Tonight on ABC’s 20/20 at 10:00pm EST, one of the segments will be John Stossel reporting on “campaigns against the teaching of Mixed Martial Arts to minors”. Should be an interesting show to watch, tune in if you have the chance, it’s coming on in just 10 minutes from now, the ABC network.

I don’t even know where to begin with his article, but I’ll start by pointing out that the writer thinks MMA and UFC are rival companies, so his opinion really isn’t credible. Here is a link to his complete article, but I’ve voiced my opinions about it below.

Here are some of Greg Cote’s ignorant statements:

“This form of fighting is all but bare-fisted, with less-than-gloves covering the knuckles. Anything goes,including kicking. (I suppose eye-gouging might or might not be frowned upon).”

Even kicking? OOOOH NO THE END OF CIVILIZATION! What is his opinion on kickboxing? I’m guessing Mr. Cote has really never watched an MMA event, he obviously has no clue about what the rules are. He also says:

“Pardon my not swelling with civic pride over one of our own hitting the big-time at last for what amounts to legalized criminality”

Legalized criminality? Give me a break, so is boxing if that’s the case. So is auto racing (speeding), and much more. He thinks boxing is “refined and genteel” in comparison to mixed martial arts. Does he not realize boxers are trying to knock each others heads off? Sure, that sometimes happens in MMA, but there are so many other ways to win, I would have to say the science of MMA is way more refined, and possibly more genteel considering a fight can end in 30 seconds with neither fighter being seriously injured. As true fans know, in the sport of mixed martial arts, a fighter can simply get caught in an armbar and tap out before he is seriously hurt. Not possible in boxing, where the loser must stand in there for 12 rounds and get his head busted repeatedly, or get knocked unconscious before a winner is declared.

Mr. Cote also asks in his article “Whatever happened to Chuck Liddell?” — more evidence he has no clue about the sport of mixed martial arts. Here is more:

“(Michael Vick), by the way, staged dogfights not much more vicious, or less civilized, than the type of combat that Kimbo and these other so-called ”freestyle fighters” shame themselves to practice. (And that we shame ourselves to watch).”

Wow, I really don’t think I need to explain the stupidity of that sentence. He is taking the subject of trained athletes who consciously make a decision to compete in sport, to Michael Vick forcing abused animals to fight each other to the death via bite wounds to the throat. Michael Vick also tortured injured animals via hanging and electrocution. I can’t believe Greg Cote is ignorant enough to make that comparison. Here is more wisdom from Greg Cote:

“It’s (MMA) sort of an adult version of teenagers beating up a homeless guy.”

Wow, this Cote idiot is full of intelligent comparisons, huh? Really man, you’re comparing the sport to multiple attackers beating a defenseless homeless person? Mr. Cote, you are out of control. Your article in the Miami Herald showcases your ignorance very well. You should be ashamed of some of your statements, particularly the ones that minimize the torture of homeless people and animals. Greg Cote should suffer the wrath of a Fedor armbar.

I have nothing against Kimbo Slice, but I would love to see James Thompson run right out and smash Kimbo in this fight. However, I don’t think that is going to happen. Both fighters are exciting to watch, I predict James Thompson will rush out and try to trade punches with Kimbo, and inevitably Kimbo will connect on Thompson’s chin, ending the fight. I bet the staredown will be tremendous, though. In the meantime, here is video of James Thompson’s epic fight with Don Frye in Pride. Also, sign up on our MMA forums, we need new conversation and MMA expert fans.

Yep, according to TMZ.com, Michael Jackson was in the audience at UFC 84, wearing a cover from head to toe.

Tito Ortiz was asked by UFC representatives to leave, but was finally allowed to stay for the press conference, where he exchanged words with UFC President Dana White. The videos are below. See Tito Ortiz speak of a rematch with Randy Couture, and a rematch with Wanderlei Silva, and what Wanderlei thinks about it. Enjoy.

ST-PIERRE vs. FITCH @ UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY
AUGUST 9
LIVE FROM TARGET CENTER

Tickets On Sale Now!

Las Vegas, NV (USA) — The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s initial trip to Minnesota on August 9th just got bigger with today’s signing of the UFC® Welterweight Title bout between Champion Georges St. Pierre and number one contender Jon Fitch, which will headline the UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY card at Target Center.

It will be St-Pierre’s first bout since he regained his crown from Matt Serra at UFC 83 on April 19th. In Fitch, he will be facing a former Division I wrestler who has won eight consecutive UFC bouts without a loss, the longest streak in modern-day UFC history.

