The involuntary vacation from his vocation will now get a little longer – actually, a lot – with news surfacing that Swick has withdrawn from his scheduled scrap with Erick Silva at UFC 134. The unfortunate circumstance was revealed late Thursday night by the UFC where it was also mentioned the search for a replacement opponent had already begun.

Following up on the report, Swick shed some light on specifics through his Twitter account where he wrote, “I tore my knee today wrestling. Will get MRI results in AM but doctor thinks torn MCL, ACL and possibly meniscus.”

No information was mentioned in regards to recovery time but based on the type of injuries Swick mentioned it appears highly unlikely he will be back in 2011.

However, his most recent setback hasn’t shaken his confidence or determination to make his way back to the ring. “Gonna stay positive, heal up and get back quick,” Swick added after mentioning his disappointment in today’s news.

Swick won his first four fights after dropping to 170 pounds in 2008 but has fallen in two straight since. He holds an overall record of 14-4 with success against Ben Saunders, Marcus Davis, Joe Riggs, and David Loiseau.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/MikeSwick.com

A Conversation with Clay Guida (HeavyMMA.com)

A Breakdown of Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann (Versus.com)

Holly Madison Returning as Special Guest Ring-Girl (CagePotato.com)

Strikeforce’s Best of 2010 Winners (MMAConvert.com)

Jimmy Smith Looks to be Leaving the Bellator Broadcast Team (MiddleEasy.com)

Dog the Bounty Hunter Cornering a Fighter at UFC 125 (WatchKalibRun.com)

Want to Increase Your Riddum to GSP Levels? (MMAScraps.com)

Check Out the UFC 125 Pre-Event Press Conference (FIGHT! Magazine)

Mike Swick Off Fight Night 23 due to Injured Opponent (MMAFighting.com)

However, it’s rare when the involved parties are former training partners, one now being a UFC competitor and the other a retired-fighter-turned-broadcaster, let alone to see personal issues from the past brought up.

Such a situation unfolded Monday on Twitter when UFC welterweight Mike Swick took Strikeforce commentator Frank Shamrock to task for his involvement in an anti-bullying campaign. Swick’s issue apparently stemmed from what he felt was hypocrisy on the part of Shamrock based on things he experienced while the two trained together at American Kickboxing Academy.

Started Swick, “ARE YOU KIDDING FRANK SHAMROCK!?!? I have seen it all now! I usually keep my mouth shut and stay far away from any controversy or disputes with other fighters but this is too much! Frank Shamrock started a foundation to fight bullies because he was cyber-bullied?”

Further elaborating on the topic, Swick wrote, “…that’s ironic considering he was the biggest bully at our gym until we had to split him from our team. I can’t even list the fighters on the team that were injured and hurt by him and that he passed out in chokes even after they tapped. This is like making the drug dealer a cop so he can help them get more drug dealers.”

In response to the allegations, Shamrock posted, “Mike Swick calling me a bully is lame. I used to whoop his butt for sure cuz he wanted to be a champ. Always respect and love for him. Guess (he) forgot how I used to write his fan mail back when he (was) in the military. Or how I bled for him and trained him personally.”

However, the walk down memory lane didn’t earn a reprieve from the 14-4 Texan, who replied, “Come on Shamrock, if you’re gonna be an advocate, be a man…admit you were a bully – apologize. Bet that video never surfaces! Don’t be fake!”

“You define bully. Hurting smaller teammates on purpose. Choking teammates unconscious that tap,” he continued.

Though the discussion ended after Shamrock offered Swick an opportunity to talk in person if he was in San Jose, to which Swick said the former UFC middleweight champion had seven years to speak with him about it, it seems clear neither man will be sending the other a Christmas card any time soon.

Shamrock’s issues with AKA-trained fighters is nothing new, as his rivalry with Phil Baroni is well-documented in addition to the heat between him and former Strikeforce 155-pound champ Josh “The Punk” Thomson (who Shamrock once made reference to as “the first openly gay fighter in MMA”).

Undefeated TUF 10 heavyweight Matt Mitrione and returning UFC veteran Tim Hague are expected to square off at the event. Mitrione is coming off a unanimous decision win over Joey Beltran in September, while Hague will be hoping for a return to success after fighting outside the UFC, and picking up two wins, in an effort to get back to the grandest cage of them all.

