Being on “The Ultimate Fighter” usually marks a fighter for stardom. Cast members that do not make the full UFC roster typically return to the regional circuit, but are well sought after. Coaches go on to main event UFC pay-per-views. This season a new star has been born. He is not a head coach, and he is not a cast member, and he is not Dana White. He is Lew Polley, and he is also in demand, like it or not.

Polley’s demeanor and personality has rubbed a few on the show the wrong way and apparently that has not stopped since the taping of the reality show. We recently caught up with Olympic silver medalist and light heavyweight prospect Yoel Romero and Polley was all he could talk about.

Continue reading this post »

There are many things that go into making a successful pro fighter, all kinds of abilities and intangibles. World class MMA fighters come from a variety of combat sport backgrounds and it is not certain that there is one "best" discipline. However, if you took an anonymous poll of folks involved in the sport of MMA, wrestling would most likely get more votes as the preferred base discipline than any other combat sport. As we’re all aware, there are lots of variables involved in making an athlete into a successful MMA fighter. Wrestlers are no different than practitioners of any other combat sport discipline in that they need to develop an all around game, transition their skills successfully into a fighting style, and hope that they have the right amount of heart and ability to withstand punishment to get noticed.

For those followers of the sport that try to look ahead and see which prospects have the most to offer, it is easy to fall into the trap of judging a fighter’s credentials on paper as the sole way to gauge how successful they will likely be. Determining the prospects of wrestlers transitioning to MMA can be difficult. Whether it is Matt Lindland or Cain Velasquez, Muhammed Lawal or Jon Jones, Kamal Shalorus or Jim Miller, it’s not easy to know what strengths to look for in projecting a wrestler’s MMA success. One thing that might benefit us, though, is taking a closer look at the different styles of wrestling that exist and what the scoring systems in those styles reward.

Continue reading this post »

This Thursday, October 21, Bellator Fighting Championships will conclude its third season, live from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pa. The event is sure to produce some fireworks as Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez will face UFC-veteran Roger Huerta in a lightweight super fight. Co-headlining will be the Bellator welterweight championship bout between current champion, Lyman Good, and season three tournament winner Ben Askren. MMA Spot's Jesse Denis recently caught up with the man that has become the face of the promotion, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney. Denis spoke to Rebney about the promotion, got his opinion on the controversy concerning Bellator's Fox Sports Net television deal, Eddie Alvarez versus Gilbert Melendez, and much more.

Continue reading this post »

This Thursday, October 21, Bellator Fighting Championships will conclude its third season, live from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pa. The event is sure to produce some fireworks as Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez will face UFC-veteran Roger Huerta in a lightweight super fight. Co-headlining will be the Bellator welterweight championship bout between current champion, Lyman Good, and season three tournament winner Ben Askren. MMA Spot's Jesse Denis recently caught up with the man that has become the face of the promotion, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney. Denis spoke to Rebney about the promotion, got his opinion on the controversy concerning Bellator's Fox Sports Net television deal, Eddie Alvarez versus Gilbert Melendez, and much more.

Continue reading this post »

· “Cage Warriors 38: Young Guns” Results & Recap

The Cage Warriors promotion made a welcome return to London as new owner, Graham Foley, presented a 12-bout fight card with the capable assistance of ever-present matchmaker, Ian Dean.

In the main event, near-unstoppable wrestler Matt Veach tore the Cage Warriors lightweight title away from the Kenneth Rosfort over five hard-fought rounds. Across the entire fight, Veach consistently hit beautiful single leg takedowns, planting Rosfort on his back and attacking with punches.

In the first round, Veach worked hard for a kimura and appeared to have his opponent in some discomfort as he straightened his arm to escape. Unfortunately, this was the only significant submission attempt of the fight as Veach seemed largely content to hit and hold, racking up points across 25 minutes of reasonably one-sided action.

New champion, Veach is an extremely talented wrestler and without the answer to his unambitious but hugely effective style he will prove to be a very difficult puzzle for any challengers. It will be fascinating to see who he faces in his first defense.