“He’s a very, very tough guy,” said St-Pierre of Fitch. “I’m gonna have to train hard and be very well prepared because he may be my toughest fight yet.”

“The whole goal is to get the belt and be in the position where guys can’t duck me, run away, or say they don’t want to fight me,” said Fitch. “If I have the belt, there’s no excuse, and if you say you’re the best, then we’re gonna fight. This is gonna be a tough fight, but I’m gonna make sure I’m sharp that night, and wherever the fight needs to go, that’s fine with me.”

In other action on the UFC 87 card, heavyweight sensation Brock Lesnar returns home for a pivotal bout in his rise up the UFC ranks. Lesnar was originally scheduled to face UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman on August 9th, but a knee injury has forced “The Hammer” to withdraw from the show. Lesnar’s opponent will be announced shortly.

Tickets for UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY are on sale now priced at $600, $400, $250, $125, $75 and $50 and 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).

Lightweight contenders Kenny Florian and Roger Huerta will also throw down in a highly anticipated bout that may determine a future challenger for the 155-pound crown.

“Roger Huerta versus Kenny Florian has the potential to be one of the most action packed fights of the year, both have won Fight of the Night awards and they are known for delivering nonstop action,” said Dana White, UFC President. “Kenny has established himself as one of the best in the world at 155 and he wants another shot at the title. Roger sports a 20-1 record and is undefeated in 6 UFC fights. That is an amazing accomplishment in one of MMA’s most competitive divisions.”

The remaining bouts for UFC 87 will be announced in the near future. All bouts are live and subject to change. For further information on the UFC visit ufc.com or uk.ufc.com or ufcespanol.com.

 

New York — Fans unable to attend the first Adrenaline MMA event on June 14 at the Sears Center Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill., will be able to watch the event live on HDNet.

Adrenaline CEO Monte Cox has announced a deal for the Mark Cuban-owned HDNet to carry the event’s first three shows live. “We want to be considered one of the top events in the country,” Cox said. “In order to compete at that level, we have to have a television deal. This enables us to build a following not only in the cities we hold events, but also with fans around the country.”

Among the first fighters signed to Adrenaline MMA contracts are former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, former IFL heavyweight standout Ben Rothwell and former Bodog champion Ed Alvarez.
Adrenaline MMA’s first show features UFC and Pride veteran Jeff Monson against Chicago police officer and Pride veteran Mike Russow. For the complete card, check out adrenaline-mma.com.

Great show, and going into the night, I was conflicted about who I wanted to win for some fights. I’m a Lyoto Machida fan, and while I’ve never really been a Tito Ortiz fan, part of me was hoping to see him win just for the controversy it could’ve caused with Dana White. However, I also didn’t really want to see Machida lose, but anyway. That fight went about how I expected it would. I got excited when it looked like Tito was going to get that triangle choke in the 3rd round, but Machida escaped perfectly. I’ve also heard people comparing Lyoto Machida’s performance to Kalib Starnes. WTF? In no way was that a Starnes. Machida is ninja, whether he’s exciting or not. (No, it wasn’t an exciting fight overall). Maybe Tito can go to EliteXC now and fight Frank Shamrock, that would be nice.

Wanderlei Silva destroyed Keith Jardine. Damn. The Axe Murderer is back. Who’s next? Will we see a Silva/Liddell rematch? Will Silva ever fight Rampage again? or will Wanderlei drop to 185lbs as a lot of people suspect he will do? That is the match-up that should happen. Wanderlei vs. Anderson Silva. I’d pay double to see that fight.

BJ Penn was able to get the daily requirement of blood in his diet from Sean Sherk. BJ kicked Sherk’s ass throughout the whole fight, and afterwards ran over to wipe blood from Sherks face, then licked his hand. The winner of Kenny Florian vs. Roger Huerta needs to fight Sean Sherk next.

Damn Keith Jardine got KTFO. Hope he bounces back to winning form soon. It was nice to see Wanderlei Silva back to his old self.

According to the UFC, Mark Coleman injured his knee and has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled August 9th fight against Brock Lesnar at UFC 87. A replacement to fight Lesnar will be announced soon.

Also on the UFC 87 card will be Georges St. Pierre defending his welterweight championship against Jon Fitch. This fight will be the main event at the Target Center in Minnesota.

Sign up on our UFC Forum too… we need new blood.

On a sidenote, here’s a video from February with Mark Coleman sounding scared of Lesnar, saying he’d drop to 205lbs because of Brock.