Although the show has yet to be announced, another unofficial match-up rumored for the evening is a welterweight fight featuring DaMarques Johnson and Mike Guymon. Johnson confirmed the bout over the weekend via Twitter. With both men potentially fighting for their respective spot on the UFC roster based on recent losses, the fighters should leave it all in the cage come showtime!

The anticipated card will also will also feature a lightweight battle between Melvin Guillard and Texan Yves Edwards. Each man is coming off a win in his previous outing and will no doubt be looking to make a statement with the scheduled influx of talent on the horizon thanks to the UFC recent absorption of sister-promotion, WEC.

Also, as reported recently on Five Ounces of Pain, Mike Swick has fueled the rumors that he would be making his return on this card after being sidelined due to injury/illness. It has since been revealed by MMAWeekly Swick will fight relative UFC newcomer David Mitchell (11-1) at the event.

With the continued support of the Zuffa LLC, to the U.S. Armed Forces this card is mutually beneficial for the troops, the fans and the promotion alike.

The AKA-trained competitor, who won his first four bouts at welterweight after dropping down from 185-pounds, has been out of action since a loss to Paulo Thiago last February left him with an injured elbow requiring surgery to have it “scoped” and fix possible nerve damage.

Word of the potential performance came via the Ultimate Fighter OG’s Twitter page, where he playfully wrote, “So there is a UFC Fight for the Troops event in Texas on January 22nd huh? Wonder who will fight on that card? Hmmm…”

The show Swick is referring to is scheduled to take place at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas. The base, one of the largest in the nation, houses more than 30,000 people and may be familiar to the public based on a tragic shooting last November that left thirteen individuals dead and a military psychologist in custody.

Already rumored for the event is a match-up between 155-pound strikers Melvin Guillard and Yves Edwards, as well as a clash between heavyweights Matt Mitrione and Tim Hague.

Swick is 14-4 in his career with wins over Josh Burkman, Joe Riggs, Ben Saunders, and Marcus Davis. If he does indeed compete on the January card he will be looking to avoid a three-fight losing streak including the Thiago defeat, as well as a decision loss to Dan Hardy in November 2009.

PHOTO CREDIT – GETTY IMAGES

The plans of the bout were recently confirmed through UFC president Dana White.

Although no confirmed date has been announced, speculation is that the two will meet on the November 14th card Hardy was initially scheduled for against Dong Hyum Kim.

Swick has been impressive since moving down to welterweight, compiling a 4-0 record during that time, with notable wins over Ben Saunders and Marcus Davis.

Hardy, who has been equally impressive, is riding a six-fight win streak, with a 3-0 record since joining the UFC. His most recent wins came over Rory Markham via KO, and Marcus Davis by split-decision.

UFC 105 is scheduled for November 14th, from Manchester England, with a headlined match-up between Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera

According to Swick’s Twitter account, he suffered a “pretty bad” concussion while training when his legs were swept from under him and he landed on his head/neck. No timetable has been announced for his return to the Octagon.

In related news, British publication The Sun is reporting newly signed welterweight Paul Daley will step in for the injured Swick to face Kampmann. Daley, who was originally scheduled to face Brian Foster on the same card, is a respected striker who has compiled 16 TKOs in his 21 wins.

The news of the expected bout comes courtesy of a recent report on MMAJunkie.com.

Kampmann has won two straight fights at 170 pounds after moving up from the middleweight division. Kampmann is coming off a split-decision win over Carlos Condit at UFC Fight Night 18 in April. The Xtreme Couture fighter is an impressive 11-1 in his last 12 fights.

Swick is currently riding a four-fight winning streak of his own in the welterweight division. Swick is coming off a second-round TKO victory over Ben Saunders at UFC 99 earlier this month. Swick is 9-1 overall in his last 10 fights.

UFC 103 is expected to take place Sept, 19 in Dallas, Texas.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com learned of the new bout from sources close to the fight with all indications being that agreements have been formally signed, making the fight official.

Swick, 13-2, last competed at “UFC Fight for the Troops” this past December. Facing Jonathan Goulet, Swick TKO’d the Canadian fight veteran just 33 seconds into the fight. The quick and decisive victory marked the former middleweight’s third victory since moving to welterweight.

