LET THERE BE FIGHT

After the Bell: Strikeforce - Henderson vs. Babalu

2010-12-05T23:04:00.004-05:00

I did the live blog of the Strikeforce: Henderson-Babalu card last night for Cage Potato last night, which was highlighted by highlight-reel KOs and not a whole lot of typing on my part. A few impressions:

1) Paul Daley called out KJ Noons and Nick Diaz after thrashing Scott Smith. I think both guys could take out Semtex.

2) Bigfoot Slva is only 6'3"? Anyway, his D'Arce choke was almost as impressive as him surviving the right hand of Mike Kyle that flattened him early in Rd. 1. It seems that Bigfoot isn't just getting by on good looks any more.

3) Robbie Lawler delivers. I'm still surprised that Babalu outpointed him when they fought (and I'm a Babalu fan).

4) I hate to say it, but Matt Lindland hasn't beaten top competition since his 2006 Rampage fight, which he lost...but kind of won.

5) I'd rather see Henderson fight Jacare, Rockhold, or Lawler at 185 (or 195) before Feijao (at 205).

After the Bell: Strikeforce Houston

2010-08-22T19:37:00.008-04:00

I did the live blog over at Cage Potato for last night's Strikeforce event, and in the words of my man Ben Goldstein over at CP, "What a weird night of fights...Strikeforce can't catch a damn break." Some highlights:

1) Gus Johnson + Frank Shamrock = Mauro Ranallo still doesn't stand out.
2) Bobby Lashley isn't nasty enough for the cage.
3) No matter how hard he tries, Jorge Gurgel will never be Wanderlei Silva. His stand-and-bang gameplan is making him the Craig Ehlo of MMA highlight reels.
4) KJ Noons throws a sweet left hook. Elbow up and in, weight on front foot. Beautiful.
5) Jacare did more damage than Tim Kennedy did. He moved better and his hands were faster. The judges got this one right.
6) I think Mousasi would beat Feijao.

Anthony "Showtime" Pettis WEC 50 Interview

2010-08-10T19:39:00.004-04:00

My man "Showtime" is facing Shane Roller next week, hopefully for a title. As one reader commented, "I hope the WEC doesn't f&#k up and give the winner of Varner-Cerrone a title shot instead of the Pettis-Roller winner."

Check out the interview here.

(pic. courtesy of Pettis's Facebook page)

Tim Kennedy Interview

2010-06-08T21:11:00.005-04:00

Tim Kennedy is a really good guy. In fairness, my brother is an Army Ranger, so I might like him even if he were King of the Dicks. But still, he's an easy guy to like.

He's unafraid to stand up for what he believes is right, and for his efforts, he is often labeled self-righteous, arrogant, condescending, whatever else. Truth be told, I'm not one for finger pointing, but when Tim points out something about MMA that needs to be changed, I tend to agree. I'm not necessarily bothered by foul language or hospital brawls, but I can't reallly defend it.

Check out the Q&A over at Cage Potato.

Chael Sonnen Interview

2010-04-15T08:41:00.004-04:00

I did an (unexpectly brief) interview yesterday with top UFC middleweight contender Chael Sonnen for Cage Potato, in which he very plainly stated that Anderson Silva is "insignificant" and the reason that he didn't finish Demian Maia is because he couldn't.

Sonnen also explained that because he's not a "gang banger," the word "respect" is not part of his lexicon.

If you're not entertained or amused by this interview, it's OK. You just didn't get it. Kinda like how some people didn't like No Country for Old Men.

Andrei Arlovski Interview

2010-03-30T15:20:00.007-04:00

I just finished up a Q&A with Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski, the former UFC heavyweight champion who was beating Fedor's ass on January 24, 2009, before attempting a stupid flying knee that left him face-down. (I'm sorry, but that wound just won't heal, it seems.)

Anyway, it was good to hear Arlovski say the following:

- He has "unfinished business to do" in Strikeforce and definitely wants a rematch against Fedor and Brett Rogers.
- His focus is on MMA, not boxing (for now, at least).
- He's been working with Greg Jackson's camp, as well as American Kickboxing Academy.

Check out the whole interview here.

Bellmore Kickboxing's Gian Villante & Keith Trimble

2010-03-28T21:33:00.007-04:00

This is Gianpiero Villante (6-0). A while back I did an interview with the up-and-coming Chris Weidman to get the word out before he makes it to the big-time. Well, Gian's another guy you need to know about.

Gian is the Ring of Combat heavyweight champion and he’ll be fighting for the light-heavyweight belt on April 16. According to Villante’s trainer, Keith Trimble of Bellmore Kickboxing, Gian has caught the attention of UFC pres Dana White. Keith also says that Gian will be trying out for The Ultimate Fighter Season 12.

Stay tuned for more with ROC champion Gian Villante.

Martin Kampmann Interview

2010-03-28T21:26:00.003-04:00

UFC welterweight Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann stopped by Bellmore Kickboxing Academy this weekend, and we did a quick video interview for Cage Potato. Here are some highlights:

- His loss to Paul "Semtex" Daley was stopped early.
- He's never satisfied with a decision win.
- Conducting MMA seminars, he says, is his way of helping out aspiring fighters.

Later on, off camera, he told me that Hardy took a "short cut" to get a title shot against GSP and that GSP should have zero problem with Hardy.

Jay Hieron Interview

2010-03-28T21:15:00.005-04:00

Veteran welterweight and Long Island native Jay Hieron conducted and MMA seminar this weekend at Bellmore Kickboxing Academy, the very cradle of his MMA career. Jay gave me a few minutes before the seminar and discussed negotiations with Strikeforce, coming back to Bellmore Kickboxing, and legalizing MMA in New York.

Then he beat up a thirteen-year-old, Freeport style...

Jake Shields Interview for Cage Potato

2010-03-25T22:10:00.009-04:00

I spoke with Strikeforce middleweight champ and soon-to-be-free agent Jake Shields for a Cage Potato Q&A, and I'm pretty sure this guy's going to wind up in the UFC after his April 17 fight vs. Dan Henderson. Why?

1) Potential Strikeforce opponents at 170 lbs?: "They really didn’t have anyone at 170. That’s part of the reason why I stayed up."

2) Potential Strikeforce opponents at 185 lbs?: "That’s the problem: there’s not a lot of depth in talent."

3) "GSP is a fighter I’ve wanted to fight for years and whether I beat Henderson or lose to him, [GSP] is a fight I definitely want to seek out."

4) Dana White has said that he is going to make a run at Shields, no matter how he does against Hendo.

Jim Miller Interview for Cage Potato

2010-03-09T14:21:00.006-05:00

( photo from Jim Miller's not so recently updated Facebook page.)

I caught up with UFC lightweight - and a growing favorite of mine - Jim Miller for a chat about UFC 111, fighting in front of hometown fans, his training buddy Frankie Edgar, BJ Penn, Gray Maynard, Wanderlei Silva, Gomi's big ol' head, reality TV, Creedence, and some other stuff.

I like Miller. He's polite, easy to deal with, honest, and all he wants to do inside the cage is fight his fight and show that he is dominant. And nothing else is really that important.

Read the entire Q & A over at Cage Potato.

When Good Friends Trade Bad Intentions

2010-03-02T14:46:00.006-05:00

I have a new article up at CagePotato.com about teammates having to fight.

We've all heard (from MMA fans) about whether teammates should fight, under what conditions, and so forth. I always wondered what the fighters themselves thought about it, so I went ahead and asked guys like Matt Lindland, Jake Sheilds, Wilson Gouveia, Mike Pyle, Gray Maynard, and Jim Miller for their take on it.

I also spoke to Evan Dunham and Dan Lauzon. Dunham is facing Xtreme Couture teammate Tyson Griffin at UFC 115, and my boy Dany Lauzon is meeting former training partner Efrain Escudero at UFC 114.

Check out some of the very candid - and possibly surprising - responses I was given over at Cage Potato.

Jake Shields Interview

2010-02-26T09:41:00.004-05:00

I caught up with Strikeforce middleweight champ Jake Shields a little while back for a Full Contact Fighter article.

So how did it come to be that you became a coach on Team Liddell?

“Me and Chuck stayed in touch the whole time since I left [San Luis Obispo Kickboxing Academy]. We stayed friends, and when he found out he was doing the show, we were talking and figured, you know, I could come help the team out.”

What do you feel might set this season of The Ultimate Fighter apart from others?
“I don’t really know what’s going on in the house; I stay out of that and just coach. But I think we have a lot of talent on this season, and I think we’ll see a lot of good, young up-and-comers stick around from this show.”

Before joining as a coach, were you a fan of the show?

“I think [TUF] gives people an inside look at fighting - and in an entertaining way too, showing the [fighters’] lives and all that - so I’m certainly a fan of the show.”

As a Strikeforce champion, did you ever feel that you were in ememy territory, so to speak, while on the set of a UFC show?

“Everything was cool. I know Strikeforce and UFC don’t like each other that much, but I’ve never had any problems with the UFC and Dana [White]. I’ve always been a big fan, and I like Strikeforce I’m a big fan. I didn’t really feel like I was caught in the middle that much.”

So when you're not taping TUF or Bully Beatdown, you also fight -

"Every now and then, yeah."

Dan Henderson, April 17. How'd that come about?

“I think when he signed, it was kinda the logical thing. He’s an ’85-pounder, and he wants a title shot. Fighting a legend will be an honor.”

Have you followed Henderson's career? Are you a fan?

“I’ve been a big Hendo fan for years because I’m coming from a wrestling background. And back before I even fought, I watched him, and I used to always root for all of the wrestlers.”

Do you feel that 185 lbs. is the best weight for you, or do you plan on dropping back down to 170?

