Strikeforce mixed bag: Diaz vs. Daley on Apr. 9, HWT Grand Prix delayed

It looks like the Strikeforce is set to give fans another excellent main event and co-main on April 9, sadly neither one of those fights will involve participants in the heavyweight Grand Prix. The Josh Barnett-Brett Rogers and Alistair Overeem-Fabricio Werdum scraps have been moved to Dallas on June 18.

Nick Diaz is expected to defend his welterweight title against Paul Daley in April with Gilbert Melendez defending his lightweight belt against Tatsuya Kawajiri. The card goes down at the San Diego Sports Arena, now known as the Valley View Casino Center. 

The fellas at Fight Opinion are livid about the heavyweight tournament change:

Yes, in Texas. Who could have seen that coming? Read that Junkie report and the statement given by Scott Coker. Horrible.

First and foremost, as I stated this morning, there should absolutely be a penalty fee paid by Strikeforce & Showtime to the four fighters in the 'tournament' (Werdum, Barnett, Overeem, Rogers) for this ridiculous two month delay. It no doubt has impacted some of the scheduling for the fighters and their camps. No excuses, it’s time for Scott Coker to pay up.

Josh Gross at ESPN.com spoke with the camps of several fighters. Overeem's manager seemed okay with the change, while Rogers' manager Mike Reilly was a bit pertrubed. It was also interesting to hear Antonio Silva's camp say they want to get their guy another fight, out the tournament, before the fall. Silva pulled the upset on tourney favorite Fedor Emelianenko in February. 

Zach at FO hammers Coker for trying to initially place the card in Japan. Clearly, there are issues with Josh Barnett's license. The American heavyweight was suspended in 2009 by the state of California. He still hasn't gotten the license reinstated. It looks like New Jersey and Nevada also had California's back. The solution was running to Japan where the lack of drug testing has always been problematic?

Second, the fact that Scott Coker really did push all of his chips to try to run the April 9th date in Japan is absurd. Yes, I predicted that Strikeforce would try to run some if not all of Barnett’s fights in Japan, but you would have to be a clueless idiot in 2011 to try to run that market — especially if you are a foreigner. What it goes to show you is what a mark Scott Coker is when it comes to Japan to ignore all the realities that were facing him and to proceed ahead as if he was running into a brick wall just for the fun of it. I’m not angry at Mr. Coker, I’m just embarrassed for him at this point.

He also says this will test the trust of some fans. 

Third, the delay in the HW GP should absolutely raise red flags in the minds of fans that this ‘tournament’ will even get completed. I’m not saying 100% that it won’t happen be finished, but it certainly has a larger chance of not getting finished within the 2011 calendar frame. [...] Fans should have every right to be upset about the delay and what they may perceive as ‘false advertising’ when it’s really more or less incompetence.

I don’t know how many times I need to repeat this, but I will do so again: MMA fans want competency and consistency. Not one or the other, but both. Demonstrate that and you will win over fan trust.

Is this just a short delay in scheduling or something more sinister that leaves you frustrated with Strikeforce? 

He Peng David Heath Delson Heleno Dan Henderson

Henderson wins Strikeforce belt with KO of Feijao

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Dan Henderson is a champion again. He won the Strikeforce light heavyweight belt with a KO of Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante on Saturday night at Nationwide Arena.

Feijao, who trains with Black House fighters Jose Aldo and Anderson Silva, started with snapping leg kicks. The fight went to the ground in a flurry that ended with Henderson on top. Henderson wasn't able to do anything on the ground, so the fight was stood up. They got into a clunch, and again, had to be broken up for a lack of action.

In the second round, Henderson returned to the clinch, then used a lateral to take Feijao to the ground. Feijao reversed him, but also couldn't get anything done on the ground.  They were stood up, and Henderson finished the round with a huge body lock takedown. 

Henderson started the third round by pushing Feijao into the cage with strikes. Feijao pushed him away, but then caught a right hand from Henderson. He fell to the ground, and Henderson pounced and finished off Feijao with a series of strikes to end it 50 seconds into the third round.

The fight had been headed towards a clinch-filled, five-round bout until Henderson was able to land the power shot that he's become known for.

After the bout, Henderson was excited to wear the Strikeforce championship belt.

"I didn't think about the belt until now, because my main focus was winning the fight," Henderson said. "But now it means something."

Henderson now has titles in three different major promotions. He won two Pride belts, at 185 lbs. and 205 lbs., as well as memorable victories in the UFC. Now, at 40, he has the Strikeforce light heavyweight belt. 

John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves 

Vote for Club Of The Waves!

We're excited to announce that Club Of The Waves has been shortlisted as a nominee at the prestigious 2010 Pixel Awards in the Art category. The public can vote on their favourite nominee in each category, and we would love your vote!

You can see all the nominees here. Club Of The Waves is listed under the Art category! You can vote for the "People's Champ" every day through November 30th. Winners will be announced in December.

Vote for us in the ART category!


Background art above by Phil Roberts

www.pixelawards.com/nom_win_2010.php

Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger 

Surf Artist - Marc Christian Kunze

We love these paintings by our latest featured ocean artist; Marc Christian Kunze from Santa Cruz, California. Take a look, We're sure you'll love them too? Let us know what you think… 

www.clubofthewaves.com/surf-artist/marc-christian-kunze.php 



http://wavepaintings.weebly.com

Per Eklund Jason Ellis Aleksander Emelianenko Fedor Emelianenko Yasubey Enomoto

Buster Douglas among the stars hanging at Strikeforce: Columbus

With the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Nationwide Arena is jammed with stars of the fight world. Buster Douglas is cageside waiting for the two title fights. MMA fan favorite Duane "Bang" Ludwig was hanging at the Greater Columbus Convention Center today, sporting a Don Frye mustache.

Ali Sonoma was also a sight for sore eyes. The former UFC Octagon girl was making the rounds today. 