A light heavyweight contestant during the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Swick made his debut at 170 at UFC Fight Night 12 last January. Facing TUF 2 veteran Josh Burkman, Swick won via majority decision. He returned at UFC 85 this past June, where he took on another veteran from TUF 2, Marcus Davis. Swick brought an end to Davis’ 11 fight win streak when he was declared the victor by unanimous decision.

The UFC had been trying to match Swick up with Anthony Johnson at UFC Fight Night 18 on April 1 but the match never was finalized.

Like Swick, Saunders also last competed at “UFC Fight for the Troops,” where he used a devestating array of knees to TKO former Navy Seal Brandon Wolff at 1:49 of round 1. Capitalizing on the momentum Saunders gained coming out of the strong performance, the UFC signed a match between him and fellow prospect Dustin Hazelett for UFC 96 on March 7. However, the fight fell through as both fighters were forced to pull off the card due to injury.

Saunders is a veteran from the sixth season of The Ultimate Fighter and holds a perfect record in his career of 7-0-2. Considered extremely tall for his division at 6’2”, the American Top Team-trained fighter is a perfect 3-0 when competing inside of the Octagon.

UFC 99 will mark the UFC’s debut in Germany and is slated to emanate from the Lanxess Arena. The event is expected to be headlined by a 195 pound catchweight bout between former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin and former PRIDE middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva.

Other bouts reportedly expected for the card include Cain Velasquez vs. Heath Herring, Spencer Fisher vs. Caol Uno, and Todd Duffee vs. Mustapha al Turk.

Multiple sources have informed Five Ounces of Pain that Swick has been suffering from both a sprain and a chip fracture in his foot that limited him to only being able to box during his first round TKO over Jonathan Goulet at “UFC Fight for the Troops” last month.

During a recent trip to Thailand, Swick re-injured himself and will now be restricted to modified training which will prevent him from training kicks of training on the ground. The hope is that the injury will heal on its own and that he will be able to partake in a full training camp in three and a half months.

After making the drop down to 170 pounds Swick has compiled consecutive decision victories over Josh Burkman and most recently Marcus Davis. He makes it no secret that he will stop at nothing to obtain his chance at championship glory in the UFC.

The next challenge in his quest for the gold will come in the form of dangerous UFC veteran Jonathan Goulet at the UFC Fight Night card labeled “UFC Fight for the Troops” that will take place on December 10. Swick confirmed in an exclusive interview with FiveOuncesOfPain.com that he will be better than he ever has been come fight time.

Following his decision victory over highly regarded welterweight Marcus Davis, Swick had to take care of a problem that had been holding him back in the cage.

“I had surgery directly after the fight with Marcus Davis and ever since I have been training solid,” said the reality television show alum. “Even right after the elbow surgery, I was working on my jab with the other arm and running and doing what I could.”

With the elbow surgery out of the way, Swick feels better than ever and expects to bring it harder than ever before in his upcoming bout with Goulet.

“I feel at this point, stronger, more explosive, and a lot faster,” said Swick. “I am finally healthy and able to train at my full potential.”

Now able to train at 100%, the 29-year old fighter couldn’t be more excited to train like he has never trained before.

“Training has been going great! Couldn’t be better!,” exclaimed Swick. “I have been training with the whole Team here at AKA. My main sparring partners are Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch, Pat Minihan, Nate James, and some of the pro boxers we have.”

The Canadian Goulet is a well-rounded fighter that may pose quite a few problems for the rising welterweight but Swick just sees it as an opportunity to showcase what he can do on a grand scale.

“I am excited,” said Swick. “I think it will be a very exciting fight!”

Sharpening his game and developing a great game plan for Goulet, Swick is confident that the Canadian fighter will be in for a few surprises on fight night.

“I have a few new things that are sure to throw him off,” said the Texas native. “No matter what he is expecting when this fight starts. He will be shocked afterwords.”

After having strung together four consecutive first round finish victories upon his arrival in the UFC, Swick has been forced to go the distance in his most recent four bouts. A streak he promises to end in his bout with Goulet.

“This fight will be finished,” guaranteed Swick.

Knowing that he is growing steadily closer to having his chance at the title, Swick, is keeping everything in perspective and knows it will come in due time. However, if he can win impressively over Goulet, it will be somewhat of a personal victory over the current welterweight champion, Georges St. Pierre.

“I doubt a win over Goulet will grant me a title shot but it would be the third previous teammate of GSP I will have beaten,” said Swick. “I am heading for the title, just taking whatever fights they give to prove I am deserving.”

