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ANOTHER FIGHT ADDED TO LAWLER-SMITH II

news — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 7:02:10 PDT

ANOTHER FIGHT ADDED TO LAWLER-SMITH II
SATURDAY, JULY 26, AT STOCKTON ARENA;
THURSDAY’S FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

7/24/08

Stockton’s David “Tarzan” Douglas Will Face Brazil’s Marlon Mathias

An 11th and final fight has been added to an already stacked EliteXC mixed martial arts card this Saturday at the Stockton Arena.

A fight at 160 pounds between David “Tarzan’’ Douglas (3-1) of Stockton, Calif., and Marlon Mathias (5-2) of Curitiba, Brazil, was announced during Thursday’s final press conference at the Stockton Arena by EliteXC Head of Fight Operations, Jeremy Lappen.

Known for his prowess as a striker, Douglas, who has won all three of his starts inside the distance, is coming off a third-round TKO (cuts) over Yusuke Ikinishi on May 12, 2007.

Mathias, who also is an excellent striker, has recorded several early knockout victories. A member of Brazil’s Chute Boxe Academy, he is making his first start since losing a three-round decision to Conor Heun on March 21, 2008.

“Ruthless’’ Robbie Lawler will defend his EliteXC middleweight title against Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith in a highly anticipated awaited rematch in the main event of CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS this Saturday.

Tickets for the most significant sporting event in the recent history of Stockton start at $35 and can be purchased at the Stockton Arena Box Office (Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.) and Saturday (noon-4 p.m.), by phone at (209) 373-1700 and (866) 373-7088 (toll free) or online at www.stocktontickets.com.

The event is presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s live fight division, EliteXC. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. PT. The first live fight is at 3:15.

Mixed martial arts fans arriving when the doors open will have the opportunity to meet Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano when they participate in a pre-fight autograph signing just prior to the opening bell. They will sign autographs inside The Stockton Arena from 2:30 p.m. to 3:15.

Other fights during a two-hour broadcast on the CBS Television Network (9 p.m.-11 p.m. ET/PT): Jake Shields and Nick “The Goat’’ Thompson collide for the vacant EliteXC middleweight title, Nick Diaz faces Thomas “Wildman” Denny and Shayna “The Queen Of Spades’’ Baszler battles Cristiane Cyborg.

The Douglas-Mathias fight, scheduled for three, 5-minute rounds, will serve as a "swing" bout, meaning it could be shown, time permitting, during the CBS broadcast. If not, it will be non-televised and take place after the main event.

Antonio “Big Foot’’ Silva and Justin Eilers will clash for the vacant EliteXC heavyweight title in the main event of the one-hour SHOWTIME telecast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/PT. In other SHOWTIME fights, Rafael Feijao faces Travais Galbraith and Wilson Reis collides with Bryan Caraway.

DOUGLAS DELUCA, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, PROELITE, INC.

“After a great show on May 31, we at ProElite got together with our partners, CBS and SHOWTIME, and said ‘lets keep this going.’ We listened to the fans, to the media and I think you’re going to see an outstanding show from top to bottom.

“Stockton is a great city for MMA. The city has been great to us and so has the Stockton Arena where these warriors will fight Saturday. We are very proud of what we’re doing.

“I always have to thank the fighters because they come out and we see their hearts and souls when they fight. It’s all they want to do and we’re fortunate to see them perform.’’

ROBBIE LAWLER

“I can’t wait to fight Scott. I don’t say much at press conferences. You guys know almost everything about me and Scott, so, you know you’re going to get an exciting and memorable fight.’’

SCOTT SMITH

“In the first fight I got hit way too much. In training camp we worked on some things that will remedy that.

“As a fighter you can’t place too much importance on any fight. I think when you do that you start thinking and analyzing too many things at once which can lead to confusion in the ring.

“I can’t let Lawler find any kind of rhythm because once Lawler gets rolling, he’s hard to stop. I have to keep him off balance.

“Robbie is a great fighter and I’m honored to fight him a second time. This fight can only be exciting. Robbie and I don’t know how to put on boring matches.’’

JAKE SHIELDS

“I think Nick is jumping the gun by saying that he is going to be the new welterweight champ. He’s a tough guy, but he’s going to have a lot of trouble with me.

“I’m ready to go. I wish the fight were today.’’

NICK THOMPSON

“I’m excited to be fighting Jake Shields. You’re looking at the new welterweight champion because I intend to beat Shields.’’

NICK DIAZ

“Fighting in Stockton is going to be great for me. I’m pumped to be fighting against Thomas Denny because he brings action to all his fights.

“Stockton is a great fight town because if you drive long enough on some of these roads you’ll probably see a pretty good street fight.

“There’s a little bit more pressure for this fight because it’s in my hometown. I’ll have a lot of familiar faces in the audience. I don’t mind the pressure though. It will just make me mentally stronger.

“I’m happy to be fighting Denny because I always see him on every magazine. I’m never in any magazines so maybe when I win I might get some love from a few publications.’’

THOMAS DENNY

“The odds have me as the underdog and I’m OK with that. I don’t mind that role, I actually relish it.

“I think Nick is a great opponent for me. There’s been a lot of build up for this match. We’re both going to come out aggressively. It’s going to be a great fight with lots of action. Look for a blood bath on Saturday.”

SHAYNA BASZLER

“I want to press the action and give the crowd a fun and exciting fight.

“I want to fight for titles. That’s what every fighter wants. I can certainly compete with elite fighters. I know my time will come soon.

“I’m really honored to be one of the first female fighters on CBS. If you’re a female fighter, your best option is to come to EliteXC because they really do embrace you with open arms.

“My fight against Cris, I think, will be talked about for a long time because she is a great competitor. She’s relentless and aggressive and that’s the type of fighter I want to fight.’’

CRIS CYBORG

“This is a great opportunity for me to show my abilities on national television. I won’t stall the fight. I’m here to show everyone a great time. I want to leave a lasting impression on the fans.’’

ANTONIO SILVA

“I have to give Justin different looks. I can’t let him figure out my fighting style in the first round. By changing speeds and styles, I think I’ll be able to win this fight. Justin is a big guy with good speed. I’m definitely not looking past him.

“I’m coming to win this title. This is what every fighter wants and it’s what I intend to get on Saturday.’’

JUSTIN EILERS

“I’m a gym right now. I’m in the gym six times a week, two or three times a day. You can’t take shortcuts in this business. I’m doing everything I can to be the best.

“I’m a more mature fighter now. I’m lighter, faster and stronger.

“I’m ready to bring it. You guys are going to see a great fight because I’m not a back down type of fighter. You won’t ever see fear in my eyes.’’

RAFAEL FEIJAO

“I have a lot of things to show off in this fight. My ground game is rock solid and now people will get the chance to see how much I’ve improved as a stand up fighter.’’

TRAVIS GALBRAITH

“I’ve added more strength and conditioning training to my routine, which has me much leaner and quicker. I can strike at a much faster pace.

“I took this fight on short notice but that doesn’t matter because I’m ready to go. Feijao is tough and dangerous, but so am I.’’

WILSON REIS

“It’s a big fight and a big show for me. I worked extremely hard for this fight. Bryan is a tough guy who is just as hungry to win as I am.

“I just have to stick with my strategy and build momentum and I should be fine.’’

BRYAN CARAWAY

“I’m really excited to be on this fight card. It’s a great chance for me to show my skills.

“I’ve been fighting for five years now and this is what I do. I don’t do anything else but fight. I love what I do and on Saturday people will see what I’m all about.’’

IFL Officially In Final Days Of Operation

news — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:56:36 PDT

By. Chris Howie:

It has been rumoured for a while that the IFL would be coming to end either by shutting down completely or being sold to another company and after an email received today from Senior Vice President of Communications Joe Favorito, it appears that all the rumours are now official.

From the email:

I apologize for this mass email but I wanted to take a second to let you know that as of July 31 my role at the IFL will be no more as the company goes into its final stage of being sold and/or closed down. We are very proud of what we did here in just over two years, building a brand from nothing into something that people in the industry and outside of the industry actually noticed, and I enjoyed working with so many different people and helped tell some great stories. At the end of the day sometimes the finances don't make sense, but it certainly wasn't for lack of trying. The good news is I think we have gotten all our good junior people placed in some great spots, so we are pretty proud of that. Even our interns landed in good places.

Yesterday it was reported that the UFC signed IFL Middleweight Champ Dan Miller and with former IFL fighters spliting to new promotions, as well as their last scheduled show being cancelled, it was only a matter of time before something became official. And that was today.

RIP IFL

Phil Baroni To Fight On August 2nd ICON Sport Card

news — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:11:01 PDT

Phil Baroni will be making a quick return to action following a succesful debut in the welterweight class when he fights Ron Verdadero on August 2nd in Honolulu, Hawaii at the Blaisdell Arena. Baroni last fought on July 12th in England's Cage Rage promotion knocking out Scott Jansen in the first round.