“I think I’ll end up dropping back down, and if it weren’t for my good friend Nick Diaz holding the belt below, I’d like to try and hold both [the welterweight and middleweight] belts at once.”

The Cesar Gracie Fight Team has now locked up the Strikeforce lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight belts. What is it about your team that's brought on so much success?

“I think we just train harder. We have the mentality to always train hard and never quit, and it’s been that way for years. We push ourselves to the limit by surrounding ourselves with people who have the same mentality.”

Is there anyone after Henderson you'd like to fight?

“I wouldn’t mind beating the crap out of [Frank] Shamrock, for real, but I don’t really think he’s at the level to fight in the cage anymore, so that might be a waste of time.”

С ДНЁМ РОЖДЕНИЯ , Andrei Arlovski!

2010-02-04T13:36:00.005-05:00

Happy 31st Birthday to Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski.

I normally don't make a habit of spreading birthday cheer to any just fighter, but AA is my man.

When Arlovski started picking up wins in the UFC (against Freeman, Cabbage, Matyushenko), my dad and I sort of adopted him as our favorite, and he's retained that title in my book ever since (alongside Babalu, Wanderlei, and Fedor).

And yes, that is a photo of my Andrei Arlovski Round 5 MMA collectible action figure.

Gold Team Fighters USA

2010-01-29T21:51:00.004-05:00

I wrote this last spring for the April/May 2009 issue of Full Contact Fighter mag.

Gold Rush on the Garden State: The Gold Team Hits NJ
by Matt Kaplan

Jorge “Macaco” Patino’s crew of tough, young, submission-savvy Gold Team fighters has landed and set up camp on American soil, and the East Coast MMA scene has taken notice. The Newark-based camp’s goals are simple and shared freely: “When you think of New Jersey and MMA, Gold Team should automatically come to mind.”

Gold Team Fighters USA may be new to the MMA scene, but its founder certainly is not. A UFC and PRIDE veteran who has fought under the Chute Boxe banner and around the world against top-flight opponents, Jorge “Macaco” Patino is a third-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, a Judo black belt, and a five-time MMA champion in Brazilian. Macaco is a vale tudo superstar in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and has established Gold Team camps in Brazil, Poland, and Japan. With his latest American endeavor, Macaco is primed to enhance his legacy as both a fighter and a trainer before American fight fans.

A renowned grappler, the powerfully built Macaco (Portuguese for "monkey") earned his BJJ black belt from Octavio de Almeida, a sixth-degree black belt and the president of the Sao Paolo State BJJ Federation. Macaco later received his first and second belt stripes from Flavio Behring, and his third from the Carlson Gracie Federation. Macaco is a four-time International Master jiu-jitsu champion, a two-time Mundial de Master champion, and a Brazilian, Pan American, and Gracie Open champion.

Macaco’s BJJ prowess, however, belies his penchant for the knockout; Macaco has reportedly ended 22 of his 45 pro fights with first-round, opening minute knockouts. His victories against Anderson Lima, Gabriel Vella, Paolo de Jesus, and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza for example, are studies in unrequited punishment, and if his relentless, head-hunting style of attack reminds you of, say, countrymen Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, it is not by coincidence.

Impressed by Macaco’s hard-fought victory over Luis Brito in 2003, Chute Boxe founders Rudimar Fedrigo and Rafael Cordeiro called Macao, who at the time was vacationing with his wife on Silveira Beach, and invited him to train with the famed Chute Boxe team that following Monday. Macaco cut short his vacation and packed for Chute Boxe headquarters in Curitiba, where he trained for several months and under whose banner he and several of his Brazilian Gold Team fighters have fought.

By 2007, Macaco had established himself as an MMA institution in Brazil, fighting regularly and overseeing 30 schools and some 6,000 students. In November, 2007, Macaco, along with former pupil Gabriel Gonzaga, traveled to Newark, NJ to corner long-time trainee Thiago Silva against Houston Alexander at UFC 78. Newark has a thriving Brazilian population, and Macaco was approached about opening a gym in the city. Shortly thereafter, Macaco was fortuitously introduced by brown-belt pupil Reubens Lopes to Fred Magalhaes. A year later, when Macaco’s plans to open a gym in Newark with other investors ultimately fell through, he and Fred partnered up, and Gold Team Fighters USA was born in August, 2008.

Today, Magalhaes serves as Gold Team’s manager, and Macaco is building up a stable of
home-grown American fighters. One of Gold Team Fighter USA’s best young talents is 19-year-old lightweight Charles Oliveira da Silva, an Brazilian purple belt champion who also held three MMA belts in Brazil. He has finished all eleven of his MMA opponents, six via submission and five by way of first-round KO. In April, Oliveira made his U.S. debut with an impressive first-round submission win over the heavy-handed Bellmore Kickboxing stand-out Dom Stanco and was crowned USKBA East Coast Lightweight champ. The Gold Team seems to have good reason to expect big things from Oliveira, who has already been offered a four-fight deal with Bellator Fighting Championship.

Another one of Gold Team's brightest stars is perhaps its smallest: female 135-pounder Vanessa Porto (8-3 MMA). The 25-year-old native of Jau, Brazil brings to the ring a dangerous submission game and a tenacious, entertaining style. Early in her career, Porto went the distance with Cristiane Cyborg, despite giving up nearly 20 pounds to the Chute Boxe wrecking machine. According to Richard Weling, GTFUSA's marketing/sponsorship manager, big fights are on the horizon for Porto, including a potential June 5 meeting with Tara Larosa of Philadelphia Fight Factory and a scheduled July 25 meeting on the Shine Fight Promotions card with American Top Team's Ediane "India" Gomes, who, as coincidence would have it, earned her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Macaco. Joining Porto at the upcoming Shine event is Macaco’s top training partner Flavio Alvaro, a former Rio Heroes bare-knuckle champ who will face Jean "The White Bear" Silva in Miami on July 25.

Since its inception in August, the GTFUSA gym has enrolled 100 students and is growing strong, thanks in large part to Macaco's passion for BJJ and a method of instruction designed for anyone looking for high level training, even those with no real desire to climb into the ring. The 5,000-sqare-foot GTFUSA gym in Newark offers a full cage, daily MMA classes, daily BJJ classes, and no-gi training twice a week. In the coming months, Macaco hopes to bring in someone from his Chute Boxe days to serve as a Muay Thai instructor. Until then, Macaco and company are preparing for the opening of a new 4,000-square-foot facility in Caldwell, NJ.

With an abundance of reputable MMA and BJJ instruction available to those in the NY/NJ metropolitan area, what sets GTFUSA apart from the others, one student says, is the gym's crowned jewel: Macaco himself. In addition to an MMA career that has pitted him against some of the sport's toughest combatants (Pat Miletich, Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons, Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza) and an astounding list of BJJ accomplishments, the 36-year-old Macaco is still very much a fighter. In fact, he is training for a July 25 fight against UFC and Meca Vale Tudo veteran Roan Carniero as part of the Shine Fight card in Miami.

"Macaco's not one of these guys who gets his black belt and then sits back and makes money off of what he accomplished years ago. He's on the mat every day," explains Weling, himself a student under Macaco. "He always says that you get on the mat, and sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But what counts at the end of the day, he always says, is that you just get out there on the mat."

Jim Miller Interview

2009-12-30T16:01:00.009-05:00

(photo from FCFighter.com)

I caught up with probably the best UFC lightweight that (practically) no one talks about, Jim Miller.

He's 17-2 and has lost only to the undefeated Gray Maynard and to Frankie Edgar back in '06 when the two fought for the Reality Fighting 155-lb. championship.

And he and I have the same red Full Contact Fighter shorts. No biggie...

Anyway, it's tough not to root for a guy like Miller.

Battle Tested Jim Miller Welcomes “Bang” Ludwig Back to the UFC
by Matt Kaplan

Jim Miller is not your typical Spartan.

He was never left out in the woods or bathed in wine so that his elders could determine how tough he is. He’s never kept Messenians as agricultural slaves to farm his land, and he’s never killed a Helot for the fun of it. He doesn’t even wear a Thracian helmet, for crying out loud.

Nonetheless, Miller (17-2) - a native of Sparta, NJ – carries with him into his battle the same seriousness of purpose and tireless fighting spirit as those great ancient combatants.

It should come as no surprise, therefore, that after two opponent cancellations and one entire day of delayed air travel, the 26-year-old heads into his UFC 108 match-up against knockout artist Duane “Bang” Ludwig undaunted.

The heavy-handed Ludwig (19-9), a late replacement for the injured Sean Sherk, last fought in the Octagon nearly four years ago, when he knocked out Jonathan Goulet in a jaw-dropping, although unofficial, four seconds.

Ludwig may not have the name recognition of the popular Tyson Griffin – Miller’s originally scheduled opponent - or Sherk, a former UFC champion, but he is every bit as dangerous.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for him,” Miller was quick to offer. “He’s fought a lot of the best guys from all over the world – and done well.”

“I was really excited to fight Tyson…He’s a great fighter and I was really excited to get in there and mix it up, to be honest,” Miller said when asked about the assembly line of opponents that has led up to this weekend.

What particularly excited Miller was Griffin’s fight against Hermes Franca back at UFC 103. Griffin impressively stopped Franca in Round Two with strikes, and Miller was drawn to the idea of a fight with Griffin, a five-time Fight of the Night Award winner.

“I try to fight the toughest guys that I can,” Miller said. “When I do lose, it’s to a tough guy. I’m not going to go in there and give up against someone. They’re going to have to take it from me.”

So far, the only two men to have taken victory from Miller have been the undefeated Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar, both of whom find themselves at the head of the pack of lightweight title contenders.

“I think I’ve earned the right to fight the top contenders. I don’t really know where a win [over Ludwig] puts me,” admitted Miller. “He’s a tough guy, a great striker. It’s just another win that gets me closer to my goal, and that’s being at the top.”

