Archive for August, 2009

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Mayweather vs. Marquez 24/7 Episode 1

Monday, August 31st, 2009

When HBO was putting together ways to promote for the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Oscar De La Hoya fight in May of 2007, they created a sort of build up show. The idea was to take viewers inside both fighters training camps and give them an all access look into their lives before their showdown. It was a smashing success and has become a staple before all big, HBO fights. In it’s latest installment, they’ll be doing a 4 part series, previewing Mayweather against Juan Manuel Marquez, in their preparation for a September 19th battle in Las Vegas. Profighting-fans.com will be recapping each episode, the day after it airs.

In Part 1, they spent a lot of time showing each fighter’s softer side. With Mayweather, they showed him spending time with his daughter at a roller skating rink and trying to re-establish a relationship with his father, Floyd Sr. whom he’s publically feuded with over the last few years. Along the way they also show little Floyd, giving motivational advice to teenagers, and feeding the homeless. (more…)

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UFC 102 Live Results and Play by Play

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

Main Card set to begin at 10 p.m. ET.

Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (W)

ROUND 1 – Both fighters come out aggressive and get into a striking match in the center of the Octagon. Couture looks to be landing the more powerful shots. Nogueira tries to pull guard but Couture backs off and lets him stand back up. Nogueira hits Couture hard with a right and drops him. Nogueira goes for a choke but can’t get Couture in tight. Both fighters stand and deliver a war of strikes as the round expires. (10-9 Nogueira)

ROUND 2 – Nogueira lands a hard combo to start the second round. Nogueira tries to get Couture with a guillotine, but the former UFC Heavyweight Champion defends. Couture lands some elbows from the guard. Nogueira sweeps and mounts Couture in one motion. Couture fights to claim half guard but Nogueira works back to mount. Couture gets to his feet after taking some punches. Couture scores with a left hook near the end of the round and Nogueira knees the body. (10-9 Nogueira)

ROUND 3 – After a brief exchange, Nogueira knocks Couture down for the second time with a right hand. Nogueira landing punches on a downed Couture. Nogueira gets side control. Nogueira takes Couture’s back against the cage. Couture escapes a choke attempt and gets on top of Nogueira. Couture with some elbows. Nogueira sweeps and takes mount as the final bell rings. (10-9 Nogueira)

Steven Kelliher of PFF scores the bout 30-27 for Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Randy Couture by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva (W)

ROUND 1 – Jardine starts aggressive as he attacks Silva with a straight left and a leg kick. Jardine lands a body kick but is tripped to the canvas when Silva catches his foot. Jardine attacks after he gets up but Silva counters with a left hand that puts Jardine down. Silva pnches on top until the bout is halted 1:35 into the first round.

Thiago Silva def. Keith Jardine by TKO at 1:35 of Round 1

Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt (W)

ROUND 1 – Rosholt with a leg kick to start the fight. Rosholt with a solid right hand to Leben’s chin. Leben gets the trip takedown, but Rosholt gets back up not long after. Rosholt with another solid punch, this one a left. Rosholt with a takedown straight into the mount. Rosholt with some solid punches before Leben tries answering with a flurry of his own. (10-9 Rosholt)

ROUND 2 – Leben comes out aggresive to start the second and hurts Rosholt with a left hook. Rosholt is down, absorbing some punishing body shots from inside his guard. Yves Lavigne stands the fighters up after some inactivity. Leben scores with a leg kick and a straight right hand. Rosholt hits a takedown and scores with some punches before standing at the end of the round. (10-9 Leben)

ROUND 3 – Rosholt with another takedown to start the third. He goes for an arm triangle that is unsuccessful. Leben squirms and Rosholt cinches in the same chokehold, but much tighter this time. Leben is out and Yves Lavigne steps in to stop the fight at 1:20 of the third and final round.

Jake Rosholt def. Chris Leben by Submision (Arm Triangle) at 1:20 of Round 3

Nate Marquardt (W) vs. Demian Maia

ROUND 1 – Maia comes out aggresive and attempts a head kick that is blocked. Marquardt times a second kick and floors Maia with a counter right hand. The ref steps in at 0:21 of the very first round.

Marquardt could be the next to face Silva with this impressive performance.

