marzo 2010 | Blog Megathai - K1, MMA, Boxe e Muay Thai a Bologna >

31 marzo 2010

[Strikeforce Challengers-Series 7]: video dell'evento (29/03/2010)

[Strikeforce Challengers-Series 7] Justin Wilcox vs Shamir Bailey (2010-03-26)
[Strikeforce Challengers-Series 7] Lavar Johnson vs Lolahea Mahe (2010-03-26)



[Strikeforce Challengers-Series 7] Ron Humphrey vs George Bush (2010-03-26)

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[MMA italy]:130 ATLETI ALLA II° TAPPA DEI CAMPIONATI ITALIANI

130 ATLETI ALLA II° TAPPA DEI CAMPIONATI ITALIANI
DI MMA ITALY DI SUBMISSION E MMA LIGHT

Si è tenuta a Sesto San Giovanni (MI) la seconda delle quattro tappe del V° campionato italiano di MMA Light e Submission promosso da MMA Italy (www.mma-italy.com). Come di consueto l’evento si è tenuto in collaborazione con la WFC Italia e la gara era aperta ai tesserati di qualunque federazione, ente o scuola.

Da record la partecipazione degli atleti, gli iscritti alla competizione sono infatti stati più di 130

Da record la partecipazione degli atleti, gli iscritti alla competizione sono infatti stati più di 130.

Venendo ai risultati della giornata, la Gracie Barra Caveirinha Italia mantiene, grazie anche al suo numerosissimo team, la leadership assoluta in tutte le classifiche. Solo nella submission trova una squadra che gli si avvicini, Il Dojo Miura di Torino che si piazza secondo a quota 30 punti contro i 36 della GBC.

Nella classifica generale di tappa invece vincono gli allievi di Mestre Batatinha con ben 86 punti contro i soli 40 della seconda classificata Warriors Verona.

Diverso il discorso se si guardano invece i singoli primi posti. La GBC ne ottiene si 5 su 9 nella submission ma nelle MMA light si ferma a 4 su 9.

Tutti i risultati e le classifiche della seconda tappa sono on-line al link: click

Qui invece alcune foto: click


La terza tappa di questi campionati è prevista per il 18 aprile al palasport “Pajetta” di Biella. Nello stesso impianto in serata si terrà poi il galà “Fighter of the ring”, con ben cinque match di MMA in cartellone

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[BOXE]: Pacquiao , mia madre chiede che mi ritiri

Il miglior pugile del mondo potrebbe lasciare la boxe per far contenta la mamma. 'Potrei ritirarmi', ha detto Manny Pacquiao. Il campione filippino dei pesi welter, considerato il piu' forte di ogni categoria, ha ammesso: 'Mia madre mi sta pregando di smettere di combattere, ne parleremo'. Pacquiao, 31 anni, che ha difeso vittoriosamente il titolo Wbo contro il ghanese Joshua Clottey il 13 marzo scorso in Texas, e' candidato alle elezioni nelle Filippine il 10 maggio.

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30 marzo 2010

[BOXE]: Rodrigo Bracco nuovo campione italiano Gallo

E’un finale amaro per Pio Antonio Nettuno quello che ha visto il suo ‘secondo’ lanciare la spugna quando mancavano quaranta secondi appena, alla chiusura regolare del match, decimo round di un incontro che, ha però sempre visto davanti, come punteggio, azione, determinazione e concretezza, il nuovo campione italiano pesi gallo, il fiorentino Rodrigo Bracco. Un bell’incontro, quello che ha preceduto la consegna del titolo di campione intercontinentale Wba, pesi welter, a Leonard Bundu, splendido antipasto di una serata, quella di ieri vissuta al Mandela Forum, che ha offerto spettacolo e scatenato un pubblico di appassionati e neofiti, mai così sorpresi da una riunione davvero ben riuscita. Tornando alla sfida Bracco- Nettuno va detto che l’atleta del team Loreni, dopo una fase di studio,

durata appena un round, affonda colpi, soprattutto montanti e jab, che colpiscono ferocemente l’atleta romagnolo, generoso e punito da quel finale già raccontato, per una sfida che, sarebbe potuta finire prima e che invece, si conclude con le proteste di amici dello stesso Nettuno, infuriati per quel gesto, dall’angolo del 25enne riminese, che non rende giustizia per ‘un guerriero’, come la stessa madre di Rodrigo Bracco, definisce a fine incontro, l’avversario del figlio. Spregiudicata e senza calcoli la battaglia messa in piedi proprio da Nettuno nel primo round che con un sinistro di fa largo un paio di volte sul 30enne di origine cilena, meno pimpante dell’avversario nei primi tre minuti. Già nel secondo round cambia la musica e nel primo minuto due destri e altrettanti jab importanti stordiscono Nettuno, con Braccio che di contro prende solo due montanti che vengono ben assorbiti alla tempia sinistra. Riinizia spigliato ed aggressivo anche nel terzo round lo sfidante di Bracco, con però il fiorentino che però di sinistro procura la ferita all’occhio destro, in chiusura dei tre minuti, che condizionerà il resto dell’incontro. Infatti il fiorentino già nel quarto sfrutta la minor fluidità di colpi di Nettuno che, reagisce inerme a due colpi precisi di destro di Bracco, sempre efficace ma non ancora troppo preciso. Sembra quasi rifiatare lo stesso Bracco nel quinto round, concedendo a nettuno due destri intensi, ma anche questa parte di match va al padrone di casa, che chiude con un montante che fa tremare le gambe del generosissimo Nettuno.

Due montanti sinistri in sequenza di Bracco aprono la sesta ripresa, con un jab sinistro di Nettuno che fa da contraltare a un doppio destro-sinistro che sfianca ancora il riminese e lo fa nuovamente barcollare. Un secondo richiamo per colpo alla nuca per Bracco non fanno desistere l’azione dell’atleta incitato da parenti, amici, soprattutto fratello e padre che, senza sosta urlano ‘Vai chico!’ da bordo ring. Il medico ed il coach di Nettuno chiedono, prima dell’inizio del settimo round, al proprio atleta, ormai stanchissimo, dell’opzione che venga gettata la spugna per taglio all’arcata destra, ma il 25enne riminese del team Cavallari non vuole cedere. Ancora destro-sinistro di Bracco sono mal assorbiti da un Nettuno che va avanti con il cuore e poco con la testa, subendo poi anche un jab sinistro ed un montante in sequenza. Due sequenze e taglio all’arcata sopraccigliare destra che si riapre, e nuovo consulto medico-coach e Nettuno, per la sospensione del match che, arriverà come detto troppo tardi. Un occhio, quello destro di Nettuno sempre piu’ tumefatto e forse Rodrigo Bracco se ne accorge e, da vero atleta di rispetto, gestisce e rallenta la propria azione, piazzando comunque due destri che gli consentono di vincere il round anche l’ottavo round. La penultima tappa del calvario di Nettuno vede ancora Bracco, stanco anche lui, ma lucido, gestire, ma affondare allo stesso tempo quando serve, costringendo Nettuno anche ad un certo punto a fuggire, punzecchiato da ancora due jab sinistri che rendono la situazione fisica del riminese ingestibile. Nell’ultimo round, prima del getto della spugna da parte dell’angolo di Nettuno, ancora da registrare in apertura un paio di montanti di Bracco che, si muove da padrone sul ring, non perdendo mai in calma e intelligenza. Lo show dell’atleta di casa si chiude con un paio di destri che, come detto, costringono il tecnico di Nettuno e gettare la spugna. Mossa che, a 40 secondi dalla fine ‘naturale’ del match scatena come detto le proteste di amici e parenti del romagnolo e del pubblico che, applaude, ma non gradisce questo brutto finale. Bracco nuovo campione italiano dei pesi Gallo, con pieno merito, per Nettuno, atleta mai domo, applaudito lungamente dagli oltre 3000 del Mandela Forum, la sola amarezza di non aver potuto chiudere un incontro che, avrebbe meritato di finire, anche solo per ripagare uno sforzo fisico, ed una generosità che, difficilmente si trova in atleti della sua età. Per Rodrigo Bracco l’apotesi del pubblico amico, ed una festa in famiglia alla discesa dal ring, meritata per un pugile che, passo dopo passo, emoziona sempre, riuscendo a stupire, per varietà di colpi, stile e stupefacente coraggio.

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29 marzo 2010

[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - video, risultati e bonus (27/03/2010)

A seguito riporto i video del buon evento targato UFC di questa notte, ottimi incontri combattuti. Purtroppo non ho potuto seguire la diretta con voi questa notte, in quanto eravamo impegnati ad Ancona nell'evento della Kombat League con alcuni atleti, ad ogni modo siete stati in tanti :) (più di 100 visitatori unici dall'1 alle 4 di notte!). Ricordo inoltre che, come sempre, di tanto in tanto i video verranno rimossi, ma provvederemo a sostituirlo con alcuni funzionanti.
Nella colonna di destra infine trovate il link al post per superare il limite dei 72 minuti su MEGAVIDEO e non avere quindi la visualizzazione interrotta ;)
Buona visione!

Georges St. Pierre vs Dan Hardy Part 1


Georges St. Pierre vs Dan Hardy Part 2


Frank Mir vs Shane Carwin


Kurt Pellegrino vs Fabricio Cameos


Jon Fitch vs Ben Saunders


Jim Miller vs Mark Bocek


Rory Markham vs Nate Diaz


Matt Brown vs Ricardo Almeida


Rousimar Palhares vs Tomasz Drawl


Matthew Riddle vs Greg Soto


Risultati a seguito

Official Fight card
Preliminary Card
* Welterweight bout: Matthew Riddle vs. Greg Soto
Riddle defeated Soto via disqualification (illegal upkick) at 1:30 of round 3.

* Light Heavyweight bout: Rodney Wallace vs. Jared Hamman
Hamman defeated Wallace via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). This bout aired last on the PPV broadcast following the St. Pierre vs. Hardy fight.

* Middleweight bout: Rousimar Palhares vs. Tomasz Drwal
Palhares defeated Drwal via submission (heel hook) at 0:45 of round 1. This bout aired on the Spike broadcast following the Diaz vs. Markham fight. This bout also aired on the PPV broadcast following the Mir vs. Carwin fight.

Spike TV Card
* Welterweight bout: Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Brown
Almeida defeated Brown via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:30 of round 2.

