On The Spot ~ Ryan Thomas

East-central Illinois welterweight Ryan "The Tank Engine" Thomas is a fast-rising star already well known around his hometown. However, he expects that recognition to increase with his recently announced entry into the Bellator Fighting Championship welterweight tournament. Thomas had a two-fight stint in the UFC in late 2008, losing two hard-fought bouts against Ben Saunders and Matt Brown. Thomas' last fight was in August 2009, where he had his best win to date when he submitted Ryan Stout, a veteran with over a decade in the fight game, in a minute and a half. That win impressed the right people, and he is now scheduled to face off against Olympian Ben Askren at "Bellator 14" on April 15. "The Tank Engine" recently sat down with MMA Spot to discuss his training, his thoughts on drawing Askren in the first round, and what winning the welterweight title would mean to him.

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Dave Hess ~ Long Days And Hard Work

In every fighter's career an opportunity comes along to make a name for themselves by defeating an opponent with a well-known name. This Saturday, heavyweight fighter Dave Hess will get that opportunity as he faces off against UFC veteran "Irish" Jake O'Brien in the main event of "MMA Big Show: Triple Threat." MMASpot recently sat down with Dave to discuss his origins and his thoughts on the fight.

An Indiana native growing up in the town of Sunman, Hess has been an athlete his entire life. "I grew up playing football and got into wrestling at a pretty early age. I started wrestling before high school, maybe in fifth grade. I did just about every sport the school offered, but my main focus was wrestling. And I use a lot of that in my fights too, it's helped me out a lot."

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If you ever scoffed at the notion of a mixed martial artist getting better with age, then look no further than this Saturday’s main event at "UFC 109: Relentless." Two UFC Hall of Famers, 46-year-old five-time UFC champion Randy "The Natural" Couture and 45-year-old former Ohio State national champion wrestler Mark Coleman, will square off in a fight where the combined age of the competitors tops an incredible 90. Couture and Coleman may be anomalies in the sports world, but the fact that these two legends can still be going strong is a testament to the work ethic and desire to compete that is prevalent in the world of mixed martial arts. The fact that two ageless veterans can headline a card during Super Bowl weekend, typically one of the biggest shows of the year for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, in a fight that has been dreamed about for years is almost unfathomable.

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Full Interview at MMASpot.net

Chicago-based Bellator Fighting Championships recently announced the signing of lightweight competitor Ferrid "The Hurricane" Kheder, an Olympic-level judoka who began competing in MMA in 2006. Boasting an impressive 16-5 record, with all losses coming by way of decision, this French-born fighter is looking to make a splash in the 155 pound tournament set to being April 8. MMASpot's Joe Gullo recently sat down with Kheder to talk about his judo background, his transition to MMA and his thoughts on his new promotion.

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Source: MMA Spot

While still unannounced, details surrounding UFC’s "Ultimate Fight Night 21" are beginning to emerge. Though reports broke last week that the event will be held in North Carolina, a venue and city were still up in the air. Today, MMASpot confirmed, through stadium officials, that Bojangles’ Coliseum in Charlotte will be the destination for the Wednesday, March 31 event, marking UFC’s first visit back to the city in fifteen years. The televised event is scheduled to serve as a lead-in to "The Ultimate Fighter: Season 11" which premiers on Spike TV later that evening. Full Story

One of the four recently announced featherweight signings by the Chicago-based Bellator FC, Russian-born Armenian fighter Georgi "Insane" Karakhanyan aims to put his stamp on the division as he competes in the promotion's promising second season. The 12-week tournament, debuting April 8, is set up to determine the number one contender for each of Bellator's four weight classes (featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight) and will conclude with four respective championship bouts. MMA Spot’s C.M. Holden recently sat down with Karakhanyan (12-1-1) to discuss a variety of topics, including his recent signing with Bellator, his thoughts on the featherweight division, and his career as a mixed martial artist.