Photos via Tracy Lee

Matt Hamill Volk Han Joachim Hansen Antoni Hardonk

For Small Town Fighter Woodard, Bellator Tourney Offers Chance to Shine

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, Bellator

MISSOULA, Mont. - When undefeated lightweight Lloyd Woodard (10-0) heard he'd finally get a shot at the big leagues via Bellator's 155-pound tournament, he did what any self-respecting Montanan would do: he started growing a mustache.

We're not talking some Brooklyn hipster lip fuzz, either. There is nothing ironic about Woodard's facial hair, though it is intended to send a message when he shows up on MTV 2 to face Carey Vanier on Saturday night.

"I want everybody to know I'm from Montana," said the 26-year-old Woodard.

It's not simply regional pride, although, sure, there's some of that wound up in Woodard's Western-style 'stache. But there's a strategic element to this, too.

Justin Eilers  Jon Olav Einemo Per Eklund Jason Ellis Aleksander Emelianenko

Sengoku Possibly Finished After Japanese Promotion Loses Main Sponsor

Japan's World Victory Road promotion has lost its main sponsor following negative media coverage and has announced the likely end of its Sengoku events unless another sponsor can be found."If there is no company that helps us, we have to think about the worst-case scenario: the end of [Sengoku]."

John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez

TUF 13 video: Meet the cast

Season 13 of "The Ultimate Fighter" debuts on Mar. 30. It's not all about Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos. Fourteen welterweights will challenge for another six-figure contract. The video gives us a nice look at some of the personalities featured on the show. 

Here's the cast:

Nordin Asrih, 32
Trains: Dusseldorf, Germany – Pride Gym
MMA record: 16-5-1

Shamar Bailey, 28
Trains: Indianapolis, IN – Integrated Fighting Systems
MMA record: 10-3

Len Bentley, 27
Trains: Olympia, WA –Victory Athletics
MMA record: 9-4-0

Michael Bowman, 26
Trains: Liverpool, England – Wolfslair
MMA record: 7-2-0

Keon Caldwell, 26
Trains: Moultrie, GA – Team Reality
MMA record: 8-1

Chris Cope,28
Trains: San Diego, CA – Arena MMA
MMA record:4-1

Zachary Davis, 26
Trains: Rockville, MD – Evolve/Team Lloyd Irvin
MMA record: 4-1-0

Anthony Ferguson, 26
Trains: Ventura, CA – Knuckleheadz Boxing
MMA record: 10-2-0

Clay Harvison, 30
Trains: Marietta, GA – X3 Sports
MMA record: 6-1-0

Myles Jury, 22
Trains: San Diego, CA – Victory
MMA record: 9-0

Ryan McGillivray, 24
Trains: Edmonton, Alberta Canada – Legends Training Centre
MMA record: 11-4-1

Ramsey Nijem, 22
Trains: Orem, UT – River Academy/The Pit
MMA record: 4-1-0

Charlie Rader, 29
Trains: New Orleans, LA– Power MMA
MMA record: 16-5

Javier Torres, 25
Trains: Las Vegas, NV –Team Tompkins
MMA record: 3-0-0

Randy The Natural Couture  Dan Cramer Alberto Crane Marcio Pe de Pano Cruz Luke Cummo 

Castillo, Diabate early winners UFC on Versus 3

During the UFC preliminary fights in Louisville on Thursday night,  Cyrille Diabate and Danny Castillo walked away winners from the fights that were aired on Facebook.

Castillo wins UFC debut

Danny Castillo won his UFC debut, taking a unanimous decision 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 over Joe Stevenson.

Castillo outlasted a huge slam and a guillotine attempt in the first round to land some punishing blows near the end of the round. In the second, Castillo showed off some good striking and then reversed a big slam from Stevenson. He then threw an inadvertent knee while Stevenson's hand was on the ground. Since it was inadvertent, the referee merely warned Castillo instead of deducting a point.

Castillo managed to use the clinch to to inflict damage in the third round, and took Stevenson down halfway through the round. Stevenson tried again for the guillotine, but couldn't finish. Castillo maintained control, taking Stevenson down one last time before inflicting a bevy of blows in the last 10 seconds of the fight.

Diabate owns Cantwell in a decision

Cyrille Diabate rebounded from a loss to Alexander Gustaffson with a dominating decision over Steve Cantwell, with the judges scoring it 30-27, 30-25, 30-26. 

Diabate started strong, throwing every kick and strike in his arsenal at Cantwell, who tried to counter with a takedown. Near the end of the first round, Diabate threw a powerful knee and followed it up with an uppercut that sent Cantwell to the ground. Diabate was unable to finish Cantwell off before the horn sounded, but the damage was done.

In the second round, Diabate, a former K-1 kickboxer, took Cantwell to the ground. He landed strikes there for a short tme before standing back up and throwing more strikes at will. An exhausted Cantwell tried for a takedown, but ended up with Diabate on his back. By the final round, Diabate could do what he wanted, and made the fight resemble a sparring practice. He threw jabs, knees and kicks at will. Cantwell didn't have any defense, but at the same time, Diabate couldn't finish off Cantwell. 

Undercard results courtesy of MMA Junkie:

Shane Roller def. Thiago Tavares via KO (punches) - Round 2, 1:28
Takeya Mizugaki def. Reuben Duran via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)
Dongi Yang def. Rob Kimmons via TKO (strikes) - Round 2, 4:47
Rousimar Palhares def. Dave Branch via submission (kneebar) - Round 2, 1:44
Igor Pokrajac def. Todd Brown via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 5:00

Rob Broughton  Mike Brown  Junie Browning Paul Buentello 

Brian Ebersole Looks Back on Long, Strange Journey to UFC - UFC 127

Brian Ebersole Looks Back on Long, Strange Journey to UFC Video by UFC 127

Clay Guida Jason Guida Melvin Guillard Cody Guinn Jorge Gurgel

Jon Jones: 'I Absolutely Hate When People Mention Rashad Evans'

Filed under: UFC

A few months ago Jon Jones and Rashad Evans would have both sworn up and down that they'd never fight each other, and that they wanted only the best for one another even as the two teammates both chased UFC light heavyweight gold.

