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MMA NOTES-
The UFC’s second-ever visit to Staples Center drew just slightly more spectators than the first trip, as “UFC 104: Machida vs. Shogun” officially earned 14,892 attendees for a gate of $1,913,093.62.

Former Pride Fighting Championships lightweight titleholder Takanori Gomi battled through five rounds of ferocious striking against Tony Hervey and won a unanimous decision yesterday in the Vale Tudo Japan 2009 main event on Friday at JCB Hall. Gomi has won back-to-back fights since his submission loss to former Sengoku champion Satoru Kitaoka in January and improves his record to 31-5.

MMA Big Show has signed two-time UFC veteran Junie Browning (3-1) and The Ultimate Fighter alum Luke Zachrich (9-1) to contracts. Browning will debut at November’s MMA Big Show event, “ONSLAUGHT,” while Zachrich will fight at the January 9th event.

At UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin 2, the UFC has promoted the welterweight contest of Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah to the evening’s main card. UFC 106 is scheduled for Nov. 21 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The main card airs live on pay per view.

Marcus “Money” Sursa, an explosive striker and submission specialist battles former UFC and current Strikeforce fighter, Trevor Prangley at Shark Fights 7 on Saturday, November 28 at the Azteca Music Hall in Amarillo, TX.

Main-event Strikeforce fighters Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers are set to appear at Sunday’s Chicago Bears vs. Cleveland Browns game at Soldier Field in Chicago. The pair will also be interviewed on the CBS Football Halftime Show.

Shooto Champion “Lion” Takeshi Inoue stopped former Shooto 143lb champion Alexandre Franca Nogueira on fourth-round strikes at Vale Tudo Japan 2009 held at the JCB Hall in Tokyo, Japan. A stiff jab brought Nogueira to the mat, where Inoue jumped in for the finish and ended the fight with punches 2:58 into the period. This was Nogueira’s first fight since June 1, 2008 when he fought and lost in the WEC.

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida went under the knife on Friday and will be limited in training until mid-January. “He had surgery yesterday on his left hand,” manager Ed Soares said. “The doctor said it was a complete success.”

Lightweight Josh Neer (25-9-1 MMA, 4-6 UFC), a 10-time veteran of the UFC, has been released from the world’s biggest MMA promotion. Neer’s release comes after a hard-fought unanimous-decision loss to Gleison Tibau on the main card of this past week’s “UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua” event in Los Angeles.

In what felt like Rumina Sato’s retirement fight on Sunday, Team Quest’s Cory Grant pressured the Japanese veteran with multiple throws and glancing head kicks. Sato avoided damage and, after a brief exchange, exploded with a devastating Superman punch that dropped his American counterpart. Sato followed with a quick knee to the head and dropped heavy punches for good measure, forcing the referee to intervene 3:20 into the match. Sato improved his record to 25-14-2.

It appears as though Vitor Belfort will have to wait a bit longer for his shot at the UFC Middleweight Championship. According to the current title-holder’ s manager, Ed Soares, Anderson Silva is still undergoing physical therapy for recent surgery to his elbow and will be unable to compete on January 2nd at UFC 108 (as had been previously rumored). Soares made the comments in a brief statement.

UFC Veteran Derek ‘The Gentleman’ Downey, who lost earlier this year at UFC Fight Night 17, won on Friday via unanimous decision over Craig Kaufmann. The bout took place in Utah and was Downey’s 11th career victory.

UFC veteran Mark Weir lost to Tor Troeng via Triangle Choke at 2:05 into the third round at Superior Challenge 4 “Bad Intentions” held on Saturday at Fryshuset Arena.

Ultimate Fighter alum Shane Primm hopes to make it two in a row November 22 at Art of Fighting 5 against WEC veteran Ariel Gandulla. Primm was originally scheduled to face Jamie Yeager at the event but Yeager backed out last week. Now Primm will get a test from Ariel Gandulla.
Source: gerweck.net

MMA NOTES-
In a welterweight bout that took place in Enoch, Alberta, “The Ultimate Fighter Season 4″ castmember Pete Spratt took out rising prospect Nathan Gunn with a brutal knockout 4:19 into the second round. Spratt threw a right uppercut that sent Gunn crashing face-first into the canvas.

