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Strikeforce: Lumumba Sayers to battle Scott Smith, fight for his son

Strikeforce middleweight Lumumba Sayers (L) competes at Strikeforce: "Tate vs. Rousey".

Forget the pressure of competing as a professional mixed martial artist; Lumumba Sayers’ toughest battle is the fight for his son to have a better life.

Sayers (Twitter: @LumumbaSayers), a father of 3, endured a career in tough-man contests and amateur boxing bouts before trying his hand in MMA. He made his pro debut in October 2009 and defeated Brian Christina via rear-naked choke. After Sayers gathered five bouts with four victories to his credit he was called upon by Strikeforce.

Sayers lost to Derek Brunson in his Strikeforce debut, but rebounded with first round knockout against Antwain Britt in the defunct Challenger Series. Now, Sayers is set to face Scott Smith, Saturday at Strikeforce: “Tate vs. Rousey” at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

As Sayers prepared for this bout he had a lengthy list of formidable partners. Training between A1 Boxing, 303 Training Center and Grappler’s Edge, Sayers got the opportunity to train alongside an elite boxer, a world-record setting kickboxer, an old friend turned foe and a slew of other skillful athletes.

“I worked with Chris “The Future” Green, he’s a heavyweight boxer in Colorado,” Sayers told MMADieHards.com. “Coach Chino from Puerto Rico, he had the fastest kick in kickboxing in the Olympics in the 1980’s. Him and Chris Green both do my cardio and they be like double teaming on me. I got to spar with Hasim Rahman Jr. last week from A1 boxing. Nick Marr, my brother Peter Tuia, they helped me out. Ian Berg, I trained with him and he used to be one of my training partners, but then we had to fight, but now we back cool again.”

Sayers faces Smith, a former UFC fighter that is notorious for engaging in slugfests, and the Colorado native is content wherever “Hands of Steel” wants to take the fight.

“I’ve never backed down form anything,” Sayers admitted. “If he wants to stand and bang we can stand and bang. If he wants to go to the ground we can do that too.”

Sayers is focused on defeating Smith, but there are more significant battles in his life at the moment.

Sayers has had a successful start to his MMA career and he is grateful for the people that helped him get to where he is at. He was thankful of God, Phenom Management, Antebellum Sports Entertainment Group, Trauma, Triad Dragons and All the Above clothing, who have been with him from the beginning, but there is one significant person that Sayers had to speak to.

“I want to give a shout out to so my son Kanique and just tell him to keep his head up and stay out of trouble,” Sayers said. “He’s been getting in some trouble and he needs to know his dad still loves him. He’s not into MMA, I mean, he can fight, but he is just going down the wrong path. I’m trying to get his mom to put him in the right direction, but it’s just crazy.”

Sayers (father of daughter Hawaii and sons Lumumba Jr. and Kanique) raised his two youngest kids on his own for 13 years, but his eldest left the roost to live with their mother. Sayers has struggled to raise his son from afar, even though their distance apart is not that great.

“I had custody of my son, but he went to live with his mom and she just let him do whatever he wants to,” Sayers explained. “We live in the same state and its hard to raise him. She is just letting him go down the wrong path, so he needs to know his dad still loves him and if he ever decides to come back, he can. No matter how busy I am with MMA I want him to know if he wants to come back and live his life in the right direction I am here for him.

“Even though he feels like he messed up because he lied and caused a big situation, he needs to know I’ll always have his back. I’ll be here for him. When everybody else feels like he messed up, it’s cool, his daddy loves him. He’s my son, and as a father you just want the best for your kids. I have to make sure I took care of him and he has a good life. He’s my boy and I love him.”

Defeating Smith is a minuscule victory in Sayers’ current battle.

UFC on FX 2: Pigskin and 4oz gloves, Shawn Jordan is a competitor at heart

UFC heavyweight fighter, Shawn "The Savage" Jordan (Photo courtesy of mmafrenzy.com)

From the grid iron to the cage links, Shawn “The Savage” Jordan faces the competition head on.

Fighting professionally for almost three years, the former LSU fullback immediately turned his attention towards MMA after completing his degree in Kinesiology with a minor in Chemistry.

Compiling a record of 12-3 since 2008, Jordan has been noticed by the UFC and accepted an invitation to their society of heavyweights. Making his first trip to the Octagon a long one, Jordan has been slated to fight Oli Thompson at UFC on FX 2, Friday in Sydney, Australia.

“I’m really excited,” Jordan told MMADieHards.com. “Because it is always good to move up in rankings and to get the opportunity to compete against better fighters, so I’m excited about it.”

The Louisiana native started his MMA career with Bellator, and most recently competed under the Strikeforce banner, defeating successful UFC newcomer, Lavar Johnson. Now, with the move from Strikeforce to the UFC finalized for Jordan, he knows the world’s premier MMA organization is still looking elsewhere to fill the heavyweight division.