But with Jones' title shot at UFC 128 against champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua just around the corner, those days are now but a distant memory.

While Jones described Evans as a friend on Wednesday's UFC media call, he also insisted that won't be thinking at all about his teammate at the Jackson squad when he takes on Rua in Newark, New Jersey next Saturday night. Even if he got the title shot only after an injury knocked Evans out of the main event, Jones was in no mood to discuss the fighter he's described in previous interviews as a mentor and a big brother.

Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo  Kyle Bradley  Jai Bradney 

Triple Crown of Surfing Art

Surf comps over the past few years have been increasingly using surf art in their contest marketing materials, Billabong, Roxy and Vans seem to particularly like surf art (good on 'em!). The Triple Crown of Surfing has used surf art for years, with this years umbrella event artwork done by artist Chris Lundy (below), and below that are this years six competition posters…





What is the Triple Crown of Surfing?

If you weren't aware, there is a surfing event going on in Hawaii called the Triple Crown of Surfing, one the most prestigious of all surfing contests. The event spans 6 surfing comps with a holding period from November 12th through to December 20th. Right now is the Pipeline Masters (awesome!). The best Hawaiian local surfers take on the professional surfers from around the globe, in arguably the best waves on the planet.

www.triplecrownofsurfing.com

Grant Campbell  Gesias JZ Calvancante  Luiz Cane  Dos Caras Jr   Phil Cardella

My First Fight: Rashad Evans

Filed under: UFC

When Rashad Evans showed up to his very first MMA training session, he was pretty sure one of two things was going to happen: either he was going to learn to fight, or he was going to get robbed at gunpoint.

He was really hoping for the former, but from the looks of the alleged gym a stranger had just driven him to, the latter seemed more likely.

"It looked like a set-up," Evans says, looking back. "I looked at the building and was like, this sh-t cannot have a credible gym in there."

Tony Fryklund Kazuyuki Fujita Masakatsu Funaki Zelg Benkei Galesić

Surf Artist - Colleen Malia Wilcox

Following on from her recent fame painting the Women's Triple Crown of Surfing poster (more here), we're proud to present Hawaiian; Colleen Malia Wilcox as a featured artist on COTW. Below is her original painting and the end poster presented by Vans. "Her artwork expresses a love of the island lifestyle and appreciation for the natural beauty of Hawaii". We hope you enjoy the rest of her art…

www.clubofthewaves.com/surf-artist/colleen-malia-wilcox.php




Photo: Stephanie Gilmore winning a wooden carved rendition of Colleen's painting

- www.colleenwilcoxart.com
- http://malikodesigns.blogspot.com

He Peng David Heath Delson Heleno Dan Henderson Josh Hendricks

Performance-Enhancing Surgery Comes to MMA

by Michael David Smith

In the video here, Las Vegas plastic surgeon Dr. Frank Stiles takes us inside the surgery he performed on former UFC fighter Phil Baroni. But as Stiles explains, operating on Baroni's nose really wasn't plastic surgery -- he wasn't just trying to make Baroni more handsome.

Instead, Stiles was fixing what he called "a functional deformity," and he said the surgery "will result in better breathing for Phil" and "enhance his ability to train."

In other words, this isn't cosmetic surgery. This is performance-enhancing surgery. And it may become commonplace for mixed martial artists.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Forrest Griffin Tyson Griffin Karn Grigorian Karen Grigoryan

BJ Penn: Training With Matt Hughes Gave Me More Confidence - UFC 127

BJ Penn: Training With Matt Hughes Gave Me More Confidence Video by UFC 127

Ryan Bader  Siyar Bahadurzada Bao Ligao  Josh Barnett  David Baron 

Strikeforce Loses Momentum With Heavyweight Tournament Delay

by Michael David SmithThe great thing about a tournament is that it gets more exciting as it goes along. Whether it's March Madness or Wimbledon or (as we're about to talk about) an eight-man MMA grand prix, each round gets you more enthused about the next.

At least, that's the way it's supposed to work. In the case of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, which began in February and was supposed to continue in April, all the momentum is coming to a screeching halt with the news that it won't continue in April after all. And it won't continue in May, either.

No, Strikeforce has decided that the next two tournament fights, Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers, will take place on June 18. And there goes all the momentum the first tournament event achieved.

 

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Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez Dave Gomez

Action and lifestyle photos by Jim Russi

Introducing a new photo exhibit on COTW by photographer Jim Russi. Featuring surfing, action & wave photos from the north shore of Hawaii, mixed with stunning water photography, art and lifestyle shots celebrating the feminine form and women's surfing. Jim has served as Senior Staff Photographer for all the major U.S. surf magazines, and in addition to his editorial work, he has collaborated closely on numerous advertising campaigns for Swell and has worked on Roxy ad campaigns for over a decade now. Well, well worth checking out his portfolio! Enjoy…

www.clubofthewaves.com/surf-photography/exhibit-jim-russi.php



www.jimrussi.com

David Bielkheden Michael Bisping  Dan Bobish Vagam Bodjukyan Kotetsu Boku 

Frustrated Kennedy wants fights before heading back to war

Tim Kennedy dispatched of Melvin Manhoef in less than four minutes and took almost no damage in the fight on Saturday night. He's got Robbie Lawler and middleweight champ Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza in his sights, but because of Strikeforce's limited schedule, he may have to wait until the fall for another fight with the promotion. That doesn't cut it for the Army Special Forces veteran.

"I feel like I'm wasting my time if I'm not in the cage because I'm a sniper, I'm a Ranger, and I'm a Green Beret. I've been to every cool-guy school that (U.S.) Special Forces has," Kennedy told MMajunkie. "I'm completely wasting my life away if I'm not taking an opportunity to be in a cage. If I'm not in the cage, I'm going to go back to Iraq and Afghanistan. That's just how it's going to work."

Kennedy (13-3) said his bosses/chain of command were at Nationwide Arena to watch him fight. He's serious about achieving his fighting goals and then heading back into service for his country. 

