Tag: WSOF

WSOF Executive Ali Abdel-Aziz: Thiago Silva Will Fight Again in WSOF

Despite being denied a license to fight in Nevada this week, light heavyweight Thiago Silva will fight again in the World Series of Fighting promotion.
That’s according to matchmaker and WSOF Executive Vice President Ali Abdel-Aziz, who addre…

Despite being denied a license to fight in Nevada this week, light heavyweight Thiago Silva will fight again in the World Series of Fighting promotion.

That’s according to matchmaker and WSOF Executive Vice President Ali Abdel-Aziz, who addressed the situation Wednesday in an interview with Bleacher Report.

“Yes, we’ll book him again,” Abdel-Aziz said. “I feel bad for Thiago. He’s not going to be able to fight, to make money. But he understands. It is what it is.”

In February 2014, Silva was arrested and charged with aggravated battery and resisting an officer after he barricaded himself in his home following a confrontation with his then-estranged wife, Thaysa Kamiji. He was released by the UFC, with UFC President Dana White telling TMZ Sports that Silva would “never fight in the UFC again.”

However, the UFC reinstated Silva later that year after Silva’s wife fled the country and all charges were dropped.

The story took yet another turn when Kamiji released videos that purported to show Silva on drugs and brandishing a gun. The UFC released Silva again.

The World Series of Fighting signed Silva in January. Though the move raised eyebrows, Abdel-Aziz said he did due diligence on Silva, including speaking with some of Silva’s training-camp teammates at the Blackzilians camp in Florida.

“When he became a free agent, I went to Rashad Evans. I went to [camp owner] Glenn Robinson,” Abdel-Aziz said. “They said he was a good guy who just got caught in a bad situation. … I don’t have the authority as a human being to judge. That’s for the court.”

Abdel-Aziz also suggested the Nevada State Athletic Commission—which denied Silva a license based on “past issues,” perhaps including his failure to attend a hearing related to his prior doctoring of a urine sample—did not properly inform Silva or WSOF officials of the hearing.

“We didn’t know because they didn’t tell us about it,” Abdel-Aziz said. “But I’m not going to point fingers. We’re going to move forward.”

Speaking of moving forward, Abdel-Aziz said that despite his intention to schedule Silva for another fight, Silva is subject to the WSOF’s “zero-tolerance” policy. In essence, if Silva is convicted of a crime in the future, he will then face his release from WSOF.

“I don’t know what happened. I wasn’t there,” Abdel-Aziz said. “But his friends say he’s good. Around me, he’s very respectful. We ask him to do something, and he does it. … If a judge doesn’t convict him, I don’t convict him. Everybody has a story.”

The 32-year-old Silva (16-4) is 0-1 in WSOF. He sustained a knockout loss to Teddy Holder in his first and only fight.

Silva’s opponent at WSOF 22, Mike Kyle, will now face Clifford Starks at the event.

Scott Harris writes about MMA for Bleacher Report. Feel free to follow Scott on Twitter. All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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Jake Shields Plans to Teach Rousimar Palhares a Lesson at WSOF 22

Jake Shields has never been one to make a fight personal, but he’s definitely carrying a grudge heading into his bout against Rousimar Palhares.
In a career that has spanned nearly 16 years and produced multiple world titles on various stages across MM…

Jake Shields has never been one to make a fight personal, but he’s definitely carrying a grudge heading into his bout against Rousimar Palhares.

In a career that has spanned nearly 16 years and produced multiple world titles on various stages across MMA, the slick submissions ace has earned his reputation as being one of the most laid-back competitors outside of the cage and one of the most dangerous once the ruckus gets rolling. Along the way he’s faced—and in most cases defeated—some of the best fighters to compete in the welterweight and middleweight ranks to build one of the most impressive resumes in the current era of the sport.

In doing so, the San Francisco-based fighter has racked up a lofty list of achievements and has done it without going beyond the limits of his character to fabricate fictional beef for the sake of fight promotion.

So when Shields starts lacing shots in the direction of his upcoming opponent and current WSOF welterweight champion Palhares, there is reason to believe things have drifted into the realm of personal for the former Strikeforce middleweight titleholder. He sees Palhares’ penchant for holding onto submission and knack for injuring his opponents as a bold sign of the Brazilian’s lack of professionalism and plans to teach Toquinho a lesson when they square off for the welterweight strap Saturday night at WSOF 22. 

