For all you long time MMA Fans out there, Step In is designing a LEGEND fight shirt and I mean Legend. Unfortunately, we can’t disclose who this MMA Legend is yet… … … ..., but he’s someone the MMA Industry knows, respects and appreciates.
I’m very excited to see the final concept come to life under our new Legend Series shirts. The legend Series will be a Step In exclusive solely dedicated to this fighter. Additionally look for our new Epic Fighter Series line-up which we’ll be launch later this year said Tom Watson, Vice President, Sales and Marketing.
Keep checking back at StepInGear.com for the release!
and remember… … .. You Can’t win, Until You Step In.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
UFC 116 gets a downgrade without Wanderlei Silva
The highly anticipated between fight between light heavyweight veterans Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1, 1NC) and Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1, 2NC) will have to wait. According to MMAFighting.com Silva has been forced to withdraw due to injury and MMAWeekly.com is reporting that Chris Leben (20-6) will step in to fight against Akiyama.
The Wanderlei Silva versus Yoshihiro Akiyama fight was originally going to happen in February at UFC 110 but when it didn’t materialize Silva was signed to face ultimate fighter season three winner Michael Bisping. Silva emerged victorious over Bisping by unanimous decision finally setting up the matchup with Akiyama at UFC 116.
Their fight was to be the night’s co-main event behind the mega heavyweight title unification bout between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. Unfortunately Silva hurt his ribs during training and fans will again be forced to wait to see The Axe Murderer versus Sexyama.
Stepping in is Chris Leben only 11 days before the fight and amazingly just 3 days removed from fighting. Leben just fought Aaron Simpson as part of the TUF 11 season final main card, winning by 2nd round TKO. The MMA community knew Leben loved to fight but two top level fights in 14 days is very rare and well pretty darn crazy, you are the man Chris Leben!
Akiyama is a decorated judoka and former K-1 HERO’S Light Heavyweight Grand Prix Winner. He made his UFC debut at UFC 100 against Alan Belcher, winning a very close split decisions that earned the both fight of the night honors. Akiyama has won 12 fights in a row and hasn’t lost in his last 14 fights dating back almost five years.
Losing Silva hurts the fight card that was anchored by the two main events end then though Leben is a fan favorite, there is a drop off. The fight will stay as the co-main event though and do not sleep on Leben, he will be a game opponent and is always dangerous. How his body will handle fighting again just two weeks removed will be a big key issue in the fight and something to watch.
Shout out to: MMA Valor
and remember... ...You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
The Wanderlei Silva versus Yoshihiro Akiyama fight was originally going to happen in February at UFC 110 but when it didn’t materialize Silva was signed to face ultimate fighter season three winner Michael Bisping. Silva emerged victorious over Bisping by unanimous decision finally setting up the matchup with Akiyama at UFC 116.
Their fight was to be the night’s co-main event behind the mega heavyweight title unification bout between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. Unfortunately Silva hurt his ribs during training and fans will again be forced to wait to see The Axe Murderer versus Sexyama.
Stepping in is Chris Leben only 11 days before the fight and amazingly just 3 days removed from fighting. Leben just fought Aaron Simpson as part of the TUF 11 season final main card, winning by 2nd round TKO. The MMA community knew Leben loved to fight but two top level fights in 14 days is very rare and well pretty darn crazy, you are the man Chris Leben!
Akiyama is a decorated judoka and former K-1 HERO’S Light Heavyweight Grand Prix Winner. He made his UFC debut at UFC 100 against Alan Belcher, winning a very close split decisions that earned the both fight of the night honors. Akiyama has won 12 fights in a row and hasn’t lost in his last 14 fights dating back almost five years.
Losing Silva hurts the fight card that was anchored by the two main events end then though Leben is a fan favorite, there is a drop off. The fight will stay as the co-main event though and do not sleep on Leben, he will be a game opponent and is always dangerous. How his body will handle fighting again just two weeks removed will be a big key issue in the fight and something to watch.
Shout out to: MMA Valor
and remember... ...You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Injured Wanderlei Silva out of UFC 116, Co-Headliner Replacement Search Underway
Cracked ribs have forced Wanderlei Silva out of next weekend's UFC 116 co-headliner with Yoshihiro Akiyama.
That's the word from UFC president Dana White, who today confirmed the injury with MMAFighting.com.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) could not immediately reach Silva or his representatives for details, but a search is underway for a replacement.
UFC 116 takes place July 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Silva vs. Akiyama had been given second billing on the night's pay-per-view broadcast behind a heavyweight title-unification bout between champ Brock Lesnar and interim title-holder Shane Carwin.
The bout between Akiyama (13-1-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Silva (33-10-1 MMA, 3-5 UFC) had been rumored for a half year before UFC officials finally put it together.
Silva was coming off a triumphant return to the win, which came via a unanimous-decision victory over Michael Bisping at UFC 110. The victory followed back-to-back losses to Quinton Jackson and Rich Franklin.
Akiyama, meanwhile, has been inactive since his UFC debut this past July at UFC 100, where he defeated Alan Belcher via close split decision for his 11th straight victory.
Shout out to MMAJunkie.com
and remember.. ... You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
That's the word from UFC president Dana White, who today confirmed the injury with MMAFighting.com.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) could not immediately reach Silva or his representatives for details, but a search is underway for a replacement.
UFC 116 takes place July 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Silva vs. Akiyama had been given second billing on the night's pay-per-view broadcast behind a heavyweight title-unification bout between champ Brock Lesnar and interim title-holder Shane Carwin.
The bout between Akiyama (13-1-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Silva (33-10-1 MMA, 3-5 UFC) had been rumored for a half year before UFC officials finally put it together.
Silva was coming off a triumphant return to the win, which came via a unanimous-decision victory over Michael Bisping at UFC 110. The victory followed back-to-back losses to Quinton Jackson and Rich Franklin.
