(The UFC Fighter Summit has a storybook ending. Congrats, Janitor.)
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…
– BJ Penn and Jake Shields Want to Fight Each Other (LowKick)
– Shane Carwin’s Cardio Under Microscope at UFC 131 (NBC Sports MMA)
– Rashad Evans Explains His Nightclub Altercation With Jon Jones; Insists ‘Bones’ Ducked Him (MMA Mania)
– Mac Danzig Out of Next Month’s Anticipated Clash With Donald Cerrone, Vagner Rocha to Replace (Five Ounces of Pain)
– Matt Mitrione: If Ortiz Is Still Upset After Confrontation, ‘Then We Can Scrap’ (MMA Fighting)
– Your Favorite Hooters Girl to Serve Ring Cards at ‘UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber II’ (5thRound)
– This Will Be the Strangest Seven-Second Knockout You Will See This Year (MiddleEasy)
– Mark Coleman ‘Would Drop Everything’ To Fight Herschel Walker (MMA Convert)
– Video: Hector Lombard Gets Pissed at Reporter After Bellator 44 (TheFightNerd)
(The UFC Fighter Summit has a storybook ending. Congrats, Janitor.)
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…
– BJ Penn and Jake Shields Want to Fight Each Other (LowKick)
– Shane Carwin’s Cardio Under Microscope at UFC 131 (NBC Sports MMA)
– Rashad Evans Explains His Nightclub Altercation With Jon Jones; Insists ‘Bones’ Ducked Him (MMA Mania)
– Mac Danzig Out of Next Month’s Anticipated Clash With Donald Cerrone, Vagner Rocha to Replace (Five Ounces of Pain)
– Matt Mitrione: If Ortiz Is Still Upset After Confrontation, ‘Then We Can Scrap’ (MMA Fighting)
– Your Favorite Hooters Girl to Serve Ring Cards at ‘UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber II’ (5thRound)
– This Will Be the Strangest Seven-Second Knockout You Will See This Year (MiddleEasy)
– Mark Coleman ‘Would Drop Everything’ To Fight Herschel Walker (MMA Convert)
– Video: Hector Lombard Gets Pissed at Reporter After Bellator 44 (TheFightNerd)
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.
“The Prodigy” B.J. Penn’s return to the welterweight division was glorious with a vicious knockout of rival Matt Hughes in their rubber fight in November of 2010.Twenty-one seconds into the first round, Penn’s hand was raised in victory as Hughes laid …
“The Prodigy” B.J. Penn’s return to the welterweight division was glorious with a vicious knockout of rival Matt Hughes in their rubber fight in November of 2010.
Twenty-one seconds into the first round, Penn’s hand was raised in victory as Hughes laid unconscious on the Octagon floor as B.J. earned Knockout of the Night honors.
Following this stunning defeat, “The Prodigy” earned a disappointing draw at UFC 127 in Australia against Jon Fitch.
Neither fighter able to capitalize on their opponent’s mistakes, this lackluster affair came to an end under a banner of disappointment for Penn.
Alternatively, Jake Shields was riding a seven-year winning streak when he entered the UFC cage against the current welterweight champion, Georges St-Pierre, at UFC 129.
Delivering an inconsistent offense with moments of brilliance overshadowed by a hesitant drive for victory, Shields suffered a unanimous decision defeat to St-Pierre.
Currently rehabilitating from shoulder surgery, Jon Fitch is unable to compete in the rematch against Penn.
Anxious to compete prior to Fitch’s full recovery, Penn has taken it upon himself to call out the former Elite XC champion Jake Shields.
Commenting via Twitter, Penn tweeted, “I would never challenge one of Cesar Gracie’s guys, but you’ve been calling me out for years. Let’s do it! I’ll contact Dana.”
Responding without hesitation, Shields replied, “I’m a BJ fan but let’s get it on. Make the call. Let’s go!”
Additionally, upping the ante, Shields tweeted, “Even better, let’s make it the first 5 round non-title fight.”
Both Penn and Shields are phenomenally talented Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners.
With the possibility of the ground game nullified by both fighter’s jiu-jitsu wizardry, this welterweight clash may come down to stand-up striking ability and cardiovascular conditioning.
A fight of this magnitude between two of the sport’s best welterweight fighters should be epic and a tremendous crowd-pleasing affair.
No word as of yet if this matchup is scheduled to take place. Stay tuned for details as they unfold.
BJ Penn has taken to Twitter (possibly for some of that Zuffa incentive cash) to call out Jake Shields. Guess, (just like the rest of us) even Penn isn’t interested in that Jon Fitch rematch..
BJ Penn has taken to Twitter (possibly for some of that Zuffa incentive cash) to call out Jake Shields. Guess, (just like the rest of us) even Penn isn’t interested in that Jon Fitch rematch.