"My timeline for me is very clear. I've expressed that to my chain in command. I'm going to fight for a little while, and as soon as I'm done fighting, I'm going to be right back there doing the most important job," said Kennedy.

"It's really one of the most important things about fighting," he said. "I represent a group of people much more important than me. That's the people in uniform right now. Some of the organizations I work with – Soldiers Angels, the Green Beret Foundation – those are the things I really care about. That's what I'm passionate about.

Kennedy's hunger to fight the good fight isn't affected by a lack of appreciation stateside.

"America's America. Those guys over there know how ridiculous the 300 million people in this country are," Kennedy told Spencer Lazara from MMAInterviews.tv (1:54 mark). "But they're still over dying and bleeding and starving to protect the constitutional right that the people have to live in ignorance about what they do over there, so they can enjoy the luxury of their home and follow Charlie Sheen on Twitter. I'll do it. I love America and I'll be over there doing the exact same thing."

After he lost the Strikeforce title bout to Jacare, Kennedy was given seven months off. The promotion owes it to Kennedy to get him back in the cage quickly. There's no reason, if he's winning, he shouldn't fight two or three more times this year.  

Lorenzo Borgomeo  Kyle Bradley  Jai Bradney  Ebenezer Fontes Braga

Performance-Enhancing Surgery Comes to MMA

by Michael David Smith

In the video here, Las Vegas plastic surgeon Dr. Frank Stiles takes us inside the surgery he performed on former UFC fighter Phil Baroni. But as Stiles explains, operating on Baroni's nose really wasn't plastic surgery -- he wasn't just trying to make Baroni more handsome.

Instead, Stiles was fixing what he called "a functional deformity," and he said the surgery "will result in better breathing for Phil" and "enhance his ability to train."

In other words, this isn't cosmetic surgery. This is performance-enhancing surgery. And it may become commonplace for mixed martial artists.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Phil Cardella Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin  Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan 

My First Fight: Rashad Evans

Filed under: UFC

When Rashad Evans showed up to his very first MMA training session, he was pretty sure one of two things was going to happen: either he was going to learn to fight, or he was going to get robbed at gunpoint.

He was really hoping for the former, but from the looks of the alleged gym a stranger had just driven him to, the latter seemed more likely.

"It looked like a set-up," Evans says, looking back. "I looked at the building and was like, this sh-t cannot have a credible gym in there."

Luiz Azeredo  Luciano Azevedo  Ba Te er  Ryan Bader 

Sonnen, Belfort lining up to take on Michael Bisping

After Michael Bisping's outburst following his TKO win over Jorge Rivera at UFC 127, the UFC appears ready to dole out punishment to the British fighter. That doesn't include the punishment that other middleweights want to give Bisping.

Chael Sonnen and Vitor Belfort have so kindly offered to discipline Bisping.

Sonnen, who is currently suspended by the UFC for pleading guilty to mortgage fraud, reportedly emailed UFC matchmaker Joe Silva to ask for a bout with Bisping.

If you get a chance to talk with him, please mention to your idiot-in-residence Michael Spitsbing it’ll be a little tougher to knee ME in the head when I’m charging at him like a runaway train and mincing him through the fence like a boiled potato, should we ever have the pleasure of each other’s company for a few (VERY few) moments in the Octagon.

Sonnen's last bout was a loss in a title match with Anderson Silva. He doesn't yet have a date set for his return from the suspension.

Belfort's last bout was also a loss to Silva. His came by a front kick in the main event of UFC 126, and Belfort used his Twitter account to say that he'd like to fight the Brit sometime in May. 

Though Belfort's overwhelming power would be an interesting challenge for Bisping, I hope that Sonnen gets his wish. Rivera got under Bisping's skin with run-of-the-mill trash talk. Sonnen engages in psychological war with his opponents. The months leading up the fight could be a fun ride.

Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan  Dan The Sandman Christison  Logan The Pink Pounder Clark  Steve The Snake Claveau 

Vote for Club Of The Waves!

We're excited to announce that Club Of The Waves has been shortlisted as a nominee at the prestigious 2010 Pixel Awards in the Art category. The public can vote on their favourite nominee in each category, and we would love your vote!

You can see all the nominees here. Club Of The Waves is listed under the Art category! You can vote for the "People's Champ" every day through November 30th. Winners will be announced in December.

Vote for us in the ART category!


Background art above by Phil Roberts

www.pixelawards.com/nom_win_2010.php

Junie Browning Paul Buentello  Josh Burkman  Mikey Burnett 

Dana White video blog UFC 127 Weigh-ins - UFC 127

Dana White video blog leading up to UFC 127 on Saturday, LIVE at 10PM/7PM ET/PT on Pay-Per-View and www.UFC.tv. For more ways to watch go to www.UFC.com

Viacheslav Datsik Marcus Davis  Tony DeSouza  Edwin Dewees  Nick Diaz 

Frustrated Kennedy wants fights before heading back to war

Tim Kennedy dispatched of Melvin Manhoef in less than four minutes and took almost no damage in the fight on Saturday night. He's got Robbie Lawler and middleweight champ Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza in his sights, but because of Strikeforce's limited schedule, he may have to wait until the fall for another fight with the promotion. That doesn't cut it for the Army Special Forces veteran.

"I feel like I'm wasting my time if I'm not in the cage because I'm a sniper, I'm a Ranger, and I'm a Green Beret. I've been to every cool-guy school that (U.S.) Special Forces has," Kennedy told MMajunkie. "I'm completely wasting my life away if I'm not taking an opportunity to be in a cage. If I'm not in the cage, I'm going to go back to Iraq and Afghanistan. That's just how it's going to work."

Kennedy (13-3) said his bosses/chain of command were at Nationwide Arena to watch him fight. He's serious about achieving his fighting goals and then heading back into service for his country. 

"My timeline for me is very clear. I've expressed that to my chain in command. I'm going to fight for a little while, and as soon as I'm done fighting, I'm going to be right back there doing the most important job," said Kennedy.

