Tag: Jorge Rivera

Jorge Rivera Fondly Recalls Getting His Ass Kicked in His First Pro Fight

("Did you not see the ‘No Solicitors’ sign?" PicProps: 360Fitness.Com)
At this point, it’s pretty hard to imagine Jorge Rivera as anything besides the grizzled 38-year-old MMA veteran who’s compiled 12 fights in the Octagon during…


("Did you not see the ‘No Solicitors’ sign?" PicProps: 360Fitness.Com)

At this point, it’s pretty hard to imagine Jorge Rivera as anything besides the grizzled 38-year-old MMA veteran who’s compiled 12 fights in the Octagon during an on-again, off-again seven-year career with the UFC. Maybe that’s why Rivera’s Sunday trip down memory lane with serious journalist Ben Fowlkes – which we’re led to believe is the first installment of a recurring series by MMA Fighting where fighters reflect on their first pro bouts – is so damned compelling.

Back in 2001, Rivera was just a wet-behind-the-ears 29-year-old when he showed up at a “Reality Superfighting” event called “Attack at the Track” in Chester, WV to make his pro debut against Hammer House competitor and future UFC washout Brandon Lee Hinkle.  Details on the exact location are sketchy, but from the clever name we can only assume the show took place at some kind of seedy dog/horse/stock car racing venue in a town boasting a population of 2,592, according to its own Wikipedia page. Sounds lovely.

"I really just wanted to know how good I was, because I honestly had no idea,” remembers Rivera, who’d had a couple amateur fights before turning pro. “It turned out the other guy was much better."

read more

My First Fight: Jorge Rivera

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse ExclusiveOn Nov. 13, MMA veteran Jorge Rivera will attempt to extend his three-fight winning streak against Alessio Sakara at UFC 122 in Oberhausen, Germany. But before he finds out what his future holds, Rivera took a look b…

Filed under: ,

On Nov. 13, MMA veteran Jorge Rivera will attempt to extend his three-fight winning streak against Alessio Sakara at UFC 122 in Oberhausen, Germany. But before he finds out what his future holds, Rivera took a look back at his past with us for a new feature on MMA Fighting where fighters revisit their very first professional MMA bout to tell us what they remember now, and what they’ve learned since.

The year was 2001. Jorge Rivera, then 29 years old, had come down from Milford, Mass. to Chester, W. Va. for one simple reason.

“I really just wanted to know how good I was, because I honestly had no idea. It turned out the other guy was much better.”

The MMA Hour With Lenne Hardt, Jorge Rivera, Lyle ‘Fancy Pants’ Beerbohm

Filed under: DREAM, MMA Videos, UFC, Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive, VideosThe Thursday edition of The MMA Hour returns this week with a 90-minute episode featuring four guests from around the world of mixed martial arts.

* Lenne Hardt, the famous PA…

Filed under: , , , , ,

The Thursday edition of The MMA Hour returns this week with a 90-minute episode featuring four guests from around the world of mixed martial arts.

* Lenne Hardt, the famous PA announcer for PRIDE and now DREAM, will join the show from Tokyo to talk about how she developed the most unique announcing style in MMA.

* Jorge Rivera, who faces Alessio Sakara at UFC 122 next week, will preview his co-main event fight.

* Lyle Beerbohm, fresh off his win this weekend, which improved his record to 15-0, will update us on his career and what’s next for “Fancy Pants.”

* And MMA Fighting’s own Mike Chiappetta will break down all kinds of news and notes making headlines.

And of course, we’ll be taking your calls. Give us a shout at: 212-254-0193 or 212-254-0237.

Watch the show below. Download the MP3 here. Download previous episodes of The MMA Hour on iTunes here.

‘UFC 122: Marquardt vs. Okami’ — Extended Video Preview

(Props: fromhit)
UFC 122 may not be stacked — it’s Germany, those haters should be glad they’re getting anything — but it’ll be broadcast free on Spike, it’s full of potentially exciting matchups, and it’ll have serious implications f…

(Props: fromhit)

UFC 122 may not be stacked — it’s Germany, those haters should be glad they’re getting anything — but it’ll be broadcast free on Spike, it’s full of potentially exciting matchups, and it’ll have serious implications for the UFC’s middleweight division. In the main event, Nate Marquardt and Yushin Okami will face off for a title shot against the winner of Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort. Marquardt and Okami are two guys who have spent their UFC careers clawing their way almost to the top, but falling just short of the glory. Earlier in his UFC career, Marquardt was TKO’d by Anderson Silva in the Spider’s first official title defense at UFC 73; this year, Marquardt suffered a decision loss to Chael Sonnen, snapping a fearsome three-knockout run.

As for Okami, the Japanese standout was outpointed in a previous #1-contender match against Rich Franklin at UFC 72, and was also stymied by Chael Sonnen last October. In other words, UFC 122’s headliners have endured the same setbacks — and they both know that the big opportunities don’t last forever. It’s do or die time. At Jackson’s MMA and Grudge Training Center, Marquardt is getting the best preparation that this country has to offer, and he’s a powerful, vicious striker. Okami is a deceptively strong fighter with great conditioning, who might be able to smother Marquardt just like Sonnen did.

read more

Former Foe Jorge Rivera Sympathetic to Nate Quarry’s Career Uncertainty

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse ExclusiveWhile some MMA fans may have been surprised and dismayed to hear that UFC veteran Nate Quarry is considering retirement, one man who isn’t so shocked is Jorge Rivera, who handed Quarry his most recent loss at a UFC F…

Filed under: ,

While some MMA fans may have been surprised and dismayed to hear that UFC veteran Nate Quarry is considering retirement, one man who isn’t so shocked is Jorge Rivera, who handed Quarry his most recent loss at a UFC Fight Night event back in March.

“I understand. I get it,” Rivera told MMA Fighting on Tuesday. “You know, you can only go so long. I’m sure he has plans with his life, and you only want to take so many beatings. You only want to suffer so much, because there’s life after fighting, man. Hopefully there’s a good, long life after fighting.”

Quarry, who required facial reconstructive surgery to put thirteen screws and a titanium mesh in his cheek after a particularly brutal TKO loss to Rivera, told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour that he wasn’t completely certain he’d ever fight again.

Alessio Sakara Out of UFC 118, Gerald Harris Likely to Face Joe Vedepo

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, NewsA knee injury has forced surging Italian striker Alessio Sakara off the UFC 118 card, and the UFC middleweight who was scheduled to fight Gerald Harris is likely to be replaced by returning Joe Vedepo.

A sourc…

Filed under: , ,

A knee injury has forced surging Italian striker Alessio Sakara off the UFC 118 card, and the UFC middleweight who was scheduled to fight Gerald Harris is likely to be replaced by returning Joe Vedepo.

A source with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Fighting of the change.

Sakara had originally been scheduled to face Jorge Rivera, who himself had to withdraw from the event after breaking his arm. Harris replaced Rivera, and now Harris will likely face a replacement fighter himself.