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Jose Aldo 16-1 Jose Aldo was the easy choice for the top spot on our "Breakthroughs of the Year" list. His four fights in 2009 all ended by stoppage, and were never in doubt. Aldo’s combination of speed and power make him a dangerous opponent, regardless of match up. He easily defeated Rolando Perez and Chris Mickle earlier this year in WEC, setting up his meeting with Cub Swanson in June. It took just eight seconds, and one highlight reel flying knee, to defeat Swanson. With that win he earned himself a shot at the WEC featherweight championship against Mike Brown. Brown, who had been a dominate champion, looked like the contender in the bout as Aldo controlled nearly every second of the match, until finally finishing Brown early in the second. Aldo started the year as an almost unknown commodity in WEC, and finished as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Gegard Mousasi 27-2-1 Mousasi’s breakthrough did not actually occur overnight, and he was already well on his way to stardom prior to 2009. But, unless you are the type that stays up all night watching Japanese MMA, you may have missed his rise to the top of the rankings. He established himself as the Dream middleweight champion with victories over Denis Kang, Melvin Manhoef, and "Jacare" Souza, but raised eyebrows when he vacated the title to move up in weight. Mousasi stated that he wanted to fight at light heavyweight and eventually heavyweight. In 2009, he submitted heavyweight Mark Hunt, and eventually signed with Strikeforce. He made an immediate impact in America when he captured the light heavyweight title from top ten ranked Renato "Babalu" Sobral by knockout. He later made his CBS debut against Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, winning by knockout again. Mousasi’s 2009 answered any questions about his ability to perform against the best competition, earning a spot in the pound-for-pound debates and now a worldwide fan base.

For the rest of the top 10: MMA Spot

Jose Aldo 16-1 Jose Aldo was the easy choice for the top spot on our "Breakthroughs of the Year" list. His four fights in 2009 all ended by stoppage, and were never in doubt. Aldo’s combination of speed and power make him a dangerous opponent, regardless of match up. He easily defeated Rolando Perez and Chris Mickle earlier this year in WEC, setting up his meeting with Cub Swanson in June. It took just eight seconds, and one highlight reel flying knee, to defeat Swanson. With that win he earned himself a shot at the WEC featherweight championship against Mike Brown. Brown, who had been a dominate champion, looked like the contender in the bout as Aldo controlled nearly every second of the match, until finally finishing Brown early in the second. Aldo started the year as an almost unknown commodity in WEC, and finished as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

Gegard Mousasi 27-2-1 Mousasi’s breakthrough did not actually occur overnight, and he was already well on his way to stardom prior to 2009. But, unless you are the type that stays up all night watching Japanese MMA, you may have missed his rise to the top of the rankings. He established himself as the Dream middleweight champion with victories over Denis Kang, Melvin Manhoef, and "Jacare" Souza, but raised eyebrows when he vacated the title to move up in weight. Mousasi stated that he wanted to fight at light heavyweight and eventually heavyweight. In 2009, he submitted heavyweight Mark Hunt, and eventually signed with Strikeforce. He made an immediate impact in America when he captured the light heavyweight title from top ten ranked Renato "Babalu" Sobral by knockout. He later made his CBS debut against Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, winning by knockout again. Mousasi’s 2009 answered any questions about his ability to perform against the best competition, earning a spot in the pound-for-pound debates and now a worldwide fan base.

For the rest of the top 10: MMA Spot

Overall a solid list. There have been alot of fighters make names for themselves this year.

Jose Aldo 16-1

Jose Aldo was the easy choice for the top spot on our "Breakthroughs of the Year" list. His four fights in 2009 all ended by stoppage, and were never in doubt. Aldo’s combination of speed and power make him a dangerous opponent, regardless of match up. He easily defeated Rolando Perez and Chris Mickle earlier this year in WEC, setting up his meeting with Cub Swanson in June. It took just eight seconds, and one highlight reel flying knee, to defeat Swanson. With that win he earned himself a shot at the WEC featherweight championship against Mike Brown. Brown, who had been a dominate champion, looked like the contender in the bout as Aldo controlled nearly every second of the match, until finally finishing Brown early in the second. Aldo started the year as an almost unknown commodity in WEC, and finished as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.