Continue reading this post »

Shine Still Under Fire From Failed "Worlds Collide" Event

May 15, 2010 held the promise of being one of the bigger nights for mixed martial arts in North Carolina. Shine Fight Promotions, LLC planned to put on "Worlds Collide" in Fayetteville, N.C. with a headlining bout that finally pitted a true boxer against a veteran MMA fighter. This made the event a true draw not only at the gate, but on pay-per-view as well. Ricardo Mayorga, a former World Boxing Association welterweight champion, was set to face UFC veteran and MMA ambassador, Din Thomas.

Continue reading this post »

UFC light heavyweight Rodney Wallace is not concerned about Phil Davis' pedigree or hype. When his original opponent Stanislav Nedkov had to withdraw, with just two weeks to go until the fight, Wallace asked specifically for Davis. Although he is currently 0-2 with the organization, 9-2 overall, Wallace may be thinking about the future with the request.

If he loses again, he would likely be out of the UFC. Even if he were to win in a fight over Nedkov, anything short of an impressive victory, and he could have been on the outside looking in. What better way to make a statement to the UFC than to follow up his "Fight of the Night" winning loss to Jared Hamman than to take one of UFC's brightest prospects out at this weekend's "UFC 117: Silva vs Sonnen"?

The North Carolina native, although a heavy underdog in the bout, believes he has the skills and ability to make an impact with UFC fans, and turn around what has been a disappointing start to his UFC career. Nicknamed "Sho-Nuff The Master," Wallace sat down with MMA Spot to discuss his opponent, fighter marketability, and why Wallace wants to see Anderson Silva lose his title this weekend.

Continue reading this post »

On The Spot ~ Brian Van Hoven

Coming off a devastating knockout win over Vinnie Samero at July's World Extreme Fighting show in Kissimmee, Fla., Brian Van Hoven recently took time out of his busy schedule to answer questions with MMA Spot's Chris Dennison. A former U.S. Marine, devoted family man and training partner, Van Hoven trains with the likes of Kris McCray of "The Ultimate Fighter Season 11," Elijah Harshbarger and many other up-and-coming fighters making names for themselves out of Gold Medal Grappling in Woodbridge, Va.

Van Hoven, a rising force in the lightweight division, spoke about his recent knockout victory, how his time in the Marines prepared him for his fighting career and his future aspirations in the sport of MMA.

Chris Dennison: How does it feel to get a victory following the first loss of your career?

Brian Van Hoven: It is never easy to swallow defeat, but as I always say if does happen it's how you come back from defeat that makes a true champion. I felt very humble, happy and relieved at the same time. It was just an off night when I lost.

Dennison: What was your game plan for your fight against Vinnie Samero?

Van Hoven: There was really no game plan other than to be the aggressor, let my hands go and set a pace to break my opponents spirit. That is always our motto at Gold Medal Grappling. We were both wrestlers, but I also wanted to show that I can also stand up if needed.

Continue reading this post »

McKinney: Talk about how your style of BJJ is different from traditional jiu-jitsu and how you translate that to MMA.

Drysdale: I always go for submissions over positioning and in the sport of jiu-jitsu that can be a bad thing, because you don’t want to compromise a position if you’re fighting for points. Especially my no-gi game is always very aggressive—I go for a submission before I look to hold position, so I’m constantly trying to look for an opening wherever I’m at. I don’t need a mount; I can finish you from my back.

I think that translates well in MMA, because at the end of the day the judges really don’t care about positioning that much if you’re not doing any damage. You could be in the mount for a whole match, but if you’re not doing any damage it doesn’t mean anything. The judges really want to see you go for submissions. I’ve always had that style; I’ve always been aggressive and I’m looking for a way to tap my opponent, no matter what.

Continue reading this post »

· On The Spot ~ Neil "Goliath" Grove

When the upstart Bellator Fighting Championships organization decided to hold its first-ever heavyweight tournament during the upcoming third season, many speculated that it would feature the same mix of prospects, journeymen looking for a shot at glory, and established names with a bit of an international flare thrown in.

Heavyweight UFC veteran Neil "Goliath" Grove fits the bill as the established name and also as an international talent, hailing from England by way out South Africa, where he played semi-pro rugby before moving to England and taking up karate under a judo sensei that would ultimately lead him to his fighting life in MMA.

Grove holds an impressive 8-2-1 record while fighting strictly in the U.K., and all eight of his wins have come via knockout. The only two losses for the "Goliath" were at the hands of recent UFC signee Rob Broughton and to Mike Ciesnolevicz during Grove's first and only UFC fight.

