As expected, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira should be busy prepping up his coaching plans for the upcoming 8th season of "The Ultimate Fighter." But this doesn't mean "Big Nog" didn't have time to chat with Jason Perkins of www.FightLine.com about  his Arachnoid homie's (I know it's cheesy, I'm made of cheese) move to the prestigious LHW division of the sport's biggest producer, the UFC.

"Anderson's good," gushed Nogueira. "He's got a lot of weapons, a lot of things to show. He's proven his ground and he's proven his standup. Everytime he steps in the cage he shows up fighting. He's a big guy, man. He's almost my size. He's like 210 now and he's all muscle so he won't have a problem at 205. He's very strong; he works a lot with the weights. He's much stronger now than the first time I met him. We started training together in 2002. He was like a real 185 then, but now he can be 205 easy. He can fight both 185 and 205. He can switch easy, no problem."

Check out the article as it mentions Nog's opinion of Silva regarding a bout with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as well as Anderson's work ethic as a fighter.

http://www.fightline.com/news/2008/617/anderson_silva_327372.shtml

 

 

via www.4dsports.co.uk

 

 

 

With the UFC making competitive headway (against "Affliction: Banned") on July 19th by putting together Ultimate Fight Night 14, you have to appreciate the surge of events available to just about anybody anywhere in the U.S. with a cable box  and internet connectivity. It is in the opinion of this writer that UFN (Ultimate Fight Night) 14 's main event, Silva vs. Irvin, is not a spectacle or "freak show" as some UFC negators would like to suggest.

What July 19th represents is Silva's make-it-or-break-it introduction into the UFC's elite LHW division. Anderson Silva's first bout with the UFC took place on June 26th 2008 against a mid-tier to almost upper level fighter, Chris Leben, whom Silva disposed of in a unsympathetic 0:49 seconds. This fight against Irvin is one in the same, another mid-tier to almost upper level fighter that introduces Silva to the LHW division with challenge yet a certain poise, by throwing Irvin at Silva the UFC isn't exactly "protecting" the MW champ. That said, we have to go with who Joe Silva prefers to win and left with the choice of either the flaky yet hard throwing James Irvin or the greatest UFC MW champion ever, the answer should be obvious. Expect superstar matches like the ones suggested some weeks ago (Chuck Liddell vs. Anderson Silva, Rampage Jackson vs. Anderson Silva, Wanderlei Silva vs. Anderson Silva), to all be very real possibilities for the near future, but the UFC will look to dictate the progression slowly as it would be foolhardy to throw their MW champion to the wolves after just one or two matches. 

And seeing as how Irvin just trumped Houston's welcome-back party by "Superman" punching the Nebraskan in 0:08 seconds at UFN 13, this gives the Sacramento native some status in the LHW division, thus a win by "The Spider" over Irvin will push the Brazilian to the middle ground of UFC LHW fighters vying for a title shot.

As for all of you Yushin Okami fans (myself included), I have no doubt Anderson Silva will defend that title against Okami sometime in the near future, the "p4p king" will look to (as stated) only slowly progress himself into the LHW division, crosscutting between division matches as requested by the UFC.

We all now know Dana White has been taunting us with news of some great magnitude that will be an indicator as to which direction the UFC plans to go for the next "five years." Among the rumors suggested is a "superfight" between Chuck Liddell and Anderson Silva, a bout between BJ Penn vs. GSP II, a new corporate sponsor, a primetime television network deal and the possibility of the UFC heading to Georgia. And while all of these could very well be true and serve as the big news White has so kindly left us hanging with for the past few days, Mike Landau from www.wrestling-edge.com is peeping us with a very different type of news that really would change the direction of the UFC as a fight promotion and as a BZness. Apparently Floyd Mayweather Jr., a boxer who could qualify as the best pound-for-pound boxer active today, has signed a deal with White and UFC executives to fight for the UFC.

Ahem, FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. is reported to have signed with the UFC.

The ramifications of such a signing would be incredible for the UFC as they would now have a chance to end much debate on whether MMA as a sport holds legitimacy or not, or at least be able to challenge notions of bias those unfamiliar with MMA have held ever since MMA emerged onto the scene in the 90's . Moreover, the concept of Mayweather Jr. in the UFC could very well land all of the rumors we have heard about in the past few days into a potpourri of awesome; imagine a superfight card in Georgia, televised on FOX, with Mayweather versus BJ Penn as a co-main event to Chuck Liddell vs. Anderson Silva. Of course the timing of such news is impeccable as Mayweather Jr. having unexpectedly walked away from a 20 million dollar fight with "Hoya" and thus retiring, while D.W. has us panting about something "huge."

I'm holding my breath on this one and I believe because of all the implications provided, so should you. If all of these rumors turn out to be true, this will make up for all of the muddled cards that have ever taken place in UFC history. Never again will see Bisping vs Evans as a LHW title suggstive fight as the headlining event.