The referee was Shonie Carter. The fight lasted approximately 8 seconds, and coincidentally, the event was held at “8 Seconds Saloon” in Indianapolis. Enjoy.

Canadastar Becomes Exclusive Distributor for UFC® Events On Closed Circuit Pay-Per-View in Canada

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization today announced a two year agreement for Canadastar to have exclusive distribution rights on closed circuit pay-per-view in restaurants, bars and similar locations in Canada.

“The UFC fans in Canada are some of the most passionate, loyal sports fans I’ve ever known, so I am pleased that Canadastar will help make the UFC live events available to them via closed-circuit distribution,” said UFC President Dana White.

Canadastar, now in its 17th year, is Canada’s premiere distributor of closed circuit-pay per view professional boxing,professional wrestling and Ultimate Fighting Championship events to Canadian commercial locations. Canadastar has been distributing the Zuffa, LLC-owned UFC events since its inception.

“We are pleased to be Canada’s exclusive commercial distributor of UFC events,” said Raymond Rutter, President, Canadastar. “The UFC is one of the most exciting live events in sports, and through closed-circuit pay-per-view, millions of Canadians can watch the fights in their hometown restaurant or sports bar.”

Canadastar has been established as a household name to sports oriented bars, restaurants and casinos throughout the dominion.

Fisher and Stephens Added to The Ultimate Fighter® Finale
SPENCER “THE KING” FISHER AND JEREMY “LIL’ HEATHEN” STEPHENS TO FIGHT LIVE ON SPIKE TV SATURDAY, JUNE 21

The Battle Between Hawkeye Lightweights Will Be Featured On The Ultimate Fighter® Team Rampage vs Team Forrest Finale

UFC® lightweight contender Spencer “The King” Fisher will battle fellow Iowa native and up-and-coming mixed martial artist Jeremy “Lil’ Heathen” Stephens Saturday, June 21 at 9:00 pm on the undercard of Spike TV’s The Ultimate Fighter® Team Rampage vs Team Forrest Finale. The live three hour fight card will emanate from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, NV and will be the first ever presented in high definition on Spike TV.

Fisher, a Bettendorf resident and Miletich Fighting Systems Camp member, is looking to rebound from a hard fought loss this past November to Frankie Edgar at UFC® 78: Validation. With wins over such highly regarded fighters as Thiago Alves, Josh Neer, Sam Stout, Matt Wiman and Dan Lauzon, the two-year veteran of the UFC has established himself as one of the stronger standup fighters within the lightweight division. A victory over the much younger Stephens will only further cement Fisher as one of the elite lightweight contenders.

Since losing his UFC® debut to Din Thomas at UFC® 71: Liddell vs. Jackson, the 21-year-old Jeremy “Lil’ Heathen” Stephens has defeated both Diego Saraiva and The Ultimate Fighter® 5 contestant Cole Miller bringing his UFC® record to 2-1-0. A native of Des Moines, Iowa and a Des Moines Mixed Martial Arts Academy member, Stephens would be thrust into the upper echelon of the division with a victory over the proven UFC® veteran Spencer Fisher.

Submission specialists go head-to-head as Salt Lake City’s Jeremy Horn (88-17-5) takes on former assistant coach for The Ultimate Fighter® 3 Dean “The Boogeyman” Lister (10-5). With over 100 professional mixed martial arts fights under his belt, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist Horn looks to bounce back following a loss to Nate Marquardt via submission at UFC® 81 Breaking Point. The 32-year-old Horn boasts an impressive list of wins over such fighters as current Ultimate Fighter® coach Forrest Griffin, Josh Burkman and former UFC® light heavyweight champ, Chuck Liddell. After spending most of 2007 recovering from a torn biceps muscle, Lister returned to the octagon this past December for UFC® 79 Nemesis, where he defeated Jordan Radev via unanimous decision.

Also on the card, The Ultimate Fighter® 2 contestant Josh Burkman (20-5) battles Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist Dustin Hazelett (12-5). Both fighters return to the octagon™ following recent losses, with Burkman falling to Mike Swick during UFC® Fight Night 12 and Hazelett suffering a TKO at UFC® 82 by Josh Koscheck.

Marvin “The Beastman” Eastman takes on Iowa native Drew McFedries (6-3) and protégé of The Ultimate Fighter® 5 coach Jens Pulver. Eastman most recently defeated Terry Martin via unanimous decision during UFC® 81 Breaking Point, while McFedries is coming off of a TKO loss to Patrick Cote at UFC® Fight Nightâ„¢ Swick vs. Burkman.

