After former UFC light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin withdrew from UFC 114 speculation began in earnest regarding who would replace him to fight Antonio Rogerio Negueira…
Well, Jason Brilz (3-1 UFC) has stepped up to the plate.
Brilz has some form in the UFC having bested Tim Boetsch and Brad Morris though he has lost to TUF winner Eliot Marshall.
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin has pulled out of his fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira on May 29th after suffering an undisclosed injury in training.
At this moment in time it is thought that Nogueira will still fight on the card as the UFC are rushing to find a replacement.
UFC 114 sees current light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida defend his title in a rematch against former Griffin victim; Shogun Rua.
How serious Griffin’s injury is remains to be seen and speculation will now mount oncerning whether or not his withdrawal means that a fight with Nogueira will ever happen.
Personally I always felt that beating Nogueira was a long shot as far as Griffin is concerned, his withdrawal; however disappointing, is a good thing for his career.
We’ll keep you posted.
A long-awaited rematch between welterweights Thiago Alves and Jon Fitch will have to wait a bit longer.
The pair was expected to meet at UFC 115 on June 12 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, but Alves is still not medically cleared to fight, sources close to the fighter told MMAjunkie.com.
With six weeks to the event, UFC officials chose to exercise caution with his timetable for return and rescheduled the bout for UFC 117 on Aug. 7 in Oakland, Calif.
From MMAJunkie - Click here for full article
Josh Koscheck Says He’d Accept TUF 12 Coaching Job
By · CommentsGoing home again. That could be the theme of “The “Ultimate Fighter Season 12” for Josh Koscheck if he is indeed chosen as a coach for the next season of the popular Spike TV reality show.
The American Kickboxing Academy welterweight got his start on the show five years ago, and if rumors stand true, the winner of the upcoming fight between Koscheck and British fighter Paul Daley could determine who will coach opposite UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.
Koscheck admits that if the UFC comes calling to ask him to coach the show, he’d definitely accept and would be happy to be back on “The Ultimate Fighter.”
“It definitely would be fun. I think it would be a great opportunity, and I would definitely take the UFC up on it,” said Koscheck in a recent interview with MMAWeekly Radio.
Make no mistake about it, Koscheck only has one thing on his mind right now and that’s Paul Daley. He says that Daley is the only thing that motivates him right now, and he doesn’t want anyone to think he’s looking past him and to a future match-up with St. Pierre.
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Matt Mitrione knows a thing or two about being pigeonholed, and he’s not about to do that to UFC 113 opponent and fellow “The Ultimate Fighter 10″ veteran Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson.
Mitrione got a reputation on the Spike TV series as a difficult-to-work-with brooder that rubbed his teammates the wrong way. Ferguson already had a reputation as an MMA greenie made famous by the good fortune of YouTube.
It’s a sport full of people with hot air, Mitrione says, and nothing is worse than taking a competitor at face value.
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Ortiz Breaks Silence Says Jameson On Drugs
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UFC fighter Tito Ortiz on Monday evening spoke for the first time since being arrested early Monday morning on suspicion of felony domestic violence against his girlfriend, former adult actress Jenna Jameson.
Ortiz was arrested and held at the Huntington Beach Police Department for several hours, cooperating with the investigation before being released on $25,000 bail.
Along with his attorney Chip Matthews, Ortiz made a statement at an impromptu news conference on Monday evening in North Hollywood, Calif.
According to the statement, Ortiz claims Jameson has been hooked on Oxycontin for over a year, and that her drug use is what led to the argument and his eventual arrest on suspicion for domestic violence.
Ortiz also said in the statement that he never struck Jameson, and according to Matthews it was his discovery of drugs in the home that led to the confrontation.
“I want to be quite clear,” Matthews said. “Tito Ortiz never laid a hand on Jenna.”
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
A little less than one month before it officially hits retailer’s shelves, THQ and the Ultimate Fighting Championship are releasing a demo for the highly anticipated “UFC Undisputed 2010.”
The videogame teaser, which will be available for download this Thursday, April 29, will feature four fighters – all light heavyweights – including champion Lyoto Machida and challengers Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable consoles, “UFC Undisputed 2010″ is set for a May 25 release.
