MMA News and Discussion Thread

[ACCBiggz]

James Toney:

“UFC is not ready for someone like me. I am too violent.”

“If they want to make it boxer vs. UFC, if Dana White has the balls, like he does on TV, he can call Dan Goossen and we can make it happen. I will fight Randy Couture or Chuck Lindell.”

“99 percent of boxers who would go in UFC would probably get their ass whooped. But I am one percent, I never got my ass whooped."

[crazedfan]

I severely want one of these cocky boxers to go into UFC and get their asses handed to them.

[Enter Blue Guy]

I'll give Toney some credit, he is the first boxer to compare a boxer vs. mixed martial artist in an MMA environment, rather than be like Floyd Mayweather and challenge guys to try and straight up box.

Shit like this has been happening in Japan for years, when a kickboxer goes from K-1 to MMA. Look at a guy like Stefan Leko. Tremendous kickboxer, would kick the every living shit out of any mixed martial artist with no top level kickboxing experience in a kickboxing environment. But he goes into Pride, stays on his feet for no more than a few seconds before being taken down and submitted.

At least Toney is willing to go into UFC and give it a shot, not threaten the talent of their fighters and challenging them to come into his domain. I don't think I've ever heard any fighter in MMA say he could go into professional boxing and whoop a top contender. Why do boxers feel like they should challenge MMA fighters and tell them if they ever stepped up and got in the ring with them, they'd get killed? Yeah, you're probably right. And I'm sure if Floyd Mayweather got into a ring with Shogun, got Thai clinched and force fed a few knees to the head or if one of the Nog brothers took him down and broke his arm it would be a different story. What's the point? Boxing is boxing. MMA is MMA. Rugby players don't challenge football players.

Edited April 18, 2007 by Enter Blue Guy

[ACCBiggz]

K-1, Strikeforce, etc. joint show at LAC got its main event most likely. Not official but both sides have agreed according to Meltzer...

Sakuraba vs. Gracie II

First was a 90 war that saw Gracie throw in the towel, from the things I saw in the fight some of the "fake taps" that Saku did were a bit iffy to me. I'd be interested in this.

[Enter Blue Guy]

Sakuraba says the tap was in response the Royce to kneeing him the groin. Even if Saku did tap with the intentions of submitting or trying to play mind games with Royce or whatever, according to Pride rules, as well as general MMA rules everywhere, an official submission requires three taps and Saku tapped twice.

Actually, I'm looking forward to this fight, if it does happen.

Edited April 21, 2007 by Enter Blue Guy

[ACCBiggz]

I don't think he was submitting, but I think he did it to make Royce loosen his grip, which is smart, I just don't like it. Either way that is the past and the next fight has my interest.

[Troy Maskell]

Happy Happy Happy Day

BitchCop gets Knocked Out

Now can we piss him off back to PRIDE?

[maninblack]

And CroCop losing by kick to the head

Seems to be a lot of upset wins the last few months.

[Enter Blue Guy]

After getting reports from both fighters’ camps, UFCjunkie.com reported last week that former UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) would likely face rising contender Josh Koscheck (8-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) in his next UFC bout.

Our report took one step closer to fruition over the weekend when UFC president Dana White stated that he predicts the St. Pierre vs. Koscheck fight will, in fact, happen.

The Fight Network reported the possibility today:

White announced that [Matt] Serra will join Matt Hughes as a competing coach on the next season of Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series — which begins shooting this Spring for a Fall broadcast — and predicted that St. Pierre would likely face Josh Koscheck in the interim.

The fight is expected to take place in August at UFC 74, which will feature a main event of UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga. Gonzaga earned the title shot by upsetting Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic over the weekend at UFC 70.

Although that heavyweight battle will earn top billing, the St. Pierre-Koscheck could be just as big of a draw with two of the organization’s most popular fighters.

St. Pierre lost his belt during his first-ever title defense earlier this month to Matt Serra at UFC 69. At the same event, Koscheck scored an upset of bitter rival Diego Sanchez to move him into the list of top-five UFC welterweights.

UFC Junkie.com

[Gene Kiniski]

I'm excited to see him drop the weight. It will probably be a huge unadjusted for him, 15lbs is a lot, but I'm looking forward to it.

[ACCBiggz]

The World is Ready for the UFC - UFC 73 on July 7th

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Tired of paying your hard-earned cash for events packed with hype and little else? Sick of sitting down

for a pay-per-view event and finding out that you’re paying over $50 for just three fights that include a showcase and a mismatch? The Ultimate Fighting Championship® has the cure for what is ailing fight fans, and in a continuing effort to provide what the world is truly waiting for, it is announcing yet another UFC card stacked with at least five fights that include two intense championship bouts and a heated grudge match between two light heavyweight rivals. UFC 73: STACKED features UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva in his first title defense vs. Nate “The Great” Marquardt. UFC Lightweight Champion Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk puts his newly-won belt on the line vs. Brazil’s Hermes Franca. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira steps into the Octagon™ for the first time for a heavyweight war with Heath Herring – and Tito Ortiz intends to put a painful end to Rashad Evans’ perfect 15-0 record. Let the fireworks begin. UFC 73, loaded with UFC superstars, takes place LIVE from ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif. Saturday, July 7, 2007.

“We have five UFC events lined up now through July in the US and UK, and every one of them is stacked with great fights,” said UFC President Dana White. “No matter where we have a UFC, our goal is always the same – to deliver the best fights between the best mixed martial arts fighters. Our fans know they will always see a good fight, and that’s why the UFC reigns supreme in live sports today.”

