Lots o' MMA news today!

Spike TV to air 10 preliminary cards in 2010

After three successful broadcasts in 2009, Spike TV officials today announced the cable station will air a total of 10 preliminary-card specials prior to UFC pay-per-view events in 2010.

The one-hour specials, now dubbed "UFC Prelim," feature between two and four bouts from the un-aired preliminary cards of each pay-per-view event.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported last week, Spike TV will air a UFC 108 teaser on Jan. 2, and Spike TV officials also confirmed the station will air a UFC 109 teaser on Feb. 6.

The remaining eight broadcast specials will be announced at a later date.

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UFC CONFIRMS MAJOR BOUTS FOR UFC 110 in AUSTRALIA

NOGUEIRA v VELASQUEZ
SILVA v BISPING
STEVENSON v SOTIROPOULOS
JARDINE V BADER
ROTHWELL V CRO COP
SINOSIC v HASEMAN

UFC 110 LIVE AT THE ACER ARENA

December 15, Sydney, Australia - With the second fastest sell-out in the 16-year history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship organisation, UFC 110 hits Sydney, Australia, on Sunday, February 21 (Airing in the United States on Saturday, February 20).

All 16,500 tickets for the Acer Arena were completely sold out on the first day of public sale on Friday (December 11), placing UFC 110 behind only the record-breaking UFC 83 in Montreal, Canada in April 2008, as the UFC’s hottest ticket ever.

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DREAM and World Victory Road confirm fights for Dec. 31 "Dynamite!! 2009" event!

The fight card for DREAM and World Victory Road's Dec. 31 "Dynamite!! 2009" event got some serious depth today with the official announcement of numerous matchups, many of which pit one of the Japanese organization's fighters against the other promotion's.

The HDNet-televised event features both MMA and K-1 bouts and takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Today's additions include Masanori Kanehara (15-7-5) vs. Norofumi "Kid" Yamamoto (17-2) and Akihiro Gono (30-15-7) vs. Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (35-9-2).

Both of those fights will be conducted under MMA rules with three five-minute rounds. The same goes for the bouts of Katsuyori Shibata (4-6-1) vs. Hiroshi Izumi (0-1), Marlon Sandro (15-1) vs. Hideo Tokoro (25-21-1), Michihiro Omigawa (8-8-1) vs. Hiroyuki Takaya (12-7-1), and Kazuyuki Fujita (15-8) vs. Alistair Overeem (31-11).

A K-1 bout of Yosuke Nishijima (0-1) vs. Ray Sefo (54-20-1) was also added to the card.

Previously announced MMA bouts include Japanese gold-medalist judoka Satoshi Ishii (0-0) vs. fellow Olympic gold-medalist Hidehiko Yoshida (8-7-1) and the DREAM "Super Hulk" open-weight grand prix finale of Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa (43-30-8) vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (7-5).

Additional fights will be announced in the next few weeks.

For now, the official lineup include:

* Masato vs. Andy Souwer (K-1)
* Satoshi Ishii vs. Hidehiko Yoshida
* Masanori Kanehara vs. Norofumi "Kid" Yamamoto
* Akihiro Gono vs. Hayato "Mach" Sakurai
* Hiroshi Izumi vs. Katsuyori Shibata
* Marlon Sandro vs. Hideo Tokoro
* Michihiro Omigawa vs. Hiroyuki Takaya
* Kazuyuki Fujita vs. Alistair Overeem
* Yosuke Nishijima vs. Ray Sefo (K-1)
* Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (MMA/"Super Hulk" finale)
* Hiroya vs. Japan Masaaki Noiri (K-1 KOSHIEN semifinal)
* Katsuki Ishida vs. Shota Shimada (K-1 KOSHIEN semifinal)
* Tsukasa Fuji vs. Ryuya Kusakabe (K-1 KOSHIEN semifinal reserve)

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Almeida likely for UFC 111 in March, bout with Thiago Alves

While a knee injury forced grappling ace Ricardo Almeida (11-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) out of a planned UFC 106 bout with Jon Fitch, "Big Dog" apparently won't sit out for long.

MMAjunkie.com (http://www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the promotion that Almeida is being targeted for a March 27 return to action at UFC 111 in Newark, N.J.

