TUF 8's Lawlor Dropping To Middleweight
(mmajunkie.com)After likely earning at least one more fight in UFC thanks to his win at the TUF 8 Finale, Tom Lawlor has announced he will drop to Middleweight after being a Light Heavyweight on the show. He plans to return in March after recovering from what he's "pretty sure" is a broken hand suffered in his Finale win.
Paul Taylor Signs Contract Extension with the UFC
(mmauniverse.com)UK welterweight favourite Paul Taylor has signed another 4 fights deal with the UFC. Speaking to MMA Unlimited Paul said: “Wow, it’s great to think that potentially I will have 9 UFC fights. Some guys only get two. I am not blowing my own trumpet but I feel lucky that the UFC see that I entertain the fans.
Matt Hamill Training With Renzo Gracie
(fightline.com)Matt Hamill has gone back to the drawing board. The stellar wrestler came up short in his last outing at UFC 88 against former UFC champion Rich Franklin in a performance that many felt lacked heart and desire.
Hamill has since rededicated himself to the sport and in doing so has been spotted training with Brazilian jui-jitsu legend Renzo Gracie.
Carneiro & Aurelio Depart UFC Roster
(fiveouncesofpain.com)American Top Team black belt Roan Carneiro is no longer a member of the UFC roster, FiveOuncesOfPain.com learned Wednesday.
Five Ounces of Pain learned of the news having been contacted by a source speaking on the condition of anonymity. The information was later verified after speaking with American Top Team President Dan Lambert.
With the UFC looking to trim its roster from over 180 contracted fighters down to the neighborhood of 140 combatants, former PRIDE Bushido standout Marcus “Maximus” Aurelio found himself caught in a numbers game in the weeks that proceeded his loss to Hermes Franca this past October at UFC 90.
UFC Quick Quotes: ‘Tis the season to get into a fight
(mmamania.com) “I never really liked the holidays anyway.”
– Forrest Griffin
“I’ve been in camp for about seven weeks now. I guess all the holidays have kind of lost their significance. It’s going to be sad that I’m not going to be there with my kids and everything, cause I really look forward to that. It’s just going to be another day and then we’ll celebrate later on.”
– Rashad Evans
“They’re going to come see me on the 25th and everything. Then we’ll celebrate Christmas afterwards. It’s all good, it’s my job. All my kids know what dad does — I’m a fighter. That’s the job that God gave me.”
– Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
Mike Wessel To Face Antoni Hardonk @ UFC 92 (Not Mark Burch)
(mmaweekly.com)Just over a week away from the Ultimate Fighting Championship's year-end event, UFC 92, the card has undergone a change as heavyweight Mike Wessel will step in on short notice to fight Antoni Hardonk in an undercard bout for the Dec. 27 show.
The announcement was made on the UFC's official website on Wednesday.
Hardonk's original opponent, Mark Burch, dropped out of the fight with an undisclosed injury and Wessel steps in to take his place and his UFC debut.
"You only get a handful of opportunities in life and this one is rare for most fighters," Wessel told MMAWeekly.com of his unexpected shot to fight at UFC 92, but feels prepared for it. "I train everyday like I have a fight coming."
Dave Herman Vs Choi Mu Bae @ Sengoku 7
(mmaweekly.com)World Victory Road on Thursday announced that Dave Herman will face Choi Mu Bae at the Jan. 4 Sengoku 7 event in Saitama, Japan.
Herman is a former EliteXC fighter. He holds a 13-0 professional record and has never gone to a decision, knocking out or TKOing 10 of his opponents. He TKO'd all three of his EliteXC foes, which include UFC veterans Kerry Schall and Ron Waterman, and American Top Team heavyweight Mario Rinaldi.
Tom Atencio Talks Future Of Affliction, Gina Carano And More...
(bloodyelbow.com)Affliction's Tom Atencio recently spoke with Gary Herman of 15rounds.com. Notable quote:
Q: Is there a certain number of shows you’re looking to do in 2009?
TA: Right now, we are looking at four events for 2009, but that could change. Right now, I’m just looking at the January show, and the next show would be about four to five months from there.
Rodrigo Medeiros Talks Brock Lesnar
(sherdog.com)Two-time absolute world jiu-jitsu champion Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros began training with Brock Lesnar roughly five months ago.
“Besides being very strong, he learns very fast,” the Brazilian, who now lives in Chicago, said after his first session with Lesnar.
Justin Levens and his wife found dead
(tmz.com)No one else has broken this news story yet so I hope its not true.
"TMZ has learned former UFC fighter Justin Levens and his wife were found dead from gunshot wounds in a home in Laguna Niguel, Calif. earlier today.
Sources say cops are investigating their deaths as a possible murder/suicide.
Levens had a career record of 9-8 and fought in several different MMA leagues, including the IFL, WEC and UFC."
Affliction signs Tito Ortiz - as a broadcaster, not a fighter
(mmajunkie.com)In a Monday release, Affliction Entertainment announced that Ortiz would be part of the star-studded press conference for its Jan. 24 pay-per-view event. The announcement even prompted some reports that, during today's event, Ortiz would announce he had signed a fight contract with the company.
Instead, Ortiz was introduced as a color commentator for the "Day of Reckoning" broadcast.
Affliction Responds to UFC's Counter-programming
(dreamfighters.com)
I do not consider this act to be an act of counter-programming by the UFC. The UFC regularly features on Spike stories of upcoming fights (such as the St. Pierre vs Penn II fight). On the same basis, the UFC Unleashed program airs regularly at this time. Lastly, the notion that showing a rerun of the Couture vs. Lesnar fight could impact Trump’s Affliction “Day Of Reckoning” event is absurd. I say this for two (2) reasons: First, we all know the result of the fight which was considered by many fans and pundits mediocre at best. Secondly, no fan of the sport, whether a die hard fan or casual, would miss Affliction’s stacked fight card to watch this repeat.
Satoshi Ishii Wants To Fight In UFC
(bloodyelbow.com)The potential DREAM exodus continues. This time the departing notable name is top judoka Satoshi Ishii, who today in Japan told the press that instead of apparently planning to sign with DREAM he wants to sign with and fight in UFC, even if it means going to WEC first.
Affliction, UFC Going Head-To-Head On January 24.
(mmamania.com)Touche yet again, Affliction. To counter the promotion's next PPV on January 24, UFC has announced it will air a replay of it's biggest show yet-UFC 91, headlined by then-UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar, free on Spike that night.
Mike Swick Proves He's Back On Track
(mmaweekly.com)If there’s one ideal that’s become all too commonplace in sports, it is “what have you done for me lately?” What someone may have accomplished in the past can quickly be forgotten if in the eyes of observers they haven’t performed up to those previous standards in recent times.
For Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight Mike “Quick” Swick that is must have been how it felt to him – despite his impressive credentials for both the promotion and in his overall MMA career – when people began to doubt him and his skills.