Akiyama, meanwhile, has been inactive since his UFC debut this past July at UFC 100, where he defeated Alan Belcher via close split decision for his 11th straight victory.
Shout out to MMAJunkie.com
and remember.. ... You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
Court McGee, TUF 11 Alums Survive
Few fighters in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship know what it’s like to scrape themselves off the deck and win an important bout as much as Chris Leben.
And Leben, who stopped Aaron Simpson in the second round of his fight Saturday on “The Ultimate Fighter Finale” at the Palms Casino, knew the men sitting on each side of him had done just as much.
To Leben’s right was light heavyweight Matt Hamill, who made it to the UFC despite being deaf. Hamill, who won a majority decision over Keith Jardine in the co-main event that earned each man a $25,000 bonus for Fight of the Night, had a series of maladies bothering him on Saturday.
He had a sore on his back that he said is a Staph infection. He broke his left hand early in the first round. He was poked in the eye. And he said he had a series of other injuries. “What wasn’t hurt?” Hamill said, joking, after arguably the most significant win of his career.
To Leben’s left was Court McGee, who won the TUF 11 title by tapping out Kris McCray with a rear naked choke in the second round. McGee is a former heroin addict who was once declared clinically dead.
McGee broke up Saturday as he accepted “The Ultimate Fighter” plaque from UFC president Dana White in the cage. Asked later about his emotions, McGee said it was because of the struggle he had to get to the top.
“That was seven years all in one minute right there,” McGee said of the moment when he broke down and cried. “I dedicate that fight to anyone who’s struggling. If you came from where I came from to get to where I’m at today, you’d have done the same thing.”
Leben shook his head knowingly as McGee spoke. Leben’s got enough personal demons to fill a set of encyclopedias.
He said all fighters are wired differently than the average person and said that’s what makes them good at what they do.
“Fighters are like strippers: They ain’t paying their way through college,” Leben said. “If you don’t understand what that means, you have to realize that there is always something underlying with all of us. Nobody in their right mind, no normal, sane person, goes ‘[expletive] college, screw my guidance counselor. I’m going to put all my chips in one basket to become a cage fighter so I can get the crap kicked out of me in front of other people.’ Obviously, there is something wrong going on there.
“This guy (McGee) right here is the perfect example. It’s that obsessive energy that we have that makes us different. It’s that obsessive energy that, yeah, makes me cause a lot of problems for myself in my life. But look, look at where he’s at now, willing to do whatever it is. Most fighters I know do whatever they do 110 percent.
For me, it’s all or nothing,” he said. “It’s either full throttle or nothing. Either I’m eating ice cream and candy or I’m dieting 100 percent. I’m yin and yang. If I go out and have a drink, I’m going to go out and get [expletive] trashed. I know that. That’s why I’m not going to do that tonight. It’s the same thing in the ring and it’s that type of personality that makes all of us up here in front of you, it’s what got us here. We all have something like that in us.”
The win for Hamill was probably the biggest of his career. He’s coming off a victory over the highly regarded Jon Jones, but that came by disqualification in a fight in which he was being handled fairly easily.
On Saturday, Hamill pushed the pace and outslugged Jardine in a back-and-forth bloody fight in which guts and desire played as big of a role as talent. Hamill got inadvertently poked in the eye in the second round by Jardine and went to the mat in pain.
But he wasn’t about to give in.
“I fought my heart out,” Hamill said. “He poked me in the eye and I thought I was going to be blind as well as deaf. That’s two major handicaps. Bottom line is, I wasn’t giving up. I was going to go all out.”
Jardine went all out in an attempt to break a three-fight losing skein. He came at Hamill hard, but never landed the huge fight-changing punch he needed.
The loss was his fourth in a row and the fifth in his last six fights. White and UFC matchmaker Joe Silva are going to have a very difficult discussion in the next several days about Jardine’s future with the promotion.
He laid it all on the line on Saturday, but he came up short again.
But the theme of the night was overcoming odds. Leben did it, overcoming a broken home, a drinking problem and an arm’s length of other woes. Hamill did it, getting past deafness to become one of the top mixed martial arts fighters in the world.
And McGee, who was declared clinically dead, rallied from his addiction to black tar heroin, among other things, to make something of himself as a fighter. Even once he qualified for the show, he did so with next-to-no money in his pocket.
“I was only making about $100 more a month than I had to spend in bills,” he said.
McGee lost a controversial first-round fight to Nick Ring, but got back into the competition when Rich Attonito broke his hand and had to withdraw. He progressively got better each time out.
Like Hamill, he’s going to become an inspirational figure for those who are down and seemingly out.
“There’s nothing too much to overcome if you really want it enough and care enough,” McGee said. “I’m the perfect example of that. I was as low as a human being could get, not that low ago, and look where I am right now. Incredible.”
and remember... ...You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
And Leben, who stopped Aaron Simpson in the second round of his fight Saturday on “The Ultimate Fighter Finale” at the Palms Casino, knew the men sitting on each side of him had done just as much.
To Leben’s right was light heavyweight Matt Hamill, who made it to the UFC despite being deaf. Hamill, who won a majority decision over Keith Jardine in the co-main event that earned each man a $25,000 bonus for Fight of the Night, had a series of maladies bothering him on Saturday.
He had a sore on his back that he said is a Staph infection. He broke his left hand early in the first round. He was poked in the eye. And he said he had a series of other injuries. “What wasn’t hurt?” Hamill said, joking, after arguably the most significant win of his career.
To Leben’s left was Court McGee, who won the TUF 11 title by tapping out Kris McCray with a rear naked choke in the second round. McGee is a former heroin addict who was once declared clinically dead.
McGee broke up Saturday as he accepted “The Ultimate Fighter” plaque from UFC president Dana White in the cage. Asked later about his emotions, McGee said it was because of the struggle he had to get to the top.
