Bleacher Report’s Mike Hodges:After his much-publicized confrontation with Tito Ortiz last week at the UFC Fighter Summit, Matt Mitrione has been very open to a possible bout with the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. During Monday’s episode of …
Bleacher Report’s Mike Hodges:
After his much-publicized confrontation with Tito Ortiz last week at the UFC Fighter Summit, Matt Mitrione has been very open to a possible bout with the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
During Monday’s episode of “The MMA Hour”, Mitrione said he pitched the idea to UFC president Dana White following the altercation and reminded him that he would do whatever it took to have the potential bout finalized.
“At the end of it I was like, ‘Just to let you know, if Tito really wants to run his mouth about this…I will cut down to as close as to 205 as possible,” Mitrione said during his segment with Ariel Helwani.
“So all these boys who say I’ll never fight him, I told Dana and I told Mr. Fertitta that I wanted to cut weight to whoop his a– if he would take that fight.”
Mitrione, who competes in the UFC heavyweight division, made disparaging remarks directed at Ortiz, and more specifically his ex-girlfriend and former adult film star, Jenna Jameson, that had prompted Ortiz to confront Mitrione.
Bleacher Report’s Mike Hodges:It appears that not everyone associated in mixed martial arts was aware of Shane Carwin stepping in to replace Brock Lesnar at UFC 131, including UFC heavyweight, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Nogueira, who is a mentor a…
Bleacher Report’s Mike Hodges:
It appears that not everyone associated in mixed martial arts was aware of Shane Carwin stepping in to replace Brock Lesnar at UFC 131, including UFC heavyweight, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Nogueira, who is a mentor and training partner to Junior dos Santos, will watch his protege square off against Carwin, with the winner promised a title shot at UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. According to FightersOnly.com, Nogueira was in the middle of conducting an interview when he heard about the news.
“Is Lesnar out? Is this a lie? Are you speaking seriously!?,” he said.
The addition of Carwin sets up an interesting bout between two of the top heavyweight strikers. While the sudden replacement only gives dos Santos a limited amount of time to prepare, Nogueira said it won’t be an issue.
“I think the change is good and will help us in Cigano’s training. He was very much focused into boxing and a little without wrestling. The fight will be easier for him for sure.”
Carwin was originally scheduled to fight Jon Olav Einemo at the event, but when news broke of Lesnar’s absence, Carwin was notified and slotted into the main event picture.
Coming off the biggest win of his career, soundly defeating Fedor Emelianenko in the first round of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, Antonio Silva had some choice words for fellow heavyweights Josh Barnett and Brock Lesnar. “Bigfoot”…
Coming off the biggest win of his career, soundly defeating Fedor Emelianenko in the first round of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, Antonio Silva had some choice words for fellow heavyweights Josh Barnett and Brock Lesnar.
“Bigfoot” is slated to take on the winner of Fabricio Werdum—a close personal friend who defeated him in 2009—vs. Alistair Overeem in the semifinals of the grand prix.
However, Silva already has his eyes set on who he would like to take on in the finals: Josh “The Baby Faced Assassin” Barnett.
Silva has some serious questions about Barnett’s character, which has clearly rubbed him the wrong way over the years:
“Friendship, for me, is everything, but Josh is a weird guy, a guy who doesn’t greet you when you enter the elevator, doesn’t even say ‘good morning.’ It’s how he treats Brazilian fighters especially. It’s the same thing with [Barnett and] Werdum.”
The Strikeforce heavyweight continued, “But when [Barnett] sees Fedor, [UFC President] Dana White or [UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo] Fertitta, he runs to them and stays by their side all the time. He makes me sick. He’s the classic kiss-ass, a rude man …”
Silva made it clear that he would like to teach Barnett a lesson in manners, adding, “I really want to face Barnett and I’ve already said I consider him a filthy person, even though he is a great fighter, and that I’ll beat him up and close both of his eyes.”
“I’ve been fighting since 2004 and have never had any issues with another athlete, even the most stuck-up,” Silva also wanted to clarify.
The next topic on the table for Bigfoot: former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.
Some fans, and even some fighters, believe that Lesnar pulled out of the UFC 131 main event against Junior Dos Santos due to fear, dismissing the notion he is dealing with a relapse of diverticulitis.