*Due to time constraints, not all undercard bouts will air

Supposedly, Kevin Ferguson aka Kimbo Slice is set to be an award presenter at tonights CMA Awards show on CBS (8pm EST). Yeah, he might not seem like he fits in at a Country Music Awards show, but if he’s there, it will obviously be to promote the upcoming May 31st EliteXC: Primetime show on CBS, in which Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson will be the main event.

From the Sengoku PBP Post:

Josh Barnett vs. Jeff Monson
U WA SHOCK!
These dudes are good friends, they shook hands and even almost hugged during the staredown. They’re both standing up, attempting some decent strikes but nothing significant landing. Good low kicks by Josh Barnett, whoa spinning back kick by Barnett, working his jab and using his reach, another low kick lands for Barnett, and another one. Those are probably getting Monson’s attention. Monson needs to close the distance to negate Barnett’s reach advantage, he does, the fighters clinch but then separate again. 2 minutes left in the round. Barnett shoudl work a thai clinch and knee Monson in the grill. Decent punch combo thrown by Barnett, but Monson answers strongly with some punches of his own. End of the round.

Round two is starting. Fighters touch gloves. Wow, great spinning back kick from Barnett again sends Monson into the ropes, but doesn’t seem to be hurt too bad. Monson is now pressing Barnett into a corner and scores a single leg takedown. Josh Barnett working from his back, Monson trying to pass into side control. Monson has to be careful of a triangle here. He’s safe now and in side control over Josh Barnett. Jeff Monson has some sick grappling skills, this could be dangerous territory for Barnett but he rolls out of it easy, that was NICE! He gets back to his feet and now has Monson on his back, working from guard, Monson with an upkick, back up Barnett and Monson sits up to try to take a leg, Barnett sprawls to avoid it, lands a knee to the head and Monson is on his back again working from guard. 30 seconds left in round 2, fighters are back on their feet, knees from Barnett, there is the thai clinch! Round two is over.

Here is round three. Fighters are clinched against the ropes, Barnett still throwing occassional knees, Monson looking for a single-leg takedown, Barnett rolls him into side control now and lands more knees and punches to the body, falls back for a leglock but misses and both fighters are back to their feet now, against the ropes. Referee calls for action, so do I. I should’ve went to bed. Barnett clinches and lands a couple of knees, though not the hardest I’ve ever seen for sure. Barnett is in Monson’s half guard, lazy hammerfists, more knees to the body. One minute left and this fight is headed for a decision. Barnett jumps over Monson and tries for a toe hold, but the round is over. Barnett wins via decision.

I might not give the most accurate play-by-play, because I’m multi tasking and trying to do other stuff at the same time as I watch Sengoku II and post this.

I say “kinda” because I don’t know how long I’ll be awake. I’m in the United States and it’s 4:20am right now as I start this post. I’m coming into this Sengoku event a little bit late, I see that Mike Pyle has already won by submission in round one (rear naked choke). Also, Satoru Kitaoka was victorious in round one by guillotine over Ian James Schaffa. Eiji Mitsuoka also just choked Kwang Hee Lee in the first round.

Yuki Sasaki vs. Jorge Santiago
Now up is Yuki Sasaki (Grabaka) vs. Jorge Santiago (American Top Team). Santiago is making his ring entrance now. Yuki Sasaki is entering to Tupac Shakur music. Nice. Fighters have stared down and are ready to fight. They touch gloves and Santiago looks to slowly close distance on Sasaki, has him backed in a corner but neither fighter has struck yet. They’re just getting comfortable right now I think, Sasaki is still in the corner and both fighters trade low kicks, Sasaki throws a couple more, still in the corner though. He circles and is now in another corner still throwing little kicks. Santiago just threw the first punch I recall seeing so far in the fight. Santiago throws kick and Sasaki catches it and scores a takedown, he has Santiagos back and is trying to sink a RNC but it looks like Jorge will escape. He did, and rolled over, Santiago is now in Sasaki’s guard trying to throw elbows. 2 minutes left in the round. Sasaki is keeping a high guard, but not being able to do anything with it yet. Santiago is landing some heavy sounding punches and elbows to the body, and a few to the head probably but Sasaki is handling them well. The referee is now standing the fighters back on their feet. They trade kicks again and Santiago slips to his back, where Sasaki right away gets side mount and looks to be going for a submission before the bell rings to end round 1.

While you’re reading this, you should sign up on our MMA Forum and help get some conversations started.