To get to the top, Miller faces a unique set of skills in Ludwig, who presents a vastly different style of attack than Maynard, Edgar, Griffin, or Sherk. Nonetheless, preparing for a world-renowned striker like Ludwig has been seamless for Miller and his AMA Fight Club training partners, despite previously having two wrestlers in the crosshairs.

“When I train for a fight, I’m training, basically, to get myself better,” Miller explained. “Maybe I’ll prepare for certain situations that may come up in the fight, but I’m just trying to get better overall. So there really wasn’t that much of a change – maybe a little change in the way that my training partners react; if I throw a combo, maybe they’d shoot in, but now they circle away.”

Miller relies on those AMA Fight Club training partners much in the same way that the ancient Spartan soldier counted on the men in his enomotia. Miller recognizes the value of AMA being made up of mostly hungry, home-grown New Jersey fighters and credits much of his success to his training partners.

“Everybody’s there to help each other. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard of some of these other big schools where it’s every man for himself. Everyone’s trying to be number one. We all get along really well, and we’re all trying to help everyone get better. We all understand that without the other guys training with you, you’re not going to be who you are. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the group of guys that I have back in New Jersey.”

As a former Cage Fury Fighting Championship and Reality Fighting title holder, Miller has been to the top of the proverbial mountain, but neither championship gold nor widespread acclaim compel him to keep working as hard as he does.

“For me, the most important thing is fighting my best and fighting to my potential. Winning is kind of secondary. If I fight the way I know I can fight, it should be over quickly,” Miller said in true Spartan form. “I’d rather fight hard and end up losing than fight like a sissy and win.”

Matt Lindland Interview

2009-12-15T20:06:00.010-05:00

Strikeforce's newest middleweight, Matt "The Law" Lindland, talked with me a few days ago for a Full Contact Fighter article. (Such a lovely man.)

Lindland Adjusts to Evolution of MMA, Prepares for Jacare
by Matt Kaplan

The MMA landscape in 2009 has been an unpredictable, often bloody, and relatively lawless frontier. But not for long.

Matt “The Law” Lindland (21-6), the veteran middleweight and former Greco-Roman wrestling Olympic silver medalist, will make his Strikeforce debut against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu maven Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (10-2-1) on Saturday, December 19, in San Jose, CA.

Lindland fought just once in 2007, once again in 2008, and most recently back in January – nearly 11 months ago – when he was stopped by the rejuvenated fists of hard-hitting UFC middleweight Vitor Belfort at Affliction’s swan song.

“It’s been basically contractual issues” that have kept Lindland inactive, he told FCF. “With my new contract with Strikeforce, I should be able to get in three fights in the next twelve months.”

With the first of those three fights just days away, Lindland maintained that “[e]verything seems to be right near where I need it to be” when asked about his camp. The 39-year-old recognizes the leaps and bounds that MMA has taken since the days of him battling Murilo Bustamante for the UFC middleweight strap, and so as not to have sport pass him by, he’s had to adapt.

“The sport’s constantly evolving; fighters are getting better and better, and the sport is getting to be a deeper pool of athletes. So you’re going to have more good guys, especially in that middle weight. You’ve got to constantly be adjusting to all the new talent coming out, and you’ve got to be adjusting your training to what’s new, what’s working.”

What’s working for Lindland, he said, is Nike SPARQ training, which focuses “more dynamic speed and agility training.” Happy with the SPARQ trainers and its overall approach, Lindland has brought the SPARQ philosophy over to Team Quest. “That’s been a big evolution to what we’ve been doing,” he said.

Still, Lindland relies on his wrestling strengths and cage experience, which he sees as a definite advantage over Jacare, a former Abu Dhabi Combat Club and two-time World Jiu-Jitsu champion.

“I certainly think I have the experience in MMA; I was doing MMA when he was just still grappling. I feel that the clinch and takedowns are an advantage on my side, and obviously on the ground he’s got the advantage with submissions.”

“This is a tough opponent for sure,” Lindland maintains. “I don’t think he has a huge name here in the United States, but anybody that really follows the sport knows who he is, how tough he is.”

In Lindland and Jacare, Strikeforce has added two more dangerous 185-pounders to its already talented middleweight stable. Lindland recognizes the competitiveness of his new division and embraces Strikeforce’s depth at 185.

“Pretty much anybody in that weight class is a good opponent,” Lindland said of a weight class that includes the likes of Jake Shields, Robbie Lawler, Scott Smith, Cung Le, Tim Kennedy, Cyborg Santos, Joey Villasenor, and “Mayhem” Miller, just to name a few. “Those are the type of guys I’d like to fight.”

“Nobody’s going to dispute that [middleweight]’s Strikeforce’s deepest division, and it looks to be getting even deeper with the signing of Dan Henderson,” said Lindland of his long-time teammate and corner man.

“Who knows if he’s going to fight at 205 against guys like [Gegard] Mousasi or if he’s going to want to go up and try and take on Fedor. I’ve heard he has interest in that,” Lindland mentioned. FCF has learned that the “interest” in a potential fight with Fedor has been expressed by Henderson himself.

“Who knows where they’ll use Dan but he can make (185), and he just makes that weight class even deeper.”

As for UFC president Dana White’s assertion that he “let” Henderson sign with Strikeforce, Lindland doesn’t believe it to be an altogether outrageous claim.

“I think there’s probably a little truth in that statement in the fact that if Dana were to make an offer that Dan’s going to turn down, then I think he basically, you know, didn’t sight him... Dan’s looking at this as a business, and the best business move, he’s going to take.”

It seems that Henderson did in fact take the best offer, and with a few wins at 185 lbs., he may very well find himself in striking distance of the middleweight championship, possibly gunning for the same prize as his good buddy Matt Lindland. Could Henderson vs. Lindland be on the horizon?

“I don’t think that’s something either one of us are anticipating or looking forward to, but I don’t want to rule out anything. I think it would have to be worth our while for both of us to do it, and I just don’t know if anyone really wants to see that fight. If that was something the fans were dying to see, and we could each make a lot of money doing it, that would have to be something we’d discuss.”

Mike Pyle Interview

2009-09-09T09:04:00.005-04:00

Mike Pyle broke down the Xtreme Couture camp for me in a recent FCFighter interview. I gave the label, he provided the name.

Here are some of them:

- Funniest: "That’d be me."
- Most likely to cut a rap album: "Jay Heiron. Because he’s black."
- Best dancer: "Me again"
- Worst driver: "Martin Kampmann."
Coolest Nickname: "Martin Kampmann. The Hitman is just cool."
- Most Stylish: "Jay Hieron. He’s always got his diamonds on and shit. He’s gotta be GQ all the time, that kid."
- You’d least like to spar with: "Ray Sefo"
- Best reality show subject: "Me"
- Most likely to appear on Dancing with the Stars: "Randy [Couture]"
- Worst smelling: "Martin Kampmann. He’s a stinky Dane. His training
gear stinks. I don’t know what it is…"

Some, however, might disagree with Pyle's choice for the last category. This is from a four-part Xtreme Couture Blog series on Freeport, NY's finest, Jay Hieron:

"We had a lot of good times in the IFL, (Mike) Pyle and I. At one of the events we were at, the commission guys were watching us wrap our hands and everyone just started farting. Mike has the worst farts ever. Anyone who knows him knows that that is true. He should be in the Guiness Book of World Records for stinkiest farts. I’d bet my next purse that no one has worse farts. Bas had a towel over his face the whole time. It stank in that locker room. It got so bad at one point the commission guys had to leave the room. We were wrapping our hands with nobody watching. We could have put brass knuckles in our gloves. Of course we didn’t, we just wrapped our hands up right and went out and did our business."

That's amazing.

Anyway, my article's below.

A More Prepared Mike Pyle Ready to Test “The Professor”
by Matt Kaplan

In his ten-year MMA career, Mike “Quicksand” Pyle has fought around the world, competing against and beside some of the top competition in the sport. He’s one of three fighters to hold a win over Jon Fitch, his first pro MMA fight ended in a close decision loss to the much larger Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and he’s seen victory in the IFL, WEC, Elite-XC, and Affliction.

What the veteran hopes to add to his already impressive MMA resume is a win inside the Octagon. Today, Pyle finds himself closer than ever to achieving that goal as he is just days away from taking on Chris “The Professor” Wilson on September 16 at Ultimate Fight Night 19.

“He doesn’t bring anything super unique to the table,” said a confident Pyle.

“He’s a tough guy. He’s well-rounded. He went three rounds with [Jon] Fitch, and the other fight the went with [John] Howard, he went the distance. So I’m prepared to go the distance.”

UFN 19 will mark the second time Pyle and Wilson are involved in the same fight. Back at UFC 98, Pyle stood in for Wilson, also an IFL veteran, against former WEC standout Brock Larson, who submitted Pyle in the first round. Pyle still agonizes over that fight, which was his UFC debut, and told FCF emphatically that if he could re-do any fight in his career, his loss to Larson would be that fight.

“I guess there was a little bit more of me wanting to win [in the UFC], but it was difficult for me because of the situation I was in.

“It was a week notice and I was 23 lbs. over[weight]. I had a week for that fight; that’s all I had. I had a very bad weight cut, and I had no strength or energy for that fight. I wasn’t myself.

“Nothing against Brock; he beat me fair and square, and that’s all there is to it,” Pyle conceded. “I’m not taking anything away from him; he’s a great athlete, but that fight would never go that same way again if I had my training camp like I have now for this fight.”

Preparations for Wilson, Pyle says, have been “business as usual” at the Xtreme Couture gym. Pyle and teammate Gray Maynard are both fighting at UFN 19, and Pyle said that being part of a team laden with UFC stars is an added asset.