“There are a lot of good athletes and good fighters out there,” Jordan admitted. “I’m looking forward to compete with them. They’re adding a lot of competitors from other avenues of athleticism, so it can only improve.”

Bench-pressing 600 pounds while a student at LSU, Jordan is not lacking when it comes to strength, but his opponent and former professional Strongman competitor, Thompson, took it to another level.

“I still have a few records at LSU,” Jordan said. “But it was a different type of sports training, more geared towards power. Oli has got to be an ox though, having to just be strong for a living, so I’m sure that he is a very strong man. The thing with Oli is that we’re similar in height and size and I won’t have to deal with the huge reach advantage that most people have on me, so we’ll have to see how this plays out for me.”

Moving his training from Gladiators Academy in Lafayette, La., to Jackson-Winkeljohn’s MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., Jordan has now associated himself with some of the top tier fighters in the UFC. Training along UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, there is a lot to absorb in his surroundings.

While working with Jones helps Jordan adjust to the speed and length of high level fighter, he brought in some extra power to push him around.

“One of my main training partners, who is really similar to Oli, is Lang Williamson,” Jordan said. “He is truly very similar to Oli and was also a power lifter back in the day. He actually holds the Louisiana bench (press) record of 847 (pounds) or something like that. So training with him all of the time is a really big advantage; having to deal with someone stronger than me. Coach Winklejohn also does wonders and puts time aside to work with me daily, so that is a huge advantage for me.”

Now that “The Savage” has found a new outlet for his competitive nature in MMA, he doesn’t spend his days watching football religiously. Once looking at a professional career in his first sport, Jordan supports his friends still in the huddle, but that’s about it.

“I have a lot of friends that play at LSU or in the league, so if they’re playing, I’ll watch all of them,” said Jordan. “I don’t watch football. I did end up playing a little bit (after university), but got cut, so I turned my concentration and focus on to MMA to just compete, and I ended up liking it a lot, but football is definitely going to be my first love.”

With Jordan now calling his own audible, he is driving this play straight through the heavyweight division.

UFC on FX 2: Thiago Alves stands tall in a crowded division

by Mark Hensch on February 28, 2012 3:00:53 PM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

UFC welterweight Thiago Alves. (Photo courtesy of fiveouncesofpain)

Thiago “The Pitbull” Alves (Twitter: @ThiagoAlvesATT) is taking apart the welterweight division one fighter at a time.

The Fortaleza, Brazil native’s next challenge is at UFC on FX 2, where he’ll face Denmark’s 18-5 Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann in Sydney, Australia on Saturday. Speaking with MMADiehards’ MMA Beatdown last week, the 19-8 fighter said he’s looking to stay strong in one of the UFC’s most competitive weight classes.

“I’m not looking past Kampmann at all,” Alves said last Tuesday. “Our focus in camp right now is to get past him and we’ll focus on other things after that. All the same, I’ve been very excited lately to see everything going on in the welterweight division and see all the matchups. I love all the fighters up there.”

Alves said he’s staking a claim at top contender status following recent shakeups in the welterweight world. Division champion Georges St-Pierre, widely considered one of the UFC’s best fighters, is out with a major knee injury and Carlos Condit won a close interim title match against Nick Diaz at UFC 143 earlier this month. With so much going on, Alves said he sees an opportunity to rise in the welterweight ranks.

“After I get through Kampmann I’d say I’m one fight to get to the welterweight title, maybe two,” Alves said. “I feel very confident that it’s in my reach to be a champion. It’s something you definitely want on your resume getting to fight for a title. If I’m fighting for the belt, I’d rather fight against Condit and then defend against GSP.”

For now, “The Pitbull” has a tough fight placed in front of him. Kampmann is renowned for his precise striking and his dangerous submissions. It’s an interesting style clash for Alves, who favors aggressive Muay Thai assaults in the Octagon.

“Fighting a fighter like Martin Kampmann is a great opportunity,” Alves conceded. “I’m cleaning up my body and I’m ready for battle. It doesn’t even make a difference to me that it’s three rounds as I plan on finishing him early. I’m just enjoying the ride and getting ready to unleash ‘The Pitbull.’”

Alves said he’s keeping his eyes on the prize by practicing a strict diet and training intensely for his bout with Kampmann. A key part of his regimen, he said, is preparing to go the distance in any match.

“When we get ready for a fight we always envision it as a title fight,” Alves said of his training camp. “I’m excited to be back and I’m ready to do this. I’m healthy and I feel the best in my life.”

The icing on the cake, Alves added, is that his contest with Kampmann is UFC on FX 2′s main event. Though he always seeks a good scrap, “The Pitbull” said it’s even better when his matches get top dog status. Should he defeat Kampmann come Saturday, it’s something he’ll be seeing a lot more of.