“I want to thank my fans for their support,” Swick began to say in closing. “Please check out MikeSwick.com to find links to my new daily blog, youtube, and myspace pages… Thanks!”

Editor’s Note: Cory Brady conducted this interview prior to the UFC’s reported release of Swick’s teammate, Jon Fitch, as well as UFC President Dana White’s comments directed towards the American Kickboxing Academy and Zinkin Entertainment. ]]> http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/11/28/mike-swick-guaranteeing-a-finish-over-jonathan-goulet-at-ufc-fight-for-the-troops/feed/ 5 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/09/16/5-oz-exclusive-swick-vs-goulet-bout-in-the-works-for-tuf-8-finale/ http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/09/16/5-oz-exclusive-swick-vs-goulet-bout-in-the-works-for-tuf-8-finale/#comments Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:41:51 +0000 Sam Caplan http://fiveouncesofpain.com/?p=6582 The UFC is in the process of putting together a welterweight battle between Mike Swick and Jonathan Goulet to be a featured bout during Spike TV’s live season finale for the eighth installment of “The Ultimate Fighter” on December 13.

Sources close to both fighters revealed the potential bout to FiveOuncesOfPain.com on Tuesday.

Bout agreements have yet to be presented but the matchup has been proposed to Goulet and Swick, who apparently have both expressed separate interest in taking the fight.

The two had been scheduled to fight last September at UFC Fight Night 11 until Swick had to pull out of the fight due to injury and was replaced by Dustin Hazelett. Despite taking the fight on short notice, Hazelett submitted Goulet at 1:14 of round 1 with an armbar.

Since the loss, Goulet has gone 3-0 with two of the wins having taken place inside of the Octagon. After taking a fight outside of the UFC, Goulet returned last December during the season finale for the sixth installment of TUF. Facing TUF 6 contestant Paul Georgieff, Goulet submitted him with a rear naked choke in round 1. He then fought in April during UFC 83 in Montreal, where he TKO’d Kuniyoshi Hironaka at 2:07 of round 2.

Swick had been announced as being scheduled to fight on Oct. 25 at UFC 90 in Rosemont, Ill by UFC President Dana White, who made the announcement during a promotional press conference. However, Swick would later contradict White and claimed a miscommunication had taken place, as he would not be ready to resume fighting until December after having undergone elbow surgery in July.

Swick, who rose to prominence during the debut season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” is 12-2 overall with a 7-1 lifetime record in the UFC. His one and only Octagon loss came as a middleweight against Yushin Okami in April of 2007 at UFC 69 in Houston. The loss prompted Swick to decide to move down to the welterweight limit of 170 pounds. Since making the move, he is 2-0 with wins over Josh Burkman at UFC Fight Night 12 and Marcus Davis at UFC 85.

The alumnus from the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” has revealed to MMAjunkie.com that he underwent surgery this past July to remove bone fragments from the elbow and that he will be out until the end of the year.

According to Swick, he did not pull out of UFC 90, as the UFC had been informed of his surgery and that he had never been scheduled in the first place.

“I don’t know why the mix-up happened, but I just talked to (UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva, and we confirmed that it’s going to be December (for my return) — possibly November if I can get healed up fast enough,” Swick is quoted as saying by MMA Junkie. “But as of right now, it’s December. I don’t know why that got announced. Me and Joe were in agreement. I think it was just a mix-up.”

MMARated.com is reporting

UFC President Dana White reportedly made the announcement regarding Swick during the promotion’s press conference on Monday at the Millennium Park in Chicago.

White offered no indication about who Swick will be fighting on the card.

UFC 90 will be headlined by UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva defending his middleweight title against Patrick Cote. According to MMA Rated, White stated during the presser that Silva could move back to light heavyweight for his next fight if he’s able to get past Cote. A future catchweight bout between Silva and current UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre was mentioned as a possibility as well.

The card will also feature a welterweight fight between Diego Sanchez and Thiago Alves. White also apparently stated on the record that the winner will receive a future title shot.

According to Stann, he will defend his title against Steve Cantwell.

The fight will actually serve as a rematch, as Stann and Cantwell fought at WEC 26 in March of 2007. Stann, 6-0, TKO’d Cantwell at 41 seconds of round 1.