“That was seven years all in one minute right there,” McGee said of the moment when he broke down and cried. “I dedicate that fight to anyone who’s struggling. If you came from where I came from to get to where I’m at today, you’d have done the same thing.”
Leben shook his head knowingly as McGee spoke. Leben’s got enough personal demons to fill a set of encyclopedias.
He said all fighters are wired differently than the average person and said that’s what makes them good at what they do.
“Fighters are like strippers: They ain’t paying their way through college,” Leben said. “If you don’t understand what that means, you have to realize that there is always something underlying with all of us. Nobody in their right mind, no normal, sane person, goes ‘[expletive] college, screw my guidance counselor. I’m going to put all my chips in one basket to become a cage fighter so I can get the crap kicked out of me in front of other people.’ Obviously, there is something wrong going on there.
“This guy (McGee) right here is the perfect example. It’s that obsessive energy that we have that makes us different. It’s that obsessive energy that, yeah, makes me cause a lot of problems for myself in my life. But look, look at where he’s at now, willing to do whatever it is. Most fighters I know do whatever they do 110 percent.
For me, it’s all or nothing,” he said. “It’s either full throttle or nothing. Either I’m eating ice cream and candy or I’m dieting 100 percent. I’m yin and yang. If I go out and have a drink, I’m going to go out and get [expletive] trashed. I know that. That’s why I’m not going to do that tonight. It’s the same thing in the ring and it’s that type of personality that makes all of us up here in front of you, it’s what got us here. We all have something like that in us.”
The win for Hamill was probably the biggest of his career. He’s coming off a victory over the highly regarded Jon Jones, but that came by disqualification in a fight in which he was being handled fairly easily.
On Saturday, Hamill pushed the pace and outslugged Jardine in a back-and-forth bloody fight in which guts and desire played as big of a role as talent. Hamill got inadvertently poked in the eye in the second round by Jardine and went to the mat in pain.
But he wasn’t about to give in.
“I fought my heart out,” Hamill said. “He poked me in the eye and I thought I was going to be blind as well as deaf. That’s two major handicaps. Bottom line is, I wasn’t giving up. I was going to go all out.”
Jardine went all out in an attempt to break a three-fight losing skein. He came at Hamill hard, but never landed the huge fight-changing punch he needed.
The loss was his fourth in a row and the fifth in his last six fights. White and UFC matchmaker Joe Silva are going to have a very difficult discussion in the next several days about Jardine’s future with the promotion.
He laid it all on the line on Saturday, but he came up short again.
But the theme of the night was overcoming odds. Leben did it, overcoming a broken home, a drinking problem and an arm’s length of other woes. Hamill did it, getting past deafness to become one of the top mixed martial arts fighters in the world.
And McGee, who was declared clinically dead, rallied from his addiction to black tar heroin, among other things, to make something of himself as a fighter. Even once he qualified for the show, he did so with next-to-no money in his pocket.
“I was only making about $100 more a month than I had to spend in bills,” he said.
McGee lost a controversial first-round fight to Nick Ring, but got back into the competition when Rich Attonito broke his hand and had to withdraw. He progressively got better each time out.
Like Hamill, he’s going to become an inspirational figure for those who are down and seemingly out.
“There’s nothing too much to overcome if you really want it enough and care enough,” McGee said. “I’m the perfect example of that. I was as low as a human being could get, not that low ago, and look where I am right now. Incredible.”
and remember... ...You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Patrick "Slam Artist" Kassing STEPs IN against “Sharbait" Guitierrez in Quincy, IL June 19, 2010
Patrick Kassing, the #3 ranked fighter in his weight division on Midwest Fighters Focus and current Extreme Challenge Champion, takes on #1 ranked Anthony "Sharbait" Guitierrez in Quincy, Illinois. Here are some of Patrick's thoughts on the fight...
With a 9-1 record and not having lost a fight in over a year, Patrick Kassing, out of Sterling, Illinois and fighting out of the Central Illinois Combat Club, says he got his start in fighting back in High School, wrestling throughout, and having his first fight in the cage his junior year of High School.
"I like to say I'm a freestyle fighter, but Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Boxing are my top favorites. My Coaches and team members help me out so much in both areas, along with everything else, and their assistance and motivation is unwavering. I do alot of work with Bob Long. He is a great coach and break things down and makes it easier to understand how to execute on what he is teaching. A couple of my buddies, Nolan Koch and Lance Grady have also been there a lot for me, especially for this fight. They have all been there for me to help keep me focused and motivated when I start to struggle, and their help has been invaluable."
Asked about fighting in particular, and Kassing states "I love the adrenaline rush. I'm very competitive and have been since I was little.
I have that never quit attitude and a lot of heart which drives me to want to be successful."
Moving toward his pending matchup against Guitierrez, Kassing told me "I need to successfully defend my belt and be the #1 ranked fighter in the Midwest. First things first. Later and in the future, I will be looking to sign a pro contract hopefully in the WEC."
"And you know, there's a lot of hype about this fight. Personally, I think it is going to be one of Extreme Challenge's biggest Main Events just due to the fact that so much is at stake with the #1 ranking and the belt on the line. Hats off to them for pulling off this matchup because as fighters, we all want to have things to reach for. And, retaining a championship belt and getting the #1 ranking on Midwest Fighters Focus is a lot to reach for." Kassing went on to say "From the sounds of it, people are really underestimating me against Sharkbait in this fight. It has been over a year since I lost in a cage. I am a completely different fighter than I was at the time of that loss. I mean, I can't go in and say I'm going to win like this or win like that, but I feel it will be a hard fought 3 round fight. I certainly wouldn't be surprised if the fight is shorter than that though".
Kassing says "I don't know the guy personally, but Midwest Fighters Focus has him as an unbeatable fighter or something, and he's not an unbeatable fighter. I will give the guy props because he is good there's no doubt about that. He has a great ground game and looks to be a smart fighter. Judging by some of the fights I've watched though, I don't think his calibre has been tested".
