ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® ANNOUNCES REMAINING BOUTS
FOR UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY

ROBERT EMERSON vs. MANVEL GAMBURYAN
DEMIAN MAIA vs. JASON MACDONALD
TAMDEN MCCRORY vs. LUKE CUMMO
DAN EVENSEN vs. CHEICK KONGO
JON JONES vs. ANDRE GUSMAO
STEVE BRUNO vs. CHRIS WILSON
RYAN THOMAS vs. BEN SAUNDERS

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2008
LIVE FROM THE TARGET CENTER IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization today announced the remaining fights for the upcoming UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY card, which features the UFC® Welterweight Title bout between Champion Georges St-Pierre and number one contender Jon Fitch, Live from Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Just confirmed for the UFC 87 main card and undercard are exciting matchups between Robert Emerson vs. Manvel Gamburyan; Demian Maia vs. Jason MacDonald; Tamden McCrory vs. Luke Cummo; Dan Evensen vs. Cheick Kongo; Jon Jones vs. Andre Gusmao; Steve Bruno vs. Chris Wilson; and Ben Saunders vs. Ryan Thomas.

Tickets for UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY are on sale now and priced at $600, $400, $250, $125, $75 and $50. They are available at Target Center’s Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com or by calling 651.989.5151.

UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY is available live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

Robert Emerson (9-6, 1 NC) 5’9”/155 lbs., fighting out of Irvine, Calif. is known for being a hard hitting striker. A pro since 2002, who made his debut against former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver, Emerson undoubtedly paid his dues in mixed martial arts, not only with that bout, but by squaring off against the likes of Melvin Guillard, Javier Vasquez, and Dokonjonosuke Mishima in his formative years as a fighter. In 2007, he burst on the world scene with his stint on season five of The Ultimate Fighter®. Emerson engaged in an exciting battle with Gray Maynard in the season finale before the bout was ruled a no contest. Following his big win in February over Keita Nakamura, Emerson returns to face Manvel Gamburyan (10-3). What started as a dream run to the finals of The Ultimate Fighter’s fifth season for Gamburyan soon turned into a nightmare when a severe shoulder injury forced him to submit in the second round of his final bout against Nate Diaz. It was a disappointing finish for the 5’5”/155 lb. sparkplug, who thrilled fans with his aggressive style and charisma and let opponents know that size didn’t matter. Living up to his nickname of “Pitbull” after the injury, Gamburyan healed up, got back in the gym, and scored big wins over Nate Mohr and Jeff Cox in successive bouts. Now he just wants to fight as often as possible and he gets his chance once again as he takes on Emerson.

Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald (21-9) 6’3”/185 lbs., fighting out of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, took close to seven years to get to the UFC. Once he got here with a first round win over Ed Herman in October of 2006, he made it clear that he was not going to be leaving anytime soon. Since then, “The Athlete” has won three of five fights in the Octagon™, defeating Chris Leben, Rory Singer, and old nemesis Joe Doerksen. He will be pushed to the limit once again by Jiu-Jitsu master Demian Maia, and MacDonald promises fireworks. But when a world-class grappler enters the MMA world, there is always a little skepticism. Sao Paulo, Brazil’s Maia (8-0) 6’0”/185 lb., winner of a seemingly endless array of grappling tournaments, including the world championships, Abu Dhabi, and Pan Ams, may be the exception to the rule. He is without question one of the premier Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the world today, even owning a grappling win over UFC heavyweight contender Gabriel Gonzaga. From the first time he put the gloves on in pro mixed martial arts, Maia has continued to impress. His transition to the pro game being smooth enough to garner him eight victories without a loss, with only one fight going the three round distance. Last October, he made his UFC debut with a first round submission win over Ryan Jensen, and in April he was even more impressive in submitting Ed Herman. Now Maia will go to battle with MacDonald.

