You likely can recall last September, when the internet was rife with speculation and reports, as to whether or not “Rampage” Jackson would ever step foot in the Octagon again. At the time, the former light-heavyweight champ and UFC boss man Dana White were fully engaged in an all out ‘don’t blame me, blame him’ […]
You likely can recall last September, when the internet was rife with speculation and reports, as to whether or not “Rampage” Jackson would ever step foot in the Octagon again. At the time, the former light-heavyweight champ and UFC boss man Dana White were fully engaged in an all out ‘don’t blame me, blame him’ tit for tat, after Jackson postponed his December fight with Rashad Evans to take part in the A-Team. While many observers likely never thought Jackson was really ‘retired’ (somehow in sports the word retirement just doesn’t mean the same thing), we were kind of surprised to find out that Jackson had done a complete reversal earlier this year, when it was announced he had signed a new 6 fight deal.
After Jackson lost by UD to his arch nemesis Evans at UFC 114, and looked rusty while doing so, a lot of post fight talk immediately turned to who and Rampage would fight next (Lyoto Machida, November 20th…awesome). Talk about his acting career kind of seems to have taken a back seat no? Does that mean it’s MMA from here on out? Nope. In a recent interview with fellow A-Team actor Sharlto Copley, Rampage had this to say when asked about his future in fighting (thanks to MMA Bay for the tip).
“Honestly, when movies start paying me as much, just as much, same amount; I gotta keep up my lifestyle, I’m like done with fighting. Right now fighting is my bread, it’s my living.”
Huh. Not exactly a long term commitment to fighting now is it? (Not that anyone should truly be shocked by this) Your thoughts Mr. White?
In what is shaping up to be one of the biggest cards of the summer, World Extreme Cagefighting® has confirmed nine remaining bouts for its Aug. 18 card at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.
WEC General Manager Reed Harris announced today the following bouts: Shane Roller vs. Anthony Pettis, Chad […]
In what is shaping up to be one of the biggest cards of the summer, World Extreme Cagefighting® has confirmed nine remaining bouts for its Aug. 18 card at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.
WEC General Manager Reed Harris announced today the following bouts: Shane Roller vs. Anthony Pettis, Chad Mendes vs. Cub Swanson, Brad Pickett vs. Scott Jorgensen, Bart Palaszewski vs. Zack Mickleweight, Anthony Njokuani vs. Maciej Jewtuszko, Mackens Semerzier vs. Javier Vazquez, Dave Jansen vs. Ricardo Lamas, Fredson Paixao vs. Bryan Caraway, and Danny Castillo vs. Dustin Poirier.
“We are really excited to bring the best lighter weight fighters in the world back to the Palms,” Harris said. “All 10 fights on this card are dynamic and we expect to put on another one of the year’s most memorable events.”
Tickets for WEC: Cruz vs. Benavidez are on sale now and priced at $250, $175, and $100. Tickets are available at The Pearl box office, online at ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices do not include service charges.
Cruz vs. Benavidez will be televised nationally live on VERSUS beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. All of the network’s live WEC events are presented in HD and Spanish language SAP where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus.
Two of the world’s best lightweights collide with a potential title shot on the line when Shane Roller (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) takes on Anthony Pettis (fighting out of Milwaukee, Wis.). A three-time All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, the 30-year-old Roller has used his top-level grappling to fuel a three-fight win streak. Owning victories over Marcus Hicks, Danny Castillo, and Anthony Njokuani, the Marc Laimon-trained fighter believes a win over Pettis on Aug. 18 will propel him to a shot at WEC gold. Eager to earn a crack at the belt himself, the 23-year-old Pettis (9-1) plans to use electric striking and high-level jiu jitsu to diffuse Roller at The Palms. Perhaps the most dynamic fighter in the 155-pound division, “Showtime” Pettis looks to win his third straight when he meets Roller in Las Vegas.