After consecutive losses in high profile fights in the middleweight division, Baroni dropped down to the welterweight division where he stated to MMANews.com he felt more comfortable.

The new comes courtesy of Sam Caplan over at Fiveouncesofpain.com:

ELITEXC CONFERENCE CALL QUOTES: Lawler, Smith, Cyborg, DeLuca, Baszler

news — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:35:39 PDT

CONFERENCE CALL QUOTES ROBBIE LAWLER & SCOTT SMITH,
SHAYNA BASZLER & CRIS CYBORG, DOUGLAS DELUCA, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, PROELITE, INC.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

In a highly anticipated awaited rematch, "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler will defend his EliteXC middleweight title against Scott "Hands Of Steel" Smith in the main event of CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS this Saturday, July 26, at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif.

Tickets for the most significant sporting event in the recent history of Stockton start at $35 and can be purchased at the Stockton Arena Box Office (Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.) and Saturday (noon-4 p.m.), by phone at (209) 373-1700 and (866) 373-7088 (toll free) or online at www.stocktontickets.com.

The event is presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s live fight division, EliteXC. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. PT. The first live fight is at 3:15.

Mixed martial arts fans arriving when the doors open will have the opportunity to meet Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano when they participate in a pre-fight autograph signing just prior to the opening bell. They will sign autographs inside The Stockton Arena from 2:30 p.m. to 3:15.

In other CBS fights, Jake Shields and Nick “The Goat’’ Thompson collide for the vacant EliteXC middleweight title, Nick Diaz faces Thomas “Wildman” Denny and Shayna “The Queen Of Spades’’ Baszler battles Cristiane Cyborg.

Antonio “Big Foot’’ Silva and Justin Eilers will clash for the vacant EliteXC heavyweight title in the main event of the SHOWTIME telecast. In other SHOWTIME fights, Rafael Feijao faces Travais Galbraith and Wilson Reis collides with Bryan Caraway.

Opening Comments

Mitch Graham: Good morning, everyone. I won't take up too much of your time. I want to say from the CBS side of things we're excited to bring MMA back to CBS for our second prime time broadcast. The first fight that we had back in May was a great success for all of us, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the card that ProElite and EliteXC have put together. And we're happy we're able to do this unique programming model with SHOWTIME. So from across the board we're really excited for a great night of MMA action on both SHOWTIME and CBS.

Doug DeLuca: Hello, everyone. Thank you as always for coming on the call. I'll make it brief because you guys have now probably heard from the preamble a number of times since we've done a number of conference calls. We are really excited about this fight card and all the fighters that are on the card.

We are excited that this is a follow‑up to our May 31 event, which did spectacularly in the ratings, and we wanted to keep moving on the momentum of that. We're also happy that this is a first for us and for MMA where there will be an hour of premium television (SHOWTIME) that goes into two hours of network primetime television.

So those are all great things. But, most importantly are the fight card and the fighters. The headline fight is the Lawler-Smith rematch, which arguably should have been the headline fight of the first CBS show.

It was just a world‑class fight, probably the best fight of the year. And (it is) a rematch that everyone wanted to see. We're excited because we believe we have two of the best 185‑pounders in the world in Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith. .

We're also excited about Jake Shields-Nick Thompson. We believe Jake is one of the top fighters in the world in his weight class. Nick Diaz and Thomas Denny is exciting; and our female MMA fight, Shayna Baszler versus Cris Cyborg, is yet another example of what women's MMA is and can be and it shows how committed EliteXC is to (women’s fights).

On SHOWTIME, we have a great matchup in Feijao versus Galbraith. Two great jiu‑jitsu guys. You will see a lot of strategy and see some great action. They're both ready to go at it. Wilson Reis is another great fighter and we’re excited about his fight against Bryan Caraway. And, of course, Antonio Silva fighting Justin Eilers for the first EliteXC heavyweight championship is exciting as well. Eilers, a tough opponent.

So we are all excited about this great card and can't wait for it to get here. We are excited to be going to Stockton and into the brand new Stockton arena. Whoever is attending will see it's a beautiful arena. It's going to make great TV.

Opening comments

Robbie Lawler: It feels good to be back on CBS. Feels good to be fighting again and I'm going to get one more workout in and pack my stuff and get ready to go.

Scott Smith: I'm excited about this fight. Let me get three‑quarters of the questions out of the way in one shot. My eye and my foot are 100 percent. It was a non issue. I was practicing running a week after the fight so the foot was no problem, no breaks. And the eye was just a little blurry that night. It was fine the next day.

So I'm 100 percent. I've been training hard. I'm ready for another exciting fight and glad to be on CBS again. This is an honor.

QUESTION: Cris, what are your thoughts on returning to the cage and this fight?

Cristiane Cyborg: I'm ready to fight. I thank you, EliteXC, for the grand opportunity. I'm ready for it. .

QUESTION: Robbie, you guys didn't have the ending you wanted the first time around. Having fought him once, does that help in preparing for this fight or would you rather have a fresh match with a new opponent? What's the better perspective for you?

Robbie Lawler: Really, I don't care. I look at it as a new fight and I kind of look at it as we've never fought before. I'll be ready to go.

QUESTION: Robbie, as a fighter, it seems like you've grown a lot in the last couple of years. Early in your career you seemed to fight with a lot more emotion; now you've been a lot more reserved. You seem a lot more technical. Is it just a matter of growing up in the sport?

Robbie Lawler: I don't know. Just more bouts under my belt and just training a little harder, a little smarter and working on aspects and working on the mental game.

QUESTION: Doug, can you comment on any potential deals with Fox Sports and EliteXC?

Doug DeLuca: We're not prepared to really talk about anything in detail, but we certainly are talking. You'll probably see something soon.

QUESTION: Doug, could you comment on Eddie Alvarez’s phenomenal performance over the weekend, despite the unfortunate injury. What are your hopes for him and EliteXC hopefully for the end of this year?

Doug DeLuca: Eddie is an amazing fighter. We knew when we let him go fight in DREAM -- we often let our fighters fight in other promotions when it's good for them, the sport and, obviously, for both promotions -- he was going to do well over there. We hold really high hopes for Eddie.

He's a great fighter and I think he speaks to that new breed of MMA fighter, a guy well‑rounded in all aspects of MMA and all disciplines of the sport. And you're going to start seeing that super athlete emerge more and more. I think Eddie is (one of) the poster child for that. We're really happy to have him. He’s an exciting fighter and great guy. We're looking forward to getting him on an EliteXC card soon.

QUESTION: Eddie Alvarez, in the ring after the Dream card ended both he and Joaquin Hansen indicated that they thought they would fight each other next. Is there anything with Eddie contract that would prevent that from happening?

Doug DeLuca: The way his contract works, and the way we work with most of our fighters, is when a fight arises that they really want to take or will help their career, they come and talk to us. We sit down and we see if it's the right move for everyone.

So, I mean, it's a potential, but it has not been brought up yet and it's nothing that we've discussed. So I can't really comment on it specifically. Certainly we'll entertain all thoughts and all comments.

QUESTION: Robbie, how have you changed or improved as a fighter since you were in the UFC?

Robbie Lawler: I've been working on my game like a professional, trying to work on every aspect. And working on my mental where I think about fighting all the time and I guess it made me better.

QUESTION: Is there any particular aspect of your game that you think you've improved upon?

Robbie Lawler: Probably just knowing how to relax in the ring. Before, I was just going out there trying to kill the guy. Now I just try to pick him apart and look for my chance instead of just going out there.

QUESTION: Shayna, can you give us some opening comments?

Shayna Baszler: My training's peaking perfectly. I feel good. I'm training the same as I always have. And I'm really, really pumped to finally be on a really visible card like this. The CBS card is amazing and I think it says a lot about EliteXC to showcase women on both the cards that they've had. It says a lot about female fighting and showcasing the talent. I'm honored to be a part of that.

QUESTION: Shayna, what do you know about your opponent?

Shayna Baszler: I know she's very aggressive and she's very much the Chute Box template. She's one of the best that Brazil ‑‑ one of the best fighters that has come out of Brazil. And I dig that. I'm honored to fight her. I've always said throughout my career I want to fight the best in the world. And she's one of the best out of Brazil. So I think that fits right into what I want to do. So I think it's going to be a great fight.

QUESTION: When asked if he has any interest in setting up any female divisions in the UFC, Dana White politely questioned the depth of talent. What is your response to that?

Shayna Baszler: I don't care what Dana White has to say. If he wants to question the depth of talent; that is just going to give companies like EliteXC one more thing to tap into that he's not. He wants to question the depth of the female division, but every fight, every female fight that ProElite has put on has been a showcase of women's talent and has been "fight of the night" type material. If he wants to give that avenue to others to pursue, then, fine. The more the merrier. I don't care. I just want to fight the best. I don't know, if he wants to question that, then I'd question the talent of his heavyweight division.