“The way we work together as a team is great – for whatever organization. But maybe just the morale of knowing, ‘Hey, we’re all in the UFC,’ we’ve all got to really make sure that we’re staying in shape, and it helps to give a little more fire.”

Parabéns a você, Babalu Sobral

2009-09-07T18:59:00.010-04:00

Veteran light heavyweight and friend to Let There Be Fight Renato "Babalu" Sobral turns 35 today.

Some fighters approach MMA as a sport, others as a fight; you decide where Babalu falls. Below is an excerpt from an interview I had with him recently about Gegard Mousasi:

“‘I wanna knock Babalu out! I wanna hurt him every round!’” Babalu said, mocking Mousasi in a nasal falsetto. “Yeah, just like I want to do! He can ask David Heath about that.”

Tim Kennedy Interview

2009-08-27T21:26:00.012-04:00

Tim Kennedy Gunning for Cummings…for Now
by Matt Kaplan

When Strikeforce middleweight and Bronze Star recipient Tim Kennedy squares off with Zak Cummings in the Strikeforce Challengers main event on September 25, he’ll be doing so as a full-time mixed martial artist for the first time in his career.

“For the past few years, I’ve kind of been playing catch-up with everyone else in the industry, but now I actually get to train!”

On June 19, after being eighteen months away from MMA competition, the popular Strikeforce middleweight answered any lingering questions about ring rust by facing dangerous veteran Nick “The Goat” Thompson.

“I had to fight a very conservative, no-mistake game plan. That was my first fight back, and I couldn’t make any mistakes.”

And he didn’t. After escaping a first-round kimura attempt from Thompson, Kennedy (10-2) dominated the pace and positioning, mounted Thompson, and overwhelmed him with punches in Round Two.

A dominant Kennedy was then slated to face Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, but the Chute Boxe middleweight was scratched from the fight after suffering a knee injury in training.

“I was excited to fight Cyborg. Stylistically, it was a really great match-up for me, and there’s not really an area I think he could have beaten me in. So I’m disappointed [not to have] a better fight with a better known opponent with a better style match-up, but like I’ve said all along, I’m so excited to fight, that I really don’t care.”

Cummings (10-0) certainly does not have the name recognition of Cyborg, but Kennedy sees Cummings as having a more complete set of skills than the Brazilian.

“It’s definitely my fight to lose. I’m going from a name that everyone knows to somebody that almost no one knows that I think is actually more dangerous of a fighter.”

“I think he’s a real balanced all-around MMA guy,” Kennedy explained, referring specifically to Cummings’ wrestling, dirty boxing, and heavy left hand. “So I think it makes for a good match-up and a good fight.”

Kennedy’s focus is on Cummings, but he already has other middleweights lined up in his crosshairs.

“There are a lot of 185 match-ups that I’d like to get my hands on, and by no means is the list short of opponents. I’d love to see Cung Le; I love that match-up.”

Another enticing match-up for Kennedy - perhaps one with less “love” - could help the Army Ranger settle an old score.

Two years ago, Jason “Mayhem” Miller won a decision over Kennedy, handing Kennedy his first loss since his pro debut in 2001. Even though Kennedy already holds a win over Mayhem, he has not quite in connection to gotten over his loss to the colorful veteran whose name has been tossed around in connection to a fight against Jake Shields for the Strikeforce Interim Middleweight Championship.

“While I’ll be rooting for Jake Shields because Jake Shields is my buddy, I would love if Jason had the belt and I could go in there and stomp him and put an exclamation to the fact that unless he cheats, he’ll never beat me.

“If he loses to Jake and he doesn’t have the belt, I’ll fight him anyways. I don’t care.”

“That last fight,” Kennedy explained, “I was destroying him for two rounds, and then at the end of the second round I got cut. From then on, I was spilling blood out of my eyes, and the last round and a half was really crap. I went from completely destroying him in the first fight, and now he has a decision win over me, which just blows my mind now.

“So I want to straighten that out. It’s not like I have a vendetta or don’t like the guy. I just want to make it clear that that was not a win.”

And what Kennedy ultimately hopes to make even clearer is his unwavering support of his country and his military brethren, both of which he embraces more than the sport in which he is adored by fans across America.

Kennedy speaks much more passionately about programs like Ranger Up, Soldier’s Angels, and Wounded Warrior than he does about capturing championship gold.

“All of my best friends are in Afghanistan or Iraq right now. Every one of them. The company that I was in was just deployed overseas. It’s literally like torture when I go every single day and look at updates. I have access to what’s going on, and I’m just praying that I don’t see one of their names on the Wounded or Casualty list. And every day I’m looking.

“I hope – and this is one of the things I’ve hoped for a long time – to be in a position to have a pulpit to stand on and have an audience that I can speak to and say, ‘Look, these are real heroes.’”

Gray Maynard Interview

2009-08-14T21:43:00.008-04:00

Gray "The Bully" Maynard is one of the best guys I've ever spoken to. His manner of speaking kinda reminded me of Randy Couture. Below are my favorite parts of our interview for Full Contact Fighter.

I asked him how Gina Carano, herself an Xtreme Couture fighter, will do against Cris Cyborg tomorrow night:

"Hopefully good. She’s a cool chick. I mean…uh…I don’t train…uh...I don’t know."

Fair enough. Here's the article:

Gray Maynard Looking to Finish Roger Huerta
by Matt Kaplan

When Kenny Florian shouted, “Who wants to see fights finished at 155?” after thrashing Alvin Robinson at UFC 73, he was of course speaking rhetorically, but he got his point across. Instead of letting the fight go to the judges, Florian ends it. After all, that’s what fans want to see.

Finishing fights is also what UFC lightweight and former Michigan State wrestling All-American Gray “The Bully” Maynard (7-0-1) wants to see, especially from himself, and especially against Roger Huerta (20-2-1) at UFC Fight Night on September 16.

This, however, may be hard for some to believe.

The reality of fight crowds wanting - and sometimes demanding - to be thrilled is undeniable, and while Maynard’s strength, conditioning, and superior wrestling have won him fights, they haven’t won him the reputation of a finisher.

In his last four contests, Maynard soundly defeated Dennis Siver, Frank Edgar, Rich Clementi, and Jim Miller, but to the vexation of some, Maynard has not finished a fighter in nearly two years. Of his seven pro wins, five have come by way of judges’ favor, including his last four.

But this is not by design. Maynard’s objective, every time he climbs into the cage, he said, is to finish fights.

“Of course you want to finish [the fight]. I see a lot of people trying to end it and gas out, or I see a lot of people have KOs and stuff like that, and they’re just swinging. I think [that against] a lot of guys at the weight class, it’ll be hard to end it. I don’t see too many KOs or tap outs because there are so many tough guys.

“You’ve got Diegos, Clays, Diazes, Joe Daddys, Penns, Edgars. You’re not going to end it, and if you try to, you’re gonna open up, and you’re gonna get KO’d. You’ve got to play it smart.”

Under the tutelage of master strategist and former UFC champion Randy Couture, Maynard has undoubtedly fought smart; by playing to his strengths he has nullified his opponents’ best offensive weapons. Still, fans aren’t exactly drooling over the undefeated Xtreme Couture lightweight.

It seems that playing it smart has resulted in Maynard being pinned with the unenviable “wet blanket” or “lay and pray” labels, the polar antitheses to the exciting styles of a “Fight of the Night” lightweight like Diego Sanchez or Clay Guida. Or even Roger Huerta.

In Roger “El Matador” Huerta, Maynard will meet an aggressive, all-or-nothing crowd favorite, an MMA cover boy whom fans expect to take the proverbial bull – or in this case, bully – by the horns.

Huerta first captivated MMA fans in 2007 with a three-round slugfest against Leonard Garcia, then with punishing TKO wins over Douglas Evans and grappling whiz Alberto Crane, and later that year with a stunning, come-from-behind submission win over Clay Guida.

“He’s a guy that people love. He brings it…He’s had some pretty good scraps. Technically, he hasn’t changed too much, but he’s got heart, and that’s huge. He’s a tough kid and he keeps going.

“I’m training to go in there and whoop [Huerta’s] ass. But if it turns into a war, I’ll be prepared to do that. I train hard. I’m not trying to have it close. That’s not me.”

Thanks in large part to his work with Xtreme Couture boxing coach Gil Martinez, Maynard has added to his offensive repertoire a formidable striking game, as evidenced in his UFC 96 fight against Jim Miller. If that fight showed the MMA world anything, it’s that Maynard is more than just a wrestler.

“I don’t want it to be close at all. With anyone, Huerta, whoever,” he maintained. “I can’t believe it when I hear, ‘Oh, this is gonna be a great fight, an absolute war. It’s gonna be back and forth.’ I’m not training to do that.”

The Maynard-Huerta fight will be the last fight on Huerta’s UFC contract, one he’s chosen not to renew. As for Maynard, he hopes that he – not the judges – will send Huerta packing.

“I’m not going to have a bloody war or just a great scrap,” said an emphatic Maynard. “I’m going to beat him up.”

Spoken like a true bully.

(photo from myspace.com/graymaynard)

Strikeforce/M-1 Conference Call: Lost in Translation?

2009-08-07T20:12:00.006-04:00

This was, by the way, the strangest conference call ever. Vadim was missing half the time, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker got disconnected a few times, a car alarm kept going off, and Fedor didn't get too many questions.

I met these two a few years back when Fedor signed with M-1, hence the pics. Fedor was great. Vadim haunts my dreams.

Vadim:

"The UFC didn’t give us any chance to develop."

"Nothing special was offered to Fedor and M-1 during negotiations with the UFC."

"Whom does Dana White consider to be the best fighters? The fighters who have a record of 4-1?" (He means you, Brock.)