The featherweight division’s hottest prospect faces the toughest test of his young career on Aug. 18 at the Palms. Unbeaten Chad Mendes (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.), a training partner of main event stars Joseph Benavidez and Urijah Faber, takes on seasoned veteran Cub Swanson (training out of Palms Springs, Calif.) in a hotly-anticipated 145-pound contest. Since joining WEC earlier this year, Mendes (7-0) has earned solid victories over Erik Koch and Anthony Morrison. His third fight in the organization pits him against Swanson, a phenomenal grappler and crafty striker. Boasting an impressive record of 14-3, Swanson trains alongside WEC stars Donald Cerrone and Leonard Garcia, as well as UFC contender Joe Stevenson. Fresh off a Fight of the Night performance against John Franchi in November, the 26-year-old looks to derail Mendes in their summer showdown.
Four consecutive victories have left Scott Jorgensen (fighting out of Boise, Idaho) knocking on the door step of a shot at the bantamweight crown. Before earning the coveted shot, the former Boise State University wrestler faces his toughest test to date, Englishman Brad Pickett (fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.). No stranger to tough fights, the 31-year-old Pickett owns 20 professional wins and is unbeaten at 2-0 in WEC. A slick submission ace who trains with former featherweight champion Mike Brown, “One Punch” hopes to leapfrog Jorgensen (10-3) on Aug. 18 and move one stop closer to becoming WEC’s first English-born world champion.
Expect a barnburner when Bart Palaszewski (fighting out of Wonder Lake, Ill.) trades leather with Zack Micklewright (fighting out of Davenport, Iowa) in lightweight action. After defeating Karen Darabedyan and Anthony Pettis in consecutive fights, the 27-year-old Palaszewski (33-13) has emerged as an immediate title contender. He hopes that a win over his 23-year-old opponent at The Palms will push him closer to a date with lightweight champion Ben Henderson. A solid striker with knockout power, Micklewright made his debut in December with an impressive victory over Muhsin Corbbrey. The Iowan hopes to continue his ascent in the WEC with a win over “Bartimus” in August.
Heavy-hitter Anthony Njokuani (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) faces a stern test on Aug. 18 when he collides with unbeaten Polish newcomer Maciej Jewtuszko (fighting out of Szczecin, Poland). Having earned “Knockout of the Night” honors in three out of his last four fights, the 30-year-old Njokuani believes he is the best fighter in the lightweight division. Standing in his way on the road to the title is the versatile Jewtuszko (7-0). With all of his wins coming by way of stoppage, the dangerous Polish fighter hopes an impressive win in his WEC debut can propel him into the 155-pound elite.
Recognized as one of the sport’s premier grapplers, Javier Vazquez (fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) returns to WEC after defeating Jens Pulver by first round submission in March. The 34-year-old looks to keep the momentum rolling when he locks horns with once-beaten featherweight Mackens Semerzier (fighting out of Virginia Beach, Va.). An aggressive, well-rounded fighter owning a record of 7-1, Semerzier boasts explosive athleticism and a knack for finishing fights. He’ll try to match wits with the Carlson Gracie black belt Vazquez (14-3) when the two enter the cage on Aug. 18.
An intriguing lightweight fight pits two of the division’s dominant wrestlers against one another when Dave Jansen (fighting out of Troutdale, Ore.) takes on Ricardo Lamas (fighting out of Chicago, Ill.). Training out of the same gym that has produced UFC middleweight star Chael Sonnen, the 29-year-old Jansen enters his third fight in the WEC determined to make a statement. Thus, the 11-1 Oregonian has knockout on the mind when he battles Lamas at The Palms. Having scored one of the year’s most devastating finishes in his last fight in March, the once-beaten Lamas (8-1) plans to beat Jansen to the punch on Aug. 18. The former Division III All-American wrestler looks to extend his winning streak to three with a dominant performance in Las Vegas.
Four-time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world champion Fredson Paixao (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) scored an impressive submission victory over Courtney Buck in his last fight in March. He’ll look to make it two in a row on Aug. 18 when he takes on Bryan Caraway (fighting out of Yakima, Wash.). A polished striker with a solid ground game, the 25-year-old Caraway (14-4) believes his well-rounded game will guide him to victory next month. Aware of the submission skills possessed by Paixao (9-3, 1 NC), expect the Washington native to test the Brazilian on the feet when the two collide at The Palms.
