Tag: News

Diego Brandao Gets Friendly Advice From Longtime Idol Wanderlei Silva

Filed under: UFC, NewsLAS VEGAS — In case you couldn’t tell by watching him fight, TUF 14 featherweight finalist Diego Brandao is something of a Wanderlei Silva fan. Actually, maybe fan is the wrong word. Brandao’s more like a disciple, which is why h…

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Diego BrandaoLAS VEGAS — In case you couldn’t tell by watching him fight, TUF 14 featherweight finalist Diego Brandao is something of a Wanderlei Silva fan. Actually, maybe fan is the wrong word. Brandao’s more like a disciple, which is why he was thrilled to hear that his fellow Brazilian and MMA inspiration has been following his run on the UFC’s reality show.

“I want to fight like Wanderlei Silva,” Brandao said earlier this week. “That’s why I’m in MMA now, is Wanderlei Silva. The way he fights, he makes everybody in Brazil put their hearts in their mouths.”

Brandao was understandably ecstatic when he finally got to meet Silva in Vegas this week, and even more excited when he got a word of encouragement from “The Axe Murderer.”

“He told me to go kill the guy. I was so happy.”

But ‘happy’ isn’t a word most of his TUF 14 castmates would likely use to describe Brandao, who at times seemed almost dangerously intense. Some of his colleagues didn’t know how to take that, he said, but to Brandao it seemed like the only sensible approach to a sport that involves fighting other men in a cage.

“When I first get in the house, people think I’m crazy,” he said. “But I’m not crazy, bro. This is MMA. For me, it’s very serious. You can get hurt if you don’t train hard, aren’t focused. You can get [your] jaw broken, knee broken, armbar. I’m ready for that. I’m not crazy, I’m just focused on every fight.”

So far it’s yielded memorable results for the 24-year-old Brazilian. He ran through his competition on TUF, and is among the heaviest favorites on Saturday night’s finale fight card, where he’ll take on fellow finalist Dennis Bermudez, with Silva watching in the crowd.

The best part, Brandao said, is all the good he’ll be able to do for his family back home in Brazil with the money he’ll make for this fight, win or lose. They might not have gotten to watch his reality show stint along with the American audience, but they’ll reap the rewards along with him, he said.

“I feel very proud of myself. I’m going to be able to help my mom. She doesn’t know what’s going on now, but pretty soon she’s going to find out.”

 

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Report: Keith Jardine to Challenge for Strikeforce Middleweight Title, Because Who Even Cares at This Point


(Unlicensed plastic surgery: It rarely works out the way you want it to.)

As we mentioned yesterday, Strikeforce is clinging on to life despite the fact that their biggest stars have either been poached or are on hiatus from fighting, and their championship belts now have less legitimacy than that chick’s doo-doo back tattoo. So how sketchy have things gotten over there? This sketchy:

Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is slated to defend his belt against former UFC veteran Keith Jardine on Jan. 7, MMA Fighting has confirmed with sources close to the fight. The title fight is expected to headline the organization’s first event at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino…Rockhold was expected to meet Tim Kennedy in his first title defense, but according to sources, Kennedy couldn’t commit to the fight due to an undisclosed injury.


(Unlicensed plastic surgery: It rarely works out the way you want it to.)

As we mentioned yesterday, Strikeforce is clinging on to life despite the fact that their biggest stars have either been poached or are on hiatus from fighting, and their championship belts now have less legitimacy than that chick’s doo-doo back tattoo. So how sketchy have things gotten over there? This sketchy:

Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is slated to defend his belt against former UFC veteran Keith Jardine on Jan. 7, MMA Fighting has confirmed with sources close to the fight. The title fight is expected to headline the organization’s first event at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino…Rockhold was expected to meet Tim Kennedy in his first title defense, but according to sources, Kennedy couldn’t commit to the fight due to an undisclosed injury.

Keep in mind that Jardine is 0-0 as a middleweight, and 0-0-1 under the Strikeforce banner, with his only SF appearance resulting in an ugly (and sort of undeserved) draw against Gegard Mousasi. And yet he’s the best available contender to Luke Rockhold’s belt? Considering who Strikeforce still has left on their middleweight roster, he very well might be — but it’s still the kind of matchup that makes a strong argument for non-title fights.

I hate to see the once-proud Strikeforce promotion limping along like this. It’s time to take Lenny out to the woods, so to speak.

Slated for Strikeforce’s Jan. 7 Event, ‘King Mo’ Not UFC-Bound Yet


(“How much will you gimme fo this crown? What about if I throw in the gloves?.” PicProps: Sherdog)

TATAME recently caught up with Muhammed ‘King Mo’ Lawal while he was in Belem, Brazil helping former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida prepare for his upcoming UFC 140 championship bout with Jon Jones and according to the former Strikeforce 205-pound champ, he still has at least one fight scheduled under the SF banner.

If he could choose his opponent for the card, he says it would be the man who handed him his sole loss.

“I wanna fight [Rafael ‘Feijao’ Cavalcante] again because now I’m healthier. Before, when I fought him I had no meniscus, I had no stability on my knees. I fought him, I was winning, he caught me with a knee, and then that’s it, and elbows. But now, I’m ready,” Mo says. “[I’d fight him] he same. Because now I’m not injured, I can use both legs. Last time, only one leg. This time, two legs.Hopefully [I’m fighting him in January]. I heard he’s hurt, but we’ll see.”

As far as his future with Strikeforce goes, Lawal says he isn’t wasting time thinking about all of the “what ifs,” because as he puts it, whatever happens is going to happen and worrying won’t do anything to change it.