"Fedor would make the UFC famous outside the U.S."

Fedor:

(on his next opponent) "I don't need, really, good fighters because in my last two fights, I think I have really great opponents."

"The UFC does not have the proper attitude toward fighters. They do not consider fighters to be normal people, human beings."

(on potential Brock Lesnar fight) "I really feel very sorry for my fans, but I think that I also deserve some respect, and I also deserve that my personal interests are taken into consideration."

And here, ladies and gents, is the best line of the call...

"Everything I don't like, Vadim tries to stand for."

Dan Lauzon Interview II

2009-08-07T19:53:00.005-04:00

I caught up with UFC lightweight Dan "The Upgrade" Lauzon for a Full Contact Fighter interview. He's definitely excited to be back in the UFC and fighting on the same card as Vitor Belfort, his favorite fighter of all time, but part of him is still pissed about not being able to fight Chris Horodecki.

Dan Lauzon Joins His Hero at UFC 103
by Matt Kaplan

Dan Lauzon is living a dream. Again.

Not long ago, the 21-year-old lightweight was ready to face Chris Horodecki on August 1 at Affliction “Trilogy.” In fact, he was hoping to finish off Horodecki quickly so he could grab a seat, kick back, and cheer on Vitor Belfort, his MMA hero, against Jorge Santiago. Unfortunately, with the sudden collapse of Affliction as an MMA promotion, it seemed Lauzon had lost out on the opportunities to face Horodecki and watch Belfort fight in person.

But with Affliction dead and buried, Lauzon (12-2) is back in the UFC - he last appeared at UFC 64 – and, in the first fight of his new four-fight deal, will be taking on Rafaello Oliveria (8-1) at UFC 103 on September 19 in Dallas.

“(The UFC) is the number one place I’ve always wanted to fight, ever since I was little. When I first started training, I dreamed of fighting in the UFC. And then doing it when I was 18, and battling back and getting another opportunity, being older, more mature, and mentally and physically so much better than I was before. I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

A major benefit of being back in the UFC, Lauzon offered, is the stability of the world’s premier MMA promotion, something that he has come to fully appreciate.

“It’s great to get to work with a company that doesn’t have so many problems. With Affliction, you know, it was tough to get motivated for fights because you never knew what was going to happen…Unprofessional. Being a new show, there were a lot of ups and down, noting was ever really finalized. But with the UFC, nothing like that is ever going to happen.”

And making Lauzon’s Octagon return even better is that it puts him, once again, on the same card as Vitor Belfort, who will face Rich Franklin in the main event.

“He’s my favorite fighter, so I’m just stoked – again! – to be on the same card as him…I don’t care who he’s fighting, I think he’s gonna win. And I hope he wins every time.”

Lauzon may be excited for Belfort, but his focus remains on Oliveira.

“His stand-up doesn’t really look like it’s too good. It doesn’t really look like he wants to stand with people…It looks like he throws a one-two, one-two, gets in on the guys’ legs, and gets top position. You can tell his jiu-jitsu is good if you watch him fight. He’s got a pretty good ground-and-pound. I think I have to use my hands, exploit his stand-up a little, and I’d like to get top position on him.

“I think he’s pretty well-rounded, and I think I’m well-rounded. It’s going to come down to who’s more aggressive. He’s an aggressive guy, and when you fight an aggressive guy, you’ve got to get off first, be the first to strike.

“It’s gonna be good. There’ll be fireworks. I’m stoked to be fighting somebody from BJ (Penn)’s camp because I have so much respect for BJ…He’s the man, he’s the best, so I’m very excited to fight somebody he thinks so highly of.”

But even with a new deal with the world’s premier MMA promotion and the chance to fight in the same stable as his brother Joe and the great Vitor Belfort, Lauzon admitted to being a little frustrated over not being able to fight Horodecki; the two were scheduled to fight three times already.

Lauzon said that Horodecki was considered as an opponent for him at 103, but the young Canadian never signed with the UFC. Lauzon offered his theory why.

“I don’t really think he wants to fight in the UFC yet. He’s had one fight inside a cage in his 15 fights, and I just think a cage is really bad for his style. It’s much easier to get taken down in a cage. If somebody gets you against that, Horodecki wouldn’t be able to escape under the ropes or hold on to the ropes like he likes to do…I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Renato "Babalu" Sobral Interview

2009-07-29T22:26:00.009-04:00

After numerous attempts, I finally got to speak with Strikeforce LHW champ Babalu Sobral, one of my Top 5 all-time favorites, for a Full Contact Fighter article about his August 15 title fight against Gegard Mousasi.

Check out the part at the every end (bolded).

Babalu Still Ready for Mousasi, This Time for the Belt
by Matt Kaplan

Babalu/Mousasi, take two!

To the delight of MMA fans around the world, the Renato “Babalu” Sobral vs. Gegard Mousasi fight has resurrected from the ashes of the Affliction demise and was given new life by Strikeforce, which added the fight to its August 15 “Carano vs. Cyborg” card. FCF caught up with the inimitable Strikeforce light heavyweight champion to discuss, among other things, the fight against Mousasi that almost never happened.

“When the (Affliction) fight was cancelled, it was like a death in the family,” Babalu (35-8) explained. “We didn’t know what to do, we didn’t know where we were going. You don’t know anything one day, and then it changed.”

“I was at the top of my training (for Affliciton). It’s like a piece of meat; if you put it on the grill too much, it’s gonna burn; if you cook it not enough, it’s too rare. So we had to put the meat on the side of the grill and get the timing right.”

The cancellation of the Affliction “Trilogy” card - and the subsequent demise of Affliction as an MMA promotion – was not only a professional disappointment for Babalu, but at the center of the fallout was veteran heavyweight Josh Barnett, a friend of Babalu’s.

“That’s a very new thing - for me - from the (California State Athletic) Commission, to test whenever. They never asked me to do any tests, so I don’t really have any thoughts about (Barnett’s test results). That’s what it is, though. (Barnett) has already paid; he’s out, he lost his chance. He’s a friend of mine. I’ll support him and be there for him. But he’s already had to pay.”

Babalu does not dwell on the sudden, disappointing termination of the Affliction event, preferring instead to devote all of his energy to taking on the dangerous Mousasi. And this time, a championship is on the line.

“I didn’t have my belt on the line (for the Affliction fight), but I had my head on the line. My head is the same. There’s actually extra motivation for both of us.”

The 23-year-old Mousasi (25-2-1) comes into this fight riding a twelve-fight winning streak, including a 2008 campaign that saw him win the Dream Middleweight Championship and the Dream Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament, defeating Denis Kang, Dong Sik Yoon, Melvin Manhoef, and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in the process. Also last year, he submitted Mark Hunt in the opening round of Dream’s Super-Hulk Grand Prix Tournament.

“He’s well-rounded,” said an unenthusiastic Babalu. “Everyone says that he is the new thing in MMA, the new hybrid. But I already am a hybrid. ”

It’s no secret that Babalu will be ready to fight on the ground, and to combat the Dutch-Armenian’s striking prowess, Babalu is fighting fire with fire by training with Rob Kaman, whom Babalu refers to affectionately as “the craziest Dutchman in the world.” He has also been training with former heavyweight boxer Justin Fortune. Consequently, Babalu’s striking, as evident in his recent fights with Mike Whitehead and Bobby Southworth, is markedly more efficient, technical, and effective than it had been in years past.

But even with an upgraded arsenal of strikes, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and national wrestling champion definitively and proudly offers his plan for victory: “By submission.”

Any submission in particular? “Whichever,” he laughed, “because I know almost all of them.”

Since battering and choking David Heath unconscious with an anaconda choke back at UFC 74 (and then being fined and released from the UFC for not relinquishing the choke upon referee’s command), Babalu has gone 4-0, most recently submitting judo expert Thierry Sokoudjou at Affliction II. He has enjoyed victory in 15 of his last 17 fights and, at just 33 years of age, appears to have plenty of fight left in him. Not necessarily, says Babalu.

“It’s hard right now to say. Let me finish (the four remaining fights on my Strikeforce contract) and see how I feel after. I don’t want to be fighting for a long time after that,” Babalu admitted.

He added with a laugh, “No more running, no more lifting weights, no more shit like this; just yoga, swimming, and jiu jitsu.”

Until Babalu hangs up his gloves for good, he has a champion to fight, a title to defend, and a crowd to thrill on August 15 in San Jose. And adding to the intensity surrounding this highly anticipated match-up is a particular comment by Mousasi that has not been sitting well with Babalu.

Mousasi said in an interview that Babalu is looking to submit Mousasi, whereas Mousasi is looking to hurt Babalu. The Gracie Barra Combat Team representative responded with a wry chuckle.

“‘I wanna knock Babalu out! I wanna hurt him every round!’” Babalu said, mocking Mousasi in a nasal falsetto. “Yeah, just like I want to do! He can ask David Heath about that.”

(photo from Babalu's MySpace page.)

Wilson Gouveia Interview

2009-07-28T21:31:00.007-04:00

After his morning workout, Wilson Gouveia unwound by talking to yours truly during his drive home from the ATT gym. Wilson is taking on James "The Sandman" Irvin at UFC 102 , and while he's not looking past Irvin, he kinda has his sights set on someone else. (Here's a hint: Michael Bisping)

Wilson Gouveia Focused on James Irvin and Beyond
by Matt Kaplan

Wilson Gouveia is back in line. And he’s fine with it.

