Mammoth Blog

A key light heavyweight matchup between former PRIDE champion Wanderlei Silva and former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is close to being finalized for UFC 91 on November 15th.

According to MMA Rated, Silva and Jackson have both been offered the fight and are close to finalizing the matchup.

If the bout is finalized it would be the third meeting between Silva and Jackson with Silva besting Jackson in both of their previous matchups in PRIDE in 2003 and 2004.

UFC 91 features the return of UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture against Brock Lesnar in the pay-per-view card's main event. Kenny Florian is also scheduled to meet Joe Stevenson at the November 15th event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

For more on UFC 91 "Couture vs. Lesnar" check out the MMAFrenzy.com MMA rumors section.

Hurricane Ike, which is forecast to make landfall in south Florida on Wednesday as a major hurricane, has forced World Extreme Cagefighting to postpone its WEC 36 event until November 5. The event will remain at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

WEC said in a statement:

"Due to the potential of a major hurricane hitting the South Florida area on Wednesday we were compelled to postpone the event. For the safety of our fans, the fighters and our staff we felt it was in the best interest to make this decision."

WEC 36 was scheduled to feature Urijah Faber fighting Mike Brown for the featherweight championship and Paulo Filho fighting Chael Sonnen for the welterweight championship.

That the event is now on November 5 means WEC will have two events in a four-week span; WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres has said he is fighting on December 3.

For betting purposes, let's look at the contestants:

FRANKLIN (23-3, 1 NC, 12 KO's), the -230 favorite in the BetUS UFC betting odds, is someone who has existed as a great image-builder for the UFC. A former high school teacher, he learned about submission fighting mostly from watching videotapes, and turned pro back in March of 2000. He was undefeated in his first dozen mixed martial arts bouts, fought in several different organizations, until he suffered a loss to Lyoto Machida in Japan on New Year's Eve of 2003. Franklin scored a big win by first-round TKO over Ken Shamrock in April 2005 and in his very next fight he won the UFC middleweight title with a stoppage in the fourth round over Evan Tanner. Franklin defended his title twice before losing the crown to Anderson Silva in October '06. He fought Silva in a rematch last October, and was stopped in the second round. His last bout was in April, as he TKO'd Travis Lutter in the second round. Now he is moving to light heavyweight, since it's not likely another fight with Silva will materialize.

HAMILL (4-1, 3 KO's), the +180 underdog at BetUS, is also a shining example to many because he competes at a high level of mixed martial arts despite being deaf. Hamill won three national wrestling titles in Division III competition while at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). He made his pro debut on The Ultimate Fighter 3, and took out Jesse Forbes in one round. After three wins he was put in with Michael Bisping in September of 2007 and went the whole distance, losing a split decision. A scheduled rematch with Bisping never materialized because Hamill had to pull out with a knee injury. Last time out he won on a second-round TKO over Tim Boetsch on April 2. Hamill works extensively with deaf children and apparently there is going to be a movie made about his life.

Franklin may not be the fighter he once was, but at age 33 he still has something left. And when you think about, the guy has a world of experience. When you have fought Anderson Silva twice, not to mention Shamrock, Tanner, Nathan Quarry, David Loiseau, Yushin Okami, Machida and others, there is a tremendous store-house of knowledge that is obtained. This constitutes a huge difference between his experience level and that of his opponent, more than making up for the fact that Franklin is moving to a division that is relatively new to him.

One thing Franklin is going to do that I think will be to his advantage is that he is not going to gratuitously go out there weighing 205 pounds, just because that's the limit or what his opponent may be weighing. he has resigned himself to the fact that he will be giving up some weight, and that will manifest itself in more quickness, and probably give him a more careful game plan, as he knows he can't get caught with Hamill on top of him on the ground. source>>>

USBA is a great place to train! A couple of weeks ago, we were "advised" by Master Kravitz, at the conclusion of training on a Monday evening, to attend the class on Wednesday. No reason was offered, only that we would "really be glad we did," and that we did not need to bring our sparring gear, as is normal for our Wednesday night adult class. Staff was tight-lipped about Master Kravitz' secret...

Rodrigo Gracie Seminar, Mixed Martial Arts in Orange CountyWell, Wednesday soon arrived. Arriving at class early with some anticipation about what awaited, and leaving some extra time for stretching, I figured out quickly that we had a special guest instructor -- Rodrigo Gracie had come to Orange County and was "in the house" at U.S. Blackbelt Academy.