Nate Marquardt def. Demian Maia by KO at :21 of Round 1

Brandon Vera (W) vs. Krzysztof Soszynski

ROUND 1 – Soszynski comes out swinging and catches Vera with a good punch. Vera answers with a hard body kick. Vera punishes the body with another kick and a knee. Soszynski pushes Vera into the fence, but Vera breaks away. Soszynski blocks a head kick. Vera stuffs a takedown and lands a standing elbow at the bell. (10-9 Vera)

ROUND 2 – Soszynski clinches up with Vera to start the second. Vera dodges some punches and lands a solid jab. Soszynski charges and the fighters clash heads, knocking Vera’s mouthpiece out. Vera goes for a standing guillotine but lets it go. Soszynski briefy gets Vera down but his opponent struggles back to his feet and they clinch before the bell. (10-9 Vera)

ROUND 3 – Vera lands some hard leg kicks at the start of round 3. Soszynski goes for another takedown but Vera stops him and trips him to the floor. Vera accidentally clips Soszynski in the cup and the action is halted briefly. Vera with more body kicks and leg kicks. (10-9 Vera)

Steven Kelliher of PFF scored the bout 30-27 for Brandon Vera

Brandon Vera def. Krzysztof Soszynski by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Quick Results from the UFC 102 Preliminary card

Aaron Simpson def. Ed Herman by Submission (Injury) at :17 of Round 2

Gabriel Gonzaga def. Chris Tuchscherer by TKO at 2:27 of Round 1

Michael Russow def. Justin McCully by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-27)

Todd Duffee def. Tim Hague by KO at :07 of Round 1

Mark Munoz def. Nick Catone by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)

Evan Dunham def. Marcus Aurelio by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

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FNF Recap: Urango Stops Bailey, Cloud Beats Woods

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

In the season finale of ESPNs Friday Night Fights, two emerging stars made their statements at the expense of two proven warriors. Undefeated Tavoris Cloud steamrolled past a game, yet over-matched Clinton Woods for his first title, and Juan Urango went through the fire and proved his grit in beating Randall Bailey. Cards like the ones last Friday leaves hope for fans of the sport that more great fights will make it to the mainstream.

Tavoris Cloud UD12 Clinton Woods Analysis

Even after a one year layoff and facing off against a taller and more experienced former champion, Cloud (20-0 18 KOs, IBF Champion) overpowered Woods (42-5-1 24 KOs) leaving little doubt as to if he is ready for bigger things at Light Heavyweight. From the start, Cloud was the stronger and faster man in the ring attack Woods with hard hitting combinations and landing frequently with left hooks and straight right hands. Woods showed tremendous heart and performed better than in his last loss against Antonio Tarver, but with the increasing amount of young fighters making their presence known in Light Heavyweight it just might be time for Woods to retire.

Now the IBF champion, the fight many would like to see Cloud make is against the top man in the division Chad Dawson. The fight may or may not happen right away considering that Dawson is still on his senior tour, he faces off against Glen Johnson this November and is hoping to land a fight against Bernard Hopkins or Roy Jones Jr. and promoter Gary Shaw has shown no interest in the past matching Dawson against Cloud. Regardless of who he faces next, Cloud has all the making of being a long reigning champion considering his effort against Woods.

Juan Urango KO11 Randall Bailey Analysis

Everybody knew coming into this fight that fireworks were expected when the best punchers in the Junior Welterweight division came to town, so it was no surprise that’s what everybody got. Urango (22-2 17KOs IBF Champion) was able to batter the fight out of former champion Bailey (39-7 35 KOs) but having to survive a sixth round knockdown in order to do so. Urango’s tireless assault on Bailey was remarkable, knocking Bailey down twice in the ninth round and continuing to force the assault until Bailey’s corner stopped the fight, it was as brutal as it was incredible. Hats off to Bailey, who did everything he could to take the belt away but nothing would have stopped Urango that night.

Despite the gutsy affair, Urango remains the least skilled of the titlists at 140 lbs but he makes it up with his bulldog-like fighting style. Even being knocked down, Urango kept coming forward and was still hitting hard even late into the fight forcing a corner stoppage. Although Paulie Malignaggi was ringside for the fight, the best fight to make in any division will be Urango against WBA mandatory challenger Marcos Maidana and it is a fight that should be made right away.

Bottom line is this: In lieu of UFC having televised cards after cards, boxing needs outlets like Friday Night Fights to stay in the eyes of the media. Should ESPN (or even Versus network) put more money in their budget for the sport on its network, we can get a great mix of prospects and contenders as well as championship level fights that bring boxing to the non-premium cable crowd. Kudos to ESPN for making a great card and even more thanks to the fighters that made it great.

