Archive for February, 2011

The UFC debuted their video promo for UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones last night during the UFC 127 broadcast. I have to say, this is perhaps the best promo video that I have seen produced by the organization. UFC 128 is headlined by a light-heavyweight title fight between Shogun Rua and Jon Jones. The event takes place March 19th in Newark, New Jersey. Also on the card is a bantamweight battle between fan favorite Urijah Faber and Eddie Wineland. Continue after the jump for the video promo and full fight card.

Mark Hunt, Kyle Noke, Chris Lytle and Brian Ebersole earned the $75,000 “Fight Night” bonuses for this weekend’s UFC 127 event. Hunt claimed the “Knockout of the Night” and Noke was awarded “Submission of the Night,” while Lytle and Ebersole did battle in what was the “Fight of the Night.” Clipped from: mmajunkie.com (share this clip)

Paul “Semtex” Daley delivered on his promise to knockout DEEP welterweight champion Yuya Shirai in the first round of BAMMA 5 this weekend. The event took place at MEN Arena in Manchester, England. Daley vs. Shirai served as the night’s main event. Daley connected with a beautiful uppercut, left hook combination that was the end for Shirai. The Japanese fighter remained unconscious for several minutes. With the victory, Paul Daley earned himself a shot at the Strikeforce welterweight gold — if he makes weight. He will face off against champion Nick Diaz in a yet to be determined event.

Clipped from: mmajunkie.com (share this clip) Although the second part of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix’s opening round likely will be delayed until June, some other participants are being slotted for the organization’s April show. A lightweight title fight between champion Gilbert Melendez (18-2 MMA, 8-1 SF) and Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-6-2 MMA, 0-0 SF) is expected to be a featured bout at the April 9 event.

In an interview conducted by Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting, UFC president Dana White discusses his time in Australia, along with a variety of topics. Also included in the interview is Dana discussing the title implications for BJ Penn and Jon Fitch at UFC 127 and he finally chimes in with more than a “:)” regarding the loss of MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko. Check out the video:

It was supposed to be a welterweight title fight, but that all changed when Paul “Semtex” Daley (26-9-2) missed weight. What didn’t change was the plan of attack for the striking specialist who still plans on sending a message to Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz and ending the fight quickly. “I apologise to [Yuya] Shirai and the fans for missing weight,” said Daley” Although the fight is three rounds now I only need oneround to knock him out. The fans come to see me win the title but I promise them, title or not, I’ll win this fight and win [...]

Later this afternoon, BAMMA 5 will be taking place live from the MEN Arena in Manchester, England. The event was supposed to be headlined by a welterweight title bout between former UFC 170-pounder and current Strikeforce number one contender Paul “Semtex” Daley and DEEP champion Yuya Shirai. However, Daley missed weight and forfeited his title shot. Daley will still look to put on an impressive performance and go into his rumored title shot with Strikeforce champ Nick Diaz on a roll. Another former UFC star, Ricco Rodriguez, is in action on the same fight card. Rodriguez will face off against [...]

All fighters made weight yesterday at weigh-ins for UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch which will take place live from the Acer Arena in Australia later today. The weigh-ins were full with intense staredowns that were highlighted with the face offs of Michael Bisping-Jorge Rivera and BJ Penn-Jon Fitch. Both times UFC president Dana White was forced to step in and separate the fighters. Thanks to the event taking place in Australia, the fighters weights were recorded in kilograms — making it difficult for us non-metric system users. You can check out the full weigh-in results after the jump.

Black House released an incredible video that includes UFC middleweight champion and pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva sparring with his teammate and former UFC light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. It is fascinating to get a look behind the Black House doors at a match that we will never get the chance to see in the octagon.

I’m about to say something many of you will find ridiculous: the UCF middleweight division is, without question, the most compelling in the promotion.  I’m dead serious. I don’t have any hard data to support this, but I get the feeling most fans would rank middleweight as the division they like the least.  Even among pundits, you catch some snide remarks now and again.  The biggest fights are at heavyweight, the biggest stars are at light heavyweight, welterweight is the deepest, and lightweight has been re-energized thanks to the WEC merger and the shockingly amazing Edgar/Maynard I.  Middleweight?  The division under the [...]