Shields said it bothers him that Palhares “is out there trying to hurt people.”

“It’s one thing to hurt someone if it happens in a fight, but it’s another to do it intentionally. We go out there to fight, and getting hurt is part of the sport, but looking to do it intentionally is just dirty. Especially in jiu-jitsu. It bothers me even more that he tries to act so nice and comes off so fake. I have a lot to get excited for in this fight. 

“We put our careers on the line when we go out there, and trying to hurt someone is just dirty. It doesn’t matter if the guy he’s facing taps out, he’ll crank on it anyway and blow out the knee. That makes me not like this guy and it brings and added element to this fight. I know the kind of fighter he is and I am ready for it.”

Shields knows Palhares is capable of stepping over the line and putting his career at risk once their main event gets underway Saturday, and that has him prepared to tap into the darker side of his own psyche. Fighting is a brutal sport by it’s nature, but the sporting element typically creates an element of sportsmanship between the two competitors.

In Shields’ mind, that won’t exist when the cage door closes Saturday night in Las Vegas, and he’s ready and willing to mix it up anyway the 170-pound champion wants to get down.

“If the guy you’re fighting is playing dirty, then you have to go fight at his level,” Shields said. “You can’t be out there trying to not hurt someone who is definitely out there trying to hurt you. That’s when you have to be willing to get down to that level and do whatever it takes to get the win.” 

In addition to his quest to make a statement to a fighter he believes deserve zero respect for the dangerous and illegal tactics he’s consistently displayed over the past several years, the 36-year-old Tareq Azim-trained fighter will also be aiming to add another championship belt to his mantle. Shields has spent the past decade competing at the elite levels of two different weight classes and has held a status as either champion or perennial title threat wherever he’s chosen to compete.

And while veteran resurgences have been increasing as of late, Shields sees his current run as anything but. He believes he’s doing some of the best work of his decorated career, and back-to-back first-round finishes against opponents with devastating power—like the caliber of what Ryan Ford and Brian Foster possess—go a long way to reflect that notion.

“It’s crazy to be honest,” Shields said. “I’m feeling the best I’ve ever felt, which is kind of weird with my age and being at this stage of my career to be feeling better than ever. I’m just in a good space mentally, and I’ve really started to enjoy fighting again. I really want to make a statement with these fights. I came into both of those fights with the plan to finish in the first round, and that’s what I did.”

With a victory over Palhares at WSOF 22, the American jiu-jitsu representative’s career would once again shift into a higher gear. While mixed results under the UFC banner spawned questions as to whether or not Shields’ best days in the cage were behind him, any doubts about his motivation to compete have been erased during his time with WSOF.

He’s fallen back in love with fighting, and as long as that love remains, Shields is confident he will continue to step in and give his best. When the day comes where he doesn’t feel that spark, Shields has zero doubt that he’ll walk away. And with everything he’s accomplished in his career, there won’t be anything to regret when that decision inevitably comes to call.

“I feel like I have one of the best resumes in the sport, and it’s something I definitely take pride in,” Shields said. “I’ve won multiple titles and have done it at different weights. That’s not something a lot of fighters have accomplished, and I’m proud to have done it. I certainly wouldn’t mind adding one more belt to my resume and a few more wins.

“I’m just doing it one fight at a time right now. I’ve fought for so long and have pretty much accomplished all of my goals and have done the things I wanted to do, so I’m taking things one fight at a time at this point in my career. I’m feeling so comfortable right now, and I’m enjoying it. After each fight I look at the situation and see if I want to fight again. Right now, I’m feeling great, but once you start slipping it’s time to walk away. This is a dangerous sport, and it becomes a lot more dangerous if you aren’t 100 percent committed to it.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

MMA Veteran Isaac Vallie-Flagg Signs with World Series of Fighting

Mixed martial arts veteran lightweight Isaac Vallie-Flagg has signed a contract with World Series of Fighting.
Vallie-Flagg’s first bout for the promotion will be September 18, when he takes on Estevan Payan.
Multiple sources confirmed the news to Blea…

Mixed martial arts veteran lightweight Isaac Vallie-Flagg has signed a contract with World Series of Fighting.

Vallie-Flagg’s first bout for the promotion will be September 18, when he takes on Estevan Payan.

Multiple sources confirmed the news to Bleacher Report on Thursday afternoon.

