Author: By Mike Straka

Brandon “Rukus” Thatch takes on Siyar Bahadurzada during the FOX Sports 1 prelims at UFC 196 in Las Vegas on Saturday, and after being out of the Octagon since July of last year, Thatch is quick to point out that he’s ready to go.“This is probably one of the best camps I’ve had,” he said. “I had tons of athletes to work with and Team Elevation is constantly getting new guys to come and train with us. The level of skill and different looks we get every week is just ridiculous.”

 
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Team Elevation has been in the press very much as … Read the Full Article Here

Like most mixed martial arts fighters, England’s Scott Askham remembers the movie “Bloodsport” as being from a simpler time in his own development as a fighter. After all, most watch the Jean Claude Van Damme cult classic before the age of 10, and while the film rarely holds up into adulthood, there are too many great memories of running in the backyard kicking trees with your shins and doing splits between desk chairs to overlook.“For me, that one is the best,” Askham said. “When he gets Chong Li at the end and makes him verbally submit. (Laughs)”A su … Read the Full Article Here

Like most UFC fighters, Shane Campbell has been in the fight business much longer than his two Octagon fights would indicate. But just looking at the Canadian’s overall record, one can easily ascertain what the UFC matchmakers saw in his potential, despite losing his debut appearance to fellow Canadian John Makdessi before bouncing back with a TKO win over Elias Silverio last summer.The world champion Muay Thai fighter, kickboxer and former welterweight and lightweight champion in some of the biggest regional Canadian MMA promotions, faces James Krause at Consol Energy Center in Pittsbur … Read the Full Article Here

On a night where karate ace Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson takes on former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks in the main event of UFC Fight Night on FOX Sports 1 this Saturday, another karate player will be looking to dazzle in the flyweight division.Justin Scoggins faces the number 11-ranked Ray Borg on the FS1 prelims, and to hear Scoggins tell it, he is must-see television.“I’m ready to start knocking people out,” the Spartanburg, SC native said. “I’ve got knockout power in my feet, so you better believe I have knockout power in my hands.” … Read the Full Article Here

Rafael “Sapo” Natal is currently No. 15 in the official UFC middleweight rankings, a feat the Brazilian has been striving quietly for over the past few years.“I finally cracked the Top 15 and now I need to work that much harder to crack the Top 10,” he said. “A win over Kevin Casey (at UFC Fight Night: Johnson vs Bader) will be another step in the right direction.”The fight takes place this Saturday in Natal’s backyard of Newark, New Jersey. The Renzo Gracie black belt and jiu-jitsu instructor at Gracie’s New York academy trains in the tri-state … Read the Full Article Here

If Ryan Bader is reading all of the headlines and listening to all of the pundits, a win over Anthony Johnson on Saturday at Prudential Center will get him a title shot in the ultra-competitive light heavyweight division. The thing is, Bader doesn’t read the headlines or listen to pundits.

 
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“I gave up thinking about it because there were times there where I thought I had it,” he said. “For me, it’s cliché, but it’s about just going out there and beating that guy in front of me. Nothing’s a given in this sport, especially titl … Read the Full Article Here