After being TKO’d in spectacular fashion by Nate Marquardt at UFC 95, the 30-year-old Brazilian middleweight took a month off, licked his wounds, hit the gym, and is set to return to the Octagon on August 28 to take on James “The Sandman” Irvin at UFC 102 in Portland, OR.
A win over Marquardt could have potentially put Gouveia (12-6) at the forefront of the 185-pound championship landscape. Instead, the loss made him the unenvied star of Marquardt’s greatest highlight clip. Gouveia’s certainly not bitter about the loss, but he hasn’t forgotten it.
“I was right there. That’s what happens when you lose: you go back in line. That’s what I have to do now: get a couple of more wins, show my potential.

“Everybody knows that Nate is a tough guy. He’s one of the toughest middleweight fighters in the world. I fought hard, gave it everything I had, but I think I was lost a little bit in my emotions. I was trying too hard to knock him out, and at the end, I was putting my head down too much. But I have to learn from my mistakes and try to be a better fighter.”

Gouveia’s talent has been a topic of discussion since he first entered the UFC. He has been acknowledged by many as the most talented fighter in the star-studded American Top Team stable, to which he credits much of his success. With veritable “Who’s Who in MMA” list training with him under the American Top Team banner, Gouveia is primed to take out the hard-hitting Irvin (14-5).

“I respect him a lot. He’s a very powerful, explosive guy, but everybody has weakness, and I’m trying to train on top of that.”

Irvin is well regarded for his devastating KOs, but Gouveia does not anticipate being overpowered by the former WEC heavyweight champion and UFC light heavyweight, who will be making his middleweight debut at UFC 102.

“I think he’s gotta be very careful because my first fight when I dropped (down to 185), I thought I was supposed to be more powerful than the other guy, but I was actually weaker. It’s a process. He’s a pretty lean guy for 205; I think he’s going to lose a lot of muscle. I don’t think he’s going to have the same strength at 185. I hope! I hope he’s not as strong, but I’ll be ready.”

“If it’s a knockout or a submission, I’d prefer to finish that way because, you know, I can make some extra cash as a bonus of the night,” he laughed. “I always look to that as an extra motivation to knock somebody out or for the submission.”

Gouveia realizes that a coveted title shot will not come with a win at UFC 102, and so he is ready to work his way back up the 185-lb. ladder. But like Gouveia, ATT teammates Denis Kang, Luigi Fioravanti, Ben Saunders, Carmello Marerro, and Alessio Sakara are also looking to become the UFC top dog at 185, something that Gouveia accepts as the nature of the beast.
“Honestly, I don’t want to fight a teammate. That’s common sense, but that’s what I do for a living. My training partners, my friends, that’s what we do. If we have to fight, then we have to fight. It’s no choice. We work for a company, and if this company tells us to do this, we gotta do it. That’s how we make our money and pay our bills.”

“If it’s a title fight, it’s OK, but just to get up the ladder, I don’t think so,” he maintains.
Until that title fight comes, Gouveia is hoping that a win over Irvin at UFC 102 will kick off a run at the belt, one that he hopes will make a stop overseas.

“Now, I don’t want to look past James (Irvin) because I know he’s a really tough fighter, but hopefully if I can beat him, I want a tough fight. I hope I can beat James and fight (Michael) Bisping in his hometown.

“I got nothing against him, but I agree with Dan Henderson. (Bisping) likes to talk too much, and is, I guess, too overrated. People say he’s the best, he’s the best. Either way, I think he’s a good fighter, but not even close to being the best.

“He was talking too much crap about Dan Henderson. Dan Henderson, he did a lot for this sport. He fought all the tough guys in the world, and when you’re fighting someone like that, of that caliber, you’ve got to show some respect. And Bisping showed no respect.”
No matter what’s in store for Gouveia after UFC 102, he remains dedicated to and motivated by the people who push him to be his best every day.

“My family, I mean, they’re everything to me. I try to be the best just to give them a comfortable life.

“I have three boys. And my oldest one – 6 years old – I guess I’m his hero, and that motivates me a lot. Sometimes he’s playing the video game with his little friends, and he says, ‘My dad is a UFC fighter. My dad is in the video game.’ And that makes me train even harder to be the best. In the future, when I get old, I’m going to look back and say, ‘You know, I did something in my life.’

“I love the fans; they’re great. It’s because of them that we are in this place right now, but I really don’t care much about fame and status or anything. I just do this because that’s what I do best. It’s a way to make a comfortable life for me and my family. It’s a tough business; it’s a real tough business. I put my family first, so I do all this for them.”

(photo from Newsday)

Taurosevicius: Affliction "Can't Just Go Out Like That"

2009-07-24T20:38:00.007-04:00

I just spoke to Deividas Taurosevicius, who was scheduled to fight Mark Hominick on the Affliction "Trilogy" undercard, about the event being cancelled. And I quote:

"I can’t say nothing now. I don’t know too much (about) what is going on right now. We got the call…right now the show is cancelled. What is next, I have no idea."

"All that work, and at the last second - boom. All because of the one fighter: Josh."

"Of course I’m mad, but what are you going to do. Everybody’s on the same page; all the fighters are waiting for their paychecks. We’ll see, we’ll see what they’ll offer, what it’s going to be. They can’t just go out like that."

I also spoke to Deividas' manager, Neil Wolfson, who, despite his best efforts, remains in the dark.

"The only thing that I know is, like everyone else, I’m scrambling. I was notified today that the Affliction show was called off, and the information I was because of a lot of the sponsorship falling out because of the situation with Barnett, and not being able to get a suitable replacement for Fedor."

Barnett Talk Dominates Affliction "Trilogy" Conference Call

2009-07-22T19:24:00.005-04:00

I called in today to the Affliction Media Conference Call to hear from Jay Hieron, Mark Hominick, Vitor Belfort, and Chris Horodecki. I even had some questions of my own. Nope.

Instead, the call was "abbreviated," explained Kelly Swanson, and turned out to be 20 minutes of Affliction VP Tom Atencio - who did his best not to sound pissed off about losing out on Barnett vs. Fedor - dangling a rib-eye steak before a pack of detail-hungry MMA journalists/bloggers.

Here are some of the highlights from the call:

"...it’s our understanding that Josh has taken further measures to validate the results of the test. And if the results stand, then we’re deeply disappointed." (A second sample - taken at the time of the first - is being tested now.)

"We are in the negotiation period with a few fighters..." (He offered no names.)

"This card on itself is one of the biggest cards in MMA history..."

"The bottom line is, I need to get past this bump in the road."

"If it comes back positive, you know, then that’s on him. That’s something he has to continue to move forward with. It doesn’t affect me in any way, shape, or form."

"Until I have a contract finalized and it’s done, I’m just not going to say anything. It doesn’t make sense for me to get anyone’s hopes up….To be honest, I’m not even worried about it."

For full coverage, check out Full Contact Fighter.

(photo from Josh Barnett's MySpace page.)

Anthony Pettis Interview

2009-07-14T20:38:00.009-04:00

I spoke with Anthony "Showtime" Pettis last week but can now confirm this bit of WEC lightweight news. And I quote:

"My coach just confirmed with me yesterday that I'm fighting Alex Karalexis on September 2nd."

My article on the hard-to-dislike Pettis will be in the next issue of Full Contact Fighter. It's also right here:

Anthony Pettis: From Hard Times to “Showtime”
by Matt Kaplan

Things are good for Anthony “Showtime” Pettis these days. The 22-year-old lightweight is 7-0, a standout pupil of kickboxing legend Duke Roufus, and in the midst of a five-fight deal with the WEC. Pettis’ best days are undoubtedly ahead of him, and in a way, he has his worst days to thank for it.

Pettis grew up in a dangerous part of Milwaukee, and fighting - in its many forms - was something he was born into. Pettis’ father, Eugene Pettis, boxed as a younger man, but, as Pettis explains, “the street life pulled him away from ever really getting anywhere with boxing.”

It was the same street life that ultimately defined Eugene Pettis; he was part of a gang and was renowned as a fierce local street fighter, but to Anthony, he was just dad: “My dad was a cool guy, down-to-earth guy, a really funny guy. He was really easy to get along with, and if you didn’t disrespect him, he didn’t disrespect you. He carried a lot of respect in Milwaukee.”

For his son, though, Eugene Pettis wanted more than what street life could offer. He moved away from his gang affiliations and worked two jobs so that Anthony and his brothers could receive a Catholic-school education and taekwondo instruction. Eugene worked to clean up his life - he fittingly took a job as a janitor - and keep his family away from violence and crime, something he himself could not escape.

On November 12, 2003, Eugene was visiting a friend when the friend’s house was broken into, and Eugene was stabbed three times in the chest. Eugene, 46, died across the street from his home. The man who gave Anthony his fighting spirit - and whose image is now tattooed on Anthony’s left shoulder - was gone, and the 16-year-old was sent into a tailspin of anger, disbelief, and confusion.

“Once I lost my pops, nothing else mattered. My mom did her best to keep me in line, but I was walking the edge. I was just going through the motions of life for the next year or two, and I was still in high school. When you’re in high school, you’re still finding out who you are and who you want to be, but when he died, it was hard for me to even finish school and figure out what I was going to do with myself. I was just thinking, ‘Why me?’”

Anthony had been involved with competitive taekwondo and boxing since boyhood, but when but when his father died, Pettis walked away from fighting. But he couldn’t stay away for too long.

“I was kind of a lost cause for a bit there when I lost my pops, and fighting was the way out,” says Pettis, who eventually took a job teaching taekwondo at his brother’s gym in Pleasant Springs, WI. “When I started teaching taekwondo again, part of me wanted to be a world champ.”
Pettis had always admired MMA competition and liked his chances at success as a mixed martial artist. With a redoubled effort to competitive martial arts, he looked up a couple of gyms in Milwaukee and enrolled in Duke Roufus’ academy in November, 2007.

On January 27, 2007, Pettis turned twenty and made his amateur MMA debut, which he won in 24 seconds in dominant fashion. It was after his third and final amateur fight when Anthony Pettis officially became “Showtime.”

