Sylvia-Rizzo, Arlovski-Fulton headline ProElite 2, eight-man HW tourney on tap
(mmajunkie.com)The resurgent ProElite has inked Nov. 5 for its next major event, and two ex-UFC heavyweight champions have taken co-headlining fights.
Five-time champ Tim Sylvia (29-7) meets Pedro Rizzo (19-9) in the main event while three-time champ Andrei Arlovski (16-9), who headlined the promotion's first event in August, meets journeyman Travis Fulton (247-48-10).
ProElite 2 takes place at the 12,000-seat iWireless Center in Moline, Ill., which is a stone's throw from part-time cop Sylvia's home.
Broadcast plans for the event have yet to be announced, though the promotion is in talks with HDNet to air the second event and additional ones, sources close to negotiations today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
An eight-man heavyweight tournament also is targeted for the fall event, as ProElite veteran and planned participant Mark Ellis (1-0) today told MMAjunkie.com Radio. It's unknown what position the tournament bouts would take on the card, a source said.
Additionally, ProElite veterans Reagan Penn and top-ranked women's flyweight fighter Tara LaRosa are expected to fight, according to MMAFighting.com.
UFC, fighters visit Ottawa to lobby for MMA
(sportsnet.ca)The UFC has already staged successful mixed martial arts cards in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. But behind the scenes, it has also been regularly taking its fight to Ottawa.
Given the fact the UFC already has a foothold in Canada, some may wonder why bother. But despite its success north of the border, the UFC is dealing with a patchwork of Canadian regulation for MMA.
....
The UFC is seeking a rewording of Section 83 (2) of the Criminal Code so that MMA -- like boxing -- is exempted from prosecution in a section that essentially covers unsanctioned "prize fights."
Bones Jones says "no thx" to portly B-movie star Seagal
(mmamania.com)
The bloated B-movie action star made a surprise phone call to "Bones" prior to his UFC 135 title fight opposite "Rampage" Jackson back on Sept. 24 in Denver, Colorado. But what did he have to say? Jones details his "strange" conversation with Seagal in a recent appearance on the Jim Rome show.
Luiz 'Banha' Cane Dropping to Middleweight
(bloodyelbow.com)"Banha will drop to the middle weight. It is something that, in my point of view, will take some time for him to get used to this new division, so I don’t wanna rush anything to make sure he’s comfortable fighting in this new weight class", tells, guaranteeing that the change isn’t related to the defeat in Rio de Janeiro.
"What happened is a part of the fight. I don’t believe this weight drop has anything to do with it, but it’s a wish he has for a long time, and maybe it’ll bring a positive result. It’s something that usually happens in the industry, keep dropping the weight more and more. He wanna do it and I support him, so let’s do it the best way we can. With no rush", explains.
- (Alex Davis, Cane's manager)
UFC on Versus 6's preliminary card to stream on Facebook
(mmajunkie.com)As expected, the preliminary card for Saturday's UFC on Versus 6 event will stream live and for free on Facebook.
UFC on Versus 6 takes place Saturday at Washington, D.C.'s Verizon Center. The main card, which includes a bantamweight title fight between champ Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson, airs on Versus.
The official UFC on Versus 6 card now includes:
MAIN CARD (Versus)
Champ Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson (for bantamweight title)
Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve
Charlie Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson
Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)
Yves Edwards vs. Rafaello Oliveira
Michael Johnson vs. Paul Sass
Byron Bloodworth vs. Mike Easton
T.J. Grant vs. Shane Roller
Josh Neer vs. Keith Wisniewski
Joseph Sandoval vs. Walel Watson
Dave Herman says UFC 136 scratch due to failed drug test for marijuana, steroids
(mmajunkie.com)A failed pre-fight drug test is the reason Dave Herman was scratched from next week's UFC 136 event.
As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported Wednesday, UFC officials announced that a heavyweight bout between Herman (21-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Mike Russow (14-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) had been pulled from the Oct. 8 card, which takes place at Houston's Toyota Center.