Gegard Mousasi 27-2-1

Mousasi’s breakthrough did not actually occur overnight, and he was already well on his way to stardom prior to 2009. But, unless you are the type that stays up all night watching Japanese MMA, you may have missed his rise to the top of the rankings. He established himself as the Dream middleweight champion with victories over Denis Kang, Melvin Manhoef, and "Jacare" Souza, but raised eyebrows when he vacated the title to move up in weight. Mousasi stated that he wanted to fight at light heavyweight and eventually heavyweight. In 2009, he submitted heavyweight Mark Hunt, and eventually signed with Strikeforce. He made an immediate impact in America when he captured the light heavyweight title from top ten ranked Renato "Babalu" Sobral by knockout. He later made his CBS debut against Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, winning by knockout again. Mousasi’s 2009 answered any questions about his ability to perform against the best competition, earning a spot in the pound-for-pound debates and now a worldwide fan base.

For the rest of the top 10: MMA Spot

MMA Spot confirmed today that nine-fight UFC veteran Din Thomas has signed a deal to join Shine Fight Promotions. Thomas recently made headlines when he called out professional boxing star Ricardo Mayorga in advance of Mayorga’s MMA debut this coming March. Thomas' pointed words for the slugger may have lead to the signing, and it now looks like Shine may have decided to put Mayorga’s will to fight top competition, and Thomas’ chin, to test.

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A Look At Grappling In The Light Heavyweight Division

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Ask almost any MMA fan what the most stacked weight class is in MMA and you will certainly hear that the 205 pound light heavyweight division is king. Particularly in recent years, the UFC light heavyweight title has been one of the most highly contested, with champions defending the title for only a single fight, if at all. Nevertheless, fans may have noticed a significant omission to the division that really challenges the "mixed" aspect of mixed martial arts. Light heavyweight fighters have largely ignored the ground game, and instead have focused primarily on the striking and clinch elements of MMA. At first glance, it may not seem like there is any significant difference between 205 pound fighters and those in other divisions; however, a deeper look at recent results exposes the stand-up bias. So far in 2009, there have been 29 contests in the UFC's light heavyweight division. Of those, only two (7%) have ended in submission*, while 11 have ended in KO/TKO (38%).

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Not only are 205 pound fighters not finishing fights with submissions, but they're infrequently taking fights to the ground at all. According to CompuStrike, in UFC light heavyweight title fights dating back to Griffin vs. Jackson at UFC 86, only one successful takedown has been executed.

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Taking a look at the skill sets of the fighters, there is no reason to believe that lack of skill causes fighters to avoid the ground. The light heavyweight division is home to world-renowned wrestlers including Dan Henderson, Matt Hamill, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, Ryan Bader, Mark Coleman and Rashad Evans. Additionally, many fighters that have fought in the division hold Black Belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, including Lyoto Machida, Wanderlei Silva, Renato "Babalu" Sobral, Anderson Silva, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Thiago Silva. With such credentials one could speculate that fighters have such strong takedown defense that they neutralize each other, or possibly that they respect each others reputations enough to avoid challenging them where they excel.

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No matter the cause, MMA is a constantly evolving sport and this trend may signal its next evolutionary step. Just as jiu-jitsu revolutionized a sport dominated by wrestlers, light heavyweight strikers have begun to introduce new elements in order to stay competitive and rise above the increasingly homogeneous competition. Lyoto Machida's stand-up, with it's unorthodox style and heavy reliance on Karate, has proven to be an enigma for his competition with fighters only recently finding an answer to his elusiveness. Anderson Silva, with two fights in the division, has thus far proven almost impossible to hit and has introduced angles that have devastated his competition.