“I didn’t have a nickname at the time, and Duke said, ‘Man, you put on a show every time you fight. I’m going to call you ‘Showtime.’ My style is flashy, so every time I fight, it’ll be worth watching; everybody wants to see the big knockout or the cool submission.”

Pettis made his pro debut on December 1, 2007, with the Wisconsin-based Gladiators Cage Fighting promotion and certainly lived up to his “Showtime” moniker. Pettis’ March 29, 2008 fight against Mike Lambrecht is perhaps his most spectacular, and in a way, it demonstrates the kind of fighter and young man Pettis has become.

After unleashing a dazzling array of punches and knees, Pettis was slammed to the ground by Lambrecht and suffered a dislocated right shoulder. A fatigued, badly hurt Pettis got to his feet seconds later, his right arm dangling by his side. With less than a minute left in Round One, Pettis landed a head kick that dropped the hard-charging Lambrecht, ended the fight, and electrified the crowd.

Pettis had been down and he had been hurt, but he invoked the warrior spirit of his late father to forge ahead and be the last man standing. In the face of adversity, he did the one thing he’d been doing his whole life: he fought.

Three months later, Pettis earned a split decision victory over Sherron Leggett to become the GCF 155-lb. champion, a title he successfully defended against Jay Ellis and Gabe Wallbridge; he finished them both with lightning strikes and a street fighter’s fury. Under the GCF banner, Pettis was 6-0, finishing 5 of his opponents in the first round with strikes. But for the young champion, the best was yet to come.

“I was on vacation in Cancun, Mexico, in January (2008). I was supposed to be there for two weeks, and on my second day down there, (Duke Roufus) called and said, ‘Are you sitting down? I just got word that you got a five-fight contract with the WEC.’ So I cut my vacation short to get ready for my (first WEC) fight.”

Pettis was scheduled to make his WEC debut at WEC 40 in Chicago against Anthony Njokuani on April 5, but a broken hand suffered during training forced Pettis out of that fight just days before the event. In June, a healthy Pettis climbed into the cage against former welterweight Mike Campbell at WEC 41 and against his biggest, strongest opponent to date, showed the MMA world what kind of show they can expect from the skinny Milwaukee native.

“I knew that Mike Campbell came from a great camp, from Mark DellaGrotte, so I knew he was going to be a good striker. My plan was pretty much to finish the fight whenever I felt it was time to go.” And that’s exactly what Pettis did.

The opening bell sounded, and Pettis threw a vicious right leg that Campbell caught. Campbell hoisted the smaller Pettis into the air, and Pettis seamlessly switched to an arm-in guillotine as he was being slammed down. From his back, Pettis fought off Campbell’s relentless ground strikes, got the Boston native in his guard, and locked in a tight triangle choke. Campbell held on for what seemed like an eternity to Pettis, but tapped 1:49 into Round One.

On the biggest stage of his career and against his toughest opponent, Pettis unveiled a submission game that looks to be as dangerous and as exciting as his striking and one again fought with the fire and intensity of a certain Milwaukee street fighter.

Up next for Pettis is his second WEC match in September. When FCF spoke with Pettis, he and Duke were still working on finalizing an opponent, but according to Pettis, whomever he faces next will have to deal with an entirely new Showtime.

“It’s going to be a whole different fight. I only had 1:49 (against Campbell) to show the world what I can do, but hopefully I’ll have more time to show my fighting style. My style is flashy; you can expect a show no matter what.”

For Pettis, the motivation behind his intense training and crowd-pleasing style is neither the money nor the fame. It’s his family. He is the role model he set out to be for his brother, and he is working to get a new house for his mother. Pettis, once lost after the unsolved murder of his beloved father, is living his life “the right way. He is doing it all by doing what comes most naturally to him: fighting. After all, he is Eugene Pettis’ son.

(photo from Anthony Pettis)

Dan Lauzon Interview

2009-07-09T14:08:00.007-04:00

I just spoke to Dan "The Upgrade" Lauzon for FullContactFighter.com . Cool guy. Very candid. Here are some items of note:

- His August 1 Affliction fight w/ Chris Horodecki was originally going to headline the HDNet undercard broadcast, but will now be the co-main event along with Paul Daley vs. Jay Heiron.

- On being a Lauzon: "Me and Joe - my brother, were butting heads a bit, you know, like brothers do, and I ended up deciding I wasn't going to train at his gym for this fight." Lauzon went and trained with Josh Grispi, but eventually came back and resumed training with Joe, who will corner him against Horodecki. So what did they butt heads over? "Stupid shit. I don't even remember."

- On UFC 64: "Yeah, I fought in the UFC when I was 18 years old, and I lost. I obviously wasn't ready to be there."

- On Gomi: "I think Affliction just signed Gomi. I don't think I'd like to get in there with Gomi just yet."

- On Horodecki: "I just think that he's fighting higher caliber fighters now, and he's not able to put them away."

- Dan wants a first-round submission win. After that, he wants to get back to his seat and watch Vitor Belfort, his all-time favorite fighter.

- Final thought on Horodecki: "I'm going to smash his big ol' cannuck head."

(photo from fightticker.com)

Deividas Taurosevicius Interview

2009-07-06T19:32:00.013-04:00

I spoke today with former NY Pitbull (of the IFL) Deividas Taurosevicius, who will be fighting Mark Hominick at Affliction:Trilogy on August.

A few things of note:

1. It’s pronounced DEH-vi-dus Tor-oh-SAH-vi-shus

2. He signed a 3-fight deal with Affliction.

3. He’s dropped down from 155 to 145 because he could: “I always used to fight at 155, but I always used to fight at my weight: 157. My coaches said, ‘Why don’t you fight at 145?’ You know, at the professional level, everybody is dropping weight, and when I see how some guys are built, dropping 20, 25 pounds, I changed my mind, and said, ‘Yeah, why don’t I do that?’ We tried to do 145. No problem. Weighed in, felt great. I don’t think I’m going to have any advantage at 145, but there’s not going to be a disadvantage for me.”

4. He’s opened a new gym – Taurus MMA in Farmingdale, NY – and says that his boxing is much improved.

Here's the article I did on "Russian Dave" for Full Contact Fighter:

Deividas Taurosevicius Ready for Featherweight Debut
by Matt Kaplan

Deividas Taurosevicius (10-3) is eager to show the MMA world the new “Russian Dave.” He’ll be fighting for a new promotion, at a new weight, and with newly improved weapons (that he’s honed at his new gym).

After a 15-month layoff, the former IFL New York Pitbull is set to make his Affliction debut on August 1 against dangerous Canadian kickboxer Mark Hominick (16-8), who will also be returning after more than a year of inactivity.
Taurosevicius recognizes the dangerous striking skills of the Shawn Tompkins-trained Hominick, but says that since his last pro fight (in May, 2008), his boxing skills have shown marked improvement.

“I see him keeping pressure all fight, I’ll keep the pressure, and we’ll be banging with the hands. I’m holding nothing back. My hands are good too, but this is mixed martial arts. Maybe the fight will go to the ground; I’d love to go to the ground,” said Taurosevicius, whose 10 pro wins include 8 submissions.

Taurosevicius’ fight against Hominick will also mark the first time the native Lithuanian will be fighting at featherweight.

“I always used to fight at 155, but I always used to fight at my weight: 157. My coaches said, ‘Why don’t you fight at 145?’ You know, at the professional level, everybody is dropping weight, and when I see how some guys are built, dropping 20, 25pounds, I changed my mind, and said, ‘Yeah, why don’t I do that?’ We tried to do 145. No problem. Weighed in, felt great. I don’t think I’m going to have any advantage at 145, but there’s not going to be a disadvantage for me.”

Deividas says that he is happy to be a part of a card that features Fedor Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, Babalu Sobral, and Gegard Mousasi, and is primed to climb into the ring on August 1 with Hominick and steal some of the thunder from the bigger guys with the bigger names.

“We’re both going to be in great shape, and both will push the pace all fight. It’s going to be a good match. It’s going to be a war.”

Parabéns a você, Wanderlei Silva

2009-07-03T00:04:00.012-04:00

This was from a few a few years ago (2007, I believe):

"I try to represent 'no holds barred fighting' as best I could and try to be as real as I can in the ring. I may talk shit, but I bring the action to the ring. Not like that all-talk punk Tito Ortiz with whom I only lost a farce bullshit decision to the LHW (formerly Middleweight) championship because of the UFC's marketing ploy. I fight like a man..standing up!"
Happy 33, Mr. Axe Murderer.

Chris Weidman: You Heard It Here First

2009-06-30T21:45:00.005-04:00

Here’s a quick list of his credentials:

- 4X high-school wrestling All-American
- 4X college wrestling All-American (2X NJCAA; 2X NCAA DI)
- Beat Ryan Bader in 2006 NCAA DI national tournament
- 2-0 MMA; both Rd. 1 stoppage wins
- Submitted all 13 of his opponents at the 2007 Grapplers Quest North American Championship after just two months of BJJ training; won Intermediate No-Gi Heavyweight and Absolute Divisions
- Won 2009 Abu Dhabi Combat Club North American Trials; was the only finalist to win via submission; no one scored a point on him; will represent the U.S. at the ADCC Championships in Barcelona in September

Now you know. Here's the Full Contact Fighter article I did on Chris.

Chris Weidman: An All-American Prepares to Take on the World
by Matt Kaplan

An accomplished young wrestler discovers some power in his hands and is ready to make a name for himself under the bright lights of mixed martial arts. MMA fans have seen it all before, right? Chris Weidman is something different.

In just a matter of months, the All-American wrestler, undefeated mixed martial artist, and prodigious grappling newcomer has shown a level of improvement and achievement that is hard to imagine, and now, after less than a year of full-time training, he is poised to take on the very best in the world.