Cristiane Cyborg: I'd love to fight Dana White to show him how tough women are.

QUESTION: Shayna, are you familiar with the U.S. Olympic athletes and would you be interested in seeing them come into mixed martial arts?

Shayna Baszler: I follow it a little bit. I'm just familiar just because the Olympic year's coming up and I like to watch that sort of thing. I say the more talented, combative females we get, the merrier. I would love to see people of Olympic‑caliber talent coming in and showcasing (their skills) in MMA. I'm totally down with that.

Cristiane Cyborg: I know to go to the Olympics they have to be the best at what they do (their respective disciplines). But to fight in MMA, they need to know a little bit of everything. So maybe in the future they'll be able to fight MMA.

QUESTION: For Cristiane and Shayna. With Gina Carano being on the last CBS card beating Kaitlin Young and some people feeling her win was tainted, how do you feel about this opportunity to be the next face of women on the mat?

Shayna Baszler: I don't want to be any next anything but the next Shayna Baszler of MMA. I think Gina is doing her thing and it's awesome. And it's opened up a lot of opportunities for people like me.

But I want people to know who Shayna Baszler is based on me and not necessarily based on Gina. So I think it's a great ‑‑ like I said before, they're showcasing other females on CBS now. So people are going to know other names besides Gina really soon. I think that's awesome. So, I guess what I am saying is that rather than like replacing and being the next face of women's MMA, I want to be another face.

Cristiane Cyborg: I echo Shayna's comments and I'd also like to say it's an honor and pleasure to be a part of it and an additional female fighter in MMA and the female face of the Chute Box Academy.

QUESTION: Robbie, did you want to get a rematch right away?

Scott Smith: Yeah, definitely, and the fact they told me in the ring before they even announced the decision, ‘don't worry, you guys will do it again.’ I kind of knew it was coming. I'm glad neither of us had another fight in between. There's always a chance of injury and this is some unfinished business we have to take care of. And I don't want to take the chance of it not happening.

So I'm really glad it is happening as soon as it is. I didn't think it would be as quick. But I figured it would be both of our next fights.

QUESTION: Scott, time-wise, is the turnaround good for you?

Scott Smith: It's perfect for me. It doesn't give me a chance to get fat and out of shape. I took about a week off of training, just to make sure the foot was fine. I started running a week later and then a week after that I started back to my Muay Thai and grappling. I never had a chance to get in shape. Instead of starting my training camp out by getting into shape – and usually I take a couple weeks to get into shape --- I'm starting out my camp by learning and staying in shape. So I'll be a better fighter this time now.

QUESTION: Doug, there's been talk that it's going to be difficult for Saturday's event to draw the type of ratings that the first EliteXC event did -- just because there was so much marketing for that event. What do you expect in terms of ratings and what would it take for you to deem it a success?

Doug DeLuca: We certainly are managing all of our expectations. It is summer. And we did have a number of good PR items going for us on the first event. It was the first event on primetime network television. That alone drummed up a huge amount of press for the event and a lot of people were interested in seeing.

But, look, I'm confident in our fight card. I'm confident in mixed martial arts and I'm confident at what we can do at EliteXC in terms of producing events and our PR team is second to none. So we've got a lot of press for this event as well.

We understand the numbers might not be as big as the first time, but (still) we're all expecting to do some good numbers. I really couldn't tell you what a success is, or what a success isn't. I'm just looking forward to putting on the best event possible and getting as many people out to watch it as we can get.

QUESTION: Last week you mentioned the possibility of a swing bout being added to the card. Have you guys gone through with that?

Doug DeLuca: We're definitely adding a swing bout to the card. We're still working on it. In a bout that we thought we might do, one of the fighters got hurt. We should have something in the next day or so.

QUESTION: Doug, how big is the Stockton Arena and how many tickets are sold so far?

Doug DeLuca: The Stockton Arena fits 10,000 fully built out. I think we have it scaled for either 7500 or 8,000. And we're definitely well up over half sold already and that was as of the weekend. I know we picked up a full head of steam on Monday. I'm not sure where the exact ticket sales are, but we're fully expecting it to be completely full.

QUESTION: Doug, one of the interesting things about the first show is how (the number) of people from start to finish gained -- your start number was decent but your finish number was tremendous. What do you attribute that to and do you think it’s possible to duplicate that? Do you think it was because of the mystic of Kimbo or do you think that's because of MMA or a combo?

Doug DeLuca: I think first and foremost speaks to MMA. I mean, it's something I've said a lot: Anyone who gives this sport a chance and watches it with an open mind will be drawn in and will become a fan. So I think a lot of what happened is you have a lot of people that were interested on the periphery that came in, watched, and then the next thing is they just see one great fight after great fight after great fight. What are you going to do? Are you going to turn away when it gets better and better? So, first and foremost, it had to do with the sport just being a great sport that draws people in. Secondly, it had to do with the fights; the fights kept getting better and better, and it will be the same case with this fight card.

But, you (know) some people were interested to see what Kimbo would do. Those people tuned in as well. If you watch the viewing patterns, people came and the momentum just kept building and building and building and nobody left. So I think it speaks volumes to the fighters; it speaks volumes to the sport.

QUESTION: Is KJ Noons going to be in the arena and is there going to be any kind of footage shown of what happened in Hawaii with KJ and Diaz as part of the package of the Diaz fight?

Doug DeLuca: What happened in the cage in Hawaii is not something that ProElite or EliteXC is proud of. That's not what the sport's about. I mean, the one thing that impresses me on a daily basis, and I never cease to be impressed, is the sportsmanship of these athletes. Just the respect and discipline of these guys the way they care for each other. This is a community here and it's not something that we're looking to underline what happened there. That was an unfortunate circumstance.

There was a little bad blood, and I'm sure those two are going to get a chance to work that out in the cage down the road. I don't know if KJ is coming, but (you won’t be) seeing the melee in the cage in Hawaii.

QUESTION: After this show, what dates does EliteXC have coming up on the schedule so far?

Doug DeLuca: There’s an Aug. 15 fight card on SHOWTIME, a ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series event from the Table Mountain Casino (at Friant, Calif.).

(Here’s) a bit of a tip. You'll see an EliteXC show in September. We'll announce that fully I believe on Saturday. And, then, you're probably going to see another CBS show down the road.

QUESTION: Shayna, if you win this fight, who do you want to fight? Would you like to be in the first women's EliteXC title fight if and when that happens against, maybe, Gina Carano?

Shayna Baszler: Obviously that's the goal. Every fighter in whatever organization they're fighting in, their goal should be to be the champion. And clearly Gina's put on the fights to show she's at the top of the division. I think I've done the same. So, that's obviously something I'm shooting for. I want to be the champ. I want a chance to show that I can be the champ. Yeah, I would love that opportunity.

QUESTION: Shayna, what do you think your advantages are going into this fight?

Shayna Baszler: I think my experience is probably my biggest advantage. I've fought the top women in the world and I've been pushed to my limits and I've been put in bad situations. So I know how to handle myself there. I don't know that anyone has really come back at Cris and really fought back with her the way that people … some of the fights I've had have just been wars against the best in the world.

QUESTION: Cris, do you treat this fight as title eliminator, the winner maybe fighting Gina Carano down the road for the first‑ever EliteXC women's title?

Cristiane Cyborg: Absolutely I see this fight as a title eliminator. And while I don't think about anything beyond the upcoming fight with an opponent as qualified as Shayna, I believe anyone -- be it myself or Shayna -- that wins this fight, should be in a position to challenge Gina for the much deserved title shot.

QUESTION: What do you feel your advantages are going in against Shayna?

Cristiane Cyborg: In addition to my experience in fighting some of the toughest women in the world in Brazil, I also come from one of the most famous fight camps in the world, namely Chute Box. Under the direction of my (great coaches), I feel ‑‑ and this is all with all due respect to Shayna's training regimen -- I come from a camp and a disciplined group of training partners that are second to none.

QUESTION: Robbie, do you look at this as unfinished business. After the first fight, what were you thinking?

Robbie Lawler: Really I haven't thought about that fight for a long time. I've just been focusing on the future. But at the time I just thought, oh, (crap), they're going to end it right now. For some reason, I just knew the way the doctors were acting that they wanted to stop it because of a cut on my head that wasn't even dripping. And I was like, you're not stopping this. So, as soon as the doctor came in, I don't know, I just didn't think it was going to last.

QUESTION: In looking at the cards at the time, there were two even and I think you were slightly ahead on one. Do you feel that was the way it went?

Robbie Lawler: Really, I'm not focusing on that anymore. I'm focusing on this next fight. And I don't care how that last one went. I just need to go out there and get the job done on Saturday.

QUESTION: Scott's been quoted as saying he made a lot of mistakes and he can certainly improve on things. Do you feel like you can improve or will what you brought last time get the job done?

