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Josh Koscheck Says He’d Accept TUF 12 Coaching Job
Posted 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
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
Jardine VS. Hamill Headlines TUF 11 Finale
Posted 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
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.
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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
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.”
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Dan Hardy: GSP Is An Athlete Not A Fighter
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The learning curve in MMA is a tough road to walk sometimes.
British fighter Dan Hardy treaded on that very path at UFC 111 when he faced welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and lost by unanimous decision after a five round fight. No one questioned Hardy’s heart after the fight, but he admits it was tough to swallow.
Staying in the United States for a few months after the fight, Hardy spoke candidly with MMAWeekly Radio about the fight with GSP, and how he looks back on the bout just a couple of weeks later.
Admitting that he only went back to watch the fight once, Hardy believes that St-Pierre did play it safe, but it doesn’t matter because he got the win.
“He obviously didn’t want to take any risks in the fight, fair enough. He’s got a lot riding on the fight, that’s fair enough,” said Hardy. “There’s winning, and ‘winning’ and no disrespect to Georges, but that’s not how I would want to win a fight. But he got the job done and that’s why he’s got the belt and I haven’t.”
GSP did lock up a Kimura during the fight that saw the British fighter’s arm go in a direction that no one’s should, and Hardy even let out a scream in pain when the Canadian was twisting and turning the hold. Still, there was never a thought to give up.
“I’m just stubborn. That’s about 98 percent of my ground game is stubbornness,” said Hardy. “He got me in the position, and I knew it was coming as soon as he got a hand on my wrist. It’s a position that he likes and I knew as soon as he felt like he got a lock on the arm, he was going to try and wrench it around my back. I’ve got a really flexible shoulder, or at least I have now, but I’m fine. It wasn’t something that was going to get me to tap, that’s for sure.”
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Bobby Lashley Likely Returning In May Or June
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The card for the upcoming Strikeforce event in Nashville has been filled. Conspicuous in his absence from the roster is WWE Superstar turned fighter Bobby Lashley, who was originally planned for the promotion’s return to CBS.
Lashley, who trains out of his own American Top Team gym in Colorado, underwent nasal surgery that pushed back his training camp, and according to Strikeforce president Scott Coker, they decided it was best to let him recover and fight another day.
“We had hoped he was going to be on the card in the very beginning, and as we were getting closer to the fight, he had to have a surgery procedure, and I just don’t think the timing was right,” said Coker
Working with ATT in Florida for past fights, Lashley was simply not able to put a full camp together around his surgery. Coker believes that if timing works out, Lashley will end up on either of two events planned for May and June.
“We both agreed maybe it would be best for everybody, and us waiting until the next one or the one after and see how it goes,” said Coker. “Cause he didn’t have a chance to go back to ATT and go train and do it properly because of his surgery procedure, so when I found out it was affecting his training we both felt maybe it was the best thing to pass.”
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Shields The First Step In Hendo’s Grand Plan
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Just when it looked like Dan Henderson would be fighting Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight title, contract negotiations kicked into high gear, and in the end the former Pride champion decided to move on and sign with Strikeforce instead.
Henderson will still get his title shot at 185 pounds, except this time he’ll face Jake Shields on April 17 in Nashville, Tenn.
Coming into the fight with Shields, Henderson is a big favorite in the betting lines, but he knows that anytime you face a fighter everyone expects you to beat, the unexpected can surely happen.
“Jake’s dangerous and I’m not taking him lightly at all,” said Henderson on MMAWeekly Radio recently. “I just need to make sure that I’m still implementing my game plan, and going out there and trying to beat him up, and not getting taken down and humped to death, still be exciting. It’s still a challenge of a fight for me, I’m looking forward to it.”
When Henderson references Shields “humping” him to death, he’s eluding back to the fight the champion had with Jason “Mayhem” Miller last year to win the title. Shields controlled the action for all five rounds en route to a unanimous decision win.
“I wasn’t surprised at all at the outcome,” Henderson said about Shields vs. Miller. “Jake’s good at taking guys down and controlling them, and Mayhem doesn’t have the best takedown defense.”