"It's really one of the most important things about fighting," he said. "I represent a group of people much more important than me. That's the people in uniform right now. Some of the organizations I work with – Soldiers Angels, the Green Beret Foundation – those are the things I really care about. That's what I'm passionate about.

Kennedy's hunger to fight the good fight isn't affected by a lack of appreciation stateside.

"America's America. Those guys over there know how ridiculous the 300 million people in this country are," Kennedy told Spencer Lazara from MMAInterviews.tv (1:54 mark). "But they're still over dying and bleeding and starving to protect the constitutional right that the people have to live in ignorance about what they do over there, so they can enjoy the luxury of their home and follow Charlie Sheen on Twitter. I'll do it. I love America and I'll be over there doing the exact same thing."

After he lost the Strikeforce title bout to Jacare, Kennedy was given seven months off. The promotion owes it to Kennedy to get him back in the cage quickly. There's no reason, if he's winning, he shouldn't fight two or three more times this year.  

Rickson Gracie Rodrigo Gracie Roger Gracie Rolles Gracie

Ring wins inexplicable UFC 127 decision over Fukuda

In an incredibly questionable -- to put it nicely -- judges decision, "The Ultimate Fighter" alumnus Nick Ring continued his unbeaten streak, winning a decision over Japanese fighter Riki Fukuda. All three judges saw it 29-28 for Ring. 

Fukuda started the first round with a takedown. Ring tried to work an armbar from the bottom, but he couldn't finish it and kicked out from the bottom. When the two returned to their feet, Fukuda used kicks to batter Ring's legs and move inside to land strikes. Fukuda finished the round with a takedown.

In the second, Fukuda beat up Ring's face and managed another smooth takedown. He clinched with Ring, using knees and short punches to inflict damage. He wasn't overwhelming, but Fukuda definitely controlled the action.

Fukuda picked it up in the third round, coming out with quick strikes and then taking Ring down. They returned to their feet, and Fukuda landed undercuts and then got another takedown. Though he was clearly behind, Ring never went for broke in the final round. He looked beyond rusty in his first fight since appearing on the 11th season of TUF.

Ring looked slightly surprised as his name was read as the winner, and UFC commentator Je Rogan expressed shot by the judges call. Fight Metric had the fight 30-27 for Fukuda, as did Cagewriter. Even UFC president Dana White tweeted his displeasure, "Judges [expletive] suck again!! Fukuda got robbed!!!"

Joachim Hansen Antoni Hardonk Dan Hardy Lee Hasdell Musse Hasselvall

Fitch finishes strong, but only gets a draw in UFC 127 main event

Jon Fitch has lost just once in the UFC, but always seems to find himself in a frustrating position in the UFC welterweight division. It happened again Saturday night at UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia. The highly-rated contender at 170 pounds mauled B.J. Penn in the final round but the fight was scored 28-28 on two judges' scorecoards, resulting in an unfulfiling majority draw at Acer Arena. Fitch was a 29-28 winner on the third scorecard.

UFC analyst Joe Rogan asked Fitch if he won the fight:

"I thought so," Fitch said. "I gave up some positioning in the first and second round, but I finished out on top and did some damage of my own. I think I did enough at least to win a split decision." 

The "decision" has been the unfortunate story of Fitch's UFC career, but this one was tough to swallow. Fitch crushed Penn in the final round. He got the Hawaiian down for good with 3:39 left and pummeled him with punches, hammerfists and elbows. According to FightMetric, the final strike count in round three was an amazing 149-2. Compustrike said it was 134-0 and the final two rounds were 191-15. 

Fitch is now an impressive 13-1-1 with the promotion, but his grinding style has turned off some fans, and UFC management has been reluctant to throw Fitch back in the Octagon with champion Georges St. Pierre. GSP dominated Fitch in a decision victory back at UFC 87.

"I want the title more than anything," Fitch said. "At the end of the day, we don’t make the decision, the guys in the suits do and the fans do."

Things get interesting in April when GSP defends his title against Jake Shields at UFC 129. If he wins the fight, he plans on leaving the division and relinquishing his title to challenge Anderson Silva for 185-pound belt. That would essentially force the hand of the UFC.

There's no way, even with this draw, to justify not putting Fitch (23-3-1, 13-1-1 UFC) into an interim title fight, should St. Pierre vacate the title. The only alternative would be some sort of mini-tournament at 170 pounds, something the UFC has never put together since Zuffa took over the company back in 2001. 

Penn (16-7-2, 12-6-2 UFC) didn't exactly sell the fans on the fact that the fight was a draw. He openly admitted in the Octagon that he didn't think he'd done enough to get the decision. 

"I think I got some dominant positions in the first and second, but he kicked my butt in the third," said Penn.

Penn said he was open to a rematch.

"I guess I wasn't really sure what I would do with my career if I lost the fight," Penn said. "Since the gods were nice to me and gave me a draw, if he wants to do it again, I'll do it again."

Fitch echoed the sentiment, but also expressed some frustration with his position in the division.

"I'm down for whatever. I'm here to fight. If my 13 wins in the UFC isn’t enough to already put me in the spot for a title shot, I'm willing to prove myself more," said Fitch. 

Fitch gave Penn credit for confusing him in the first two rounds. Penn, the smaller fighter with better boxing, was expected to try to keep the fight standing. Instead, he charged forward at the start of the fight and tried to outgrapple the wrestler.

"It just threw me off," said Fitch. "I didn’t train at all for B.J. shooting takedowns. I did zero defensive wrestling this whole camp."

Penn scored takedowns in the first and second, that he turned into threats for a rear-naked choke. Fitch did a great job of defending against the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. In both cases, he fought off Penn and spun into a dominant position. That said, heading to the final 75 seconds of the second round, he was probably headed for a 2-0 deficit. After the second round escape, he capitalized on the top control by pounding away at Penn. Fitch set the tone for the final round and on the Cagewriter scorecard, stole back the second to even the fight.

"I was looking for him to come out, counterbox and counterwrestle," Fitch said. "I wasn’t expecting that at all. It was a great gameplan. It took me until the second round to really catch my groove."