Luke “The Silent Assassin” Cummo (9-5) 6’0”/170 lbs., fighting out of Long Island, NY first entered the consciousness of fight fans during the second season of The Ultimate Fighter series. The consensus was that this 28-year-old wasn’t your typical fighter. Despite his quirky behavior outside the Octagon, once Cummo stepped inside of it, it was clear that with his crisp standup game and knockout power, he was a fighter to be reckoned with. Since losing a close decision to Joe Stevenson in The Ultimate Fighter Season 2 finale in 2005, Cummo, a protégé of former welterweight champion Matt Serra, has continued to put on exciting fights. He pounded out a decision win over Jason Von Flue, and scored knockouts over Josh Haynes and Edilberto Crocota, all the while accelerating his development as a complete mixed martial artist. “The Silent Assassin” looks to get back in the win column after a hard fought decision loss to Luigi Fioravanti in March when he takes on fellow New Yorker Tamdan “The Barn Cat” McCrory (10-1). Cortland, New York’s McCrory may not look like your stereotypical fighter, but when the bell rings, all bets are off as the 6’4”/170 lb. banger immediately garners respect from his opponents for his size, power, and underrated ground game. Winner of his first UFC fight by submission over Pete Spratt in June of 2007, the 20-year old “Barn Cat” may have fallen short in an exciting bout against former PRIDE star Akihiro Gono last November, but he plans on rebounding in style against Luke Cummo.

Cheick Kongo (21-4-1) 6’4”/240 lbs., fighting out of Paris, France was relatively unknown when he made his UFC debut in July of 2006 against Gilbert Aldana. He answered that question quickly and emphatically as he halted his rugged foe in a little over four minutes of the first round. Not everyone was sold on the dynamic striker, so Kongo jumped back in the Octagon a month later to defeat Christian Wellisch. After a temporary setback against Carmelo Marrero, he impressively defeated Assuerio Silva and PRIDE superstar Mirko Cro Cop in successive bouts. Even though he fell short via split decision against Heath Herring in March, he knows that if he gets by Dan Evensen, he will move one step closer to challenging for the title he has longed for since he began training. Dan “The Viking” Evensen (10-2) 6’5”/260 lbs., fighting out of Norway, is an imposing new force in the heavyweight division. Norway native Evensen won’t be looking for takedowns against Kongo, instead he’s searching for the knockout, something that has come naturally to him since his pro debut in 2002. Since his first fight, six of his ten wins have come by TKO or KO. With a four fight winning streak under his belt, he’s right on time to make his first trip to the UFC Octagon.

Andre Gusmao (5-0) 6’2”/205 lbs., fighting out of Goiania, Brazil is a former law student. This highly-touted light heavyweight prospect has incorporated a unique mix of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Capoeira into his fight game. The results have been perfect so far for the Brazilian who has put together an undefeated record that includes two knockout wins over always tough Mike Ciesnolevicz and only one decision victory. The 31-year old Gusmao, a protégé of Renzo Gracie, puts that
unbeaten slate on the line against Jon Jones (6-0) 6’4”/205 lbs. A newcomer to the UFC Jones is a member of the Northeast-based Team BombSquad. At just 20 years old, Jones was a stand-out high school wrestler and state champion. He also recently won a national JUCO championship at Iowa Central Community College before applying his trade to MMA. Despite his strong base in wrestling, though, Jones has finished five of his six victories via knockout (with one submission win). He will now face the toughest test of his young career in Gusmao.

Chris “The Professor” Wilson (12-4, 1 NC) 6’1”/170 lbs., is a well rounded battler from Portland, Ore. Wilson made his UFC debut in March after four years of building a reputation as one of the most talented welterweights in the game today. After his spirited effort in losing a hard-fought three round decision to top welterweight contender Jon Fitch, “The Professor” has staked his claim as a legitimate contender in the Octagon. Owner of victories over UFC veterans Brandon Melendez, Jay Hieron, Rory Markham and Derrick Noble, the confident Wilson is back to square off against newcomer Steve Bruno. A retired Naval air crewman, Brooklyn’s Bruno 5’10”/170 lbs., relocated to Florida to train. The results for the talented 26-year old have been evident as he has compiled a 12-3 record that includes four straight wins that have all come by TKO, KO, or submission. For this jiu-jitsu fighter with the knockout punch, his previous success doesn’t mean a thing until he makes his mark in the Octagon. Now, American Top Team’s Bruno gets a tough assignment for his first UFC bout, as he takes on welterweight contender Wilson.

Ben “Killa B” Saunders (5-0-2) 6’3”/170 lbs., fighting out of Orlando, Fla., is unbeaten in seven pro fights. The 25-year old Saunders established himself as a fighter to watch with his stint on season six of The Ultimate Fighter. More importantly, he showed the heart of a champion by rising from a first round knockdown to beat Dan Barrera in their memorable war on the show. Saunders wouldn’t be able to move on with his promising career until he settled all his business with Barrera, something “Killa B” did with a dominating three round unanimous decision win over his rival at The Ultimate Fighter 6 finale last December. Even though he didn’t get the finish he wanted, Saunders did earn another shot to get into the UFC Octagon, this time against newcomer Ryan “The Tank Engine” Thomas (9-1). Fighting out of Danville, Ill.,Thomas 6”0/170 lbs. is a division I wrestler from Eastern Illinois University and is well versed in jui jitsu. “The Tank Engine” is looking to push the pace against Saunders and come out with a win in his UFC debut.

