Posts Tagged ‘Ian McCall’

Louis Gaudinot: “If the UFC changes their mind, I would love to fight (Ian McCall)”

UFC flyweight Louis Gaudinot

Louis Gaudinot doesn’t quite understand why Ian McCall is calling him out, but he does know that a year is a long time to wait.

Gaudinot (Twitter: @LouisGaudinotUFC) last competed on May 5, 2012, against John Lineker at “UFC on Fox: Diaz vs. Miller.”  It was a victorious debut in the UFC flyweight division for “Goodight,” even though the bout eventually became a 127-pound catchweight match due to Lineker’s issues at the scales, Gaudinot made weight.

Gaudinot is finally returning to the Octagon, but won’t be meeting the combatant who has recently called him out via the internet.  The aforementioned McCall took to The Underground, claimed Gaudinot has been chomping at the bit for a scrap with him, and accepted the challenge.  However, Gaudinot finds “Uncle Creepy’s” allegations and retaliation a little belated.

“To be honest, I can’t tell you what’s going on,” Gaudinot told Joe Rizzo and Jason Kelly on MMA DieHards Radio on the MMA DieHards Radio Network.  “The UFC told me I have an opponent in August, I can’t say who the opponent is, but they offered me a fight and it’s not Ian McCall.  I did an interview over a year ago and they asked me, ‘Who do you want to fight next?’  So, of course, like any fighter, you want to be the best in the world, you want to move up in the rankings.  I said, ‘I want to fight someone ranked above me in the rankings.’  At the time, they were doing the flyweight tournament.  I said, “I want to fight one of the guys in the tournament.’  Obviously I couldn’t fight (Demetrious) “Mighty Mouse” (Johnson) or Joseph Benavidez because they won their matches, and they were moving on to the title fight.  So, I said, ‘I’d like to face Ian McCall or Yasuhiro Urushitani.’  That’s all I really said.  I never called anybody out one-on-one; I just said that I wanted to fight one of the guys in the tournament.”

Gaudinot said with the interview being more than a year old, and never mentioning McCall’s name after that, he doesn’t understand why “Uncle Creepy” would claim he is continuously being called out.  Gaudinot would be obliged to the UFC if granted a bout with McCall, but due to the politics of matchmaking, the higher ups are not keen on this fight at the moment.

“If the UFC changes their mind, I would love to fight him,” Gaudinot said.  “He’s ranked above me in rankings; that’s what I want to do, I want to move up in rankings.  Of course, I want to fight those guys, and show that I can beat them, and show them I belong there.  He’s talking smack, saying he’ll knock the green off my head.  You can talk all you want, if we fight, it’s a different story.  I’m not one to talk crap.  It’s a business; I don’t have to hate the person before the fight.  If that’s how he has to be, so be it.  I’m in there to do a job, I know I’m  going to win, I know I’m going to kick some ass when I go out there, whoever they put me against.  I don’t have to talk smack about it, but I’d love to fight him.  The UFC told me he’s coming off two losses, so it doesn’t make sense.”

A fight that is currently sensible is the bout that Gaudinot is scheduled for in August.  It may not be his first choice, but after being out of the Octagon for over a year, the New York native is anticipating a dominant return to action.

“I had two different injuries,” Gaudinot said.  “I was supposed to fight, I got hurt, thankfully I didn’t need surgery.  I rehabbed myself, that was a pain in the ass, then I hurt a different part of my body.  That time was a little bit worse, I thought I was going to need surgery, but luckily I didn’t.  Now, I’m back to training 100-percent, and I hope to keep it that way.  I had a couple bad streaks, but I’m anxious to get back in the cage.  It’s been too long.”

UFC on Fox 6: Demetrious Johnson’s crown doesn’t weigh him down

UFC flyweight champion Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson walks to the Octagon with his fight team. (Photo courtesy of sherdog.com)


UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson isn’t intimidated by other fighters gunning for his title gold.

It’s not that “Mighty Mouse” (Twitter: @MightyMouseUFC) is cocky – quite the opposite. It’s just that having fought professionally for six years, he’s confident in his own abilities as a mixed martial artist. As Johnson sees it, winning his first championship last September is physical proof of where he stands as a fighter.

“I’m focusing on beating people rather than defending my title,” Johnson told MMADiehards’ Punch Drunk Radio on Jan. 15. “I’m not worried about losing it or hanging on to it. It’s just a token or achievement I’ve earned in my MMA career. I’ve already made history and they can never take that away from me.”

