Author: Matt Erickson

Bellator Attorney: Zuffa Lawsuit ‘Will End Up Being Not Very Significant’

Filed under: UFC, WEC, FanHouse Exclusive, Bellator, NewsAn attorney for the Bellator Fighting Championships is confident a lawsuit filed against the promotion and MMA agent Ken Pavia by Zuffa LLC will prove to be little cause for concern – ultimately….

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An attorney for the Bellator Fighting Championships is confident a lawsuit filed against the promotion and MMA agent Ken Pavia by Zuffa LLC will prove to be little cause for concern – ultimately.

As first reported by Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole on Thursday, Zuffa, parent company of the UFC and WEC, filed a suit against Bellator and Pavia, as well as unnamed co-defendants, in Clark County (Nev.) District Court claiming Pavia gave proprietary documents to Bellator on request from Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney.

The suit alleges Bellator and Pavia were conspiring to essentially steal trade secrets from Zuffa through the exchange of confidential documents in e-mails. Pavia, head of the MMA Agents representation firm, handles dozens of MMA fighters, including many under the Zuffa umbrella.

Speaking to MMA Fighting on Friday, Rebney said the promotion’s attorney, Patrick English, had instructed him to not discuss the suit publicly. And Pavia, also reached Friday, said he, too, was unable to discuss the pending litigation.

But English said he believes if the two sides come together, Zuffa’s concerns will be alleviated.

London Fan Expo Official for UFC 120 in October

Filed under: UFC, NewsBased on the success of its first two Fan Expos in the United States and high hopes for its third next month, the UFC on Friday made official a Fan Expo in London for October.

The first two UFC Fan Expos were in Las Vegas at the…

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Based on the success of its first two Fan Expos in the United States and high hopes for its third next month, the UFC on Friday made official a Fan Expo in London for October.

The first two UFC Fan Expos were in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The first was held in conjunction with UFC 100 in July 2009. A second was held leading up to UFC 114 in May. And prior to UFC 118 in Boston next month, the UFC will hold its first fan event on the East Coast.

The London UFC Fan Expo will be Oct. 15-16 in advance of UFC 120: Bisping vs. Akiyama and will take place at Earls Court Exhibition Centre.

Strikeforce Confirms Visa Issues for Carina Damm

Filed under: Strikeforce, NewsJust two weeks before its first women’s tournament, Strikeforce might be losing one of its competitors.

There have been reports that Carina Damm, of Brazil, is having a hard time getting her visa secured so she can trave…

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Just two weeks before its first women’s tournament, Strikeforce might be losing one of its competitors.

There have been reports that Carina Damm, of Brazil, is having a hard time getting her visa secured so she can travel to Phoenix for the Aug. 13 welterweight (135 pounds) tournament, and Strikeforce spokesman Mike Afromowitz confirmed that speculation on Wednesday night in an e-mail to members of the media.

Damm is scheduled to be one of four participants in the tournament, which will be held at Phoenix’s Dodge Theatre as part of a Strikeforce Challengers event that will air live on Showtime. The main event of the card is a 182-pound catchweight bout between Joe Riggs and Louis Taylor.

Damm (15-3) hasn’t fought outside her native Brazil in more than two years. She has a 10-fight winning streak.

For Brian Stann, Life Is About More Than Just Victories in the Cage

Filed under: UFCIn one form or another, Brian Stann has always been fighting.

Those who compete in mixed martial arts, like the UFC’s Stann, often talk about the rigors of training and the other level a fighter’s mind and body have to climb to in ord…

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In one form or another, Brian Stann has always been fighting.

Those who compete in mixed martial arts, like the UFC’s Stann, often talk about the rigors of training and the other level a fighter’s mind and body have to climb to in order to be successful in the sport. For Stann, stepping inside the cage, as he’ll do Sunday against Mike Massenzio in San Diego, is a walk in the park compared to what he’s been through.

As a platoon leader in the Marine Corps in 2005, Stann’s unit came under heavy attack during Operation Matador in Iraq. For six days, Stann led his team of 42 Marines through counterattacks in the ambush. All 42 survived, and Stann’s leadership earned him the Silver Star, accolades from President George W. Bush, television appearances on MTV and the History Channel, high-level stories in major newspapers and magazines – even book offers.

TUF Veteran Mark Miller Meets Josh Shockley at Bellator 25

Filed under: Bellator, NewsChicagoan Mark Miller and Josh Shockley, of nearby Northwest Indiana, will meet on the local preliminary card of Bellator 25 on Aug. 19.

A Bellator official confirmed the bout to MMA Fighting on Wednesday, as did Shockley -…

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Chicagoan Mark Miller and Josh Shockley, of nearby Northwest Indiana, will meet on the local preliminary card of Bellator 25 on Aug. 19.

A Bellator official confirmed the bout to MMA Fighting on Wednesday, as did Shockley – who was scheduled to make his debut with the promotion at Bellator 14 in April, but had to pull out with a shoulder injury.

Bellator 25 will be a “home” fight for both Miller and Shockley at the Chicago Theatre downtown on State Street. Bellator, which is headquartered in Chicago, will host a card in its home city for the third time. Bellator 7 took place at the Aragon Ballroom; Bellator 14 was also at the Chicago Theatre.

Todd Brown Steps in for Thiago Silva against Tim Boetsch

Filed under: UFC, NewsLight heavyweight Thiago Silva has been forced off the UFC 117 card, reportedly with a back injury, and will be replaced by Todd Brown against Tim Boetsch.

MMA Weekly first reported the Silva news on Tuesday, and MMA Fighting ha…

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Light heavyweight Thiago Silva has been forced off the UFC 117 card, reportedly with a back injury, and will be replaced by Todd Brown against Tim Boetsch.

MMA Weekly first reported the Silva news on Tuesday, and MMA Fighting has confirmed with Brown that he has been signed to the organization and will make his promotional debut on short notice at the Aug. 7 event in Oakland, Calif.

Brown told MMA Fighting first that the UFC contacted him two days ago, and the short notice didn’t matter to him.

“I was ready to sign,” Brown said. “This is the result of a lot of work. My game will be the same no matter who I fight.”