The UFC Blog

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to London, England’s 02 Arena this Saturday with UFC 95.  Headlining the bout will be lightweight contender Joe ‘Daddy’ Stevenson as he welcomes Diego ‘Nightmare’ Sanchez to the lightweight division.  

The night’s main card will be airing on SpikeTV via tape delay and will feature a middleweight clash between former number one contender Nate ‘The Great’ Marquardt and Wilson Gouveia.  

England’s own Dan Hardy will be in action against Rory Markham.  Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Demian Maia will look to remain unbeaten as he faces Chael Sonnen.  There will be a Josh Koscheck sighting as he welcomes the undefeated Paulo Thiago to the UFC.  

With back to back losses to Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch, Diego Sanchez’s dream of becoming the UFC welterweight champion was quickly turning into a nightmare.  He was no longer the bigger stronger fighter within the division who imposed his will.  A change was needed and he has dropped fifteen pounds to the lightweight division where he will be welcomed by perennial contender Joe Stevenson.

Fellow TUF winner Joe Stevenson (29-9) also finds himself at a career crossroads after suffering back to back losses to BJ Penn and Kenny Florian.  To remain in the upper echelon of the lightweight division only a victory will suffice.  

Both fighters are relentless on the ground with a strong BJJ base and savagely brutal ground and pound.  Stevenson has superior wrestling which has given Sanchez (19-2) fits in the past.  Stevenson also has a very stiff jab as his standup continues to evolve.  Stevenson hasn’t looked stellar under the spotlight of past main events and it’ll be interesting to see if this coincidental or a mental hurdle for him.  

‘The Nightmare’ is just that, he’s very aggressive and well rounded fighter and will have the pleasure of a strength and size advantage over Stevenson.  Sanchez has been known for his cardio, but it remains to be seen how he’ll adapt to the weight cut.  

Can Diego Sanchez adapt to his new home within the lightweight division or will he have a rude awakening from his UFC title dreams?  Only time will tell.  I like Diego Sanchez in an exciting three round bout.

Seven-time King of Pancrase Nate Marquardt (27-8-2) wants nothing more than another title shot against middleweight champion Anderson Silva.  His journey continues Saturday night against American Top Team standout Wilson Gouveia.

Since dropping from 205 to 185, Wilson Gouveia (12-5) has looked outstanding with impressive victories over Ryan Jensen and Jason MacDonald.  Gouveia is sick on the ground as a BJJ world champion and is proving to have knockout power in his hands in feet.  His cardio has been questioned in the past with his last two defeats coming in the later rounds.  He needs to bring fifteen minutes of pain Saturday night to outpoint Marquardt.

Arguably the second best middleweight in the UFC, Nate Marquardt looked dynamite in his last fight against Martin Kampmann.  He used his strength and size advantage over Kampmann and brutally knocked him out in round one, sending a message to all UFC middleweights.  

Nate ‘The Great’ is a strong wrestler with a tough “in yo face” fighting style.  His clinch game and dirty boxing ranks up there with Dan Henderson and Randy Couture’s.  He’ll need to impose his game plan and stay out of the reach of Gouveia to be victorious.  Marquardt should have the edge cardio wise and if he can stay away from Gouveia’s submissions; he should have his hand raised in a tough three round fight.  

With a nation of drunken Brits backing him up, Dan ‘The Outlaw’ Hardy will look to continue his recent success within the octagon as he faces IFL veteran Rory Markham.

Markham (16-4) last saw action against Brodie Farber where he posterized him with a memory erasing head kick.  This brawler from Bettendorf Iowa will have his hands full with Hardy as he has a decisive reach disadvantage.  

Hardy (20–6) earned a razor thin split decision over Akihiro Gono at UFC 89 and looks to build off that success against Markham.  Hardy has the superior striking and should utilize his reach to his advantage.  If he can stay out of the pocket of Markham and stay clear of a haymaker, he should earn a victory via KO somewhere late in round two.  Either way this fight should be one helluva slobber knocker.

Former WEC middleweight title contender Chael Sonnen returns to the UFC Saturday night as he faces undefeated BJJ wizard Demian Maia.

Sonnen last fought against Paulo Filho while in the Zuffa owned WEC for Filho’s WEC middleweight title.  Sonnen earned a unanimous decision victory, however the fight was relegated to a non-title bout due to Filho not making weight.  The middleweight division was abolished from the WEC and Sonnen finds himself back in the UFC.

As a member of Team Quest, Sonnen (21-9-1) possesses a strong wrestling background with a good dirty boxing game.  He’ll need to establish his standup against Maia, testing his chin.  He might want to throw his wrestling takedowns out the window as the mat might not be the place to take this fight.  

BJJ World Champion Demian Maia (9-0) is no joke on the ground.  Nearly eighty percent of his professional victories have come way of submission and all four of his UFC victories have been by submission.  Maia is down right nasty on the ground and he knows his own strength.  He doesn’t attempt to knock you out; he wants to tap you out.  

I quit betting against Maia two fights ago and I don’t see a reason to start back up.  Sonnen has shown weakness defending submissions in the past.  He’s suffered submission losses to Filho, Jeremy Horn and ‘Babalu’ Sobral.  None of these fighters could hold a candle to Maia’s BJJ.
  