Robbie Lawler: There's always room to improve. So every day I'm trying to improve. Every day I'm trying to get better. And I believe every mixed martial artist is trying to do the same. And, yeah, I needed to improve and I think I can change some things.

QUESTION: Robbie, do you notice after fighting on CBS you get a different reaction; is there more response from people than your previous fights?

Robbie Lawler: I don't really do much except for training and hang out at home.

QUESTION: But you go into the local store and somebody goes, hey, I saw you on CBS?

Robbie Lawler: Yeah, a little bit. But I don't go out that much.

QUESTION: Scott, have you taken some steps to make yourself better for this one?

Scott Smith: Definitely. I started fighting full time about two years ago. And ever since then I've improved every day and every fight as a fighter. And I made some big mistakes in that fight. Obviously in the first round of the last fight Robbie kicked my butt. And I felt throughout the fight I improved a little bit. And I'm just trying to keep that going and be ready for Saturday night as a different better fighter.

QUESTION: Scott, not only are you bringing your A game but you're bringing some folks with you, a little closer to home, right?

Scott Smith: Yeah, my last three fights have been in New Jersey, Miami and Ireland. My family and friends haven't had a chance to go. I have very big local support here and I'm excited that everybody gets to make it out to this fight. It's going to be big.

QUESTION: Scott, do you notice people reacting to you differently that you've been on CBS?

Scott Smith: Yeah, definitely. Before everybody just knew me because of my big knockout in UFC with Pete Sell. Now everybody is talking about how great a show Lawler and I put on last time. And I think that's great. That just shows there's going to be a lot of people tuning in to watch a great rematch.

QUESTION: Doug, most of the businesses use the Pay‑Per‑View business model. Do you see the network deal with CBS as a jumping‑off point to Pay‑Per‑View to monetize the promotion? And, if so, what kind of time frame did you have?

Doug DeLuca: Absolutely, the Pay‑Per‑View model is the goal for most people in this sport. So, yes, it's our goal, too. The exact plan is broadcast television drives the Pay‑Per‑View. It builds stars. SHOWTIME to CBS. CBS to Pay‑Per‑View. Build stars, build the interest in the stars, let people know even more that these fighters – the guys and gals -- are people and they have real stories and make people care about them and drive the Pay‑Per‑View. So that's absolutely the goal. As far as timing goes, you'll probably see a Pay‑Per‑View from us early in '09.

QUESTION: Are there any negotiations or conversations with other parties about doing a co‑promotion?

Doug DeLuca: You know, we speak to everybody probably except one competitor in the sport. We speak to everybody. We're friendly with all the other promotions. We've all talked about doing co‑promotions.

We've done two co‑promotions with Strikeforce. We will definitely do more. Like I said, we talk to everyone. There's nothing definitive in the works. We've talked to DREAM about doing a co‑promote in Japan. We've co‑promoted with FEG when we did that fight card at the (Los Angeles) Coliseum last year.

So we're no stranger to good promoting and it's something we really like to do. I think it's good for the sport. It brings all the organizations together as a community and it gives the fans an opportunity, hopefully, to see the world's best fights and the world's best fighters. So we're up for it.

QUESTION: Doug, would you agree that it seems like you had an excellent piece of real estate as far as the network deal that got published before.

Doug DeLuca: We're really very happy with our partners at CBS and SHOWTIME and they're supportive of it and it couldn't be a better thing for the sport than to get big eyeballs, a lot of eyeballs, watching and learning about it and caring about it.

Closing comments

Shayna Baszler: I want to thank everybody for tuning in and being so interested in the female fights that EliteXC puts on. I think it says a lot to people along the lines of Dana White that are doubtful of women's MMA, that it's a draw and we have talent and we put on fights that people talk about for a long time.

Cristiane Cyborg: I wish to thank all organizations involved, obviously ProElite and EliteXC, and people that supported this from day one. I also wish to thank Shayna for accepting this fight. It's an honor not only to be on TV in America but to be fighting an opponent of Shayna Baszler's caliber. And with that in mind I look forward to an incredible event on Saturday. I appreciate the opportunity to put the place of female Chute Box on the map in the United States if not the world.

Scott Smith: I want to thank everybody for supporting this. It's going to be a great card. I am excited to get in there and fight again. Encourage people to come out and watch the fights in Stockton. It's a great fight town. I've watched fights in that arena. It's a great arena. There's going to be fireworks that night. If they can't make it to the arena, encourage everybody to tune into CBS to watch another great card.

Robbie Lawler: I'm going to go out and fight my hardest. I've been training pretty hard for this fight and I'll give it my all and that's what I plan on doing. Tune into CBS or come to the show. Peace.

Doug DeLuca: I want to thank Robbie and Scott. I mean, these guys are warriors, competitors at the highest level. You fought your hearts out the last time. I, personally, and ProElite really appreciate you guys getting back in there and doing it again. I wish you guys the best of luck and I want you to come out healthy on the other side and just have a great fight and enjoy and thank you again.

To Shayna and to Cris, you put a lot on your shoulders when you say you're going to support and push forward female MMA, women's MMA, and you are both doing a great job of carrying that torch. And we appreciate that as well.

Shayna, you answered the questions perfectly about why the sport of women's MMA is growing and should grow. And I loved everything you said. And I agree wholeheartedly. If you look at the fights, well, the fights speak for themselves. If you look at the athletes and the competitors, they speak for themselves. So good luck to both of you guys and thank you for fighting.

For all the press, thank you for your interest and thanks for writing about us. And, like Scott said, tell everybody to either come out and watch or watch on SHOWTIME and watch on CBS. It's going to be a great night of fights. Thank you.

Mitch Graham: I just want to sort of reiterate what Doug said. It takes a lot of people to put this show on and thanks to everyone so much for all your support. We're very excited for this Saturday night and that's it. That's about all we can say.

PLAYBACK INFO: If you'd like to listen to the playback, dial 800‑355‑2355; the pass code is 42764.

Rating Comes In for UFC Fight Night 14

news — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:36:55 PDT

Rating Comes In for UFC Fight Night 14

Ariel Shnerer

Feature Writer & Editor - TheFightNetwork.com

CATEGORIES: MMA, International

Spike TV issued a press release today with official numbers from the UFC Fight Night 14 show this past weekend. The show did a 2.1 household rating with an average of 3.1 million viewers.

The peak for the show was at 11:30 p.m. ET, right in time for the main event between Anderson Silva and James Irvin, with a viewership of 3.8 million.

UFC Fight Night 14 surpassed Saturday afternoon baseball coverage on Fox, and did better in the males 18-34 and 18-49 demographics than ESPN's ESPY awards on Sunday night.

The free card put Spike TV into the number one spot compared to all basic cable and broadcast networks in the following demographics: males 18-34 (audience of 903,000), males 18-49 (1,550,000), males 25-34 (622,000) and males/females 18-34 (1,326,000).

Pay-per-view numbers for MMA counter programming, Affliction: Banned, have yet to be processed.

LionHeart Fighters go 3-1;

news — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:12:40 PDT

LionHeart Fighters go 3-1; Paul Bradley wins Destiny Fight Championships

For Immediate Release:

State College, Pa. - LionHeart MMA continued it's successful entrance into the world of professional Mixed Martial Arts with fighters accumulating an impressive 3-1 record over the weekend.

Former University of Iowa wrestler Paul Bradley led the LionHeart charge by capturing the 185 lb. Destiny Fight Championship Belt with a victory over formerly undefeated professional, Dimarco Harris. Bradley used a punishing ground and pound attack to win a unanimous decision and improve his record to 7-0.

At The Battlefield Fighting Championships in Fredericksburg, Va., LionHeart fighters went 2-1. NCAA Champion, Phil Davis, won by submission in the second round over previously unbeaten Casey Miller at 205 lbs. Davis' college teammate, Aaron Anspach won his MMA debut with a unanimous decision over James Johnson at 265 lbs. and Lou Armezanni lost in the 185 lb. Battlefield Fighting Championship Title bout to Kris McCray by TKO.

LionHeart Founder, Chad Dubin, was impressed with the performance of his fighters over the weekend. "I've been real happy with the improvement in all our fighters over the past couple months. At this point, it looks like we're right on target with the fighter development and training methods we've implemented here at LionHeart."

For more information on LionHeart MMA visit www.lionheartfighters.com or call Chad Dubin at 814.280.1982.