* Catchweight (177 lb) bout: Nate Diaz vs. Rory Markham
Diaz defeated Markham via TKO (punches) at 2:47 of round 1.

Main Card
* Lightweight bout: Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek
Miller defeated Bocek via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).

* Welterweight bout: Jon Fitch vs. Ben Saunders
Fitch defeated Saunders via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

* Lightweight bout: Kurt Pellegrino vs. Fabricio Camoes
Pellegrino defeated Camoes via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:20 of round 2.

* Interim Heavyweight Championship bout: Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin
Carwin defeated Mir via KO (punches) at 3:48 of round 1 to become the UFC Interim Heavyweight champion.

* Welterweight Championship bout: Georges St. Pierre (c) vs. Dan Hardy
St. Pierre defeated Hardy via unanimous decision (50-43, 50-44, 50-45) to retain the UFC Welterweight championship.

Bonus awards
Fighters were awarded $65,000 bonuses.
* Fight of the Night: Rodney Wallace vs. Jared Hamman
* Knockout of the Night: Shane Carwin
* Submission of the Night: Kurt Pellegrino

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[BOXE]: Emile Griffith e quei memorabili incontri di boxe

Gli appassionati di pugilato e non solo , specie i meno giovani , ricorderanno i memorabili incontri ai vertici mondiali tra Nino Benvenuti ed Emile Griffith . Ora Griffith –

che ha dissipato i suoi guadagni e vive in povertà con 300 dollari al mese – ha l’Alzheimer . Il settantaduenne Benvenuti a Natale è andato negli Usa per portargli 10.000 dollari , senza troppi clamori . Ad aprile lo farà venire in Italia . Saranno assieme , da amici quali sono diventati , in eventi in varie citta . Si raccoglieranno fondi per aiutare Griffith , si punteranno i riflettori sulla terribile malattia di Alzheimer . Benvenuti e' stato vicino anche ad un altro suo avversario , Carlos Monzon , quando si e' trovato in difficolta' . E’ impegnato in parecchie testimonianze di solidarieta' .
Campione nello sport . Campione nella vita .

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28 marzo 2010

[BOXE]: Campionato mondiale dei pesi massimi Ibf/Wbo

In Germania l’umiliante sconfitta dello Stoccarda in Champions League – 0-4 contro il Barcellona – sarà presto dimenticata. Un altro evento sportivo sta per attirare l’attenzione dei media e del pubblico:

sabato il campione mondiale dei pesi massimi Ibf/Wbo Wladimir Klitschko difenderà il titolo contro l’americano Eddie Chambers, a Dusseldorf, in uno stadio con una capienza di 51mila spettatori. La scelta della Esprit Arena è la prova di quanto sia popolare Wladimir Klitschko in Germania anche se è nato in Kazakistan (il 25 marzo 1976) e la boxe è meno praticata del calcio. Grazie alle sue vittorie e ad un’esemplare opera promozionale, Wladimir e suo fratello Vitali sono tanto famosi quanto i calciatori della nazionale teutonica. Infatti, anche il prossimo match di Vitali – il 29 maggio a Dusselsorf contro il polacco Albert Sosnowski - si svolgerà all’interno di in uno stadio, quello di Gelsenkirchen, che ha una capienza di 61mila persone.

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27 marzo 2010

[KL]: Alan Saitta "Il Ritorno" By Marco Ramponi



A volte mi trovo a dover parlare di persone che definisco amiche e non vi nascondo che in questi casi mi sento un po' imbarazzato.
L'imbarazzo nasce dal fatto che la persona in questione e' Alan Saitta, un atleta/amico che non credo abbia bisogno di presentazioni:campione europeo muay thai full rules, per la sigla MTA, nella categoria 81kg.
Dopo tre anni di inattivita' ho il piacere di annunciareil suo ritorno sul ring,grazie alla GOTTI PROMOTION.
Cosi' Alan annuncia il suo ritorno:
"Mi chiamo Alan Saitta , e fino a tre anni fa calcavo diversi ring locali(Ringrazio il mio staff di allora e tutte le persone che in quei momenti mi sono state vicine in tutto quello che ho fatto).

Oggi torno con una sfida,una sfida verso me stesso ed il mio mondo,quello della muay thai agonistica.
In questi tre anni ho dovuto affrontare i "demoni" del passato e moltissimi problemi personali molto gravi, ma un rimpianto mi era rimasto,quello di aver dovuto abbandonare il ring.
Rimarginate le ferite fisiche e morali,completamente solo,avevo totalmente rimosso l'idea di combattere.....poi grazie a delle persone che mi stanno vicino e mi sono amiche,ho iniziato ad avvicinarmi a quello che era il mio mondo..inizialmente come accompagnatore...ed ora come atleta.
In tanti mi hanno deriso o hanno cercato di persuadermi, ma l'unica persona che mi e' sempre stata vicino mi ha detto di seguire il mio cuore ed il mio spirito.
Presa la decisione bisognava rimettersi in gioco, e soprattutto ri iniziare ad allenarsi, poiche' la mia realta' era totalmente cambiata dall'ultimo match..Non avevo piu' di 80 mq2 per allenarmi,2 sacchi,4paia di pao, ma soprattutto ero solo....Si, tanti ragazzi che volevano imparare, ma atleti pochi e anche quelli impegnati con lavoro e famiglia.....Beh anche un analfabeta sa fare i conti, con questi numeri non si combatte..ma il bello di queste sfide e' che non mi abbattono ...anzi mi caricano ancor di piu'!!!!!
In primo luogo ho programmato tutta la mia preparazione atletica, ho cancellato la tradizione obsoleta di allenamento ed ho unito esperienza con scienza...non e' facile programmarsi un allenamento e farsi i test da soli, non si riesce ad essere obbiettivi, ma i ragazzi che mi hanno seguito,hanno fatto da gruppo di confronto: ora bisognava programmare e ottimizzare,ogni momento della giornata.
Non so se il coraggio,o meglio pazzia, sia piu' quello di salire sul ring od allenarmi con un metodo completamente diverso, programmato da me,, che non rispecchia nessun modello esistente....Funzionera' ..non funzionera', lo sapro' solo quando saro' sul ring, li' davanti al mio avversario...quando entrambi daremo il massimo per poter vincere.
Beh essere allenatore di se stessi e' gia' folle, ma seguire e preparare in contemporanea anche altri ragazzi li' i folli sono loro!!!!!!!!!
Ringrazio il mio team Seba,Marco e tutti gli altri che mi hanno aiutato e sopportato ogni sacrosanto allenamento..un grazie di cuore anche alla GOTTI PROMOTION, per l'organizzazione, ed infine il grazie piu' grande a chi mi sta vicino a casa ed ogni giorno mi sopporta e mi sostiene."
Queste erano le testuali parole di Alan, ma ora vorrei concludere io ringraziando, per primo il Sig.Osti Gianmarco web master di megathai, che mi ha dato l'opportunita' di parlare di un amico; Alessandro Gotti per l'organizzazione di APOCALIX ed infine tutti coloro che hanno avuto la pazienza di leggere questo mio articolo......e per finire un solo coro....FORZA ALAN!!! By MARCO RAMPONI

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[KL]: ASSOLUTI KOMBAT LEAGUE - FMTI - FIOS (28/03/2010)

ASSOLUTI KOMBAT LEAGUE - FMTI - FIOS
28 MARZO 2010 - PORTO POTENZA PICENA
PRESSO IL PALAPRINCIPI - VIALE PIEMONTE

PER LE ISCRIZIONI: clicca qui

Tutte le società con atleti qualificati riceveranno le convocazioni e saranno contattate dalla segreteria nei prossimi giorni.
La lista dei qualificati sarà a breve disponibile anche sul portale KL
Il campionato OPEN che si disputerà lo stesso giorno è ad iscirzione libera e aperto ad ogni società anche non affiliata Kombat League

NOTA BENE!!! LE ISCRIZIONI SI CHIUDONO ALLA MEZZANOTTE DI GIOVEDI' 25 MARZO

Dalle ore 08.30 alle ore 10.00 accredito partecipanti campionati ASSOLUTI e Torneo Open discipline KL/FMTI + MMA

Ore 09.00/10.00 peso e visita medica (tutti gli atleti devono presentarsi con il certificato medico in corso di validità) pena la squalifica
Nessuna iscrizione sarà accettata in loco!
Tolleranza del peso 1 kg oltre tale soglia l'atleta sarà squalificato

Ore 10.30 inizio gara Point Fighting/Semi Contact
Ore 11.00 inizio gara Campionato ASSOLUTI e Torneo Open discipline KL/FMTI + MMA

Per tutte le info: vale.kombatleague@gmail.com e segreteria@kombatleague.com

LE INFO RIGUARDO LA SISTEMAZIONE ALBERGHIERA si trovano all'interno della articolo: clicca qui

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[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - countdown (27/03/2010)

Welterweight king Georges St. Pierre, dethroned once before by an astronomical underdog, stood nose-to-nose with Dan Hardy one final time on the eve of their scheduled five-round tilt. A pair of red eyes, colored by contact lenses, stared back at him.

St. Pierre checked in at 170 pounds for his title defense against Hardy (170) in the UFC 111 main event this Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Seventeen of the 18 other fighters booked to compete -- co-headliners Frank Mir (265) and Shane Carwin (265) included -- also met their contracted weight requirements without incident at Friday’s official weigh-in. Rory Markham tipped the scales at 177 pounds and agreed to a catchweight bout with Nate Diaz.

UFC 111 “St. Pierre vs. Hardy”
Saturday, March 27
Prudential Center
Newark, N.J.

UFC Welterweight Championship
Georges St. Pierre (170) vs. Dan Hardy (170)

Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship
Frank Mir (265) vs. Shane Carwin (265)

Kurt Pellegrino (155) vs. Fabricio Camoes (155)
Jon Fitch (171) vs. Ben Saunders (169)
Jim Miller (155) vs. Mark Bocek (154)
Nate Diaz (171) vs. Rory Markham (177)
Ricardo Almeida (170) vs. Matt Brown (170)
Rousimar Palhares (186) vs. Tomasz Drwal (185)
Rodney Wallace (206) vs. Jared Hamman (205)
Matt Riddle (170) vs. Greg Soto (170)

Widely received as one of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world, St. Pierre has rattled off six consecutive victories since his stunning upset loss to Matt Serra at UFC 69 in April 2007. The 28-year-old French Canadian has not competed since he grinded through a unanimous five-round decision over Thiago Alves at UFC 100 eight months ago. Victories over UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn, former welterweight titleholder Matt Hughes and one-time lightweight champion Sean Sherk anchor his resume, along with decisive wins over top contenders Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck.