Not only will Maia leave England with a victory, but might keep Sonnen’s arm as a souvenir too.

Josh ‘Kos’ Koscheck looked mean and lean knocking out Yoshiyuki Yoshida back in December.  He will be welcoming undefeated Brazilian Paulo Thiago.  

Thiago (10-0) comes to the UFC with a perfect record and he possesses a strong background in BJJ.  Seventy percent of his victories have come by submission.  Not much is known about Thiago and I don’t think Koscheck cares.

Since his tough loss to Thiago Alves, Josh Koscheck (12-3) needs to rack up a few wins to get back in the title picture.  ‘Kos’ is an aggressive Div. 1 wrestling standout with one hell of a mean streak.  His standup improves from fight to fight and should be able to earn a second round victory over Thiago.

Under card (May not be broadcast):
155 lbs.: Brian Cobb (15-4) vs. Terry Etim (11-2)
265 lbs.: Junior dos Santos (7-1) vs. Stefan Struve (16-2)
265 lbs.: Neil Grove (7-1) vs. Mike Ciesnolevicz (16-3)
155 lbs.: Per Eklund (14-3-1) vs. Evan Dunham (7-0)
170 lbs.: Paul Kelly (7-1) vs. Troy “Rude Boy” Mandaloniz (3-1

A rumored card that will most likely take place in Cologne, Germany this June will have a headlining bout between BJ Penn and Kenny Florian.  

The Co-Main event will feature former middleweight champion Rich Franklin as he will fight former Pride champion Wanderlei ‘The Axe Murderer’ Silva.  Should be an awesome fight.

Former UFC® Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was at his devastating best last December as he settled his score with Wanderlei Silva via a chilling first round knockout. On Saturday, March 7, Jackson will look to move one step closer to regaining his title when he takes on the man who beat both Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin, Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine.

For the third year in a row, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® is heading back to Columbus, Ohio for UFC 96: JACKSON vs. JARDINE, live from the Nationwide Arena on Saturday, March 7, 2009. More information go to UFC.com

The UFC is bringing another free fight broadcast on Spike TV, UFC.com

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, February 21st, and in the UFC 95 main event, it will be one of the most intriguing bouts of the New Year as exciting welterweight contender Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez makes his lightweight debut against former world title challenger Joe “Daddy” Stevenson.  UK fans will also be treated to an all-star cast of the UFC’s finest international talent in pivotal bouts that can’t be missed. UFC.com

Joe Stevenson Vs. Diego Sanchez

Paul Kelly Vs. Troy Mandaloniz

Show starts at 9pm ET/PT on Spike TV. Follow the fight play by play right here.

UFC Light-heavyweight rising star Jon "Bones" Jones will make his debut appearance on the show after scoring the biggest win of his career at UFC 94 against Stephan Bonnar. We’ll get into the fight, Jon’s dynamic fighting style and how the 21 year old fighter takes it all in stride.

MMA Mania’s Jesse Holland will join Pep in the Opening Round to break down this weekend’s UFC 95 event and talk about some recent developments in MMA.

Check out the replay of the show at:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/pro_mma_radio_shows.htm

WW

UFC 100 LANDS IN LAS VEGAS, GSP LIKELY HEADLINER
Sunday, February 15, 2009 - by MMAWeekly.com Staff  

Ever since his defeat of B.J. Penn at UFC 94 at the end of January, Georges St. Pierre and his camp has been mired in a quagmire of debate over his cornermen’s use of Vaseline in between rounds.

Now, he will likely have more to talk about than petroleum jelly.

UFC president Dana White was the guest on a recent Montreal-based radio show on CKAC Sports 730AM to discuss his promotion’s own controversial issues regarding the Quebec Athletic Commission’s new interpretation of its own rules putting UFC 97 in jeopardy. While on the show, the juggernaught kingpin revealed his part of his plan for his promotion as it hits the century mark in numbered events.

"I’m pretty confident that UFC 100 will have Georges St. Pierre on the card," he told the host of the program on CKAC. "UFC 100 will more than likely have Georges St. Pierre defending his welterweight title."

He also confirmed that the event would take place in July in the sweltering heat of Las Vegas, the promotion’s home base, and not in the moderate temperatures of Denver, where the UFC was born.

There was a lot of speculation that UFC 100 would be turned into a "Night of Champions" themed event, but White has stated in the past that he has no plans to put all or even most of the promotion’s belts on the line. It appears that he will, however, put who is arguably the sport’s brightest star on the main stage.

UFC® 95 SANCHEZ vs STEVENSON
Feb-21-2009 9pm ET/PT on Spike TV

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, February 21st, and in the UFC 95 main event, it will be one of the most intriguing bouts of the New Year as exciting welterweight contender Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez makes his lightweight debut against former world title challenger Joe “Daddy” Stevenson.  UK fans will also be treated to an all-star cast of the UFC’s finest international talent in pivotal bouts that can’t be missed.