Official Quick Match Results For DREAM.5

news — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:47:49 PDT

Credit: Sherdog.com

1 Daisuke Nakamura def. Andy Ologun Submission (Armbar) 1 3:41
2 Shinya Aoki def. Caol Uno Decision (Unanimous) 2 5:00
3 Eddie Alvarez def. Tatsuya Kawajiri TKO (Punches) 1 7:35
4 Joachim Hansen def. Kultar Gill Submission (Armbar) 1 2:33
5 Joseph Benavidez def. Junya Kudo Submission (Guillotine choke) 1 2:42
6 Kuniyoshi Hironaka def. Motoki Miyazawa TKO (Cut) 1 8:57
7 Hideo Tokoro def. Takeshi Yamazaki Decision (Unanimous) 2 5:00
8 Yoshihiro Akiyama def. Katsuyori Shibata Submission (Gi choke) 1 6:34
9 Alistair Overeem def. Mark Hunt Submission (Keylock) 1 1:11
10 Joachim Hansen def. Shinya Aoki TKO (Punches) 1 4:19

Joachim Hansen wins the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix after stepping in for Eddie Alvarez who was unable to continue on to the finals due to a cut over his right eye. Hansen in fact lost to Alvarez in the quarter finals of the tournament. I imagine a rematch may be in order.

Jake Shields' Blog for "Countdown to Welterweight Gold"-- T-Minus 9 Days

news — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:15:31 PDT

Jake Shields' Blog for "Countdown to Welterweight Gold"-- T-Minus 9 Days

Blog by: Jake Shields

It's good to be getting a little respect in the Bay Area. I've been fighting for years, and with this title fight coming up, I'm finally getting a lot of coverage-- local CBS, FoxSports, local magazines, etc. So that's cool to start building some hype out here.

I've read Nick Thompson's blogs, and as far as his comments, I'm glad he feels this is a great fight too. He respects me, I respect him, so we're both excited about this fight; and I know we are going to bring a great fight to CBS. That said, I feel it's my time. It's my time to shine, and I'm going to take him out.

Training is about a week and a half out and it's going great. I'm feeling good, just tapering off-- finishing my remaining hard training sessions and cleaning up my diet. Right now it's all about making weight, going out there, and kicking ass. I don't have more to say at this point-- I'm just ready to go out there and fight. So I'll let my fighting do the talking on CBS.

Editor's note: Jake Shields and Nick Thompson fight at CBS & EliteXC Saturday Night Fights: Lawler vs Smith II on July 26th. The winner will become EliteXC's first Welterweight Champion.

Breakdown - UFC Fight Night 14

news — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 5:52:31 PDT

Jack Encarnacao

MMA Reporter - TheFightNetwork.com

CATEGORIES: MMA, International

While it may have been hastily arranged with the intent of stripping luster from the debut of Affliction the same night on pay-per-view, this Saturday’s free TV offering from the Ultimate Fighting Championship is full of intriguing storylines. The debut of UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva at light heavyweight versus James Irvin could be the fight that puts Silva over-the-top as one of the sport’s top stars and a drawing card. Silva has not fought in front of a cable TV audience since his Octagon debut in 2006, when he dismantled Chris Leben in 49 seconds. Silva’s wins since then have earned him serious consideration for the label of best pound-for-pound fighter, however many of those virtuoso performances were on pay-per-view, and thus seen by an audience much smaller than the one likely to tune in for Saturday’s heavily-advertised event. Irvin, coming off a record knockout of the enigmatic Houston Alexander in April on Spike TV, would open an entirely new chapter in his career if he defeats Silva.

The UFC’s middleweight kingpin won’t be the only fighter trying a new weight class on for size Saturday. Heavyweight star Brandon Vera, who is on the smaller side of the heavyweight scale, is dropping to 205 to meet Reese Andy, one of three International Fight League veterans debuting on the show. Vera was pitched several star opponents for this card, including Wanderlei Silva and Dan Henderson, which shows that UFC matchmakers want to see the charismatic Vera break through. The future of the division that Vera is temporarily vacating will be decided when Cain Velasquez, an NCAA wrestling powerhouse and one of the most promising new fighters in the sport, faces Jake O’Brien in what could be a grappling clinic. Hermes Franca takes on Frankie Edgar in a battle to see who will stay afloat in the stacked lightweight ranks. Franca is entering the cage for the first time since a loss to Sean Sherk last July and his subsequent drug test failure suspension.

One of the more intriguing fights to casual fans is likely the pairing of C.B. Dollaway and Jesse Taylor in a battle of “Ultimate Fighter 7” personalities. Taylor earned quite a reputation on the reality show, urinating on himself and drunkenly kicking out limousine windows in a pattern of behavior that led UFC President Dana White to kick him off. Taylor has since attended alcohol counseling, and White was quick to green light his return. Dollaway got Taylor’s spot in the finals, where he was submitted for a second time by Amir Sadollah, and is anxious to redeem an embarrassing performance.

TELEVISED CARD

Anderson Silva (21-4, 6-0 UFC) vs. James Irvin (14-4-1, 4-3 UFC)

Silva has looked simply unstoppable since 2006, defeating all manner of fighters in all manner of ways. How he will stack up in terms of size at a higher weight class is a question mark, especially considering Irvin has fought his entire UFC career at 205. Silva has not talked of wanting to stay at light heavyweight, though a mega-match with Chuck Liddell would probably happen if the cards fell into place. Irvin has never been knocked out, but neither had Chris Leben before Silva lit him up like a pinball machine. Irvin, a Muay Thai style fighter, has talked about Silva’s clinch appearing so deadly mostly because he’s used it against wrestlers who clinch in a different fashion, not against a fellow Thai boxer. Even if Irvin can counter Silva in the clinch, it looks like it’s going to take a miracle of timing for him to keep pace with Silva’s diverse attack. Stranger things have happened, but this doesn’t look to be the fight where a still-hungry Silva falters.

PREDICTION: Silva

Brandon Vera (8-2, 4-2 UFC) v. Reese Andy (7-1, 0-0 UFC)

After his star-making win over Frank Mir in 2006, Vera boldly proclaimed he would take both the UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight titles. After a string of bad luck at heavyweight, Vera has the chance to make some inroads in the other class against Andy, a 35-year-old IFL veteran and NCAA All-American whose most notable wins have been over Jamal Patterson, Kala Kolohe Hose and Justin Levens. Andy, who has also fought heavyweight, is the most skilled wrestler Vera has faced, though Vera has fought a slightly higher caliber of opponent in his career. It’s much more of an even match than the fighters’ respective star power might indicate, and Andy could very well take this one. Vera, who is slumping, has to avoid the takedown and catch the wrestler on the way in.

PREDICTION: Vera

Hermes Franca (19-5, 5-3 UFC) v. Frankie Edgar (8-1, 3-1 UFC)

Another very even match-up. Edgar is a strong wrestler with great stamina but questionable finishing ability, while Franca’s stock-and-trade for most of his career has been catching sudden submissions from all angles. Edgar’s only blemish was against wrestler Gray Maynard, who appeared to out-power the New Jersey fighter. If Franca could survive Sean Sherk’s onslaught for five rounds, he can probably take Edgar the distance, too. But Franca could have an equally tough time executing winning techniques against an aggressive grappler. If the horrid kneebar Tyson Griffin has Edgar in last year was any indication, Edgar will not tap. Ring rust also has to be a factor. Due to a one-year suspension for a steroid test failure, Franca hasn’t fought since July, while Edgar has fought two hard fights in that space. Franca has one of the best submission games at 155, but Edgar looks to have the tools to win, likely by decision.

PREDICTION: Edgar

Cain Velasquez (3-0, 1-0 UFC) v. Jake O’Brien (10-2, 3-1 UFC)

Two exceptionally effective wrestlers butt heads here, as Velasquez, a top-level NCAA wrestler at Arizona State, rides a wave of hype about his prospects in the sport. His trainer, the respected American Kickboxing Academy striking coach Javier Mendez, recently told Yahoo! Sports that Velasquez’s striking has reached K-1 level and that he could enter the pro boxing ranks. That coupled with Velasquez’s tournament wrestling and jiu-jitsu accomplishments could prove a potentially lethal potion for O’Brien, who has relied heavily in his recent fights on takedowns and control. O’Brien struggled to get Andrei Arlovski down before being TKO’ed, and Velasquez looks equally-poised hold up the same roadblock.

PREDICTION: Velasquez

Anthony Johnson (4-1, 2-1 UFC) v. Kevin Burns (7-1, 1-0 UFC)

This is an intriguing fight between two relative newcomers who have recently won eye-opening stoppages. Burns is coming off a shocking triangle choke submission over jiu-jitsu ace Roan Carneiro at UFC 85, and Johnson needed only 50 seconds to knock out burly wrestler Tommy Speer in April. Johnson’s one career loss came by submission to Rich Clementi, and Burns has notched almost all his career wins in that fashion. If Burns can get past Johnson’s explosive hands and into a position to hook a sub, he should be able to find a way to win the fight.

PREDICTION: Burns

C.B. Dollaway (7-1, 0-1 UFC) v. Jesse Taylor (6-2, 0-0 UFC)

It’s hard to imagine that this fight between two talented wrestlers ending any other way than after three rounds of grappling with some strikes sprinkled in. The fight should get the crowd buzzing, as both reality show stars battle to secure futures in the UFC despite blowing their respective opportunities in the tournament. Dollaway is fighting out of the Arizona Combat Club, while Taylor trains with Dan Henderson at Team Quest in California. While both have showed similar finishing abilities throughout their career, Dollaway appears the more versatile fighter.