And while Almeida couldn't comment on the potential contest when contacted by MMAjunkie.com, additional sources have indicated Brazilian slugger Thiago Alves (16-6 MMA, 9-3 UFC) may be in the running to face the 33-year-old.

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Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin @ UFC 111 For Interim Title

While UFC president Dana White recently said the status of UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar would be decided in the next four to six weeks, things are apparently progressing much faster.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the organization that the UFC is targeting an interim heavyweight title matchup between top contender Shane Carwin and former UFC champion Frank Mir.

If both parties agree, the contest may take place at the increasingly attractive UFC 111 event on March 27 in Newark, N.J.

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Quinton Jackson challenges Dana White to a boxing fight

This rings a bell does it not?

"The last thing I want to say is, and this is to Dana White, do me a favour and put two UFC logo's in that octagon and promote them as if they're gonna fight each other and see how many people turn up to watch them fight. If Dana's got a problem with me about any texts I give my friends or anything else... if he's got a problem with me tell him I'll do a boxing fight with him, but I'd show up. I'd show up with bells on. I'd show up dressed looking just like a boxer. He could even wear a head gear for all I care. Dana has a history of talking **** about people on the internet and at press conferences and stuff when they're not there, I'm not that guy... I don't give a (expletive) anymore. Tell Dana if he's still got a problem with me, we can settle the problem like men and he can make as much money out of it as he wants. He can promote it, he can put it on TV and he can pay himself a big purse." -Quinton "Rampage" Jackson


Former UFC light-heavyweight champion turned thespian Quinton "Rampage" Jackson adds more fuel to his ongoing feud with UFC President Dana White courtesy of comments made to MMABay.

Jackson announced recently that he'd like to come back to MMA, after going on a brief hiatus to play B.A. Baracus on a film adaptation of "The A-Team," in order to settle disputes with both UFC President Dana White and fellow former UFC light-heavyweight champion Rashad Evans.

Jackson and White have been at odds since the popular brawler abruptly abandoned his planned UFC 107 showdown against bitter, Evans, in order to work on the film; and it appears that Jackson's feud with White has done anything but die down in the wake of Jackson's announced return to the sport.

This isn't the first time White, a former amateur boxer, has been challenged to a boxing match. A couple of years ago famed UFC light-heavyweight Tito Ortiz had a boxing match with White written into his contract. The two agreed to face one another at a Las Vegas gym, but Ortiz failed to show.

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Lorenzo Fertitta: 140,000 People Viewed UFC 106 Illegally

UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta testified Wednesday at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on piracy of live sports broadcasting over the Internet, and he said the UFC is potentially losing tens of millions of dollars because people are illegally streaming UFC pay-per-views online.

"Just last month, the broadcast of UFC 106 from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, had over 271 unauthorized streams with over 140,000 views, and those are only the ones that our anti-piracy team and consultants identified," Fertitta told the committee. "There were likely more streams that we simply couldn't find."

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Personally, I don't think they are losing that much at all. It's my belief that those that watch these streams would simply do without and not purchase the ppv and watch the fights at a later date. And like Joe Rogan says on the broadcast of every PPV, "you can't stop the internet, baby".
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Have we seen the Pit Bull since his loss to GSP?
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nope that was his most recent fight
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SHERK OUT; DUANE LUDWIG IN AGAINST JIM MILLER

The seemingly cursed UFC 108 card took yet another hit on Wednesday as former lightweight champion, Sean Sherk, was forced off the show with a laceration requiring stitches over his eye. Stepping in to replace him will be Duane "Bang" Ludwig who will return to the UFC for the first time since 2006 to take on Jim Miller in a 155lb contest.

The news of Sherk's replacement was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by sources close to the fight on Wednesday evening.

Sources indicated to MMAWeekly.com that Sherk was forced off the card due to an inch long cut suffered over his right eye in training that required several stitches that would not come out until at least the middle of next week.

Jim Miller has now undergone 2 opponent changes in less than a week after Tyson Griffin was forced off the card with an injury and now Sherk drops out with a cut sustained in training that could not heal in time for the show.

The Jan 2 card was slated to be one of the UFC's biggest shows, but injuries have forced a multitude of changes and with 2 weeks still to go, it's no telling what else might happen to the ever changing line-up.