“I’m going to deliver the best performance of my career,” St. Pierre said. “I want to be the best of the best.”

Hardy has enjoyed a rapid ascent up the welterweight ladder. The 27-year-old, unbeaten in four trips inside the Octagon, secured his crack at St. Pierre with a unanimous decision nod over American Kickboxing Academy standout Mike Swick at UFC 105 in November. Hardy has won 12 of his past 13 fights, losing only to Yoshiyuki Yoshida by disqualification in that span. A potent stand-up fighter, he has delivered nearly half (11) of his 23 career victories by KO or TKO.

“It’s going to be explosive,” Hardy said. “I’m ready to go 25 minutes. I can’t wait.”

In the co-feature at UFC 111, Mir will square off with the unbeaten Carwin for the interim heavyweight crown.

Mir will carry plenty of momentum into the matchup. The 30-year-old former titleholder choked French striker Cheick Kongo unconscious at UFC 107 in December and has posted four wins in his past five fights. Submission victories against current UFC heavyweight king Brock Lesnar and former UFC heavyweight titleholder Tim Sylvia anchor his resume.

At 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, the hulking Carwin has finished all 11 of his opponents inside one round, including former title contender Gabriel Gonzaga. The 34-year-old Coloradan owns 22-, 29-, 31-, 44- and 49-second wins. Only one man has reached the second minute against him.

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[K-1]: Weekend Results: Zambidis, Yod, Leko win in Milan

Some late results in from this weekend: a number of internationally known fighters took part in the Kickboxing Superstar event in Milan, Italy on Saturday. Full results are not yet available, but there are definite highlights to mention.

In one of the biggest fights on the card, K-1 fighter "Iron" Mike Zambidis defeated Warren Stevelmans via decision. Zambidis was last seen on the big stage last October, where he lost a controversial fight to Hinata and was all but written off by the K-1 commentary team. Since then he has bounced back with two straight wins, first over Dzhabar Askerov, and now over Stevelmans. Zambidis scored a knockdown in round 2, though some live reports claim this should have been ruled a slip. Footage is not yet available, so we'll have to wait and see.

Also bouncing back on this show - Yodsaenklai Fairtex, who returned from his shocking upset loss to Vusi Colossa last month by defeating Abdel Halim Issaou. The fight was contested under Muay Thai rules and took place at the 76 kg weight limit. Yod took the fight via a TKO due to cuts in round 3.

Finally, Stefan "Blitz" Leko defeated Moussa Sissoko via TKO. At just 1-5 in his last 6 fights, Leko definitely needed the win here to show that he's not entirely done just yet.

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[ASTRA]: MMA pre-event (25/04/2010)

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[K-1]: UPDATE: Badr Hari Claims No Involvement in Nightclub Assault

An update on yesterday's story regarding Badr Hari's alleged involvement in an assault on an Amsterdam bouncer: Hari's lawyer has issued a statement denying the former K-1 champion had any involvement in the attack.

According to his lawyer Benedicte Ficq, Hari "denies having anything to do with this" and says that if the police do have any evidence, they should summon him. Ficq also said that Hari is willing to cooperate, however voiced frustration with the police for publicly accusing Hari before bringing him in for questioning.

Eyewitness accounts allegedly identified Hari as one of the assailants, however the police have received a number of tips since going public with the story and have decided to conduct more interviews with witnesses before deciding if they will bring Hari in.

The attack has also been confirmed as taking place at Club Bling in Amsterdam. Some sites are reporting that the attack took place in February, however according to Dutch newspaper Het Parool, it was indeed this past weekend.

It's too early to say Hari is in the clear yet, but for the police to be backing off for now means that at least he's no longer avoiding the police, which is obviously a good thing.

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[K-1 MAX]: 63kgs Preview Video

An official K-1 MAX 63kgs promo video, starring Kazuhisa Watanabe. Yet another great hype video from the FEG masterminds. Kazuhisa Watanabe vs. DJ Taiki and TAKE HERO Murahama vs. Kosuke Komiyama kick off MAX's new division.

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[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - Fistic Medicine: Alves and ‘Brain Irregularity’ (27/03/2010)

If there is a more disturbing word to append to the noun “brain” than “irregularity,” I don’t know it. The preliminary information regarding Thiago Alves’ failure of his pre-fight CAT scan was worrisome; the additional information indicating that the abnormal finding involved an artery in the brain was more worrisome. Medical personnel following the case assumed that the suspicious finding was an aneurysm, possibly a large one. The recent reports that, in fact, Alves does not have an intracranial aneurysm provide reassurance and prompt further questions.

The arterial blood supply to the brain comes from four vessels -- the paired internal carotid arteries and the vertebral arteries that pass through the cervical vertebrae. These vessels join to form the circle of Willis: at any point in this circle of arteries, or in its branches, growth abnormalities can occur. While aneurysms -- potentially fatal ballooning of the blood vessels -- are one form of abnormality, it appears Alves has a different vascular abnormality: an Arteriovenous Malformation.

rteriovenous Malformations (AVM) are tangled collections of blood vessels that can occur anywhere in the body. They are generally benign, but if they compress vital structures or bleed, they can cause significant damage. An intact AVM in the brain might cause headaches, seizures or in an extreme case a swelling of the fluid in the brain known as hydrocephalus. If a cerebral AVM bleeds -- and because these malformed vessels do not have the same structural integrity of normal arteries, they have a high risk of rupture and bleeding -- death occurs in approximately 10 percent of cases.

It is not known if participating in combat sports increases the risk of bleeding. While in theory the brain trauma associated with blows to the head or the vascular pressure changes associated with a choke submission might increase the chance of bleeding, the definitive data simply does not exist. The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board made the appropriate conservative decision to prevent Alves from fighting until his malformation has been further investigated and treated.

There are several options for treatment of an intracranial AVM, each with benefits and disadvantages depending on where the AVM is located within the brain. By report, Alves’ malformation is in the left hemisphere of his brain, and he is scheduled for an angiogram to delineate exactly what regions of the brain are involved. Once that is determined, a decision will have to be made whether to address the malformation with surgery, radiation or embolization.

Surgery offers the advantage of being able to directly visualize the abnormality and remove it entirely. It has the profound disadvantages of requiring a craniotomy, a prolonged recovery period and possible damage to the brain surrounding the malformed vessels. If the AVM is on a superficial, non-vital portion of the brain, surgery is an option -- otherwise, the results could be catastrophic. Radiation therapy using extremely high energy X-Rays known as gamma rays can be used to burn the malformed vessels. There is some associated damage to surrounding brain tissue, but most patients do very well. Lastly, if the AVM is accessible to a small intra-arterial catheter, it is possible to fill the tangle of blood vessels with a thin Platinum fiber. This embolization procedure clots off the AVM, diminishing the pressure effects on surrounding tissue and ending the risk of hemorrhage.

Once an AVM is treated, there is no reason why a fighter could not return to the ring. Surgery would require a long recovery period, but effective embolization could get a fighter back into the ring within weeks or months. The risk of bleeding or other serious harm would be nil. Once the AVM is dealt with, there is no reason for further care, re-examination or limitation of action. Alves’ future pre-fight CAT scans will always show the presence of an abnormality, but with the stipulation of a neurosurgeon or interventional radiologist to his fitness, his fighting license should be unaffected. Alves has missed a major fight, but if an angiogram proves he does in fact have a manageable AVM, there is no reason -- no medical reason -- he shouldn’t be back in the ring this summer.

The only remaining concern will be the question of whether it was fighting itself, either blows to the head or submission chokes, that caused the apparent AVM. There is no evidence to support the thesis that brain trauma causes AVMs and no reason to suspect that standard choking techniques are implicated in the disease. Far more likely is that the requisite pre-fight CAT scan caught an AVM that otherwise might never have been detected. Or, in a worse case scenario, the pre-fight CAT scan caught an AVM before it ruptured; it may have saved Alves’ life.

While this incident is a hassle for UFC President Dana White and a disappointment for Alves, it is a success story for MMA. The discovery of a potentially dangerous “brain irregularity” stands as a testament to the prudence of the NJSACB and the sport’s interest in fighter safety. Those responsible for the current safety precautions should be congratulated, and those working for greater safety should be encouraged in their efforts.

Matt Pitt is a physician with degrees in biophysics and medicine. He is board-certified in emergency medicine and has post-graduate training in head injuries and multi-system trauma. To ask a question that could be answered in a future article, e-mail him at mpitt@sherdog.com

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[UFC]: Silva Says Challengers Still Remain in Middleweight Division

Though challengers seem to be in scarce supply for UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, he said he hasn’t given up hope on the division.

The 34-year-old Brazilian striker meets Demian Maia at UFC 112 “Invincible” on April 10 at the Ferrari World Concert Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Maia, a jiu-jitsu black belt, is replacing Vitor Belfort, who withdrew eight weeks out from the bout with an injured shoulder.

“I’m actually far from cleaning out my division,” said Silva through an interpreter Tuesday during a UFC 112 conference call. “I feel like there may be guys that are even better than me coming into the UFC. Proof that there’s tough guys in the division is Demian Maia right now... (the fight’s) going to be a big challenge for me.”

Fans might beg to differ with Silva, though. Regularly listed on pound-for-pound lists for the sport, the seasoned muay Thai stylist has defended his middleweight title five times since his first-round decimation of Rich Franklin at UFC 64 in October 2006. A majority of those bouts were deemed non-competitive. And though Silva said the 185-pound division will provide him with competition in the future, he has already widened his net and moonlighted at light heavyweight two times for the promotion. He doesn’t plan on stopping there either.

“My goal is still to put on as many great fights in the UFC, as many victories as I can throughout the three divisions -- middleweight, light heavyweight and possibly heavyweight,” said Silva. “Heavyweight is definitely something I have in mind. It’s in my plans. I’ve been adapting my training and ever-changing to take on that challenge.”