PREDICTION: Dollaway

PRELIMIARY CARD

Tim Credeur (10-4, 0-0 UFC) v. Cale Yarbrough (0-0)

This fight was originally scheduled for The Ultimate Finale event on June 21st, but Credeur failed a test for Adderall and wasn’t allowed to fight but not suspended. Credeur, a Carlson Gracie pupil, has won most of his fights via submission, but ran into some trouble against solid wrestlers on The Ultimate Fighter. Yarbrough, a Hardcore Gym fighter out of Georgia, won all of his amateur fights by TKO, but, like Credeur, lost to Dollaway on TUF. Yarbrough doesn’t present exactly the same strengths that have stunted Credeur in the past, and Credeur seems to have what it takes in submission skill and experience to win.

PREDICTION: Credeur

Brodie Farber (13-3, 0-0 UFC) v. Rory Markham (15-4, 0-0 UFC)

Markham is a former IFL fighter and Pat Miletich student known for throwing down until someone falls down. The approach has served him well for the most part, though the welterweight mixed it up in June using a triangle to submit Jay Ellis on the first Adrenaline MMA event. Farber’s strength is submissions, having notched seven of his 13 wins in that fashion. Pretty even match, though Markham has never been submitted. A chink in Markham’s armor has shown when he’s fought guys as apt to stand and trade as he is, and Farber’s history doesn’t indicate he will take that approach.

PREDICTION: Markham

Nate Loughran (8-0, 0-0 UFC) v. Johnny Rees (10-0, 0-0 UFC)

Both UFC newcomers have shown a clear aptitude for submissions, so expect a ground battle. It’s very tough to say who has the edge in this battle of undefeated fighters considering their similar strengths. Loughran last fought in May, while Rees all the way back in November, so the argument could be made that Loughran will come in sharper.

PREDCITION: Loughran

James Giboo (11-2, 0-0 UFC) v. Brad Blackburn (12-9-1, 0-0 UFC)

Blackburn proved he was no joke in the IFL, showing impressive punching power in knocking out veteran Jay Hieron and Delson Heleno, two of the IFL’s top welterweights. Blackburn, who trains with Dennis Hallman at American Top Team West, was on the verge of an IFL title shot before UFC signed him away. Giboo is more adept at submissions, a position Blackburn has only been caught in once in his career, and that was three years ago.

PREDICTION: Blackburn

Dale Hartt (5-0, 0-0 UFC) v. Shannon Gugerty (10-2, 0-0 UFC)

Hartt, fighting out of Maine, is a training partner of UFC welterweight Marcus Davis, and nearly made the cut for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. Hartt is riding a five-fight win streak, while Gugerty, whose made his name on the opposite coast of the United States, is riding a seven-fight win streak and brings a win record weighted toward submissions. Hartt may have never been defeated, but this toss-up could go to Gugerty for his experience edge and more wins over tough fighters, such as Cub Swanson.

PREDICTION: Gugerty

'Rampage' Booked... Again

news — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:30:09 PDT

Ariel Shnerer

Feature Writer & Editor -- TheFightNetwork.com

POSTED: July 17, 2008

CATEGORIES: MMA, International, Misc.

Two days after a wild police chase that resulted in his arrest at gunpoint, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has run amok and been taken into custody again, according to TMZ.com.

Jackson was allegedly "acting weird," and police have taken him in for observation at a facility in Irvine, Calif. Officers have not confirmed if the former UFC light heavyweight champion is in psychiatric hold.

Check back to TheFightNetwork.com as the "Rampage" saga continues.

For more coverage:

TMZ.com has Quinton Jackson's mugshot after being arrested.

TMZ.com has an exclusive video of Quinton Jackson being cuffed by officers.

TMZ.com released the first pictures of "Rampage" getting arrested and put into the police cruiser.

TMZ.com has posted a video of "Rampage" 24 hours before the incident, speaking about depression and nagging injuries.

TMZ.com has the scoop on the relationship between "Rampage" and Toyo Tires, the sponsor of his monster truck.

SI.com reports on Jackson making bail.

ESPN.com breaks the news with a press release from The Associated Press.

YahooSports.com has the latest on Dana White posting bail for the former light heavyweight champion.

FoxSports.com posts the news of "Rampage" getting arrested.

Press Release Regarding Quinton Jackson Incident

news — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:06:52 PDT

Fight Network Staff

General Posting - TheFightNetwork.com

POSTED: July 16, 2008

CATEGORIES: MMA, International, Misc.

FROM A PRESS RELEASE:

A Motor Officer was monitoring traffic at the intersection of Newport Blvd and Broadway. He saw Jackson driving [south] bound weaving in and out of traffic, with a flat front left tire (and) speaking on his cell phone. The Motor Officer activated his lights and siren and initiated a traffic stop. Jackson ignored the Motor Officer and continued south bound on 17th weaving in and out of traffic to avoid being stopped.

Jackson drove over the raised center portion of the roadway at Cabrillo Ave. He lost control and drove up onto the sidewalk causing pedestrians to flee for their lives. Jackson regained control and continued southbound in the northbound lanes of Newport Blvd. As he crossed through the intersection with 17th St, he collided with a vehicle legally in the intersection. Jackson continued south bound on Newport Blvd running several red lights. The rubber from his left tire began to disintegrate at the PCH overpass. Jackson continued southbound onto the Balboa Peninsula running several more red lights, causing pedestrians to flee in terror. Jackson's vehicle finally came to a stop at 18th St and Newport Blvd in the city of Newport Beach. Jackson was taken into custody by Costa Mesa Officers without incident.

Jackson was transported to the Costa Mesa City Jail and booked for; Felony Evading, Reckless Driving and Hit and Run. He was transported to the Orange County Jail and is being held in lieu of a $25,000.00 bail.

Prior to Motor Officer Barnes actions, Jackson had been involved in two separate collisions on the south bound 55 FWY. The CHP is taking those reports.

Jackson is a former Ultimate Fighting Champion title holder and fought under the name Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

Nick Thompson's Blog for "Countdown to Welterweight Gold"-- T-Minus 10 Days

news — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:00:37 PDT

Nick Thompson's Blog for "Countdown to Welterweight Gold"-- T-Minus 10 Days

Blog by: Nick "The Goat" Thompson

Fights are often hyped by playing upon the animosity between the two fighters. It is going to be difficult to push that angle here. It is clear that Jake and I have nothing but respect for one another. And that respect is well deserved.

Each of us has worked hard excel in every discipline of mixed martial arts. This will be the first fight in which I have ever been a part where neither myself nor my opponent will have a clear advantage in some area of the fight. This is not to say that there aren’t areas where I think I am better than Jake or areas where he is better than me but I realize that the gap in those areas is very slight.

I think I can out strike Jake but Jake’s striking is technically sound and much underrated. It is just an area of his game that has not been showcased because he has been so successful at taking down and submitting his opponents. And in that vein, I know Jake may have an advantage over me on the ground. At the same time, the majority of my wins have come via submission and I beat a jiu-jitsu brown belt at his own game in my last fight. This level of parity is rare in a mixed martial arts fight and it is why I am so excited for this fight.

While it is exciting to have a fight that is going to test me in every area of the sport, I would be lying if I didn’t admit that it also makes me nervous. I am nervous for every fight. While this is a sport that I love and enjoy, it has become more than that. Mixed martial arts is my career. It is how I support my family. This fight in particular has the ability to catapult my career. The last time I faced this scenario, I fought the best fight of my life. I was able to use the nervousness to push myself harder than ever in training. I have been able to do the same for this fight, hopefully to the same end. Two weeks until I find out and each day seems to take longer than Christmas Eve did as a child.

Editor's note: Nick Thompson and Jake Shields fight at CBS & EliteXC Saturday Night Fights: Lawler vs Smith II on July 26th. The winner will become EliteXC's first Welterweight Champion.

Quinton Jackson Arrested Following Police Chase

news — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 8:31:43 PDT

Mike Russell

Canadian Correspondent - TheFightNetwork.com

POSTED: July 15, 2008 - 8:26 pm

CATEGORIES: MMA

Outspoken former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage"
Jackson was arrested following a high-speed police chase from Costa
Mesa to Newport Beach in California. The chase allegedly began after
Jackson was seen attempting to leave the scene of an accident in a
lifted camouflage-wrapped pick-up truck bearing his image on the side.

The news was broken this afternoon by the celebrity news website, TMZ.

According to the report, when officers attempted to pull the vehicle
over for its involvement in a minor collision, Jackson fled, colliding
with several vehicles during a brief police chase before blowing a
tire, pulling over and surrendering. The website features photos
taken by witnesses of the arrest that depict Jackson lying in front of
his vehicle on his stomach with his hands behind his head while
officers are pointing their drawn pistols at him.