For more information about UFC 87, UFC 88, UFC Fight Night, UFC 89, UFC 90 or any upcoming UFC event, visit www.ufc.com or uk.ufc.com. All bouts are live and subject to change.

Deprived of the UFC Heavyweight Title amidst Controversy, “The Giant” of MMA Announces His Comeback

Standing Six-Foot, Ten-Inches Tall, Gan “The Giant” McGee Fights for the First Time in Four Years at Xtreme Fighting Championships’ “Salute to Our Armed Forces V” on Saturday, September 13 at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Tampa, FL (7/29/08): For nearly three straight years, six-foot, ten-inch Gan “The Giant” McGee demolished everything in his path – not just going undefeated during this stretch in the cutthroat world of MMA, but stopping every single opponent in the first round. Ruthless and intimidating, he ran roughshod over the heavyweight division, opening his career with 12 victories by first round knockout or submission. He KO’d Pedro Rizzo and Alexandre Dantas in back-to-back outings on UFC Pay-Per-View extravaganzas, and was finally ready to realize his boyhood dream of becoming a world champion when he agreed to meet UFC heavyweight titlist Tim Sylvia in “The Battle of the Giants” at UFC 44. The date was September 26, 2003.

And that’s when “The Giant” fell back to earth – amidst a steroid controversy that rocked the entire Mixed Martial Arts industry.

Reigning champion Tim Sylvia – who’s a six-foot, eight-inch colossus in his own right – overpowered McGee, stopping him by TKO 1:54 in the first round. Many at ringside were shocked by the ease of his victory. But if there were any suspicions regarding the source of Sylvia’s surprising power, they were arguably confirmed in a post-fight drug test: Sylvia tested positive for Stanozolol, the same anabolic steroid that cost sprinter Ben Johnson the gold medal in the 1988 Summer Olympics. He was stripped of his heavyweight title, suspended from action for six-months, and fined $10,000 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Sylvia later admitted to knowingly taking the steroids, claiming they were used to shed excess body weight. UFC decided to count Sylvia’s victory in its official record books anyway, effectively pushing McGee out of the heavyweight title picture.

And Gan “The Giant” McGee never again fought on American soil.

“Tim Sylvia is a great fighter and the video tape doesn’t lie: He beat the hell out of me,” remarked McGee from his San Luis Obispo training camp. “Did the steroids make a difference? Different people have different theories, I guess. But for me, what hurt the most was sacrificing absolutely everything I had to finally achieve my dream of becoming a world champion… and then falling short. And when it became clear that UFC wasn’t going to consider me for a second title shot, my entire world collapsed. I felt like a part of me had just died. It was… beyond devastating.”

Also devastated was McGee’s psyche. In one fell swoop, his aura of invincibility was irrevocably shattered; he went from fear-inducing phenom to just another overhyped also-ran. Hoping to rebuild his career away from the bright lights of the American media, McGee joined the Japanese-based PRIDE Fighting Championships. He fought twice in Japan, losing once by split decision and once by armbar submission. He was just a shell of his former self; MMA experts doubted if he’d ever reclaim his former greatness.

“Culturally and personally, being in Japan was an amazing experience,” McGee reflected. “I mean, from the ceilings to the shower fixtures, everything is so small over there – I felt a little like Godzilla trampling the villagers! But professionally, I never really recovered from the Sylvia fight. Mentally, I lost that edge – that killer instinct. Call it the ‘Eye of the Tiger’ or whatever you want; I was just going through the motions, unfocused and uncaring. And after losing my second fight in the Orient, I swore to myself that I would never step foot in a steel cage again – not until I regain my warrior’s mentality.”

That was four long years ago.

On September 13, 2008, Gan “The Giant” McGee will return to the steel cage in Xtreme Fighting Championships (XFC)’s “Salute to Our Armed Forces V” mega-event at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida. This will be XFC’s fourth fight card at the Forum; the three previous cards each drew over ten thousand fans. For McGee, it will also mark the first time he’s fought on American soil since his controversial loss to Tim Sylvia, almost five years ago to the day.