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Land of the Rising Sun Influences Canadian MMA Scene

Mixed martial arts has come a long way since the days of UFC and PRIDE FC. Back then, the battle lines where drawn, North American MMA versus a seemingly more diverse Japanese version. In a heart beat the North American big business machine devoured the competition ending the unforgettable pride FC. Many have felt that the days of old would never come back again after a disconcerting show in North America for the Pride organization which was bought out by the UFC, ZUFFA…………….what went wrong; true diehard fans have always wondered?????

Approaching the new year of 2010, one Canadian promoter has taken a bold step. Pasqualino Santoro, President & Owner of Colloseo Championship fighting has made a major announcement regarding future MMA in Canada. Due to a recent 9 month layoff due to family sickness, Mr Santoro has brought the fire back to the scene of a somewhat stagnant & boring North American, Mom and Pops, MMA.

Mr. Santoro, in conjunction with the Edmonton Combative Sports Commission have announced the full adoption of the dream FC rules from Japan, Director Mike Kogan of FEG USA stated the fighter has more potential then the traditional North American rules offer. I am very excited and the dream organization is also very excited and honored that a group has stepped up and visions what we see in the sport. Mr. Santoro and Mr. Kogan both agree that this allows the fighter to compete at their highest level. A bold new step? Mr. Santoro is quoted, ‘’sometimes taking new steps to evolve the sport is what it needs in order to not become as stale as boxing.” I think Mr. Kogan is excited and not to speak for him or the dream organization but it allows their Organization and others from Japan to learn if the fighters in North America meet the standard level of MMA in Japan. Rather than busting their ass through the ranks and then going over there to figure out when they are in the ring that they do not cut the mustard with the 10 min time limits and action rules?”

More here: http://topmmanews.com/2009/12/16/ccf...s-in-edmonton/
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Logan and Natasha Fired!

MMAMADNESS.com has learned that both Natasha Wicks and Logan Stanton have been cut from the UFC as ring girls. Stanton’s contract expired after UFC 107 and the UFC chose not to renew it. Wicks was cut before the expiration of her contract. Ring girl Arianny Celeste will remain on with the organization; as her contract has been recently renegotiated- explaining her absence from UFC 107.

According to sources, there will be only two ring girls from this point forward. Though it has not been officially announced, our insiders are being told Chandella Powell, a former playmate, will be the newest ring girl.

Good thing they didn't fire Arianny. Chandella isn't bad but she is no Logan.
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I'm not really into blondes but Natasha is amazing. I miss her already.
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Robbie Lawler Off Strikeforce Card

Robbie Lawler will not be competing this Saturday night after all. The middleweight fighter was supposed to face Trevor Prangley on the undercard of Showtime's Strikeforce: Evolution card, but after Prangley was forced to withdraw earlier this week due to an injury suffered during training, the organization was left without an opponent.

Strikeforce tried to find an opponent for Lawler, but FanHouse has learned that they have decided to keep him off the card. The organization is hoping to reschedule him for the upcoming Jan. 30 event in Sunrise, Fla.

MAIN CARD

CUNG LE (6-0) VS SCOTT SMITH (17-6)
JOSH THOMSON (16-2) VS GILBERT MELENDEZ (16-2) - LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
RONALDO "JACARE" SOUZA (10-2) VS MATT "THE LAW" LINDLAND (21-6)
MUHAMMED "KING MO" LAWAL (5-0) VS "IRON" MIKE WHITEHEAD

UNDERCARD

ANTWAIN "THE JUGGERNAUT" BRITT (9-3) VS SCOTT LIGHTY (5-0)
BRYAN TRAVERS (13-1) VS DAISUKE NAKAMURA (20-11) LUIS MENDOZA VS JUAN NUNEZ (1-1)
ALEX TREVINO (4-1) VS BOBBY STACK (6-1)
ALEX CRISPIM (3-2) VS AJ FONSECA (4-1)

TIME
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2009 - 10:00PM/ET (PRELIMS AT 8:00PM)

HOW TO WATCH
LIVE ON SHOWTIME - IN CANADA ON SUPERCHANNEL
TICKETS
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Picks in bold. King Mo rulz! :-)

