Jan 11 - UFC Fight Night 20

Ultimate Fighting Championship

January 11, 2010

Patriot Center,

Fairfax, Virginia, United States

FIGHT CARD

Gray Maynard (No. 6 LW) vs. Nate Diaz

Efrain Escudero vs. Evan Dunham

Aaron Simpson vs. Tom Lawlor

Amir Sadollah vs. Brad Blackburn

Chris Leben vs. Jay Silva

Gerald Harris vs. Mike Massenzio

Rick Story vs. Jesse Lennox

Thiago Tavares vs. Nik Lentz

Rory MacDonald vs. Michael Guymon

Kyle Bradley vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Nick Catone vs. Steve Steinbeiss

Mar 6 - WEC 47: Bowles vs. Cruz

World Extreme Cagefighting

March 6, 2010

Nationwide Arena - Columbus, Ohio

WEC 47 FIGHT CARD

WEC Bantamweight Championship

Brian Bowles (No. 1 BW, No. 9 PFP) vs. Dominick Cruz (No. 5 BW)

Jan 10 - WEC 46: Varner vs. Henderson

World Extreme Cagefighting

January 10, 2010

Arco Arena - Sacramento, Calif.

WEC 46 FIGHT CARD

WEC Lightweight Championship

Jamie Varner vs. Benson Henderson

Urijah Faber (No. 3 FW) vs. Raphael Assuncao (No. 5 FW)

Mike Thomas Brown (No. 2 FW, No. 8 PFP) vs. Anthony Morrison

Mackens Semerzier (No. 8 FW) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius

Dave Jansen vs. Kamal Shalorus

Akitoshi Tamura (No. 7 BW) vs. Charlie Valencia

Wagnney Fabiano (No. 9 FW) vs. Frank Gomez

Mark Hominick vs. Bryan Caraway

Eddie Wineland (No. 10 BW) vs. George Roop

Will Campuzano vs. Coty Wheeler

Jan 30 - Strikforce Miami

at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, FL

MAIN CARD

NICK DIAZ (20-7) VS MARIUS ZAROMSKIS (12-3)

CRISTIANE CYBORG SANTOS (9-1) VS MARLOES COENEN (17-3)

HERSCHEL WALKER (0-0) VS TBA

BOBBY LASHLEY (4-0) VS TBA

TIME

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2010 - 10:00PM/ET (PRELIMS AT 8:00PM)

HOW TO WATCH:

LIVE ON SHOWTIME - IN CANADA ON SUPERCHANNEL

TICKETS

Feb 6 - UFC 109: Relentless

Ultimate Fighting Championship

February 6, 2010

Mandalay Bay Events Center - Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

UFC 109 FIGHT CARD

Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman

Josh Koscheck (No. 5 WW) vs. Paulo Thiago (No. 6 WW)

Nate Marquardt (No. 2 MW) vs. Chael Sonnen (No. 6 MW)

Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg

Demian Maia (No. 4 MW) vs. Dan Miller

Mac Danzig vs. Justin Buchholz

Ronnys Torres vs. Melvin Guillard

Tim Hague vs. Chris Tuchscherer

Phillipe Nover vs. Robert Emerson

Rolles Gracie vs. Mostapha Al-Turk

Feb 21 - UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez

Ultimate Fighting Championship

February 21, 2010

Acer Arena - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

UFC 110 FIGHT CARD

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (No. 4 HW) vs. Cain Velasquez (No. 9 HW)

Wanderlei Silva vs. Michael Bisping

Joe Stevenson vs. George Sotiropoulos

Ryan Bader vs. Keith Jardine

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Ben Rothwell

Goran Reljic vs. C.B. Dollaway

Stephan Bonnar vs. Krzysztof Soszynski

Chris Lytle vs. Brian Foster

James Te Huna vs. Igor Pokrajac

Elvis Sinosic vs. Chris Haseman

The Break Up!

*insert Ferio photochop here*

According to a recent article on Yahoo Sports the highly anticipated fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao is temporarily off as of Tuesday. The cancellation stems from a disagreement regarding drug testing procedures. Mayweather's camp insisted on adopting a random Olympic-style drug testing administered by the US Anti-Doping Agency. However Bob Arum quickly suggested an alternative to try to save the fight from being canceled. He proposed that there would be three blood drws and unlimited urine tests.

Arum (who I suspect obtained his medical degree from Casaca University) assured everyone that frequent urine testing is sufficient in the final 30 days to prevent either fighter from using performance enhancing drugs.

“Everything can be picked up by urinalysis,” Arum said. “Everything.”

I guess the Olympics have it all wrong then Bobby! Someone get Marion Jones on the phone. She will be happy to hear the good news.

Travis Tygart, the CEO of USADA, disputed Arum's support of urinalysis. Tygart stated that a combination of both urine and blood would be necessary to be deemed effective. He also said that the most effective method would be to subject athletes to random testing.

