Tag: bjpenn

Cesar Gracie to BJ Penn: ‘Don’t Be Scared, Homie. Let’s Make It Five Rounds’

Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsUFC president Dana White has already stated that the new UFC 137 main event between BJ Penn and Nick Diaz will not be a five-round fight because, as he put it, “they haven’t trained for five rounds.”

Howev…

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UFC president Dana White has already stated that the new UFC 137 main event between BJ Penn and Nick Diaz will not be a five-round fight because, as he put it, “they haven’t trained for five rounds.”

However, Diaz’s manager and trainer Cesar Gracie wants the world to know that Diaz is ready and willing to go five rounds with “The Prodigy” on Oct. 29.

“If they can’t fight five rounds against each other, how are they going to fight five rounds against GSP?,” Gracie said to MMAFighting.com on Tuesday.

Gracie said he told White that Diaz wanted to change the fight to a five-rounder but had yet to hear back from Penn’s camp. After speaking to Gracie, both White and Penn could not be immediately reached for comment.

“Dana is good with it,” he said. “We’ve agreed to it. If BJ agrees to it, we’ll make it happen.”

Gracie added that there was no hesitation on Diaz’s part to agree to a five-round fight after hearing the news of GSP’s injury and subsequent removal from the card.

“These guys have to prove they are ready. These guys are fighters. BJ has always said he’s a warrior. … The old school days of MMA, back when it was NHB, they fought forever.

“Don’t be scared, homie. Let’s make it five rounds.”

 

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Matt Hughes Meets Diego Sanchez This Fall

Filed under: UFC, News Out of action since a 21-second knockout loss at the hands of BJ Penn last November, Matt Hughes will return this fall to face former top lightweight contender Diego Sanchez.

The UFC made the announcement at its official site on…

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Out of action since a 21-second knockout loss at the hands of BJ Penn last November, Matt Hughes will return this fall to face former top lightweight contender Diego Sanchez.

The UFC made the announcement at its official site on Thursday morning, saying verbal agreements were in place for the fight. No official date or location has been announced for the fight.

Jon Fitch Out of UFC 132 Rematch With BJ Penn

Filed under: UFC, NewsStill 13 weeks out from his rematch with BJ Penn at UFC 132, Jon Fitch has pulled out of the fight due to a training injury.

Sources close to the UFC confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Wednesday. Word of Fitch’s withdrawal fr…

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Still 13 weeks out from his rematch with BJ Penn at UFC 132, Jon Fitch has pulled out of the fight due to a training injury.

Sources close to the UFC confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Wednesday. Word of Fitch’s withdrawal from the bout was first reported by MMA Weekly.

There is no word yet on a possible replacement for Fitch. The fight was expected to determine the top contender for the UFC welterweight title currently held by Georges St-Pierre.

Tito Ortiz, Ryan Bader to Meet at UFC 132 in July

Filed under: UFC, NewsTito Ortiz will go after his first win since October 2006 when he meets Ryan Bader at UFC 132.

The two fighters confirmed the bout on their Twitter accounts, including Ortiz saying it was a fight UFC president Dana White wanted….

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Tito OrtizTito Ortiz will go after his first win since October 2006 when he meets Ryan Bader at UFC 132.

The two fighters confirmed the bout on their Twitter accounts, including Ortiz saying it was a fight UFC president Dana White wanted. The matchup was first reported Monday by MMA Weekly.

Ortiz, a former UFC light heavyweight champ, was scheduled to face Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in the main event of the UFC’s Fight Night 24 card on Spike TV in Seattle this Saturday. But he was forced out of the bout several weeks ago when he suffered a concussion and cut while training that required more than 20 stitches to his head. Phil Davis stepped up and will face Nogueira on Saturday.

BJ Penn, Jon Fitch Rematch Will Be Held at UFC 132

Filed under: UFC, NewsTheir draw in the main event of UFC 127 not yet a month old, BJ Penn and Jon Fitch have verbally agreed to a rematch at UFC 132 in July.

The UFC, continuing its recent trend of making fight announcements itself online and throug…

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BJ Penn and Jon FitchTheir draw in the main event of UFC 127 not yet a month old, BJ Penn and Jon Fitch have verbally agreed to a rematch at UFC 132 in July.

The UFC, continuing its recent trend of making fight announcements itself online and through social media, made the announcement at UFC.com early Thursday. Along with the Penn-Fitch fight, the UFC said lightweights Evan Dunham and George Sotiropoulos will square off.

Though the promotion hasn’t yet made the card official, UFC 132 is expected to take place in Las Vegas on July 2 as the company’s traditional Independence Day weekend card.

Kenny Florian Makes Featherweight Debut at UFC 131

Filed under: UFC, NewsFormer top lightweight contender Kenny Florian will make his featherweight debut at UFC 131.

Florian said earlier this month he would be dropping down to featherweight, and his first test will come against Diego Nunes. Florian m…

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Former top lightweight contender Kenny Florian will make his featherweight debut at UFC 131.

Florian said earlier this month he would be dropping down to featherweight, and his first test will come against Diego Nunes. Florian made the announcement on ESPN’s “MMA Live” late Friday night. As he did Friday, Florian often serves as co-host of the show.

“It’s a new challenge,” Florian said of the drop in divisions. “I’ve never been afraid of a new challenge. I see it as an exciting opportunity to possibly face what in my opinion is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, which is Jose Aldo. He’s a tremendous fighter and I have a lot of respect for that guy. (But) I still have an opponent before I get there.”