Officials from the Costa Mesa police department confirmed the arrest
this afternoon, stating Jackson has been arrested and charged with
violation of felony evading, hit-and-run and reckless driving. Bail
was been set at $25,000 US and sources confirm that UFC president Dana
White was en-route to post bail for the fighter at the time of
writing.

Jackson lost his UFC light heavyweight title July 5 as he emerged from
his second title defense on the losing end of a controversial
unanimous decision loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86. Prior to that,
Jackson, who won the belt by defeating Chuck Liddell at UFC 71 in May
2007 was undefeated in his past six bouts spanning a period of nearly
three years.

Jackson could have his first court appearance as early as Thursday

Shogun Expects To Return To The Octagon In December

news — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:46:56 PDT

From Tatame:

Away from the octagon since September 2007, Maurício Shogun talked with TATAME after a magnetic resonance and is confident in his return to the UFC octagon. "My knee is very good, thanks to God. I was going to begin my hard train this week but I spoke to my doctor and he decides to make the exams this week. I have been doing Boxing and physical train, and I think next week I will return to the Jiu-Jitsu and gradually train more", said Shogun, who watched, last Saturday, the man who defeated him at his last appearance win the UFC belt, but for a while Shogun don’t think in a return fight against Forrest Griffin.

“I will train hard to face anyone. I had a defeat on my debut and I can’t choose my opponent. It is not settle yet, but I expect to return on December, it’s better for me”, said Shogun, that will open a branch of the Universidade da Luta, at Curitiba , on 21st this month. “On 21st there will be a event only for the press and on 22nd there will be the open class to more than 800 students. Wanderlei Silva will be here”, said the athlete.

Brandon Vera Talks Potential Match Ups For UFN 14

news — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:09:37 PDT

From The Baltimore Sun

MMA Stomping Grounds: How did this fight with Andy come together?

Brandon Vera: I told the UFC I wanted to fight ASAP. They came in with a whole bunch of different options and I guess you could say I just took it.

MMA Stomping Grounds: Did they offer you any other fighters besides Reese Andy?

Brandon Vera: They offered me Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Lyoto Machida and then Reese Andy. I turned down Machida. He’s not someone you take on short notice. You gotta get ready for Machida. The other fighters turned down the other fights so that’s how we came to Reese.

Thomas “Wildman” Denny -- From Rough Times to Prime Time

news — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:39:29 PDT

Thomas “Wildman” Denny -- From Rough Times to Prime Time

by Todd Hester

When Southern California fighter Thomas “Wildman” Denny enters the EliteXC cage to face Nick Diaz on July 26 in Stockton, California he will have completed a journey that started nearly 20 years ago when he left home at the age of 14 to face life on the streets. “I had a rough childhood,” Denny explains. “When I took up boxing at the age of 10 it was more to get away from the violence of my home than to actually compete in a sport. I thought that if I was getting hit at home that I might as well get hit in the gym.”

Away from home, living with friends and distant relatives and making ends meet however he could, Denny eventually picked up enough skills to enable him to make a living as a blue collar laborer, Denny kept up his combat training, though, loving the discipline and sense of purpose that he got from martial arts. Eventually, he gravitated to muay Thai and became an amateur champion who was undefeated in the ring. “I had watched the UFC for years,” Denny recalls, “but early MMA had no weight classes and at my size I just didn’t see myself being able to do it.”

But then, after being introduced to Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the Joe Moreira school and training with Julian Prado and others, Denny one day saw a tape of an IVC event from Brazil that featured weight classes. From that point on, there was no holding him back. “I went up to Joe and told him that if there were any events in the area that he knew about where I could get into the cage with people around my own size to set me up,” says Denny.

Within a month, at the age of 27, Denny had his first professional MMA match. Hooked by the chance to using his boxing, muay Thai and jiu-jitsu in a single sport Denny hit the ground running. “I started MMA relatively late in life,” Denny admits, “but I made up for it by fighting constantly. Most of my matches were underground at the time since it really wasn’t legal. But I went all over the country to wherever anyone was having an event. It wasn’t the money for sure, since it was just $50 here and a $150 there. It was more the camaraderie and the sense of belonging to something special. There weren’t that many cagefighters anywhere in the world when I started but I was one of them.”

After getting the nickname “Wildman” for his wild hair styles and outlandish robes, Denny caught the eye of King of the Cage promoter Terry Trebilcock. “Terry told me initially that he couldn’t pay me enough to feel good about having me fight for him. But then, after he’d done 10 or so KOTC shows and had a contract with Soboba he started putting me on his cards.”

Denny soon became one of KOTC’s biggest draws, selling thousands of tickets and helping KOTC to build a loyal fan base. Branching out from KOTC with the help of Trebilcock, Denny soon brought his own unique brand of fighting and showmanship to fans around the world. “Terry has been great as far as helping my career,” says Denny. “He never kept me from fighting in other shows that he felt would make me money and help to promote my career and was always looking out for me.”

Denny, however, didn’t keep his success to himself. He not only continued fighting but opened up his own school that now features over 40 fighters with 20 that are extremely active. “I not only teach people how to fight,” Denny says, “but also how to live. Kids on the street do crimes and get into drugs and other bad things because they don’t have a sense of self-worth or belonging. I know because I’ve been there and had to pull myself out of that hole. I love teaching because it gives me a chance to tell my students that they have worth and can make something of themselves. Whether they win or lose or never even fight professionally doesn’t matter to me. I want to see them become better people and make something of themselves in regular life.”

When KOTC joined forces with ProElite and Trebilcock began helping to promote their live event department, Elite XC, he brought Denny with him and the “Wildman” soon found himself part of the Showtime family as well. None of that prepared him for the shock of his life, however, when he recently got the call to face Nick Diaz on July 26 in Stockton, California on national television on CBS in primetime.

“If someone would have told me that I’d be fighting a top opponent on CBS television in front of millions of fans in primetime even five years ago I would have laughed in their faces,” Denny chuckles. “Yet here I am. I owe a lot to Terry Trebilcock who believed in me and to ProElite for giving me and many other fighters a chance to get such great exposure outside of the UFC. I also owe a lot to my great sponsors like Toe2Toe, Bloodfist, Premier Fighter and others who have stood behind me for so long.”

For more information on Thomas “Wildman” Denny visit www.thomasdenny.com. Author Todd Hester is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Gladiator magazine. To subscribe visit www.gladmag.com.

BARONI BEATS TWO AT WEMBLEY

news — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:27:57 PDT

INVESTIGATION IN TO POST FIGHT ATTACK

The ‘New York Badass’ Phil Baroni powered his way back in to the MMA spotlight tonight (Sat July 12) beating two opponents at Wembley Arena, at Cage Rage 27 Step Up, presented by EliteXC.

First the American bangs out plucky Brit Scott Jansen in a blistering battle which lasted just 3 minutes 18 seconds of round 1. Then as he checks on Jansen’s condition he fends off an attacker that appeared to head butt the 32 year old.

Baroni, who was fighting at Welterweight for the very first time, who badly needed a victory following three back to back defeats, later brushed off the incident and asked ‘who’s next’.

Cage Rage officials have announced an investigation in to the incident and a review of cage side security.

The Wembley crowd and viewers on Nuts TV witness a wonderful night of blistering MMA action.

In the battle of the big boys Neil ‘Goliath’ Grove wore down Ferryhill’s Robert ‘Buzz’ Berry. In the long awaited rematch Berry had the best of an exciting first round but failed to make his advantage count.

Round two sees Grove land a right left combination that took the wind out of Berry’s sails then moved in for the kill landing some hefty shots on his prone opponent with the referee calling it a night 1 minute 28 seconds.

Mustapha Al-Turk carried off the vacant British Heavyweight title overpowering a much fancied James ‘machine’ McSweeney in the first round.

A-Turk gave the referee no option but to step in when took the fight to the floor and rained blows on his downed opponent.

Robbie ‘The Flame’ Oliver retained his British Featherweight title finally getting the upperhand against Asleigh Grimshaw and executing a rear naked choke in the fifth minute of the second round.

Tom ‘Kong’ Watson cruised to a relatively comfortable win against john Phillips catching the judges eyes in an encounter that went the distance Stave ‘Crazy Bear’ Economou roared to victory in a three round thriller which brought the crowd to its feet slamming Polish Piotr ‘Doctor’ Kusmierz to all corners of the cage. His extraordinary efforts earned Economou a unanimous decision from the judges.

City Whizz kid, Francis Heagney, faced his own credit crunch in the cage failing to take the vacant lightweight title. Jason ‘shotgun’ Young let go both barrels out punching and out manoeuvring the Northern Irishman in a three round war of attrition earning him a unanimous decision.

The same move saw Jody Cottham overcome Russian Umidjon Mavlyanov, Wesley Johnson overpowered Mark Brown with a first round ground and pound victory.

Dave Van Gasse defeated James Elson with a third round rear naked choke.