MAIN CARD

CUNG LE (6-0) VS SCOTT SMITH (17-6)
JOSH THOMSON (16-2) VS GILBERT MELENDEZ (16-2) - LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
RONALDO "JACARE" SOUZA (10-2) VS MATT "THE LAW" LINDLAND (21-6)
MUHAMMED "KING MO" LAWAL (5-0) VS "IRON" MIKE WHITEHEAD


TIME
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2009 - 10:00PM/ET (PRELIMS AT 8:00PM)

HOW TO WATCH:

LIVE ON SHOWTIME - IN CANADA ON SUPERCHANNEL
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Well, my picks sucked. lol Except for King Mo. Great fights and a great show and a possible fight of the year with Thomson and Melendez. What a slugfest. Can't wait to the Thomson/Melendez III. Cung Le was beating the crap out of Smith for 2 and a half rounds then, as Smith does, comes back with one punch. He looked totally outclassed by Le then POW! You can never count out a big puncher. Jacare was awesome and scary good tonight. King Mo was, well, King Mo. WAR King Mo!

Can't wait to see the next SF card in Jan. Cyborg, Bobby Lashley's SF debut, Nick Diaz and Herchel Walker's MMA debut.

Now off to see the WEC fights..................
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good strikeforce
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Just finished watching the WEC card. Ok show, nothing special but there was a nice Peruvian necktie applied in one bout. StrikeForce takes the night, easily.
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Jacare is going to rattle the middleweight ranks of Strikeforce, he was calling out their champ before he even made his debut and accused people of ducking him who were proposed to him. Would love to see him fight miller again, shields, diaz, or henderson.
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I just read that Nick Diaz is going to fight Marius Zaromskis at Strikeforce Miami, that will be one hell of a fight.
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Versus to air UFC matches - Sports Business Journal

The UFC is coming to Versus as part of a two-year renewal that the Comcast-owned network signed with the mixed martial arts association’s parent, Zuffa.

Versus will telecast two live UFC matches next year, in addition to seven from the WEC, MMA’s division for lighter weights, also owned by Zuffa. As part of the deal, Versus plans to stream one additional WEC fight per fight card exclusively to Versus.com.

Versus also is planning to produce many hours of shoulder programming around its WEC fights, including previews, best knockouts and a review of the best fights.

But the biggest part of the deal is UFC, which has produced some of the most popular programming for Spike TV, which will continue to telecast many of its fights.

The move to Versus, though, is important as it represents the most mainstream sports outlet to carry live UFC matches. Fox Sports Net regionals carried UFC events in the past, but those were telecast on tape delay.

Following on the ratings and ad sales success of its WEC programming, Versus didn’t hesitate to bring on the UFC.

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Fedor VS. Werdum targeted for April CBS event

Before the dust settled on Saturday night’s Strikeforce: Evolution event, the questions came fast and furious at CEO Scott Coker, prompting him for the direction the promotion is headed... and he had plenty of answers.

Foremost on everyone’s mind is the return of Fedor Emelianenko. Coker confirmed plans for Fedor’s return on the promotion’s next CBS event, slated for sometime in mid-to-late April.

“It’s not confirmed... (but) on that fight card, you’ll most likely see Fedor fighting Fabricio (Werdum),” he revealed. “It’s not guaranteed, but you will see Dan Henderson fighting on that card, and Gina Carano, we’ll invite her if she’s ready.”

Henderson’s opponent hasn’t been finalized yet either, but he is expected to challenge current middleweight champion Jake Shields under the watchful eye of CBS.

Pressed about heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, the CEO said, “We’re probably gonna invite Alistair to fight on the CBS card,” dispelling initial plans for an earlier return.

Coker also has big plans outside of the April fight card, particularly in the lightweight division. He intends to expand on Strikeforce’s relationship with Japanese fight promotion Dream.

First up are bouts for Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson, who had another battle in their rematch on Saturday night.

“(Shinya) Aoki and Gilbert and do (Tatsuya) Kawajiri vs. Thomson,” said Coker, mapping the road for his two top 155ers, intending to pit them against two other top lightweights in the world.

He insists those are plans for Melendez and Thomson, not just hopeful talk. He’s targeting the second quarter of 2010 to make both those fights happen.