As a wrestler, the Long Island native was a multiple conference and county champion, a state champion, and a four-time All-American (in freestyle and Greco-Roman) during his career at Baldwin High School.

At Nassau Community College, Weidman was a two-time junior college All-American and became the first junior college wrestler ever to win the NY State Collegiate Championship. He was also a two-time Division I All-American at Hofstra University, where, as a senior, he finished third at the 2007 NCAA Division I Wrestling National Championships after placing sixth as a junior. (He defeated TUF Season 8 winner Ryan Bader in the quarter-finals of the 2006 NCAA championships before dropping a semi-final match to eventual national champion and current UFC middleweight Jake Rosholt.)

It was also at Hofstra where Weidman first encountered the Serra/Longo Fight Team.

UFC veteran Pete “Drago” Sell had been training with Hofstra’s wrestling team, and Gabriel “Monsta” Toribio, who was in a class with Weidman, invited Weidman to help the Serra/Longo fighters with their wrestling. Weidman began working with the Serra/Longo team and was subsequently introduced to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the spring of 2007.

After just two months of studying BJJ under Matt and Nick Serra, Weidman tried his hand at competitive submission grappling and entered the 2007 Grapplers Quest North American Championship.

“I decided to do a tournament, just to have fun with,” he says with a shrug. “And I submitted everybody.”

Weidman cleared out the Intermediate No-Gi Heavyweight and Absolute Divisions, submitting all 13 of his opponents in stunning fashion. Not bad for a BJJ white belt.

But wrestling was still tugging at Weidman, and so he put his BJJ training on hold to coach at Hofstra and train for the Olympics. As Hofstra’s wrestling season – and Weidman’s bid for spot on the Olympic team – came to an end, Weidman found himself at a crossroads: continue to train for another four years for Olympic wrestling or pursue a career in MMA. Weidman chose MMA.

He began working at renowned striking coach Ray Longo’s International Martial Arts Academy as a wrestling coach and resumed his BJJ training under the Serra brothers in September, 2008. Under the tutelage of the Serras, Longo, and Sell, Weidman’ skills were improving at an astonishing rate, so Longo threw an enthusiastic Weidman right into professional MMA competition.

“Ray (Longo) just thought that it wouldn’t be fair for an amateur guy to go against me,” an amused Weidman explains. “He didn’t want to be responsible for that.”

“I’ve been around a long time, and what I see in this kid, I haven’t seen in a long time,” Longo says. “And he’s the strongest 185-pounder I’ve ever touched, and I’ve been in there with a lot of guys.”

In February, 2009, Weidman made his pro MMA debut against the Jorge Macaco-trained, BJJ brown belt Rubems Lopes in a 190-lb. match at Ring of Combat 23 in Atlantic City, NJ. Just seconds after the opening bell, Weidman landed a huge Greco-Roman throw, overwhelmed Lopes on the ground, and finished the Gold Team fighter with a keylock in the first round. The crowd loved it, and so did the former All-American.

Two months later, Weidman took on TUF Season 8 contestant Mike Stewart at ROC 24 and showcased his newly-honed striking skills.

“I want to show perfect technique on my stand-up. I want to show the technique where a kickboxing technician would be proud to say, ‘There’s a kickboxer,’” he declares. “I have the confidence to stand with anybody at this point.”

After ROC 24, many questions about the wrestler’s striking had been answered. Weidman punished Stewart early on with right and left hooks, pumped his left jab like a seasoned pro, and scored with knees from the clinch. Halfway through the first round, Weidman charged forward with a barrage of powerful, efficient punches that battered Stewart into the cage, dropped him, and forced referee Dan Miragliotta to call an end to the fight after 3:40 of Round One.

Two pro fights, two first-round stoppage wins, and his best was yet to come.

Weidman was scheduled to make another Ring of Combat appearance in June but was scratched from the fight because of a knuckle injury he suffered while training for ROC 24. Longo suggested that Weidman, whose grappling skills were becoming more dangerous by the day, participate in the Abu Dhabi Combat Club North American Trials. Weidman felt confident about his chances at the June 13, 2009 ADCC qualifying tournament, despite having only nine months of BJJ instruction under his belt (and a blue belt, at that.)

Weidman’s performance at the ADCC trials was dominant, just as Longo expected. He won the trials and earned a berth in the 2009 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship in Barcelona, defeating all three of his opponents - submitting two of them and beating the other by a score of 12-0 – without having a single point scored on him. And he was the only finalist to earn a submission victory.

With the 2009 ADCC Championships on the horizon, Weidman has redoubled his efforts. He trains six days a week (at least once a day) under the Serra brothers and/or Renzo Gracie and plans on visiting renowned jiu-jitsu champion Pablo Popovitch’s Fort Lauderdale school to work out with accomplished grappler Jimmy Brasco, whom Weidman defeated in the finals of the ADCC East Coast Trials.

Weidman has passed each MMA and grappling test before him with improvingly brilliant colors, and the 2009 ADCC tournament promises to be his most difficult challenge to date. Ultimately, though, the recently married Weidman hopes that a strong performance in Barcelona will bring his MMA career to the next level. “A lot of guys in the UFC I think I’m ready to fight,” Weidman says with a confident shrug. “If the UFC offers me something, I’m taking it.”

Until the UFC comes knocking, Weidman remains focused on becoming the best, most complete mixed martial artist he can be – and that promises to be a special one, Ray Longo believes.

“Right now, based on what I’ve seen from him, he can definitely be a champion. There’s absolutely no question in my mind. If he stays healthy, he’s at the top of the MMA list for sure, no doubt about it. Believe me when I tell you that this kid’s at a different level.”

Nik Serra is Excited

2009-06-30T21:37:00.000-04:00

(Nick and yours truly.)

I got this message from Nick "The Mad Monkey" Serra the other day:

"I'm healthy and in training now...Have a big fight coming up and my new mask is constructed!!! my phone went bad! matt leave me your cell number and i'll send you a pic of my new Magical Monkey Mask!!!"

I asked when/where/for which organization/against whom he'll be fighting, but he ignores me.

Sigh...

Alan Belcher (sort of) Configures UFC 185-lb. Pecking Order

2009-06-30T20:41:00.004-04:00

I spoke to Alan Belcher – and his trainer Duke Roufus – today for a UFC 100 article I did for Full Contact Fighter (July 1, 2009), and Belcher said some things that I found interesting:

- Denis Kang is the top UFC middleweight contender.

- Yoshihiro Akiyama is the top UFC middleweight contender.

- Nate Marquardt is the top UFC middleweight contender.

- Roufus and Belcher both said – in separate conversations – that Marquardt is the toughest dude in the UFC middleweight division.

- He will beat Akiyama at UFC 100, Marquardt will beat Maia, and Marquardt and Belcher will then fight for top contender status. Henderson and Bisping? They're good, but they have to wait.

Another Request Granted for Alan Belcher at UFC 100
by Matt Kaplan

Alan “The Talent” Belcher has been asking for it.

The colorful, 25-year-old middleweight and his trainer, famed kickboxer Duke Roufus, have been first in line to welcome some of the sport’s best middleweights to the UFC, and on July 11 at UFC 100, Belcher will take on perhaps his toughest opponent to date, Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-1). Ask and ye shall receive.

“Alan wants to fight the best to be the best. You can fiddle around with undercard status, or you can go for broke with the big fights,” says Roufus.

When the UFC signed Denis Kang last year, Belcher (14-5) and Roufus jumped at the chance to meet the former PRIDE star in the cage at UFC 93.

“Duke got on the horn immediately and started asking for that fight because he thought (Kang) was a good person for me to upset.” And that’s exactly what Belcher did, stunning much of the MMA world with a second-round submission win via guillotine choke.

The Arkansas-born middleweight knows that at UFC 100, he’ll be meeting one MMA’s most dangerous, well-rounded 185-pounders in Akiyama.

“I expect him to perform his best; that’s what I gotta expect,” Belcher explains. “He’s explosive, a good grappler, a power puncher. I expect him to have an aggressive style… I’m expecting the best Akiyama.”

And the best Akiyama, Belcher feels, is as good as there is in the UFC: “I think that Akiyama comes in as the top contender right off the bat…In my opinion, I think that Denis Kang and Akiyama are top contenders in the middleweight division – in the whole world, not just the UFC.”

With all the fanfare and star power attached to UFC 100, Belcher understands how big the opportunity of performing on the main card is, and he acknowledges the extra motivation and excitement he has in picking up his third consecutive Octagon win.
“It puts a little more pressure on me, in a good way,” he says. “Any time I’m on the main card and I get to show my stuff, I want to show people… There will be new people watching, and it kinda looks like there are the best fighters in the UFC on this card, so it’s a good opportunity for me to fight really well and be looked at as a top contender in the division.”

“The (UFC middleweight) ranking isn’t really structured in mathematics, so it’s pretty much just who’s hot after just one fight, you know. It’s not like you have to put together these long undefeated things, and it’s only the undefeated, or top two, three guys or whatever who get a (title) shot,” he adds when asked about the UFC’s middleweight pecking order.

“Akiyama, I think I’m going to beat him, and then I’ll be top contender, or maybe I’ll have to fight the winner of Marquardt/Maia, and I feel that Marquardt has a good shot of winning that. I think he’s the toughest dude in the division.”
Roufus shares Belcher’s assessment of Marquardt but is impressed with how well Belcher’s overall game – as well as his mental preparation - has improved.
“The one thing a lot of people don’t realize about Alan is the growth he’s made in the last few years in his training,” Roufus says. “I think he’s definitely going to start surprising more and more people.”

“I’ve had my up and downs,” Belcher admits, “but now I’m hitting my stride and getting some momentum and going for that belt.”