Belfort, a former light heavyweight champion himself, would have been an easier sell for the promotion as a believable unsurper to end Silva’s reign. Silva’s former Black House teammate ravaged his last three opponents utilizing his noted punching power and speed. In November, Belfort dismantled Franklin in a 195-pound catch-weight bout at UFC 103 in Dallas.

Unlike Belfort, Maia isn’t expected to challenge Silva on its feet. Following his 21-second knockout loss to Nate Marquardt at UFC 102 last August, Maia showed some improvement striking against wrestler Dan Miller at UFC 109 in February. However, Maia’s true talents lie in his groundwork. As always, Silva said his course of action will best suit his chances for victory, which means a ground altercation probably isn’t in his best interests.

“A fight’s a fight and I have to put my game plan in action,” he said. “The fans in the state love to watch guys stand up and exchange and they like it on the ground. (But) regardless of what the fans really like, I’m going to have to go in there and put on my game plan to win that fight.”

With immediate contenders like Dan Henderson gone to rival promotion Strikeforce and Belfort indisposed from recent shoulder surgery, Silva’s motivation doesn’t seem to come from individual opponents at this time.

“My biggest motivation is to be the champion of the UFC, the biggest event in the world,” he said. “I feel right at home in the UFC; everyone who makes the UFC circus move makes me feel right at home and very comfortable. I’m very happy with where I’m at. I love being the champion, that it makes me happy and motivates me to get the training and getting back into the Octagon.”

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[UFC]: Lesnar: 'I'm 100 Percent Recovered'

UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar told ESPN SporstCenter that he is "100 percent recovered" from a stomach ailment that has left him on the shelf since July 2009.

Lesnar discussed his recovery and this weekend's interim heavyweight clash between Frank Mir and Shane Carwin at UFC 111 "St. Pierre vs. Hardy."

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[DREAM]: Korea Cancelled

NoB is reporting that the April 24 DREAM event in Korea has been cancelled due to not being able to secure a broadcast deal because some star fighters won't be available. This is unfortunate turn of events for FEG/DREAM.

Korean MMA site MFight report that it was announced today that the April 24th DREAM Korea event, which Yoon Dong Sik, Jung Bukyung, etc. have been preparing for, has been cancelled. The reason for the cancel seems to be some star fighters not being available in April (Hong Man Choi and Denis Kang) which in turn led to the DREAM officials not being able to secure a deal for broadcast on Korean TV.

No word on any future date for an event in South Korea for DREAM or if it will even happen.

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[Strikeforce challengers 7]: Johnson TKOs Mahe, Tate Subs Frausto (26/03/2010)

Lavar Johnson bounced back from a near-death experience eight months ago and earned a second-round technical knockout stoppage on strikes at 3:29 against Lolohea Mahe at Strikeforce Challengers 7 at the Savemart Center.

Johnson, who miraculously survived multiple gunshot wounds in a random walk-by shooting at a family reunion last Fourth of July, bore the trauma of his ordeal by a thick surgical scar from his sternum down to his navel. He had the Fresno crowd securely behind him in his return from a taxing ten-month layoff.

The 32-year-old fighter pumped his left jab, though the previously undefeated Mahe was game to counter with his own fists. Johnson missed with a big overhand right, and Mahe pushed him to the fence. Johnson hunted for a standing guillotine, but Mahe landed two takedowns and expended considerable energy to finish the round strong.

Mahe came out swinging in the second round, but when the pair finally separated from another fence clinch, Mahe was wobbling from exhaustion. Johnson attacked with jabs and an arched elbow, digging deep for a finish on the fence.

Ron Humphrey earned the first submission victory of his career against George Bush, catching him in a quick guillotine choke from his back at 1:44 into the first round.

The dreadlocked Humphrey was grounded by Bush off a kick, but pushed Bush off to regain his footing in Humphrey’s light heavyweight debut. When Bush shot again, Humphrey was waiting with the choke and tightened it as they hit the canvas. Referee “Big” John McCarthy stepped in as Bush tapped out.

Andre Galvao earned a split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28) over Luke Stewart in their welterweight contest. Galvao, a Dream veteran and decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, scored an immediate takedown, though Stewart scrambled away from an early armbar attempt, and managed to his feet. From there, the fighters stalled on the cage, and revisited this position in all three rounds.

In the second frame, Stewart waged a convincing kickboxing campaign, while both initiated takedowns. Stewart reversed Galvao two times to kill any momentum the grappler could cull together though. In the final stanza, Galvao launched a key takedown, but again Stewart reversed to top position.

Miesha Tate utilized takedowns to stifle muay Thai newcomer Zoila Frausto and locked up an armbar submission at 4:09 in the second round of their 135-pound women’s bout. Tate, who has twice as many bouts as Frausto, crowded the former soccer player on the fence, then finessed her down multiple times to side control during the nine-minute affair.

With a secure lead, Tate decided to trade in the second round, ate a hard right, then decided it better to resort back to her earlier tactics. With another easy takedown to side control, Tate had the hometown girl stalled. The crowd begged for the standup, though Tate was maneuvering to mount again, then posted and began to rain punches before pitching off the side for the fight-ending armbar.

Justin Wilcox confidently wielded his newfound striking for a sound unanimous decision over fellow wrestler Shamar Bailey in a 160-pound catch-weight bout to kick off the Showtime-televised portion of the card.

Wilcox cut Bailey over his right eye out of gate, and Bailey never regained his confidence, retreating at key moments throughout the fifteen minutes. Wilcox landed combinations and leaned on a right high kick; Bailey’s apprehension kept him from mounting not much more than the occasional jab.

The former Edinboro University wrestler and one-time bodybuilder nailed takedowns in the second and third rounds, and mounted Bailey in the final two minutes before launching into a failed armbar attempt in the final seconds. Wilcox improved to 9-3.

Daniel Cormier knocked out John Devine with a short right hook 79 seconds into their heavyweight preliminary bout. The 30-year-old Cormier, who placed fourth in the 2004 Olympics in freestyle wrestling and captained the U.S. squad en route to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, shrugged off Devine’s attempts to ground him, then sealed it with the punch.

Amateur bouts:

Paul Ruiz def. John Chacon -- Unanimous Decision (29-28. 30-27, 29-28)
Ricky Jackson def. Trinidad Valdez -- KO (Punch) 1:59 R1
Avery Kakeo def. Chris Buron – Decision (Split) (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)

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26 marzo 2010

[KL]: PETER AERTS - MR K-1 - ALLA II^ KOMBAT LEAGUE WORLD CUP 2010 (30/04 - 02/05 /2010)

PETER AERTS - MR K-1
ALLA II^ KOMBAT LEAGUE WORLD CUP 2010
VISIONERA' GLI ATLETI IN GARA
E DIRIGERA' UN SEMINARIO SUL K1
105 STADIUM - 30 APRILE - 2 MAGGIO

Ospite d'eccezzione alla II^ Kombat League World Cup 2010 il grande Peter Aerts, il più famoso atleta 3 volte campione del K1 Giapponese, una autentica leggenda.
Peter Aerts durante i tre giorni di gara visionerà gli atleti per valutare eventuale nuovi talenti da inserire nei circuiti più prestigiosi del mondo.
Un grande campione "a caccia" dei migliori atleti che prenderanno parte alla grandissima kermesse organizzata dalla KL.
Un'evento che sta sempre più prendendo prestigio internazionale (già quasi 30 nazioni iscritte ad oggi) e si posiziona come il più grande evento in Europa per le discipline amatoriali a contatto pieno.
Per la Muay Thai già sono moltissime le iscrizioni pervenute e in molte categorie gli atleti si contano a decine!!!!
La II^ Kombat League World Cup 2010 sta per iniziare, non mancare, iscriviti anche tu: www.klworldcup.com

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[KL]: MUAY THAI PREMIER LEAGUE - GIANLUCA BUCCOLIERO vs JORDAN WATSON (27/03/2010)

MUAY THAI PREMIER LEAGUE
GIANLUCA BUCCOLIERO vs JORDAN WATSON
UNO DEI TOP EVENTI DI MUAY THAI IN EUROPA
27 MARZO 2010 MANCHESTER
CONTINUA LA GRANDE PROMOZIONE DEGLI ATLETI
DELLA SCUDERIA KL PROTAGONISTI
DEI PIU' PRESTIGIOSI EVENTI MONDIALI



Liam Harrison (Bad Company, Leeds) vs Anuwat Kaewsamrit (Thailand, 2 x Thailand fighter of the year)
Harrison, arguably England's best pound for pound, is out for revenge having lost previously to Anuwat on a super show in Jamaica last year.

Michael Dicks (Darlington) vs Bovy Sor Udomsorn (Thailand)
Both of these two know only one way to go and that is forward. Bovy Sor Udomsorn is regarded as one of Thailand's most exciting fighters ever.

Damien Trainor (K-Star, Birmingham) vs Kaewklaa Kaewsamrit (Thailand)
IKF World Champion Trainor has a tough challenge against Rajadamern Stadium title challenger Kaewklaa.

Neil Woods (Kaobon, Liverpool) vs Kevin Harper (Majestic, Wigan)
These two old adversaries, two of Britain's best ever, return from several years out just to fight at MEN Arena to settle the score.

Dean James (Pra Chao Suua) vs Andy Howson (Bad Company, Leeds)
Dean James challenges Andy Howson for the no.1 bantamweight spot in what will be one of the most unforgettable domestic fights of the year.

Kieran Keddle (Semtex, Swanley/London) vs Imran Khan (Wicker Camp, Sheffield)
The long awaited contest between two great technical fighters as Keddle makes his return to the ring, a guaranteed elbow fest.

UK Muay Thai Federation British Title Fight:
Simon Chu (Kiatphontip Leeds) vs Daitan Jackson (Salford Fight Factory
War of the roses, Yorkshire vs Lancashire for the vacant British title

Stuart Kemp (Tobins Gym, Leeds) vs Mike Egan (Taz Thai)
Upcomer Kemp has a big test against the tough Egan

Andy Thrasher (GFC Bury) vs Hakim Bouzambou (Holland)
The exciting Thrasher goes up against the next big Dutch Moroccan talent

Jordan Watson (Bad Company, Leeds) vs Gianluca Buccoliero (Italy)
Contender UK Champion Watson takes on the former Italian Muay Thai Champion

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[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - primetime episodio 3 (27/03/2010)

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[UFC on Versus 1]: Vera Undergoes Surgery Thursday, No Sparring for 4-6 Months (21/03/2010)

Brandon Vera will undergo facial surgery on Thursday evening to correct a dislocated cheekbone incurred in his first-round defeat to Jon Jones at UFC on Versus 1 last Sunday, said his manager Matt Stansell.

