Author: UFC News

This week, TUF Live featured a classic matchup of striker vs. grappler. Team Faber’s Joe Proctor is a jiu-jitsu specialist and a training partner of TUF 5’s Joe Lauzon; Team Cruz’ Chris Tickle is a self-taught striker whose one style is, according to coach Dominick Cruz, sprawl and brawl. The fighters’ personalities were also polar opposites, and in the end, the understated dark horse Proctor used his skills to steal the spotlight from the boisterous Tickle via first-round tapout.

With all of Tickle’s past losses coming via submission, his coaches knew that keeping the fight standing would be Tickle’s key to success. “The second Proctor goes to take him down, he has to pop right back up,” said Cruz before the bout.

The bout began with Faber yelling for footwork from his charge, as Team Cruz’ Tickle played aggressor. Tickle touched Proctor with a straight, and threw a mix of low and high kicks. Proctor responded with an early takedown attempt, but Tickle tied him up against the cage for some knees and dirty boxing. Tickle threw a big hook on the exit that seemed to temporarily stun Proctor, but the action resumed in the middle of the Octagon.

Surviving Tickle’s initial flurries may have dissolved Proctor’s nerves, as his offense picked up steam in the next exchanges. Although both men were measured and controlled, they took turns coming forward with strikes until Proctor moved forward and got the clinch, which Tickle again turned into a tangle on the cage with his dirty boxing.

But everything changed with one minute left, as Proctor shot and got a huge takedown. As Tickle sprang back to his feet, Proctor easily took his back standing and returned the bout to the ground. With plenty of time left in the round, the jiu-jitsu specialist worked in the rear-naked choke and got the tap at 4:42 of the round.

“Tickle is tough – he hits like a truck,” said Proctor after the bout. “I’m a jiu-jitsu guy. I did my job here.”

“I thought the first round was favoring Tickle,” said UFC president Dana White. “Tickle was picking him apart. But as soon as he got him down, he submitted him pretty easily.”

The win marked three in a row for Team Faber, who now takes the lead for the first time at 3-2 for the season.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship®, the world’s leader in mixed martial arts (MMA), applauds the announcement made earlier today of the creation of the new International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF). The UFC® wholeheartedly supports this new initiative as well as its leader, IMMAF President August Wallén, who will spearhead the initial growth of this Federation.
 
UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, who has helped lead the global growth of the UFC, feels that the timing is perfect. “In order to maintain the successful growth of our sport, it is important to invest in resources that will develop and cultivate it at an amateur level. Having an umbrella organization that will oversee and help build the sport on a global level will not only provide advanced and ever-improving safety standards but will also create a unified global model to help introduce the sport to new markets. It is our hope that it will also take us one step closer to witnessing the inclusion of the sport of MMA on the Olympic program.”
 
“The creation of this organization is long overdue,” said Marc Ratner, Senior Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs. “MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world and we support the Federation’s focus on providing a globally unified set of rules and safety measures to help keep all fighters safe. While there are many obstacles ahead in the formation of this international organization, we are confident of the outcomes and advancements this group will make for the future of our sport.”
 
The UFC has long been committed to the growth and development of the sport of MMA. With broadcasts in over 150 countries and territories, to nearly one billion homes worldwide, in 20 different languages, and more than 30 live events annually worldwide, the UFC has helped introduce the sport to many new cultures and audiences. 
 
The creation of the IMMAF will help to foster the development of the sport at the grassroots level and bolster the work beingdone by the UFC and all other MMA organizations worldwide, further developing the integrity and legitimacy of the sport.
 
To learn more about the International MMA Federation visit www.immaf.org.
 

The Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that Grapplers Quest will host its sixth official grappling tournament at the UFC Fan Expo® on Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

The two-day tournament will feature adult No-Gi submission grappling divisions on Friday, July 6. Then, on Saturday, July 7, the tournament will feature all-youth No-Gi grappling and all-adult Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo Divisions. A four-man welterweight superfight tournament featuring some of the world’s top professional grapplers will also take place over the course of the weekend.