HDNet will re-air DREAM.11 this Friday, Oct. 9, at 10 p.m. ET following this week’s new episode of “Inside MMA.” DREAM.11, which took place at the Yokohama Arena in Japan, featured the conclusion of the organization’ s featherweight grand prix, a lightweight title match and the semifinals of the open-weight “Super Hulk” tournament.

Controversial UFC fighter Junie Browning was arrested Tuesday night and accused of assaulting three nurses at St. Rose Dominican Hospital’s Siena campus in Henderson, Nev. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, citing a police report, Browning was taken to the hospital after taking 16 pills of Klonopin, an anti-anxiety drug, “in an attempt to harm himself.” “The Ultimate Fighter 8″ cast member reportedly faces three counts of battery on a health care provider.

After recently regulating MMA to mirror Las Vegas rules in May of 2008, the UFC will finally be making it’s way to the beautiful Arizona desert sometime in 2010. UFC President Dana White confirmed the news in an interview with ULTMMA.com during a recent trip to “The Grand Canyon State”.

Fedor Emelianenko and his partner Marina were married recently in their hometown of Stary Oskol at the church of St. Nicholas. The two first created their relationship in 2006 before making the bond official this afternoon.
Source: gerweck.net

Rob Browning the brother of last season’s entrant and attention seeker Junie Browning wasting no time in getting himself noticed on camera and in the process wound up a lot of people. Browning indiscriminately launched eggs at his fellow TUF 9 contestants from a far. He didn’t seem to care who he annoyed regardless of being British or American. His notoriety earns himself the nickname 15 minutes as appears so keen to have his own 15 minutes of fame.

 

Team USA still needed one more Welterweight fighter and one more lightweight fighter to be decided in tonight’s eliminations before the series can progress to team versus team. First up the welters.

 

Kiel Reid fought it out with Frank Lester for the remaining place with the welters on the squad. Lester pre fight told us he wanted to stand and duke it out but gets taken down by Reid. Reid is dominant on the deck, wrestling looks to be his strong suit. The fight ends by Reid inadvertently knocking himself out when he takes down Lester hitting his own head into the floor of the octagon. Lester had a Kimura submission hold on him but Reid was out and unable to tap out. An unfortunate loss to Reid but anything can happen inside the cage. Frank Lester advances to the TUF house joining Dan Henderson’s Team USA.

 

The second and last Team USA decider saw Rob Browning compete against Jason Dent for the remaining lightweight spot. Would Rob Browning make it as far as his brother? We were about to find out. Into the bout there were good exchanges from both mixed martial artists until Dent overwhelms Browning on the mat utilising a ground and pound assault for the win. Dent to stay, Browning to go home to everyone else’s pleasure.

 

The final squad for Team USA

 

U.S. welterweights

 

Frank Lester

 

Mark Miller – Chicago

 

Jason Pierce – Iowa.

 

DaMarques Johnson – Salt Lake City

 

 

U.S. lightweights

 

Jason Dent

 

Richie Whitson – Alaskan residing in California

 

Santino DeFranco – IFL

 

Cameron Dollar – Colorado Springs

 

 

 

Next episode the competition between the two nations kicks off now all team members have been decided following the elimination bouts. Dana White flips the TUF coin, Team USA win the toss picking the first fight between the rival nations.

 

Make sure you tune into Virgin 1 every Sunday at 11pm in the UK on Freeview, Sky or Virgin Media. If you have Setanta Sports you can catch the episode repeated each Wednesday. Over in the States the programme is aired on Spike TV.

 

 

 

MMA blog by Dynamite Duane

duane@bluraymma.com

www.myspace.com/dynamite_duane

 

 

 

Since Dan Henderson came off victorious over Rich Franklin it would be the former Olympian filling the role as coach of Team USA. So who would be the 8 American mixed martial artists to represent their country? Tonight Dana got the contests underway to whittle down from 16 to 8 fighters.

 

If you recall from the sneak preview not everyone was fully prepared for this chance of a lifetime at winning a contract fighting inside the UFC Octagon. 2 fighters had not reached the required weight in time for the elimination fights. Dramatically in front of Dana White, Dan Henderson and the other entrants, welterweight Jason Pierce collapsed in a heap. Despite this Pierce wasn’t dismissed. The demand of cutting weight in a too short a time had taken a toll on the guy.

 

Another contestant upon medical examination was discovered to have evidence of Herpes visible on his head, John David was sent home straight away. Christian Fulgium the second fighter to not make it as far as the elimination stage just couldn’t cut the weight in time despite being given extra time so he quit.