In the light heavyweight bout, Jones took Vera down two times, then landed a left elbow directly to Vera’s face. The 32-year-old fighter spun to his knees for cover, as referee Herb Dean stepped in to halt the bout.

“It broke his cheekbone in three places and it’s sort of floating right now,” said Stansell on Thursday. “(The bone) is kind of laying on the muscle of the right eye, which is preventing Brandon from looking to his right, and it’s pushing his eyeball forward.”

Stansell said two plates will be inserted during the surgery to secure the bone back in place. Vera, who hails from his own Alliance Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., hopes to return to grappling training in six to eight weeks. Stansell estimated it could take anywhere between four to six months before Vera will be medically cleared to spar again, though that timetable is determinant on the fighter’s recovery.

Stansell said Vera, a noted muay Thai stylist in the 205-pound ranks, is in positive spirits and anxious to return to competition as soon as he is cleared to.

“Brandon told the doctor to do whatever he needed to get him back in the cage as fast as he could,” said Stansell. “I’ve never seen him so motivated to get back to training and fighting before.”

Vera, who’s fought for the promotion since 2005, has been defeated in his last two Octagon appearances. After a strong four-fight start, he is now 7-5 for the promotion. Vera has at least three fights remaining on his current UFC contract, said a source.

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[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - Update: Alves Out, Saunders In Against Fitch (27/03/2010)

Thiago Alves has withdrawn from his rematch with Jon Fitch that was scheduled for Saturday at UFC 111 due to a failed CAT scan, UFC President Dana White told Yahoo Sports on Thursday.

Ben Saunders, who was set to fight Jake Ellenberger in a main card bout, will replace Alves and fight Fitch, according to multiple reports.

"We didn't have enough time to get a second opinion, so we turned in the original MRI to the UFC on Monday, I think,” a representative from Alves’ camp, American Top Team, told Sherdog.com. “We found out today he wasn't going to be able to fight."

The American Top Team rep mentioned the possibility that Alves could be moved to UFC Fight Night 21, scheduled for Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C., if a second opinion deems that Alves is OK. However, Alves’ coach, Ricardo Liborio, has since stated that Alves fighting at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi is more likely.

"Wednesday is probably too early to get everything cleared up, so we are looking at getting on the Abu Dhabi card,” Liborio told Sherdog.com. "He trained so hard for this fight and really wanted to fight. He's going to keep training and he's going to keep his weight down. He's eating really clean, and he will be ready for Abu Dhabi."

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[UFC 112]: Invincible - Edgar: Penn Deserves Favored Position (10/04/2010)

Frankie Edgar recognizes the considerable task set before him, as he prepares to confront arguably the greatest lightweight in the history of the sport.

The once-beaten Edgar will enter his UFC 112 “Invincible” co-main event against lightweight king B.J. Penn as a prohibitive underdog on April 10 at the Ferrari World Concert Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Edgar claims he does not feel slighted playing second fiddle to the popular Hawaiian.

“It’s earned. He’s earned the position he’s at,” Edgar said during a teleconference to promote the event. “If I want that position, I have to earn it myself. I’m not going into this fight to lose. Obviously, it’s a tough task.”

Penn has not tasted defeat as a lightweight since he dropped a unanimous decision to Jens Pulver at UFC 35 in January 2002. The 31-year-old has looked all but unstoppable since his return to the 155-pound division, as he has finished five consecutive opponents -- Pulver, Joe Stevenson, Sean Sherk, Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez -- under the lightweight banner.

“B.J.’s not somebody you can bring in someone to emulate,” Edgar said. “B.J.’s definitely one of a kind. I’m trying to get all my skills as sharp as possible. For me, it’s an honor [to fight someone like Penn]. It forced me to bring out my best in training. I feel like I’ve improved a lot having to prepare for someone of B.J.’s stature.”

Edgar will carry a three-fight winning streak into his first UFC title bout, which will take place nearly 7,000 miles from his hometown. The 28-year-old Toms River, N.J., native last appeared at “The Ultimate Fighter 10” Finale in December, when he submitted the previously unbeaten Matt Veach with a second-round rear-naked choke. The stakes will be considerably higher when he climbs into the cage against Penn, an opponent against whom few give him a realistic chance.

“The pressure to win is always strong for me,” Edgar said. “I’m feeling really good. Against B.J., you have to be good at everything. There’s no secret gameplan to beating B.J. Penn. I’ve got to be the best I can be on April 10. That’s the best way to approach it.”

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[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - GSP Giving All To Defend Crown (27/03/2010)








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[UFC]: ‘Spider’ Silva Renews Heavyweight Hopes

Anderson Silva’s greatest opponent remains apathy: the longtime middleweight champion told media this week that he plans on seeking out challenges one or two divisions above his lanky 185-pound frame in the future.

“Heavyweight is definitely something I have in mind,” he said. “It’s in my plans. I’ve been adapting my training and ever-changing to take on that challenge.”

The difference between Silva, who is pro-active in testing his abilities, and someone like Tito Ortiz -- who refused to fight even a weary Ken Shamrock an ounce above 205 pounds -- is remarkable, and we should be appreciative Silva is not so protective of his legacy that he’s content to pick off stray contenders in his natural class. But the UFC already punctured Silva’s desire to fight Frank Mir several months ago; Lyoto Machida’s desire to face Brock Lesnar at some point is also likely to be shuffled off.

It’s smart business, but it’s also too bad. Because of their talent monopoly, the UFC has a legitimate chance of creating a linear pound-for-pound great of the era. Georges St. Pierre could fight Silva; Silva could compete at 205 pounds, or above; Fedor Emelianenko, if signed, is not so massive that a fight with Silva would be unreasonable. There are concerns you’re sacrificing reputable champions in each division, but both St. Pierre and Silva have nearly exhausted their potential. No one in this sport has a perfect record for long, so why not take a loss in the service of something special?

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[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - Hardy on GSP: 'I Don't Think He's Invincible' (27/03/2010)

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[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - preview: St-Pierre vs Hardy (27/03/2010)

Georges St. Pierre vs. Dan Hardy

The Breakdown: After snuffing out the title aspirations of everyone from Thiago Alves to Jon Fitch, incumbent monarch Georges St. Pierre is starting to make the wildly competitive welterweight landscape look more like a post-apocalyptic dystopia. Perhaps then no one is as qualified to take him on as Dan Hardy, a pinpoint kill-shot artist who looks like he just stepped off the set of “Mad Max.”

Escaping the fate of past challengers is a relatively straightforward proposition for Hardy: He must find a way to stuff the light speed takedowns of St. Pierre. While Hardy certainly exceeded expectations by shutting down Mike Swick’s wrestling in their bout at UFC 105, St. Pierre exists in a different dimension wrestling-wise than the rest of the division.

Considering the guard game has never been a pillar of Hardy’s style, he’s going to have to rely on maximizing whatever time he gets on the feet. Expecting the Canadian quicksilver to simply oblige his desire for a kickboxing match is dicey at best, and Hardy just doesn’t have the caliber of takedown defense to thwart a mat battle.

On the mat St. Pierre has shown solid, accurate ground-and-pound as well as vastly underrated grappling acumen. Meanwhile Hardy struggled with the takedowns and grappling of Marcus Davis, a converted boxer, at UFC 99. Struggling with Davis, a solid gatekeeper, is about as good an omen of success for Hardy as a murder of crows falling dead from the sky every time he starts training.

Even assuming success on the feet for Hardy severely underestimates St. Pierre’s ability, as he has more than held his own standing with the likes of leg kick connoisseur Thiago Alves and the oil slick boxing of B.J. Penn. Much like St. Pierre’s past challengers, Hardy should feel proud that he earned a title shot and be ready to understand why “Rush” is one of the greatest fighters this generation has ever seen.

The Bottom Line: Hardy is going to be an entertaining presence in the welterweight division for a long time. A potential bout with his equally truculent rival Josh Koscheck down the road would make for one of the most epic displays of pre-fight vitriol in modern times. With that said, St. Pierre is like refined King Cobra venom to one-dimensional strikers like Hardy.

It would be far from unbelievable if Hardy starched St. Pierre, though. Opponents suicidal enough to throw down with Hardy are putting their short-term health at risk. However, St. Pierre is becoming a more and more cerebral athlete, which is a terrifying trend for both Hardy and anyone else banking on goading St. Pierre into a low-rent brawl. A dominating performance for St. Pierre reaches its inevitable conclusion with an overdue tapout from Hardy in the third round.

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[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - ESPN MMA Live: UFC 111 Preview (27/03/2010)

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[MMA]: Best of Pride - episode 7

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25 marzo 2010

[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - intervista a Frank Mir (27/03/2010)

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[UFC]: Penn's days at 155 may be numbered

B.J. Penn concedes his time at 155 pounds might be drawing to a close.

Penn will defend his lightweight crown in the co-main event at UFC 112 “Invincible” on April 10 at the Ferrari World Concert Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Should all go according to plan for the Hawaiian, his flirtation with the welterweight division could resume.

“If everything goes well, I’d definitely consider moving up to 170,” Penn said during a Tuesday teleconference. “Not that it’s 100 percent guaranteed, but I’m thinking about it. If I do move, I’m going to move slow. I’m not going to rush anything. I’d think about it as testing the waters, maybe do something like Anderson [Silva] is doing [at light heavyweight].”

Despite his plans, Penn still believes viable contenders exist at 155 pounds, pointing to Gray Maynard and two men he has already soundly defeated -- Kenny Florian and Takanori Gomi. Florian and Gomi will square off in the UFC Fight Night 21 headliner on March 31 at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C.

“There are a lot of good guys out there,” Penn said. “All have a good shot at fighting for the title one day. I don’t want to make believe they don’t exist. At the end of the day, it will be [UFC President] Dana White who gives me the phone call and tells me what’s on the agenda for the next fight.”