“Mighty Mouse” initially made his way into the record books by besting Joseph Benavidez for the flyweight belt in September 2012. Scoring a split decision victory over “Joe B-Wan Kenobi” at UFC 152 in Toronto, Canada, Johnson can now call himself the first-ever UFC flyweight champion.

It’s an honor Johnson isn’t taking lightly. As the face of the UFC’s newest weight class, “Mighty Mouse” plans on making 125 lbs. one of its most entertaining divisions.

“With the flyweights being so new and the fans not understanding the division yet, it’s going to take time for them to get educated about us,” Johnson said. “We bring a lot of different skill sets to display in the UFC. There are a thousand guys out there. Just because they’re not known doesn’t mean they’re not out there.”

So far, Johnson has caught fight fans’ attention with a trio of electrifying bouts. He started by dueling “Uncle Creepy” Ian McCall to a draw last March at UFC on FX 2, then completely shutting him down with a unanimous decision rout at UFC on FX 3 in June. After that, “Mighty Mouse” completed the trifecta by defeating Benavidez during September’s nail-biting, back-and-forth contest for the title.

“2012 was a great year,” Johnson said. “I got married, won the belt and had a great string of fights. I’m looking forward to bringing that momentum over to 2013.”

A new year brings new challenges, and Johnson will face a dangerous one in John Dodson at UFC on Fox 6 on Saturday in Chicago, Ill. “The Magician” has cast a powerful spell over his division by knocking out two of his last three foes. He’s now feared for hitting like a car crash at blistering speeds.

“Dodson is absolutely a threat to me,” Johnson admitted. “He’s super-athletic and that right there poses a threat as he has great balance and good footwork.”

It’s a pairing Johnson expects will push his division to the next level. Airing on Fox, “Mighty Mouse” vs. “The Magician” marks the flyweights’ debut on national television.

“With Fox, anyone in the world can watch it,” Johnson said of his standoff with Dodson Saturday night. “I’m just happy to go out there and fight for the UFC, especially in the main event. Fighting on Fox is just icing on the cake.”

Given the extra exposure, Johnson said he’s not resting on his laurels as flyweight champion. Rather, he intends on delivering Dodson an unquestionable defeat Saturday night.

“I’m training hard and looking forward to getting in there and doing my thing,” Johnson said. “When I train for a fight, I’m not just training for John Dodson or anyone else. I’m training to make myself a better mixed martial artist. I take care of business and I know what needs to be done.”

Mark Hensch is an avid MMA fan who became interested in the sport through wrestling and karate. When not covering the hurt business, he writes about heavy metal for the Washington Times at his blog Heavy Metal Hensch in Washington D.C.

MMA Diehards Awards: Breakthrough fighters of the year

UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey. (Photo Courtesy of mmabay.co.uk)


(The MMA Diehards staff has compiled lists for the best fighter of the year, fight of the year, KO of the year, submission of the year and breakthrough fighter of the year to close out 2012.)

“Rowdy” Ronda Rousey

Love her or hate her, Ronda Rousey is MMA’s biggest revelation of 2012.

For starters, “Rowdy” debuted for Strikeforce in March with a limb-snapping, submission of the year victory over Miesha Tate. Proving that armbar wasn’t a fluke, she destroyed Sarah Kaufmann with the same move during a 54-second rout last August.

Such dominance didn’t go unnoticed, and Rousey was soon trailblazing to bigger and better things. Closing 2012 by breaking the UFC’s gender barrier, she’s now the first female in the world’s premier fighting league. Given the Olympic judoka remains undefeated, no other star jumped higher last year.

Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson

UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson. (Photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com)

For one of the UFC’s smallest fighters, Demetrious Johnson made big waves last year.

“Mighty Mouse” first entered the history books in 2012 as a founding father of the UFC’s new flyweight division. From there, he defeated the dangerous Ian McCall not once, but twice, for a shot at the division’s vacant title. By besting Joseph Benavidez in September, “Mighty Mouse” made his most lasting mark serving as the UFC’s first 125 lb. champion.

Stefan “The Skyscraper” Struve

UFC heavyweight Stefan "The Skyscraper" Struve. (Photo courtesy of mmafighting.com)

Stefan Struve signed with the UFC long before last year, but he showed he’s its most improved heavyweight in 2012.