“It’s a lot more pleasurable and I enjoy it that much more,” Alves said of headlining a fight card. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s always a lot of fun. Being part of the UFC is such an amazing experience.”

“King” Mo Lawal: “It could’ve been leg gone or dead”

by Jason Kelly on February 28, 2012 12:23:14 PM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

"King Mo" Lawal recovering from surgery. (Photo courtesy of Sherdog)

Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal brought a specialist in, but not the typical coach or trainer like one would suspect.

Lawal (Twitter: @KingMoFH) has had some tough luck in 2012. His first bout of the year was against Lorenz Larkin at Strikeforce: “Rockhold vs. Jardine” on Jan. 7. “King Mo” was victorious in the match, but the win was marred with controversy after the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion tested positive for the steroid Drostanalone.

As if that wasn’t enough to deal with, Lawal was then informed he injured his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and he also required micro-fracture surgery. “King Mo” endured an ACL injury in the past, so he is familiar with the procedures and rehab required to heal his knee. However, in an odd turn of events, Lawal’s surgery could’ve lead to fatal repercussions.

“The big deal was the micro-fracture surgery,” Lawal explained to Amy Barton on MMA Beatdown Radio on the MMA DieHards Radio Network. “That’s what people need to know first and foremost. Once the ACL was done, the micro-fracture took a little longer, but one of the micro-fracture sutures got infected. I was in the hospital for 12 days to get rid of the infection in my system. If I waited a little bit longer it could have been worse, it could’ve been life threatening. It could’ve been leg gone or dead. Even though I came (to the hospital) early, it could’ve been bad because the infection was still growing.”

Since Zuffa bought Strikeforce, fighters under contract with the promotion are entitled to medical insurance. They are an ideal assistant for athletes recovering from injury so they don’t also have the burden of paying for expensive medical bills and medication. Unfortunately, due to policy Lawal did not get the luxury of utilizing the benefit in this instance.

“Zuffa insurance had nothing to do with this incident because this incident happened within the 18 month period of my last injury,” Lawal explained. “Zuffa doesn’t cover that and that’s part of the policy, so I have no problem with that. If it was a micro-fracture it would be no problem, but it was the ACL and a micro-fracture so they didn’t take care of it because that’s policy.”

While Lawal is healing from infection and injury, the former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler is also dealing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s (NSAC) test results that allege “King Mo” used steroids.

Lawal said he was informed that he was using a health product that was similar to NO Xplode, which he used in the past, and he should use it when lifting weights. His intentions were not to get the physique of a bodybuilder, but to rehab his muscles. The difference between NO Xplode and this cheaper version he had been taking is that the less expensive supplement included Drostanalone under a disguised name in their chemical compound.

Now, aware that hazardous products may be added to supplements, Lawal recruited a specialist to tell help the mixed martial artist recognize what is going in his body.

“On the bottle it doesn’t say Drostanalone,” Lawal explained. “There’s a chemical compound on there and I didn’t know what it was, I just look at it and it says something like nitrous oxide like NO Xplode does. I didn’t think nothing of it.

“I have a pharmaceutical chemist and from now on this guy is going to send me a list of reputable supplement companies,” Lawal said. “He told me if I ever buy something, before I buy it to call him and he’ll go over all the ingredients for me.”

Lawal’s newest addition to his team may be his most vital, and one other mixed martial artists may incorporate in the future.

UFC on FX 2: Demetrious Johnson starts new division in Australia, new life in Hawaii

by Robert G. Reynolds on February 28, 2012 8:00:37 AM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

UFC flyweight contender, Demetrious Johnson (Photo courtesy of mmacorner.com)

Committing himself to the UFC’s recently added flyweight division, Demetrious Johnson vows to become a new man.

With the introduction of smaller weight divisions to the UFC, Johnson (Twitter: @MightyMouseUFC) was quick to jump on the opportunity when asked to move down from bantamweight to join the 125-pound flyweight division. In order to crown a champion, the UFC has introduced a four-man tournament starting March 2 in Australia.

“Mighty Mouse” fills one half of the bracket with Ian McCall at UFC on FX 2, which takes place at the Allphones Arena in Sydney, Australia.

“We were getting ready for Eddie Wineland on Jan. 28,” Johnson told MMA Beatdown on the MMA DieHards Radio Network. “But they gave us the call in November or December offering me a fight in the 125-pound weight division and I said sure why not. So, we decided to go down to 125 (pounds) and push the camp through Christmas and New Year’s. We made it a long training camp to get the weight under control.”

Meeting Johnson in Australia will be the former Tachi Palace Fighting flyweight champion, McCall, who is making his inaugural appearance with the organization. Other than knowing he is a nice guy and a top ranked fighter, Johnson remembered when his opponent had a 1-2 stint with the WEC.