What a rumor, huh?

 

My Muay Thai and Jiu-jitsu classes are difficult. Prior to each session for both arts, the class has to endure intense conditioning which requires a certain amount of skill. And even after we as a class have somehow made it past conditioning, there is still the actual concentration and physical longevity for the next hour and a half to learn and practice the techniques of the day properly. But we go through this knowingly and despite the sweat, blood and occasional whining we are better human beings for it. Some of us commit to the regiment because we just love mixed martial arts and the training gives us a higher sense of communication with aspects of the sport, some of us just want a good workout and for the very select few, there is the desire to compete at the "big show."

I understand cutting weight is also a skill, it requires much discipline and patience. But there is no way in hell that it is as hard to cut weight as it is to commit to constant conditioning and building of proper technique for either the stand-up or ground game.

Thiago Alves is a prime example of a floozy participant of mixed martial arts (Gina, you too) and yes, I did hesitate to use the word athlete. Sure, he's got great leg kicks and some decent knees but his inability to make weight as a headliner for another overseas card with the pay and bonuses he would have received is ridiculous. The sport is truly burgeoning right now, and I for one cannot wait till the concept of mixed martial arts and athlete can truly be used in unison with all the respect that should be there in its usage.

 

4 lbs?! C'mon, that's nothing!

I think back to the Ultimate Fighter Season 1 where Chuck was spitting something of a verbal tirade to Dana about a fighter's lack of dedication (was it during one of the desert obstacle courses?) and though he was stumbling, muttering, cursing and speaking about IV needles  and such...Chuck, I totally agree.

The mobility of changes made to the UFC 85 lineup has been like that of a revolving door. Still, take into consideration (and with much hope) that UFC 85 is just one of many exciting events lined up for the entire summer. Last summer is a snooze compared to the amount of great action bound for us MMA enthusiasts alike and this time coming from a wide selection of venues. The following is a tentative but scheduled lineup of events to come and a welcome reminder that the sport is growing to the extent where we may finally see mixed martial arts as a "mainstream sport."

UFC 85: Bedlam - Jun 07, 2008

Elite XC: Hawaii 2 - Jun 14, 2008

The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale - Jun 21, 2008
Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson  - Jun 27, 2008
ShoXC: San Diego - Jun 27, 2008
UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin - Jul 05, 2008
Affliction: Banned - Jul 19, 2008
WEC 35 - Aug 03, 2008
UFC 87: Seek and Destroy - Aug 09, 2008
UFC 88 - Sep 06, 2008
The Ultimate Fighter 8 debut - Sep 17, 2008
UFC Fight Night 14 - Sep 17, 2008 This list does not yet include any of the DREAM or WVR events and it's not out of bias, the schedules just seem to be so tentative that it could be a mistake listing them down (for now). The point is, shame on you if you're not shaking in your boots with excitement. Upon first glance, I thought organizations like the UFC would be hesitant to release championship bouts more frequently (Rampage last fought in what, September?) but the opposite may occur to draw in more fans. Who know? We just might see some more cross promotions take place soon.

The sidelining advantage to tonight's Elite-XC card goes to StrikeForce who was able to secure and actually televise their fights on a major television network (as late as some of them play at night...ZZZzz) first. With the measurable success of tonight's card, it is highly probable NBC will look to secure a similar 4 fight prime-time deal with StrikeForce which would only mean more free live mixed martial arts action for the general public to consume. While there were reports of the UFC in talks with NBC and Fox earlier this year, it would seem from Dana White, president of the UFC, that a major network deal is expendable as quoted,

At the end of the day, what we’re really in is, we’re in the pay-per-view business. My job and my crew’s job here at the UFC is, we sit around and we create new ways to build our pay-per-view business, you know? To expose people to mixed martial arts, to expose them to the athletes, to learn.

I call B.S. on all fronts.

The prediction here is look for NBC to keep their StrikeForce highlight segment (which plays way too late at night in the opinion of this writer) and a set of events cross promoting with Elite-XC. The concern of NBC vs. CBS won't be as big of a deal as some might believe since the common competitor and toughest hurdle would be the UFC which should in turn only motivate both networks and both promotions to work together and truly present the biggest MMA show ever.   

Elbows and kisses to Adam Morgan of FiveouncesofPain.com for the Dana White snipet.