What a great class it was! We learned a sequence of techniques beginning with two counters to a jab, chosen purposely to set up a takedown. After the takedown, we were taught to properly set up for a submission. After the end of this terrific MMA class, Rodrigo stayed to also teach the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu class at 8:30pm. During the Jiu-Jitsu class, we learned an impressive sequence of positions, reversals, submissions, and escapes.

Rodrigo Gracie is a great instructor....his directions are specific, and he is a stickler for keeping things precise and smooth, stopping and correcting us when we were even slightly off the mark. The biggest challenge for me was remembering the huge amount of material we learned in two classes that evening!

I was also excited to learn that the night's events were not a one-time treat. Instead, Rodrigo Gracie will be teaching at USBA regularly in the future, with a monthly mixed martial arts seminar as part of our regular curriculum! He has also agreed to fill the role of head MMA coach, and to guide our MMA program at USBA. I guess it is now time to order my fingerless MMA gloves from the Online Proshop.

Thanks to Master Kravitz and USBA staff for putting together such a great program! source>>>

The weigh-ins for Sunday's Badlands Brawl mixed martial arts event will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday night at Army's West in Dickinson. All fighters must attend the weigh-in.

The Badlands Brawl fights, the first mixed martial arts event Dickinson has ever held, are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Dickinson Recreation Center. source>>>

Strikeforce will put on the third event in its "Young Guns" series at the Civic Auditorium in San Jose, Calif., on September 13.

Two 145-pound up-and-comers -- Jose Palacios (3-1) and Alvin Cacdac (4-4) -- will scrap in the main event of the evening. Both fighters are coming off losses at Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Thomson" in June.

Palacios dropped a fight for the first time in his career to Bobby Stack (5-1) in a three, three-minute round unanimous decision. Cacdac was submitted by a very tough Bryan Caraway (9-3) in the first round of their match.

Both will look to get back in the win column after sustaining their first defeats under the Strikeforce banner.

"Young Guns" was initiated in 2006 by the San Jose-based mixed martial arts organization with the hopes of giving some of the younger talent in the area a chance to develop their skills and talents in a minor league setting.

Here's the full fight card for "Young Guns III:"

145 lbs: Jose Palacios (3-1) vs. Alvin Cacdac (4-4)
185 lbs: Luke Rockhold (2-1) vs. TBA
135 lbs: Andrew Valladarez (3-2) vs. David Barrios (0-4)
145 lbs: Evan Esguerra (1-2) vs. Gabby Solorio (0-1)
170 lbs: Eric Meaders (2-8-1) vs. Ron Kesler (2-1)
205 lbs: Jorge Interiano (1-0) vs. Chris Bostick (2-2)
265 lbs: Yohan Banks (1-1) vs. David Ashkinaz (1-0)
130 lbs: Adam Antolin (1-0) vs. Hugo Govea (0-1)
170 lbs: Justin Holdaas (1-1) vs. Jaime Rodriguez (0-1)
155 lbs: Genaro Strangis (0-0) vs. Alexander Trivino (2-0)
155 lbs: Mike Davis (0-0) vs. OJ Dominguez (0-0)

This will be one of three events set to take place for Strikeforce in a span of less than one month. "Strikeforce at the Mansion II" is set to go down on September 20 and "Payback" is scheduled for October 3 in Denver, Colorado. source>>>

According to our friends at Hockey Fights.com, NHL heavyweight Darcy Hordichuk went 7-1-4 in 12 bouts last season with the Nashville Predators. But if one of the folks Hordichuk has been training with this Summer is on the money, a whole lot of other NHL players might want to think twice about taking him on as a dance partner this upcoming season.

As it turns out, Hordichuk, now in Vancouver, spent two weeks this Summer working out with UFC star Chuck Lidell and his trainer John Hackleman in California. Ben Kuzma of The Province has the details:

"It's all about confidence and just seeing how those guys work -- they train, then they're meditating on the beach and running in the hills -- was kind of neat and a good experience," Hordichuk said Wednesday following an informal skate at Burnaby 8-Rinks.

"Obviously, it's lot different than training on the ice. It's violent, but it's a controlled violence and there are things you can learn from hitting the bag with them, wrestling and other stuff to get your stamina up a bit.