Herman subsequently told Clinch Gear Radio that failed drug tests due to marijuana and steroids are to blame, though he denies usage.
UFC officials didn't initially cite a reason for Herman's removal from UFC 136's pay-per-view main card.
"Basically, I failed my drug test," Herman, who's now training with Team Quest, told the radio show. "I went in to get in my drug test (on Sept. 15), and a week later, they called me and told me they lost my urine specimen. I had to come in and redo it. That was last week. I went back in that day. And [on Wednesday], they told me I failed.
"I said, 'That's impossible.'"
Herman said he's getting conflicting stories from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the state's MMA regulatory body. Now, Herman said, they're claiming the first sample wasn't lost.
"Texas said they never lost it and the first one [tested positive] for drugs and the second was for steroids," he said. "I don't even smoke. ... I haven't even had a beer in two month."
Herman never previously has failed a drug test administered before or after an MMA event.
Mamed Khalidov to Meet Paulo Filho At KSW 17 on November 26th
(bloodyelbow.com)Pride and WEC veteran Paulo Filho Will return to the international events on November. Coming off a controversial draw against Satoshi Ishii at Amazon FC, in Brazil, the Carlson Gracie protégé is set to battle knockout artist Mamed Khalidov at KSW 17, on November 26 in his opponent’s homeland Poland. MMA veterans Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and James Thompson are also set to battle on the show.
Report: Tim Sylvia vs Andrei Arlovski IV planned for Nov. 5 in Moline, IL
(mmamania.com)Former UFC Heavyweight Champions Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski are apparently in talks for a fourth meeting, this time under the ProElite banner on Nov. 5, 2011, in Moline, Illinois.
Cage Potato brought word of the possible match-up earlier today.
The original Sylvia vs. Arlovski trilogy took place under the UFC banner back in 2005-06, with "The Maine-iac" getting a 2-1 advantage. Unfortunately the third (and what at the time was believed to be the final) meeting of the two was a five-round snoozefest that Sylvia won on points.
James Head out, Justin Edwards in against John Maguire at UFC 138
(mmajunkie.com)Perhaps the third time will be the charm for an injury-plagued booking.
As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported this past week, promotional newcomer John Maguire (16-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) recently replaced injured Mark Scanlon (7-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in a UFC 138 booking with welterweight James Head (7-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC).
Now, Head, too, is injured, and in his place steps Justin Edwards (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC), officials today announced.
UFC planning two shows in one night, maybe in February
(mixedmartialarts.com)UFC president Dana White laid out ambitious plans for future international live events. White envisions multiple, simultaneous UFC shows, perhaps as early as February.
“When we go to Japan next year, we are going to be putting on a show at the same time in Las Vegas,” he said.
While he didn’t confirm the date, UFC is scheduled for a show on Feb. 26 at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. The show would take place in the early afternoon in Japan, so it would air in the U.S. on Feb. 25, a Saturday night, live in the usual 9 p.m. Eastern pay-per-view time slot.
When asked how the company was going to handle a dual-show evening from a television standpoint, White just smiled and said, “You’ll see.”
Chuck Liddell Still Has the Itch, Especially with the UFC Moving to Fox Sports
(mmaweekly.com)Chuck Liddell hasn’t set foot in the Octagon, at least as a fighter, in more than a year.
Like most fighters, he still has that itch to compete, but he’s also realistic about where he’s at in his career.
“I still wanna fight. I still like fighting, but my reasons for retiring stay the same,” Liddell said over the weekend. “There’s nothing I can do about that.”
Liddell’s life now revolves around growing the sport. Yeah, he’d much rather be in the Octagon, but his work outside of it keeps him on a busy schedule. Instead of hours on end in the gym, Liddell spends much of his week traveling to different locations where he promotes the sport he loves with personal appearances and helping people understand that mixed martial arts is a sport.