Understanding that things change, Johnson recognizes the new fighter he has to contend with come Friday.

“The first time that I met Ian McCall was back when I fought Nick Pace,” Johnson said. “I also remember him fighting Charlie Valencia and Dominick Cruz, so I know a bit about him. I’m sure that he’s changed his life and he is with a different team now – Team Oyama – and he has been undefeated since dropping down to 125 (pounds), so I hope to get in there and see what he’s got.”

On the other side of the bracket, fellow UFC fighter Joseph Benavidez faces another champion in Shooto bantamweight (123-pound) title holder Yasuhiro Urushitani. Showcasing the first members of the flyweight division, the fighters were flown to Australia to participate in the typical press tour that is associated with each event.

While it may be an inconvenience to step away from training to pose for media, the trip “Down Under” proved to have other advantages for the fighters. Even though, Johnson and Benavidez have a chance of facing each other in the tournament finals, they did take time to assimilate with the new surroundings, and cheat on weight.

“I went over there six weeks ago to do some press tours,” Johnson said. “We went to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. It was a roller-coaster ride. One night I was in Sydney and the next night we were in Brisbane, and then Benavidez and I were walking the streets of Melbourne looking for a milkshake, so I think that the travelling will be fine.”

Hopefully collecting air travel points of some sort, Johnson has plans set out for the next few months of one extreme to the next. From the heat of the Octagon, to the snowy slopes, Johnson has another commitment to keep.

“After this fight I do plan on taking some time off,” Johnson stated. “My fiancé and I are going to Canada and doing some snowboarding up there and then after that, we’re going to come back, then head over to Hawaii and get married.”

Clearly not afraid of commitment, Johnson is obligated to conquer the flyweight division.

Sara McMann wonders “What’s this girl doing?” after Ronda Rousey ducked her

by Jason Kelly on February 27, 2012 8:20:19 PM in Features, Fighter Features | 6 Comments »

Sara McMann (R) punches Hitomi Akano (L) at Pro Elite: “Grove vs. Minowa”

Though, she may not be the talk of Twitter like some other combatants in WMMA, Sara McMann does her speaking through a different venue to garner attention.

McMann (Twitter: @sara_mcmann) accomplished an outstanding wrestling career that amounted to dozens of medals and trophies. She made the crossover to MMA in May 2011, where she defeated Christina Marks via rear-naked choke in her first professional MMA bout. She has since compiled a record of 5-0, most recently defeating Hitomi Akano at Pro Elite: “Grove vs. Minowa” on Jan. 21 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

With an undefeated win streak as a bargaining chip, McMann is finally able to lock down a bout without the hindrances she encountered in the beginning.

“I was frustrated at the days when fighters used to pull out and not having people step up to the challenge, but they’re behind me now,” McMann explained to Hector Castro and Mike Steczkowski on Darce Side Radio on the MMA DieHards Radio Network. “One of the limitations I had when I first started fighting was that I couldn’t fight some of the better girls because the commission wouldn’t allow it when I was 0-0. That kind of gave people a little bit more of an out and an excuse to say, ‘Yeah, I would take a fight against her,’ but they know that they’d have 13 to 18 fights and no commission was going to approve that. That allowed them to accept fights, but not actually have to fulfill and step up to the plate and take the fight because they just wouldn’t be allowed. But, now that I’m 5-0, I’m pretty much ready to fight any girl that is in my weight class and we’ve been making a lot of calls.”

McMann is looking for bigger fights, but not necessarily the bigger show.

The 2004 Summer Olympics senior women’s freestyle silver medalist has competed in less popular organizations such as Pro Elite and Titan Fighting Championships thus far in her MMA career. Strikeforce is arguably the most significant promotion to include female mixed martial arts bouts. They have produced the most prevalent competitors in WMMA and McMann intends to enjoy a career in the organization when the time is right.

“I could actually sign with Strikeforce at any point that I wanted because they are definitely interested,” McMann admitted. “They were really happy with my management because we want to gain more experience. I’m not just somebody who wants to come in and only have, predominantly, one skill-set and passable on jiu-jitsu and the striking. I really want the experience because by the time that I go to Strikeforce, I want to be dominating and I want to be putting on unbelievable shows while dominating in all areas.”

While McMann is competing for her chance on the big stage, she has noticed some of her counterparts taking a different route.

Ronda Rousey has been verbally sparring with Strikeforce female bantamweight champion Miesha Tate since her victory over Julia Budd and it got the Judo Olympian a title match. McMann is aware of Rousey’s antics and she is not bothered by them, but as a former Olympian herself, she feels there is a more humble way to get to the top.