Racking up a 3-0 record over seven months, Struve can now stand tall after years of criticism for his unorthodox style. He began by knocking out Dave Herman in February, continued by subbing Lavar Johnson in May and ended with a TKO starching of Stipe Miocic in September. It’s an epic run, and one Struve spent proving he’s got better striking, fight IQ and guts than he’s often credited for.

Rory “Ares” MacDonald

UFC welterweight Rory "Ares" MacDonald. (Photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com)

Is there any bigger villain in 2012 MMA than Rory MacDonald?

The answer’s a resounding “no” after seeing “Ares” pulverize B.J. Penn earlier this month. Fighting at UFC on Fox 5, MacDonald humiliated the beloved icon for three rounds before millions of shocked viewers. Watching MacDonald gleefully toy with Penn for 15 minutes, one sensed he could’ve finished him at any time but didn’t out of sheer sadism. If that doesn’t make MacDonald one of MMA’s most fearsome fighters, his April beatdown of Che Mills certainly does.

Matt “The Immortal” Brown

UFC welterweight Matt "The Immortal" Brown. (Photo courtesy of mysportsportal.com)

Matt Brown’s making his most successful run in pro MMA after 2012.

Entering the sport seven years ago, Brown showed promise but could never put together a strong win streak. In 2011, for example, “The Immortal” inked a 1-2 score. Changing tactics last year, he’s since won his last four fights and shows no signs of slowing down. As 2013 dawns, Brown has a second wind at his back and a bright future going forward.

Mark Hensch is an avid MMA fan who became interested in the sport through wrestling and karate. When not covering the hurt business, he serves as a digital editor for the Washington Times’ Times247.com in Washington D.C.

Title shot officially goes to UFC on FX 5′s John Dodson-Jussier Formiga winner

http://mmajunkie.com/news/30915/title-shot-officially-goes-to-ufc-on-fx-5s-john-dodson-jussier-formiga-winner.mma

Twitter MMA: Best of the Week for Sept. 16 – 23

 

Tom DeBlass ‏@TomDeBlass

@RenzoGracieBJJ I’d vote. pic.twitter.com/rL6SRw8T

Renzo_Gracie_BJJ ‏@RenzoGracieBJJ

@TomDeBlass to our friends everything, to our enemies not even the right to justice ;-) what is a vote when we live under this flag.. ;-)

Jeff Curran @BigFrogBJJ1m

Thanks to Master Pedro Sauer for the promotion to 3rd Degree Black Belt! 9 yrs a black belt.. time flies. @teamcurranmma#graciejiu-jitsu

Aaron Tru ‏@AaronTru

That’s too bad…was a rory macdonald fan until he was just spotted dressed as a hipster with horn rim glasses and skinny tie. #lame #nerd

Mark Hominick ‏@MarkHominick

I am sitting beside the American Michael Bisping look alike. @b_ray16http://yfrog.com/nxhwdnwj

Louis Gaudinot ‏@LouGaudinotUFC

Can’t wait to see the first flyweight championship fight in the #UFC ! By the end of 2013 I’ll be fighting in one of those! @danawhite

Joseph Benavidez @JoeJitsu

Great day to make dreams come true!! Let’s do this! #UFC152

Walel Watson ‏@135Gazelle

Well no one to blame but me! The camp was perfect! Diet,weightcut,hydration perfect! Just got too aggressive and got caught! Lesson learned!

Urijah Faber ‏@UrijahFaber

Congrats 2 @MightyMouseUFC gr8 performance! @JoeJitsu proud of you, at 1st u don’t succeed try try again :)

Ian McCall ‏@Unclecreepymma

@MightyMouseUFC congrats tonight … I’m coming for you and hells coming with me #ugctt

Ulysses Gomez ‏@uselessgomez

I got an idea, the next season of TUF needs to get creepy. How about@MightyMouseUFC and @Unclecreepymma as the coaches? What say you? @ufc

Ben Askren ‏@Benaskren

@CrooklynMMA these little guys don’t hit hard enough to hurt each other, I think they should get bass knuckles or something

juniorcigano ‏@junior_cigano

Well Jon Jones proves one more time he is a great fighter and very smart. He looked great in the fight. It had good fights tonight I like it

The Iron Sheik ‏@the_ironsheik

The Jon jones impress me big time tonight. He not like the garbage man ultimate warrior. He real black man ready for fight

UFC 152: Joseph Benavidez builds a legacy at flyweight

UFC fighter Joseph "Joe Jitsu" Benavidez celebrates after a hard-fought and bloody battle in the cage. (Photo courtesy of mmafightcorner.com)


No matter the outcome, Joseph Benavidez will enter the history books this Saturday at UFC 152 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Win, lose or draw, “Joe Jitsu” (Twitter: @JoeJitsu) will cement his place as one of the UFC flyweight division’s founding fathers. Come fight night, Benavidez will face Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, another trailblazer for the UFC’s smallest weight class. The victor will stand tall as the division’s first title holder for all time.