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Fabricio Werdum Expects To Fight Fedor
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Once he signed on with Strikeforce, it seemed that Fedor Emelianenko had found a home, but lately, questions have swirled around the Russian crusher.
First he was expected to be on Strikeforce’s upcoming return to CBS. Then he was not. He was set to face Fabricio Werdum. Then he was not. He was renewing talks with the UFC. Then he was not.
Just what is going on with the world’s number one ranked heavyweight?
That’s a good question.
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told MMAWeekly.com recently, “We have a date in June on hold for him, and we’re hoping we work things out where he can come fight that fight.”
So it seemed, at least, that Fedor’s opponent, should he finalize negotiations with Strikeforce, was set. But even that was put under a cloud of speculation after Fedor reportedly spoke with the media this past weekend, saying Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva might be another option for him.
“I have no intentions leaving M-1 Global,” Fedor said at an M-1 Selection press conference last weekend, according to LowKick.com. “We have a very good partnership, so I don’t see any reasons why I should break-up my current deal with that organization. My next opponent will be Fabricio Werdum. We are currently negotiating with his team, but if something goes wrong we will try to reach an agreement with Antonio Silva.”
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Matt Hughes Not Riding Into The Sunset Yet
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It’s inevitable in sports. When an athlete hits a certain again the question comes time and again about calling it quits.
Despite a dominating performance over an again foe on Saturday night at UFC 112, the question was once again fired at 36-year-old Matt Hughes.
He is easily one of the most decorated champions in UFC history, a shoe-in for the promotion’s Hall of Fame, but Hughes certainly doesn’t sound as if he’s ready to ride off into the sunset.
“I have three more fights on my contract. I don’t know how long I’m gonna stay fighting. I’m 36 years old. I’ve had a lot of changes over the last five years, but I still love to compete and I still love going to the gym,” said the two-time welterweight champion. “As long as I still love to compete in the Octagon and as long as I still enjoy working out, I’ll still be here.”
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Shields Not Short On Motivation For Hendo
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Marketing and advertising are an important part of any successful business plan. Strikeforce forging an alliance with CBS, and having ads run during the popular NCAA March Madness games was a perfect example of tying in commercials aimed at the right demographic.
One piece of the puzzle that was placed strategically in the ads was new Strikeforce middleweight signee Dan Henderson, but conspicuous by his absence was middleweight champion Jake Shields, Henderson’s debut opponent.
The ads running have been almost exclusively for Henderson’s debut, and the champion hasn’t seen near as many commercials with his face or even his name running beside Henderson’s.
“I haven’t seen that much of it, but I keep hearing it’s pretty much all pushed towards Dan,” said Shields when appearing on MMAWeekly Radio. “I think it’s a little unfair, me being the champ and all, but I’m not worried about it too much.”
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Hughes Now 2 For 2 Against Gracie Family
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Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes made it 2 for 2 against the Gracie family on Saturday in Abu Dhabi as he decided to out strike Renzo Gracie for three round, punishing the Brazilian with leg kicks before blasting him with punches to end it late in the fight.
Two ground fighters stepped into the octagon at UFC 112, but a stand-up fight broke out with both Hughes and Gracie deciding to stand instead of ever hitting the mat during the bout.
The early going showed a strong counter attack from Renzo Gracie, who tried to time Hughes and catch him with punches, but never connected with anything heavy. On the other side, Hughes employed a disciplined striking attack centered around leg kicks that punished the Brazilian’s legs at every turn.
By the third round, Gracie’s legs were like rubber as he started to wear out and fell to his back a couple times in the round as Hughes continued to blast away at his lead leg. Hughes knew Gracie was fading so he stepped in and threw heavy uppercuts, as Gracie wilted under the pressure and referee Herb Dean stopped the fight.
“I was actually pretty happy,” said Hughes about his performance. “I knew Renzo came in throwing strong, wide looping punches, so I tried to stay in tight, move away and just do things real simple.”
From MMAWeekly - Click here for full article
Huerta, Warren Deliver At Bellator 13
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Bellator Fighting Championships kicked off its second season on Thursday night with a quartet of tournament bouts that certainly must have left the promotion brimming with promise for an exciting season.