Round two is going now and both fighters are staying on their feet so far, I think Jorge Santiago is scoring better with the striking. Sasaki just went to his back now and Santiago just tried a nasty looking stomp to the face but I’m not sure how clean it landed. He ended up in Sasaki’s guard , where Sasaki is looking for subs. Jorge Santiago stands back up and wants Sasaki back on his feet as well. Santiago goes for a flying knee that almost connected but Sasaki answers with a flurry of punches and Santiago drops to grab Sasaki’s ankle, Sasaki has his back again, now in full mount and Sasaki has a nasty looking arm triangle or Anaconda choke or something, gives that up and goes to set up an armbar right as the round ends. I think Santiago was saved by the bell this round.

Here comes round three. Santiago looks fairly fresh still, actually both fighters do. Still on their feet, doing some kickboxing, Sasaki clinches for a takedown, lands in Santiagos guard and that was a bad decision. Jorge gets a quick armbar and forces Sasaki to tap out.

Yoshihiro Nakao vs. Jim York
LOL @ Yoshihiro “Kiss” Nakao, they’re telling us in Japanese about his kiss with Heath Herring, which of course you probably know ended in a pre-fight knockout, with Nakao asleep on the canvas and Heath Herring proclaiming “He tried to kiss me…I’m not a homosexual”.

The dude he’s fighting is “Big Jim York” from New Zealand, and I’m picking him to win. I’ve never seend dude fight though. I really don’t know who he is.

Nakao is entering the ring to Pomp and Circumstance music, I think he is graduating. Nakao did not try to make out with his opponent during the staredown this time. He throws a couple of kicks that don’t connect. Both fighters are lobbing strikes that dont land. Nakao is showboating and shaking his ass. Throws a haymaker that doesn’t land. Big Jim York looks like he could be a badass if he would get active. I should’ve gotten up to take a piss during this round. Jim York should try a flying knee, I think he could connect with Nakao’s dome.

Round two opens up, damn I just got back from taking a piss and I see Nakao knock Big Jim york the hell out. It started with Nakao attempting a single leg takedown, Jim York turned his back a bit and tried to run a couple steps but Nakao connected with a hook from behind. Yoshihiro “Kiss” Nakao victorious by TKO.

I think I just heard them say there will be a 15 minute intermission. The cameras are following Nakao backstage.

Kevin Randleman vs. Ryo Kawamura
Beware the Randleplex. And staph infections. He says he’s recovered from three years of almost dying twice, and “it was rough”. Yeah, that might be an understatement. Almost dying might suck, and so would having a giant staph hole in your armpit.

On a sidenote, Kevin Randleman (an American) entered the ring wearing a Japanese bandana, and Kawamura (Japanese) entered the ring wearing a red, white & blue vest with stars on it.

Both fighters are friendly and shake eachothers hands during the staredown. No touch of gloves after the bell rings though. Randleman fakes a takedown and lands a left hook, but then immediately drops for a double leg takedown and gets it. Randleman has Kawamuras back now, and would like to pick him up and slam him on his head but isn’t able to yet. Kawamura is turtling and holding Randleman’s hands, Randleman is keeping control and stands him up for a small slam back to the mat, where he retains back control. Kawamura rolls in to attempt a kneebar, good try, but unsuccessful and they end up right back in the same position, with Randleman having back control, standing in the corner. The referee separates the fighters and they square off in the middle of the ring again. Betcha Randleman shoots. He thought about it and Kawamura landed a little leg kick that caused Randleman to change his plans. Both fighters still on their feet, Randleman just backed away after the ref re-start. That’s the end of round one.

Here’s round two. Not much so far. Leg kicks from Kawamura, backing up for Randleman, failed shots, lazy hooks and jabs. I think they’re warning Randleman because he isn’t doing shit. Finally he shoots for another takedown and has back control again, same as first round, in the corner. Kawamura trying for an armlock but didn’t get it. Fighters separate and are back in the middle of the ring squaring off. I think Randleman is tired. End of round two. I predict this fight is going to end with a decision, or with Randleman getting KTFO.