So two fighters down out of the 16 Dana promised 2 more fighters to be revealed later on.

 

Kicking things off from the welterweights we saw Mark Miller best his friend and training partner Kevin Knabjian after 2 rounds with a TKO victory. Looked tough for them both being buddies as only one could advance to the TUF house.

 

Second fight was the first for of the lightweights, as Richie Whitson of California took on Paul Bird in a decent fight. Whitson got the win via rear naked choke.

 

The 3^rd fight saw the super strong Waylon Lowe completely dominate Santino Defranco in the 1^st round. It appeared to be all over as Defranco turtled up taking a pounding but referee Steve Mazzagatti kept him in it. Come round 2 Defranco came back with vengeance, launching at Lowe kneeing him straight on. He follows up by submitting with a chokehold to gain the win. It’s quite possible another referee would have stopped it in round 2 but then we wouldn’t have that amazing come back which made exciting viewing.

 

The next decider were between welters Berger and Jason Pierce. Remember Pierce the fella who fainted? Well he stayed the distance of the full 3 rounds winning by a decision.

 

Another pair of lightweights entered the cage – Cameron Dollar and Tom Hayden. The 1^st round is won by Hayden, which counted for little as Dollar came back in the 2^nd round submitting his opponent to win.

 

Sixth bout of the night saw Muay Thai kick boxer Roy Elbe get beaten on the ground from Damarques Johnson impressively winning via ground and pound.

 

So six members of Team USA decided and here they are below:

 

 

U.S. welterweights

 

Mark Miller – Chicago

 

Jason Pierce – Iowa.

 

DaMarques – Johnson Lake City

 

 

U.S. lightweights

 

Richie Whitson – Alaskan residing in California

 

Santino DeFranco – IFL

 

Cameron Dollar – Colorado Springs

 

 

Six made it into the house and onto the show, leaving space for two more competitors but to get into the house you have to fight first. Dana then introduced us to 2 extra guys in with a chance. One turned out to be Rob Browning brother of Junie Browning the fighter up to all the shenanigans on TUF 8. 

 

You can catch the new episode this Sunday at 11pm on Virgin 1 in the UK and if you missed last weeks view it again on Setanta Sports 1. You lucky people stateside get to see it all before us Brits on Spike TV Wednesday evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Sommet Center in Nashville, TN

 

 

 

 

With one night remaining to the premiere episode of The Ultimate Fighter season 9 in the US we welcome another instalment of UFC action as Ultimate Fight Night 18 airs live on Spike TV tonight. Dana and the team continue to help build up the next batch of UFC fight stars as many young fighters from TUF and the WEC are given another chance to shine in the octagon tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

With one night remaining to the premiere episode of The Ultimate Fighter season 9 in the US we welcome another instalment of UFC action as Ultimate Fight Night 18 airs live on Spike TV tonight. Dana and the team continue to help build up the next batch of UFC fight stars as many young fighters from TUF and the WEC are given another chance to shine in the octagon tonight.

 

I’m looking forward to seeing Junie Browning back in action once more, a fighter who deserves to be where he is judging by his last outing of the Zuffa brand. He got himself noticed with his on screen shown on TUF 8 but now his MMA skills are showing through.

The full card:

 

 

 

 

 

 

TV bouts

Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann

Ryan Bader vs. Carmelo Marrero

Tyson Griffin vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Cole Miller vs. Junie Browning

 

Preliminary card

Gleison Tibau vs. Jeremy Stephens

Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Horwich

Tim Credeur vs. Nick Catone

Brock Larson vs. Jesse Sanders

Jorge Rivera vs. Nissen Osterneck

Rob Kimmons vs. Joe Vedepo

Tim McKenzie vs. Aaron Simpson

Steve Steinbeiss vs. Ryan Jensen

 

 

 

Hold tight for some more hard-hitting scraps from MMA!

 

Alongside UFN and TUF from the UFC there is a whole lot more coming your way throughout the month of April in the world of MMA, see the full list below:

 

Apr. 1 UFC Fight Night 18

Apr. 2 The Ultimate Fighter 9 debut

Apr. 4 Bellator FC debut

Apr. 5 WEC 40

Apr. 5 DREAM.8

Apr. 10 Bellator FC, Week 2

Apr. 11 Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz

Apr. 17 Bellator FC, Week 3

Apr. 18 UFC 97: Redemption Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua

Apr. 18 PFC: Hybrid Card