"I see he's fought a few guys on the MFF Rankings, but so have I. I've beaten both Frankie Osborne and Josh Smith who are currently ranked, so I really hope Sharkbait doesn't plan on walking in and having an easy fight because that is NOT going to happen".
"I look forward to this. What a great test for us both, and it should settle who is number one pretty easily in my book. I hope Extreme Challenge keeps up with pitting the top ranked Midwest Fighters against each other because this is HUGE for us as fighters. And, with the support I'm sure we will both have from our family and friends, it will be an overall great feeling. Their support helps me keep a positive outlook on fighting. I'm ready to go".
See Patrick compete with Anthony "Sharkbait" Guitierrez at Extreme Challenge, June 19th, Quincy, Illinois with the #1 ranking and Championship belt on the line!
and remember... ... You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN. ~ TRAIN ~ FIGHT ~ OWN ~
Thursday, June 17, 2010
UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin Heavyweight clash
After a year long lay-off from mixed martial arts (MMA), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar will face a tough challenge when he clashes with undefeated fighter Shane Carwin on July 3.
The 6-foot-3 former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star has successfully recuperated from diverticulitis – a condition that left a hole in his intestine – and is already raring to go back to Octagon action.
However, it surely won’t be easy for Lesnar as he will have to deal with the heavy-hitting Carwin, who remains undefeated in 12 fights with no one escaping the first round.
Lesnar, who has an MMA record of 4-1, last fought in July 2009 in UFC 100, where he battered a hapless Frank Mir in 2 rounds.
He was then lined up to face Carwin in UFC 106 but was forced to drop out from the scheduled fight because of his illness.
Carwin, meanwhile, defeated Mir in UFC 111 to win the interim heavyweight title.
The Lesnar-Carwin face-off will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Main Event: UFC Heavyweight Champ Brock Lesnar Vs. UFC Interim Heavyweight Champ Shane Carwin
Co-Main Event: “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva Vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
What’s interesting about this card?
The better question is, what’s boring about this card?
This card is Lesnar’s return to the Octagon after battling diverticulitis, and he’s facing the man who many thought was getting a title shot too soon when the original title fight for UFC 106 was made.
It also marks the return of Yoshihiro Akiyama to the Octagon as the 3rd dan black belt in Judo faces off in a middleweight war with one of the three most deadly Muay Thai strikers in the sport, Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva.
Below the two main-event fights are a welterweight fight with Matt “The Immortal” Brown and perennial Fight of the Night contender Chris “Lights Out” Lytle, the highly anticipated UFC 110 rematch between Krzysztof Soszynski and Stephan Bonnar, and a submission clinic between “The Wizard of Oz” George Sotiropoulos and Kurt “Batman” Pellegrino.
The televised prelims have Kendall Grove facing Goran Reljic and Ultimate Fighter 10 runner-up Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub facing Rugby, North Dakota’s own Chris Tuchscherer, while the prelims that may air on the PPV broadcast if time permits involve Gerald Harris, Daniel “Ninja” Roberts, and Ultimate fight 10 contestant Jon Madsen.
On paper, the only thing that serves as a monkey wrench in the “stack” is the three non-televised fights, but that’s only the case because one of those three fighters is fairly inexperienced.
Not as much as Matt Mitrione, but still a bit inexperienced is Jon Madsen.
If a stacked card is a card with recognizable faces, then this would be the most stacked card from its tip to its toes because there’s at least one fighter in each fight that every fight fan recognizes.
By stacked, though, the meaning is actually in terms of exciting fights. Depending on where you’re spectating, that may or may not be UFC 116
Still, if you look at this card and say that none of these fights are going to be exciting, then something’s wrong with you.
and remember.....You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN. ~ TRAIN ~ FIGHT ~ OWN ~
The 6-foot-3 former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star has successfully recuperated from diverticulitis – a condition that left a hole in his intestine – and is already raring to go back to Octagon action.
However, it surely won’t be easy for Lesnar as he will have to deal with the heavy-hitting Carwin, who remains undefeated in 12 fights with no one escaping the first round.
Lesnar, who has an MMA record of 4-1, last fought in July 2009 in UFC 100, where he battered a hapless Frank Mir in 2 rounds.
He was then lined up to face Carwin in UFC 106 but was forced to drop out from the scheduled fight because of his illness.
Carwin, meanwhile, defeated Mir in UFC 111 to win the interim heavyweight title.
The Lesnar-Carwin face-off will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Main Event: UFC Heavyweight Champ Brock Lesnar Vs. UFC Interim Heavyweight Champ Shane Carwin
Co-Main Event: “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva Vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
What’s interesting about this card?
The better question is, what’s boring about this card?
This card is Lesnar’s return to the Octagon after battling diverticulitis, and he’s facing the man who many thought was getting a title shot too soon when the original title fight for UFC 106 was made.
It also marks the return of Yoshihiro Akiyama to the Octagon as the 3rd dan black belt in Judo faces off in a middleweight war with one of the three most deadly Muay Thai strikers in the sport, Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva.
Below the two main-event fights are a welterweight fight with Matt “The Immortal” Brown and perennial Fight of the Night contender Chris “Lights Out” Lytle, the highly anticipated UFC 110 rematch between Krzysztof Soszynski and Stephan Bonnar, and a submission clinic between “The Wizard of Oz” George Sotiropoulos and Kurt “Batman” Pellegrino.
The televised prelims have Kendall Grove facing Goran Reljic and Ultimate Fighter 10 runner-up Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub facing Rugby, North Dakota’s own Chris Tuchscherer, while the prelims that may air on the PPV broadcast if time permits involve Gerald Harris, Daniel “Ninja” Roberts, and Ultimate fight 10 contestant Jon Madsen.