Link To Full Article

A Look At Grappling In The Light Heavyweight Division

Quote:

Ask almost any MMA fan what the most stacked weight class is in MMA and you will certainly hear that the 205 pound light heavyweight division is king. Particularly in recent years, the UFC light heavyweight title has been one of the most highly contested, with champions defending the title for only a single fight, if at all. Nevertheless, fans may have noticed a significant omission to the division that really challenges the "mixed" aspect of mixed martial arts. Light heavyweight fighters have largely ignored the ground game, and instead have focused primarily on the striking and clinch elements of MMA. At first glance, it may not seem like there is any significant difference between 205 pound fighters and those in other divisions; however, a deeper look at recent results exposes the stand-up bias. So far in 2009, there have been 29 contests in the UFC's light heavyweight division. Of those, only two (7%) have ended in submission*, while 11 have ended in KO/TKO (38%).

Quote:

Not only are 205 pound fighters not finishing fights with submissions, but they're infrequently taking fights to the ground at all. According to CompuStrike, in UFC light heavyweight title fights dating back to Griffin vs. Jackson at UFC 86, only one successful takedown has been executed.

Quote:

Taking a look at the skill sets of the fighters, there is no reason to believe that lack of skill causes fighters to avoid the ground. The light heavyweight division is home to world-renowned wrestlers including Dan Henderson, Matt Hamill, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, Ryan Bader, Mark Coleman and Rashad Evans. Additionally, many fighters that have fought in the division hold Black Belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, including Lyoto Machida, Wanderlei Silva, Renato "Babalu" Sobral, Anderson Silva, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Thiago Silva. With such credentials one could speculate that fighters have such strong takedown defense that they neutralize each other, or possibly that they respect each others reputations enough to avoid challenging them where they excel.

Quote:

No matter the cause, MMA is a constantly evolving sport and this trend may signal its next evolutionary step. Just as jiu-jitsu revolutionized a sport dominated by wrestlers, light heavyweight strikers have begun to introduce new elements in order to stay competitive and rise above the increasingly homogeneous competition. Lyoto Machida's stand-up, with it's unorthodox style and heavy reliance on Karate, has proven to be an enigma for his competition with fighters only recently finding an answer to his elusiveness. Anderson Silva, with two fights in the division, has thus far proven almost impossible to hit and has introduced angles that have devastated his competition.

Link To Full Article

Fabricio Werdum ~ Honored To Be Part Of History Just days away from watching the world’s #1 ranked heavyweight (Fedor Emelianenko) take on one of the world’s most destructive up-and-coming heavyweights (Brett Rogers) on CBS, Strikeforce has another pivotal heavyweight bout on the same card. Although the bout between Antonio Silva and Fabricio Werdum may not be as lauded or talked about as the network's televised main event, but his fight has all the makings of the fight of the night. Fabricio ‘Vai Cavalo’ Werdum’s journey to prime time television has not been smooth or without doubters. The 12-4-1 Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist says that he feels no added pressure appearing in front of millions of viewers, "I treat every fight as though it is the biggest fight of my career. Of course I want to impress the fans, Strikeforce, CBS, and M-1 Global. I have fought in many big shows before, both in the U.S. and in Japan. I am honored, however, that I have been given the opportunity to participate in this historic event for organizations with the prestige of Strikeforce and M-1 Global." "Training went great. I have been training virtually non-stop since my Strikeforce debut. Since after beating Mike Kyle, I went straight into training for Abu Dhabi," said the winner of this years ADCC +99kg title, Werdum, about preparing for Antonio Silva (12-1). "Silva is no different than the others, other than the size of his head. I think it’s a great match up. My stand up is underrated and his is decent. But there shouldn’t be any question as to who is better on the ground. We are the same height [6’4"]. He weighs a little bit more than me. All that means is that he will fall harder."

-----Also From the full article------

.....Even if he is awarded the next title shot, he has doubts that he will ever face the current champion, "I really don’t think Alistair will agree to fight me; unless it is in a jurisdiction that does not drug test."

......This is not meant to disrespect them, and although they are excellent fighters, they are newcomers." When asked to assess Brock Lesnar’s ability and rise to the top of the UFC ladder, Werdum simply stated, "Brock sells tickets."