Edgar trained with former middleweight King of Pancrase Ricardo Almeida, striking guru Phil Nurse and reigning Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight titleholder Eddie Alvarez in advance of his first UFC title bout. The 28-year-old Toms River, N.J., native has rattled off three straight victories since his unanimous decision loss to the world-ranked Maynard two years ago.

“I know Frankie’s got quick hands and good wrestling,” Penn said. “I think he might try and kick me a lot. I don’t want to underestimate his kicks. Frankie’s a great scrambler, a great wrestler. You never know what’s going to happen. I don’t have a specific gameplan to impress anybody.”

A decorated amateur wrestler who was a national qualifier at Clarion University, Edgar owns victories against Xtreme Couture thoroughbred Tyson Griffin, AMA Fight Club standout Jim Miller and former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk. His unanimous decision victory over Sherk, which showcased his considerable boxing chops and improved stand-up attack, launched Edgar into title contention.

“Frankie Edgar’s not a guy to look past,” Penn said. “This isn’t a guy to play around with. Anyone who looks past him is going to end up with a loss on his record.”

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[ASTRA]: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Hidehiko Yoshida? (25/04/2010)

Remember when we said M-1 could possibly be looking into other partners beyond Strikeforce and people quickly dismissed it? Well, not so fast. Apparently in the next issue of Nikkan Sports which is dropping today in Japan they bluntly say, "Retirement match against Fedor, world's strongest man" for Yoshida's retirement bout. Here is a translation from our good friend Zeus at MiddleEasy;

An article in tomorrow's Nikkan Sports newspaper says that Yoshida's retirement fight in ASTRA will most likely be against Fedor. The exact quote is "Retirement match against Fedor, world's strongest man". According to the newspaper, Fedor's camp got in contact with Yoshida when he announced his retirement fight somewhere around February 8th and both parties have been negotiating ever since. There is a final meeting that will be held in Japan at Dream 13 which should finalize the negotiations. If nothing pans out after Dream 13, then they apparently have other fighters readily available to fight Yoshida.

As always, a grain of sand, possibly salt when it comes to rumors like this, especially from a dirtsheet like Nikkan Sports. They can be incredibly accurate or they can grasp at straws for strong headlines to peddle their wares. Until we get something official, consider this a rumor

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Parisi un anno dopo Campione per sempre



Un anno fa, la sera del 25 marzo, Giovanni Parisi moriva tragicamente in un incidente d’auto a pochi chilometri da casa. Con lui se ne andava l’ultimo erede della grande tradizione pugilistica italiana del secondo dopoguerra che, discendendo da Duilio Loi, era passata attraverso Benvenuti, Mazzinghi, Arcari, Mattioli e giù giù fino a Damiani, Rosi e i fratelli Stecca.
Giovanni Parisi nasce a Vibo Valentia il 2 dicembre 1967, ma fin da bambino si trasferisce a Voghera, in quella che considererà sempre la sua città. La sua è un’infanzia difficile: il padre è spesso assente e comunque indifferente al destino dei figli ed è l’amatissima madre, Carmela, a prendersi cura della famiglia tra mille difficoltà.

Giovanni trova nella boxe e nel maestro Livio Lucarno la valvola di sfogo e la figura di riferimento per cercare il riscatto, per dare un senso alle giornate passate a masticare il pane duro della fatica. La sua favola sboccia all’Olimpiade di Seul del 1988: non ancora 21enne, viene convocato tra i piuma per sostituire Caldarella: quasi un viaggio premio per una delle più fulgide speranze azzurre, cui manca però l’esperienza ad altissimo livello. Lui, leggero naturale, si sottopone a una dieta ferrea a base di ananas per rientrare nel peso e trasforma i Giochi in un sogno: vince tutti i match prima del limite, l’ultimo, quello per l’oro, contro il romeno Dimitrescu, fulminato nella notte italiana da un gancio sinistro da manuale dopo poco più di un minuto. Forte dell’alloro olimpico, Giovanni passa subito professionista e malgrado un problema alle mani risolto dal professor Sturla, che diventerà uno dei suoi mentori, nel 1992 conquista a Voghera, nello stadio che dopo la morte gli verrà intitolato, il Mondiale Wbo dei leggeri contro Altamirano. Intanto, si è già guadagnato il soprannome di Flash, che racchiude l’essenza del suo pugilato: la velocità d’esecuzione, la capacità di chiudere i match con un solo colpo, destro o sinistro non fa differenza, la rapidità sulle gambe e sul tronco. A queste doti tecniche Giovanni unisce carisma, arguzia e un’intelligenza acuta. Nel 1995 la grande occasione, a Las Vegas contro il grandissimo Chavez per i superleggeri Wbc: un match per il quale Giovanni, tra un rinvio e l’altro, rimane in ballo otto mesi, arrivando sul ring svuotato e perdendo nettamente ai punti. Ma il suo valore e la considerazione di cui gode restano immutati e così nel 1996, quando la Gazzetta decide di celebrare il centenario con una serie di grandi eventi, Giovanni Parisi è una delle stelle chiamate ad illuminare la festa con un trittico di match a Milano in cui conquista e poi difende due volte il titolo Wbo dei superleggeri. Candido Cannavò, compianto direttore del giornale rosa, un giorno dirà che Parisi è stato l’unico pugile capace di fargli amare la boxe. Ancora fermato dalla mano, nel 1999 Flash prova a conquistare la corona nella terza categoria di peso, i welter, ma è fermato da Daniel Santos. Annuncia il ritiro, ci ripensa un paio di volte e l’8 ottobre 2006 sale sul ring per l’ultima volta, inseguendo l’Europeo, titolo per il quale non ha mai combattuto, contro il francese Klose. Perde ai punti e il giorno dopo il match scrive una lettera struggente alla Gazzetta indirizzata al figlio Carlos, che l’aveva seguito piangendo a bordo ring. E’ l’ultimo capitolo agonistico di una carriera straordinaria: da quel momento Giovanni si dedica con premura ai tre figli (ci sono anche Isabel e Angel) e alla moglie Silvia, si conferma accorto amministratore del patrimonio collezionato con la boxe, diventa uomo immagine die Mondiali di Milano e comincia ad abbozzare il progetto di una vita: creare una scuderia di pugili cui venga garantita ogni tutela, da quella medica a quella legale per i contratti, fino ai migliori maestri per la preparazione. La morte lo strappa a tutto questo, ed ora è la moglie Silvia a continuarne l’opera: il 2 dicembre, giorno del compleanno, organizzerà una grande riunione per ricordare Giovanni. Per perpetuare la leggenda.
RC

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[UFC on Versus 1]: Irvin and a weight bench (21/03/2010)

Fighters are in constant psychological need of re-inventing themselves. Losses are not losses due to inferior skills, but variables that must be in their control. The alternative is that they simply weren’t good enough, and this is an impossible thought to have.

James Irvin’s choice of metamorphosis was a common one: stripping himself of water weight and mass to slide down a weight class. In some cases, this can mean dicing off some excess flab that wasn’t doing you much good in the first place. (Lyoto Machida, very fit at the moment, was actually chubby during his Japan tour.) But when you arrive -- as Irvin did -- to the weigh-ins looking like something that pried itself out of a coffin, you should consider that you have taken things too far.

Irvin lost the fight in unspectacular fashion to Alessio Sakara, grimacing as a knuckle sunk into his eye socket and then watching as the referee waved off the fight; Dana White insisted to MMAJunkie.com that Irvin will not make 185 pounds again.

It’s a mandate that any commission should be eager to enforce. While most fighters routinely suffer a weight cut, there does come a point (or a pound) when the body is being abused rather than tested. Seeing Irvin’s cheekbones protrude like softballs in a sock is a good indication that his own alteration needs to involve training or strategy, not drying out to the point of withering.

It’s striking how some fighters literally sway on the scales in an effort to embrace every conceivable advantage, while others -- B.J. Penn, Randy Couture, Anderson Silva -- run toward bigger opposition. Irvin is certainly a fighter, but he is also his own worst opponent.

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[DEEP 47]: Card e annunci (17/04/2010)

DEEP made some announcements today at Korakuen Hall in regards to the upcoming DEEP 47 Impact show which takes place April 17th. Already announced is the special Memorial Retirement Exhibition between Miku Matsumoto (23-4) and Megumi Fujii (19-0).

The brackets for the DEEP Light-Heavyweight GP semi-final round were set. Ryuta Noji (9-5-0) will meet Shunsuke Inoue (7-4-2) and Yoshiyuki Nakanishi (6-1-0) will face Christian “Tonton” M’Pumbu (15-2-1). In a LHW GP Reserve match, Bernard Ackah (4-3-0) returns to meet Minoru Kato (2-9-3). .

Other fights announced include DEEP Bantamweight champion Masakazu Imanari (18-7-2) going up against Isao Terada (8-9-4) in a non-title match. Heavyweight Kazuhisa Tazawa (4-1-1) takes on Spike 22's Roque Martinez (5-2-0), Yasuhiro Kawasaki (4-1-1) meets Tomoya Kato (8-1-1) and Hirohide Fujinuma (7-4-2) will take on former Sumo Yoichi "Wakashoyo" Babaguchi (1-4-1).

DEEP 47 IMPACT
April 17th, 2010
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

Memorial Exhibition Match ~ MIKU Retirement
Miku Matsumoto (23-4)
VS
Megumi Fujii (19-0)

DEEP LHW Champion Tournament Semi Finals:
Ryuta Noji (9-5-0)
VS
Shunsuke Inoue (7-4-2)

DEEP LHW Champion Tournament Semi Finals:
Yoshiyuki Nakanishi (6-1-0)
VS
Christian “Tonton” M’Pumbu (15-2-1)

DEEP LHW Champion Tournament Reserve Fight:
Bernard Ackah (4-3-0)
VS
Minoru Kato (2-9-3)

Masakazu Imanari (18-7-2)
VS
Isao Terada (8-9-4)

Kazuhisa Tazawa (4-1-1)
VS
Roque Martinez (5-2-0)

Yasuhiro Kawasaki (4-1-1)
VS
Tomoya Kato (8-1-1)

Hirohide Fujinuma (7-4-2)
VS
Yoichi "Wakashoyo" Babaguchi (1-4-1)

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24 marzo 2010

[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - GSP Promises to take the fight to Hardy (27/03/2010)

Georges St. Pierre is set to take on challenger Dan Hardy for his welterweight title at UFC 111 Saturday night. As one of the top mixed martial artists in the world, St. Pierre is expected to run over Hardy, but the Canadian has refused to overlook his foe.