Bellator went all out to land former UFC fighter Roger Huerta and he did not disappoint. Despite this being just his third bout in the past two years, he showed no signs of rust. He was taken down several times early by a powerful Chad Hinton, but he adjusted, taking Hinton down in the second stanza and softening him up with ground and pound for the majority of the round.
Hinton tried to overcome his visible fatigue, storming out in round three. He clinched Huerta from behind after the former UFC fighter missed with a flying knee, but Huerta rolled out of it. A scramble ensued.
Huerta emerged on top, dropping down hammerfists, but Hinton’s leg was served up for the taking and Huerta took it, finishing the fight with a kneebar.
“That guy was so strong,” Huerta later commented. “I was trying to finish by TKO, ground and pound, but I had to take the leg.”
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Renzo Gracie Wants No Easy Fights In The UFC
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When the UFC announced plans to go to Abu Dhabi for an event, it only made sense that one of the legends of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a fighter who has called Abu Dhabi his second home, should make his return to action on the card.
Enter one Renzo Gracie.
The Brazilian has longstanding ties with Abu Dhabi, having traveled there several times in the last 14 years. Gracie says he was there 11 times in 2009 alone, and the government in Abu Dhabi just recently brought over 100 Brazilians to teach jiu-jitsu in their school systems as well.
Gracie, after a two-plus year layoff, will make his Octagon debut in Abu Dhabi this Saturday night at UFC 112 as he faces former welterweight champion Matt Hughes. It was a simple conversation over dinner that brought Gracie to the UFC, and he was happy to accept.
“It was just a chat over dinner,” Gracie explained when appearing on MMAWeekly Radio recently. “It was me, Lorenzo (Ferttita), the Sheik, and Dana. Lorenzo looked at me and he goes, ‘what about you, do you think about going back?’”
That’s all it took and Gracie said he immediately started cutting weight, dropping over 30 pounds, and prepared for his return to fighting. When he signed on with the UFC, Gracie said he only had one request, and it wasn’t for more money, more publicity or anything of that nature.
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Ror Nelson Is Ready For Dos Santos Or Toney
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Knocking out Brendan Schaub and Stefan Struve back-to-back gives Roy Nelson a lot of options for his next fight in the Octagon.
The winner of “The Ultimate Fighter Season 10” has proven to just about everybody that not only does he belong in the UFC, but he can hang with the other big boys in the heavyweight division. The Las Vegas based fighter is ready to face any top competitor the UFC gives him next.
Never one to call out for any particular names, Nelson says with the competition in the heavyweight division right now there won’t be any easy fights.
“I don’t really make those choices,” Nelson told MMAWeekly Radio about his next opponent. “I was saying I’d rather be fighting for the belt and be done with it. It’s the UFC and there’s so many great guys, there’s so many great fights to match up with.”
One name that has been tossed around for a potential opponent is Brazilian fighter Junior Dos Santos, who currently sits undefeated in the UFC, and just recently knocked out former top contender Gabriel Gonzaga. Nelson says he’d welcome a match with Dos Santos. In fact, Nelson believes Dos Santos is closer in line for the title than anybody else.
“I’d love it,” Nelson said about a fight with the Brazilian knockout artist. “I think Dos Santos deserves (a title shot) over Cain (Velasquez) just cause he’s whipped some better competition. I mean his very first fight was (Fabricio) Werdum. He’s beat up some really good guys. I think he definitely deserves a good chance or a good stab at it.”
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Alves VS. Fitch At UFC 115 In Vancouver
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After having successful surgery to repair a brain anomaly last week, Thiago “Pitbull” Alves will get back to action as quickly as he had hoped. The original opponent he had to scrap in March to instead face surgery is back in his sights. Alves will face Jon Fitch on June 12 at UFC 115 in Vancouver.
UFC president Dana White made the announcement late Sunday night via his Twitter account.
Alves and Fitch met for the first time nearly four years ago, with Fitch coming out on top via TKO after a vicious up-kick stunned the Brazilian, and he finished the fight with punches on the ground.
Ever since that time, Alves has been gunning for another shot at Fitch. The two were set to have that rematch at UFC 111 in March before a scary medical situation forced Alves out of the fight.