Silva left no question on where he stands on this issue. “I don’t want to judge anyone and I really wish it’s not a big health problem for [Lesnar], but I have some doubts,” he explained.
“That big guy doesn’t like being punched. In his last fights, he was put in the fetal position by Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez, which is humiliating for a fighter.”
Ouch. Bigfoot certainly didn’t pull any punches on that statement. He concluded by saying:
“I think he pulled out of the fight against ‘Cigano,’ who is a real heavy puncher and a real tough opponent for someone who doesn’t like being punched.”
Bigfoot has criticized Lesnar in the past, mocking him for his time in the WWE with comments like “Man, I think he must return to his fake fights; that it’ll be best for him.”
Silva also mentioned that he would love to fight in the UFC one day, and if his prediction is correct, that could be sooner than later.
The big Brazilian feels that the winner of the Strikeforce heavyweight tournament will go on to face the UFC heavyweight champion next and added that “I hope I can get both belts.”
Credit Sherdog.com for breaking the initial story.
On June 18, 2011 in Dallas, Texas two monster heavyweight clashes will take place. The first pits hard-hitting Brett Rogers against former UFC champion Josh Barnett. That matchup is intriguing but the main event is the fight that everyone wants to see….
On June 18, 2011 in Dallas, Texas two monster heavyweight clashes will take place. The first pits hard-hitting Brett Rogers against former UFC champion Josh Barnett. That matchup is intriguing but the main event is the fight that everyone wants to see.
Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem and Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum have met once before, in 2006 under the Pride organization. Werdum won the first bout by submission via kimura. Since that time, they have each come a long way in their respective careers.
After a disappointing stint in UFC that saw him suffer a devastating knockout to Junior Dos Santos in the younger man’s debut, Fabricio has had huge success in Strikeforce. In 2009, Werdum had his first Strikeforce bout, and since then he has won all three of his bouts. He has defeated Mike Kyle, Antonio Silva and Fedor Emelianenko for an impressive three-fight win streak. His win over Fedor was the Russian’s first defeat in 10 years.
Werdum is at an all-time high in his career. Can he beat Overeem and advance to the semifinals of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix? That is the question and the challenge he now faces.
After his loss to Werdum in 2006, Alistair Overeem has completely reestablished himself as a fighter. Since that loss, his MMA record has been stellar. Overeem has gone 11-4 with one controversial no contest against Mirko Cro Cop in a fight he was dominating.
Overeem has now not lost an MMA fight in almost four years. In 2010 he had an amazing year. In that calender year he defended his Strikeforce heavyweight title, won an interim belt in a fight for the Dream organization and became the first MMA fighter to win the K1 World Grand Prix.
Things have drastically changed for each man since their fight in Pride five long years ago. The true question here is what has changed from their first meeting until now?
Werdum has added several key wins, much bigger wins than Overeem; however, his game has changed little if at all. Overeem has changed greatly. Since 2006, Overeem has turned himself into a complete fighter and a man that many heavyweights like to criticize, but if they were locked in a cage with him they would be feeling much different.
Overeem changed from a 220-pound man that cut weight to be a light heavyweight. In the time after he left Pride and the present day, he has added over 30 pounds of lean muscle to his frame. On top of this he has improved his striking by leaps and bounds. He is now a faster and stronger man than Werdum defeated in 2006.
It is Werdum who has faced the tougher competition and won those battles more often than not.
Overeem has typically lost his biggest fights. Since his loss to Werdum, Overeem has rarely fought top notch competition. This is something that would be a detriment to most fighters but Alistair is not a typical fighter. He has not fought a top MMA fighter for some time, but he has greatly improved as an athlete. His striking has improved by leaps and bounds. After a great year in 2010, he is poised to avenge a loss that has been on his mind for a long time.
Werdum is looking to prove he is the best heavyweight in the world and he is finally past his brutal knockout loss at UFC 90. Werdum has the submission game and jiu jitsu prowess to submit Overeem again, I just don’t think he will have a chance to do so. Overeem has better defense and speed than he did in 2006. Overeem is also a much better striker with the strength to knock people out with both hands, knees or kicks.
Overeem will overwhelm Werdum and move on to the semifinals of the Strikeforce tournament.
Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail [email protected] for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…
– Gus Johnson Signs With Fox but Stays With Showtime for MMA and Boxing (MMA Fighting)
– Maiquel Falcao Cut From UFC for ‘Legal Problems’ (5thRound)
– Dana White Stresses Personal Finance Management At 2011 Fighter Summit (MMA Convert)
– Jonathan Brookins out, Danny Downes in Against Jeremy Stephens at TUF 13 Finale (Five Ounces of Pain)
– Anthony Johnson Responds to Ben Askren Calling him a ‘Coward’ (MiddleEasy)
– Director Kahleem Poole-Tejada Talks About ‘New York MMA’ documentary (TheFightNerd)
– Exclusive Interview: Ninja Rua Expects a War Against Tom Watson at BAMMA 6 (LowKick)
Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail [email protected] for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…
– Gus Johnson Signs With Fox but Stays With Showtime for MMA and Boxing (MMA Fighting)
– Maiquel Falcao Cut From UFC for ‘Legal Problems’ (5thRound)
– Dana White Stresses Personal Finance Management At 2011 Fighter Summit (MMA Convert)
– Jonathan Brookins out, Danny Downes in Against Jeremy Stephens at TUF 13 Finale (Five Ounces of Pain)
– Anthony Johnson Responds to Ben Askren Calling him a ‘Coward’ (MiddleEasy)
– Director Kahleem Poole-Tejada Talks About ‘New York MMA’ documentary (TheFightNerd)
– Exclusive Interview: Ninja Rua Expects a War Against Tom Watson at BAMMA 6 (LowKick)
You know what they say about big heads? Big brains! And apparently Antonio Silva’s got one big sharp brain he used to beat Fedor Emelianenko. Fighters Only produced this interview from Fedor’s coach, Vladimir Voronov in which he blames “forbidden psychological technologies” that “could not be seen by the naked eye” for Fedor’s […]
You know what they say about big heads? Big brains! And apparently Antonio Silva’s got one big sharp brain he used to beat Fedor Emelianenko. Fighters Only produced this interview from Fedor’s coach, Vladimir Voronov in which he blames “forbidden psychological technologies” that “could not be seen by the naked eye” for Fedor’s loss. Voronov’s interview was given to Russian website, Lifesports.Ru and we’re not sure how good the translation provided is, but here’s what it looked like at Fighters Only:
“We believe that forbidden psychological technology was used… It seems to us that not everything was right, and that certain technologies were used. Not ones that could be seen by the naked eye but psychological technologies that worked on both fighters at a distance. That is why during the fight Fedor was just not like himself. It seemed very strange behaviour from Fedor. He stepped into the ring and did everything exactly the opposite of what we practiced before the fight. We were all shocked! Fedor had never previously done such a thing. Now nearly a week passes, everything settles, and we understand why all this happened.”
The article goes on to say “‘Voronov also observed with suspicion the fact that Fedor seemed to look “a little depressed” while Silva “literally glowed from the overflowing of his energy”. Voronov suspects the use of a person or persons in the audience capable of “blocking energy” and “transferring energy from one person to another’”
In reaction to all this serious suspicion, Antonio “Big Foot” Silva’s manager Alex Davis turned to the underground forums of MixedMartialArts.com to admit to the mind games! Davis said:
“Jeez!! I got [caught!] I will have to come out with the truth now! I hired a Macumbeiro and we killed a black chicken on the crossroads. After this, over a few beers, I showed the witch doctor Fedor’s fights, and he was worried that a chicken wouldn’t be enough, so we went out and killed a black goat just to make sure! Very potent stuff! Really messed Fedor’s brain waves up! We wanted to try that other military stuff Voronov is talking about, but it’s expensive technology and we were broke! The chicken and the goat came out way cheaper. Witch doctor is a friend; [he] did it for a few beers and an autograph!”
Now we at Fix get it… haha Davis is mocking the accusations…. but they do say that people who are lying use a lot of detail in their stories. And this above, my friends, is a lot of detail from Alex Davis. So we’re gonna go ahead and side with the crazy Russians here and bank on that mind control theory. We just hope the athletic commissions figure out some kind of mind control testing as a future preventative measure.
It appears that not everyone associated in mixed martial arts was aware of Shane Carwin stepping in to replace 
