of, ‘I’ve got to win to support my family.’”
Of course, Bonnar is back in fighting. At least, for now.
Juice worth the squeeze
“Robocop” will face off against fellow UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz (17-11-1) on November 15 inside a Bellator cage. Bonnar was offered the bout with the former world champion after his suspension was over, saw an opportunity to fight without all the usual down sides, and jumped at it.
“It does seem like the last couple years of fighting was all about getting wins so I could parlay that into getting a big fight where I could then let it all hang out and give a crowd-pleasing fight,” he says.
“With this, I’m catapulted right to that point of a big fight.”
Bonnar says that the feeling, and thrill, leading up to the fight with Ortiz feels about the same as his big UFC bouts did. However, preamble isn’t why he stepped out of retirement – the fight itself is why.
“It feels pretty much the same,” he says.
“But, when it comes down to it, it’s going to be me and him locked in a cage. It doesn’t matter what banner it’s under. The rules are the same.”
Bonnar has always loved a great scrap, and never wilted at the prospect of training hard to be prepared for them. However, over a decade of training and fighting has taken its physical toll on the man.
He says that for his final couple years in the UFC, training camps began to tax him more than they were worth. After some time off, however, he has begun to enjoy the grind again.
“To be honest with you, the last couple of years, training started to become burdensome,” he admits.
“I had a lot of injuries, pain. I got staph [infections] all the time. It was something that I was getting sick of. I had to take a break from it. Now, it is not as bad. I’m a lil’ more tolerant of it. I have a silver lining, now. For so long you just push through injuries, and surgeries, and suck it up. I had a nice break from it and I do feel a little refreshed. I’ve been pushing hard these last couple of months.”
Bonnar has done much of his training with coaches Sergio Penha and “One Kick Nick” Blomgren in his home of Las Vegas. In addition to that, Bonnar says he focused on wrestling with intensity, at the outset of his camp to prepare for Ortiz.
Bonnar knows a fight is unpredictable, and he can’t be certain how things will play out in his return bout against “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy.”
That said, when he visualizes the fight, he does have a simple, and beautiful set of images play through his battle-loving mind. “I just imagine sticking and moving,” he says.
“Shutting his take downs, down, and hitting him in the face.”
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TracyLee/~3/4Kxrv0iWx7Q/2-pm-monday-dec-1st.html
UFC bantamweight Nick Denis has announced his MMA retirement. UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo (24-1) has said talk of him potentially fighting Conor McGregor (16-2) is premature, and even "disrespectful." In a recent MMA Junkie interview, he seemed to maintain that stance, and insisted that he's singularly focused on challenger Chad Mendes and their Oct. 25 fight date.
However, Aldo didn't go so far as to say that he hasn't kept close tabs on McGregor's fights and progress. “I make it a point to observe all fighters in the featherweight category,” he said.
“I’m the champion, and I plan to remain the champion. I do pay attention to any featherweight fight where someone is ranked in the UFC, since that could potentially be my next adversary."
That said, Aldo isn't particularly concerned with what the Irishman brings to the table as a challenger. At least, Aldo doesn't see anything exceptional in the brash newcomer.
"Conor is no different than any other fighter," he said.
“I don’t see anything that stands out."
Like Frankie Edgar, however, Aldo seems to understand that the momentum and promotional push behind McGregor may, for now, be an unstoppable force. "Scarface" understands that, should he get by Mendes in their rematch in Brazil later this month, it's quite possible he'll have to fight the rising star McGregor.
Aldo is fine with that, and said he'll turn his attention to the "Notorious" hype train, next. “After my fight [with Mendes]," Aldo concluded, "I’ll have time to see what the hype’s all about.”
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
When a staph infection recently caused an ensuing skin infection for Jake Rosenbaum, it wasn't hard to spot. Even though the UFC has proven to be a powerful juggernaut to most UK fighters trying to establish international credentials, several fighters have done many great things inside the mixed martial arts cage. Here’s our version of the 11 Best UK MMA Fighters of all time.