Round 3 is starting, not much action until Kawamura kicks Randleman upside the head, Randleman decides to clinch and hold Kawamura in the corner. Referee breaks them up and they start back in the center of the ring, Randleman gets tagged, throws a haymaker right hook of his own, shoots and fails, but then has a guillotin attempt on Kawamura, Kawamura escapes and is sitting up in the corner with Randleman just holding him there. Two minutes left in the fight. Kawamura forces his way out of the corner and tries to take the fight to Randleman, striking ensues, leg kicks, Kawamura would like to finish this fight, but it looks like it’s going to a decision because they’re back in the corner with 30 seconds left. BOOOO. Bring on the next fight. The judges score the bout for Kevin Randleman, winner. Kevin says he has one more fight in him, and tries to get the crowd to chant “ONE MORE TIME” with him, I think I heard 12 people chant with him.

Yuki Kondo vs. Roger Gracie
This should be an interesting fight. It’s an open-weight match, Roger Gracie is quite a bit larger than Yuki Kondo. Yuki is entering the ring to Enya music. Awesome. Have you joined our MMA forum yet? Here we go with round ONE. Damn Gracie is a lot taller. The fighters clinch against the ropes, Kondo has underhooks, Kondo is backed into a corner and now Roger Gracie has underhooks, Gracie got the takedown and is in Kondo’s half guard now. This fight might not last long now. Roger Gracie has side control. Now full mount on Yuki Kondo. Roger Gracie is taking his time, now sitting up punching Kondo to get his back, Kondo turned his back and Gracie is sinking a choke, it’s over now, Roger Gracie is winner via rear-naked choke, ROUND one.

Josh Barnett vs. Jeff Monson
U WA SHOCK!
These dudes are good friends, they shook hands and even almost hugged during the staredown. They’re both standing up, attempting some decent strikes but nothing significant landing. Good low kicks by Josh Barnett, whoa spinning back kick by Barnett, working his jab and using his reach, another low kick lands for Barnett, and another one. Those are probably getting Monson’s attention. Monson needs to close the distance to negate Barnett’s reach advantage, he does, the fighters clinch but then separate again. 2 minutes left in the round. Barnett shoudl work a thai clinch and knee Monson in the grill. Decent punch combo thrown by Barnett, but Monson answers strongly with some punches of his own. End of the round.

Round two is starting. Fighters touch gloves. Wow, great spinning back kick from Barnett again sends Monson into the ropes, but doesn’t seem to be hurt too bad. Monson is now pressing Barnett into a corner and scores a single leg takedown. Josh Barnett working from his back, Monson trying to pass into side control. Monson has to be careful of a triangle here. He’s safe now and in side control over Josh Barnett. Jeff Monson has some sick grappling skills, this could be dangerous territory for Barnett but he rolls out of it easy, that was NICE! He gets back to his feet and now has Monson on his back, working from guard, Monson with an upkick, back up Barnett and Monson sits up to try to take a leg, Barnett sprawls to avoid it, lands a knee to the head and Monson is on his back again working from guard. 30 seconds left in round 2, fighters are back on their feet, knees from Barnett, there is the thai clinch! Round two is over.

Here is round three. Fighters are clinched against the ropes, Barnett still throwing occassional knees, Monson looking for a single-leg takedown, Barnett rolls him into side control now and lands more knees and punches to the body, falls back for a leglock but misses and both fighters are back to their feet now, against the ropes. Referee calls for action, so do I. I should’ve went to bed. Barnett clinches and lands a couple of knees, though not the hardest I’ve ever seen for sure. Barnett is in Monson’s half guard, lazy hammerfists, more knees to the body. One minute left and this fight is headed for a decision. Barnett jumps over Monson and tries for a toe hold, but the round is over. Barnett wins via decision.

Brad Imes vs. Roy Nelson

ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® ANNOUNCES FIRST EVENT EVER IN MINNESOTA
UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY

BROCK LESNAR vs. MARK COLEMAN
KENNY FLORIAN vs. ROGER HUERTA

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9
LIVE FROM TARGET CENTER

Tickets Go On Sale Sunday, May 25 at 12Noon CT

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – In yet another historic moment in the quest to conquer new territory and bring the best of mixed martial arts to fans around the globe, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization today announced the first-ever UFC event to take place in Minnesota. In the main event, Brock Lesnar, fighting out of his hometown of Minneapolis, will return to the Octagonâ„¢ to face UFC Hall of Famer and former PRIDE® superstar Mark “The Hammer” Coleman, and in what many are calling the best lightweight fight of 2008, Kenny “KenFlo” Florian will square off against Roger “El Matador” Huerta in a battle that will move the winner one step closer to a 155-pound title shot. The Ultimate Fighting Championship will present UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY, featuring Lesnar vs. Coleman and Florian vs. Huerta, live from Target Center in Minneapolis Saturday, August 9, 2008.