“To have an effective program, you have to collect blood and urine,” Tygart said. “The reason for that is that there are some things that are only detected in urine and there are some prohibited drugs that are both very lethal and potent from a performance-enhancing standpoint that are only detected in blood. One of those, for example, is human-growth hormone (HGH). There is no urine-based tested for human-growth hormone. It doesn’t show up in the urine. It’s only a blood-based test. That’s true of a number of prohibited substances, particularly those that would enhance and aid a boxer.”

So it looks like we have an old Mexican standoff here. Arum angrily said that a deal (compromise) would have to be reached by today if the fight would be salvaged. He suggestd that a Kansas City based National Center for Drug Free Sports conduct the testing. He had some choice words for Mayweather that only Bobby could put so eloquently

“The fight is definitely off,” Arum said. “I read their statement and we’re not acceding to it. Unless they pull that statement and call me, they can go screw themselves.”

It looks like we have an good old Mexican Standoff. Both camps are not budging. However Pacman is really making himself look suspicious in my opinion. If Pacquiao chooses not to fight because of random testing, what will this mean for his career as a a boxer? There have been a couple of people come out and make allegations against him and the use of steroids. If the day comes that an athlete can dictate when and how he/she is tested for performance drugs it will be a sad one in sports history.

'Rampage' Post Says Fighter to Return to UFC

A new blog entry posted late Wednesday under Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s name on the fighter’s official Web site says the former UFC light heavyweight champion will be returning to the promotion to complete his contract.

“Now, I wanted to let my fans know that I'm going to come back to the UFC & finish my contract,” read the entry. “Not because the haters are talking s--t about me being scared of Rashad or Titties or anybody else. I'm coming back for my fans & to shut Rashad's mouth up & shut Dana's mouth up. Then after that I'm going back to doing movies & I might do a boxing match once a year just to stay in shape. Hate on dis!”

The entry did not give any timetable for Jackson’s return.

Jackson, 31, had previously announced that he was “done with fighting” via another Web site post on Sept. 22. That first entry cited multiple grievances with the promotion following the fighter’s decision to bow out of a fight with Rashad Evans at UFC 107 on Dec. 12 in Memphis, Tenn., to take a starring role in the feature film “A-Team.” The bout was to have been the culmination of this season’s Spike TV series “The Ultimate Fighter,” where Jackson and Evans’ volatile relationship as rival coaches was well documented.

In Jackson’s absence, Evans was re-assigned to a headlining bout against Thiago Silva at UFC 108 on Jan. 2 in Las Vegas.

Jackson’s portrayal on the reality show, which concludes its tenth season with a live finale event on Saturday on Las Vegas, was also addressed in Wednesday’s entry.

“I've noticed that the UFC & TUF have some fans brainwashed or something,” read the entry. “They still haven't realized yet that the TV show is just a TV show. I did my job by entertaining people and if you ever paid any attention to me, that's what I'm known for doing.”

Source

STRIKEFORCE makes it's S Florida debut at BANKATLANTIC Center on Jan 30!

HERSCHEL WALKER TO MAKE HIS MMA DEBUT; NICK "BAD BOY" DIAZ AND CRIS CYBORG RETURN TO ACTION!

Just months after the stunning announcement that he would try his hand at mixed martial arts (MMA), NFL and NCAA football legend, Herschel Walker, will make his highly-anticipated Strikeforce MMA debut at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida on Saturday, January 30. Superstar Nick Diaz and Strikeforce world 145-pound women's champion Cris Cyborg will also see action in the cage against opponents to be announced during Strikeforce's historic first visit to the state of Florida.

Tickets officially go on-sale next Friday, Dec. 11 at the BankAtlantic Center ticket office as well as online at www.Ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800)745-3000.

Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Pro Bowl competitor, will face an opponent to be announced in one of as many as five live, SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) televised bouts on the STRIKEFORCE card.

The 6 foot 1 inch, 220 pound former running back, who already holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo, recently entered a 12 week MMA training camp at San Jose, California’s American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), which plays home to a host of the world’s greatest fighters, including STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Champion Josh “The Punk” Thomson and undefeated middleweight superstar Cung Le.