Written by Danny Howard

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A Fan’s View from his Couch: UFC 102 Picks & Preview

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

UFC 102…It doesn’t have the same ring as UFC 100 or 101 for that matter.  Why? Well quite simply the ‘main event’ of UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira is the championship of the loser’s bracket from Lesnar vs. Mir.  What’s intriguing about that, honestly, not a whole lot, but I’ll still be watching and this is why…

Couture v. Nogueira
Together they are 47-14-1, rather impressive, but even more impressive is the list of who’s-who that they have notched on their collective belts – Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, Pedro Rizzo, Tim Sylvia, Gabriel Gonzaga, Kevin Randleman, Jeremy Horn, Heath Herring, Josh Barnett, Fabricio Werdum, Mirko Cro Cop, Ricco Rodriguez and Dan Henderson to name a few. Although it may have been better to see this fight 3 years ago, how can you doubt the resumes of these two men – you can’t!  And even though the loser of this fight most likely puts one foot into his career grave; the other one remains on the short list of those next in line to test their mettle against the raging beast that is Brock Lesner, and that man will be the one and only Randy “The Natural” Couture.  Randy would have won this fight 5,4,3,2 or 1 year ago and he will win on Saturday.  Couture will smother Nog with his world class wrestling and eventually dirty box him into his second straight KO!  Randy should then get another shot at Brock while Nogueira can be another stepping stone for Cain Velasquez.

The rest of the main card which lacks the luster and names…

Keith Jardine v. Thiago Silva
This should be the definition of unorthodox styles and those styles making a great fight.  Thiago Silva’s lone loss came when he was way too aggressive against Lyoto Machida, while on the other side of the cage is Jardine, who we know has the wildest of styles that has led him to wins over Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Brandon Vera. However, Jardine is sloppy at the same time, opening him up to losses to Houston Alexander, Stephan Bonnar and Wanderlei Silva.  Combine the two and you have somebody saying goodnight a little prematurely.  With both men have hands of stone and KO power I see Silva returning to his Brazilian roots and taking this one to the ground by taking one of “The Dean of Mean’s” limbs home with him as well as the “Submission of the Night” bonus.

Nate Marquardt v. Damian Maia
Maia is 10-0 with 8 submissions and his eyes are set directly on a shot at Anderson Silva with a win.  Meanwhile Marquardt is 28-8-2 with 15 submissions to his credit as well 3 King Of Pancrase Middleweight Championships.  Raise your hand if you see this fight ending in some other fashion than submission….now that all our hands are still firmly on our keyboards here is how it goes down – Damian starts getting the better of “The Great,” but that doesn’t last long as Marquardt’s tried and true triangle work to perfection and he is able to sink in a tight triangle choke and stakes claim to his second shot at “The Spider.”

Other names to watch out for @ UFC 102:
The winner of Brandon Vera v. Krzysztof Soszynski – which one is able to stay relevant at 205.  Chirs Leben makes his come back from suspension, Gabriel Gonzaga looks to bounce back to an unimpressive KO loss to Shane Carwin and anytime Ed Herman fights expect fireworks!

By Greg Vorse
ProFighting-fans.com Staff Writer

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Diaz, Guerrero and Jacobs all Win in Houston

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

Controversial Close to Exciting Night in Houston

Juan Diaz vs. Paulie Malignaggi

Coming into Saturday night’s clash with #1 ranked Lightweight Juan Diaz, Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi told everyone with a microphone and a pair of ears, his concerns about getting a fair shake in Diaz’s hometown.  He talked endlessly about the concessions he made in fighting in Houston, at a catchweight of 138 1/2 lbs., and in a smaller ring more suited to Diaz’s pressure style. He claimed that Golden Boy Promotions, who promotes Diaz, flip-flopped on a promise of neutral officials and was outraged when he heard the judging panel. After the bout, the Brooklyn New York native and many who watched, feel he had cause for complaint.

It proved to be an exciting, back-and-forth tilt. Diaz scoring big on the inside and Malignaggi using speed, to get in and get out.  Both men were cut early. Malignaggi at the end of the 1st round, and Diaz twice. The first came from a punch in the 2nd round over the left eyelid. The second, from an accidental head butt in the 5th over that same eye.