Penn tweeted to Shields:
I would never challenge one of Cesar Gracie’s guys, but you’ve been calling me out for years.Let’s do it! I’ll contact Dana
Shields responded with the following tweets:
I’m a BJ fan but let’s get it on. Make the call
even better, let’s make it the first 5 round non-title fight
(Does this look like a dude who should be deprived of what he wants? Pic: Sherdog)
As avid readers of our keen, in-depth statistical analysis, we know that you know that we know that Jake Ellenberger is currently riding a four-fight win-streak in the UFC. After going to Toronto and knocking out short-notice opponent Sean Pierson (just like we told you he would) last month Ellenberger remains undefeated since his split decision loss to Carlos Condit in his Octagon debut (a fight he appeared to be on his way to winning before gassing out) way back in September, 2009. Now that he’s home in Nebraska rehabbing the hand he broke on Pierson’s face, Ellenberger is going back to basics, returning to a strategy he adopted some months ago: Trying to trash-talk his way into a fight with Jake Shields.
Except here’s the difference: If not for that original loss to Condit at UFN 19, people might just be talking about a 5-0 (in the UFC) Jake Ellenberger as a potential top candidate to get a welterweight title shot one of these days soon. So now that Ellenberger is soaring and the Shields hype-wagon has been slowed a bit by his do-nothing performance against Georges St. Pierre at UFC 129, maybe this booking wouldn’t seem so crazy. Hmmmm?
(Does this look like a dude who should be deprived of what he wants? Pic: Sherdog)
As avid readers of our keen, in-depth statistical analysis, we know that you know that we know that Jake Ellenberger is currently riding a four-fight win-streak in the UFC. After going to Toronto and knocking out short-notice opponent Sean Pierson (just like we told you he would) last month Ellenberger remains undefeated since his split decision loss to Carlos Condit in his Octagon debut (a fight he appeared to be on his way to winning before gassing out) way back in September, 2009. Now that he’s home in Nebraska rehabbing the hand he broke on Pierson’s face, Ellenberger is going back to basics, returning to a strategy he adopted some months ago: Trying to trash-talk his way into a fight with Jake Shields.
Except here’s the difference: If not for that original loss to Condit at UFN 19, people might just be talking about a 5-0 (in the UFC) Jake Ellenberger as a potential top candidate to get a welterweight title shot one of these days soon. So now that Ellenberger is soaring and the Shields hype-wagon has been slowed a bit by his do-nothing performance against Georges St. Pierre at UFC 129, maybe this booking wouldn’t seem so crazy. Hmmmm?
In fact, Ellenberger strikes us as sort of a perfect opponent for Shields at this point. Shields has long been considered one of the top welterweights (and maybe one of the top middleweights) on the planet, but before coming to the UFC he spent the last couple of years feasting on lesser competition in Strikeforce. Since his arrival in the Octagon, he frankly hasn’t seemed all that spectacular. Meanwhile, Ellenberger has been steadily climbing the ranks. We’re seeing a classic litmus-test situation for both fighters here.
As for Shields’ recent loss to GSP, Ellenberger tells Sherdog.com this week that he hasn’t even watched it yet. He says he will, but it sounds like he’ll do it more out of professional obligation than anything else.
“Will I watch it? Probably,” he said. “But I bet it’s going to go exactly the way that I thought. If they do make that match and me and Jake get to fight, he’s not a hard guy to figure out. I feel like I can beat him right now.”
You may remember that Ellenberger began singling out Shields as far back as November of last year, immediately following the former Strikeforce champ’s underwhelming promotional debut against Martin Kampmann. Ellenberger took his beef with Shields to (we mean, where else) Twitter and bombed away with such gems as: “Jake Shields, you’re as exciting as watching a bowl of mash potatoes get cold …Your days are numbered” and “Jake Shields’ cardio won’t be a factor if he fights me next. I won’t keep him around long enough to get tired.”
It’s too bad the UFC wasn’t offering cash bonuses for creative tweeting last year, are we right? Are we right?
Anyway, instead of giving Ellenberger (then just 2-1 in the UFC) what he wanted, the UFC teased him with a bout against Jon Fitch – only to give Fitch a chance at BJ Penn instead — before ultimately allowing him to whoop up on Carlos Eduardo Rocha and then Pierson (as an injury replacement for Brian Foster). Somewhere in there, Ellenberger reportedly lost his job as an assistant wrestling coach when the University of Nebraska-Omaha announced it would cut that sport while making the jump to Division I. It’s unknown if Ellenberger will be one of the coaches retained as most of the program (including the head coach and many of the athletes) decamps for Maryville University in St. Louis.
Signs point to no, since he’s talking like a guy who’s looking for a big pay day. Either way, it’s pretty clear what he really wants. Now it just remains to be seen if he gets it.
It appears that not everyone associated in mixed martial arts was aware of Shane Carwin stepping in to replace 