One of the most significant recent developments is the UFC’s new television deal with the Fox family of networks. Liddell would love to be a different part of that deal, stepping into the spotlight when the UFC puts fights on a major mainstream television network, but he seems content with where he’s at, and happy for the fighters that are granted that opportunity.
Kurt Angle: 'Dana White Asked Me to Fight Kimbo Slice'
(bloodyelbow.com)Anyone who knows much about Kurt Angle knows that he is a very colorful storyteller. Basically, the truth might not be as important as the story to Kurt, who is a pro wrestler for the TNA organization. It's an old pro wrestling adage (coined by Dick Murdoch, I believe) - "If a story's worth tellin', it's worth colorin' up a little bit". Angle did an interview with UK publication The Void where he ventured further of the path of realism and actually claimed that Dana White wanted him to fight Kimbo Slice. Here, read for yourself:
I called him (White) a couple of year later – I was getting a little tired of wrestling – I said "Hey, I’m ready", so we had another meeting and he had me do a physical, and he threw a great offer at me, but said "I need you in four and a half weeks."
I said "I can"t do that. You’ve gotta give me 3-6 months," but he said "I need you in four a half weeks," so I said "Well then, we’re not going to be able to do this."
Michael Bisping Pushes Around Little Reporter, Swears a Lot
(bloodyelbow.com)UFC middleweight and TUF 14 coach Michael Bisping probably isn't the most popular UFC fighter out there. Let's just get that out of the way now. While he's loved in the UK apparently, his unique brand of wit and honesty have failed to charm the pants off the rest of the world. And stuff like this could be why. He recently did an interview with Scandianavian reporter Bobby Cavian of MMANYTT.se, and I'm not gonna say that Bisping was drunk or anything, but - okay he was drunk. [Edit - According to MMA Nation's Luke Thomas who was at the event, Bisping was not drunk. My mistake.]
The interview was filmed after he and fellow coach Jason "Mayhem" Miller co-hosted a screening of the premiere episode of The Ultimate Fighter 14, and it's not your typical Bisping. You'll either think this is hilarious and find that Bisping is actually pretty entertaining when he's had a few, or you're going to despise him even more. Because he spends at least some of the time insulting, pushing, and slapping the interviewer. And swearing. A lot. It was in a playful way, but still - see for yourself.
UFC 139's Dan Henderson not keen on 185 pounds – except for Anderson Silva
(mmajunkie.com)Dan Henderson didn't look a bit out of place sitting at a dais adorned with UFC logos, even though he had just been front and center for another promotion's banner event.
"I guess it's a little bit ironic that every time I win a title somewhere, (UFC president) Dana (White) has to buy the company to get me back," Henderson said at a press conference today in San Jose, Calif., the former backyard of said company, Strikeforce, which in March was purchased by UFC parent company Zuffa LLC.
Henderson's saltiness definitely hasn't left since his most recent turn in the octagon.
UFC 140 briefly adds Phil Davis vs. Lyoto Machida, but UFC boss 'jumped gun' (Updated)
(mmajunkie.com)A blockbuster light-heavyweight bout was coming to UFC 140. For a short time anyway.
UFC president Dana White said he jumped the gun in announcing that former champ Lyoto Machida (17-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) will meet fast-rising and undefeated contender Phil Davis (9-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) at December's UFC 140 event.
Instead, he said Davis is still recovering from a knee injury.
Fighter representatives told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) they were still awaiting official word on the matchup as of earlier today. But at a UFC 139 press conference today in San Jose, Calif., White told MMAWeekly.com the fight is slated for UFC 140 and could be contested as a five-round non-title fight.
White, though, said he spoke prematurely.
"I jumped the gun on Machida vs Davis," White later tweeted. "Just found out Davis is still recovering from knee surgery. Sorry about that!"
UFC 140 takes place Dec. 10 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto with a heavyweight headliner between Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
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