From MMAJunkie – Click here for full article
Jardine VS. Hamill Headlines TUF 11 Finale
By · CommentsAs the eleventh season of “The Ultimate Fighter” moves forward, Spike TV officials on Monday announced two former contenders on the show, Keith Jardine and Matt Hamill, will square off in a light heavyweight showdown in the finale’s headline bout.
The bout has been rumored for several weeks, but the announcement on Monday cements the two fighters in the main event, with both looking to stay relevant in a tough 205-pound weight class.
Always seen as one of the grittiest fighters in the division, Keith Jardine (15-7-1) has fallen on tough times lately losing his last three bouts in a row. Facing some of the toughest competition in the division, he has dropped fights to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Thiago Silva, and most recently to “Ultimate Fighter” winner Ryan Bader.
Training out of Greg Jackson’s famed gym in New Mexico, Jardine will be battling not only Matt Hamill, but also for a place to call home because losing four in a row is not a position any fighter ever wants to be in.
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz was arrested this morning on suspicion of domestic abuse, according to the Huntington Beach Police Department.
Lieutenant Mike Reynolds today informed MMAjunkie.com that HBPD officers were called to Ortiz’s residence at 9:53 a.m. PT local time Monday morning on a domestic violence call and arrested Ortiz at 11:45 a.m.
Reynolds said Ortiz is currently being held at the Huntington Beach Police Department and is “cooperating with the investigation.”
From MMAJunkie – Click here for full article
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Despite UFC president Dana White’s threats in Abu Dhabi earlier this month, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will not be fighting on the preliminary card of a UFC event any time soon.
In fact, he’ll actually be in the main event.
Following Saturday night’s “WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber” post-event press conference, White told a small group of reporters that the upcoming Silva vs. Chael Sonnen fight at UFC 117 in Oakland, Calif., would serve as the night’s featured contest.
From MMAJunkie - Click here for full article
James Toney vs. Randy Couture Possible For UFC 118
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James Toney is set to make his debut in the UFC at UFC 118, and the promotion has wasted no time in putting him against a tough opponent in MMA legend Randy Couture.
While the fight has yet to be confirmed, Fighters Only and MMA Junkie have both reported the fight happening for the UFC’s debut in Boston.
Toney is looking to make an impact in MMA, and went on a relentless trash-talk spree calling out every major fighter in the UFC and heavily pushing Dana White to sign him. Toney signed a multi-fight promotion with deal, originally reported by this site. Toney has enlisted well known MMA trainer Juanito Ibarra for his debut in the sport, who has worked with former UFC light-heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
From FiveOuncesOfPain – Click here for full article
White Wants Shields – Confident He’ll Get Him
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Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White has been vocal about his desire to have Strikeforce middleweight titleholder Jake Shields join his stable of fighters in the UFC.
Leading up to Shields’ recent bout with Dan Henderson, White commented, “He’s going to get paid, because what’s going to happen is we would love to take him from there and I’m sure they’d love to pay him to stick around.
“And I will help drive that (expletive) number right up through the roof, and let the Showtime boys pay him a lot of money, so that Jake can stick it right up their (expletive).”
White has since reiterated his desire to sign Shields.
“I think Jake Shields is a great guy. He came in as an assistant coach on ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ Couldn’t be a nicer kid. I’ve always like him, and we want him,” he commented.
“The deal with Shields is there’s some discrepancy between whether it’s 45 or 60 days that he’s got left on his contract, so he can work that out with the knuckleheads and when he does we’ll jump in there and I’m very confident that he’s gonna be with UFC.”
White also addressed the post-fight brawl that ensued following Shields’ win over Dan Henderson at Strikeforce: Nashville on April 17, placing most of the blame on the promotion rather than the fighters involved.
From MMAWeekly - Click here for full article
“The Ultimate Fighter 10″ winner Roy Nelson is working his way into the mix.
The round-bellied heavyweight on Saturday posted a message on his official Twitter account that he expects to face burgeoning takedown artist Cheick Kongo in his next octagon appearance. Though not yet confirmed by the UFC, a Fighters Only report this past week has pegged the match-up to take place at UFC 116.