Walker, a 1999 College Hall of Fame inductee who was also selected to Sports Illustrated’s NCAA All-Century Team that year, has never been one to shy away from the road less traveled. Following his junior year at the University of Georgia where he had set the NCAA freshman rushing record en route to an undefeated season and Sugar Bowl championship victory over Notre Dame, Walker, a born-again Christian, astonished the sports world by withdrawing from school to play professional ball in the newly formed United States Football League (USFL) rather than wait to enter the NFL draft after the graduation of his collegiate class, a rule maintained by the world’s largest professional football league at the time. While the vast majority of football players typically follow an intensive weight room regimen, Walker relied on bodyweight exercise, conditioning, and calisthenics while maintaining very little body fat. Walker was eventually drafted in 1985 by The Dallas Cowboys and established himself as a premiere running back in the league. In 1986, he was the driving force behind a historic trade that sent in to The Minnesota Vikings in exchange for five players and six draft picks. In 12 NFL seasons with four different teams, he became the only player to gain 4,000 yards three different ways – rushing, receiving, and kickoff returns. He is one of six players to exceed 60 touchdowns rushing and 20 touchdowns receiving and is the only player in NFL history to register a 90 plus yard reception, a 90 plus yard run, and a 90 plus yard kickoff return, all in one season (1994). Off the gridiron, Walker has achieved a handful of feats, including a seventh place finish in the 1992 Winter Olympics two-man bobsled competition. Now 47 years of age, the native of Wrightsville, Georgia will look to conquer a whole new world.

Diaz will make his first start since he submitted hard-hitting Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith with a rear naked choke in the third round (1:41) of their STRIKEFORCE: Lawler vs. Shields matchup at St. Louis, Missouri’s Scottrade Center on June 6, 2009. The 26 year old Diaz, a native of Stockton, California, will put a five fight win streak on the line.

Cyborg made history on August 15, 2009 when the 24-year-old native of Brazil stopped superstar Gina Carano with a punishing barrage of strikes in the first round (4:59) of their meeting to become the first-ever STRIKEFORCE women’s champion. The long-awaited showdown between Carano and Cyborg also marked the first women’s main event in the history of any major MMA promotion.

Doors at BankAtlantic Center open at 7 p.m. The first non-televised, preliminary card fight will begin at 8 p.m.

STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network. The promotion made its live, primetime debut on CBS with the “Fedor vs. Rogers” mega-fight that it co-promoted with M-1 Global on Saturday, November 7 and generated 5.46 million viewers for the main event between the world’s number one heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, and superstar Brett “The Grim” Rogers.

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy - Flying Triangle

Mayweather-Pacquiao fight nearly finalized

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports
Dec 1, 8:58 pm EST

The much-anticipated bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao is all but set for March 13, a source told Yahoo! Sports.

Mayweather has agreed to terms and promoter Bob Arum is making a trip to Manila, Philippines, to finalize a deal with Pacquiao, the source said.

Las Vegas, Dallas and New Orleans are the front-runners to host the bout, which is expected to become the highest-grossing boxing match in the sport’s history.

Pacquiao is the top pound-for-pound fighter in nearly every major ranking, including Yahoo! Sports. Mayweather is No. 2 in most rankings and was No. 1 in nearly all of the polls before he briefly retired in June 2008.

Pacquiao is coming off a 12th-round stoppage of Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, a bout in which he won the World Boxing Organization welterweight championship and erased fears that he is not a legitimate welterweight.

Cotto was a legitimate welterweight in his prime and Pacquiao dominated, knocking him down twice and cruising to the one-sided victory.

Mayweather routed Juan Manuel Marquez, who had previously been ranked No. 2 in the Yahoo! Sports poll, in a Sept. 19 fight at the MGM Grand.

The public demand for the fight has been enormous, putting pressure on Arum and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who represents Mayweather, to get a deal done.

Promoters had targeted May 1 for the fight almost from the moment that Pacquiao stopped Cotto. But Pacquiao filed Tuesday to run for Congress in the Philippines and the election will be held on May 10.

Given that, the bout with Mayweather had to be moved up to March 13 or pushed back until September.

Though there were reports that Arum was considering matching Pacquiao with new WBO super welterweight champion Yuri Foreman on March 13 in Dallas, that was a diversionary move and was never serious, the source said.

A survey team from Top Rank will inspect Dallas Cowboys Stadium as a possible venue. The MGM Grand Garden Arena and the New Orleans Superdome are also in the running to host the mega-fight, the source said.

Pacquiao to run for congress seat in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (AP)-Philippine boxer Manny Pacquiao submitted his
candidacy for the 2010 elections Tuesday, his second attempt at a
congressional seat.

Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas last month to win his seventh
world boxing titles in seven different weight classes. He was accompanied by
his wife, Jinkee, and mother, Dionisia, in filing his candidacy in southern
Sarangani province's Alabel township.

He was defeated in 2007 when he ran for the congressional seat in General
Santos city, where he began his boxing career.

A former baker and construction worker born to a poor family, Pacquiao
became an embodiment of a rags-to-riches story in the country where
one-third of the 90 million people live on less than $1 a day.

Pacquiao told The Associated Press in March he wanted to serve the many poor
people in his province.

"I want to help them because I know what they feel right now. It is not easy
to help other people. That is a big responsibility. I will focus on that for
the meantime," he told AP.

It wasn't immediately clear if he will still fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. if
he wins in congress.

Supporters cheered as he released white balloons and showed them his
certificate as the lead candidate of his party, the People's Champ Movement,
outside the Commission on Elections office in Alabel, about 620 miles south
of Manila.