 

With the repercussions of this Saturday's CBS Elite-XC fights permeating message boards and MMA websites alike, Urijah Faber's fight with Jens Pulver seems to have gotten lost in the mix. This is a big fight, ladies and gentlemen. Sunday will prove which of these two fighters gets a chance to take their respective careers to the next level. On one hand, Urijah Faber is coming off his most decorated win against Jeff Curran (28-9-1), a top 10 ranked featherweight fighter with an absolutely nasty (really good) submission game, who saw defeat at the hands of the California kid (20 -1) via guillotine choke. Urijah dominated Curran without finding himself in too much trouble even while losing top control in the first round of their bout. Now, take Jens Pulver (21-8-1) who after a reattempted step back into UFC glory met defeat at the hands of Joe Lauzon, while shortly after losing to B.J. Penn upon completion the 5th season of The Ultimate Fighter. On paper, it would seem Urijah has the advantage in all aspects of the "fight game", save the stand up striking which both fighters have promised to pursue. But it is in the opinion of this writer that this fight come this Sunday is not Urijah's to lose and will actually prove to be more competitive than fanboys of the "California kid" would believe. While Urijah is the more proven wrester, let's not forget that Jens himself has been wrestling since a very early age, earning two state championships on the high school level. Later, he would qualify as an "All American" for the NCAA and was accepted into the prestigious Boise University wrestling program. Case in point, Jens can wrestle. Moreover, Jens has worked with Matt Hughes and the Miletech camp noteworthy for its hard work ethic and more importantly, its MMA adapted wrestling program. Now while I don't believe Pulver game plan is to wrestle Urijah, Jens should be able to neutralize or at the least, minimize the top control of Faber. Faber would have us believe that he loves to trade shots while standing, as true as this may be his bread and butter often lie horizontal to the mat, not vertical to it. Faber recently trained with B.J. to help prepare the Hawaiian for his Sean Sherk bout as well as to gain some insight in how to defeat Jens, but this is the 145 pound division where Jens is taller and bigger and with what looks to be a reach advantage that should prove significant.

This match is too close to call, while Urijah is on the hotter win streak, Pulver has faced the tougher competition, constantly going up against opponents who walk around 20 to 30 pounds more than Pulver ever does. What we should expect to see is not only a war but an easing in of Pulver into the division as he brings relished star power to the UFC's sister company, the WEC. Just the fact that they booked the Arco Arena, an event that held both a UFC LW championship bout (Sherk vs. Franca) and a MW championship one (Silva vs. Marquardt) at UFC 73 is blatant enough that Zuffa looks to the WEC and  specifically this Sunday's event with much promise and potential. Expect the loser of this Sunday's main card event to fight once, maybe twice more and then an immediate rematch for the featherweight title. We can also expect that if the fight this Sunday garners enough attention, the WEC will be receiving a lot more media press, funding and overall attention by Dana White, countdown shows, larger venues, pay-per-views? The possibilities are endless, the effects both positive and negative and an article that I'll focus on after WEC 34.

The other main card fights of the night:

• Champ Miguel Torres vs. Yoshiro Maeda -- for WEC bantamweight title
• Chuck Grigsby vs. Mark Munoz
• Kenneth Alexander vs. Rob McCullough

 

On a sidenote: Zuffa did an excellent job of promoting this fight though I wish they could've expressed more enthusiasm for the Miguel Torres vs. Yoshiro Maeda fight which will prove to be incredibly significant to the bantamweight rankings. 

 

While it is at least amusing to debate whether B.J. Penn and Sean Sherk were able to pull off the spectacular fight promised and hyped by both ever since their aggressive exchanges following the main event at UFC 80, one man who came to deliver to your liver was the Axe-Murderer, Wanderlei Silva. Posting an impressive (0:36) second victory over both highly touted and often overlooked Keith Jardine puts Wanderlei in a very awkward position,  and Dana White, president of the UFC, in an even stranger one. While Wand has twice dismantled now current UFC champ, Quinton Jackson, having 3 recent losses and one victory over Keith Jardine does not a title shot make. But we can at least assume that UFC president, Dana White, wanted Keith Jardine to lose baiting him against what seems to be Jardine's weakness, an aggressive inside hook swinging fighter. So where does this leave Wanderlei Silva? There are now several fighters in the UFC's LHW division  who post impressive and undefeated records (Lyoto Machida, Thiago Silva, Rashad Evans)  that could all make cases for title shots while a rumored Chuck Liddell vs. Shogun Rua bout would also be a reasonable tip of the hat for  top contender.  Yet, none of them stand out because of either stained losses or not being able to fight the number one contender (we were never sure who the number one contender was to begin with). A logical solution to sort the division out would be for a LHW grand prix tournament for all those mentioned but since that headline will never be official,  UFC 84 should  be seen as the closest thing to an actual  tournament and therefore, viewers can expect a continuing ambivalence as to who will fight the winner of Quinton Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin. Expect all LWH winners who fought at UFC 84 to fight at least once more against each other and amusingly, the winner with the biggest highlight reel  should step up to the championship plate next, undefeated record or not. The match ups that should take place and could all be the bout that take the winner to the top:

Rashad Evans vs. Wanderlei Silva

Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva

Chuck Liddell vs. Shogun Rua

Side note: The Ultimate Fighter t.v. show may very well be the cause of this slow process. Remember, the last time Quinton Rampage Jackson fought was in September.