American Kickboxing Academy trainer and Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu founder Dave Camarillo spoke with ProMMAnow.com yesterday, giving his thoughts on the upcoming UFC heavyweight championship bout between AKA’s own Cain Velasquez and Brazilian slugger Junior dos Santos – which may take place at UFC 129 in Toronto, Canada.  Check out the full interview here, which also covers the highs and lows for AKA this past year, as well as Camarillo’s coaching stint on season twelve of The Ultimate Fighter.

What do you think about his statement on Cain?  Will the UFC heavyweight champion be able to "execute" his game-plan and become the heavyweight Georges St. Pierre?  Can we expect to see Cain with the UFC title wrapped around his waist for years to come, or will Junior dos Santos shut him down and prove Camarillo wrong?

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I normally wouldn’t make a post like this because I really don’t give a fuck if a dude likes to play wiener-hockey with others dudes.  If you’re gay, cool, be proud of it  - HOWEVER, I’ve been presented with an image that will make us all call into question the sexuality of UFC heavyweight fighter Pat "HD" Barry – who, gay or not, has some seriously nasty stand-up and who could seriously fuck everyones shit up in about .3 seconds.  Pat, no offense man, but what’s the deal?

via mixedmartialsharts.com

Following his submission win over Denis Stojnic at UFC 99:

He looks like a corpse in the second picture!

Following his decision win over Paul Buentello at UFC 107 (not bad at all):

Following his second round knockout victory over Christian Morecraft at UFC 117:

GWAH!

Mixed Martial Sharts

These pictures never get old, especially the first two.  I look forward to seeing the progression of the young Dutch fighter as he progresses in his MMA career.  It will be very interesting when he fills out that 6'11" frame and starts perfecting his stand-up skills.  

via mixedmartialsharts.com

There doesn’t seem to a video on the internet of Jason Miller doing something that in some way doesn’t involve Nick Diaz.  Take this latest video I was shown today over on the MMS Forums, where a disheveled  "Mayhem" speeds down the interstate on his way to the Kings MMA gym – which is run by former Vale-Tudo fighter Rafael Cordeiro.

After he gets there, he works up a brief sweat by scaring some visiting children, gets owned by some really young kid in a quick sparring session, sees the Nick Diaz loyalist Layzie The Savage and tries to run him out of the gym before ending up debating Layzie on why Diaz won’t step up to fight him at middleweight, even though he’s already gone on video and said he would.  Miller lets it all hang out in this latest piece of multimedia, and even calls Diaz’s Strikeforce welterweight strap a "paper title".  THEN, after the debate, Miller receives his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt.

 What a day for the Bully Beatdown host!

Mayhem Miller receives his black belt...and a scuffle (via TheRyanLoco)

Jake Shields vs. Mike Pyle (via jakeshieldsajj)

This welterweight clash took place on November 10th, 2007 at EliteXC: Renegade, for the organizations vacant 170lb title.  Shields, who at the time was a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, showcased why he’s one of the most lethal grapplers in the sport by manhandling the very crafty Mike Pyle after eating a couple of well-timed knees from the Xtreme Couture fighter.  EliteXC went bottoms up almost a year exactly from this event, and both fighter went their separate ways, but now, are both competing in the UFC.  Pyle’s set to face undefeated Brit John Hathaway at UFC 120 in what will be his fifth UFC appearance, while Shields will be making his UFC debut against top-ranked welterweight Martin Kampmann at UFC 121.

If Pyle wins his upcoming fight, and Shields loses his, what’s not to say that these two won’t meet again?  Would a rematch between the two go any different?

Lesnar vs Velasquez Trailer (via SandmanMMAPromotions)

Who you taking motherfucking maniacs?  The cock-chested brute Lesnar or the quick-as-shit and ever-improving Cain?  I don't know about you guys, but this fight excites the shit out of me, I want to poop my pants right now in anticipation for this heavyweight clash that will be the biggest heavyweight fight in the history of the UFC!!!!!!!