The “Baby Bull” to his credit, fought hard. Wiping away the blood, as the fight went on but also wiping away the doubters, who questioned his ability to fight through cuts. In his only losses against Nate Campbell and Juan Manuel Marquez, Diaz seemed to fade and slow down at the sight of his own blood.

Diaz no doubt landed the harder shots and can easily make the claim, that he deserved to win the fight, but it was Malignaggi who seemed to control the pace. He looked sharp from the opening bell, using good footwork and quick combinations to keep the hometown boy at bay, the best he could. Diaz’s success came on counter lefts as Malignaggi finished his combinations, by backing out with his hand’s down. Diaz used the smaller ring to stalk Malignaggi and try and neutralize his speed advantage. The crowd fully behind him, roared every time he landed.

The decision could be argued either way but in the end, all three judges gave it unanimously to Diaz by scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 118-110. Naming him the new NABO Junior Welterweight Champion. Pro Fighting-Fans.com had it a draw at 114-114.

With so many close rounds, you could understand the 115-113 score and maybe 116-112.  But Gale Van Hoye’s score of 118-110 is shocking. You could’ve had a blindfold on and the volume turned off and been more accurate. To say that Paulie Malignaggi only won 2 rounds last night is laughable.

After the fight, Malignaggi (26-3, 5 KO’s) went on a profanity laced,  ‘I told you so’, tyrant. Ripping everyone, from Golden Boy Promotions, to the judges, and to the sport in general, saying “Boxing’s full of sh*t!”

For Juan Diaz (35-2, 17 KO’s), it was another exciting performance and did nothing but solidify him even more as an action packed fighter, worth watching. The crowd in Houston left happy and so did Diaz with the decision. He said after the fight that no matter the outcome of the September 19th bout between Juan Manuel Marquez and Floyd Mayweather Jr., he wants another crack at Marquez, the only man to knock him out. If he gets his wish and gets his chance to avenge that defeat, and it’s anything close to that February brawl, boxing fans could have yet another can’t miss, classic to look forward to.

Robert Guerrero vs. Malcom Klassen

Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, whose wife’s much publicized battle with Leukemia has made him easy to root for and for good reason, went in to last night’s clash with IBF Junior Lightweight Champion, Malcom Klassen with a chip on his shoulder.  Out to prove to the boxing community, that he did not quit 2 fights ago when he suffered a cut over his eye, Guerrero took on a world class Champion, making his debut in America.

The result: The best performance of Guerrero’s young career. From the outset, Guerrero (25-1-1, 17 KO’s) used his long frame and Southpaw style to confuse the South African, Klassen and keep him off balance for the majority of the 12 rounds. Klassen (24-5-2, 14 KO’s) had only limited success in catching Guerrero inside and on breaks. The heavier puncher, Klassen seemed to be looking for that one, big shot, to turn his fortunes but could not find it.

Guerrero more than doubled Klassen’s punch output, averaging 100 a round. He, like Diaz in the main event, avenged the stigma of not being able to fight through cuts, when an accidental head butt, opened up a gash over his left eye in the 7th.  He showed heart and battled through. Sticking to a perfect game plan to outwork and frustrate the champ, earning him a unanimous decision and the title.

Danny Jacobs vs. Ishe Smith

If Danny Jacobs’ handlers wanted to see their 22-year-old Middleweight prospect tested, they got their wish.

“The Golden Child” as he’s been dubbed, scratched, clawed, and brawled his way to a unanimous decision victory over 21-4(9 KO’s) veteran, Ishe Smith.

In what turned into a sloppy but entertaining, battle, Jacobs (18-0, 15 KO’s) was the busier fighter, using superior speed and length to win the vacant NABO title. The 31 year old Smith, got what he wanted in a war and baiting Jacobs into a slugfest, but outside of catching Jacobs on the ropes and on counter shots inside, he was unable to stay busy and land enough significant blows to break the will of the young Brooklyn, New York native.  Jacobs showed heart and a competitive mean streak, by standing in the pocket and trading with Smith but all who watched would agree that his footwork and habit of laying on the ropes with his hands down, leave room for improvement.

Written by Jonas Knox

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Live ICF 13 Results, Fight Coverage & Updates

Friday, August 21st, 2009

Find live updates from the August 21, 2009, ICF 13 event at the ICF Fight Club in Cincinnati, Ohio, here at ProFighting-fans.com as Editor-in-Chief Scott Dryden updates fans with a live blog and we feature the ICF 13 results.