“This is about making history,” Benavidez told MMADiehards’ new Hammerfisting MMA Podcast on Saturday, Sept. 15. “I think I’m going to build the bulk of my legacy and really make my name in the flyweight division. What a great way to start that legacy – by becoming the first champion in the division. You become great by going out there and doing things like that.”

Benavidez first broke into MMA as a bantamweight in 2006. He’s now 16-2, and the only person who’s defeated him is Dominick “The Dominator” Cruz, the UFC’s bantamweight champion. Entering the flyweight ranks thus gives “Joe Jitsu” a breath of fresh air, and it’s a change he’s grateful for.

“This has been a big dream of mine,” Benavidez said of his latest title shot. “When I got into this sport, my goal wasn’t to be in a UFC main event, it was to be a UFC champion. It’s been a long journey. My eyes are on the prize.”

Johnson, for his part, isn’t just a stepping stone. “Mighty Mouse” is 15-2-1 and a major threat against even the most masterful fighters. Blindingly fast and a tenacious grappler, he’ll give Benavidez a true battle when the cage door closes.

“Johnson goes out there with no fear and always comes forward,” Benavidez admitted. “He mixes it up well and I really like his style. I think he’ll bring out the best in me.”

Both men had rocky roads leading toward their matchup. Benavidez blasted 19-5-6 Yasuhiro Urushitani into unconsciousness at UFC on FX 1 last March, winning via second round TKO. Johnson, meanwhile, faced 15-2-1 Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall in back-to-back brawls following a scoring error. He won the series with a dominating unanimous decision at UFC on FX 2 in June.

Such grueling competition has convinced Benavidez he has an uphill battle Saturday night. In a fight between the world’s most elite flyweights, he claims his killer instinct will make the difference.

“I like Johnson but he’s the one guy standing in my way and trying to take away my dream,” Benavidez said. “Nobody can do that. If I have 25 minutes to fight, I have 25 minutes to kill him and get the stoppage. I don’t think ‘Mighty Mouse’ can make it 25 minutes before I can get to him and finish him off.”

Though Benavidez is banking on championship gold, he plans on making the first flyweight title fight unforgettable either way. Champion or not, “Joe Jitsu” has a division’s future to develop.

“We’re the two best fighters in the world in our weight class,” Benavidez said of his matchup with Johnson. “This has all the ingredients for a great fight. I have 100 percent faith that when people see us they’ll believe in what we do.”

Mark Hensch is an avid MMA fan who became interested in the sport through wrestling and karate. When not covering the hurt business, he serves as a digital editor for the Washington Times’ Times247.com in Washington D.C.

UFC’s Ian McCall released from jail, trainer hopes fighter learns lesson

http://mmajunkie.com/news/30439/ufcs-ian-mccall-released-from-jail-trainer-hopes-fighter-learns-lesson.mma

Jussier da Silva vs. John Dodson targeted for UFC on FX 5

http://mmajunkie.com/news/29941/jussier-da-silva-vs-john-dodson-targeted-for-ufc-on-fx-5.mma

UFC on Fox 4: Ulysses Gomez makes the sub for Ian McCall

Flyweight fighter Ulysses Gomez gets his hand raised after a victory. (Photo courtesy of sherdog.com)


A major flyweight bout featured on next month’s UFC on Fox 4 card is getting a makeover.

MMADiehards.com has learned from sources close to the event that Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall has withdrawn from his match with UFC newcomer John Moraga. Ulysses “Useless” Gomez will make his own Octagon debut against Moraga instead.

McCall was scheduled to face Moraga on Aug. 4 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The popular 11-3-1 flyweight is fresh off a high-profile feud with Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson over a slot in the UFC’s inaugural flyweight title match. The pair met in a controversial draw at UFC on FX 2 in Sydney last March, only to main event last month’s UFC on FX 3 in Sunrise, Fla. for a conclusive victor. Johnson won that battle, besting “Uncle Creepy” in a unanimous decision victory.