If Lesnar wins, where does he stand in the rankings, and if Cain wins, will we see him control that division for a while? 

via mmahaven.net

I will NOT eat a ridiculous amount of cookies to make 145lbs JUST for the opportunity to be on a main card and growing man parts… well that would just be ridiculous 

http://prettytoughfighter.com/component/k2/item/29-cookies-and-man-parts.html

So.....she's pretty much saying that Cyborg has a dick, which are fightin' wurds in my eyes.  Who would you take in a battle say, at a catchweight of 140lbs between these two? Cyborg or Kaufmann.  And, do you think that Strikeforce would ever make this fight happen?  I mean, if they're honestly considering Batista vs. Lashley on PPV, why not this fight to go alongside it? 

Who you got?

Nice to see the "Bad Boy" doing something constructive aside from illegally stomping/soccer kicking opponents or beating the piss n' shit out of night club bouncers who can't even fight.  

Who here is a fan of the controversial K1 striker?  All drama aside, he's clearly one of the best competitors currently competing the kick-boxing realm, and although he has no plans to return to MMA, it's hard to deny that he's not entertaining both in and out of the ring.   After the jump, some good fights from the Moroccan. 

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via mmahaven.net

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Nightmare of Battle has a three-part article on FEG’s plan to defeat the UFC and take over the combat sports world.  Above you can clearly see the plan of attack for Japan’s most powerful fight promotion with the end-result being a "World Cup" of mixed martial arts and kickboxing, something that should send warms waves of awesome through devoted fans of both sports.

Can FEG/Asia dominate this area of the sporting world, and more importantly, still bring us the best fighters on the planet together under one roof?  Let’s be real here, the UFC has the majority of the world’s best talent, and part of the reason so many people watch the UFC is because of the high-calibef fighters that fill their roster.

FEG is going to need a shit-load of cash to get this done, how much who knows, but it’s going to be their biggest endeavor to date that will either see them succeed and rise to the top of the sport dominated by the UFC, or getblown to pieces by the Americans after their initial assault merely adds fuel to the fire?  Or, will Dana White just sit back and smile, waiting for FEG to blow its wad and eventually give in like everyone else?

Click here to take the poll.

Anyone think FEG remotely stands a chance, I'd like to hear other people's input on this.  Better question, does anyone want to see FEG take over, for whatever reasons?

via mmahaven.net

Bloody Elbow reported earlier that former UFC welterweight Yoshiyuki Yoshida has inked a three-fight deal with rising promotion Bellator Fighting Championships, and will get a legitimate debut opponent when he meets Bellator’s season two welterweight finalist Dan "The Handler" Hornbuckle.  Yoshida is currently on a two-fight losing streak, getting knocked out by Anthony "Rumble" Johnson at UFC 104, and then dropping a unanimous decision to Mike "The Joker" Guymon at UFC 114, earning him his walking papers.  Hornbuckle will look to get back to his winning ways as well after losing a unanimous decision (that snapped a six-fight win streak) to collegiate wrestling standout Ben Askren in the championship round of Bellator’s season two welterweight tournament.  Expect either a serious ground war, or a one-sided ass-kicking on the feet with Hornbuckle walking away the victor.

The current fight card for Bellator 25 can be seen after the jump. 

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via mmahaven.net

So, Mousasi told another site that he would be willing to move up to the heavyweight division given the fight "makes sense".  What do you guys think of that?  Should Gegard make the jump up to heavyweight, I mean, he has said for years that he eventually wants to permanently fight there, but is now the right time?  Would you rather see him stick around light-heavyweight, possibly working his way to a rematch with King Mo where he can show off his improved wrestling? 

via i751.photobucket.com

DREAM.15 took place this past Saturday, and saw Tatsuya Mizuno and Gegard Mousasi move onto the final round of the 4-man DREAM light heavyweight grand prix.  Mizuno and Mousasi are expected to meet at DREAM.16 in September, with the winner becoming the first ever DREAM light heavyweight champion.  

At DREAM.15, Mousasi blew through his semi-final opponent Jake O'Brien with embarrassing ease, whereas Mizuno fought feared striker Melvin Manhoef, in a back and forth battle that at one point was nearly over for the Japanese fighter.  However, Mizuno hung in there and eventually took advantage of Manhoef's lacking submission game, forcing the Dutchman to tap out late in the first round due to a kimura. 

