Next weekend, “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (32-4) will look to prove he still knows how to win fights, squaring off against the fellow MMA veteran Jeff Monson in the main event of M-1 Global’s “Battle of Legends” in Moscow, Russia. The event will mark Emelianenko’s first bout in Russia since the BodogFights encounter with the now-retired Matt Lindland.
The “black stripe” of Fedor Emelianenko‘s career started back in June of 2009 with what was then a shocking defeat to Fabricio Werdum in just 60 seconds. The negative streak continued with a painful-to-watch TKO loss to the “Bigfoot”Antonio Silva, and the latest disappointment just a few months ago against Dan “Hendo” Henderson.
Against Jeff Monson, Fedor and his team hope for a different outcome.
By Anton Gurevich, Lowkick.com
(Photo courtesy of Lowkick.com/A.Gurevich)
Next weekend, “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (32-4) will look to prove he still knows how to win fights, squaring off against the fellow MMA veteran Jeff Monson in the main event of M-1 Global’s “Battle of Legends” in Moscow, Russia. The event will mark Emelianenko’s first bout in Russia since the BodogFights encounter with the now-retired Matt Lindland.
The “black stripe” of Fedor Emelianenko‘s career started back in June of 2009 with what was then a shocking defeat to Fabricio Werdum in just 60 seconds. The negative streak continued with a painful-to-watch TKO loss to the “Bigfoot”Antonio Silva, and the latest disappointment just a few months ago against Dan “Hendo” Henderson.
Against Jeff Monson, Fedor and his team hope for a different outcome.
The main part of Emelianenko’s training camp for Jeff Monson took place in Special Sports Gym in Amstelveen, Netherlands (20 minutes from Amsterdam). I had an exciting opportunity to interview Fedor Emelianenko in Netherlands (3 hours by train from my home, up north in Groningen), ahead of what could easily be the most important fight of his illustrious MMA career. Visibly reenergized Emelianenko shared about his plans for the fight with Jeff Monson, and what he’s been concentrating on in this training camp
“I don’t like to talk about other fighter’s weaknesses. That’s something we’ll be able to find out during the fight,” he said. ”Jeff Monson is physically strong, and has a very good ground game, with both wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He’s a game opponent.”
Check out the rest of this Lowkick.com exclusive interview with “The Last Emperor” HERE.
When Gina Carano quietly slipped away from MMA for two years, many thought that Strikeforce was grooming Ronda Rousey to be the next face of women’s MMA.
Last weekend “Rowdy” Rousey spoke with Ariel Helwani about a variety of subjects and the outspoken decorated judoka who faces Julia Budd later this month had a lot to say on what makes women marketable in the sport among other topics.
Check out the quick quotes from the interview after the jump.
(Video courtesy of AOL)
When Gina Carano quietly slipped away from MMA for two years, many thought that Strikeforce was grooming Ronda Rousey to be the next face of women’s MMA.
Last weekend “Rowdy” Rousey spoke with Ariel Helwani about a variety of subjects and the outspoken decorated judoka who faces Julia Budd later this month had a lot to say on what makes women marketable in the sport among other topics.
Here’s what Miss Rousey had to say about:
Her submission win over Sarah D’Alelio in her last bout:
“She was screaming and I could actually feel her arm popping out and if you dislocate someone’s arm [with an armbar] it’s actually in the most sensitive area of your body. So if you’re implying that I’m imagining sensations in that area, then we have another argument on our hands. I thought she was yelling, ‘Tap, tap!’ as loud as she could.Other people told me they heard that too. She said she was just yelling out, but they tell you right before you walk in that anything verbal during the submission is a verbal submission. It counts as tapping. I thought she couldn’t tap because she was falling forward and using her arm to catch herself. I think if she could have tapped she would [have].”
What makes her a marketable commodity:
“Well I’m doing the best to be as marketable as possible… I’m training as hard as possible. I want to have an exciting style — not just to win matches, but to win them impressively. And I took the time to do my hair and nails and make-up today. You have to do everything that you can to make it interesting. I think that if you want to bring in new fans you really have to play up that entertainment aspect. If the fan’s already there, they’re going to start appreciating you and the actual skill and athleticism that goes into fighting. To bring people in you’ve got to show them something bright and shiny at first to get them to look. Then it’s the skill and true sportsmanship that gets them to stay.”
Her recent trend of putting out video blogs with deceiving titles like “RONDA ROUSEY UNEDITED SEX VIDEO.”
“I just kind of think that if an unedited sex video comes out later, then people just won’t believe the title and they won’t click on it, so then I’ll get away with it. I’m just saying it’s a possibility I’m prepared for.”
Her short and long term goals in the sport:
“I’ve only been doing MMA for one year and I’ve had six fights in 12 months. I would like to have five or six more professional fights before I went for a title. Miesha Tate did kinda call me out on Twitter, so I’m considering getting some extra fights down at 135 and slapping that title out of her hands, first and then grabbing the other one second and hopefully unifying the two divisions.”
Her thoughts on fighting Carano at this point in her young career:
“I would fight her today, for sure. I don’t think she would want to fight me right away. I think we’d both be better off if she came back and had a couple really good impressive looking wins first, and then let me beat her later.”