Since losing to Stann, Cantwell has gone 2-0 with wins over Justin McElfresh at WEC 29 last August and against Tim McKenzie at WEC 33 this past March.

Cantwell has five wins on his pro record with the only loss of his career coming against Stann.

Stann won the title from Doug Marshall at WEC 33 on March 26. His fight vs. Cantwell will be his first-ever title defense.

While this isn’t the promotion’s best lineup on paper, I still think it’s a good show and you can’t judge a WEC card by how it looks on paper. Some of the best matchmaking in MMA takes place in the WEC so tonight’s show could easily be a sleeper card.

Since I can’t wait to kick back and watch this show tonight, I felt it would be a big mistake not to give my thoughts on what I am expecting from the televised bouts.

Doug Marshall vs. Brian Stann for the WEC Light Heavyweight Title:

A lot of haters out there have ripped Brian Stann in the past but I’m a fan of the guy. And after meeting him in person last year, I developed even more respect for him.

Brian Stann is all about three things: his family, the U.S. Marine corps, and fighting. I hate when people rip him for talking up his experience in the military because it’s a case of the WEC wisely promoting that aspect of his background and the media making the decision to ask him about it. If people don’t like the fact that his military credentials are being promoted, blame the media and the WEC. But to expect the media or the WEC to try and downplay his military background is kind of naive.

All Stann has done is what is asked of him and has only taken what’s been given to him. Is he ready for this spot? I think so. Granted, he doesn’t have a lot of fights under his belt but his hands are very impressive. He’s a big, strong fighter who is only going to get better once he’s able to devote even more time to training.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REMAINDER OF SAM CAPLAN’S WEC PREVIEW ON HIS PROELITE.COM BLOG

FiveOuncesOfPain.com is continuing our next level event coverage during UFC Fight Night 12! We will be hosting another LIVE CHAT so you can talk about the fights with some 5 Oz. staff members, as well as other 5 Oz. readers and MMA fans.

To add to the success of our first live chat at UFC 80, ECKO has provided us with some T-shirts signed by Nate Diaz and Corey Hill to give away in our live chat! Show up early, because Adam Morgan and I will be giving out some contest information for you to participate in so these ECKO shirts can be yours. We will also be giving out some of the new 5 Oz. t-shirts as well!

The preliminary bouts will begin between 7:30 and 8pm ET. The main card begins at 9pm ET/PT. Make sure to show up early so you can participate in our ECKO contest! Adam and I will stop taking submission at the end of the first televised bout!

WHEN: Wednesday, Jan. 23 @ 8pm ET, broadcast begins @ 9pm ET/PT
WHAT: Five Ounces of Pain LIVE Results and Chat

Click here for UFN 12 Quick Results!

There are a lot of things to like about Brian Stann. In addition to serving our (well, I guess it isn’t our country if you’re not in the U.S. and you’re reading this) country as a member of the United States Marine Corps, he also has an appreciation for the mental aspect of fighting. I know a lot of you think I make too big of a deal about the mental game but it’s the most overlooked aspect of fighting.

Stann focuses on his mental preparation and believes he’ll have an edge in that department when he eventually faces current WEC light heavyweight champion Doug “Rhino” Marshall.

Q: How do you think you match up with current WEC light heavyweight champion Doug “Rhino” Marshall?

BS: I think I match up great against him. He likes to slug it out and slugging it out and going toe-to-toe is not the way to beat me. I’m all about it if that’s what he wants to do. I feel comfortable going anywhere the fight can go: ground, transition, or standup with him. So I think I match up well with him.

Q: What do you think is the biggest weakness in his game right now?

BS: I think the mental side of the game. I don’t think that he’s as mentally strong as I am to stick to a game plan and overcome adversity in the cage.

Another thing I like about Stann is that he’s also from PA. Scranton to be exact. The first fighter to be featured in “Bring the Pain” was EliteXC’s Jon Murphy, who is from Minersville, PA.

I definitely think you should check out my new interview with him on CBSSports.com. We talk about a number of things, including the war in Iraq. Stann has done two tours over there and was even awarded a Silver Star. Needless to say, my interview with him wasn’t your average MMA Q&A.

Stann will be in action on Wednesday night when the WEC hits the airwaves again on Versus, live from Vegas at 9 p.m. ET. To get some more background on him, I highly suggest you read my interview with him by clicking here.