“I think we’ve done some really big things in the last eight months. Making that Dream relationship activate, to me, is critical and important, because otherwise we’re just talking. It’s taken a long time to get to this point, but I think we’re on the cusp of making it happen.”
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Aoki-Hirota, Kawajiri-Yokota Official for ‘Dynamite’

Dream champion Shinya Aoki will lock horns with Sengoku titleholder Mizuto Hirota in a showdown between two of the world’s top lightweights at K-1 “Dynamite Power of Courage 2009” on Dec. 31 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Aoki last appeared in October when he submitted Joachim Hansen with a second-round armbar, avenging his technical knockout loss to the Norwegian in the 2008 Dream lightweight grand prix. The 26-year-old has posted five wins in six fights and holds notable victories over Vitor Ribeiro, Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez and American Top Team dynamo Gesias Cavalcante. Aoki has delivered 13 of his 22 wins by submission and has solidified his place as one of the most feared ground fighters in the sport.

Hirota, 28, has secured back-to-back quality stoppage wins over former Sengoku champion Satoru Kitaoka and Strikeforce veteran Mitsuhiro Ishida. A 2008 knockout victory against former International Fight League titleholder Ryan Schultz strengthens his resume, which includes eight finishes. Hirota has never been finished in 16 career bouts.

The Aoki-Hirota match was not the only high-profile tilt added to the K-1 mix on New Year’s Eve. Tatsuya Kawajiri will meet Kazunori Yokota in another pivotal lightweight bout.

The 31-year-old Kawajiri has won six of his last seven fights, the lone defeat coming to Alvarez in the 2008 “Fight of the Year.” He counts victories over Cavalcante, Ribeiro, Hansen and UFC veterans Per Eklund and Yves Edwards among his 25 conquests. Kawajiri last competed two months ago, when he stopped the overmatched Melchor Manibusan on first-round strikes at Dream 11.

Yokota will carry a three-fight winning streak into the match. The 31-year-old outpointed the respected Eiji Mitsuoka at Sengoku “Eleventh Battle” last month, maintaining the momentum he gained with a spectacular knockout of Schultz earlier this year. Yokota owns other noteworthy victories over Hirota and reigning Sengoku featherweight king Michihiro Omigawa.


This will easily be the best show of the year!
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Man, she is just so unbelievably hot...

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Looks like Rampage is on his way to Strikeforce. He says he is not going to renegotiate with UFC. King Mo metioned Rampage at the Evolution post fight conference as a possible opponent. You have to be a deadbeat of a president to have one your fighters as a TUF coach then drive them off with Dana's immature antics. The 2nd consecutive TUF coach to leave at that.
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I think Rampage still has a couple of more fights on his contract before he can leave. He has stated he will definitely fight Rashad in the first one. It was Rampage that screwed everything up. He decided to do A-Team when he was already scheduled to fight Rashad and left the UFC in a lurch. I don't blame Dana for this one.

Looks like legend Don Frye has called it quits and retired from MMA to pursue acting.

My God, the Dynamite 2009 card just keeps getting bigger and better!

The event, which will feature fighters from DREAM, World Victory Road and K-1, recently added an MMA-rules match-up between hard-hitting Melvin Manhoef (23-6-1) and Kazuo Misaki (22-9-2).

Meanwhile, MMA fighter Jason High tweeted on Thursday night that Gegard Mousasi vs. Gary Goodridge will also take place on the card. Michael Kogan, Fighting and Entertainment Group's American director, told MMAFighting.com on Friday that the bout is "close" to being finalized. The fight would take place under K-1 rules.
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I don't really care about this but news has been slow so...............

Frank Shamrock-March Return.

Despite losing three of his last four fights and finding his groove as a television broadcaster, Frank Shamrock isn't ready to hang up his MMA gloves just yet.

The 37-year-old veteran said on a recent edition of The MMA Hour that Strikeforce has asked him to fight on a yet to be announced card "in the first week or so of March."

Shamrock (23-10-2), who most recently lost to Nick Diaz via second-round TKO in April, said that no opponent has been made official just yet.

"Whoever brings ratings. I need ratings. I just need some ratings," Shamrock said when asked who he might face next.

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I thought this ruled! :-)

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I think Mousasi's been added to this upcoming Dream card. Does anyone know how to watch these fights? I'm not a very good link hunter but I'm sure it's streamed somewhere (and if there's an official place to pay/watch, I'd prefer that).
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Its always on Justintv
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