Just days prior to the event, Alves had a pre-fight CAT scan that revealed a problem in the fighter’s brain that the athletic commission in New Jersey could not overlook and he was forced off the card. Fitch remained and defeated last minute replacement Ben Saunders by unanimous decision.
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Carwin Says He’s Ready For Lesnar On July 3
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It was over a year since Shane Carwin had last fought, but in the end the waiting paid off when the Colorado fighter knocked out former champion Frank Mir, solidifying himself as the new interim UFC heavyweight champion and guaranteeing a date with Brock Lesnar this summer.
Carwin had been scheduled to face Lesnar on two previous occasions, but the champion’s injuries forced him out of the fights and put Carwin on hold. Coming back from a slight injury of his own, Carwin took on Mir knowing that a shot at Lesnar was on the line, but he says the way things played out were probably for the best.
After defeating former top contender Gabriel Gonzaga last March, Carwin was forced out of action while the rest of the division moved on. He believes getting a fight against Mir made everyone understand he deserves a shot at Lesnar.
“I think everything works out for a reason,” Carwin told MMAWeekly Radio. “That’s probably the reason right there. Getting that win over Frank, that’s two of Brock’s five fights. So being able to fight Frank, and get to Brock for that just put me into the title contention.
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Takanori Gomi Plans To Be A UFC Champion
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It won’t be the first time Takanori Gomi fights in the United States when he faces Kenny Florian on March 31, but it will be his debut in the UFC, his debut in the cage, and his debut with certain rules associated with the U.S.
Gomi admits that all of those factors combined are a concern for him as he prepares for his main event showdown with Florian, but he knows he’ll be ready no matter what.
“Because this is the first time I’m going to fight in the Octagon, and fight under new rules, so I am a little bit concerned about this stuff,” Gomi said. “There is no elbow fighting in Japan, so that’s my (biggest) concern.”
Regardless of the rules differences or even fighting in the cage, Gomi says fighting in the United States, and specifically in the UFC, were carefully plotted out as he looks for the next step in his career.
“Because I’ve fought more than 30 (fights) and I’m still looking for a challenge in my career,” said the Japanese superstar. “That’s the main reason to come to the UFC.”
From MMAWeekly - Click here for full article
Would Fitch Face Koscheck To Get A Title Shot?
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Jon Fitch couldn’t get the job done when he faced welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre at UFC 87, but he has since reeled off four straight victories and holds a 12-1 record in the Octagon.
He wants another shot at GSP.
“It was a good fight for him and I still see flaws in his game and that’s why I’d like to fight him next,” Fitch said Saturday night, assessing the champ’s victory over Dan Hardy at UFC 111.
“I’m a better fighter than I was the first time we fought and I want a title shot,” he declared.
If it only it were that simple.
The major stumbling block for Fitch’s quest is his dedication to his teammates at American Kickboxing Academy that plays into a difference in philosophy with his boss, UFC president Dana White.
Fitch’s teammate, Josh Koscheck, runs neck and neck with him and rivals Thiago Alves and Paul Daley for a shot at the welterweight title.
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Fitch: It Should Be Koscheck VS. GSP At UFC 111
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The road to the welterweight championship can be described as a rocky path to say the least. Being possibly the deepest division in the UFC, getting a shot at champion Georges St-Pierre is no easy task.
Currently ranked as the No. 2 welterweight in the world by MMAWeekly.com’s World MMA Rankings, Jon Fitch, while he respects Dan Hardy, doesn’t believe the Brit has done enough in the division to fight for the title at UFC 111.
With both Fitch and teammate Josh Koscheck vying for a shot at the belt, Hardy came in and won four fights in a row – most recently defeating their fellow American Kickboxing Academy teammate, Mike Swick – to earn the shot. Fitch believes that the shot should have gone to Koscheck first, and then to him if he can keep winning.
“It’s kind of going to be up to them to decide,” Fitch answered when asked who should get the next shot between he and Koscheck. “That’s kind of one of the reasons we were both upset about Dan Hardy. No knock against Hardy, I think he’s a great guy. He’s a great fighter. He’s got a bright future ahead of him. I just think he’s untested and hasn’t put in as much work as some other guys in the weight class.