“I definitely have a pedigree that I could have gone the same exact route and I could have said the same things and I would have gotten the same attention,” McMann said. “I just don’t have a lot of respect for it. I’m perfectly willing to work my way up the ladder because I don’t want to skip over girls. I don’t want to take away from the girls that have put years into this. I want to fight them and say, ‘Don’t take my word for it that I deserve to be here, fight me and I’ll show you.’ I could have gone that route, but it’s not an option for me, it’s not who I am.”

McMann said that Rousey will most likely earn more money than her until she acquires a title shot, but she would rather get the experience from climbing the divisional ladder, as opposed to the payday. She said Pro Elite pays her really good money, plus she has the luxury of competing in other promotions due to her non-exclusive contract. If the opportunity rose for her to face a Strikeforce top competitor in a one fight deal, McMann could accept it if she chose.

The marketability of two former Olympians doing battle would be an easy promotion for the Zuffa-owned Strikeforce. McMann agrees her and Rousey would be a highly marketable bout, but if history repeats itself she is unsure if the Judoka would consent to the match up.

“My first pro fight, we were searching everywhere and I was offered a fight against Ronda at a catch-weight of 140 (pounds),” McMann said. “Monte (Cox) called me and I said I would take it because I really couldn’t find an opponent. I thought, ‘Another Olympic medalist, she’s going to step up to the plate.’ Then he called me back and said, ‘They’re really trying to talk her into it, her managers and her trainers, and she just keeps refusing the fight.’ I was really shocked by that because I’ve even seen video of her calling out Cyborg (Santos) and calling out Gina Carano and saying she wasn’t impressed woman’s MMA. I was like, ‘What’s this girl doing?’”

Nonetheless, McMann did find a first fight, plus four more and she continuously wins.

McMann is not about to take to social media and call out her next opponent. Instead, she will wait patiently for her opposition to be named and then say what she has to say on the canvas.

“I like my fighting speak for itself,” McMann said. “I don’t have to talk about how great I am and all these wonderful things about me for days and days. I’ll show up to the fight and I’m going to come in there and do exactly what I said I was going to do.”

Enough said.

What’s next for Ben Henderson, Frankie Edgar?

by Michael Steczkowski (Stets) on February 27, 2012 3:00:50 PM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

Ben Henderson (L) defeats Frankie Edgar (L) at UFC 144. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Everyone had seen the Rocky trailer prior to UFC 144 featuring Frankie Edgar. It was quite fitting, and a great comparison since he was on the brink of defeat his last two times out versus Gray Maynard. Most likely the smallest lightweight in the UFC, the lovable fighter from Toms River, N.J., with the heart of a lion captured a lot of hearts and gained many fans with his performances in the Octagon. Unfortunately MMA isn’t like the movies and eventually your number is up and you lose, like Edgar did Saturday night by unanimous decision to Benson Henderson, losing his lightweight championship.

Long title reigns are rare in this sport, aside from Anderson Silva and George St-Pierre continuously winning, most title holders are lucky if they defend their belt more than once or twice. After upsetting B.J. Penn, “The Answer” had four title fights. He left no doubt in the rematch with Penn, came from behind in two classics against Maynard, and as we know lost his belt Saturday night in Japan to Henderson.

The biggest question looming now isn’t about the judging of the fight, it’s about who will face Henderson next, and will it be Edgar in a rematch? If Edgar doesn’t get a rematch, he could possibly move down to featherweight, a move Dana White seems to encourage, and face Jose Aldo for the 145-pound strap.

Let’s dissect the possibilities.

Henderson vs. Pettis 2: The first one was a classic at WEC 53. Henderson losing his belt to Pettis in a five round classic to end the WEC and of course “Showtime’s” unforgettable off-the-cage kick. Let us not forget Pettis was supposed to face the winner of Edgar vs. Maynard before it happened. The rematch was announced and Pettis, to his credit decided to fight instead of wait. He lost to Clay Guida, but bounced back nicely with a win against Jeremy Stephens, showcasing his improved wrestling, and of course the highlight knockout win over Joe Lauzon in Japan at UFC 144 that earned him knockout of the night honors and added another fight ending kick to his resume. Easy fight to market, fans would be into it, and it further cements the WEC merger. Pettis should definitely be the front runner.

Henderson vs. Miller/Diaz winner: Jim Miller had won seven fights in a row before Benson Henderson made him look really bad back in August on the UFC Live: “Hardy vs. Lytle” card in Milwaukee, Wis. A huge performance and decisive submission victory over Melvin Guillard on UFC on FX in Nashville put him back in the discussion. Many feel a title shot is long overdue. A win over Diaz and you could make a strong argument for Miller. If Diaz does defeat Miller I believe he would need at least another win for a title shot, although wins over Cerrone and Miller would be incredibly impressive, his resume is not, and the others mentioned would make more sense.