Good evening everybody and welcome to the fight club!!!  Getting ready to get started…9 fights scheduled for tonight:

1st Bout: 135lbs Kevin Cantley-Red Shorts vs. Clay Davidson-Black Shorts:  The first round was very active with both fighters landing effective blows.  Cantley was deducted for a high kick (Ohio Ammy rules).  Davidson pounced on Cantley after taking him down, trying to finish the fight.  Cantley survived.  A very good round.  Davidson wins the round 10-8 due to the deduction but has a cut above his left eye. 2nd round:  Both fighters come out very aggressively each landing effective shots.  Cantley catches a wicked shot knocking him to the canvas.  The referee quickly steps in.  A controversial stoppage…  Official Decision:  Davidson via TKO due to referee stoppage in the 2nd round.

2nd Bout:  155 lb Justin Wallace Red Trunks vs. Brett Ewing Blue Trunks:  Wallace attempted a choke early in the fight.  Ewing showed good movement and escaped.  Wallace, while on the bottom attempted several submission moves staying very active.  Very good technical skills displayed by both fighters.  A very close round to score.  Ewing wins a very tight 1st round.  2nd Round:  Ewing starts off the 2nd round with a very good take down.  Wallace, in impressive fashion, gets back to his feet but Ewing quickly takes him back down falling into Wallace’s full guard.  Wallace continued to stay active attempting kimura’s from the bottom.  Very good wrist control displayed by Wallace.  The referee steps in and brings the fight up to their feet.  Ewing quickly shoots and takes Wallace to the ground.  Another very close round.  From a judges view point Ewing wins another close round.  3rd Round:  Wallace lands an effective punch in which Ewing responds with a strong take down.  Ewing maintainted control from the top landing several strikes.  The referee again stands the fighters up.   Ewing has a clear advantage in the strenght department and takes Wallace down again.  Despite Wallace’s good ground skills Ewing wins the 3rd round and should win the fight in a very good technical fight.  Official Decision:  Brett Ewing via a UD.

3rd Bout:  185lbs Adam  May  Camo trunks vs.  Steve Watson  White trunks:  May pushed the pace and quickly drove Watson to the ground.  May gained the full mount and landed several heavy punches which forced the referee to stop the fight.  In the process, the ref pushed May off and turned his ankle.  May appeared to be OK.  Official Decision:  May via referee stoppage due to strikes early in the 1st round. 

Intermission:

4th Bout:  Ammy ICF Featherweight Title Bout:  Challenger-Jeremy Myers vs. Champion- Ben McQueary:  Myers landed several leg kicks to start the round.  The Champion responded with a solid punch which knocked Myers to the ground.  Ben continued the onslaught landing an effective combination and pounced on Myers.  Ben unleashed a lethal barrage of ground and pound punches.  The Champion wins the 1st round.  2nd Round:  Both fighters start the round very cautious.  Myers landed several leg kicks bouncing away after each landed.  The leg kicks changed the pace of the fight slowing Ben down.  McQueary finally closed the distance and took Jeremy to the ground.  As the round ended Ben grabbed a guillotine choke.  Myers wins the 2nd round.  3rd and final Round:  Myers continued to land several leg kicks.  Ben caught the leg and quickly assumed the top position.  Ben pinned Myers against the cage but Myers escaped with incredible leg strength.  A very back and forth round, very close to call.  I give the fight to the champion by a slim margin.  Official Decision:  Jeremy Meyers via split decision.  Meyers is the new champion. 

5th Bout:  AMMY ICF 155lb Title Bout:  Wendell Hurless black trunks vs. Brandon Demastes white trunks:  A lively start to the round with Demastes picking up Hurless and slamming him to the ground.  Demastes attempted a RNC but couldn’t lock it in.  Demastes took Hurless down but rolled on his back as the round ended.  Demastes wins the 1st round.  2nd Round:  Demastes quickly took Hurless to the ground and sunk in an armbar using his legs.  Hurless tried to drop Brandon on his head but couldn’t break the hold.  Official Decision:  Demastes via tapout due to an armlock 1:12 into the 2nd round.

6th Bout:  AMMY ICF 170lb Title Bout:  Yancey Martin Yellow Trunks vs. Tyler Johnson Red Trunks:  Tyler Johnson landed several strikes knocking Martin to the ground.  Johnson quickly pounced and took control.  Tyler almost sunk in a choke and then sent a barrage of punches down on Martin forcing the referee to stop the fight.  Official Decision:  Johnson wins via TKO due to strikes 1:52 into the 1st round.