The grappling tournament is limited to 1,500 competitor slots. Competitor registration starting at just $99 includes:
•    Full Access to the UFC Fan Expo both days ($50 value)
•    Free Grapplers Quest at UFC Fan Expo Fighter T-Shirt by TapouT ($30)
•    Includes $20 off at-the-door pricing
•    Includes Free Entry into UFC Fan Expo Judo Throwdown Tournament ($60 value)

Space is limited, so register today at http://on.ufc.com/IyVYq6.

Tickets for the UFC Fan Expo® are on sale NOW at www.ufcfanexpo.com. Tickets for Friday, July 6 are priced at $40, while tickets for Saturday, July 7 are priced at $45. A two-day pass is also available and is priced at $60. Fans are encouraged to buy their tickets now and save because ticket prices are higher at the door. VIP packages for the UFC Fan Expo® are also available at www.ufcfanexpo.com.

The UFC Fan Expo® in July will feature more than 300,000 gross square feet of activities for UFC fans, including meet and greets and autograph sessions with top UFC and STRIKEFORCE® fighters, Q&A sessions with top UFC personalities, as well as grappling tournaments and other special events. More than 100 exhibitors will also be on hand, giving fans the opportunity to purchase and experience some of the best sports and lifestyle products on the market today. This marks the third UFC Fan Expo® held in Las Vegas since its inception in 2009, with additional UFC Fan Expos being held in Boston, London, Toronto and Houston.

On top of all the great fan activities, the UFC Fan Expo® will be held in conjunction with a major UFC Pay-Per-View event scheduled for July 7 in Las Vegas.

For more information on UFC Fan Expo® and to purchase tickets, visit www.ufcfanexpo.com. To subscribe to the official UFC Fan Expo® newsletter visit www.ufcfanexpo.com/newsletter. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Brian Bernstein, Sales Executive at 203-840-5474 or email [email protected]. Don’t wait, space is limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

LOS ANGELES, CA – FUEL TV telecasts four upcoming LIVE shows around UFC ON FUEL TV: GUSTAFSSON VS. SILVA.

The action starts Friday, April 13 (10:00 AM ET) with the live UFC Weigh-in on FUEL TV. Jay Glazer hosts the one-hour show from FUEL TV’s Los Angeles studio, and UFC Middleweight Number-One Contender Chael Sonnen offers analysis. Mike Goldberg emcees the weigh-in onsite in Sweden, while Karyn Bryant conducts interviews with fighters backstage.  

FUEL TV kicks off coverage of UFC ON FUEL TV: GUSTAFSSON VS. SILVA on Saturday, April 14 (12:30 PM ET) with the Prelims streamed live on FUEL TV’s website (www.fuel.tv) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/fueltv).

The UFC Prefight Show on FUEL TV begins at 2:00 PM ET. Glazer leads the one-hour preview live from FUEL TV’s Los Angeles studio, with UFC Middleweight Mark Munoz and Sonnen’s analysis.

UFC Fight Night on FUEL TV brings the main card fights live from Sweden on Saturday, April 14 (3:00 PM ET). Goldberg and UFC Vet Kenny Florian call the fights live from the Octagon.
 
FUEL TV wraps coverage of the main event Saturday, April 14 (6:00 PM ET) with UFC Postfight Show on FUEL TV. Glazer is back for the one-hour recap from FUEL TV’s Los Angeles studio, with Munoz and Sonnen’s analysis. Bryant interviews fighters on location in Sweden after the bout. 

For a complete listing of FUEL TV shows, go to: http://www.fuel.tv/schedule/. For more information, go to www.fuel.tv/ufc and on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/fueltv Follow @FUELTV on Twitter for all things #UFConFUELTV.

Follow the talent on Twitter at: @jayglazer; @kennyflorian; @sonnench; @KarynBryant; @mark_munoz; @MFG16

To get FUEL TV on your television, go to www.fuel.tv/getfueltv, or call 877-4 FUEL-TV.
 

NOV. 5, 2005
An undersized Rashad Evans wins The Ultimate Fighter season 2 heavyweight tournament. He then drops to 205 lbs. and joins Greg Jackson’s Submission Fighting camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
2008

AUG. 9, 2008
21-year-old Jon Jones makes his UFC debut with a unanimous decision victory against Andre Gusmao, after only eight months of training.

SEPT. 6, 2008
Evans earns a UFC title shot with a one-punch knockout of UFC legend Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Liddell at UFC 88.