The third round was an absolute blowout. A tired Penn made a terrible tactical error, swinging wildly at Fitch and attempting a flying knee. Fitch took him down easily and pounded away at Penn. The Hawaiian got back to his feet a minute later, but was taken down two more times. That last time spelled doom for Penn, who just couldn't contend with Fitch's size anymore.

This writer scored it 29-27 for Fitch, as did Adam Hill from the Las Vegas Review-Journal. FightMetric also gave it to Fitch 29-27. 

Yasubey Enomoto Mark Epstein Tom Big Cat Erickson Martinsh Egle

UFC 129 Moved Up One Hour; Change to All PPV Start Times Being Considered

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, News

The UFC is quietly contemplating a change to move up the start times of its pay-per-view broadcasts one hour, MMA Fighting has learned.

No final decision has yet been made, though a source in the organization confirmed to MMA Fighting that they are "considering the move for all events."

Two sources confirmed that at least one date will definitely be impacted. The change will be in play for the first time at April's massive UFC 129 event in Toronto, which will take place on April 30. On that night, the pay-per-view telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, one hour ahead of its usual time.

Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo  Kyle Bradley  Jai Bradney  Ebenezer Fontes Braga

Michael Bisping's Team Calls Jorge Rivera's the Most Unprofessional Ever

by Michael David SmithThree days after their fight in the Octagon came to an end, the war of words between Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera, and the respective trainers and managers of both fighters, is still not over.

Bisping and his team at the Wolfslair MMA Academy released a blistering statement about Rivera on Tuesday, ripping Rivera and his "notorious corner man, Matt Phinney" for their conduct before, during and after their fights at UFC 127.

"Let me begin first by saying that in five years of competing in the UFC at every level, we have never encountered a more unprofessional outfit as Jorge Rivera's camp," Anthony McGann of Wolfslair MMA Academy in the statement.

 

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Local Hero Peggy Oki

We're thrilled to hear that Peggy Oki has been named as a "Local Hero" by the Santa Barbara Independent (scroll halfway down the page to see Peggy!).

Peggy has more than earned this honor with her inspiring & enduring support for protecting cetaceans and ocean life, through her Origami Whales Project… An international campaign, aimed at getting the message across to the International Whaling Commission (IWC), to put a stop to the slaughter of whales and the cruelty of commercial whaling in Japan, Norway and Iceland.


Photo: Peggy Oki. Photo by Matt Dayka

You may remember Peggy Oki as the only female member of the legendary Zephyr Skate Team (a.k.a. Z-Boys of Dogtown)…



www.peggy-oki.com

Rich Franklin Ian Freeman Don Frye Tony Fryklund Kazuyuki Fujita

UFC 127 picks, Vegas-style: Can Penn avoid a Fitch decision win?

UFC 127 betting odds (Courtesy Lagasse Stadium): 

B.J. Penn (+160) vs. Jon Fitch (-190) - Welterweight
Jorge Rivera (+240) vs. Michael Bisping (-320) - Middleweight
Denis Siver (+250) vs. George Sotiropoulos (-330) - Lightweight
Brian Ebersole (+240) vs. Chris Lytle (-320) - Welterweight
Chris Camozzi (+150) vs. Kyle Noke (-180) - Middleweight
Spencer Fisher (+120) vs. Ross Pearson (-150) - Lightweight
James Te Huna (+170) vs. Alexander Gustaffson (-200) - Light heavyweight
Riki Fukuda (-130) vs. Nick Ring (Even) - Middleweight
Jason Reinhardt (+170) vs. Tiequan Zhang (-200) - Lightweight
Anthony Perosh (+150) vs. Tom Blackledge (-180) - Light heavyweight
Mark Hunt (+210) vs. Chris Tuchscherer (-270) - Heavyweight
Curt Warburton (+120) vs. Maciej Jewtuszko (-150) - Featherweight

Watch UFC 127 right here on Yahoo! Sports.

Ed Herman Heath Herring Branden Lee Hinkle Tank Abbott

Exclusive pictures from Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson

Check out Tracy Lee's pictures from Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson, including Henderson's knockout punch, Jorge Gurgel's guillotine, Liz Carmouche in full mount and Henderson celebrating, with a championship belt around his waist again. 

Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo  Kyle Bradley  Jai Bradney  Ebenezer Fontes Braga

UFC 127 post-fight news: Bonuses, Bisping and Fitch

UFC president Dana White wasn't at the UFC 127 post-fight press conference, but the main players from the fights were. 

-- The UFC awarded $75,000 bonuses to its top UFC 127 performers: Brian Ebersole and Chris Lytle won Fight of the Night, Kyle Noke won Submission of the Night for his quick choke of Chris Camozzi and Mark Hunt won Knockout of the Night for his nonchalant KO of Chris Tuchsherer. The UFC also announced that Aussie James Te Huna donated his fight purse to Queensland Flood relief.

-- After Bisping erupted after beating Jorge Rivera, White told him to keep his cool. Bisping then commented on a report that Rivera's camp believed that Bisping's illegal knee was intentional. For that and for spitting at Rivera's corner, they thought that Bisping should be suspended.

"Doesn't surprise me. One classless move after another," Bisping said. "The knee wasn't intended. I just threw it too early. He just needs to accept that he's lost and move on."

He did. He got under my nerves. He upset me. He embarrassed me."

Bisping did confirm that he is considering moving to Australia, but also said that he is a prod Englishman.

-- After fighting to a majority draw with B.J. Penn, Jon Fitch said that he was disappointed in his performance and that he wished his title shot was not a question.

Still, Fitch's performance in the third round was impressive. He outstruck Penn 134-0, landing 42 power strikes. 

Dave Gomez Keith Hackney Matt Hamill Volk Han

UFC Officially Signs Jon Olav Einemo

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, News

Jon Olav Einemo is the newest member of the UFC heavyweight roster.

The organization has officially signed the Norwegian big man, a UFC official confirmed with MMA Fighting on Monday. No word just yet on the exact terms of the deal and when he will debut inside the Octagon.

Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida 

MMA overtime: Yay or Nay?

With Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard and Jon Fitch vs. B.J. Penn both going to a draw, a debate has broken out in the MMA world over ties and overtime. Should fights that are scored as draws be given an overtime, sudden death round?

Edgar is on board.

"I think another five-minute round would be perfect," Edgar said. "You go into a fight, you prepare, and you want a decisive outcome. To have to wait another three months and possibly another fight is kind of annoying. I would say another round would be great. You get to figure out who's the winner right then and there.

Edgar had to face a rematch with B.J. Penn after winning the belt in a narrow decision, and now has another one scheduled because of the draw with Maynard.

The positives that Edgar mentioned are obvious. It would give both the fighters and fans a decision that night on who should win. It would also favor fighters who have stronger cardio. 

But it's not a completely perfect idea. For a sport as punishing as MMA, adding a round adds the opportunity for injury. Also, if commissions overseeing MMA in the U.S. were to adopt an overtime rule, would it be just for championship fights in major promotions, like with Edgar and Maynard, or would it extend to all fights? That could be problematic for fighters on smaller shows who don't train full-time.

I'm in favor of using overtime to decide championship bouts that end in a draw, which would mean no rematch for Edgar/Maynard, and that the lightweight belt would get to be tested by a new fighter. However, as Penn/Fitch was not for a belt, it would remain a draw.

It's not all about me, though. What do you think, readers? 

Viacheslav Datsik Marcus Davis  Tony DeSouza  Edwin Dewees 

Dennis Siver Aiming for Submission Against George Sotiropoulos - UFC 127

Dennis Siver Aiming for Submission Against George Sotiropoulos Video by UFC 127

Renzo Gracie Rickson Gracie Rodrigo Gracie Roger Gracie Rolles Gracie

Masvidal kicks off Strikeforce with a decision over Evangelista

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson kicked off with a unanimous decision for Jorge Masvidal, as he won 30-27 on all three judges' cards over Billy Evangelista at Nationwide Arena on Saturday night. 

The fight started slow and didn't ever really improve. Masvidal and Evangelista drew boos from a close first round that saw the first two minutes filled with tentative stand-up. Masvidal took the edge with grappling, but then Evangelisa came out aggressively in the second round. He moved forward, exchanging strikes with Masvidal. They exchanged simultaneous strikes several times. Masvidal scored a takedown, but they quickly returned to their feet. Masvidal showed good movement near the end of the round to avoid Evangelista's strikes, just before eating a few punches.

Masvidal continued to elude Evangelista throughout the third. Evangelista threw several strikes, but had a hard time getting them to actually reach Masvidal. Masvidal used Evangelista's punches to move inside and land body shots.

The crowd in Columbus voiced their disapproval for the bout, as neither fighter really dominated or put on a show. Masvidal used his reach advantage to keep Evangelista at a distance instead of using it to get an overwhelming win. 

Melvin Guillard Cody Guinn Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao

Three Stars from UFC on Versus 3 and Strikeforce: Columbus

In the space of just over 48 hours, the UFC and Strikeforce gave MMA fans 21 fights, with 12 making television. Who really stood out?

No. 1 star -- Dan Henderson: The old man showed that he still has it in a knockout of Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante. At 40, Henderson won his third major MMA title, with his other two coming in Pride. His next goal: to become the first fighter to successfully defend the Strikeforce light heavyweight belt.

No. 2 star -- Brian Bowles: A year after losing his title to Dominick Cruz, Bowles choked out Damacio Page in the exact same time as their first bout. Ring rust and injuries did not seem to matter as his guillotine put Page to sleep. Now, he needs to stay healthy and be able to fight more than once in a year, something he hasn't done since 2008.

No 3 star -- Chris Weidman: Two weeks ago, he was an up-and-comer in New York City MMA, hoping for a shot at the big time. After stepping in at the last minute and a dominating win over Alessio Sakara, Weidman is now an up-and-comer in the UFC. What a difference two weeks makes!

Honorable mention, up-and-comer to watch -- Brian Rogers: Of the Strikeforce local, undercard fighters, Rogers was the one who impressed. He beat Ian Rammel up for most of the first round before notching a TKO at the end of the round. Strikeforce sometimes give contracts to fighters who look good on their undercard -- that's how they found Tyron Woodley. Rogers would be a worthy pick to add to their middleweight division.

Honorable mention, team -- Oklahoma State wrestling: Mark Munoz and Shane Roller, both graduates of the storied OSU wrestling program, notched knockouts on Thursday night. Then, the Cowboys won the Big 12 wrestling title on Saturday. Can they keep the streak going? Johny Hendricks is stepping in for an injured Dennis Hallman at Ultimate Fight Night 24 and the NCAA championships are next week in Philadelphia. Hendricks will face a tough test in T.J. Waldburger while his alma mater will have heavy competition from Cornell, Penn St. and Iowa. 

Honorable mention, lost but still won -- Liz Carmouche: Taking her championship fight on just two weeks notice, Carmouche controlled Marloes Coenen for three rounds before walking into a triangle choke. She needs to improve her striking, as she had full mount twice but couldn't finish Coenen. Still, Carmouche showed that she is one to watch in women's MMA.

Who were your Three Stars? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter. 

Vagam Bodjukyan Kotetsu Boku  Tony Bonello Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo 

Jorge Masvidal Post-Fight vs Billy Evangelista - Jorge Masvidal

Despite a late rally by Billy Evangelista, Jorge Masvidal won by unanimous decision. Showtime Sports and Heidi Androl interview the young Masvidal straight from the cage.

Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz

Bisping TKOs Rivera then asks for apology at UFC 127

After tons of smack talk, the Michael Bisping-Jorge Rivera ended in a TKO win for Bisping, and featured an illegal knee and poor sportsmanship at UFC 127 in Australia.