Henderson vs. Edgar 2: The rematch, Edgar said he deserves it, and he has a valid point in that Penn got a rematch when he defeated “The Prodigy” for the UFC lightweight title. If he was submitted or knocked out by Henderson a rematch would be implausible. It would certainly garner ticket sales and pay-per-view buys, not to mention a lot of fans would be content with that bout. Not sure Dana White and Joe Silva would make it happen, but I wouldn’t be against it and it would make for a compelling story.

If an immediate rematch doesn’t occur, Edgar will be back and the lightweight division, aka the shark tank, a division stacked with so much top tier talent, that another win could put him right back into contention.

As for Edgar moving to featherweight, he is reluctant to do so, and after losing the belt Saturday, it would be a huge risk to drop in weight to face Aldo, possibly losing two consecutive title bouts. If Edgar still had the belt, that would be one thing, but he doesn’t. I don’t believe we will be seeing Edgar at featherweight anytime soon. We will see him at 155 pounds in his next outing, but will it be for the belt in a rematch? Or will Edgar have to get in line with the other sharks? We wait with baited breath on Dana White and Joe Silva for the answer.

Twitter MMA: Best of the Week for Feb. 21- Feb. 27

by Jason Kelly on February 27, 2012 8:00:21 AM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

Joe Rogan ‏ @joerogan

Had a nice talk before the weigh ins with @rampage4real and we’re all good. He said the most annoying shit was fans repeating what I said…

Joe Rogan ‏ @joerogan

Dudes coming up to him going “how come you don’t throw low kicks like Joe Rogan says?” PLEASE cut that sh*t out, people!

Sean Sherk UFC ‏ @SeanSherkUFC

@danawhite whenever your ready for @SeanSherkUFC and mouth maywether let me know

chael sonnen ‏ @sonnench

Tell your story walkin. I’m the American Gangster and I’m smackin asses from West Linn to São Paulo.

Bubba Jenkins ‏ @2sinsurrJenkins

As real as it gets!! pic.twitter.com/ikeH6KPF

Quinton Jackson ‏ @Rampage4real

I’m sorry 2 my fans, the @ufc and my opponent. Thanks 2 Ryan 4 taking the fight. Sorry 4 not making weight.

Zachary Makovsky ‏ @ZachFunSize

No matter how this fight ends @FrankieEdgar is my hero

Dana White ‏ @danawhite

Is it me or did Mizugaki just get screwed by the judges!?

Melvin Guillard ‏ @Young__Assassin

Man look for the record i never hated on no one. I’ve done nothing but say good things about every fighter and been respectful.

Melvin Guillard ‏ @Young__Assassin

Now whereas my rematch punk lets do this again lauzon July 4.

Melvin Guillard ‏ @Young__Assassin

Yea its beef and he started it i was respectful to him and said nothing but good things

Dana White ‏ @danawhite

WOW Tim Boestch comeback of the year!!!!!!

Michael Johnson ‏ @FollowTheMenace

Damn rampage. I see him retiring at the mic. Finish it where he started it!!

Mark Pavelich ‏ @MarkPavelich

Benson Henderson used 2 fight 4 @MaximumFighting & yesterday night in Japan became the Lightweight Champion of the World. AMEN

Kenny Florian ‏ @kennyflorian

Frankie landed more punches. Landed more takedowns. Was bleeding more but doesn’t mean he lost. Awesome fight nonetheless. It was close.

Frankie Edgar ‏ @FrankieEdgar

Didn’t go my way tonight guess that’s how it goes sometimes. Wanna thank all my teammates, coaches, and family! And all my fans too!

In Their Own Words: The Week’s Noteworthy MMA Quotes

by Jason Kelly on February 26, 2012 3:06:52 PM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

UFC president Dana White.(photo: Hector Castro/MMADieHards.com)

“First of all, what he said I think was racist. He’s made a couple of racist comments and, yes, Floyd, you’re racist with the stuff that you’ve said.”
- Dana White slammed Floyd Mayweather on UFC Tonight for the boxer’s comments about NBA breakout star Jeremy Lin.

“I would beat the s— out of Joe Rogan – as long as he don’t get me to the ground, because his jiu-jitsu is really good. I know he’s got good jiu-jitsu because he’s so biased towards jiu-jitsu guys. Every time a guy is a jiu-jitsu fighter Rogan might as well be playing the rusty trombone.

“Joe Rogan has one of those girly high-ass voices that you can hear. I just want to tell him to shut the f— up. Let’s see you do it. Let’s see you come in here and kick this mother-f—– who wants to take you down. Shut the f— up.”
- Quinton “Rampage” Jackson gave his opinion of Joe Rogan and his commentary via Fighters Only.