Intermission:

7th Bout:  AMMY 185lb Title Fight:  Marcus Finch vs. George Oiler:  Both fighters are extremely talentes, a great matchup for the title.  The fight starts with both fighters being patient and cautious.  Oiler tries a take down but Finch shows excellent defense and wards him off.  A stale mate for the 1st part of the fight then Finch lands a wicked shot knocking Oiler to the ground.  Instead of pouncing Finch lets him stand up.  Oiler pushes Finch against the cage again but Finch again shows excellent defense.  A great round with two very good fighters.  Finch wins the 1st round.  2nd Round:  Marcus lands another solid punch.  Oiler immediately pushes Finch into the cage.  Finch has excellent balance and again fights off the take down.  Finch reverses with an overhook and escapes.  Oiler lands a solid strike knocking Finch to the ground.  Oiler takes the top position.  Finch fights off any serious damage but the round goes to Oiler.  3rd Round:  Oiler starts the round with a take down attempt.  Finch uses great balance to fight it off.  The referee separates the fighters off the cage back to the center of the cage.  Oiler pushes Finch into the cage again.  A very close 3rd round but Finch should get the decision.  Oiler pushed him into the cage but did nothing with it.  Finch 29-28.  Official Decision:  Marcus Finch wins via UD.

8th Fight:  AMMY Superheayweight Title Fight Jim Davis 320lbs vs. Markeith Gillis 345 lbs:  A matchup between two not so gentle giants.  The fight ended quickly as Gillis appeared to separate his shoulder or possibly even dislocate it.  A disappointing ending to a highly anticipated fight.  Official Decision:  Jim Davis wins in :38 seconds.

Main Event:  AMMY Light Heavyweight Title Fight Mark Crawn vs. Kevin Barton:  Barton used his muscle to take Crawn to the ground.  Crawn fought through managing to catch Barton in a triangle choke forcing him to tap out.  Official Decision:  Crawn via tapout due to a triangle choke

A great night of action at the Fight Club.  Please visit www.profighting-fans.com for a complete recap and photos.

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Rumors abound for future UFC events

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Scouring the many MMA fan & gossip sites it seems that several future UFC events have experienced changes to the lineups of fighters. We take a look at some of the recent UFC rumors and news events to keep fans across the globe up to date.

On the UFC 103 fight card, Jim Miller and Thiago Tavares were supposed to hook up in one of the preliminary bouts on September 26 in Dallas, TX, but an injury to Taveras supposedly has him out of the fight.

UFC 104 was supposed to feature an intriguing heavyweight matchup of Shane Carwin (11-0) versus Cain Velasquez (6-0), but rumors are swirling that the UFC is talking to Carwin and Lesnar about headlining the UFC 106 fight card in Las Vegas in November. The change-up thrown by the UFC appears to have Velasquez now fighting Ben Rothwell on the UFC 104 fight card.

UFC 107 appears set for December 2009 in Memphis, Tennessee, and has been rumored to feature TUF 10 coaches Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson as well as heavyweights Frank Mir vs Cheick Kongo. The latest talk has Paulo Thiago vs Thiago Alves facing off at UFC 107 as well.

So that is the buzz for the recent few days. We will strive to keep MMA fans across the globe up to date on the recent rumors and news moving forward here at ProFighting-fans.com!

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UFC 100 on Spike TV Knocks Out the Competition on Saturday, August 15

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

Replay of UFC 100 fights draws more men 18-34 than the PGA Championship on CBS and MLB on Fox

New York, NY, August 18, 2009 — Spike TV’s telecast of UFC 100 (originally airing on pay-per-view July 11) drew more Men 18-34 (513,000) than anything else on television on Saturday, August 15.  Airing from 10:00pm-12:30am ET/PT, the telecast drew 2 million viewers, a 1.8 rating in Men 18-34, a 1.7 rating (950,000) in Men 18-49, and a 1.5 household rating.

The telecast bested heavy sports competition during the day in the advertiser-coveted demographic of Men 18-34:

  • UFC 100 (Spike TV) – 513,000
  • PGA Championship (CBS) – 479,000
  • MLB Baseball (FOX) – 242,000
  • Strikeforce (Showtime) – 181,000

Press Release published August 18, 2009

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Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg Live Results

Saturday, August 15th, 2009

Live Results from Strikeforce Carano vs. Cyborg in San Jose, California. PFF Editor-in-Chief Scott Dryden is blogging live from the highly anticipated event.