MMASpot.net was recently able to catch up with the mammoth heavyweight at his home in England, where he will be until he travels to the U.S. for the first time next month to fight in front of Americans for the first time.

Continue reading this post »

· Lance Palmer ~ A Force To Be Reckoned With

Top level collegiate wrestlers are no strangers to the world of mixed martial arts, with world champions like Brock Lesnar, "King Mo" Lawal, and Frankie Edgar having graced wrestling mats before ever dreaming of competing in MMA. These days, it seems as though collegiate wrestling has become sort of a minor league for the sport, with noted wrestlers like Cole Konrad, Mark Ellis, and Ben Askren starting to make a name for themselves in the cage after their lives on the mat are over.

The latest addition to this crop of amateur-wrestlers-turned-mixed-martial-artists is Lance Palmer, a four-time All-American during his time at Ohio State and the 2010 Big Ten champion at 149 pounds. Although Palmer only recently announced his intentions to enter MMA, he has been planning the move for some time now.

Continue reading this post »

Fanpost promoted to the front page by Donna.

· On The Spot ~ Rosi Sexton

Back at home, in England, Bellator’s recently defeated Rosi Sexton sits down with MMA Spot’s Andrew Yount to discuss the loss that came at the hands of Zoila Frausto at Bellator 23. Although she has been replaced in next season’s women’s tournament by Frausto, the widely talented Sexton keeps her focus on the future. In addition to her loss, Sexton offered her take on Chris Cyborg, Bellator's commitment to women's MMA, and her studies outside of the cage.

Spot: What is your contract status with Bellator now?

Sexton: I'm still under contract. I've spoken to Sam Caplan and Bjorn [Rebney] and I understand they still have plans for me. They're committed to building the 115 pound division, and hopefully I'll be back in there before the end of the year.

Spot: There were several interesting story lines at play for you in the tournament—between your long running issues with putting together fights with Jessica Aguilar, the recent breakdown of the Angela Magana fight, and then the recent dust up with Aisling Daily, not to mention the long awaited bout against Fuji. If things change and you are back in the tournament, what would be the one fight you would most look forward to?

Continue reading this post »

Antwain Britt Part 3: Training

Continue reading this post »

On The Spot ~ Dan Hornbuckle

Dan "The Handler" Hornbuckle (20-2) is best known for knocking out Japanese mixed martial arts superstar Akihiro Gono with a devastating head kick at "Sengoku: Ninth Battle" at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan in August 2009. In a fight that few gave Hornbuckle a chance, he showed the world a glimpse of his potential with a knockout that earned him numerous "KO of the Year" nominations. Since that fight he has continued to climb toward his goal, a goal that involves fighting the best en route to becoming a world champion.

MMA Spot’s Thomas Caldwell had a chance to sit down with Hornbuckle and ask him some questions as he wrapped up a training session at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla. The Bellator fighter opened up about the promotion, his feelings on the Ben Askren and Ryan Thomas controversy, as well as what will be most important in his continuing journey to the championship.

Continue reading this post »

· On The Spot ~ Let’s Get It On MMA President Elaine McCarthy

With Canada's first-ever mixed martial arts tournament series set to begin tonight, April 23, live from the Cree Resort and Casino in Edmonton, Alberta Canada, MMA Spot recently had the chance to sit down with the president and founder of the organization responsible, Let's Get It On MMA's one and only Elaine McCarthy.

The wife of "Big" John, Elaine McCarthy recently struck out on her own to develop a promotion geared strictly toward the benefit of fighters and fans alike.  A former employee of the UFC during the early days of MMA, thanks to her years in the industry, McCarthy has already made significant strides for her fledgling organization. Among those accomplishments are: a Canadian television broadcast deal, a Strikeforce partnership and an inaugural event headlined by a bout between two UFC veterans, Jason "The Athlete" MacDonald and Matt "Suave" Horwich.  The first season of Let's Get It On MMA (LGIO MMA) pits 32 Canadian fighters from two weight divisions, lightweight and welterweight, in a four-fight tournament bracket that builds on the natural rivalry between east and west Canada.