DEC. 27, 2008
Driven by momentum, Evans knocks out Forrest Griffin in the third round to lift the UFC world light heavyweight title.

JAN. 31, 2009
Jones defeats fellow contender Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94. His spinning elbows and suplexes make him the talk of the MMA community.

MAY 23, 2009
Evans loses his UFC world championship to Lyoto Machida in a second-round knockout defeat, which was the lone reversal of his career.

AUG. 22, 2009
After promising not to fight any of his new teammates in the Octagon, Jones joins Jackson’s gym.

SEPT. 30, 2009
Evans predicts new teammate Jones will be champion some day. The pair comes to regard one another as brothers.

MAY 29, 2010
Evans wins a grudge match against Rampage Jackson and becomes the No. 1 contender to champion Shogun Rua.

JUNE 10, 2010
Rua suffers a serious knee injury. Rather than take an interim bout, Evans decides to wait for his title shot. The fight is eventually set for March 2011.

FEB. 4-10, 2011
News breaks that Evans is injured and will be unable to challenge the healed Rua for the UFC light heavyweight belt. The next day, Jones defeats contender Ryan Bader with surprising ease and—with Evans’ blessing—is offered the title fight against Rua. Evans predicts Jones will “destroy” Rua in the first round. Asked repeatedly, Evans claims he would change divisions before he would face Jones, should his “brother” win.

MARCH 3-4, 2011
During the broadcast of UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann, Jones said, “I respect (UFC President) Dana White a lot. If (the Rashad fight is) what he absolutely wanted to happen, then I guess that’s what would have to happen.” Asked to respond on MMA Live, a visibly upset Evans said, “I am no punk. If Jon wins the (title), I have to sit down with the team and decide what to do.”

MARCH 19-22, 2011:
Jones becomes the youngest UFC world champion in history, destroying Rua, before a intense meeting with Evans in the Octagon.
Speaking with MMA Fighting, Evans stunningly announces he has left Team Jackson. “I’m done with Jacksons. And, I know how to fight Jon. I trained with him.” Evans then relocates his training camp to Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Florida to form the soon-to-be feared ‘Blackzilians’ camp.

APRIL 25-27, 2011
It is announced that Jones has torn a ligament in his right hand, forcing him to withdraw from a proposed title defense against Evans. This time, Evans does not want to wait for the champion, and accepts a fight with replacement Phil Davis

MAY 12 & 15, 2011
Evans and Jones nearly come to blows at a Las Vegas nightclub and they are separated by Georges St-Pierre. Evans questions the legitimacy of Jones’ hand injury. “Jon doesn’t need surgery,” he said. “No doctor will operate on him. They say he doesn’t need it.”

JULY 13, 2011
Another bitter pill goes down for ‘Suga,’ as Davis pulls out of his fight with Evans with a knee injury.

AUG. 6, 2011:
Eager to fight somebody—anybody—Evans eventually goes
on to defeat Tito Ortiz inside two rounds, looking better than ever.
But, two months later, Evans is forced to cancel another date with Jones
because of a dislocated thumb injury sustained against Ortiz.

SEPT. 24, 2011
Jones submits Rampage in the fourth round of his first UFC world championship defense.

DEC. 10, 2011
Jones caps off an incredible 2011 with a second successful title defense—this time against former champion Lyoto Machida.

JAN. 28, 2012
Evans easily defeats the previously unbeaten Davis over five rounds in an eliminator bout to determine the next UFC title challenger.

FEB. 6, 2012
Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans—perhaps the biggest 205-lbs. title fight since Liddell vs Ortiz II—is on. The fight is set for Atlanta in April.

FEB. 16, 2012
The former friends exchange insults at the official UFC 145 press conference. Jones accuses Evans of jealousy while ‘Suga’ says ‘Bones’ is “all fake.”

APRIL 21, 2012
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans will finally settle their feud, once and for all, at UFC 145 in Atlanta.

“Deep in the heart of Louisiana, far from mixed martial arts’ highest stage, a group of young athletes train and compete in the proving grounds of MMA. Filmed over two years, FIGHTVILLE, a groundbreaking documentary, follows the lives of several fighters including breakout UFC star Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier and his mentor UFC veteran ‘Crazy’ Tim Credeur as they compete in the regional circuit.”

Read full press release