If any of you were worried (and we know some were since we read the comments here) that the reason your *former* fantasy girlfriend Gina Carano pulled out of her June Strikeforce return bout against Sarah D’Alelio was that she was pregnant, you can put her poster back up above your bed and her pillowcase back on in place of your Empire Strikes Back one.
Gina says she wasn’t with child, that is unless you’re counting Kit Cope and that her mystery illness will remain just that.
(Video courtesy of YouTube/MMAHEAT)
If any of you were worried (and we know some were since we read the comments here) that the reason your *former* fantasy girlfriend Gina Carano pulled out of her June Strikeforce return bout against Sarah D’Alelio was that she was pregnant, you can put her poster back up above your bed and her pillowcase back on in place of your Empire Strikes Back one.
Gina says she wasn’t with child, that is unless you’re counting Kit Cope and that her mystery illness will remain just that.
Carano, who counts Ewan McGregor as “by far one of her most favorite human beings on the planet” told MMA H.E.A.T. host Karyn Bryant Saturday night that, contrary to popular belief, the baby she wasn’t carrying wasn’t Randy Couture’s and the non-existent pregnancy wasn’t the reason she went to train with Team Jackson for the camp.
“You know, I tried to fight in June, but I had to pull out for some medical reasons. I had the most beautiful training camp with everybody up at Greg Jackson’s [gym].No, [I haven’t revealed the health issue that made me unable to fight in June]. It was personal,” she says. “People were saying that it was Randy Couture[‘s baby I was pregnant with]…Yeah. It’s like so messed up. No. None of that. Thank God.THANK GOD.Absolutely thank God. None of that. Randy’s like my…He’s like my brother, or older brother. Yeah.”
As far as her new timetable for a return to fighting, Carano says that she hasn’t really had time to think about it since she’s so busy living the life of a Hollywood actress with the release of Haywire rapidly approaching in January.
“Now my focus is…I’m kind of a ‘one step at a time’ type of girl; my focus is to get this movie out January 20 and get on the other side of that ‘cos this has been something that has been building for the last two years now.As soon as I get on the other side of that, I can focus more. Until then I’m kind of like, ‘Ugh!’ It’s only a couple more months, too. So I’ve got a bunch of press to do and then I’m gonna get on the other side of it and just be happy,” she explains. “I am a one step at a time kind of girl so my focus is on getting this movie out…As soon as I can get on the other side of that, I can focus more.”
Let the irresponsible speculation as to Gina’s “medical issue” by the Potato Nation’s armchair medical experts begin.
Kimbo, I dare you. Right now, I want you and if you give me a chance to redeem myself as far as boxing… You can’t beat a real boxer. You can’t. I mean, right now, I respect you as an MMA fighter before but boxing… night and day. I’ve been there, I’ve done that and I’ve tried MMA, I failed. So now you’re in my ring. In my ring, I can’t be beat. I don’t care if it’s Royce Gracie or Kimbo Slice. It’s been a few years (since my last boxing match) but you gotta understand, I’m in the gym every day. … I don’t see him lasting three rounds with me. I want it to happen right now, me and Kimbo Slice. I’m calling him out.
So, on an anticipation scale of 1 to 10, 1 being Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Fulton 2, and 10 being Zimmer vs. Martinez 2, how stoked are you for this fight? Take the weekend to think this one over, Potato Nation.
The Marines, enjoying someone fighting for them for a change. (Photo: MMAOnTap.com)
There is no shortage of military metaphors in the world of MMA. “War Diaz.” “War Penn.” Our athletes don’t just compete, they go to battle. Even that shirt you claim not to own is ‘an expression of combat known worldwide’.
But these are mere words. For a select few of the sport’s elite, the challenges they encounter inside of the cage are nothing compared to the trials they signed up for by enlisting in the armed forces. It turns out the reasons MMA fighters serve their country, and their experiences in the military, are as varied as anyone else’s. As we celebrate Veteran’s Day, check out a quick glimpse of their lives in uniform.
Thanks to the folks at Ranger Up for making their crew available.
The Marines, enjoying someone fighting for them for a change. (Photo: MMAOnTap.com)
There is no shortage of military metaphors in the world of MMA. “War Diaz.” “War Penn.” Our athletes don’t just compete, they go to battle. Even that shirt you claim not to own is ‘an expression of combat known worldwide’.
But these are mere words. For a select few of the sport’s elite, the challenges they encounter inside of the cage are nothing compared to the trials they signed up for by enlisting in the armed forces. It turns out the reasons MMA fighters serve their country, and their experiences in the military, are as varied as anyone else’s. As we celebrate Veteran’s Day, check out a quick glimpse of their lives in uniform.
Thanks to the folks at Ranger Up for making their crew available.
Sergeant, United States Marine Corps (5 years), three tours to Iraq
What drew you to enlist in the armed forces?
I was drawn to the military because I love a challenge and I love to travel, two things I thought the marine corps could offer me. I was going to school full time and working full time and I couldn’t afford college anymore. I had done my research and knew that I could get the gi bill which would pay for school. All the stories I heard about missions and boot camp sounded amazing. Everything just seemed to add up that the military was my best option.