A member of Urijah Faber’s “Alpha Male” training team, Danny Castillo (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) is an explosive athlete boasting both power and finesse. As he prepares for his seventh fight in the WEC, the 30-year-old Castillo (8-3) hopes to rudely welcome newcomer Dustin Poirier (fighting out of Lafayette, La.). An exciting lightweight with a perfect record of 7-0, Poirier believes he can be the next big thing in the WEC’s lightweight division. With all seven of his victories coming by way of stoppage, you can be sure that the Louisiana native will come out swinging on Aug. 18.
For more information, visit www.wec.tv. Follow WEC at http://twitter.com/WEConVERSUS.
About World Extreme Cagefighting®
The WEC brand is recognized as one of the premier mixed martial arts organizations in the United States. WEC, founded in 2001, is the sister organization of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® and today features the most prominent light weight fighters in the world. Owned and operated by WEC Holdings LLC., and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., the WEC produces live and taped events annually that are distributed through the Versus network.WEC programming is also available on Fox Sports en Espanol. In addition to its U.S distribution, WEC programming is shown on The Score network in Canada, Setanta Sports in Australia, Globosat in Brazil, and Cadena Tres in Mexico. For more information and current WEC fight news, visit wec.tv. World Extreme Cagefighting® and WEC® are registered trademarks, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by WEC Holdings, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions and are licensed to WEC Productions, LLC.
About VERSUS
VERSUS, the fastest growing sports cable network in the country, prides itself on super-serving passionate sports fans across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the National Hockey League (NHL), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR). VERSUS also airs NASCAR, NBA, UFC, college football and college basketball programming. The network is home to the best outdoor programming on television and airs original programs not available anywhere else, including The Daily Line, Sports Soup and Sports Jobs with Junior Seau. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
About The Pearl:
The Pearl is Las Vegas’ premier concert theater boasting accommodations for up to 2,500 ticket holders. Featuring a stage just four feet from the floor and the furthest seating area being a mere 120 feet from the stage, The Pearl offers the utmost in intimate viewing of your favorite acts. Private and semi-private skyboxes are located on each side of the venue offering private bars, lounges and restrooms. The Pearl is a marvel of modern technology using only top quality sound and video equipment throughout. Hard wired to The Studio at The Palms, The Pearl allows artists to create a cost-effective live album with efficiency and without additional venue set-up. For more information, please visit www.palms.com.
If you’ve been following the verbal warfare Chael Sonnen’s launched at Anderson Silva as they head into their tilt next weekend, then you know he’s got a teee-onne of sh-t ready to be dumped on his bed, if he gets bombed out on the 7th. We jumped all over Chael’s ‘what did he say now?’ […]
If you’ve been following the verbal warfare Chael Sonnen’s launched at Anderson Silva as they head into their tilt next weekend, then you know he’s got a teee-onne of sh-t ready to be dumped on his bed, if he gets bombed out on the 7th. We jumped all over Chael’s ‘what did he say now?’ trash talk when the bout was first made official, but over the last couple of weeks, the tough as nails wrestler has really been pouring it on huh? Sure its damn entertaining, but even some of Sonnen’s biggest supporters must be thinking about the massive humble pie their boys going to have to eat, if he in fact loses.
It seemed like for a few days there (at least from our always clouded perspective) Sonnen’s trash talk had simmered down just a tad, but more recently, things have apparently ‘perked up.’ For example, in the recent UFC teleconference, Sonnen was quoted saying (thanks to ESPN UK for the quotes):
“I’m the toughest guy in the company period, whether it’s Anderson or any other opponent,” stated Sonnen. “There’s never been a guy with earrings that could out-tough me and he’s not going to be the first.”….”You’ve got to understand; I could drag Anderson Silva outside the hotel and beat him up any time I want. I’ve made a commitment to wait until August 7th and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure millions of people watch me do it.”
Wow. A little enraging here, a few laughs there; now that’s how you hype a fight no? To bet on the bout head here.
Back when your local pub would receive more requests to show bowling than the UFC, the tiny world of MMA was often a buzz about Phil “The New York Bad Ass” Baroni. Not just because of his ‘is this guy serious?’ showmanship, but also because of his ability to violently bounce opponent’s heads with his […]
Back when your local pub would receive more requests to show bowling than the UFC, the tiny world of MMA was often a buzz about Phil “The New York Bad Ass” Baroni. Not just because of his ‘is this guy serious?’ showmanship, but also because of his ability to violently bounce opponent’s heads with his fists. Baroni’s KTFO victory over Dave Menne at UFC 39 remains a highlight reel favorite; not bad for a clip that’s nearly 8 years old.