On paper, the only thing that serves as a monkey wrench in the “stack” is the three non-televised fights, but that’s only the case because one of those three fighters is fairly inexperienced.
Not as much as Matt Mitrione, but still a bit inexperienced is Jon Madsen.
If a stacked card is a card with recognizable faces, then this would be the most stacked card from its tip to its toes because there’s at least one fighter in each fight that every fight fan recognizes.
By stacked, though, the meaning is actually in terms of exciting fights. Depending on where you’re spectating, that may or may not be UFC 116
Still, if you look at this card and say that none of these fights are going to be exciting, then something’s wrong with you.
and remember.....You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN. ~ TRAIN ~ FIGHT ~ OWN ~
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Impact FC To Air Live On PPV In The USA And Canada
SYDNEY, Australia (June 16, 2010) – The cage will be ablaze with non-stop MMA action for the “The Uprising” as former UFC Champion and Hall of Fame Member, Ken Shamrock returns to the ring to take on former UFC Champion, Hall of fame member and PRIDE Veteran, Pedro ”The Rock” Rizzo in an exciting PPV event on July 17. In the Co-feature, English MMA fighter, Paul Daley who is ranked as the #8 welterweight in the world by Sherdog.com and ranked #5 by MMA Weekly will do battle with Brazilian MMA fighter, Daniel Acacio who is most notable for his fights in PRIDE Fighting Championships and his aggressive fighting style.
Presented by Impact Fighting Championship (FC), bouts from two incredible fight cards from Australia will be included in the PPV event. The Uprising from Sydney, Australia will go live in the USA at 10:00pm on the East Coast (ET) and 7:00pm on the West Coast (PST) and Canada on July 17th with a card stacked full of action-packed bouts. In addition, the exciting main event from “The Uprising” series from the Brisbane Entertainment Center, Brisbane, Australia, July 10, featuring former UFC heavyweight champion, Josh “The Babyfaced Assassin” Barnett (25-5-0) and Jungle Fight veteran, Geronimo “Mondragon” Dos Santos (18-9-0) will also be included in the Pay-Per-View.
Impact FC has secured some of the world's best fighters for these upcoming tournaments and will feature some huge names including Pride and UFC veterans. Fans will be thrilled to know that ‘Big John’ McCarthy, former head referee for the Ultimate Fighting Championship will be the referee for The Uprising series.
With a full card that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats, the slate of Uprising match-ups include, Pride K-1 and MMA legend Bob Sapp in a fight for dominance over Australian star and UFC veteran Soa “The Hulk” Palelei, DREAM Middleweight Champion, Paulo Filho will face dangerous striker, Denis Kang, Elite XC Champion and Pride veteran Murilo Ninja Rua with square off against former Ultimate Fighter Jeremy May, former UFC Champion and Pride veteran Murilo Bustamante will battle Jesse Taylor from the Ultimate Fighter, Australian kickboxing legend Peter Graham will fight the #1 ranked Heavyweight MMA fighter in Australia, Jim Yorke, popular MMA star Glover Teixeira is pitted against Croatian fighter from Perth Marco Peselj, Australian surfer and MMA star Richie “Vas” Vaculik is matched with local Australian fighter Luke Hume, and Australia’s rising MMA star Shane Nix will face Sydney’s own Manuel Rodriguez.
Headliner Kenneth (The World’s Most Dangerous Man) Shamrock, (27-13-2) is a UFC Hall of Famer as well as a professional wrestler. One of the biggest stars in MMA, he has headlined over 15 main events and co-main events in the Ultimate Fighting Championships and Pride Fighting Championships and has broken numerous pay-per-view records with his strong fan appeal.
The first UFC Superfight Champion, Shamrock also holds the title of the first MMA Heavyweight Champion in Japan, winning the title of King of Pancrase. During his reign as the UFC Superfight Champion, he was widely considered the #1 MMA fighter in the world.
Brazilian Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo (18-9-0) recognized as one of the best strikers in the business was born to fight. Having returned to the basics, Pedro is training at Claudio Coelho’s gym, has simplified his regimen and is back in top shape, with renewed energy and excitement heading into this fight. The former professional kick boxer was a four-time Brazilian Muay Thai champion. Rizzo won his MMA pro debut via a first-round knockout of Eric Labaille on October 26, 1996. He extended his win streak to nine, including notable triumphs against David “Tank” Abbott (KO1) in UFC: Ultimate Brazil and Mark Coleman (DEC1), before dropping a 5-round decision to Kevin Randleman in their 2000 UFC heavyweight championship fight. “The Rock” responded with back-to-back wins versus Dan Severn (SUB1) and Josh Barnett (KO2), setting up a UFC heavyweight title fight against legendary Randy Couture, who won a decision and six months later, Couture stopped Rizzo on strikes in the third-round of their rematch for the title.
In 2002, Rizzo put Andrei Arlovski to sleep on punches in the third round, but Pedro dropped consecutive fights to Gan McGee (TKO1), and Vladimir Matyushenko (DEC3) to start 2003. A key victory came against MMA veteran Ricco Rodriguez (DEC3).
In a fight against Jeff Monson on September 1, 2007, Rizzo registered a third-round win, in the first pay-per-view event promoted by Art of War. On July 19, 2008, Rizzo fought Josh “The Babyface” Barnett in Affliction Entertainment’s Day of Reckoning and lost, 2nd round 1:44 KO (Punch) .
The main event for the “Uprising” series in Brisbane is a much anticipated event. Josh Barnett is a highly tactical, sound fighter whose world-class submission wrestling skills are notorious. Animated by his trademark humor and bravado, he is one of the top ten ranked heavyweights in MMA and a celebrated wrestling star in Japan. Although his grappling base comes from catch-wrestling, he has an evolved fighting style that combines a well-rounded standup and ground game. Barnett also has size, strength, and conditioning on his side. Barnett has fought in every major fight organization in the world and was scheduled to fight against Fedor for Affliction Entertainment’s Trilogy prior to being disqualified for failing his medical tests. This will be Barnett’s first fight since his disqualification in the U.S., while “Mondragon” has been training all of his life for this moment to take on “The Babyfaced Assassin.”