Continue reading this post »

· Ryan Thomas ~ Redemption Waits

MMA Spot’s Thomas Caldwell caught up with Ryan Thomas, just hours before he weighs in for the second time in a week for a chance at redemption against a new opponent, Jacob "Tick-Tock" McClintock. Ryan discusses the circumstances around the loss to Askren, finding out how he was back in the tournament, his feelings toward Bellator, and more. --------------------

Thomas Caldwell: I want to ask you about the Ben Aksren fight. I know that is all you have been asked about over the past six days, but, if you don't mind, can you elaborate how the past week has been? How have you dealt with the loss and the circumstances surrounding it?

Ryan Thomas: I'm over it now. I was pretty depressed, even a couple of days after the fight. I kept waking up in the middle of the night. I just couldn't sleep. I didn't get more than four hours at a time for a couple of days. I was pissed off, if I would have just got beat I would have handled it much better.

I didn't get beat, he did not beat me. The fight got taken from me. That was all I thought about during training camp, the weeks leading up to the fight was me concentrating on Ben Askren. Eating. Sleeping. Training. Everything I did was about that fight, and to have that fight taken away from me like that, it's hard to swallow, but I'm ready to go this week. I've put it behind me for now, and all my focus is on, McClintock.

Caldwell: Has your opinion of Bellator as an organization changed? I know they didn't have anything to do with the stoppage, and at that point, it is kind of out of their hands, but how do you feel like they have handled the situation? How have you been treated?

Thomas: I gained a lot of respect for Bellator. Everything that [Bjorn] Rebney said, he came though with, he has kept his promises. He promised that I would be the first alternate and that I am going to be in season three of Bellator, the next tournament. Then a spot opened up and he pulled some strings and got me in that spot. Connecticut is one of the strictest commissioning bodies in the country, and they didn't want me to fight just seven days later, but Bjorn really pleaded his case and told them about how I got screwed, and that I was the first alternate, and he got it done. He got me back on the show and I'm really happy with what Bjorn did.

Bjorn has really been good to me this whole time. After the Askren fight, I was in the cage yelling at him, "Bjorn, you know I didn't tap. You know I didn't go unconscious." He talked to my corner men and stuff, then he said, "Ryan, I know, I'm going to take care of you." And that's exactly what he did.

Caldwell: Lets talk about Dave Smith for a second. I assume that he will not be officiating any of your fights any time soon?

Thomas: If I fight again, and that guy is even in the same building I will let it be known that I don't want him reffing my fight. I don't even want to look at that guy right now, after what he did to me.

  read entire article...

Rosi Sexton, the world's #1 ranked super flyweight, will be making a return to her native England to fight at the recently announced Cage Warriors event "CWFC 37: Right To Fight." Her opponent will be another top ranked fighter in Angela Magana. The fight, scheduled for May 22 at the NEC in Birmingham, England, will be contested at the flyweight limit of 115 pounds. Sources close to both camps have confirmed the agreement, though no contracts have reportedly been received.

Continue reading this post »

Shine Fight Promotions hosted a press conference yesterday in New York City at Victor's Cafe to promote its upcoming “Worlds Collide: Mayorga vs. Thomas” mixed martial arts pay-per-view event, to be held on May 15 in Fayetteville, N.C. Thanks to the two headlining stars in attendance, former world champion boxer Ricardo "El Matador" Mayorga and UFC veteran Din "Dinyero" Thomas, the afternoon was not short on entertainment, as the resulting fireworks ensued.

Mayorga holds a boxing record of 28-7-1, with 22 knockouts. However, his bout with Thomas represents his first foray into MMA, a significant challenge for the Nicaraguan fighter.

The commonality of boxing and MMA, rather than the superiority of one or the other, was highlighted as the press conference began. Boxing analyst Michael Marley held the master of ceremony duties and quickly gave his respects for some recent losses in the boxing community and acknowledged the rich history of pugilism in New York, as the state, by some accounts, prepares to clear the way for regulated MMA events some time next year.

Continue reading this post »

With the addition of Roger Huerta to the Bellator lightweight tournament and the subsequent filling of the last remaining spot with Pat Curran, one competitor, that was thought to be a lock for the tournament has been left out in the cold. His exclusion from the tournament, the potential for a rematch against Tony Imada, and the fact that he is one of the signature names still on the roster from the first season of Bellator has drawn questions as to the future of Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal with the organization.