UFC 116 takes place July 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. A heavyweight title unification match between current champion Brock Lesnar and interim champion Shane Carwin is expected to headline.
From MMAJunkie – Click here for full article
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – While the WEC’s first-ever pay-per-view event is the current focus for UFC president Dana White, the continued global expansion of the company’s primary brand is always on his mind.
On Thursday, White confirmed that Salt Lake City will host UFC on Versus 2 on Aug. 1, but he also confirmed that the city originally expected to host that event, Oakland, Calif., still will get a visit from the UFC this year.
However, White seemed less optimistic that a long-rumored trip to Hawaii is in the promotion’s immediate plans.
From MMAJunkie – Click here for full article
Florian VS. Maynard Signed For Boston Card
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Just a few days ago Kenny Florian confirmed when appearing on MMAWeekly Radio that he would indeed be fighting in his hometown of Boston, and now the opponent is official as well as he faces Gray Maynard in a lightweight showdown on the August 28 card.
Florian made the announcement on MMA Live on Thursday, which he co-hosts, and said that bout agreements have been signed for the fight.
“I can say right now I did sign to fight Gray Maynard the other day,” said Florian.
This puts all speculation to bed about the lightweight title rematch as well, as Frankie Edgar will indeed face B.J. Penn with the 155lb belt on the line, rumored at this time to be on the same August card in Boston.
Florian has been rumored to face Maynard ever since his fight with Takanori Gomi ended, but when Frankie Edgar defeated B.J. Penn to win the lightweight belt, the division was turned upside down from what most expected.
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Former UFC champion Randy Couture has been targeted for participation in the UFC’s first trip to Boston. And if he gets his wish, the UFC Hall of Famer may get to face former boxing champion James Toney.
Fighters Only first reported the possibility of Couture’s participation on the card. While no opponent has been finalized, Couture has repeatedly expressed a desire to face the former boxing champion.
Although not officially announced, UFC 118 is expected to take place Aug. 28 at the TD Garden in Boston.
From MMAJunkie – Click here for full article
Hard-hitting welterweights Matt Brown and Chris Lytle have been targeted for a UFC 116 matchup.
MMAfighting.com was the first to report the matchup today, and MMAjunkie.com has subsequently confirmed that at least one fighter has agreed to the bout with the intention to sign a contract.
UFC 116 is expected to take place July 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, though the promotion has yet to formally announce the card. A heavyweight title match between returning champion Brock Lesnar and interim heavyweight champion Shane Carwin is the expected headliner.
From MMAJunkie – Click here for full article
UFC Sign Three UK Fighters
By · Commentshttp://www.fightersonlymagazine.co.uk
The UFC has signed three fighters from the Wolfslair, Fighters Only has learned. The signings bolster the gym’s UFC fighter roster to six as the line up alongisde Michael Bisping, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Cheick Kongo.
Light-heavyweight Tom Blackledge, welterweight Kurt Warburton and heavyweight Rob Broughton all have four-fight deals in place and will make their debuts for the UFC later this year.
Blackledge has already appeared on The Ultimate Fighter, being one of the season ten coaches on Team Rampage. A jiu jitsu black belt, Blackledge also has some ferocious stand-up and produced one of the KO’s of the year when he stopped Enoc Torres in M-1 last year.
From Fighters Only Magazine – Click here for full article
Penn vs Edgar II UFC 118, Aug. 28 In Boston
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Former UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn will get his rematch with Frankie Edgar on August 28th, Fighters Only can reveal after speaking with several key sources. The fight will headline UFC 118, the UFC’s first card in Boston, Massachusetts.
Penn lost the title to Edgar at UFC 112 on April 10th by way of a controversial unanimous decision. Edgar outworked and out-manoeuvred Penn for much of the fight, but it was an extremely close affair that produced three very different judges’ scorecards. One judge gave all five rounds to Edgar, but that score has been widely ridiculed.
From MixedMartialArts - Click here for full article
Although World Extreme Cagefighting officials have long touted the benefits of having their own lightweight division – the only weight class that overlaps with its sister promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship – a change could be on the way.
In a recent interview with USA Today’s Sergio Non, UFC president Dana White said the WEC’s 155-pound weight class “eventually” will be folded into the bigger promotion.