Vallie-Flagg’s career began on the independent scene in 2003, and he signed with Strikeforce in 2011. After winning two consecutive fights in the promotion, he was moved to the UFC after Zuffa purchased Strikeforce from its previous owners. He dropped three consecutive losses, however, and was released by the UFC late in 2014.

Vallie-Flagg returned to the independent scene where he began his career, scoring a win over Travis Coyle in June. He then signed with Titan Fighting but lost to Jason Witt via disqualification when he landed an illegal knee to Witt, who was grounded at the time. Witt was unable to continue, and the fight was ruled a DQ loss for Vallie-Flagg.

Vallie-Flagg, known as “Ike” by those in the MMA space, has been a longtime member of the Jackson’s MMA gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico, training under the tutelage of Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn alongside Jon Jones, Clay Guida, Cub Swanson and others.

Payan, who trains out of Arizona Combat Sports, is also a veteran of the MMA scene, with a career record of 16-8 dating back to 2007. He has fought for Strikeforce and the UFC, and this will also be his first fight under the WSOF banner.

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WSOF FW Champion Lance Palmer Talks Horodecki, Future Opponents, UFC Deal

It’s truly not cockiness. Lance Palmer is just being honest. 
The World Series of Fighting (WSOF) featherweight champ talks about his upcoming tilt against longtime veteran Chris Horodecki with a tranquility more fit for a stroll around the n…

It’s truly not cockiness. Lance Palmer is just being honest. 

The World Series of Fighting (WSOF) featherweight champ talks about his upcoming tilt against longtime veteran Chris Horodecki with a tranquility more fit for a stroll around the neighborhood than for a trip inside the steel cage. 

Palmer is relaxed and prepared, and he sees nothing in Horodecki that makes him want to change his demeanor. 

“I feel like I’m better everywhere,” Palmer told Bleacher Report. “He’s just been around for longer. I’m just going to go out there and perform. If I perform, I don’t think he can touch me, and that’s what I plan to do.” 

Palmer’s confidence is rooted in reason. A four-time All-American wrestler at the Ohio State University, Palmer transitioned to MMA four years ago, shacking up with Sacramento’s esteemed Team Alpha Male to round out his game. 

His rapid improvements led him to the WSOF featherweight title in short order, and now he looks to add a championship defense to his already cluttered mantle. Against Horodecki, Palmer doesn’t see a path of least resistance to achieve this goal. 

He just plans on owning the Polish fighter everywhere. 

“I know his main thing is striking, but his last few fights he’s won by taking guys down,” Palmer said. “Whatever he wants to do is fine with me, but I’m going to dictate the pace, dictate the pressure. Whether I take him out on the feet or on the ground, it doesn’t matter to me as long as I get the finish.”

Horodecki, who has been known as a striker with crafty submissions throughout his career, has recently begun to add a wrestle-heavy attack to his arsenal, notching his last two wins via unanimous decision through control and patience. 

Against, Palmer, however, this will not work. The amateur wrestling stud embraces this grinding style as well as anyone in the sport today, and Horodecki will not be the man to best him at it. 

“I’d like to see him try to take me down,” Palmer said. “I think if he wants to go there with me, that’s his mistake. But I’ve trained for everything. Just because you’re a wrestler doesn’t mean he won’t try to shoot in on you.

“If you’re getting tagged on the feet, most guys dive in or try to set up a takedown, so I train for the fight to go everywhere and trained for 25 minutes. I’m going to keep this belt and come away with the victory.” 

After Horodecki, the WSOF featherweight roster is thin. Moving down to bantamweight to continue this title reign, Palmer notes, is definitely not an option. 

“I think 145 is the lowest amount of weight I’ll ever make in my life,” Palmer said. “To make 135, I’d have to cut something off.” 

Taking a trip up to lightweight is more reasonable, he said, but even then, he puts his faith in the promotion to bring new bodies into his own weight class. Moving around is possible—he just doesn’t want the situation to come to that. 

“I could [go to 155], but as long as I go out and do well in this fight, I’m the champ at 145, so I think 145 is my home,” Palmer said. “I could fight at 155, I could fight at 170 and not cut any weight, but that’s not my weight class. I think 145 is where I feel comfortable. I’m sure they’ll sign some guys.”

For a fighter like Palmer—a standout collegiate athlete with world-class training partners and dedication to his craft—the cloud of the UFC looms large. Fans and critics will always compare the best fighters in the world to those competing under the UFC banner, a point Palmer recognizes. 

