It wasn’t long ago that reports were firing around the internet stating that Yoshihiro Akiyama had taken his gloves and gone home, after finding out that he’d fight Chris Leben at UFC 113, instead of the injured Wanderlei Silva. Of course, despite his despair about the fact he would no longer be fighting “a big […]
It wasn’t long ago that reports were firing around the internet stating that Yoshihiro Akiyama had taken his gloves and gone home, after finding out that he’d fight Chris Leben at UFC 113, instead of the injured Wanderlei Silva. Of course, despite his despair about the fact he would no longer be fighting “a big name” like “The Axe Murderer”, Akiyama showed up and threw down, only to lose by submission in what was one hell of a thrilling fight (as we predicted no?)
Recently it was announced that Akiyama will once again partake in what should be another entertaining fight, as it was confirmed that the judo star would face Michael Bisping, October 16th at UFC 120. Now, we know what you’re wondering; does Bisping qualify as a big enough star for Akiyama? Well, according to a report from MMA Bay, the answer is yes and then some…
“I am very excited to fight Michael Bisping on his home ground, from what I understand Bisping is popular like David Beckham there, and I am honored. I want to show to the world that Asian fighters can stand toe-to-toe with the world’s best, and I hope to see Asian fans at the fight in London.”
Wow. Beckham huh? (Insert “Bend it like Beckham” joke here). No wonder Akiyama is so thrilled…maybe Posh Spice will be in attendance to really get “Sexyama” amped for the bout. Talk about the star factor aside, this should be a doozy.
Props must go out to MiddleEasy who found this gem which showcases the announcer fail at the just passed Impact FC event. Wow. The Impact FC event seems to have generated a fair bit of media and fan buzz, but will it translate into profit? We’ll do a report on it when […]
Props must go out to MiddleEasy who found this gem which showcases the announcer fail at the just passed Impact FC event. Wow. The Impact FC event seems to have generated a fair bit of media and fan buzz, but will it translate into profit? We’ll do a report on it when more information comes out.
Former UFC champion Matt Serra is set to take on Chris “Lights Out” Lytle at UFC 119 and while Serra thought the first fight was decent, he’s hoping the rematch will be better. Serra took a razor thin split decision victory and will look to build on his UFC 109 victory over Frank Trigg. […]
Former UFC champion Matt Serra is set to take on Chris “Lights Out” Lytle at UFC 119 and while Serra thought the first fight was decent, he’s hoping the rematch will be better. Serra took a razor thin split decision victory and will look to build on his UFC 109 victory over Frank Trigg. UFC 119 will feature a rematch main event between Frank Mir and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and will take place on September 25, 2010 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.
The Fight Network has put the entire Impact FC 2 event into just over four minutes which is convenient for fans that just want the meat of the event. Enjoy.
The Fight Network has put the entire Impact FC 2 event into just over four minutes which is convenient for fans that just want the meat of the event. Enjoy.
CHICAGO, Ill. (July 19, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships’ much-anticipated Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament will kick off on Thursday, Aug. 12th with an intriguing opening-round fight between heavy-handed UFC veteran Eddie Sanchez and massive British knockout artist Neil “Goliath” Grove at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.
Sanchez and Grove join a […]
CHICAGO, Ill. (July 19, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships’ much-anticipated Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament will kick off on Thursday, Aug. 12th with an intriguing opening-round fight between heavy-handed UFC veteran Eddie Sanchez and massive British knockout artist Neil “Goliath” Grove at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.
Sanchez and Grove join a stacked Bellator 24 card that also features:
– A special non-title “Super Fight” between reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard (26-2-1) and former NFL standoutHerbert “Whisper” Goodman (15-8);
-An opening-round fight in Bellator’s Women’s World Championship Tournament featuring the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound female fighter,Megumi Fujii, and veteran submission grappler Angela Magana, the world’s No. 8-ranked female fighter at 115 lbs.;
– Another opening-round Women’s Tournament fight between the world’s No. 6-ranked 125-pounder, Lynn “Lights Out” Alvarez, andJessica Aguilar, the world’s No.7-ranked 115-pounder.
Tickets for the event — which will also be broadcast LIVE nationwide on FOX Sports Net — are on sale now at ticketmaster.com.
The Sanchez-Grove fight is one of four opening-round fights in the Heavyweight Tournament that will take place during Bellator’s first four Season 3 events in South Florida, Chicago, Kansas City and San Antonio. Also competing in the tournament are undefeated European finisher Damian “The Polish Pitbull” Grabowski, Seattle-area knockout artist Mike “300” Hayes, Spanish submission ace Rogent Lloret, Georgia-based ground-and-pound specialistScott Barrett and two yet-to-be named fighters.
Sanchez (12-3) has finished eight of his fights via KO or TKO. The San Diego native is now in the midst of a four-fight win streak that includes a devastating 10-second KO of Jay White during Bellator 7 in 2009 and a miraculous come-from-behind TKO victory over Marcus Sursa at Bellator 20 in San Antonio on May 27th.
Grove (8-2-1) has notched all eight of his wins via KO or TKO. The South African-born former semipro rugby player earned widespread recognition with a highlight-reel 10-second KO of former EliteXC, Pride and Sengoku headliner James Thompson and followed that up with an impressive TKO of UFC veteran James McSweeney.
“Both Eddie and Neil are known for their finishes so this should be an exciting fight,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “In addition, fans watching Bellator 24 at the Hard Rock and on our national TV broadcasts will also get a chance to see some outstanding fights featuring stars like Hector Lombard and Megumi Fujii. It’s going to be a great night in South Florida on August 12th.”
For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator.
About Bellator Fighting Championships
Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company headquartered in Chicago. Bellator’s founder/CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.
Everyone knew it was just a matter of time before former Strikeforce champion Jake Shields joined the ranks of the UFC, and now it’s official. Shields, according to Twitter, will be facing Martin Kampmann for his bid at a future title shot in the welterweight division, currently ruled by champion Georges St. Pierre. […]
Everyone knew it was just a matter of time before former Strikeforce champion Jake Shields joined the ranks of the UFC, and now it’s official. Shields, according to Twitter, will be facing Martin Kampmann for his bid at a future title shot in the welterweight division, currently ruled by champion Georges St. Pierre. The two will lock horns at UFC 121 on October 23 which should have UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar taking on number one contender Cain Velasquez. Here is Shield’s own words on the matter:
UFC contract officially signed. Fighting Kampmann in CA in a few months. Thanks to @danawhite and everyone for their support.