The 29-year-old “Mondragon” has an impressive record having taken down opponents in 23 professional fights. Prior to losing to Edson Conterraneo at Jungle Fight 17, Dos Santos finished off each of his previous seven opponents, the past three inside the first round. Dos Santos amazed the Brazilian mixed martial arts community when he stopped Assuerio Silva on strikes in just 61 seconds at Jungle Fight 15. He followed the performance with back-to-back first-round submissions against Douglas Humberto and Fabio Monstro.
“The Uprising,” is presented by Impact FC, Saturday, July 17th, 2010 at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT in the United States from local pay-per-view providers for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.
and remember...You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
Dana White Stunned He Can't Sign Fedor Emelianenko
UFC President Dana White has tried for a long time to sign Fedor Emelianenko to compete in the UFC but to no avail. White recently spoke of the inability to sign the top heavyweight and what he blames the situation on:
"[Strikeforce has] sold 4,000 tickets to the (June 26) Fedor fight," White said. "That fight is in a couple of weeks. Nobody gives a [expletive], and nobody is going to give a [expletive] about Fedor until he gets in here and fights the best fighters in the world. And believe me when I tell you I tried to make it happen. You don't even know the crazy [expletive] places that I've flown and the [expletive] that I've done to try and get this fight done. It got to the point where it became an obsession. I wasn't sleeping.
"I've signed Brock Lesnar, who came from the WWE, James Toney from boxing - he's a nut chasing me all over the place - Tito Ortiz, whom I hated, and he hated me. I signed him twice when we hated each other. I've kept Chuck Liddell, kept Matt Hughes, kept Rich Franklin, when they were all champions. Anderson Silva, I've dealt with all the crazy [expletive] with him.
"But I can't sign Fedor? How is this possible that I can't sign this guy? It's not possible. These guys don't want to fight the best in the world."
Props: MMAJunkie.com
and remember...You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
"[Strikeforce has] sold 4,000 tickets to the (June 26) Fedor fight," White said. "That fight is in a couple of weeks. Nobody gives a [expletive], and nobody is going to give a [expletive] about Fedor until he gets in here and fights the best fighters in the world. And believe me when I tell you I tried to make it happen. You don't even know the crazy [expletive] places that I've flown and the [expletive] that I've done to try and get this fight done. It got to the point where it became an obsession. I wasn't sleeping.
"I've signed Brock Lesnar, who came from the WWE, James Toney from boxing - he's a nut chasing me all over the place - Tito Ortiz, whom I hated, and he hated me. I signed him twice when we hated each other. I've kept Chuck Liddell, kept Matt Hughes, kept Rich Franklin, when they were all champions. Anderson Silva, I've dealt with all the crazy [expletive] with him.
"But I can't sign Fedor? How is this possible that I can't sign this guy? It's not possible. These guys don't want to fight the best in the world."
Props: MMAJunkie.com
and remember...You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Unbelievable….Liddell KO’d by Franklin with a Broken Arm
Is this the end of Chuck Liddell's UFC career? Good Question!
"The Iceman" was knocked out by Rich Franklin with five seconds remaining in Round 1 of UFC 115's main event in Vancouver, despite Franklin suffering a broken arm earlier in the round.
First UFC 114 with Rampage Jackson losing to Rashad Evans and now UFC 115 disappoints again with Chuck “Iceman” Liddell losing by KO to Rich Franklin in the first round. Best way to summarize these two fights, killer instinct or kill or be killed mentality! Apparently Evans and Franklin had killer instincts before entering the octagon.
Both Rampage Jackson and Chuck Liddell entered their fights in excellent shape, some would argue Iceman was in the best shape if his life. Subsequently, being in shape and prepared are not enough in today’s UFC; the new UFC requires the fighters to be in shape, prepared and have the “killer instinct.” I argue that both Jackson and Liddell have under prepared and sabotaged their fight careers by allowing their killer instinct to be traded for the lavish lifestyle of celebritism.
Fighters who continue to keep their focus on the octagon remain on top of their game!!! You don’t see fighters like GSP, Clay Guida, Matt Hughes and many others giving up the killer instinct to STEP IN front of the camera or trade it for celebritism!
Below are the complete results of UFC 115.
Main Card
Rich Franklin def. Chuck Liddell via KO (punch) - Round 1, 4:55.
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic def. Patrick Barry via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 3, 4:30
Martin Kampmann def. Paulo Thiago via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Ben Rothwell def. Gilbert Yvel via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
Carlos Condit def. Rory MacDonald via TKO - Round 3, 4:53.
Preliminary Card
Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1, 1:45.
Evan Dunham def. Tyson Griffin via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28).
Mario Miranda def. David Loiseau via TKO (strikes) - Round 2, 4:07.
James Wilks def. Peter Sobotta via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-28, 30-27).
Claude Patrick def. Ricardo Funch via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 2, 1:48.
Mike Pyle def. Jesse Lennox via technical submission (triangle choke) - Round 3, 4:44
and remember....You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
"The Iceman" was knocked out by Rich Franklin with five seconds remaining in Round 1 of UFC 115's main event in Vancouver, despite Franklin suffering a broken arm earlier in the round.
First UFC 114 with Rampage Jackson losing to Rashad Evans and now UFC 115 disappoints again with Chuck “Iceman” Liddell losing by KO to Rich Franklin in the first round. Best way to summarize these two fights, killer instinct or kill or be killed mentality! Apparently Evans and Franklin had killer instincts before entering the octagon.