Of course Baroni’s career has had some ups, and quite a few downs, but a lot of old school fans continue to want to see him throw down. Case in point, the UFC brought Baroni back after he lost by UD to Joe Riggs at a Strikeforce event last June; how often does that happen?
Up next, Baroni was scheduled to fight John Salter at UFC 118 next month, but as bad luck would have it, the NYBA injured his collarbone in training and was forced to drop out. In a revealing interview with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani, Baroni not only talked about his financial need to fight, but also, his desire to regain some of the notoriety he once had. Here’s a sample:
“I just want to be a contender. I want respect from my peers, the fans, media and the promotions. I wanted to say, ‘I’m still here, don’t f**king forget about me. I’m not dead yet. I want to be a contender — I want to matter again. I want to be the biggest comeback story ever — a Cinderella Man.”
Alright, the sceptical alarm as to whether that’s possible is sounding, but that’s a pre-req for any comeback story no?
Looks like the UFC is pulling out all the stops as they arrive in Boston for the first time on August 28, with the Fan Expo taking place on August 27 and 28. UFC 118 will feature current UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar taking on former champion BJ Penn, and will bring a large […]
Looks like the UFC is pulling out all the stops as they arrive in Boston for the first time on August 28, with the Fan Expo taking place on August 27 and 28. UFC 118 will feature current UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar taking on former champion BJ Penn, and will bring a large number of UFC stars into the city. Here’s the release:
With the city of Boston buzzing about the arrival of the UFC® Fan ExpoTM at the John B. Hynes Convention Center on August 27 and 28, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® turned up the heat today by announcing the list of fighters that will participate in the weekend of festivities.
The following fighters will participate in autograph sessions and a variety of other fan activities: UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell, UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, WEC® lightweight champion Ben Henderson, WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, Carlos Condit, Clay Guida, Cole Miller, Efrain Escudero, Gabriel Gonzaga, Jon Jones, Josh Grispi, Kurt Pellegrino, Matt Hamill, Martin Kampmann, Pat Barry, Roy Nelson, Thiago Alves, Anthony Johnson, Ricardo Almeida, Renzo Gracie, and former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber. Additional fighters added to the UFC Fan Expo will be announced in the coming weeks.
All the UFC Fan Expo activities will be planned in conjunction with UFC 118, which takes place at TD Garden on Saturday, Aug. 28. Headlined by a lightweight title rematch between champion Frankie Edgar and former division leader BJ Penn, UFC 118 also marks the mixed martial arts debut of three-time world champion boxer James Toney, who will take on UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture.
For more information on UFC Fan Expo and to purchase tickets, visit www.ufcfanexpo.com. To subscribe to the official UFC Fan Expo newsletter visit www.ufcfanexpo.com/newsletter. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Ed Gallo, Event Director at 1-203-840-5546 or email [email protected]. Don’t wait, space is limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ultimate Fighting Championship® – www.ufc.com
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually and 30 live arena events around the world. UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s Versus network. UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 130 countries and territories, reaching over 400 million homes worldwide, in 19 different languages. Ancillary businesses now include UFC.com with over 5 million unique visitors per month, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC GymTM, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan ExpoTM festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, articulated action figures and other media including best-selling DVDs and a U.S. bimonthly magazine.
Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa®, The OctagonTM and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC, its affiliates or other respective owners.
About Reed Exhibitions
The UFC Fan Expo is operated by Reed Exhibitions, the world’s leading events organizer, with over 470 events in 37 countries. In 2008, Reed brought together over seven million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today, Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organized by 38 fully staffed offices.
Reed organizes a wide range of events, including exhibitions, conferences, congresses and meetings. Its portfolio of over 470 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: Aerospace & aviation, automobiles, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering, manufacturing, environment, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewelry, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, medical education, printing & graphics, property & real estate, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel. Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.