.......Although Werdum has just one fight remaining on his Strikeforce contract after Saturday night, he does not seem to be looking to his next contract as much as he is looking to accomplish his goals in the sport, "Promoters are in the business to make money, not hand it out. So a contract is a contract."

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Fabricio Werdum ~ Honored To Be Part Of History


Just days away from watching the world’s #1 ranked heavyweight (Fedor Emelianenko) take on one of the world’s most destructive up-and-coming heavyweights (Brett Rogers) on CBS, Strikeforce has another pivotal heavyweight bout on the same card. Although the bout between Antonio Silva and Fabricio Werdum may not be as lauded or talked about as the network's televised main event, but his fight has all the makings of the fight of the night.

Fabricio ‘Vai Cavalo’ Werdum’s journey to prime time television has not been smooth or without doubters. The 12-4-1 Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist says that he feels no added pressure appearing in front of millions of viewers, “I treat every fight as though it is the biggest fight of my career. Of course I want to impress the fans, Strikeforce, CBS, and M-1 Global. I have fought in many big shows before, both in the U.S. and in Japan. I am honored, however, that I have been given the opportunity to participate in this historic event for organizations with the prestige of Strikeforce and M-1 Global.”

“Training went great. I have been training virtually non-stop since my Strikeforce debut. Since after beating Mike Kyle, I went straight into training for Abu Dhabi,” said the winner of this years ADCC +99kg title, Werdum, about preparing for Antonio Silva (12-1). “Silva is no different than the others, other than the size of his head. I think it’s a great match up. My stand up is underrated and his is decent. But there shouldn’t be any question as to who is better on the ground. We are the same height [6’4”]. He weighs a little bit more than me. All that means is that he will fall harder.”

.....Even if he is awarded the next title shot, he has doubts that he will ever face the current champion, “I really don’t think Alistair will agree to fight me; unless it is in a jurisdiction that does not drug test.”

......This is not meant to disrespect them, and although they are excellent fighters, they are newcomers.” When asked to assess Brock Lesnar’s ability and rise to the top of the UFC ladder, Werdum simply stated, “Brock sells tickets.”

.......Although Werdum has just one fight remaining on his Strikeforce contract after Saturday night, he does not seem to be looking to his next contract as much as he is looking to accomplish his goals in the sport, “Promoters are in the business to make money, not hand it out. So a contract is a contract."

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MMA Spot - Marcello Foran ~ Passionate About His Work

If there is one word that best describes Marcello Foran, CEO and founder of the Ultimate Warrior Challenge, it would be "Passionate". His love of MMA and sheer dedication to the sport are infectious to anyone talking to him.

Foran started Ultimate Warrior Challenge (UWC) in 2006; his brother, a two-time All-Met wrestler and Special Forces Marine, had begun training and competing in MMA. Foran, already owning and operated a VIP luxury lifestyle management company, knew about event production and decided to get into the business.

From the Interview:

"I saw it as a challenge to myself as an entrepreneur and a chance to be a part of the history of it. You don't often get a chance to be a part of the history, even if you are really good at what you do."

From there the UWC has grown by leaps and bounds; in Foran's own words, "We have come as far and as fast as anyone. We are always looking to grow." Not only are they growing they are doing it the right way. "We aren't doing the EXC or the Affliction model. Everyone told me when we were starting to do it right and build from the ground up." That strategy has worked "We have been able to build to where we are on 1%, maybe half of 1% of what some of other organizations have spent, and some of them put 40 or 50 million dollars in and still aren't around anymore."

Foran's driven focus for the sport and his organization comes to the forefront when he discusses dealing with the obsticles of running a mixed martial arts promotion; "You have to have a true love about making an impact. Whether it is running a promotion, playing the guitar, or being a good father you have to have the passion, determination and the desire to make it successful. The best, worst and most frustrating things are the level of commitment that you and others are willing to put in." Along with commitment, he also cited chemistry as being crucial to success, "The biggest asset and limitation is the chemistry of those people. That has been the biggest cause of our growth and has been the cause for things that have held us back the most."

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