Masvidal’s relationship with Bellator has seemingly soured primarily because of contract issues. Masivdal told MMA Spot’s Joe Gullo this past weekend, from the MMA For Charity event in Virginia, that it was not the financials of the deal that had upset him, but how restrictive he feels his original deal has been and the demands that Bellator is placing on a potential new deal for him.

Continue reading this post »

Author: Jesse Denis

Boxing’s undisputed Super Flyweight Champion Vic Darchinyan has recently stated that he is interested in making a transition to MMA sometime in the near future. Darchinyan, who recently moved up to bantamweight in an attempt to become a three division champion, was last seen in the ring on July 11, 2009 when he dropped a decision to IBF Bantamweight Champion Joseph Agbeko.

"At the right time, I want to have a go at a cage fight," he told The Daily Telegraph. Unlike most boxers who choose to make the switch in fight sport, Darchinyan has already had some grappling experience. "I've done wrestling since I was very young, so I believe it's something I could compete at if I wanted to."

Continue reading this post »

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.

David McKinney: This is a fight that has been more than a decade in the making. Are you excited that it has finally come to fruition between two UFC Hall of Famers and perhaps the two best wrestlers to ever step foot into the Octagon? Mark Coleman: Yeah, this is as big as it gets for me. This is a huge opportunity for me to take a closer step towards a title shot, which is still my ultimate goal. I don’t go around picking and choosing who I fight. I do consider Randy a good friend and I don’t want to fight him for any other reason than the fact that’s he’s a Hall of Famer and a legend. This is a fight that I’ve been asked over and over again for the last ten years about when I was going to fight Randy. It’s great that I can now answer that question: February 6.

DM: I know that a lot of your fans are happy to see you back in winning form on a big stage and they really appreciate the fact that you’re still out there fighting and giving it your all. MC: That’s something that I really do enjoy. If there are ever any fans that are hesitant about approaching me, please don’t be. I enjoy all of the attention and if you want to come up and shake my hand then I’m more than happy to do so. It’s great coming from a wrestling background where you don’t really have any of that.

DM: Many people have said that you have the perfect style to defeat currently undefeated UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, even going as far as to give you the nickname "The Antidote." How do you think you would fare against Machida? MC: Well, first of all he has to get by [Maurico] "Shogun" [Rua]. But you asked the Machida question, and he’s a very solid fighter in all areas. He’s not somebody that I would just be able to throw around. I have trained with him in the past and his wrestling is very excellent. It would be an incredibly tough fight but it is something that I would take very seriously. I do feel like I match up well with him and that’s a fight that I can win. In all honesty, I think I could win any fight at 205 pounds if I put in the work for it.

DM: What does the future hold for you after this fight, win or lose? MC: Well whether I win or lose does determine a lot, but what I do know is that I will fight again. People don’t seem to understand, but I do continue to get better. I just hired a new strength and conditioning coach Josh Burns, and he’s really taken the guesswork out of my training. He’s mapped out a nice plan and I see myself getting better.

Full Interview: MMA Spot

Sunrise, Fla. - With yet another successful event under their belts, "Strikeforce: Miami" is sure to be remembered as one of the promotion's best shows in recent memory. Strikeforce offered fans a little bit of everything in their latest effort: comebacks, upsets, wars of attrition, a debuting NFL superstar, a title defense, the crowning of a new champion, and absolute fire fights.

Bona fide MMA superstar, Nick Diaz (21-7, 1 NC), was crowned the first-ever Strikeforce welterweight champion after an all-out war with Dream Welterweight Champion Marius Zaromskis (13-4). Both men came into the bout riding a five fight win streak.

Continue reading this post »

Ferrid Kheder ~ No Time To Waste

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

Continue reading this post »

Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields has agreed to be a part of Chuck Liddell’s coaching staff on the upcoming season of "The Ultimate Fighter." The highly decorated fighter made the announcement in an email to his fan club members Wednesday evening. The show begins its six-week taping session soon, and will premier on Spike TV on March 31.

The grappling ace will be a part of Chuck Liddell’s coaching staff for season 11 of the hit reality television show. Shields credits Liddell for getting him interested in the sport: "Chuck asked me a couple weeks ago and I'm always willing to help him out. Chuck was the one who originally got me into MMA in the first place. I owe him a lot but besides that I'm excited to be part of TUF and hopefully I'm able to help Chucks team get the finals."

Continue reading this post »