FURTHER INFORMATION AND PICTURES FROM DAN KIRKBY

07785 392 735
dan@dkpr.co.uk
www.cagerage.com
www.proelite.com

The Week That Was in MMA

news — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:52:00 PDT

Jack Encarnacao

MMA Reporter - TheFightNetwork.com

CATEGORIES: MMA

July 5- July 11

Forrest Griffin completed the impressive transition from a pupil of the UFC's top light heavyweight fighters on the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter" to the top dog in that division at UFC 86 on July 5, dethroning Quinton "Rampage" Jackson via unanimous decision after a classic 25-minute war in Las Vegas. Griffin weathered a first-round knockdown at the end of a Jackson uppercut and brought the fight from there, chopping Jackson down with damaging leg kicks in the second and keeping a high-pressure pace, which in was mostly matched by a scrappy Jackson.There was, as there always is in such an even fight, vehement second-guessing of the judges' scorecards, particularly ones that gave the round one to Griffin even though he was floored in in it. Both camps wereimmediately talking toward a rematch of what could have been the fight of the year. Jackson, whose trainer Juanito Ibarra was most vehement in protest of the decision, apparently came out of the fight with a hobble-inducing knee injury, which could delay a rematch. Chuck Liddell, provided he can get past Rashad Evans on Sept. 6, awaits whichever contender emerges in what could be the biggest fight of 2008.

The main event, which earned Griffin and Jackson $60,000 "Fight of the Night" bonuses m elevated a UFC card that had featured competitive, if not thrilling, fights. The card at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas drew a crowd of about 11,000, 9,630 of which were paid, for a $3.35 million gate. Griffin took home a total of $310,000; Jackson banked $285,000. Second from the top, Patrick Cote defeated Ricardo Almeida via split decision in a lackluster fight to lock in a middleweight title shot. Yushin Okami is expected to get the next shot at Anderson Silva's middleweight title, with Cote next in line. Also notching wins at UFC 86 were Joe Stevenson, who surprised jiu-jitsu specialist Gleison Tiabu with a guillotine choke for the tap, Josh Koscheck, who bloodied Chris Lytle something vicious in earning a unanimous decision, and lightweight force Tyson Griffin, who outworked Marcus Aurelio en route to a decision victory. The knockout of the night bonus went to Melvin Guillard for his swift 36-second KO of Dennis Siver, and submission of the night went to Cole Miller, who absorbed three rounds of punishment from Jorge Gurgel before locating a triangle choke that forced the tap in the bout's closing moments. The submission win, like Dustin Hazelett's on June 21 over Josh Burkman, was so impressive it was posted by the UFC on its website for free viewing. Also in the prelims, former heavyweight title contender Gabriel Gonzaga bounced back from two losses by submitting Justin McCulley in the first round; Gonzaga earned a $100,000 payday, the third highest of the night.

NEWSWORTHY

- With two weeks remaining until the second EliteXC effort on CBS, "Unfinished Business" on July 26, the card has been finalized. Bouts added this week include Shayna Baszler, a submission specialist riding a four-fight win streak, versus Cristiane "Cyborg," the wife of Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, in a fight that will likely determine who will face Gina Carano to crown the first EXC women's champion. Also finalized was Antonio Silva v. Justin Eilers for the EXC heavyweight title and Wilson Reis v. Brian Caraway at featherweight. Those fights, as well as Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante v. Travis Galbraith, will air on the Showtime portion of the event. The Showtime card will be recorded and air on tape delay at 8 p.m. EST to ensure it doesn't run longer than an hour. That same night, the UFCwill air the UFC 84 "Ill Will" event, headlined by B.J. Penn v. Sean Sherk, for free on Spike TV, according to MMARated.com.

-In other matchmaking notes this week, Roan Carneiro v. Ryo Chonan has been set for UFC 88 on Sept. 6 in Atlanta, a fight that was scratched from UFC 85. Canadian striker Sam Stout has been penciled in to face Brit Paul Kelly on Oct. 18 at UFC 89 in Birmingham, England. Frank Trigg announced he has signed with the World Victory Road organization in Japan, possibly to compete in a middleweight tournament the group may hold next year. In other news out of Japan, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic announced he was pulling out of the July 21 "Dream 5" event at Osaka Castle Hall to heal shoulder and knee injuries. Filipovic did not have a confirmed opponent for the event, though his absence will leave a huge hole on a network television special that needs to draw a high rating in Japan. In bouts finalized this week for Dream 5, Yoshihiro Akiyama will face Katsuyori Shibata, Mark Hurt will be in action, Joachim Hansen will take on Kultar "Black Mamba" Gil in an alternate bout in the lightweight grand prix tournament, which will conclude that night. Finally the next installment of "ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series" on Showtime is set for Aug. 15 and will be headlined by Poai Suganuma v. Jared Hamman in a light heavyweight fight from the Table Mountain Resort Casino in Friant, Calif.

- The Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, the boilerplate for athletic commissions overseeing the sport across the country, underwent some tweaking at the Association of Boxing Commissions meeting in Montreal. The most controversial change: increasing from seven to 14 the number of delineated weight classes. UFC President Dana White and several state athletic commission directors said they would not follow the new guidelines, which include new 215 and 225 pound divisions. The association also voted to define the "back of the head" area that is illegal to strike as one inch to either side of a line drawn directly down the center of the head, starting at the crown. The distinction is controversial, as some veteran referees have disagreed over this definition. The associations also voted to allow downward elbow strikes, in which a fighter drives down the point of his elbow directly downward from a 12 to 6 o'clock position. Those blows would be legal provided they don't strike an off-limits area. Smothering an opponent's mouth to restrict breathing was also prohibited. Each state athletic commission has to adopt the new rules for them to take effect. The rules will be in effect for the July 19 Affliction "Banned" pay-per-view, meaning elbows on the ground will be allowed.

- Former Shooto lightweight champion Alexandre Nogueira, who debuted for World Extreme Cagefighting on June 1, is out of the game for a year after he tested positive for the anabolic steroid Boldenone. Nogueiralost to Jose Aldo via second-round TKO on the June 1 WEC card from Arco Arena in Sacramento. Nogueira, whom Jens Pulver was targeting as an opponent to rebound in the featherweight ranks after losing to Urijah Faber,is suspended until May 31, 2009 unless he can successfully appeal the penalty.

QUOTEWORTHY

"You look at the champions. Anderson Silva: terrifying. B.J. Penn: terrifying. Every other champion but me is pretty terrifying. I'm just a dude trying to put it together. But the one thing I've got is I'm going to fight you to the end, like a dog" -- Forrest Griffin in press conference following his win of the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 86.

"How can Quinton not win that fight? You had to give him the first, third and fourth. If you give (Griffin) the third, man, I don't know how you can do that . . . Rampage brought it to him and you have to take the fight away from the champion. He did not take that fight from Rampage" -- Jackson trainer Juanito Ibarra to Yahoo! Sports about judges' decision in favor of Forrest Griffin.

"We (in the MMA community) say that we go by the unified rules. Well, there are too many places that change them. Every commission starts to change those rules the way they want. It should be that [the state athletic commissions] all follow one set of rules. Wherever you go, it's the same. That's what you need to have -- consistency for not only the fighters, (but also) the officials and the fans of the sport" -- John McCarthy to MMAJunkie.com about unified rules changes recently adopted.

"This wasn't a unification. This was to create a whole new set of rules on short notice that no one had any input in drafting other than (Canadian commissioner Dale Kliparchuk) and John McCarthy" -- Keith Kizer, Nevada's athletic commission director, to MMAJunkie.com on the new rules.

"There's going to be a fight. And you know I don't roll over easily" -- Dana White to Yahoo! Sports about his resistance to new weight classes proposed by the newly-tweaked rules.

"What kind of a game plan can I have against the guy? He's better than me on the ground. He's better than me standing up. What am I going to do?' I don't have to go in there and beat him at jiu-jitsu or beat him at Muay Thai. I can go in and fight the guy. I'll go in and mix it all together and see if my style works with his or not" - James Irvin to Yahoo! Sports about his July 19 fight against Anderson Silva.

"I don't have intention to fight on this category and I'm only doing this because they (UFC) asked me and I think I can do it. I don't intend to fight for this belt, this belt belongs to Lyoto (Machida) and he already proved that. I'm going to fight because I like to fight and because I like challenges" -- Anderson Silva to Tatame about his move to light heavyweight on July 19.

"My career is far from being over. I'll be fighting some strong competitors soon again, and hopefully, I'll meet Fedor in the ring once more in 2009"-- Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic on his personal blog about his future in the sport.

NEXT WEEK

-Expect loads of hype from all directions as the UFC, Affliction, Dream and EliteXC make final pushestoward one of the more eventful two-week periods in the sport's history, with UFC Fight Night and Affliction taking place on July 19, Dream 5 on July 21 and EXC "Unfinished Business" on CBS on July 26.