Filho pulls out of fight with Sonnen, checks into rehabilitation clinic
According to Sherdog.com, WEC middleweight champion, Paulo Filho has pulled out of his March 26th clash with Chael Sonnen. Filho’s manager, Jorge Guimaraes, alerted Sherdog to this recent development. Guimaraes had the following to say: “We tried our best with Filho, but it didn’t work and he’ll not fight in the WEC,” “He tried with all his effort to accomplish... [Read More...]
Paulo Filho vs. Chael Sonnen is back on for WEC 33 on March 26th
First it’s on, then it’s off, and now it’s back on again according to recent comments made to Sherdog by Ed Soares, Paulo Filho’s manager: Despite announcing this week that he was pulling out of a March 26 WEC middleweight title defense versus Chael Sonnen, Paulo Filho will put the belt up after all, the Brazilian’s manager, Ed Soares, informed Sherdog.com Thursday afternoon. “He... [Read More...]
Report: Paulo Filho vs. Chael Sonnen rematch postponed until June
A rematch between WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho and Chael Sonnen that had originally been slated to take place on March 26 in Las Vegas has been postponed, according to a report on the Brazilian mixed martial arts website Tatame. The Filho vs. Sonnen rematch is now slated to take place on a WEC show scheduled for June 1 in Sacramento, Calif. The report indicates that the match was moved based... [Read More...]
Dan Henderson thinks Paulo Filho was a “juicer”
In a recent interview with MMAnews.com, Dan Henderson had some interesting things to say about WEC middleweight champion, Paulo Filho. MMANews.com:What are your thoughts on Paulo Filho? Dan Henderson: I don’t think he has been very impressive in his last two performances since coming to the US but I think that’s what not being able to use Steroids will do to you. MMANews.com:Are you saying... [Read More...]
Paulo Filho to rematch Chael Sonnen in March
In an article on Tatame.com, WEC middleweight champion, Paulo Filho’s boxing coach, Josuel Distak states that Filho’s next fight will be a rematch against the last man he defeated, Chael Sonnen, in March. “Last fight I had a lot of weight problems with Paulão, that’s why he wasn’t well. Sonnen asked for a revenge and we accepted. Filho defeated Sonnen last December at WEC 31... [Read More...]
Filho Seems Uninterested in Training with Liddell (Updated)
The Brazilian website TATAME posted a short article regarding Chuck Liddell’s request to train with Paulo Filho for Liddell’s fight against Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79. The following article has been run through a translator: Paulo: “I would not train American to fight with Brazilian”Jiu-jitsu black belt, Paulo Filho travels on December 8 for the United States to do his first... [Read More...]
Report: Sonnen to fight Filho for WEC middleweight title
Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Paulo Filho will defend his WEC middleweight title on Dec. 12 in Las Vegas against Chael Sonnen. “Chael matches well with Paulo Filho, who is a tough guy for us to get opponents for,” WEC matchmaker Scott Adams is quoted as saying in Iole’s article. “He was a Division I wrestler and he finished high in the Olympic Trials and I think... [Read More...]
Paulo Filho to defend WEC middleweight title on Dec. 12
World Extreme Cagefighting has officially announced four matches for their next card on Dec. 12 in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The year end show for the Zuffa-owned promotion will feature three title matches with “The Californian Kid” Urijah Faber defending the WEC featherweight title against Jeff Curran and Doug “Rhino” Marshall putting his WEC light heavyweight... [Read More...]
Frank Trigg’s radio partner confirms WEC rumor
George Garcia, co-host of TAGG Radio, confirmed on the MMAWeekly.com forums that his long-time friend and radio partner Frank Trigg is in talks to join the WEC as a fighter. Garcia responded to a post on the forum that claimed Trigg has signed with the WEC and will fight current WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho for the middleweight title in December. While reports that a deal has been consummated... [Read More...]
Review of last night’s WEC show on Versus
Overall, I thought it was a slightly above average show. I liked the first show much better simply because the fights turned out better. The outcome of fights isn’t something a promotion can control so I’m not blaming the WEC. It’s just the way things went down. Maybe some blame can be assessed to the WEC for not finding a better opponent for Paulo Filho, but if you want to find his equal then... [Read More...]
New interview with Paulo Filho now on Sportsline
A Q&A session I recently had with Paulo Filho and his manager, Eddie Suarez, is now available on CBS Sportsline. Paulo arrived in Vegas from Brazil on Wednesday in preparation for his match against Joe Doerksen on Sunday night for the vacant WEC middleweight title. Filho vs. Doerksen will be the co-main event of a card that will be televised on Versus starting at 9 p.m. ET. I was able to speak... [Read More...]
Report: Fishman settles with Dream Stage Entertainment
The supposed showdown between Ed Fishman and the former parent company of Pride, Dream Stage Entertainment, ended not with a bang, but with a whimper. Some big name witnesses had been called by Fishman’s lawyers to give depositions in the case such as The Fertittas and Dana White. It had been thought that they might be asked on the record about very sensitive details pertaining to the Zuffa empire... [Read More...]
WEC announces more matches for next Sunday
The WEC will air their second live telecast on the Versus network next Sunday, August 5, at 9 p.m. ET. The card will be headlined by Carlos Condit vs. Brock Larson for the WEC welterweight title and Joe Doerksen vs. Paulo Filho for the vacant WEC middleweight title. Through its official web site, the fight promotion has announced additional matches for the cad. Bouts between Jeff Curran vs. Stephen... [Read More...]
Doerksen rumored to be fighting Filho
The rumors section of MMAWeekly.com is reporting that former UFC middleweight Joe Doerksen is rumored to be fighting former Pride middleweight Paulo Filho at WEC 29 on August 5 in Las Vegas. The card will be telecast on the Versus Network, starting at 9 p.m. ET. Also rumored is a welterweight title defense by Carlos Condit against Brock Larson and matches between Jeff Curran vs. Stephen Ledbetter and... [Read More...]
Filho: Contract with WEC almost finished
The Brazilian MMA update on MMAWeekly.com also has a quote from Brazilian Top Team member and Pride fighter Paulo Filho confirming that it looks like he’s headed to the WEC: “The contract with WEC is almost finished and will be for 4 fights. The WEC will be great exposure for me and hopefully it will lead to an opportunity in the UFC,” stated Paulo in a recent interview. Read More →
Franklin didn’t duck Filho
MMAFighting.com has conducted a recent interview with Rich Franklin. Franklin sets the record straight about how the replacement opponent for Martin Kampmann was decided upon for UFC 72. There had been a lot of message forum scuttlebut (wow, did I just use that word?) that Paulo Filho was proposed as an opponent and Franklin turned it down. Franklin confirms that Filho was disucssed as a possibility,... [Read More...]
Filho could be headed to the WEC
According to an english translation of the Brazilian magazine Tatame, undefeated Pride “welterweight” (183 pounds) Paulo Filho could be coming to the States. However, the publication claims he won’t be fighting for the UFC, but could be close to signing with Zuffa-owned WEC. Filho is 14-0 and is considered one of the best middleweight fighters in the world. There have been rumors... [Read More...]