Hackleman, who trained Hordichuk at The Pit in San Luis Obispo, told Kuzma that he expects that Hordichuk's punching power will turn out to be five times as effective thanks to his UFC-inspired training. Last season, the Canucks finished third in the NHL in fighting majors, with 68, only two behind league leading Calgary. Something tells me that adding Hordichuk to the mix will make road trips to Vancover all that much more intimidating source>>>

UFC light heavyweight fighter Houston Alexander has signed a five-fight contract extension with the UFC. Alexander is 2-2 inside the Octagon, including losing his last two fights in very decisive fashion after debuting with the promotion with two equally dramatic victories.

Alexander fights next on September 15 against Eric Schafer at UFC Fight Night 14.

Based on recent moves by the UFC in which fighters have been cut for prolonged losing streaks, one would have thought that another loss by Alexander would doom his UFC career. However, the news of this contract extension tells a different story.

How was Alexander, who is already 36 and has only a very limited realistic shot at the title in the UFC's deepest division, able to negotiate an extension when better fighters have been cut?

Most likely because despite what Dana White says publicly, MMA is not just about the best fighters fighting each other and the UFC gets this. It's also about entertainment and putting fans in seats and in front of TV's (see Brock Lesnar fighting for the heavyweight title after only two fights in the Octagon or EliteXC's heavy reliance on Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano.)

So, while Alexander may never be a legit contender, he does have a physique, an aggressive stand-up style, and a back story (DJ, single father raising six kids, donated his kidney to his daughter) that makes him a fan favorite and also makes him quite marketable. Alexander may not win every fight he's in but his scraps are always quick, entertaining, and decisive (one way or another.)

This all translates to more cash in the UFC's coffers. So, contender or not, re-signing Alexander is simply good business. source>>>

Karo Parisyan was one of the first fighters that I saw fight in the UFC. I was immediately hooked by his dominating judo and his strength.

I saw him throw opponents with ease, dropping them on their heads and dropping their chances of winning the fight. He just broke the spirits of his opponents.

Now with a loss to Thiago Alves behind him, Karo may be in trouble with his next opponent, Yushyhuki Yoshida.

Yoshida is a fourth degree black belt in judo and almost has even more credentials than Karo Parisyan. That is scary. Karo's game plan has always been clinch, clinch, and clinch, but now HE may be thrown if he clinches.
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That must be a brainwracking thought for Karo. His whole life he has been the best, winning junior championships all the way up through Olympic judo. Now he faces a fellow Olympian who is hungry to prove himself.

Yoshiyuki holds wins over Akira Kiuchi, who holds a win over Jake Shields, and an overwhelming victory over Jon Koppenhaver at UFC 84 by Anaconda Choke. In the first minute!

Karo has also shown an inability to finish fights in his career, holding only one TKO victory. This could not be farther from the truth with "Zenko" Yoshida. He holds six TKO victories and the sick submissions of a judo black belt in his two submission victories.

Karo is a wily veteran and I do not discount that, but when a guy has all of your skills and a little bit more, it's hard to ignore him. Look out for Zenko, he's going places. First stop, standing over an unconscious Karo Parisyan. source>>>

UFC 88 will come to us all live on September 6th from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The event will give Atlanta its first taste of live UFC action, and there's sure to be a lot of it when Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell takes on Rashad Evans for the likely right to face Forrest Griffin for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.

But UFC 88 is about a lot more than just the headliner. On the night, Rich "Ace" Franklin will jump up to the light heavyweight division when he takes on former TUF star Matt Hamill. Former PRIDE champion Dan Henderson will try to avoid three straight losses when he takes on BJJ wizard, Rousimar Palhares.

As is always the case these days in the UFC, this card is simply chock-full. So let's get to the nitty gritty.

Chuck Liddell (21-5) vs. Rashad Evans (11-0-1): Chuck Liddell may do two things better than anyone that has ever fought in the light heavyweight division. First, he may have better one punch knockout power than any 205 pounder in history. Second, he may have the best takedown defense as well.

In other words, wrestlers beware.

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It's unfortunate but I strongly believe that this weekend's UFC PPV is getting absolutely no publicity at all, and therefore overshadowed not only by the Randy Couture situation but also the return of the NFL. So let's try to create some more excitement for this card shall we? I think a little breakdown of the "Breakthrough" card is in order. We will begin with the first fights of the night (making the air) and work our way up to the main event.

Martin Kampmann vs. Nate Marquardt

I think Kampmann said it best recently when he was interviewed and asked what kind of problems Marquardt poses for his opponents. "Most of the guys I've fought," said Kampmann, "I've been able to pinpoint a weakness in their game. Not with Nate. He is very well rounded and one of the best guys in the UFC."