Both Rampage Jackson and Chuck Liddell entered their fights in excellent shape, some would argue Iceman was in the best shape if his life. Subsequently, being in shape and prepared are not enough in today’s UFC; the new UFC requires the fighters to be in shape, prepared and have the “killer instinct.” I argue that both Jackson and Liddell have under prepared and sabotaged their fight careers by allowing their killer instinct to be traded for the lavish lifestyle of celebritism.
Fighters who continue to keep their focus on the octagon remain on top of their game!!! You don’t see fighters like GSP, Clay Guida, Matt Hughes and many others giving up the killer instinct to STEP IN front of the camera or trade it for celebritism!
Below are the complete results of UFC 115.
Main Card
Rich Franklin def. Chuck Liddell via KO (punch) - Round 1, 4:55.
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic def. Patrick Barry via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 3, 4:30
Martin Kampmann def. Paulo Thiago via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Ben Rothwell def. Gilbert Yvel via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
Carlos Condit def. Rory MacDonald via TKO - Round 3, 4:53.
Preliminary Card
Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1, 1:45.
Evan Dunham def. Tyson Griffin via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28).
Mario Miranda def. David Loiseau via TKO (strikes) - Round 2, 4:07.
James Wilks def. Peter Sobotta via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-28, 30-27).
Claude Patrick def. Ricardo Funch via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 2, 1:48.
Mike Pyle def. Jesse Lennox via technical submission (triangle choke) - Round 3, 4:44
and remember....You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
TUF 12 begins Production in Las Vegas
Twenty-eight of the best up-and-coming lightweight (155 lbs)mixed martial artists from around the world have convened in Las Vegas in pursuit of one goal, to claim the title of the “ULTIMATE FIGHTER” and the guaranteed six-figure contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship that comes with it. Production on “The Ultimate Fighter” begins this week.
The 12th season of Spike TV’s popular original series, “The Ultimate Fighter” features two of the mixed martial arts’ biggest stars – UFC welterweight champion Georges “Rush” St-Pierre, and the number one contender to his belt, Josh Koscheck. The two will square off as coaches during the six week taping of the show, and will later meet inside the Octagon™ with the welterweight title on the line at a UFC pay-per-view event.
The new season premieres Wednesday, September 13, 2010 at 10:00 PM ET/PT featuring some of the world’s best unsigned fighters in the lightweight division. St-Pierre first appeared as a trainer on the show during its fourth season, “The Comeback,” while Koscheck was a member of the now historic first season, where he advanced to the semifinals. UFC President Dana White will once again serve as host.
During the 6-week Ultimate Fighter competition, the competitors will endure a grueling regimen of jujitsu, judo, muay thai, karate, boxing and wrestling. The intense competition between the fighters continues after they leave the gym – at The Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors are forced to live with each other, knowing that any day they could be selected to fight each other in the famed UFC Octagon.
In each episode, opponents from each team will be selected to square off in battle, officially weighed in and then, in front of their teammates, coaches, and the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the two combatants face off in two five-minute rounds. At the end of two rounds, if the fight is declared a draw, the two partake in a sudden victory third round.
and remember..... You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
The 12th season of Spike TV’s popular original series, “The Ultimate Fighter” features two of the mixed martial arts’ biggest stars – UFC welterweight champion Georges “Rush” St-Pierre, and the number one contender to his belt, Josh Koscheck. The two will square off as coaches during the six week taping of the show, and will later meet inside the Octagon™ with the welterweight title on the line at a UFC pay-per-view event.
The new season premieres Wednesday, September 13, 2010 at 10:00 PM ET/PT featuring some of the world’s best unsigned fighters in the lightweight division. St-Pierre first appeared as a trainer on the show during its fourth season, “The Comeback,” while Koscheck was a member of the now historic first season, where he advanced to the semifinals. UFC President Dana White will once again serve as host.
During the 6-week Ultimate Fighter competition, the competitors will endure a grueling regimen of jujitsu, judo, muay thai, karate, boxing and wrestling. The intense competition between the fighters continues after they leave the gym – at The Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors are forced to live with each other, knowing that any day they could be selected to fight each other in the famed UFC Octagon.
In each episode, opponents from each team will be selected to square off in battle, officially weighed in and then, in front of their teammates, coaches, and the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the two combatants face off in two five-minute rounds. At the end of two rounds, if the fight is declared a draw, the two partake in a sudden victory third round.
and remember..... You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Clay Guida vs. Rafael dos Anjos targeted for UFC 117 in August
A lightweight bout featuring the relentless Clay Guida (26-11 MMA, 6-5 UFC) and fast-rising jiu-jitsu ace Rafael dos Anjos (14-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) is expected to be part of August's UFC 117 event.
A source close to one of the competitors told MMAjunkie.com that the fight, which was first reported by MMARecap.com, has been agreed upon by at least one competitor.
The fight is expected to be part of the televised main card of UFC 117, which takes place Aug. 7 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.
The pay-per-view event features a headliner between middleweight champion Anderson Silva and top contender Chael Sonnen.
Guida, a crowd-pleasing lightweight who's been involved in some of the UFC's most legendary scraps, recently snapped a two-fight skid with a second-round submission victory over Shannon Gugerty. The 28-year-old posted a three-fight win streak (the second-longest of his career) with wins over Sam Schiavo, Mac Danzig and Nate Diaz before a very close split-decision defeat to Diego Sanchez and a submission defeat to Kenny Florian.
His opponent, 25-year-old dos Anjos, opened his UFC career with a knockout loss to Jeremy Stephens and a decision defeat to Tyson Griffin. Although the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt surprisingly got a third fight with the organization, he made the most of it and scored a unanimous-decision win over Rob Emerson. He then posted two more wins with a decision victory over Kyle Bradley and a second-round submission win over fellow contender Terry Etim at UFC 112 in April to extend his current win streak to three.
and remember....You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
A source close to one of the competitors told MMAjunkie.com that the fight, which was first reported by MMARecap.com, has been agreed upon by at least one competitor.