The division is currently ruled by top prospect and champ Benson Henderson, who meets Donald Cerrone at Saturday’s WEC 48 pay-per-view event at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif.
From MMAJunkie – Click here for full article
Henderson Knew He’d Have To Rematch Cowboy
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Something classic isn’t often duplicated.
Hollywood has tried to remake classic films, with mostly disastrous results, while cover songs are a mainstay of musical pop culture.
In mixed martial arts, the rematch is a part of the sport, but rarely is a great fight ever duplicated. When Ben Henderson tries to defend his WEC lightweight title for the first time, against Donald Cerrone at WEC 48 on Saturday night, fans might be expecting a similar tilt to the barnburner the two fighters put on late last year in a fight that many called the best of 2009.
Immediately after Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar put on their classic battle back in 2005, fans were itching for another showdown between the two, but when they finally did meet again in August 2006, the results were the same, the fight wasn’t.
Henderson admits that when the WEC came calling for a rematch between he and Cerrone, that there was some worry about what fans might expect after such a classic first fight, but he knows both of them will be bringing the fire on the 24th.
“That was one thing I was a little bit fearful of how this second fight is going to play out,” said Henderson on MMAWeekly Radio. “Because the first fight was so hyped, and so much a fan favorite. I know I’m going to bring my best, I know he’s going to bring his best, so we’ll see how it plays out.”
From MMAWeekly - Click here for full article
While “Strikeforce: Nashville” had a few interesting developments, including Jake Shields’ upset win over Dan Henderson and the historic matchup of champion vs. champion, Saturday night’s event will ultimately be remembered for one thing: the post-fight brawl.
The ugly, CBS-broadcast melee undoubtedly marred what had been a relatively ho-hum night up to that point.
But at the evening’s post-event press conference, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker made one thing perfectly clear: the organization had nothing to do with Jason “Mayhem” Miller’s presence in the cage. In fact, Coker said Miller should have been able to see the brawl coming.
From MMAJunkie – Click here for full article
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – According to most MMA pundits, Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields had one path to victory against UFC import Dan Henderson in their main event contest at Saturday’s “Strikeforce: Nashville” event.
Similarly, most felt Henderson had one weapon that could turn the fight in his favor.
But what would happen if both fighters were able to implement their preferred attack? That question was answered at Bridgestone Arena in the final bout of the evening’s CBS-broadcast main card, though the beauty of the performance was marred by some disgusting post-fight antics.
From MMAJunkie - Click here for full article
Joe Lauzon Expects To Fight At UFC 118 In Boston
By · CommentsIf ever there was a fighter destined to fight at UFC 118, it would be Joe Lauzon.
The 25-year-old Bridgewater, Mass., native told MMAjunkie.com that he expects to fight on the first UFC event to touch down on his home turf.
Lauzon joins fellow Massachusetts native Kenny Florian as fighters penciled in for the pay-per-view card, which is expected to take place Aug. 28 at the TD Garden in Boston. A lightweight title rematch between current champion Frankie Edgar and deposed king B.J. Penn is expected to headline.
From MMAJunkie - Click here for full article
Dana White Confirms Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva
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Dana White appeared on Rome is Burning today and has officially confirmed Anderson Silva’s next opponent. Chael Sonnen will be next in line to face the middleweight division kingpin, no date has been confirmed yet.
White was very open and honest with his feelings about Silva, and what implications there will be if Silva has another lackluster performance:
If he ever acts like that again in the ring I will cut him. I don’t care if he’s the pound for pound best fighter in the world.
I don’t care if (Anderson Silva) is the middleweight champion. I will cut him, absolutely.
Sonnen defeated Nate Marquardt at UFC 109 to earn his title shot , after dominating former number one contender Yushin Okami at UFC 104.
Sonnen has gone on record with his thoughts about Silva, describing him as a “dirt bag” and that its his “moral obligation” to defeat Anderson. Sonnen has talked up a fight with Anderson since his arrival in the promotion, and now he gets his wish.
Since Anderson took no real damage against Damian Maia, expect the fight to be booked soon, and not to be the main event.
More on this in the coming days.
From Five Ounces Of Pain – Click here for full article