While the tournament final shows Mousasi to be the clear favorite, I can't help but hope for Mizuno to shock the world and defeat the former DREAM and Strikeforce champion.  It's blatantly obvious that Mizuno is out-matched wherever the fight goes, and will most likely get stopped within the first 10 minutes, but I'd love nothing more than to see the Japanese underdog somehow win the fight and knab DREAM's first ever light heavyweight title.  

Is there anyone out there who believes Tatsuya Mizuno will win this fight, and if so, how will he do it?  Remember, he does have Matt "The Wizard" Hume in his corner!  In case you didn't see Mizuno's battle against Manhoef, you can do so after the jump. 

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via mmahaven.net

A new TUF Champion crowned, former drug-addict/dead person Court McGee, who not only possesses an amazing beard, but also some sick-as-fuck grappling skills.  I thought McCray would give him some serious fight on the ground, but Court just dominated for both rounds and eventually got the submission.  It’s a great ending to (in my opinion), one of the best Ultimate Fighter seasons ever.  McGee’s already an excellent fighter who’s going to win a lot of fans as he continues in his prosperous UFC career, and I can’t wait to see him fight again.  McCray should be given another shot, I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t .

Jardine and Hamill threw down, and although that fight would make Freddie Roach puke and seizure, I was entertained the entire time.  I hoped to see a rebirth of the "Dean of Mean", but Hamill’s Frankenstein chin (and that second-round point deduction), ultimately cost Jardine his FOURTH loss in a row (thanks for the correction panthro).  He didn’t get KTFO though, so maybe he’s not as shot as a lot of people (myself included), previously thought.  If Jardine keeps his job even after this, he’s a lucky motherfucker.  If he gets the boot, GO FIGHT IN JAPAN! The crowd there will love him!  Good win for Hamill, he’s still a quiet force at 205, and should definitely get someone with a relatively big name for his next fight.

Chris Leben looked in the best shape I’ve ever seen before, and managed to get Aaron Simpson into a brawl with him.  Anyone who’s followed Leben knows that unless you’re Anderson Silva, standing toe-to-toe with the Crippler isn’t the best idea in the world.  Simpson thought his hands were good enough, but they’re not, and he got clipped, lost his shit, and forced the ref to jump in.  Props to Leben, he looked really good and it’s good to see him get a stoppage win over a legitimately tough middleweight contender.  Simpson will be back, got his first loss out of the way and should be back on the win-wagon within the year.

Denis Siver and Spencer Fisher, two stand-up fighters who have a lot of KO and TKO wins on their records, went to a decision.  Funny how that happens.  The fight was fun though, both guys pleased the fans with spinning-backfists and back-kicks, and absolutely no grappling whatsoever until the last second when Siver shot in for a single with one second left. Not sure if he was trying to "seal the deal" with that, but it doesn’t matter when he ultimately got the judges decision.  Fisher now drops his second fight in a row, and Siver rebounds from a decision loss to Ross Pearson. I’d like to see Siver and Tyson Griffin fight, mainly because I want to see if Tyson will stand and trade with him, I don’t think he will, at least not like Fisher did.  I’d also like to see Siver knock him the fuck out with a kick to the head.

Rich Attonito looked really good tonight as well, it’s too early to tell what he’s gonna do in the UFC, but his performance tonight was solid and I can’t wait to see him fight in the octagon again.

What did you guys think?  

Marius Zaromskis vs. Evangelista Cyborg.Los Angeles (via KARELMMA)

Tim Kennedy vs. Trevor Prangley.Strikeforce: Los Angeles (via KARELMMA)

Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye Aw Ye!

via mmahaven.net

Conor Heun really surprised me, I figured that him taking the fight on short notice would clearly show and he’d get his fucking ass kicked quickly and violently.  He didn’t though, and although he took a lot of damage, he was always in the fight.  I’m sure he gained some more fans with that loss, and hopefully he’ll be given another shot, or at least bumped back down to the Challenger cards.  As far as Noons, he didn’t perform the way he normally does, which is maybe why Conor survived the fight.  If the KJ that fought Diaz and Yves showed up tonight, Conor would have been put away.  I don’t think this win moves KJ into title contention, I’d like to see him fight a lightweight veteran, maybe Jorge Gurgel, so we can really see where he belongs in the organization.