“Rampage Jackson’s mad at me. I was watching and he was calling me fake ass. He was saying that all I want him to do his throw low kicks and the reason he doesn’t throw low kicks is because he was fighting a wrestler ‘you dumbass.’ Look, man, I love Rampage. I don’t mean to be rude when I assess things. I’m just trying to objectively figure out how this guy could be doing better than he’s doing. … When I’m doing commentary on a fight, all I’m trying to do is sort of objectively assess what I think someone could be doing differently to try to get themselves out of spot if they’re not winning or… I’m just trying to commentate. I’m not like critiquing the guy’s soul. I’m not like breaking down who he is as a person. I like the guy a lot. … The last thing I want to do is add more pressure or add more stress. All I’m doing is trying to just… I’m analyzing the fight, that’s all it is. I have to be objective. I can’t protect someone’s feelings at the expense of doing what I’m supposed to be doing, which is sort of analyzing what’s going on.”
- Rogan responded to Jackson’s criticism on The Joe Rogan Experience.

“Nick is honestly a great guy and one of the best and most loyal friends I’ve ever had. He has a bad rap for being a punk, but he’s not. In his mind, he said that he might be retiring, but I certainly hope that he doesn’t. I love watching him fight, he is a good friend of mine, but from a fans’ point of view he is one of my favorite fighters to watch fight.

“I hope he decides to come back and I think that he will. He is still going to be in the gym helping out and I think that is what is going to make him start loving it again and make him want to get back in there and fight.”
- Jake Shields talked to MMA DieHards about the return of his teammate, Nick Diaz.

“Right when he was first exiled, or kicked out of the UFC, whatever you want to call it, cut from the UFC, MC Hammer is in his team. He called me up and asked me if we could meet in [Los Angeles], so I met him there, we had dinner. He was lobbying to get Marquardt back in and I said, ‘Ya know, I love you man, but he’s gotta get out there and fight in other shows.’ He opted to not fight in any other shows. He wanted to sit out and he wanted to be back in the UFC. So we talked, we’re putting him back in Strikeforce and we’ll see what happens. I like Nate Marquardt, he’s a really good guy. But professionally, he needs to get his shit together. He needs to come into Strikeforce and he needs to make weight, he needs to pass all the tests and do all the other shit, so we’ll see how it goes.”
- White told Kimura.se that Nate Marquardt is back under the Zuffa umbrella.

“In the 10 losses I have in my MMA career, I haven’t rematched anyone I’ve lost to. Not once, I’ve never really cared for rematches because I felt they won, now I’ll move on. Right now, I’m at the point where this fight means something to me, I have something to prove against Joe Lauzon, so this is a rematch I’m asking for. Right now, I’m looking to watch the fights in Japan and I’m praying that he loses to (Anthony) Pettis because I want a rematch against Joe Lauzon. I don’t want to fight nobody next but Joe Lauzon. I don’t even care how it goes, I just want to see Pettis win and I want an immediate rematch with Joe Lauzon. Hopefully, I can get that rematch by fourth of July in Vegas.”
- Melvin Guillard told MMA Weekly that he wanted Joe Lauzon to lose at UFC 144, so they could gave a rematch.

“Michael Bisping. I wouldn’t try to anything but walk straight through him with a right hand. Here’s the deal: I don’t know Michael personally, sometimes I think he gets a bum rap and I’ve learned not to judge people off the media and things of that nature. After my last fight he had a few comments about my technique and who I was as a fighter that I thought were a little odd. He called me a ‘white belt’ and said that I was ‘exposed’ so I’d love to see him put his money where his mouth is. We can fight and we can solve that. He may be a great guy, I don’t know, and maybe he is, but I would just like to compete against him since he made those comments.”
- Brian Stann told EsNewsReporting that he would like the chance to fight The Ultimate Fighter 3 winner.

“I feel like I’ve improved more in the last four months than I have in the past four years. In that last fight I felt comfortable. I wasn’t over trained, I felt comfortable working with my hands and that was because I had more time to focus on my stand-up. Also, going in with a specific game plan, not just a loose game plan like, ‘Oh, I’m going to go in there and take him down.’ It’s more than that. It’s kind of like we go round by round, minute by minute, and have plans B and C in case A isn’t working out.

“All the changes in the gym are definitely going to help me in the fight, they already have.”
- Ryan Bader talked to MMA DieHards about the changes at Power MMA and Fitness.

“You can literally hear a pin drop in between rounds. Some fighters fight off that adrenaline. I myself feed off fans. There, everything was so quiet. I could hear my elbows bust off Wanderlei Silva’s face.”
- Tito Ortiz recounted his days of competing in Japan to ESPN.