The company’s recent partnership with Reebok has suddenly made the promotion less appealing in the eyes of some fighters, though—including fighters currently under UFC contract. 

To Palmer, however, the UFC is still the big show. The Reebok deal isn’t perfect, and he’d make less sponsorship money to step inside the Octagon, but he still recognizes the promotion for what it is. 

“The UFC is the biggest show there is, and it’s been around forever,” Palmer said. “I think they’re going to continue to be the big show for a long time, but it is what it is. I know a lot of the UFC guys aren’t happy with it. Even a lot of the champions have spoken out that they’re not happy with it.”

“Reebok’s had deals with the NFL and stuff like that, so I’m sure there’s going to be some sort of compensation,” he continued. “People try to compare the UFC deal to the NFL deal, but it doesn’t compare at all. It’s not the same, because you’re going out there and you’re playing a game of football. The UFC guys rely on that sponsorship money when they go in the cage. It’s nothing like the NFL. The NFL was never a sport where you could wear your own sponsors on your clothes when you went into a game. I think something will change, though. I think [UFC President] Dana [White] and [UFC CEO] Lorenzo Fertitta will figure out a way to keep the guys happy.” 

For now, though, Palmer has a job to do. He likes the way the WSOF featherweight strap feels around his waist, and he intends to keep it there. 

First Horodecki, then it’s open season in the featherweight division. He’s thinking about future title defenses, but he’s not looking past his opponent. 

He’s just being honest. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

WSOF 22 Gets Three Title Fights and Tyrone Spong in Bid to Compete with UFC 190

If World Series of Fighting 22 was going to pose even a minor threat to UFC 190, it was going to need a pretty stacked card.
Mission accomplished.
WSOF 22, airing on the same day as Ronda Rousey defends her women’s bantamweight title against Bethe Corr…

If World Series of Fighting 22 was going to pose even a minor threat to UFC 190, it was going to need a pretty stacked card.

Mission accomplished.

WSOF 22, airing on the same day as Ronda Rousey defends her women’s bantamweight title against Bethe Correia at UFC 190, will include three championship fights and the return of combat sports sensation Tyrone Spong, according to a report published Tuesday by John Morgan of MMA Junkie. Both events go down Saturday, August 1.

“This is, in my opinion, the most incredible lineup of fights featuring marquee talent that WSOF has put together since we launched the company in 2012,” said WSOF president Ray Sefo, according to the report.

At the top of the WSOF 22 card, controversial submission artist Rousimar Palhares defends his welterweight belt against fellow grappler and UFC veteran Jake Shields.

UFC officials released and banned Palhares in 2013 for his practice of repeatedly holding dangerous submission holds too long—a charge that has followed him to WSOF. 

Bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes will face challenger and blue-chip prospect Sheymon Moraes in the evening’s co-main event. Marlon Moraes (14-4-1) is still only 27 years old and widely considered the best bantamweight outside the UFC. But Sheymon Moraes is hot on his heels, being 7-0 as a 24-year-old pro, though his WSOF debut was an uninspiring split-decision win.

In the evening’s third title tilt, Magomed Bibulatov and Donavon Frelow do battle to determine the promotion’s first flyweight champ. Native Chechen Bibulatov (9-0) will probably be favored to grab the belt in his first fight for WSOF.

Plenty of fans, however, might be most intrigued by one of the evening’s non-title matchups. Tyrone Spong, a former professional kickboxing champion, returns to MMA for the first time WSOF 4 in 2013. Spong, who trains with the vaunted Blackzilians team in Florida, will face UFC alum Mike Kyle. The 29-year-old light heavyweight is 2-0 in professional MMA.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Jessica Aguilar Granted Release from WSOF, Next Stop UFC?

Jessica Aguilar, one of the best strawweight fighters in the world, is now on the free-agent market. Appearing on The MMA Hour, the former WSOF women’s strawweight champ announced that World Series of Fighting had released her on Monday, freeing up an opportunity to finally sign with the UFC and compete against the best 115-pound fighters […]

Jessica Aguilar, one of the best strawweight fighters in the world, is now on the free-agent market. Appearing on The MMA Hour, the former WSOF women’s strawweight champ announced that World Series of Fighting had released her on Monday, freeing up an opportunity to finally sign with the UFC and compete against the best 115-pound fighters […]

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