McGee swears he’s regained his long-lost fury and intensity – and that his boyhood dream of becoming the heavyweight world champion is still within his enormous grasp. “My killer instinct is back, and trust me – it’s never been deadlier,” he declared, while firing haymaker after haymaker at his concaved heavy bag. “It took years of introspection and self-discovery, but I finally realized that God made me a giant and blessed me with this mind-blowing power for a reason: to be the most destructive heavyweight champion that’s ever walked on planet earth. Writers write, teachers teach – and giants destroy. For so many years I tried to run away from my destiny – to be something I’m not – but that part of my life has come to a screeching halt. My intensity level is off the charts right now; if I’ve gotta tear down buildings, smash open skulls or annihilate whole cities to get another title shot, then that’s what I’ll do. This time around, ‘The Giant’ will stand tall.”

Gan McGee will be facing hard-hitting submission expert Johnathan Ivey – a 250-pound MMA veteran of 60 professional fights who has battled the likes of Dan Severn, Ben Rothwell and Jeremy Horn. When asked to comment, Ivey said simply: “Everyone likes to run their mouth – right until they’re smashed in the face with a fist or knee. McGee should’ve stayed retired.”

For those outside the Tampa area, live streaming of XFC’s “Salute to Our Armed Forces V” will be available on www.mmaxfc.com.

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“THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER 3” CHAMPION MICHAEL BISPING BATTLES CHRIS LEBEN ON SPIKE TV OCTOBER 18

UFC® 89 From Birmingham, England To Air Free On Spike TV With All-Star Card Also Featuring Keith Jardine, Lyoto Machida, Brandon Vera, Thiago Silva, Rameau Sokoudjou, Chris Lytle, and Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis

New York, NY, July 28, 2008 — Spike TV heads across the Atlantic Ocean for the third time to telecast a UFC fight card with middleweights “The Ultimate Fighter 3” champ Michael Bisping and “The Ultimate Fighter 1” standout Chris Leben headlining on Saturday, October 18 at 9:00pm ET/PT (same-day tape delay) from The National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England.

UFC 89 will also include two action-packed co-feature bouts with four of the top contenders in the light heavyweight division. Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva, both undefeated square off in the Octagon® with the winner on the cusp of a title shot. “The Ultimate Fighter 2” alum Keith Jardine looking to rebound from a loss to Wanderlei Silva, takes on veteran Brandon “The Truth” Vera, who is 1-0 since moving down in weight class.

On the undercard, exciting light heavyweight Rameau Sokoudjou takes on Luiz Cane, “The Ultimate Fighter 4” alum Chris “Lights Out” Lytle battles British native Paul Taylor, and “The Ultimate Fighter 2” vet Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” takes on undefeated Briton Paul Kelly.

“The Count” Bisping (17-1) from Manchester, England, who gained recognition from American mixed martial arts fans by winning “The Ultimate Fighter 3,” will be headlining a UFC fight card in front of his fellow British countrymen for the first time. The 29 year-old has won six of seven fights in the Octagon and is 2-0 since dropping down in weight classes from light heavyweight to middleweight this past April. His most recent fight was a dominating performance resulting in a first round TKO over Jason Day at UFC 85 in June.

Bisping’s opponent is the entertaining and enigmatic “The Crippler” Leben (18-4), a breakout star from the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” who has won his last two UFC fights. Leben’s meteoric rise in the UFC included seven straight wins over such notables as Jorge Rivera, Patrick Cote, and Luigi Fioravanti. However, his title aspirations were derailed in April 2006 in a nationally televised main event live on Spike TV by a devastating punch from a relatively unknown Brazilian fighter, current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Now, over two years later, Leben is back fighting in a main event on Spike TV in search of a victory that will catapult him to a long-desired shot at the title.

The co-feature pits two Brazilian undefeated light heavyweights with their sights set on a shot at the UFC crown. Lyoto Machida sports a perfect 13-0 professional record and is coming off a victory in over Tito Ortiz at UFC 84 in May. Thiago Silva (13-0) has thoroughly demolished his opponents in his four UFC fights – all via submission or TKO with only one going more than a round. The black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu will now face his toughest test against fellow countryman, Machida.