In this exclusive training-camp footage, St. Pierre and his coaches break down the Hardy bout and detail the preparations that went into his pre-fight regimen. Check it out, only at Sherdog.com.

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[ICW]: LA NOTTE DEI CAMPIONI 2010 (27/03/2010)

La Federazione Italiana di Wrestling ICW (Italian Championship Wrestling) sbarca a Novara con “La Notte dei Campioni 2010”, una delle tappe principali della stagione primaverile dello sport-spettacolo che ha fatto impazzire l'America e che si prepara a invadere anche il nostro Paese.

Per l'occasione, la ICW presenterà un programma di prima scelta preparandosi a portare per la prima volta a Novara una difesa del Titolo Italiano dei Pesi Massimi di Wrestling e un cast di stelle di prim'ordine, che daranno vita a ben sette incontri senza esclusione di colpi.

L'attuale campione, “Il Gioiello” Andres Diamond, è una star emergente del wrestling nazionale tanto da esser diventato frequente ospite dei programmi di Radio DeeJay nella trasmissione della Pina e Diego, la più ascoltata nella fascia preserale. DJ per All-Music/DeeJay Tv e lottatore al tempo stesso, Diamond è senza dubbio il personaggio più “glamour” della ICW. Il suo sfidante sarà il non meno carismatico “Cowboy” Charlie Kid, già trionfatore del prestigioso torneo “Il Numero Uno”, ora intento a coronare la sua corsa all'oro con la vittoria del titolo più importante nel wrestling italiano. Una sfida tra due veri fuoriclasse che si preannuncia senza esclusione di colpi.

Tra gli altri match in programma, saranno ben quattro quelli che vedranno in palio le cinture delle altre categorie.

Il team degli NRG (OGM e Shock) tenterà di riconquistare le cinture della categoria di coppia, attualmente in possesso di due degli atleti di punta della ICW, il veterano pluricampione Mr. Excellent e la stella di livello europeo, “L'Imperatore” Kaio, da anni dominatore della scena dei pesi massimi.

Il titolo dei pesi leggeri, la divisione dei lottatori specializzati nelle spettacolari tecniche volanti, sarà conteso tra l'attuale detentore Doblone e il funambolico Dinamite Jo. Grande attesa anche per il match per il campionato interregionale, in palio tra il campione Kobra e lo sfidante Mariel, “il Leone della Lotta”, giovane atleta che sta riscuotendo grandi successi nel mondo della lotta greco-romana, recentissima la sua medaglia d’oro nel campionato regionale veneto.

Molto atteso anche il match valevole per il titolo femminile che vedrà “La Meraviglia del Ring” Lisa Schianto mettere in palio la propria cintura contro la campionessa della Svizzera Queen Maya, la lottatrice più alta in Europa. Le due rivali hanno dato vita in passato a numerosi tra gli incontri più belli visti in Italia lo scorso anno, e gli appassionati del settore hanno richiesto a gran voce un rematch tra le due. A seguire, lo scontro tra il lottatore più imprevedibile della ICW, Psycho Mike, e Red Devil, noto come “Il Diavolo Rosso”, leggenda del wrestling italiano e portacolori della federazione all'estero in numerose realtà oltreconfine tra Francia, Spagna, Germania, Svizzera e Inghilterra.

Non mancherà un vero e proprio scontro tra titani, quando due dei lottatori più imponenti sul suolo europeo, “Il Colosso” Lothar e il gladiatore brasiliano Marcio Silva, con il loro peso combinato di quasi 240 chili faranno tremare il ring del Palasport di viale Verdi.

L'appuntamento con il vulcanico mondo del catch è quindi sabato 27 marzo alle ore 21:00, al Palasport Celestino Sartorio di Novara, in uno spettacolo per tutta la famiglia.

Per maggiori informazioni, è disponibile il numero 335/1208244 e il sito della Federazione all'indirizzo www.wrestlingitaliano.it.

La Federazione Italiana di Wrestling ICW

La ICW è una delle prime tre federazioni in Europa per numero di spettacoli organizzati annualmente in tutto il territorio nazionale. Gli spettacoli della ICW sono adatti a qualsiasi fascia di età poiché la Federazione propone un wrestling “sano” che non incoraggia in alcun modo all’utilizzo della violenza e nelle sue esibizioni punta sul gesto atletico e sulla perfezione tecnica delle mosse. Attiva da oltre 8 anni, con quasi 200 eventi organizzati nel nostro Paese, la ICW conta inoltre su un capillare organismo di preparazione atleti, dislocato nelle palestre di numerose località d'Italia. Gli incontri della ICW sono visibili tutti i giorni su TeleItalia Sport, canale 988 di SKY, alle ore 20:00 con replica alle 22:30.

ICW LA NOTTE DEI CAMPIONI 2010
Sabato 27 Marzo 2010

NOVARA

Palazzetto dello Sport "Celestino Sartorio"
Viale Verdi (Piazzale Celestino Sartorio)

Ore 21:00



PREVENDITE:

* Palazzetto dello Sport "Celestino Sartorio" - Viale Verdi - Novara
* A.S.D. "Le Zanzare Novaresi" - Via Andrea Costa 24/A - Novara
* Bar "Il Parchetto" - Via della Riotta 19/F – Novara
* Tabaccheria Bertoncelli - Corso Cavour 1/A - Novara - Tel. 0321 390424



I Match in programma:

A seguire l'elenco completo degli incontri della serata:

* Campionato Italiano dei Pesi Massimi: “Il Gioiello” Andres Diamond (da DeeJay TV) vs “Cowboy” Charlie Kid
* Campionato Italiano di Coppia: “L'Imperatore” Kaio & Mr. Excellent vs NRG (Shock & OGM)
* Campionato Interregionale: Kobra vs “Il Giovane Leone” Mariel
* Campionato Italiano dei Pesi Leggeri: “Il Pirata” Doblone vs Dinamite Jo
* Campionato Italiano Femminile: “La Meraviglia del Ring” Lisa Schianto vs “La Regina” Queen Maya
* Scontro tra Giganti: Lothar vs Marcio Silva (dal Brasile)
* “Il Fenomeno Volante” Red Devil vs “L'Innovatore del Dolore” Psycho Mike



INFOLINE ICW:
Tel. 335/1208244 e info@icwwrestling.it

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[UFC]: Penn Looks at 170

There’s a legitimate, compelling possibility that B.J. Penn will go down as one of a handful of fighters that completely dominated his weight division contemporaries, and without exception. (Jens Pulver beat him decisively in 2002: Penn later avenged the loss.) He knows it, and the UFC knows it, which is why Penn is now floating the idea of moving up to welterweight. And it would be because he has nothing left to prove at 155 lbs.

Except that he does. The UFC, while having a monopoly on 80% of the world’s relevant talent, is still short a few capable athletes. That deficit is most apparent in the lightweight division, where Eddie Alvarez, Shinya Aoki, Gilbert Melendez, Josh Thomson, and Tatsuya Kawajiri all occupy rings or cages outside of Las Vegas. Aoki and Alvarez are numbers two and three, respectively, in Sherdog’s lightweight rankings. To shuffle Penn up a class while talking heads claim he’s “beaten everybody” is disingenuous.

There’s no realistic solution. Penn may have the financial freedom and the fighter’s mentality to jump ship, but the UFC’s carefully-worded contracts would probably find new and horrible ways to make his life a living legal hell for the effort. If the UFC continues to have virtually no interest in co-promotion, the result could be a career four or five victories short of a benchmark.

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[UFC on Versus 1]: analisi sulla main card (21/03/2010)

UFC fans had to wait a full month for their latest mixed martial arts fix from their favorite organization, a wait to which they were not accustomed after the recent glut of shows. They were looking for something into which to sink their teeth. Unfortunately, there was not much available to them, thanks, in part, to the shortcomings in the Unified Rules. The event painfully showcased the weaknesses in a set of rules drawn up 10 years ago.

Under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, no upkicks or downward elbows to the body are legal, and those two rules caused the competitors trouble on Sunday at the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colo. What’s more, a fighter playacted and appeared to intentionally put his hands or knees down to provoke illegal strikes.

Analysis follows for the four main card bouts from the UFC’s debut on the Versus network.

Alessio Sakara def. James Irvin -- TKO (Punch) 3:01 R1

What happened: There are few fighters in MMA who are as dogged by bad luck as Irvin. In the last three and a half years, he has fallen out of the cage, torn his anterior-cruciate ligament in a fight against Thiago Silva, absorbed an illegal knee from Luis Arthur Cane and now suffered an anticlimactic stoppage at the hands of Sakara. The Italian threw the better combinations, but Irvin proved he can take a punch. Referee Josh Rosenthal halted the bout when Irvin went down with what first appeared to be a finger poke but proved to be a clean knuckle to the eye.

Forecast for Sakara: Starting his career at heavyweight, the Rome legionnaire has finally found success at the highest level after dropping down not one, but two, weight classes. At middleweight, his UFC record currently stands at 3-1, with three consecutive wins. His next opponent could be recruited from the winner of the UFC 111 fight between Rousimar Palhares and Tomasz Drwal. He might also get the chance to avenge one of his recent losses to Drew McFedries or Chris Leben.

Forecast for Irvin: McFedries and Leben seem like worthwhile opponents for Irvin in his quest to break into the middleweight ranks. The heavily-tattooed Californian could also face the loser of the March 31 bout between Nate Quarry and Jorge Rivera.

Cheick Kongo def. Paul Buentello -- Submission (Elbows to the Body) 1:16 R3

What happened: Seemingly cured from engaging in wild brawls after Frank Mir’s sniper shot in December, Kongo employed a conservative gameplan that featured wrestling, takedowns and ground-and-pound. Buentello defended, but Kongo had his way with “The Headhunter” from the second round forward, punishing him with brutal knee strikes to the ribcage from the gut-wrench position. Buentello, who survived a dislocated finger, eventually succumbed to elbows to the ribs and kidney early in the third round.