MMADiehards’ source could not provide an explanation for McCall’s absence against the 10-1 Moraga. The latest addition to the UFC’s flyweight ranks has won three of his last four fights by submission. Moraga’s last bout, a unanimous decision victory over Maurice Senters, took place at Rage in the Cage 160 in Chandler, Ariz. last month.

Gomez, meanwhile, has gone 9-2 during his fight career. “Useless” has won two of his last three, and the Mexican fighter notched both his wins via submissions. His most recent match, a guillotine choke out of Cody Gibson, took place at Taichi Palace Fights 11 in Lemoore, Calif. last December.

Gomez makes a more even fight for Moraga, who was facing one of the world’s top-five flyweight fighters in McCall. He’ll go at it with Gomez at a card headlined by a light heavyweight brawl between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Brandon “The Truth” Vera.

Mark Hensch is an avid MMA fan who became interested in the sport through wrestling and karate. When not covering the hurt business, he serves as a digital editor for the Washington Times’ Times247.com in Washington D.C.

UFC on Fox 3: Green means go for Louis Gaudinot

UFC flyweight Louis "Goodnight" Gaudinot weighs in for his "Ultimate Fighter" Season 14 fight in Las Vegas last year. (Photo courtesy of ufc.com)


UFC flyweight Louis “Goodnight” Gaudinot’s fighting career is all about standing out from the pack.

For starters, the 5-2 Hoboken, N.J. fighter can claim a stint on the 14th season of “The Ultimate Fighter” for his meteoric rise up the MMA ranks. Not content for mere exposure on the hit TV show, he went on to win “Fight of the Season” accolades in a submission loss to Dustin “The Disciple” Pague. Nearly a year later, Gaudinot (Twitter: @LouGaudinotUFC) credits the show as pivotal boost to his career.

“Being on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ got my name out there instead of coming into the UFC by the usual route,” Gaudinot told MMADiehards on Tuesday’s MMA Beatdown. “Recognition is the biggest thing. You’re on the show for 12 or 13 weeks and people seeing you every week is definitely good for your career.”

It helped that punk rock style stood out in a house of 16 aspiring UFC athletes. When he wasn’t putting on star-making fights, Gaudinot was attracting constant stares with his bright green hair. With his season now over, it’s a look the flyweight said isn’t leaving anytime soon.

“I’ll always have the green hair,” Gaudinot declared. “It’s my trademark. It helps people recognize me. I can’t get rid of it.”

Gaudinot will next try making his mark with a UFC on Fox 3 match against Brazil’s 19-5 John “Mao-de-Pedra” Lineker on Saturday. On paper, it’s a close contest as both men are debuting in the UFC’s flyweight division. Gaudinot, however, maintains he’ll have an advantage given that Lineker doesn’t love fighting at 125 lbs. like he does.

“All my pro fights have been at flyweight,” said Gaudinot, who moved up to bantamweight for his “Ultimate Fighter” exhibition match. “It’s my natural weight class. It feels good to be back where I started. It feels like I’m home.”

Such confidence doesn’t mean Gaudinot is looking past Lineker. On the contrary, he said he sees his opponent as a tough challenge to overcome.

“Lineker’s put together a nice run of 12 wins in a row, 13 wins in a row,” Gaudinot said. “He likes to swing and throw bombs. At the same time, I’m not seeing him dropping anybody with one punch. I’m looking to go in there and trade with him.”

It’s a high risk, high reward strategy in the UFC’s new flyweight division. Launched with a four-person title tournament in March, a champion remains uncrowned as semi-finalist Joseph “Joe B-Wan Kenobi” Benavidez awaits the victor of Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall vs. Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson in June. For division rookies like Gaudinot, it won’t take long entering the rankings and storming the title holder’s gates.

“Right now the flyweight division is up in the air,” said Gaudinot, who estimates the UFC has signed eight flyweights besides himself. “With two or three impressive fights you could be fighting for the title as you’ve beaten two-thirds of the roster for your division. It’s definitely exciting.”

All the same, Gaudinot said he prefers fighting smart rather than speculating on the future. When the cage door closes for his match against Lineker, he said he’ll go after what works rather than people’s predictions.

“The division is young,” Gaudinot said. “I’m looking to move myself up the ladder. I’m not going to go out there and force anything. If I hurt him I’m going to finish him then.”

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