Grappling with Issues – 10/8/10
Will Jose Aldo ever lose a bout as a WEC competitor? How badly do you want to see Donald Cerrone and Jamie Varner fight for a third time? Are you concerned by the UFC involving themselves financially in a New York official’s election campaign? Does the winner of JZ Cavalcante vs. Josh Thomson deserve a crack at Gilbert Melendez’s Strikeforce championship? Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay! Welcome... [Read More...]
Bellator announces supporting cast for Huerta vs. Alvarez
PRESS RELEASE / CHICAGO, Ill. — Bellator Fighting Championships today announced the official fight card for Bellator 33, which will take place at The Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on October 21st, marking the promotion’s first trip to the city. “We are thrilled to be bringing this World Class event to Philadelphia and to the Worlds,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “On... [Read More...]
“Strikeforce – Diaz vs. Noons II” fighters sound off for final time
The eight combatants scheduled for the “Strikeforce – Diaz vs. Noons II” main card spoke to media on Thursday afternoon one last time prior to making the final march towards their impending in-ring action. Though additional security was brought in by the promotion in lieu of the potential for problems between Nick Diaz’s and KJ Noons’ camps, all in attendance acted professionally and things... [Read More...]
Upcoming UFC Cards and Their Box Office Potential
UFC 120: This one will be free, and it’s pretty likely to draw somewhere between 2.5 and 3 million viewers on Spike. I’m a Dan Hardy fan, so I’ll like this, but the rest of the card is missing big time star power. UFC 121: It’s Broctober, that means the pent-up demand for big stars will find an expression among fans here. It’s time to “release the hounds,”... [Read More...]
UFC Super Bowl Weekend Card Packed With Star Power
Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin are set to square off at light-heavyweight on the UFC Super Bowl weekend card in Las Vegas at UFC 127 on Feb. 5. The main card will air on pay-per-view with a title fight between middleweight champ Anderson Silva against Vitor Belfort. If that’s not enough to whet your appetite for star power, Ryan Bader and Jon Jones are penciled in for the event as well. Franklin... [Read More...]
The Best Years of Our Lives – Travis Fulton Set to Face Jeff Monson in Florida Event
What do you do when you’re a fighter running out the string? You’re off the rosters of the big promotions – and likely for good – but you know how to do one thing, and working as a greeter at Walmart holds no serious commercial appeal. If you’re Jeff Monson or Travis Fulton, you sign on with Fight Time Promotions and fight in a beer-and-a-movie-theater bout in Pompano... [Read More...]
Is a StrikeForce DVD Release a Hot Commodity? Well…
Strikeforce has announced that the promotion will be releasing their first DVD on October 12; entitled “Strikeforce MMA”. Retail price for the DVD release is $29.99 (and $34.99 in Canada). The 2-disc release, features preliminary and main card fights from “Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery,” “Strikeforce: Los Angeles”, and “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum,”... [Read More...]
Nick Diaz vs KJ Noons – Head to Head Comparison
Strikeforce CEO Coker has a feeling there might be a little bad blood between Nick Diaz and KJ Noons, and to that end, Coker told Ariel Helwani during The MMA Hour that he’ll have lots of beefy security on hand to make sure things stay in bounds. Diaz recently wrote a check after Strikeforce: Nashville for his part in the televised brouhaha that took place between Gilbert Melendez, Jake Shields... [Read More...]
Great Ideas in MMA History – A Bellator vs Strikeforce Card on New Year’s Day
Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney is a guy who’s not afraid to think outside the box, and one of the ideas he’s on board with has the ring of genius about it. A Bellator vs. Strikeforce New Year’s Eve event. I like it. Scratch that, I love it. The Bellator honcho, known for his fast-and-loose conception of what MMA should be, has been pushing the idea for months but he’s... [Read More...]
Shane Carwin, Roy Nelson May Settle Their Special Vitamins Debate at UFC 125
It looks like Shane Carwin will get a chance to redress his grievances against Roy Nelson at UFC 125 on the traditional January 1 card in Las Vegas. “I do not care who the opponent is,” Carwin wrote. “I have been in the gym working hard. It is time to see where I belong in the mix.” Carwin and Nelson got into an interweb fracas over Carwin’s role in a steroid scandal earlier this... [Read More...]