Forecast for Kongo: The Frenchman has become the ideal utility player for the UFC. Menacing in stature, he looks like a world-beater against journeyman opposition but has enough holes in his game not to threaten one of the promotion’s aces. At 34, he should provide the heavyweight division with meaningful depth for at least another two years. Since he has already faced many on the UFC’s roster, only few new options exist: Todd Duffee, Gabriel Gonzaga or the winner of the Roy Nelson vs. Stefan Struve match later this month.

Forecast for Buentello: While he turned in an exciting fight against Struve, Buentello did not look well against Kongo. He was simply outmatched, overpowered and ultimately outclassed. While his offensive striking style provides the Zuffa brass with exactly what it wants to see, how long can it keep him around if he keeps losing fights? With his 40th career bout on the horizon, he could be looking at matchups with Mostapha Al-Turk, Antoni Hardonk or Gilbert Yvel.

* * *


Junior dos Santos def. Gabriel Gonzaga -- TKO (Punches) 3:53 R1

What happened: Both men sold the fight well, and the winner was guaranteed to move one step closer to a title shot. Dos Santos was the faster fighter and showed the ability to bounce back to his feet after an early takedown. Using his incredibly hard hands, the Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira understudy knocked down his compatriot with a counter left hook and finished him with a little more than a minute to go in the first round. Dos Santos has stopped four of his last five opponents inside the first round.

Forecast for dos Santos: With champion Brock Lesnar and challengers Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin booked for UFC 111, the match fans want to see most pits two of the UFC’s top young stars -- Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez -- against one another. In addition to creating a new number one contender, it would provide an intriguing storyline, with the undefeated American Kickboxing Academy thoroughbred having taken out Nogueira, dos Santos’ idol and mentor, in February.

Forecast for Gonzaga: If Todd Duffee feels lucky, perhaps he might ask for a crack at “Napao.” Otherwise, future bouts for the Brazilian may come against Cheick Kongo or Roy Nelson, should “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 winner make it past Stefan Struve at UFC Fight Night 21.

* * *


Jon Jones def. Brandon Vera -- TKO (Elbows and Punches) 3:19 R1

What happened: It seems unfathomable that Vera still headlines events when his last meaningful win came three and a half years ago against an out-of-shape Frank Mir. Jones was similarly unimpressed by Vera’s pedigree and took him down right off the bat, using a hip toss and then a double-leg takedown. Vera, not making much of an effort off his back, had a point deducted for an illegal upkick. Just as it appeared that Jones was having trouble getting his ground-and-pound going, he exploded with a vicious elbow into Vera’s face that ended the fight.

Forecast for Jones: Jones looks like the real deal. The UFC would do well not to burn out this massive talent just yet and should feed him a couple tune-up fights before letting him off the chain to pursue top 10-caliber opposition. Strong tests for him could include Krzysztof Soszynski, former International Fight League champion Vladimir Matyushenko or the winner of Luis Arthur Cane-Cyrille Diabate.

Forecast for Vera: After two consecutive defeats, Vera might be headed for the undercard. As one of the more well-paid, non-champions on the UFC’s roster, the 32-year-old Californian still lacks that career-defining win. A loser in five of his last eight fights, Vera will need at least two convincing victories in order to justify a shot at another big-name opponent. His road back could begin against Stephan Bonnar, Eliot Marshall or the loser of Cane-Diabate.

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[K-1]: Badr Hari Involved in assault at Amsterdam Club

News coming out about Badr Hari today and it's not pretty. Reports coming out of MMAZone in Amsterdam indicate that Hari was one of four men involved in the assault of a doorman outside an Amsterdam nightclub.

Reports vary a bit, but by all accounts, late Friday night, Hari and three others attempted to gain entry to a nightclub in the Leidseplein district in Amsterdam. They were denied access to the club by a bouncer based on dress code. From there, an altercation broke out, and at the end, the doorman was left with a fractured eye socket, a broken nose, and may ultimately need a metal plate in his head. While the club or the victim have not pressed charges, the police have gotten involved due to the severity of the attack. At this time, it appears that they are looking for Hari and his friends, who have not turned themselves in or been found.

Clearly, there's a lot of gray area here about what exactly happened. How did the fight start? Was Badr directly involved, or was it his companions? But no matter how you look at it the end result is the same - Hari was involved in some capacity, a man is seriously injured, and the police are searching for Hari. That's not a good picture.

K-1 has tried hard in the past year to present Hari as a new "mature" fighter following the 2008 GP disqualification fiasco. But this incident will make it hard to keep that image going. FEG probably won't be particularly moved by this news unless Hari finds himself in some severe legal trouble (which, if he continues to hide from the police, is certainly a possibility), but it could have an impact on some of his other plans - particularly his desire to potentially fight in the Olympics.

We'll continue to keep you posted on this news as updates become available.

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[BOXE]: Bundu non vede alternative

Leonard Bundu ha tutte le intenzioni di fare proprio il titolo intercontinentale Wba, vacante, dei pesi welter. A cercare di sbarrargli la strada, al Mandela Forum di Firenze, sarà il temibile argentino Carlos Adan Jerez.

"Vincere questa sfida sarebbe un buon punto di partenza per poi cercare di arrivare al mondiale, mentre perdendo sarei ormai troppo vecchio per un obiettivo del genere. In pratica non ho alternative: devo vincere per forza'': il trentacinquenne pugile toscano non ha usato giri di parole nel presentare il match.

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[MMA]: Mousasi’s impossible dream

Easy money is easy money whether it’s in yen or not, and Gegard Mousasi knows it. What other explanation could there be for Mousasi announcing participation in a light heavyweight Dream Grand Prix featuring at least two fighters he’s already swatted?

Dream will begin a tournament over the course of two or three shows on May 30, just weeks after Mousasi defends his Strikeforce title against Muhammad Lawal. The admission assumes he gets through Lawal without injury. In MMA, win or lose, that’s not often the case.

Aside from more money, there’s not much upside to attempting a compressed schedule. All Mousasi will accomplish is wearing his body down and taking either lateral or backpedaled steps in his career: two other rumored fighters in the tournament, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Renato Sobral, are already on Mousasi’s resume; Christian M\'Pumbu, a possible addition according to MMAJunkie.com, is inexperienced at the top level. Even if the field were populated with top talent, fighting twice in a night is a constant asterisk to the result. Why fight for a prize when the prize isn’t all that great?

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[MMA]: M-1 Global Sets Sights on Japan

Fedor Emelianenko handlers and promotion that has its sights set on global domination, M-1 Global, went out on a limb and announced an upcoming show in Japan. M-1 Global Japan will start out rather modestly in Shinjuku FACE, a club known to fit a few hundred spectators, tops. FightOpinion gives the info.

A press conference was held today in Tokyo. The theme of the event was "aiming at the globalization of MMA." The press conference was to announce a small show on 4/16 at Shinjuku FACE in Tokyo called "M-1 Selection ASIA EDITION 2010 Japan." Heading up M-1 Global Japan is former AtoZ Japanese pro-wrestling women’s wrestling ring announcer Mr. Tsuruga (he’s in the middle of the photo linked above). There will be M-1 events throughout Asia (including South Korea).

It will be a tough sell for M-1 Global really break into the already saturated Japanese market, which has started to show cracks much like the Japanese pro wrestling industry did after the All Japan split into NOAH and Shin'ya Hashimoto leaving New Japan to form Zero-One after the shame of his series with Judoka and MMA "fighter" Naoya Ogawa. ASTRA has shown what could be the beginning of vanity MMA promotions (as it is Yoshida Dojo's vehicle at the moment) in MMA in Japan, which on top of DREAM, SRC (the big two) and the smaller promotions like SHOOTO, DEEP, ZST and GCM. If Japan continues to fracture, any outside force breaking into the market will be futile (be it UFC, M-1, Strikeforce or anybody else).

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23 marzo 2010

[UFC 111]: St-Pierre vs Hardy - countdown (27/03/2010)

Parte 1


Parte 2

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[K-1]: Saenchai, Kaoklai win in California event

Saenchai Sor Kingstar vs Tetsuya Yamato


This past weekend saw two of Muay Thai's biggest international stars competin on American soil as Saenchai sor Kingstar and Kaoklai Kaennorsing both took part in a Muay Thai event in El Monte, California. Both Thai fighters emerged victorious, with Kaoklai scoring a 3rd round knockout via elbows over Magnum Sakai, while Saenchai had a spectacular highlight reel KO in round 1 against Tetsuya Yamato. Saenchai's full fight can be seen below.

Also of note, Kaoklai mentioned a desire to move to Los Angeles to work as a trainer, which certainly would be a moost to the US Muay Thai scene.

Full results after the jump, with comments courtesy of K-1Fans.

#fight 1: Justin Nguyen vs Antonio de la Cruz (130lbs) 3x2
Justin by KO (punch) at 1:45 of round 1.

#fight 2: Roy Corona vs William ? - he was a last minute replacement (150lbs)
Roy by three round unanimous decision.

#fight 3: Yamato Miura vs Tony Juan (135lbs) 3X2
Yamato by TKO (Corner stop/towel) at 1:24 of round 2. a good fight by local japanese guy. tons of knees in the clinch and the corner throws in the towel..

#fight 4: Prudencio Portillo vs Bounthong Syvanthong (155lbs) 3x2
Syvanthong by three round split decision. very even fight. laotian guy landed more clean kicks.

#fight 5: David Huerta (East LA) vs Jason Andrada (Master Toddy's)
Huerta by five round unanimous decision. Wins MTAA US Natioanal title (135lbs).

#fight 6: Kristin Shepard (Riverside, CA) vs Malia Spynol (San Fra, CA)
Kristin by 5 round unanimous decision. Wins (130lbs) MTAA US National title.

#fight 7: Saenchai Sor Kingstar vs Tetsuya Yamato
Saenchai by KO (left high kick) round 1. Wins MTAA Lightweight (135lbs) World title. pretty scary KO, Yamato straight to hospital.

#fight 8: Magnum Sakai vs Kaoklai Kaennorsing
Kaoklai by KO (left uppercut elbow) round 3. Wins WBC Muaythai Light-heavyweight World title (175lbs). I thought both counts came in 2nd. Magnum got spliced up bad by elbows. Nokweed was a referee and let the fight continue. Magnum was tough and landed some good punches. never expected such a elbow fest by Kaoklai. the whole house was rockin.

#fight 9: Andy Lazarit vs Mike Ellison (165lbs)
Lazarit by split decision. Personally thought Ellison won. very even fight.

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