(“How much will you gimme fo this crown? What about if I throw in the gloves?.” PicProps: Sherdog)

TATAME recently caught up with Muhammed ‘King Mo’ Lawal while he was in Belem, Brazil helping former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida prepare for his upcoming UFC 140 championship bout with Jon Jones and according to the former Strikeforce 205-pound champ, he still has at least one fight scheduled under the SF banner.

If he could choose his opponent for the card, he says it would be the man who handed him his sole loss.

“I wanna fight [Rafael ‘Feijao’ Cavalcante] again because now I’m healthier. Before, when I fought him I had no meniscus, I had no stability on my knees. I fought him, I was winning, he caught me with a knee, and then that’s it, and elbows. But now, I’m ready,” Mo says. “[I’d fight him] he same. Because now I’m not injured, I can use both legs. Last time, only one leg. This time, two legs.Hopefully [I’m fighting him in January]. I heard he’s hurt, but we’ll see.”

As far as his future with Strikeforce goes, Lawal says he isn’t wasting time thinking about all of the “what ifs,” because as he puts it, whatever happens is going to happen and worrying won’t do anything to change it.

“I don’t know [whats going to happen]. It’s confusing because no one knows what’s going on. I don’t know what is going on, so I’m just gonna say I just wanna fight,” he explains. “Give me fights and I don’t worry about this.”

There are rumors that Strikeforce is very close to coming to terms with Showtime, but they haven’t been confirmed. Judging by the fact that Forza — the Fertitta-owned parent company of Strikeforce — has signed new contracts as recently as this week, it looks like the promotion is planning to stick around for at least a few more months. The organization’s moratorium could come soon after the heavyweight grand prix wraps up whenever finalist Daniel Cormier’s broken hand heals up enough for him to face Josh Barnett to close out the tournament.

Luke Rockhold Slated to Defend Strikeforce Middleweight Title Against Keith Jardine

Filed under: Strikeforce, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsStrikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is slated to defend his belt against former UFC veteran Keith Jardine on Jan. 7, MMA Fighting has confirmed with sources close to the fight. The title…

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Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is slated to defend his belt against former UFC veteran Keith Jardine on Jan. 7, MMA Fighting has confirmed with sources close to the fight. The title fight is expected to headline the organization’s first event at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Strikeforce has yet to officially announce the card or any fights signed for it as of Thursday evening.

Rockhold was expected to meet Tim Kennedy in his first title defense, but according to sources, Kennedy couldn’t commit to the fight due to an undisclosed injury.

Rockhold (8-1) won the title in September when he defeated Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza via unanimous decision. The American Kickboxing Academy member has won his last seven fights in a row.

Jardine (17-9-2) fought Gegard Mousasi to a draw in his Strikeforce debut in April. This fight would mark his first at 185 pounds. “The Dean of Mean” is 2-1-1 since his release from the UFC in June 2010.

 

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Exclusive: Canadian Standout Cory MacDonald Signs With Bellator; Will Compete at Middleweight

By Mike Russell

One of Canadian MMA’s best kept secrets got an early birthday present this week.

CagePotato has confirmed with sources close to the situation that highly-touted Kingston, Ontario native Cory MacDonald signed with Bellator yesterday and will compete as a middleweight under the Viacom-owned promotion’s banner.

MacDonald (12-2), who turned 34 today, could see action as part of next season’s middleweight tournament.

Having competed primarily at 170 for the majority of his eight-year MMA career, at 6-foot MacDonald was one of the class’ largest competitors. He has been contemplating a move up in weight for a while due to a lack of opponents willing to face him north of the border. It now looks like the move won’t just be a temporary one and that 12-2 former welterweight, who is undefeated in his past seven bouts spanning back to 2007, will finally get his chance to make a name for himself internationally.

By Mike Russell

One of Canadian MMA’s best kept secrets got an early birthday present this week.

CagePotato has confirmed with sources close to the situation that highly-touted Kingston, Ontario native Cory MacDonald signed with Bellator yesterday and will compete as a middleweight under the Viacom-owned promotion’s banner.

MacDonald (12-2), who turned 34 today, could see action as part of next season’s middleweight tournament.

Having competed primarily at 170 for the majority of his eight-year MMA career, at 6-foot MacDonald was one of the class’ largest competitors. He has been contemplating a move up in weight for a while due to a lack of opponents willing to face him north of the border. It now looks like the move won’t just be a temporary one and that 12-2 former welterweight, who is undefeated in his past seven bouts spanning back to 2007, will finally get his chance to make a name for himself internationally.

With Bellator’s recent migration into the Canadian market, MacDonald, who trains out of Victory Performance Centre in Ottawa and Kingston and spars regularly at Tristar in Montreal, could play a key role in helping market the Chicago-based organization in Ontario and other provinces where he has a fan presence including Quebec and the Maritimes.


(Video courtesy of YouTube/psycoc23)

According to the sources we spoke to, a date for Cory’s Bellator debut has yet to be set, but it could come as early as January.

When contacted for comment, MacDonald’s manager Anna Barone would neither confirm nor deny her client’s signing.

Michael Bisping on His Popularity, Not Being on ‘Mayhem’s’ Level, Steroids in MMA

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LAS VEGAS — Watch below as Michael Bisping discusses his upcoming fight against Jason “Mayhem” Miller this Saturday night, his issues with Miller going into the fight, his popularity, or lack thereof, in MMA, TRT and steroids in the sport, and what’s at stake in this fight.

 

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LAS VEGAS — Watch below as Michael Bisping discusses his upcoming fight against Jason “Mayhem” Miller this Saturday night, his issues with Miller going into the fight, his popularity, or lack thereof, in MMA, TRT and steroids in the sport, and what’s at stake in this fight.

 

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