Bisping made the first effective move, taking down Rivera after a minute but the fight didn't stay on the ground. Bisping got another takedown but as he returned to his feet, Rivera was on two knees, and Bisping threw a clearly illegal knee. The bout was stopped as the doctors tended to a visibly shaken Rivera. The fight was allowed to continue after Rivera said he was OK to continue, and one point was deducted from Bisping's score from the first round.

When the bout started again, Bisping started swinging for the fences, but the strikes weren't effective. His takedowns were. As the round ended, the two started to jaw at each other, echoing their scene at Friday's weigh-ins.

Rivera started the second round by tagging Bisping, who then dropped down to try for a takedown. He couldn't finish it, but he then landed punch after punch. Rivera tried to cover up but he finally fell to the ground, and the fight was stopped at 1:54 in the second.

The drama didn't end there, though. Bisping yelled and spit at Rivera's corner, then yelled at Rivera to apologize and said, "Go home, loser!" as referee Marc Goddard pushed Bisping away from Rivera, who was being tended to by medical personnel. It was an odd show of bad sportsmanship, as fighters generally hug and congratulate each other after their bouts. He backtracked a few seconds later, saying the emotion got to him.

"I apologize. I just got a little worked up, and Jorge touched a few nerves. I'm a sensitive guy," Bisping said. 

Unfortunately, it's hard to tell if Bisping would have won so easily had it not been for the knee, which landed flush on Rivera's face. This fight ups his record to 21-3, and Rivera is now at 19-8, but it's hard not to discount this fight from both fighters' records.

Shinya Aoki  Andrei Arlovski  Ricardo Arona  Noboru Asahi Marcus Aurelio 

Watercolors from Hawaii by Ron Croci

We're proud to announce an exclusive illustrated story by one of our favourite surf artists; Ron Croci… We were alarmed to hear that Ron nearly 'met his end', due to a serious (and sudden) illness on his recent vacation to Hawaii! But we're happy to say he came through it and has shared his story with us in a series of annotated watercolor paintings documenting his near death experience, the unusual effects of morphine and the beautiful Hawaiian islands he enjoyed and surfed up until falling ill…

www.clubofthewaves.com/surf-culture/hawaii-vacation-watercolors.php



www.roncroci.com

Justin Eilers  Jon Olav Einemo Per Eklund Jason Ellis

Marloes Coenen Post-Fight vs Liz Carmouche - Strikeforce

With nothing but respect for Liz Carmouche, the challenger who took her through four tough rounds, Strikeforce women's champion Marloes Coenen talks about defending her belt in a post-fight interview with Heidi Androl and Showtime Sports.

Spencer Fisher Jon Fitch Kenny Florian Jesse Forbes Xavier Foupa Pokam

Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson post-fight press conference notes

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- After the fights were over, the fighters from Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson had plenty to say.

-- "Beating the opponent was the most important thing, and the belt was the cherry on top. But I do like cherries," Dan Henderson said after winning the championship with a knockout of Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante. Though the Strikeforce light heavyweight belt has not yet been successfully defended, Henderson insists he's not supersitious.

He also said that Cavalcante's strength advantage was not a problem.

"All throughout my career in wrestling and MMA, I've learned that it's about technique and position. I've never felt weak against big and strong guys because of that. I'm big on the inside," Henderson said. 

"Henderson is a tough guy. He does what he does well," Cavalcante said.

-- Liz Carmouche impressed the MMA world even in loss, as she took her fight with champion Marloes Coenen on two-weeks notice and still took two rounds from her. Carmouche says that she can't wait to  return to the gym. She also said that she did not tap from the second-round guillotine.

"It was tight, but I wasn't tapping for sure," Carmouche said.

After the fight, Coenen said that she believes that Carmouche will be the champion. Carmouche was touched by the idea.

"I felt like I won for a second. I can't express what that did for me."

-- Marloes Coenen said that she was appreciative of having a referee who let the fight continue, because she felt her bout against Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos was stopped too quickly. When asked if Carmouche's strength was a factor, Coenen answered, "Did you look at her?" 

She also had a short answer on if she'd like another shot at Cyborg. "Definitely."

-- Tim Kennedy called out Robbie Lawler for his next possible opponent, but said that he would like another shot at the Strikeforce middleweight belt, currently held by Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza. 

"Of course I want the title, but I want to fight the best. Strikeforce has the best heavyweights in the world, but we're contenders in the middleweights, with the athlete we have." 

-- Strikeforce announced that Beijing gold medalist in judo Satoshi Ishii has signed with Strikeforce and will fight Apr. 1 on a Strikeforce: Challengers Card. 

Paulo Filho Mirko Cro Cop Filipović Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher

Tito Ortiz Wants to Return Soon, Fight Forrest Griffin for Third Time

Filed under: UFC, News

After pulling out of his main event fight against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira later this month thanks to a training injury, Tito Ortiz said he will be ready to fight again later this spring - and wants a trilogy fight with Forrest Griffin.

Ortiz, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, was scheduled to face Nogueira at the UFC's Fight Night card in Seattle on March 26. But last month, a cut suffered in an accidental sparring headbutt required 22 stitches. On Monday, he told Ariel Helwani on "The MMA Hour" losing training time for an opponent of Nogueira's caliber would be a crucial setback.

"I just got the stitches out at the end of last week, and I'm not able to wrestle for another week and a half," Ortiz said. "I can't take three weeks off and (be prepared) for Nogueira - it's impossible to do. So I had to pull out of the fight."

Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger 

Strikeforce Loses Momentum With Heavyweight Tournament Delay

by Michael David SmithThe great thing about a tournament is that it gets more exciting as it goes along. Whether it's March Madness or Wimbledon or (as we're about to talk about) an eight-man MMA grand prix, each round gets you more enthused about the next.

At least, that's the way it's supposed to work. In the case of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, which began in February and was supposed to continue in April, all the momentum is coming to a screeching halt with the news that it won't continue in April after all. And it won't continue in May, either.

No, Strikeforce has decided that the next two tournament fights, Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers, will take place on June 18. And there goes all the momentum the first tournament event achieved.

 

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Jonathan Goulet Wilson Gouveia Jason Grace Crosley Gracie