Fighting out of San Diego, CA, “The Truth” Vera (8-2) was a rising star in the heavyweight division of the UFC, with wins against Frank Mir and Assuerio Silva under his belt. However, losses to Tim Sylvia and Fabricio Werdum preceded a move to the light heavyweight division, where Vera made his debut at UFC: Silva Vs Irvin on Saturday, July 19. Grinding out a decision win over Reese Andy, Vera, an Air Force veteran, will look to keep on the winning track as he takes on “The Dean of Mean” Jardine.

A member of Greg Jackson’s New Mexico based team, Jardine (13-5-1) also broke into the UFC as a heavyweight while being featured on Season 2 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Dropping down to light heavyweight after winning at that season’s finale, Jardine boasts an impressive fight resumé, with wins over former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell and current champion Forrest Griffin under his belt. Jardine looked destined for a title shot, but his ascent was derailed at UFC 84 this past May, as he suffered a setback in the form of a devastating combination of punches from Wanderlei Silva, resulting in a TKO loss.

On the undercard, Sokoudjou (5-2), a native of Cameroon who currently trains in Temecula, CA, is coming off a first round TKO over Kazuhiro Nakamura at UFC 84 in June. “The African Assassin” will take on muay thai expert Luiz Cane from Sao Paolo, Brazil (9-1) whose only professional loss was to James Irvin at UFC 79 last December.

After having a six fight winning streak in the UFC snapped against Mike Swick at UFC 85, “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis (19-5) looks to embark on a new string of victories against British native Paul Taylor (9-3-1), who also fought at UFC 85, defeating Jess Liaudin.

After showing incredible toughness in enduring a unanimous decision loss to Josh Koscheck at UFC 86 in July, Chris “Lights Out” Lytle (35-16-4) is looking to bounce back against UK local and teammate of Michael Bisping at Wolfslair Academy, undefeated Paul Kelly (8-0).

Spike TV is available in 96.1 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.

ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® HITS CHICAGO FOR UFC 90: SILVA vs. COTE

ANDERSON “THE SPIDER” SILVA vs. PATRICK “THE PREDATOR” COTE
UFC® WORLD MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY, OCT. 25, 2008
LIVE FROM ALLSTATE ARENA
Tickets on Sale Monday, August 18 – 10am CT

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Sports fans in Chicago unite! The UFC® is coming to town and it is bringing the world’s greatest pound for pound fighter, Anderson “The Spider” Silva, for a middleweight title fight against his number one contender, Patrick “The Predator” Cote. The UFC will make its historic first trip to Chicago this fall when it presents UFC 90: SILVA vs. COTE live from Allstate Arena on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008.

“Anderson Silva once again showed why he’s the greatest pound for pound fighter in the world when he moved up to light heavyweight and destroyed James “The Sandman” Irvin,” said Dana White, UFC President. “Now he drops back down to middleweight to defend his world title against Patrick Cote, a fighter on a four-fight win streak with a style that guarantees an incredible fight, wherever it goes. There is no better way to introduce Chicago to the UFC than with the championship fight Anderson Silva vs. Patrick Cote.”

Tickets for UFC 90: SILVA vs. COTE will go on sale Monday, August 18 at 10am CT starting at $50. Tickets will be available at Allstate Arena Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, Charge-By-Phone at (312) 559-1212 or online at ticketmaster.com.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Friday, August 15 at 10am CT via the website www.ufc.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Sunday, August 17 starting at 10am CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through www.ufc.com.

UFC 90: SILVA vs. COTE is available live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

It took Silva (22-4) just 61 seconds to defeat his last opponent, James “The Sandman” Irvin at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas July 19, but that is par for the course for “The Spider”, who burst on to the UFC scene two years ago. His list of victims started with a devastating knockout of Chris Leben in June 2006. He followed that up with two TKOs over Rich Franklin, a submission win over Travis Lutter, a TKO over Nate Marquardt and a second round submission over PRIDE 183-pound champion Dan Henderson. Silva, considered by most to be the most dominant force the UFC middleweight division has ever seen, now faces number one middleweight contender Patrick “The Predator” Cote.

“It’s an honor to be fighting Patrick Cote in the first UFC event ever in Chicago,” said Silva. “I’m excited to take on Cote, but I am taking him very seriously; he is a dangerous striker and he likes to stand and trade with his opponents. That’s the kind of fight fans like to see, and that’s definitely the fight we’re going to give them Oct. 25.”