The fight is expected to be part of the televised main card of UFC 117, which takes place Aug. 7 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.
The pay-per-view event features a headliner between middleweight champion Anderson Silva and top contender Chael Sonnen.
Guida, a crowd-pleasing lightweight who's been involved in some of the UFC's most legendary scraps, recently snapped a two-fight skid with a second-round submission victory over Shannon Gugerty. The 28-year-old posted a three-fight win streak (the second-longest of his career) with wins over Sam Schiavo, Mac Danzig and Nate Diaz before a very close split-decision defeat to Diego Sanchez and a submission defeat to Kenny Florian.
His opponent, 25-year-old dos Anjos, opened his UFC career with a knockout loss to Jeremy Stephens and a decision defeat to Tyson Griffin. Although the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt surprisingly got a third fight with the organization, he made the most of it and scored a unanimous-decision win over Rob Emerson. He then posted two more wins with a decision victory over Kyle Bradley and a second-round submission win over fellow contender Terry Etim at UFC 112 in April to extend his current win streak to three.
and remember....You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
TUF 11, Episode 9: If only Tito could burn the tape!
Two quarterfinals and the explanation of what happened to Tito Ortiz to scrub his fight with fellow coach Chuck Liddell? Seems promising.
Must be busy, because we start with a weigh-in. Kyle Noke and Kris McCray are bummed because they’re buddies, and they have to fight. They’re also two of the best guys on the show, and one of them has to go out early.
Tito went to his neck doctor, and they want to do surgery. He says he has fought hurt for the last six years and doesn’t want to fight Chuck at less than 100 percent. Someone on the Web is surely cataloging all of Tito’s devastating setbacks and miraculous recoveries. I’ve written at least one of them.
Seems anticlimactic, doesn’t it?
On to the fight: Steve Mazzagatti is the ref, setting the stage for possible controversy.
But the only controversy is that McCray, an explosive fighter through his career so far, has reinvented himself as a lay-and-pray artist. It turns into a typical encounter of a strong wrestler against someone with just enough defense to keep the wrestler from submitting him or pounding him out.
Noke tries for a couple of submissions and takes McCray’s back for a while in the second round. That must account for the judges, who decide the fight should be prolonged to a third round. That surprises Dana White, who had already told Octagon girl Chandella she didn’t need to walk with the round card.
McCray holds Noke down through most of the third, occasionally landing an elbow and fending off one fleeting submission attempt. It’s an easy decision for McCray, who has come back from losing his first-round fight to advancing through the new wild-card bout to the quarters and on to the semis.
Fight 2: Tito says Seth Baczynski might be able to get the upset over Brad Tavares.
But first, Chuck visits the house, where he learns that Tito is talking about getting surgery. Chuck isn’t pleased. Says Tito better show up and fight him after all this. We don’t get Jamie “Crabman” Yager’s rebuttal for some reason.
After that brief aside, we’re back to the fighters. And again, they like each other. Tavares says he’s the youngest and least experienced guy in the house.
Herb Dean is our ref. Here we go.
Seth comes in and takes a couple of shots as he does. He clinches, tries to trip Tavares and then gets the takedown. Tavares has an active guard and goes for the armbar, but Seth stands and then lands on Tavares’ back. Seth works to lock his legs in a body triangle, then comes close to getting the rear naked choke.
Tavares finally reverses at the 1:40 mark, and he stands, throwing long punches toward Seth. Then we go back down to the mat, and Seth goes for a leg triangle. Tavares takes care of that by slamming him twice. Then he lands a lot of powerful shots in the last 15 seconds.
Right before the horn, we have a clumsy exchange. Seth kicks Tavares in the head while he has a knee or two on the mat. That’s illegal. Seth immediately yells out, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Tavares stands but then staggers back to his corner, asking, “What’d he hit me with?”
This must be that “controversial decision” they mentioned in the promos. Will Seth be DQ’d? Will they go to the scorecards after a round in which Seth won the first three minutes and Tavares won the last two convincingly.
We get back to see a doctor asking a few questions. Tavares answers with a lot of “huhs.” It’s a DQ.
Fairly obvious stuff, right? Herb Dean follows the rules as always. Tavares hangs his head, not happy to have won this way. What’s the controversy?
We hear that “the doctor” says the kick landed in the chest. Not sure which “doctor” they mean. The fight doctor who examined Tavares clearly knows otherwise. Maybe some other doctor? Dr. J? Dr. Spock? Tom Baker? Someone in a red Tito shirt picks up the argument. Tito foolishly believes him and starts throwing a fit. Team Liddell snaps back at Tito, and it’s not long before Chuck is being restrained.
Somewhere, Tito has just finished watching this episode, with the footage clearly showing a kick to the face, and is thinking to himself, “Why did I listen to that guy? Why didn’t I listen to — oh, I don’t know — my own fighter, who was yelling out an apology because he clearly knew he had kicked the guy in the head?!”
But first, Dana decides now would be a good time to tell Chuck that Tito has pulled out of the fight. Then he tells Chuck not to smash his phone. Chuck says he’s looking for Tito.
You have to pity the fighters in this one. Nothing went quite as planned — McCray did what he needed to win but surely would’ve preferred a livelier fight. All four fighters showed class in victory or defeat. But in the end, it’s Tito Ortiz setting fire to his own reputation. Good thing he has come back from that before.
The quarterfinal wrap:
* Court McGee (Liddell) def. James Hammortree (Ortiz), submission
* Kris McCray (Ortiz) def. Kyle Noke (Liddell), solid three-round decision
* Brad Tavares (Liddell) def. Seth Baczynski (Ortiz), DQ
* Josh Bryant (Liddell) vs. Jamie “Crabman” Yager (Ortiz)
and remember....You Can't Win, Until You STEP IN.
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