“Rich Franklin better watch his mouth before I smack him the next time I see him. He’s a fighter just like I’m a fighter. He should watch what he say. He don’t question whether a fighter is taking a fight serious or not. I take all my fights serious. I’m tired of people saying that … I’m tired of people questioning me. I haven’t backed out yet of a fight due to injuries. I fight. If I win I win, if I lose I lose. I won some fights injured and I lost some fights injured…. It’s my job to fight [injured or not].”
- Jackson voiced his displeasure to mmafighting.com about Rich Franklin’s comments regarding “Rampage” not making weight.

“Right when I landed the kick I felt what part of this shin I hit him with, then I saw his eyes roll back, and I knew it was a done fight. To set it up, I came out in the southpaw stance and was just working the jab. I thought he was going to shoot sooner, so I kind of keep my range and stay far, but he was biting on the jab. I threw up the high kick and it was just his mistake.”
- Anthony Pettis detailed the kick he knocked out Lauzon with to Kimura.se.

“He got that good slam, you know , I knew he was waiting for something because he was a little to relaxed right there with his hands and he was just waiting for me to knee the head and he caught me, he’s a strong dude, so he picked me up and slammed me right on my head and I was out of it honestly for a little bit. But, I just recovered and that’s what it’s about, just staying in there and battling and that’s what happened.”
- Bader admitted to UFC.com that “Rampage” hurt him after slamming “Darth” in the UFC 144 co-main event.

“Again, I’m not a judge and my opinion doesn’t matter but I had it even going into that last round and I gave the last round to Frankie. (Four rounds to one for Ben Henderson) is crazy. Most of the judges had (Edgar) losing the last round, I don’t know how you have him losing the last round. But I was on Twitter going into the third, fourth and last round asking people how they had it and there were some people who had it just like I had it and there were other people who had it the other way for Henderson. I said, ‘Get ready for some controversy, this is going to be a controversial decision.’”
- White told mmafighting.com he thought Edgar beat Henderson at UFC 144.

UFC 144 recap: Henderson crowned new UFC lightweight champ, Pettis, Boetsch, Hunt win via (T)KO, Bader, Shields, Hioki get the judges’ nod

by Robert G. Reynolds on February 26, 2012 1:41:03 AM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson. (Photo courtesy of MMA Valor)

Ben Henderson defeated Frankie Edgar to become the new UFC lightweight champion.

In the co-main event of the evening, Ryan “Darth” Bader spoiled Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s return to Japan.

Anthony Pettis rendered Joe Lauzon unconscious, Tim Boetsch finished Yushin Okami, and Mark Hunt stopped Chieck Kongo

With size being a factor in the main event, Henderson showed why bigger fighters have the advantage.

From the outset of the fight, Henderson was clearly the more powerful fighter, landing effective strikes that swelled the champions face. It was an up-kick to the face of Edgar that drastically changed the fight for the champ.

Edgar kept in the bout, but couldn’t find an answer for Henderson, losing his belt by unanimous decision.

Bader came in to the Octagon behind the heavy favorite, Jackson, and showed that he had what it took to overcome the odds. Capitalizing on his wrestling talents, Bader managed to make that the difference in the bout, scoring a unanimous decision victory over “Rampage”.

Even though Jackson lost the bout, the Japanese fans were winners as they got to see the “Rampage” of old slam Bader to the mat.

Making his return to Japan in almost seven years, former Strikeforce middleweight champion, Shields, garnered his first win since his UFC debut.

Facing Akiyama, the BJJ specialist had his hands full with the Judoka who managed to throw Shields a couple times throughout the fight. Showing drastic improvements with his striking, Shields picked apart Akiyama and accomplished a takedown late in the third round.

Shields did enough in the judges’ eyes to score a unanimous decision win and put his two fight losing streak to an end.

Winning six of his last seven fights, Boetsch was a large underdog flying into Japan to face Okami.

Okami showed his dominance for the first two rounds of the fight, controlling the fight whether it was standing or on the ground. However, things changed when Boetsch came out for the third frame.

The American came out knowing that a knockout or submission was necessary in order to leave Japan on a positive note. Catching Okami with a left hook, Boetsch followed with multiple uppercuts that dropped his opponent, calling a stop to the bout and marking one of the more spectacular comebacks of the year.

Sengoku featherweight champion, Hioki has proven why he is the number two featherweight in the world. In the first round, Hioki appeared to have captured a 10-8 round against Palaszewski, taking him to the ground and almost taking an arm with him.

Surviving the onslaught, Palaszewski came back in the second round establishing himself with strikes, but the Japanese fighter was too much. Bringing Palaszewski back to mat for the third round, Hioki dominated his opponent on his way to a unanimous decision victory.

Starting out the main card on PPV was a bout set for fight night bonus between Pettis and Lauzon.

Coming out southpaw, Pettis came out showing a different angle that appeared to throw Lauzon off his game. Landing powerful leg kicks to the body, Lauzaon failed to see the one that mattered most. Midway through the first round Pettis landed a left head kick that ended the night for Lauzon in a devastating way.

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