Cote, (14-4) fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is on a four fight win streak in the Octagonâ„¢, beginning his string of excellence back in February of 2007 with a decision win over Scott Smith at UFC 67. Six months later, he TKO’d Kendall Grove in the first round at UFC 74, and followed that up with a first round TKO over and Drew McFedries at UFC Fight Night in January 2008. But it was his most recent victory, a pivotal win over Ricardo Almeida at UFC 86 on July 5th that propelled him to number one contender status. Now Cote has the opportunity to join countryman Georges St-Pierre as the UFC’s second current Canadian titleholder by taking out reigning champion Silva at UFC 90.

“Everybody that fought Anderson Silva was scared of him; I’m not scared of him one bit,” said Cote. “It’s gonna take him 10 straight punches to take me down – I only need one punch to take him down. I’m Patrick Cote, I win against grapplers and I knock strikers out. I can’t wait to go to Chicago and take the belt home to Montreal.”

The remaining bouts for UFC 90 will be announced in the near future. All bouts live and subject to change. For further information on the UFC visit ufc.com or uk.ufc.com or ufcespanol.com.

…and after you watch it, you should go sign up on our MMA forum and post something, just because. Now watch this chick get propelled skyward.

Sunday, a crazy son of a bitch entered a church in Tennessee and started shooting people. A group of men at the church rushed at the shooter and tackled him, and one of the men, Jamie Parkey, claims he put the shooter in an armbar. Here is the quote from MSNBC:

“He had the gun leveled in our direction,” Parkey told TODAY’s Matt Lauer on Monday, one day after the gunman killed two church members and wounded six others before being wrestled to the ground by parishioners. “That’s when I pushed my mother and daughter to the floor and got under the pew. When I saw the men rushing him was when I got up to join them.”

Parkey was one of the people who tackled 58-year-old Jim D. Adkisson, kicking the shotgun away and holding the gunman on the floor with an arm-bar hold. Parkey’s 16-year-old daughter was in the play, and he had been sitting in the front of the church with his mother and his 6-year-old daughter when the attack began.

Ok, so that seems awesome. I’m assuming it was a straight armbar from side mount, considering there was a few guys that tackled the shooter. It is possible that Jamie Parkey was able to get side control and then go after the shooters arm, similar to how Matt Hughes nearly had Royce Gracie at UFC 60.

Jamie Parkey’s story seems more credible after I saw the shooter being walked out by police, with his arm in a sling.

Jim D. Adkisson and his injured arm

Jamie Parkey & Wife

Cristiane Cyborg vs. Shayna Baszler

Rampage Jackson's Tire

The shredded tires were first listed on Craigslist, but last time I checked they had removed the listing. It’s now on eBay and open for bids! Click Here to see the auction.

Ok, maybe Frank Mir doesn’t explain his opinion perfectly, and I don’t agree with him on every point, but I do agree that the world would be a better place if decent humans carried weapons. If good citizens with weapons outnumbered violent criminals with weapons, there would be less violence.

However, Frank will not be allowed to use a weapon in his fight with Nogueira. Also, Joanne the MMA girl is hot. Oh and one more thing, sign up on our MMA Forums and post something, help it get started. We’re not as censored as some forums.

Looking to Prevail

James Gilliland – PureCombat

Clovis, California – Jason “The Livewire” Von Flue, a UFC & Strikeforce veteran, is on the hunt for victory after losing his last four fights. On August 15, He will be taking on Bryson Kamaka at PureCombat: Hardcore.

“He’s better than what he is” said Von Flue, referring to Kamaka’s fight record of 5-11. “He’s a legitimate threat and he’s a game opponent,” most of Kamaka’s wins have come by way of knockout.

While 10 of Von Flue’s 12 wins have come by way of submission, he is always willing to stand-up and strike with his opponent. “I’ll throw some punches at the guy and test him out,” said Von Flue. “I’ve never seen this kid fight before, gonna get out there work some strikes and work the takedowns try and mix it up.”

Von Flue is coming back from a 60 day medical suspension from a fight he had with Pete Spratt, Spratt landed an uppercut knocking out Von Flue. He was suppose to fight Dustin Arden in June but was unable to fight because of the suspension. Now he’s at 100% and ready to return to the cage, “It’s been a bumpy year, I’m over it, ready to turn it around with a win.”

The Livewire has also done all of his training in the valley instead of at The Pit in San Luis Obispo; which is famous for training Chuck Liddell and PureCombat fighter, Scott Lighty. “I’m trying to refine myself and re-develop my skills here in the Central Valley pull away from the total striking aspect get back to the Jiu-jitsu game.” Von Flue said. “Working towards getting back to where I’m most dominate at.”

