Tag: Cung Le

‘Tekken’ Movie to Finally Hit U.S. Theaters in 2011

Filed under: Strikeforce, Bellator, NewsThe film that nearly pulled Roger Huerta away from MMA and one of the reasons the Strikeforce middleweight title picture was left in limbo for nearly two years will finally be released next year in the U.S.

The …

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The film that nearly pulled Roger Huerta away from MMA and one of the reasons the Strikeforce middleweight title picture was left in limbo for nearly two years will finally be released next year in the U.S.

The U.S., Australia and New Zealand distribution rights for Tekken, which began filming in 2008 and premiered this past March in Japan, was recently acquired by Anchor Bay Entertainment, opening the way for the film to hit theaters outside of Japan.

Tekken is based on the popular video game fighting series of the same name and features former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le as Bruce Lee knock-off Marshall Law and Huerta as Spanish brawler Miguel Rojo.

Where Is MMA’s Next Great Middleweight?

Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, BellatorFor all his pre-fight bluster, Chael Sonnen walked into the octagon as a major underdog against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, with most expecting him to emerge chastened and quieted, however briefly. Y…

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Anderson Silva kicks Chael Sonnen in the main event of UFC 117.For all his pre-fight bluster, Chael Sonnen walked into the octagon as a major underdog against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, with most expecting him to emerge chastened and quieted, however briefly. Yet for about 23 minutes, Sonnen did just what he said he would, dominating Silva as he seemingly coasted towards his moment of glory. It was not to be. In a comeback that will live on in MMA lore for years to come, Silva found a way to steal a win from Sonnen’s back pocket, trapping him with a fight-ending triangle/armbar submission.

Even in losing, though, Sonnen did something of immeasurable value to the UFC: he stayed a viable contender. Beyond the UFC’s long-reigning champion, a look at the 185-pound class worldwide shows a wide-open field. More specifically, most of the world’s top 10 middleweights are over 30 years old. While opportunities abound, though, few young 185-pound prospects have distinguished themselves.

Most weight classes have their exciting, young prodigies. Featherweight has Jose Aldo, welterweight has John Hathaway, and light-heavyweight has Jon Jones, among others. So where, we must ask, is the next great, young middleweight?

The Potato Index — ‘Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum’ Edition

(Okay Cung, you got your revenge on Scott Smith. We all saw it. There’s no need to rub it in by levitating. Photo courtesy of the "Fedor vs. Werdum Photos" gallery on MMAFighting.com.)
The Potato Index has been chewing its nails and tapping…

Cung Le Scott Smith Strikeforce
(Okay Cung, you got your revenge on Scott Smith. We all saw it. There’s no need to rub it in by levitating. Photo courtesy of the "Fedor vs. Werdum Photos" gallery on MMAFighting.com.)

The Potato Index has been chewing its nails and tapping its feet since Saturday night, just waiting for the chance to throw out some arbitrary numerical rankings at Fedor vs. Werdum. And now, the moment has arrived. Don’t mess it up, Potato Index. Please, for the love of God, act like you’ve been there before.

Fabricio Werdum +1,089
Any time you can accomplish something that’s never been done before, it’s a good day. Werdum stopped an unbeatable legend — quickly, we might add — and brought some glory back to BJJ. No matter what happens next in his career, Vai Cavalo will go down in history. And honestly, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Look how happy he is!

Fedor Emelianeko -113 
Fedor’s fight instincts are what set him apart from mere mortals, and have gotten him out of many a jam during his career, but they failed him on Saturday. He thought he had Werdum hurt and went in for the kill, but Werdum was playing possum, and seized on his first opportunity to hit the mat. Fedor could have played it safe against a superior grappler — he could have let Fabricio up so he could slug him some more — but that’s not what Fedor does, and that’s not why we love him. The loss only proves that Emelianenko is not literally invincible. It doesn’t affect his status as the greatest heavyweight of all time.

Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin +99, each
I know, these guys weren’t even at the show. But now their fight at UFC 116 will determine the #1 heavyweight fighter in the world on most ranking lists, simply by default. Next step: Unifying the WAMMA title.

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Fabricio Werdum Dethrones Top Heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko

Filed under: StrikeforceSAN JOSE, Calif. – Almost every underdog swears he’s going to shock the world. At the HP Pavilion on Saturday night, Fabricio Werdum actually did it.

The former jiu-jitsu world champion rebounded from early trouble against MMA …

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SAN JOSE, Calif. – Almost every underdog swears he’s going to shock the world. At the HP Pavilion on Saturday night, Fabricio Werdum actually did it.

The former jiu-jitsu world champion rebounded from early trouble against MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko in the Strikeforce main event to secure a first-round submission victory over the Russian who has dominated the heavyweight rankings, pulling off an improbable upset in front of a crowd of 12,698 shocked fans.

“This is the happiest day of my life,” said Werdum, who continued to call Emelianenko the greatest heavyweight in the world even after the win. “I waited for this fight my whole life.”

Falling Action: Best and Worst of Strikeforce – Fedor vs. Werdum

Filed under: StrikeforceAs Fedor Emelianenko gave his customarily muted, stoic remarks at Saturday night’s post-fight press conference — his attitude is almost exactly the same in defeat as in victory, it turns out — the party was already underway ou…

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As Fedor Emelianenko gave his customarily muted, stoic remarks at Saturday night’s post-fight press conference — his attitude is almost exactly the same in defeat as in victory, it turns out — the party was already underway out in the hallway.

Fabricio Werdum and his team of exuberant Brazilians turned the backstage area of the HP Pavilion into their own private Carnival, and the sound of their cheering almost drowned out Emelianenko’s brief responses.

They danced. They sang. They even got Forrest “Ghost Dog” Whitaker in on the act. When they returned to their hotel, they did a Gracie-train into the bar. In other words, they had an awesome time. Just imagine how crazy you’d go if somehow you made Fedor tap out in 69 seconds. Then multiply it by five or six very vocal Brazilians.

Smith Not Guaranteed Rubber Match With Le and Other Press Conference Notes

Filed under: StrikeforceThe tally may be even at one win apiece for Scott Smith and Cung Le after Le’s second-round TKO victory at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be meeting for a third bout any time soon, Strik…

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The tally may be even at one win apiece for Scott Smith and Cung Le after Le’s second-round TKO victory at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be meeting for a third bout any time soon, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said.

Responding to questions about whether a rubber match was guaranteed, as Smith’s manager, Mike Roberts, seemed to think was the case when he spoke with Sherdog.com before the bout, Coker said it might be a consideration eventually, but it’s by no means assured.

“We’ve had that conversation,” Coker said. “These guys, it was an amazing fight. Both fights were amazing fights. I think if they fought every weekend it would be amazing fights every weekend, like the Gatti-Ward fight, just those epic battles. When I think of Scott and Cung that’s what I think of. But there hasn’t been anything decided. I didn’t make that commitment to Scott or to Mike, actually.