Marquardt is extremely dangerous and coming off a recent loss to Thales Leites, he will be even more geared up to validate his standing in the middleweight division, a standing which deserves to be right at the top of the list of challengers to the Spider's throne. Like Kampmann stated, Marquadt's game has very few holes in it, if any. His striking is fast, accurate and powerful as well as technical. He's not just a puncher though -- he combines kicks with jabs and big right hands as effectively as the best in the division. If an opponent tries to bring the fight to the mat against Marquardt, he's strong enough to defend most takedown attempts and good enough on the ground to gain top position and work his way out of his opponent's guard. Marquardt has a 26-8-2 record with wins coming by submission almost as frequently as TKO or KO stoppages.

Kampmann on the other hand is coming off a catastrophic knee injury in which he tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus last year while training at Xtreme Couture for a main event fight with Rich Franklin. There were questions whether his fighting career was over and after battling through all of that heartbreak, devastation and rehabilitation, Kampmann is back and ready to prove again that he deserves a shot at the title.

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UFC star Rich Franklin is back in action this Saturday at UFC 88 in Atlanta and will be moving up a weight class. Franklin will be facing a fellow Cincinnatian in light heavyweight Matt Hamill. I recently spoke with Franklin about the match and his career.

MMA Stomping Grounds: Why the move up to 205?

Rich Franklin: I was talking to the UFC after the second [Anderson] Silva loss and they encouraged me to move up to 205. They told me my position there would be more appealing to them from a business perspective. They weren't interested in a third match between me and Silva and they didn't want me fighting contenders because I could eliminate possible title fights, so I was stuck in that I was going to be fighting people on the back end of their losses to Silva and I didn't care for that gatekeeper position. After the Travis Lutter fight, I said I would try my hand at 205 again.

MMA Stomping Grounds: What's the toughest part of the transition in weight classes?

Rich Franklin: I think that's a question better suited for September 7, but me giving up some pounds there is quite the adjustment. If I'm carrying an extra 20 pounds in this fight and it goes the full 15 minutes, that takes a toll on conditioning.

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Can speed and agility overcome power and endurance? Can wit or strategy overcome size or weight? Can a guy who weighs 155 pounds be as powerful as a 200-plus-pounder?

Is it possible to beat a powerful fighter if you are nowhere near as strong as him? Does Urijah Faber have a major disadvantage against a guy like Kimbo Slice? Does BJ Penn stand a chance against Brock Lesnar? Should there be a "Super Fight" between Anderson Silva and Fedor Emelianenko to see who is the pound-for-pound best, and, if so, could Silva beat Fedor without fighting at his natural weight? Should there be an MMA division where a fighter has the choice to fight at whatever weight he or she is comfortable?

Can you really establish the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world without an open weight division?

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By P.H. Burbridge (A voice in the crowd) - The sport of boxing is a high stakes shell game with moves that can be interpreted not only as slight of hand trickery but as symbols of our own moral deficiency as a society. From John L. Sullivan refusing to fight Peter "Black Prince" Jackson to Jack Dempsey being swayed away from Harry "The Black Panther" Wills to Joe Louis getting the first crack at Jimmy Braddock ahead of Max Schmeling. Those events were all justified based upon the racial or nationalistic bias of the day. At the time the desired result was achieved and that was to prevent a fighter the opportunity he truly deserved. In the case of Louis he reconciled his "open" debt to Schmeling in a manner that we can all appreciate. But, in the other two cases they simply faded into the boxing landscape like so many other wrongs that scar our collective psyche.

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HDNet Fights today announced a long-term partnership with Affliction Entertainment to air live MMA events exclusively in North America on HDNet. These live events, featuring the top Mixed Martial Arts fighters from around the world, will be broadcast on HDNet as a lead-in to Affliction's Pay Per View Events.

"This is the beginning of a long-term partnership with Affliction that encompasses live MMA, co-marketing and top fighters for the top weekly show in MMA -- Inside MMA on HDNet," said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. "Affliction has quickly become one of the top organizations in MMA which means it is a must have for HDNet."

As part of the agreement, HDNet will feature the first ninety minutes of live bouts that are part of each Affliction MMA event. Affliction joins the deep HDNet Fights lineup, which already features more LIVE events than any other network on television today.

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