Even with the change in training Von Flue is looking forward to getting a victory this August. “I would like to put that all together and show the Central Valley, what I have learned and what I have fine tuned while being here in the Fresno area at the two gyms I’ve been training at.”

For Jason, fighting isn’t his only job he is also an instructor at Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu of Fresno and part-time bartender at a local bar. He spends a majority of time training, “I spar four days a week, grapple four days a week,” says Von Flue. “I try to hone those skills as best as I possibly can.”

An interesting fact is that Jason plays the video game “World of Warcraft” in his spare time. “It’s a cheap efficient way of keeping me busy, where I’m not gambling and drinking. Getting myself into who knows what trouble.”

Jason Von Flue versus Bryson Kamaka happens August 15 when PureCombat presents Hardcore at the Visalia Convention Center in Visalia, California

In fact, it’s just plain wrong.

Tim Sylvia said he has never been hit harder by anyone than Fedor Emelianenko, and that he’s not sure if Fedor is even human. In reality, it sure seems like Fedor hits hard, I’ve seen him put Sylvia on the mat much the same way he floored Zuluzinho, but I’ve never seen him knock someone unconscious. Regardless, Fedor has proven himself to be the #1 heavyweight pro MMA fighter on the planet for now. On a sidenote, if you’re looking for a new MMA forum that is relatively uncensored and wont merge your threads into one gigantic thread, you should sign up on our MMA Forums and start a topic.

Randy Couture stars as King Sargon in The Scorpion King 2: Rise Of A Warrior, available on DVD and Blu-ray Hi-Def August 19th from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

The Scorpion King 2 tells the story of how it all began. When a young Mathayus (Michael Copon) witnesses his father’s death at the hands of the king (UFC Champion Randy Couture), his quest for vengeance transforms him into the most feared warrior of the ancient world. From the director of Resident Evil: Extinction and Highlander comes a heroic adventure filled with heart-stopping action and thrilling visual effects.

Randy Couture Scorpion King

WECâ„¢ INVADES FLORIDA FOR THE FIRST TIME

URIJAH FABER vs. MIKE BROWN
PAULO FILHO vs. CHAEL SONNEN

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2008 LIVE FROM THE SEMINOLE HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO IN HOLLYWOOD, FL

LIVE ON VERSUS 9 P.M. ET/6 P.M. PT

Tickets Go on Sale Monday, July 21 at Noon

Las Vegas –World Extreme Cagefighting® (WEC™) announced today that two world titles will be on the line on Wednesday, September 10th when the organization makes its initial foray into the great state of Florida. In the main event, WEC Featherweight Champion “The California Kid” Urijah Faber defends his title against Florida’s own Mike Brown, and in the co-featured bout, WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo “Eli” Filho returns to action to battle Chael Sonnen in their highly anticipated rematch. This championship doubleheader will take place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

WEC: FABER vs. BROWN will be televised live nationally on VERSUS beginning at 9:00 pm ET/6:00 pm PT. All live WEC events will be presented in Hi-Definition (HD) and SAP where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus.

Tickets for WEC: FABER vs. BROWN go on sale Monday, July 21 at noon and are priced at $175, $125, $100, and $50 (not including applicable services or taxes). Tickets are available at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office and all Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (954) 523-3309. Tickets also are available online through www.wec.tv or www.ticketmaster.com.

With technique, tenacity, and charisma, “The California Kid” Urijah Faber (21-1), has proven time and time again why he is considered one of the best fighters in MMA today. Faber captured the WEC title in March of 2006 with a decisive second round stoppage of Cole Escovedo. Since then, he has continued to dominate the division, defending his crown with first round wins over Joe Pearson, Dominic Cruz, and Chance Farrar. His most recent victory came in the long-awaited superfight against Jens Pulver, where he displayed top notch striking and a champion’s heart in defeating the future Hall of Famer by unanimous decision in front 12,000 fans. But there is no rest for the man on top of the heap, and on September 10, he will return to fight one of his toughest opponents yet in Florida’s own Mike Brown.

Mike Brown (19-4) has compiled an impressive MMA record over his seven year pro career, and his aggressive style in the cage has earned him a large fan following. In his most recent bout on June 1st, the well-rounded American Top Team fighter earned a title shot with an exciting three round win over a game Jeff Curran, and he is undoubtedly going to have a hometown crowd in his corner when he challenges Faber for supremacy at 145 pounds. Brown fights out of Coconut Creek, Florida where he earned his reputation as a top ranked 145 lb. fighter.