“Jacare” expresses interest in UFC, satisfaction with Strikeforce
Since debuting for Strikeforce in December 2009, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza has racked up three straight wins in addition to the promotion’s middleweight title by outpointing Tim Kennedy last August in Houston, Texas. He is a multi-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion and has emerged hands-raised in thirteen of his last fourteen bouts. However, while accomplishing even one of those things might be enough... [Read More...]
Matt Lindland vs. Robbie Lawler added to December 4th Strikeforce event
A classic clash of styles will be on display in St. Louis this December, as Strikeforce has announced heavy-handed striker Robbie Lawler will face former Olympic wrestler Matt Lindland at the promotion’s event scheduled for 12/4 at the Scottrade Center. “Ruthless” Robbie dropped a hard-fought decision to light heavyweight contender Renato “Babalu” Sobral in his most recent outing but has... [Read More...]
Vitor Ribeiro, Ryan Couture return to action at Strikeforce Challengers 12
According to a press release from Strikeforce, Brazilian lightweight Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro will look to bounce back from a two-fight skid this November 19th at a Strikeforce Challengers show scheduled for Jackson, Mississippi. Ribeiro will face 9-3 Justin Wilcox in the card’s main event. Though the 31-year old has stumbled three of the last four times he’s stepped into the ring, the losses... [Read More...]
A Payment Deferred: The Ongoing DREAM Salary Issue
”What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore, and then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over, like a syrupy sweet?” – Langston Hughes, ‘A Dream Deferred’ Like many Mixed Martial Arts enthusiasts, fighters and fans, the love I have for the sport was in large part fostered by watching PRIDE Fighting Championships.... [Read More...]
It May Not Be Legal, But New Yorkers Find A Way to Dig MMA
Imagine the Empire State excluded from combat sports… The greatest fight fans in these USA deprived of the opportunity to watch the most skilled and entertaining martial artists in the world compete in approved, supervised and medically-monitored contests. It ain’t in your imagination, Jack, it’s the current reality imposed by John Law and his bureaucratic minions. Promoters with... [Read More...]
UFC announces co-headlining bouts for TUF 12 Finale
A pair of TUF finalists – one of whom walked away a seasonal champ – will serve as individual components of two headlining bouts at Ultimate Fighter Season 12 Finale scheduled for December 4th in Las Vegas. The UFC officially announced the co-main events earlier today in a press release to media. In one half of the action, the man who stood toe-to-toe with Forrest Griffin at the inaugural TUF finale,... [Read More...]
What Will It Take To Legalize MMA in New York State? A Little Old-Fashioned Grease
The NY Post is reporting that Zuffa Entertainment, owners of the UFC, have come across with some serious money to aid Democratic Candidate for Governor in NY State Andrew Cuomo’s election campaign. According to the Post, Zuffa has delivered nearly $75,000 dollars to the coffers of the Cuomo campaign to move legislation along that would essentially legalize MMA in the state. Zuffa has been grinding... [Read More...]
Bantamweight title up for grabs at Bellator 32
Fans planning to attend Bellator 32 in Kansas City on October 14th will be treated to a double-dose of championship action at the event, as Bellator Fighting Championships has officially announced 135-pound tournament finalists Ed “Wild” West and Zach “Fun Size” Makovsky will face off on the card alongside the already planned heavyweight bout between Cole Konrad and Neil Grove. “Our bantamweight... [Read More...]
MMA on TV
Welcome to “MMA on TV”, Five Ounces of Pain’s weekly update on the upcoming MMA-broadcast schedule courtesy of Jeremy Lambert. Miss the latest episode of “MMA Live” or “UFC Unleashed”? Wondering when Strikeforce or HDNet are airing a replay of their latest offering or interested in finding out where to tune into live shows occurring over the next seven days? October 4-10 All Times Eastern Monday... [Read More...]
Antonio McKee rumored for Octagon debut at UFC 125
Controversial lightweight Antonio McKee was recently announced as having signed a deal with the UFC. It now appears he has an opponent and a date set for his promotional unveiling. Though nothing official has been released, it looks as though McKee will be fighting Jacob Volkmann at UFC 125 on January 1st, 2011 in Las Vegas. News of the match-up was reported by MMAWeekly who confirmed the probable... [Read More...]