WAR Tim Kennedy! I truly never expected him to blow through Prangley like that, complete domination over an extremely tough opponent.  This clearly establishes Tim as one of the top middleweights in Strikeforce, and might even bump him into the top ten rankings, which would be a first for the American combat vet.

Cyborg Santos impressed the shit out of me, he looked excellent in his welterweight debut.  I really hope to see him hit his stride, I’ve been a longtime fan and truly cherish every time I get to see a Chute Boxe fighter compete in the cage/ring.  As for Zaromskis, that’s two first round stoppage losses in a row.  His credibility in the US circuit is shot, and he’s not doing DREAM any favors.  Sucks for him.

As for the main event, ehhhh, I thought it was pretty solid.  Babalu looked better and better as the fight went on, when he got into his groove he started to remind me of the pre-UFC 62 "Babalu" that everyone loved.  This was a great win for him, and seems to have granted him another chance for the title.  Problem of course is that current champ "King Mo" doesn’t want to fight his "brother".  The two train together, and obviously consider each other friends.  I’m not going to get into the "friend vs. friend" rant, but hopefully they put it aside and fight.  I’d like to see it.

Lawler didn’t really drop to far in my book with this loss, he’ll be back.  Lets see a fight with "The Legend" Frank Shamrock.  He’s said that he wants to get back into the cage, why not eh?

Honestly, I think that this was the best-produced Strikeforce event to date.  It moved extremely fast, one fight after another, and no Shamrock and his hideous braces scaring the viewers at home.  If Strikeforce keeps going this way, I see them sticking around, especially after EA releases "MMA", which I think will be a big fucking hit! Oh, props to Mauro, Quadros, and Pat Miletich.   They work really fucking well together, and Pat rules. He belongs in a commentating position.

via mmahaven.net

This will be by far the shortest prediction post I make, due to the fact that I’m only going to cover ONE fight, the welterweight tournament final bout between rising stars Ben Askren and Dan Hornbuckle.  These two fighters are the cream of the crop in Bellator’s 170lb. division, and most think that they could both make serious impacts in both Strikeforce the UFC.  I’ve been a BIG fan of Hornbuckle’s for a few years, ever since he was cracking skulls in Bodog, and Askren, well, he’s ugly as fuck but can wrestle like its nobodies business.  This is an excellent match-up, and what’s even better about it is that when the tournament is all over, the winner STILL has to fight current Bellator welterweight champion Lyman Good, who’s a fucking savage!

Now, onto the final fight!

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via mmahaven.net

Tomorrow night’s Strikeforce event seemed to come up fast as shit, probably because there’s been barely any advertising of it, which naturally makes us forget.  Either way, the card’s got some very interesting bouts, including the main event between "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler and Renato "Babalu" Sobral, which will take place at a 195lb. catchweight.  The winner of this fight will receive the next title shot in their respected weight divisions (Lawler normally fights at 185lbs, Sobral at 205lbs). Needless to say, the stakes are at an all time high for these two fighters, who obviously want to get back to the top of their weight class.

The co-main event is a stand-up-fighting fans wet dream; a welterweight clash between DREAM champion Marius Zaromskis and Chute Boxe brawler Evangalista "Cyborg" Santos.  Both of these strikers desperately need this win to remain relevant in Strikeforce’s 170lb. division.  Zaromskis, the 2009 DREAM Welterweight Grand-Prix champion was recently battered and beaten in under one round by Nick Diaz last January at Strikeforce: Miami.  Santos’ last Strikeforce appearance was a split decision loss to Joey Villasenor last June, but has since rebounded with a first round knockout victory over MMA newcomer Daniel Zarate in a smaller show down in Brazil this past December.  Santos is going to look to improve his win-streak to two, something he hasn’t done since 2006, and Zaromskis will look to put his disappointing last performance on the back-burner and re-establish himself in the organization as a front runner for a title shot.

Also on the main card is the long-awaited return of US Army Special Forces middleweight Tim Kennedy, who will be taking on the very tough South-African Trevor Prangley, as well as the Strikeforce debut of former EliteXC lightweight champion KJ Noons, who will take on Conor Heun at 155lbs.  After the jump you’ll find my predictions (which have been shit recently).

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