White continues, “UFC 73 is one of the best cards we’ve put together this year. It’s going to deliver the one-two punch fight fans want – it has Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans, two all-state college wrestlers, both who dislike each other, settling their differences in the Octagon, as well as title defenses by our two champions Anderson Silva and Sean Sherk. We’re working on more fights right now to pack this card even heavier from top to bottom.”

About his upcoming fight versus Rashad Evans, “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz stated, “Everybody should expect fireworks. Rashad is standing in the way of my getting another title shot, and my prediction is that he won’t be able to handle my tempo or the 18,000 Tito Ortiz fans that are in Sacramento to see me win. My prediction is that fans will definitely get their money’s worth.”

Evans countered, “Tito needs to learn the meaning of respect. On July 7, I’m going to teach him what that’s all about. Let him come down from the mountain to Greg Jackson’s training camp and he’ll see what he’s up against. I’m focused and on a mission, and my goal is to knock him out.”

[crazedfan]

Geez, that card is stacked, all top 4 fights should be awesome, and it's in Sacramento! I was pissed when I found out about the last show at Arco, and it was too late to get tickets for Hughes/GSP and Sylvia/Monson, but I definitely want to go to this.... only problem is any tickets for UFC events are expensive as fuck.

[Toe]

Every one of those bouts has some name recognition to it, a great looking card. Can't wait!

[Enter Blue Guy]

Stacked.. That's the worst name for any event of any kind.

Herring as the first opponent for Nog is unexpected. If it's anything like the first two time they fought, it'll be an amazing fight, but it'll also mean Heath will lose. The fight should be really awesome, though I thought the switch to the UFC for Nog would be a nice, fresh start. Not much left to prove against Heath. Maybe next time.

To be honest, I just want to hear something new about the LWGP more than anything else. But nothing.

[ACCBiggz]

Floyd Mayweather & De La Hoya graced the covers of many magazines last month.. so we are probably going to cover the NFL Draft, MLB, or NBA Playoffs next right?

BOO-YAH! UFC GRABS THE COVER!

Also in a recent article about Randy Couture, he says he is in talks about sponsership from Gatorade, Pepsi, and others. Says he turned down Toyo, Mickey's, and Xyeince because landing the big guys will help bring them in to MMA full time and help the fighters.

Edited May 9, 2007 by ACCBiggz

[crazedfan]

Randy is also apparently going to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated soon as well. UFC and MMA in general is just absolutely exploding.

[Enter Blue Guy]

Yeah, I heard about Randy being on the cover of SI. Good for him. Shame I didn't renew my subscription when it was up a few years ago. I may actually have to go the newsstand and pick up a copy.

Breaking News: Lightweight UFC fighter and former Ultimate Fighter contestant Melvin Guillard was suspended for eight months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission at a disciplinary hearing today in Las Vegas. He was also fined $2,100 out of his $7,000 purse for the fight.

Guillard tested positive for Benzoylegonine, a major metabolite of cocaine, following his loss to Joe Stevenson at UFC Fight Night 9 on April 5th. Guillard's fight against Stevenson was the card's main event, and it aired live on Spike TV.

Guillard was the first MMA fighter to test positive for cocaine in the state of Nevada. In neighboring California, only one MMA fighter, Ricco Rodriguez, has tested positive for cocaine.

-MMA Weekly.com

Edited May 9, 2007 by Enter Blue Guy

[NobBe Nobbs]

How much are Sports Illustrated subscriptions, out of interest?

[Gene Kiniski]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/

Knock yourself out.

[ACCBiggz]

PRIDE Sale not yet complete.

On April 27th, we reported that Ed Fishman and the legal team of Fishman Companies was preparing a deposition list of up to 50 witnesses (all top MMA major players) to be questioned in relation to the Fishman Companies vs. DSE Inc. lawsuit.

According to a source with knowledge of the lawsuit, the deposition list was turned into the court (Clark County, Nevada). However, our source claims that the deposition process isn’t taking place now. The reason? The source claims that the much-discussed transaction between Zuffa LLC and Dream Stage Entertainment Inc. for the PRIDE assets has supposedly not happened. Last month, DSE Inc. President Nobuyuki Sakakibara stated that the date proposed for the asset transaction would be May 1st. Today is May 8th.

Furthermore, we have been told that there is movement behind the scenes in regards to the relationship between UFC & PRIDE. In Gong Kakutougi magazine, Dana White claimed that Zuffa LLC legal adviser Jamie Pollack would take over as the President of the new PRIDE. Pollack was scheduled to relocate both he and his family from Las Vegas to Japan. However, the same source (that claimed no depositions are taking place now in the Fishman Companies lawsuit) is also claiming that Pollack and his family (after arriving in Japan) quickly went back to Las Vegas after his Japanese stay.

The question we are wondering is why Jamie Pollack and his family are already back in Las Vegas after such a short amount of time in Japan. Through an intermediary in Las Vegas, we tried to find out an answer to this question and failed in getting any sort of concrete answer.

The one concrete fact that we know right now in this story is that Nobuyuki Sakakibara and DSE Inc. management was in Las Vegas all week, but had supposedly recently left Las Vegas to head back to Japan.

The next scheduled court date in the Fishman Companies vs. DSE Inc. lawsuit is on Thursday, May 17th.