The crowd is not yet in the arena.  Frank Shamrock and Gus Johnson are at their table practicing.  It is strange to see Gus in a t-shirt.  Jimmy Lennon is in the cage working on his spectaular pipes.  Jay Hieron and Ishida are loosening up.  The rumor is Royce Gracie will be in attendance.

Visit ProFighting-fans.com to view photos of the Carano vs. Cyborg weigh-ins.

1st Bout: Lightweight- Alexander Trevino vs. Isiah Hill:  A back and forth 1st round with both fighters gaining control and looking to end the fight.  Finally 3:56 into the 1st round Trevino ended the fight with a victory via submission due to key lock.

2nd Bout: Zac Bucia vs. James Terry: Terry spends the first round moving forward and then puts Bucia away with a vicious right hand at 1:23.

Went back to the media room and spoke with the great Gus Johnson.  I told him I admired him on CBS football and he has transitioned well on the MMA side.  It quickly turned into a football conversation.  Gus is from Michigan and I’m from Ohio so a lively discussion ensued.  Gus conceded and stated he longs for the days of John Cooper.

3rd Bout: Lightweight Justin Wilcox vs. Tarzan Douglas: Cincinnati’s own Wilcox ate a few wicked punches early in the fight.  Justin managed to survive and controlled the majority of the round by controlling Tarzan on the ground.  The 2nd round was more of the same as Wilcox took Tarzan down and controlled the round. In the 3rd round Wilcox again took Tarzan to the ground and pounded him mercifully.  Wilcox made Tarzan look like Jane grabbing a choke hold and forcing a tap out.

Royce Gracie just walked in.

4th Bout: Light Heavyweight Mike Cook vs. Scott Scott Lighty: The undefeated Lighty landed a wicked leg kick to the hand followed by several strikes.  Cook survived but took a crippling left hand to the stomach which forced him to yell no mas but Lighty landed another shot for good measure.  Keep an eye on this Lighty kid.

Nate Diaz is right behind me causing quite a stir. Don “The Predator” Frye just walked in.  A lot of stars in the crowd tonight.  I cannot believe how small Diaz is.  Must be the “holistic” medicine.

5th bout: Welterweight Jay Hieron vs. Jessie Taylor: Taylor shot early in the round but Hieron reversed it and controlled the from the ground until referee Herb Dean stood them up with 20 seconds left in the round.  Hieron bloodied Taylor and cruised through an easy 1st round.  The 2nd round started with Hieron gaining control until Herb Dean stood them up with 2:20 left in the round.  Hieron quickly took Taylor to the ground and assumed control.  Dean again stood them up with :50 left in the round.  Hieron yet again took Taylor to the ground.  Not much damaged inflicted but Hieron clearly wins the 2nd round.  Taylor shot early in the 3rd round but Hieron showed his great ability avoiding with an effective sprawl.  Taylor finally landed a take down but did little with it.  Hieron took Taylor to the ground and Dean stood them up yet again with :50 left in the 3rd and final round.  The fight ended with a chorus of boos.  Official Decision: Hieron via UD

Just spoke with the great Matt Lindland.  Easily one of my best interviews.  A great guy…

The main card is set to begin.  A large crowd here in San Jose!!  Royce Gracie just walked by press row!

A great intro by Showtime!!  The crowd went bonkers as they showed Gina in the locker room!!

Heavyweight: Fabricio Werdum 11-4-1 vs. Mike Kyle 12-6-1: Werdum looks in great shape and unusually nimble.  Kyle landed some shots but went to the ground which is the last place you want to be with Werdum.  Werdum sunch in a guillotine choke and forced Kyle to tap out.  When Werdum is in shape and focused he is hard to handle for any heavyweight.  Official Decision: Fabricio Werdum via tap out due to a guillotine choke 1:24 into the 1st round.