Considered by many to be the premier middleweight fighter in the world today, WEC Champion Paulo ‘Eli’ Filho (16-0) has fought the best that the 185-pound division has to offer, both here and abroad, and he has yet to taste defeat. In 2007, Filho made his WEC debut in stirring fashion, stopping Joe Doerksen in the first round to win the organization title. He was pushed to the limit in his first title defense last December though, when Chael Sonnen got him in trouble early and dominated the first round. In the second round, Filho rebounded, catching Sonnen in an armbar with only seconds to go in the frame. And while there was some controversy over whether Sonnen verbally submitted or not, the fight was halted with five seconds left in the round and Filho retained his crown. Yet like a true champion, Filho respected the challenger’s performance and didn’t want his victory to have any question marks surrounding it, so he granted Sonnen a rematch.

Chael Sonnen (21-9-1) left quite an impression in his WEC debut last December with his stellar performance against Filho. But this six-year MMA veteran is no stranger to competing at the top levels of the sport, having beaten world-class fighters such as Jason Miller, Jason Lambert, Trevor Prangley, and Amar Suloev. Now approaching his prime as a fighter at 31, Sonnen plans on bringing the belt home in his second shot on September 10.

The remaining bouts for WEC: FABER vs. BROWN will be announced in the near future. All bouts subject to change.

I admit, the name WAMMA hasn’t grown on me yet. I am in favor of having unified titles throughout Mixed Martial Arts, but I don’t think it will ever happen. For whatever it’s worth, Fedor is the new (and first) WAMMA heavyweight champion. If you didn’t see the Fedor vs. Tim Sylvia fight, look at the little .GIF picture on the left side of the page near the top. That’s pretty much it.

It took just over 1 minute for Anderson Silva to dispose of James Irvin in brutal fashion. The rest of the 205lb division should be on high alert. Irvin did what he said he was going to do, he didn’t back down from Silva and tried to see what he could do. Irvin through some decent leg kicks, but that is what ultimately led to his demise. Anderson Silva caught one of Irvins leg kicks and immediately delivered a right hand to Irvins chin, putting him on the mat. Spider Silva pounced on him and landed a flurry of right hand punches straight down on Irvins dome, sneaking one through that left a huge cut under Irvin’s right eye. Referee stops the fight at 1:01 of the first round. Who’s next for Silva?

CB Dollaway caught Jesse Taylor in a “Peruvian neck tie” submission at 3:58 of the first round.

Tim Credeur TKO’d Cale Yarbrough at 1:54 of the first round.

Shannon Gugerty submitted Dale Hartt in round 1.

Brad Blackburn TKO’d James Giboo in round 2.

Nate Loughran submitted Johnny Rees in round 1 (Triangle Choke).

Rory Markham was getting tagged in the head by Brodie Farber and came back with a HEAVY kick upside Farbers head that put him unconscious immediately.

Kevin Burns was awarded a TKO victory over Anthony Johnson, although the end was due to an eypoke from Burns. He had already been warned by the referee for an earlier poke in Anthony Johnsons eye, but in the final round he got a better one that sent Anthony Johnson screaming and falling to the canvas.

Cain Velasquez defeated Jake O’Brien by TKO in round 1.

Frankie Edgar defeated Hermes Franca by unanimous decision.

Brandon Vera bored us through to a unanimous decision victory over Reese Andy. Brandon Vera still thinks he is going to hold both the UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight championships in the future.

Questions have been answered. If Dana White still can’t admit that Fedor Emelianenko is the top heavyweight in the world, he is in denial. Fedor just destroyed the former UFC heavyweight champion.

Fedor went right out and punched Tim Sylvia in the nose, followed by a flurry that send big Tim Sylvia to the canvas where he gave his back to Fedor, and fell victim to a choke in under 40 seconds of Round 1 in the Main Event of tonights Affliction: Banned pay-per-view show.

Epic insult from Andrei Arlovksi to Tim Sylvia, regarding the rumors of Sylvia dating Arlovski’s ex-girlfriend.

One of the weirdest KO’s I’ve ever seen in MMA. I’m not sure what the one dude was going for, not really an armbar or triangle, more like a damn scissors hold around the neck, old school pro-wrestling style. Also, after watching the video, you should join our MMA forum and post something. That would be awesome.