“I am excited to be heading to Minnesota and Target Center with the first ever UFC in the state,” said Dana White, UFC President. “UFC fans there are going to be blown away by this event – this fight between Brock Lesnar and Mark Coleman is going to be explosive, a battle between the original monster wrestler and the new breed of monster wrestler. Kenny Florian versus Roger Huerta has the potential to be one of the most action packed fights of the year, both have won Fight of the Night awards and they are known for delivering nonstop action. UFC 87 is going to be stacked with incredible matchups and all the fights fans want to see, from the first bout to the last.”

“Target Center is very excited to host the Ultimate Fighting Championship right here in Minneapolis, Minnesota! UFC 87 will no doubt be one of the biggest events in the arena’s 18 year history,” stated Andy Warg, Director of Booking, Target Center.

Tickets for UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY will go on sale Sunday, May 25 at 12 Noon CT and will be priced at $600, $400, $250, $125, $75 and $50. Tickets for UFC 87 will be available at Target Center’s Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com or by calling 651.989.5151.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, May 22 at 10am CT via the website www.ufc.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Saturday, May 24 starting at 10am CT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through www.ufc.com.

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).

Fighting out of Minneapolis, Brock Lesnar, 6’3 ½”, 265 lbs., made his mixed martial arts debut in 2007 and annihilated Min Soo Kim in just 69 seconds. He made an impressive UFC debut earlier this year at UFC 81, just falling short of victory against former UFC champion Frank Mir. The NCAA wrestling champion and former professional wrestler now returns to the Octagon to take on one of the fight game’s true legends, Mark “The Hammer” Coleman, in an attempt to score his first win in the UFC.

“This fight can’t come soon enough; I’m ready to go and I’m excited! I’m still looking to make a name in the UFC and I get a chance to do that in my hometown, which is great for the fans,” said Lesnar. “It’s an honor to get a chance to fight Coleman, he’s a legend and he’s made history fighting all over the world. I know he is going to come into this fight in great condition, looking to re-establish himself as a top contender in the UFC. It’s going to be a challenge, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Columbus, Ohio’s Mark Coleman, 6’1″/255 lbs, is a former Olympic wrestler, NCAA wrestling champion and a pioneer in the sport of mixed martial arts. He won the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournaments and became the first-ever UFC heavyweight champion in 1997. In the PRIDE® organization, Coleman scored impressive wins over some of the biggest names in the sport, including Kazuyuki Fujita, Don Frye, Igor Vovchanchyn, and “Shogun” Rua. Inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in March of this year, Coleman now returns to the Octagon where he first made his name in MMA, and he plans on showing Brock Lesnar a few tricks while giving him a rude introduction to the ground and pound style he trademarked.

“My goal since I left the UFC was to eventually get back into the cage; I’m much more comfortable in the cage, and when I finally got the offer from Dana it didn’t take any time to give him my answer – especially when he told me who my opponent would be,” said Coleman. “A lot of people are interested in this matchup, I’ll be up against a bigger, stronger wrestler for the first time, and they know this fight will be extremely intense from the start. But I didn’t take this fight to lose, I expect to win and win by knockout.”

Also on UFC 87 main card is a lightweight showdown between Boston’s Kenny Florian and Minneapolis’ Roger “El Matador” Huerta.

Kenny Florian (10-3) made his UFC debut on Season 1 of The Ultimate Fighter®, advancing to the finals before losing to Diego Sanchez. Since then, Florian has dropped just one fight in the UFC, a classic five-round battle against Sean Sherk for the vacant UFC lightweight title in October 2006. Vying for a second title shot, Florian has proved himself worthy by racking up victories over the best fighters in the division, including Dokonjonosuke Mishima, Alvin Robinson, Din Thomas and most recently Joe Lauzon. Florian’s plan is to move Huerta out of his way at UFC 87 and put himself right in line for another shot at the crown.

“I’m really excited to be fighting Roger Huerta;
this is the fight I wanted because he’s the other big lightweight in the UFC, and he is definitely at the top of the division,” said Florian. “I’ve never fought a guy in his hometown, so this is going to be different for me, but no matter where we fight it’s going to be a back and forth non-stop war. We are both aggressive and Huerta is always in great shape; he’s one of those guys who just hangs in there, so when you have the chance, you have to finish him, and that’s what I’m gonna do.”