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Hardy Plans To Knock GSP Into THE Next Day
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“All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved” – Sun Tzu, “The Art of War”
Strategy and game planning have become a crucial part of the success of so many fighters in mixed martial arts. One of the fighters identified as the hardest to game plan for is UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, who has shown master skills in all areas of the fight game.
His opponent at UFC 111, Dan Hardy, believes that while GSP has looked invincible, it’s not the game plans that have failed past challengers. It’s the execution.
“Everyone’s dangerous, but in the same sense, everyone’s beatable,” said Hardy in an interview with MMAWeekly Radio. “I’ve brought a few different things into this camp, but no more than I would for anybody else. At the end of the day he’s human, he’s got weaknesses. I’m confident I can exploit the weaknesses, like I’ve done in my last few fights.”
His last few fights are what earned him the title shot against St-Pierre. Since moving to the UFC, Hardy has reeled off four wins in a row, including victories over Mike Swick and Marcus Davis.
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
UFC Still Not Sure What To Do With James Toney
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It’s been three weeks since the Ultimate Fighting Championship signed former heavyweight boxing world champion James Toney to a mixed martial arts contract. He’s been through the rumor mill of fighting everyone from Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson to former UFC champion Randy Couture.
But as of right now, he’s got nothing on the docket.
“People keep asking me what’s next for him, who’s he gonna fight. I have no idea,” UFC president Dana White said Wednesday afternoon at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. “We did this deal and now I gotta figure out what I’m gonna do with him and how I’m gonna do this thing.”
White has come under fire for signing Toney, many people calling it a “freak show,” but a lot of the fighters under White’s employ don’t see it that way.
“I think that’s great,“ heavyweight contender Shane Carwin told MMAWeekly Radio recently. “I think it’s some excitement. If people are talking about (Toney) then that’s good. I guess we’ll see how he does. It will be interesting who they match him up against.”
But even White isn’t quite sure where he’s at with the whole situation, or why he even pulled the Trigger on the deal.
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
GSP Says Dan Hardy Earned Shot At The Belt
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Just when it appeared that Georges St-Pierre had cleared out the welterweight division, and a move to a different weight class could be eminent, along came Dan Hardy; who, with his swagger and knockout punch, vaulted to the top of the contenders list last year. He now gets his opportunity to challenge St-Pierre for the title at UFC 111.
Some have made an argument against Hardy getting the shot at the title, but St-Pierre himself stands by the choice, and points out that he’s done exactly what a contender has to do. In the words of Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis… just win, baby.
“I’m happy. I’ve fought a lot of the other guys already in my division who were in line for a title shot, so I think he deserves it,” St-Pierre said about Hardy. “He has beat everybody. He’s undefeated in the UFC. So I think it’s perfect.”
Listening to people say that a fighter didn’t deserve a shot at the title is a familiar ring to St-Pierre. Just when it appeared that the Canadian was set to go on an epic run as champion, he ran into huge underdog Matt Serra, and less than a round later he was headed home to Montreal without his title belt.
St-Pierre says it was a lesson learned, and underestimating an opponent is something he’ll never do again.
From MMAWeekly – Click here for full article
Dan Hardy: Beating GSP Doesn’t Make Me Champ
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Beating Georges St-Pierre may get Dan Hardy the welterweight title, and if he wins it will likely earn him the top spot as the best 170lb fighter in everyone’s ranking system, but one person who doesn’t believe he’ll be champion by beating GSP is Hardy himself.
The Team Ruffhouse fighter spoke with MMAWeekly Radio recently, and he disclosed that beating St-Pierre, while a great win, doesn’t necessarily mean he’s the champion, even though he’ll take the title belt.
“One thing I have accepted, and one thing that’s obvious is that once I’ve knocked him out and I’ve got the belt, people are still not going to look at me like I’m the champion,” said Hardy. “They’re going to want me to fight 3 or 4 more guys before they go okay he deserves the belt now.”
Some of Hardy’s harshest critics have come from inside his own division when speaking about whether or not he deserves this chance to fight St-Pierre. To hear him tell it, Hardy says the road to the championship really begins with knocking out GSP, and then throwing down the gauntlet and welcoming all challengers.
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