On a typical day in service you’d find me…
A typical day in the military consisted of little sleep and sacrificing that little to sleep to lift weights and run. In Iraq after my workout I’d walk to work with my weapon and gear. As a unit we’d do morning fod walk then work off the aircraft maintenance in our shift. While I was working and waiting for equipment to test I’d usually do pushups, squats, lunges, and curls with the tools I had. After my 12-16 hour workday I’d do my long walk home. It was chill time alone to relax and mellow out from the workday. By the time I got back to the can or hut I lived in I would just shower then listen to music or try and watch a movie on a friends working laptop.
What has your time in the military meant to you?
My time in the military was opportunity. I met people I never would have met and saw things I never would have seen. It also opened up doors that previously weren’t even possible. College, something previously taken off the shelf was made possible again. I met people that introduced me to sports I had always been interested in like snowboarding and skydiving. My time in the military represented a lot growth for me.
Ranger Qualified Special Forces Sniper (2003-Present), Bronze Star recipient
What drew you to enlist in the armed forces?
9-11 had a really big impact on me in the sense that it gave me an opportunity to look at my life and I thought it was a very pointless, pathetic, narcesis, ethnocentric existence. I wanted to do something important, so I enlisted to change my life.
On a typical day in service you’d find me…
My unit, we’re shooters. So we spend three days of the week at the range. So Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, we’re at the range, and Monday we’re getting ready for the range and Friday cleaning up after the range.
What has your time in the military meant to you?
Having the honor to defend our country is something that every single person should do in their life. I’m not saying everybody has to be a shooter, but it changed me in every way. A shit head in 2002 to a hard working, productive member of society within two years. It changed my life in every way. So now when people are using their constitutional first amendment right—even if it’s things that make my blood boil—when it happens I know I’ve done my job because I’ve fought for the constitution and to defend this country and now they’re using that right that I’ve defended. So I love seeing people do things that I’ve fought for.
Private First Class (E-3), U.S Army (1990-1992) Montgomery G.I. Bill
What drew you to enlist in the armed forces?
I enlisted in the army because I was coming out of high school with no real plans and had gotten my girlfriend pregnant so I had to do something to provide.
On a typical day in service you’d find me…
On a typical day you would find me in the motor pool working on our M-1 tank.
What has your time in the military meant to you?
I’ve found that it’s helped with life in general. I’ve also found a much deeper appreciation for my country as well.
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Today is about more than bitching that you can’t go to the bank and the ability to speed through school zones. If you see a man or woman in uniform, let them know that they are appreciated.
(Marine Corps Captain Brian Stann receiving his Silver Star in March 2006 for bravery and leadership in battle)
Today marks the 236th birthday of the United States Marines, and as such, I thought it would be fitting to print an outtake quote from an interview I did with Brian Stann earlier this month for a recent Fighters Only Magazine story.
When talk turned to the growing contingent of MMA fans who have publicly blasted “All American” for memorializing his fallen military brothers and sisters, Stann, a decorated retired Marine said that he makes no apologies for paying them tribute whenever he has a public forum to do so.
Read Brian’s take on the subject after the jump.
By Mike Russell
(Marine Corps Captain Brian Stann receiving his Silver Star in March 2006 for bravery and leadership in battle)
Today marks the 236th birthday of the United States Marines, and as such, I thought it would be fitting to print an outtake quote from an interview I did with Brian Stann earlier this month for a recent Fighters Only Magazine story.
When talk turned to the growing contingent of MMA fans who have publicly blasted “All American” for memorializing his fallen military brothers and sisters, Stann, a decorated retired Marine said that he makes no apologies for paying them tribute whenever he has a public forum to do so.
“They just don’t understand. I don’t like to say it’s ignorance, because I don’t want to insult anybody, but they aren’t educated or informed about the topic. When guys like me and Tim [Kennedy] talk about the military as much as we do, I like to give compare it to the analogy of being in a serious car crash and losing someone you care about in the accident,” Stann explains. “That incident is going to stick with you the rest of your life and you aren’t ever going to forget it. And you’re probably going to memorialize that person or that event in a lot of different aspects of your life. I’ve seen people run marathons for friends or cousins who they’ve lost to regular everyday tragedies and diseases.”
“Tim and I went to war several times and we’ve experienced the loss of people very close to us and of course we’re going to talk about them and memorialize them and pay tribute to them when we get the opportunity on national TV. I don’t care how many people make fun of us on Twitter or make comments on forums about us being too patriotic or overly pro-military. They aren’t going to stop me from doing that. Period,” he says. “I’ve seen a lot of those [derogatory]comments. I try to stay away from reading things like that on forums and social media. The things I do read are what people tell me about. It has nothing to do with what the war was about or any political or moral stance; it’s simply about the young men and women who volunteered to server their country and were put into a war and didn’t survive. Those memories stick with you for a long time.”
We’ll have more from the interview with Stann next week.
Cage Potato would like to wish the USMC a happy birthday and thank the scores of Marines who have fought for the freedom of citizens from countless countries around the world these past 236 years. Semper Fi!