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/112194/top-11-uk-mma-fighters-time/
M-1 Challenge 53 results from China – Tybura, Kharitonev & Grabowski win is a post from: MMA Interplay
Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/ufc/189138-jake-ellenberger-vs-josh-koscheck-official-ufc-184-a.html
It started in Tokyo. The second round of World Victory Road's Sengoku featherweight grand prix in 2009, Marlon Sandro coming at him with what looked like an overhand right. UFC bantamweight Marcus Brimage (6-3) headed into his fight with Russell Doane (14-4) this past July at UFC 175 over a year having passed since his previous bout. Following a tough loss to Conor McGregor at featherweight in 2013, Brimage was hit by a number of serious injuries that required a great deal of rest and rehabilitation.
As such, everyone around Brimage warned him that there would be a perhaps painful adjustment period in his first fight back, due to what is known as "ring rust."
"Everyone told me that I'd have rust, and I was like, 'whatever,'" Brimage tells Cagewriter.
"Truth be told, everything felt good until I got into the cage. In the cage, that's when the ring rust happened. This cant take anything away from Russell because he came to fight, and he sure did fight. I just felt off until the third round. It was like an out of body experience. I was not in the moment. In the third round, that's when I woke up and did what I normally do."
It was too little, too late for "The Bama Beast," and he lost a close split decision. Brimage says that he was shocked to hear from his teammates, friends and even anonymous fans in Las Vegas later that night that they thought he deserved to win the decision against Doane.
"Everyone seemed to be impressed but I told them, 'get the [expletive] out of here. I lost,'" Brimage remembers.
Once the fighter watched the bout himself, however, he began to realize that he didn't fight nearly as poorly as he thought he had. In fact, he began to agree with those who said he deserved to get the nod from the judges.
"When I actually looked at the fight, I thought I got robbed," he says.
"I don't know what the judges were looking at. They made Stevie wonder what was going on. After I started to think about it more, I got super cronk and angry. Like, 'man, I felt off like a mother [expletive], and that's how I looked when I felt off? Oh my God, I am going to do some damage once I get back.'"
Brimage has turned that frustration into motivation and confidence as he heads into a Nov. 8 showdown against Jumabieke Tuerxun (14-2) in Sydney, Australia. Brimage was compelled to train at home in Alabama during this camp instead of South Florida at his usual American Top Team because of family issues.
One might assume that, without his usual top-notch ATT destination training camp, and coming off of two-straight losses would make Brimage feel a great deal of pressure. In actuality, he says he feels less pressure than he did against Doane in his come back fight this past summer.
"To be honest with you, I feel less pressure," he insists.
"The reason is because, I'm 'on.' I got that first one out of the way. I could not walk down the street in Vegas after that fight without fans telling me, 'Brim, that was [expletive]. You won. The judges [expletive] you.' I mean, it's like, 'Marcus Brimage lost to Russell Doane, said no man ever.' [laughs] That's just real talk.
"I had some family issues, so I had to come home for training camp. I'm back in Alabama, and I'm back to my roots. I cannot wait to give this guy a Southern fried ass whooping."
Check back here at Cagewriter for more with Marcus as we check in with him later in his training camp.
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
Victory VII MMA to rock Madison Square Garden on Nov. 21st is a post from: MMA Interplay
Source: http://www.mmainterplay.com/mma/victory-vii-mma-to-rock-madison-square-garden-on-nov-21st-68528/
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Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/torchtoday/article_23984.shtml
Olympian Densign White Takes Over as IMMAF CEO is a post from: MMA Interplay
Source: http://www.mmainterplay.com/mma/olympian-densign-white-takes-over-as-immaf-ceo-68581/
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TracyLee/~3/wWxTxDs13RM/as-my-trip-to-tigermuaythai.html
Due to the fact TJ Dillashaw will battle Dominick Cruz next, and that the UFC bantamweight champ has relayed he wants to fight Jose Aldo, talk of a rematch with Renan Barao has kind of died off. Well, sort of. Of course, Barao was scheduled to rematch Cruz in August, but after he fell ill […]