Lightweight Interim Title Fight: Gilbert Melendez vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida:The crowd went wild when Melendez was introduced.  The referee for the bout is Herb Dean.  Both are very skilled fighters.  They met previously where Ishida came out victorious.  For most of the 1st round little happened as both fighters kept their distance.  With 2:00 left Ishida shot in and took Melendez down.  Melendez fought it off but remained on the ground.  As the the bell rang Ishida had control.  Tough round to call but I give a close round to Melendez.  Herschel Walker is interviewed between rounds.  The 2nd round also started slowly with Gilbert landing some counter punches.  Both fighters are well conditioned which could push this to all five rounds.  Ishida has blood flowing from his head.  Melendez gained control landing several strikes and knees.  The pace quickened with a flurry of punches.  The 2nd round ended with Gilbert catching Ishida’s kick.  3rd round- Gilbert continues to use his reach advantage by maintaining distance and landing solid counter punches.  Gilbert landed a wicked strike and knee knocking Ishida to the ground.  Gilbert then pounced and landed a barrrage of strikes.  Ishida tied him up and held off the onslaught.  Melendez grabbed Ishida’s back and almost sunk in a RNC.  He landed several blows forcing Herb Dean to stop the fight.  Official Decision: Gilbert Melendez via TKO due to strikes 3:56 into the 3rd round.

There is enough plastic in the crowd to run a factory.

Light Heavyweight Title Bout: Babalu Sobral 35-8 vs. Gegard Mousasi 25-2-1: This should be a classic.  For those of you who don’t know Mousasi he is a gret fighter.  Look for Babalu to loose his title. Big John Mccarthy is the referee in charge. 1st Round: Mousasi jumped on Babalu and finished him quickly.  He landed took solid punches from the mount position knocking Babalu stiff. Mousasi is a star in the making at only 24 years of age. Official Decision: TKO due to strikes 1:00 into the 1st round.  Mousasi is now the Light Heavyweight Champion.

The attendance for tonight 13, 500.

I’m in silicone valley yet the internet connection here is horrible.  How is that?

Main Event: Women’s 145 lb Title Fight- Gina Carano 7-0 vs Cris Cyborg 7-1: The crowd is going crazy during the pre-fight videos.  Gina is the crowd favorite by a landslide.  The crowd cascades a chorus of boos down on Cyborg as she makes her way to the cage.  Absolute chaos as Gina begins her way to the cage.  The crowd was incredible during the introductions.  Its amazing how big a women’s MMA  contest is.  1st Round: Santos quickly grabbed an ankle lock which Gina escaped.  Then Santos landed several blows and threw Gina to the canvas.  The action is very fast paced.  With 3:00 minutes left in the round both fighters settled in and let the adrenaline wear off.  The crowd erupts with chants of Gina, Gina, Gina.  Santos landed several punches and leg kicks.  Cyborg is very powerful. Carano has never competed against someone this strong.  Santos grabbed an arm but Gina managed to escape with 1/2 minute left in the round.  The referee stopped the fight almost at the exact second the round ended.  A dominating performance by Santos.

Official Decision: Cris Santos via TKO due to strikes 4:59 into the 1st round.  Despite the timing the referee made the correct decision.

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Strikeforce Carano vs. Cyborg Weigh-ins

Friday, August 14th, 2009

Gina all smilesGina after making weightGina Carano at Strikeforce Weigh-ins

At the highly anticipated weigh ins at the Marriott in downtown San Jose, the buzz was surrounding the women’s main event. I was fortunate enough to have Santos’ BJJ trainer on one side and Gina’s sister on the other (yes she is pretty also). It was good to speak with each side of the biggest fight in women’s MMA history. I was able to speak to the great Frank Shamrock, superstar Jake Shields and of course MMA legend Bas Rutten who greeted me with a giant hug (my ribs are OK, thankfully).  Cyborg Santos started off the proceedings and looked lean and mean coming in under weight. The beautiful Gina Carano entered the stage in a jean skirt and was greeted with cheers. Each made weight and the stage is set for what should be an incredible fight. Inside MMA was on hand to witness the festivities having Josh Thomson and Cung Le as guests. Babalu Sobral and and Gegard Mousasi both made weight in what should be a classic for the Light Heavyweight title. The only fighter not to make weight was the infamous Jesse Taylor who came in at 172lbs for his welterweight tilt against Jay Hieron. Taylor has two hours to cut the extra weight. More Carano vs Cyborg weigh-in photos available ProFighting-fans.com.

Full Carano vs Cyborg results will be posted live August 15th beginning at 8:00 Eastern. In the meantime, check out all of the Strikeforce predictions & picks from Pro Fighting Fans.

Editor-in-Chief, Scott Dryden

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