Hailing from Minneapolis, MN, Huerta (21-1-1) made his UFC debut in September 2006 at UFC 63, where he scored a unanimous decision victory against Jason Dent. The 25 year-old has since tallied five straight wins in the Octagonâ„¢ against lightweight contenders John Halverson, Leonard Garcia, Doug Evans, Alberto Crane and Clay Guida, running his perfect record in the UFC to 6-0. The first fighter ever to fight five times in one year, Huerta is on a vision quest to become the UFC lightweight champion, and he will let no one, including Florian, stand in his way.

“This is going to be a really great fight, it will distinguish who will be the number one contender,” said Huerta. “I’m looking forward to fighting Florian, he is a technical fighter and comes in with a great game plan, but I have a game plan too, so I think this is going to be a chess match, one where we both use all our MMA skills to stay in there. I’m really excited to fight in Minneapolis, the support I get here is amazing, this city has adopted me, this is where I train for all of my fights, and I can’t wait to bring it a win in August.”

The remaining bouts for UFC 87 will be announced in the near future. All bouts are live and subject to change. For further information on the UFC visit ufc.com or uk.ufc.com or ufcespanol.com.

5/16/2008

Nelson, Schultz Defend, Miller Submits McGivern For First Belt

NEW YORK, May 16, 2008 – Heavyweight Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) and lightweight Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) defended their respective International Fight League titles while Dan Miller (Sparta, N.J.) scored a victory over defending middleweight champion Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) before 4,530 tonight at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Nelson capped the evening with a victory over Brad Imes (Kansas City, Mo.), after Schultz defeated fellow lightweight Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) to retain his belt.

Nelson started with a blitz of punches right at the start of the first round which Imes was able to recover briefly. Nelson finished the bout with a crunching series of blows for the quick KO.

Schultz and Taurosevicius battled hard, with both surviving near-submissions and solid strikes. Ultimately, Schultz claimed the unanimous decision.

Miller’s was a quick finish, after an exciting first three minutes of the first round in which both competitors maintained a high-energy pace. Miller caught McGivern in a kneebar to win his first title.

The preliminary bouts featured athletes from four MMA camps, including Team Quest, Team Bombsquad, World Class Fight Center and Team Prodigy. Lightweight John Franchi (Cortland, N.Y.) of Bombsquad got the night off to an exciting start with a first-round submission victory over Frank Latina (Middletown, Conn.). Team Quest’s Aaron Stark (Portland, Ore.) then scored a unanimous decision over Bombsquad’s Lamont Lister (Philadelphia) in a light heavyweight bout. John Howard (Boston) then knocked out Nick Calandrino (Emerson, N.J.) of Bombsquad with a third-round flurry of strikes in an entertaining matchup of welterweights.

The second set of preliminary bouts began with Matt Horwich (Portland, Ore.) of Team Quest recording a unanimous decision over Joey Guel (Oregon) in a middleweight matchup. Josh Souder (Mason, Ohio) of Team Prodigy then wrapped up a quick TKO over Team Quest’s Zac George (Norman, Okla.), before World Class Fight Center’s Danillo Villefort (Pompano Beach, Fla.) scored a first-round submission victory via kneebar over Mike Massenzio (Paterson, N.J.) of Bombsquad.

The IFL’s next scheduled event is set for August 15 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., when it will unveil its new six-sided ring surface, dubbed “The Hex.”

IFL Mohegan Sun
Friday, May 16, 2008

Preliminary Bouts
155 lbs.: John Franchi (Cortland, N.Y.) def. Frank Latina (Middletown, Conn.) via submission (rear naked choke), 2:19, 1st
205 lbs.: Aaron Stark (Portland, Ore.) def. Lamont Lister (Philadelphia) via decision (unanimous) after three rounds
170 lbs.: John Howard (Boston) def. Nick Calandrino (Emerson, N.J.) via TKO (strikes), 2:24, 3rd
185 lbs.: Matt Horwich (Portland, Ore.) def. Joey Guel (Oregon) via decision (unanimous) after three rounds
155 lbs.: Josh Souder (Mason, Ohio) def. Zac George (Norman, Okla.) via TKO (strikes), 0:47, 1st
185 lbs.: Danillo Villefort (Pompano Beach, Fla.) def. Mike Massenzio (Paterson, N.J.) via submission (kneebar) 3:44, 1st

Championship Bouts
185 lbs.: Dan Miller (Sparta, N.J.) def. *Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) via submission (kneebar), 3:36, 1st
155 lbs.: *Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) def. Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) via decision (unanimous) after five rounds
265 lbs.: *Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) def. Brad Imes (Sacramento, Calif.), via TKO (strikes), 2:55, 1st
*Defending Titleholder