More information at UFC.com

UFC GYMS is excited to launch our state of the art fitness and mixed martial arts training facilities. UFC GYMS will deliver the best fitness facilities and discipline training to provide a dynamic, results focused workout experience.

For more information on UFC GYMS please review the FAQ below. Be sure to TAP IN for the latest news at UFC GYMS!

UFC Lightheavyweight rising star Jon “Bones” Jones will make his debut appearance on the show after scoring the biggest win of his career at UFC 94 against Stephan Bonnar. We’ll get into the fight, Jon’s dynamic fighting style and how the 21 year old fighter takes it all in stride.

MMA Mania’s Jesse Holland will join Pep in the Opening Round to break down this weekend’s UFC 95 event and talk about some recent developments in MMA. Make sure to come by and check it out right here on Bodybuilding.com!

MMAWeekly

Friday, February 13, 2009 - by Ken Pishna - MMAWeekly.com  

Quinton Jackson, Chuck Liddell, and Keith Jardine are all fighters that Wanderlei Silva has faced since returning to the UFC. They are also all light heavyweight fighters that, when they are not fighting, walk around well above the 205-pound limit of the weight class.

What weight does Silva walk around at outside of the Octagon?

Try 208 pounds.

It’s no surprise then that “The Axe Murderer’s” recent UFC record is 1-2 against that cast of characters. He doesn’t pawn off his losses to the disparity in size, though.

“I think it is the technique,” Silva told MMAWeekly.com, saying that he lowered his hand against Jackson at UFC 92 and the former UFC light heavyweight champion took advantage.

He does realize, however, that contrary to popular belief size does matter. He’s ready to drop down and see if he is a fit in the middleweight division.

“Yeah, I could try because every guy in my division have to cut to 205 and my normal is 208. I’m going to test now… I’m going to cut my weight. Maybe I go to fight in my next fight at 185,” says Silva. Always toeing the company line, he’s not ready to make a permanent move, adding, “I could fight in both divisions; I could fight 185 and 205.”

It’s not something that he jumped into overnight. Silva has been talking about 185 for a long time, but it looks like the UFC is ready for the move, too. “I’ve been lots and lots of thinking about this now, I see what (UFC president) Dana (White) wants. What he wants (me) to fight, no problem. I talk with (UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva and… say no problem, I’m down for 185? He say, no problem.”

Talking with the famed Brazilian knockout artist, there is a sense that whatever comes his way next, he has finally broken in his new house and made it a comfortable home with the UFC.

“In three fights in UFC, I had all places. I lose one hard fight with Chuck, I beat one guy so fast, one guy beat me, it’s too much experience,” relayed Silva. “I’m thinking now I have much more lessons for to give my fighters.”

Now it’s just a matter of time. Despite the onslaught of UFC events in the near term, it appears Silva will be making final preparations for his next bout in the sizzling summer heat at his new gym in Las Vegas.

He’s anxious to step back in the Octagon, though his five-year-old son is reaping the benefits of dad’s down time. Silva finds himself playing with his son in the morning instead of having to go straight to the gym.

“My life is fighting. I love to fight. Now I wake up in the morning and… where am I going? I play with my son,” he says with a grin on his face, but his eyes belying the call of his chosen profession.

“My work is training. I need to train. Now I want to train more,” he commanded. ” I don’t know what plans the UFC, but I am ready for to fight in June or July.”

See Forum.

by Lotfi Sariahmed, Sherdog.com

The UFC’s second trip to Montreal is in jeopardy following a decision by the Quebec Boxing Commission this week to adhere to regulations that prohibit elbow and knee strikes and other standard MMA moves.

Sportsnet.ca was the first to report on the story on Thursday.

Nearly 13,000 tickets have been sold for UFC 97 “Redemption,” scheduled to take place at the Bell Centre in Montreal on April 18, according to Marc Ratner, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs for the UFC. The show, which pits middleweight champion Anderson Silva against jiu-jitsu ace Thales Leites, may face tough choices in the coming days though.

The UFC broke attendance and box office records with its first event on Canadian soil 10 months ago, though that show was regulated under rules more akin to the unified rules of combat recognized throughout North America.

From 2000-2008, the Universal Combat Challenge, later renamed TKO, held 44 of its 46 events in Quebec under similar regulations as well.

But now Québécois officials are saying the province does not have the latitude to allow those or any other set of regulations outside of the ones they already have in place.

“We had a tolerance for the application of the rules in the past,” Réjean Thériault, director of communications for the combat sports division of the Governing Body of Alcohol, Races and Games of Quebec (RACJ), which oversees the commission, told Shedog.com on Thursday. “We learned today that we had a place for tolerance and we didn’t know. Now we know the rules under which to live. We informed all the promoters last week that they must now respect the rules of Quebec.”

Those rules regulate boxing, kickboxing and “mixed boxing,” which is described as a combination of boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and jiu-jitsu. Along with the prohibition of elbow and knee strikes both standing and grounded, the regulations also state that a referee will utilize a standing count to check on a fighter that has been knocked down.

The Octagon might also face downsizing to comply with the requirements, said Thériault.

Ratner, who has been in close contact with both the RACJ and commission in the last few days, said he believes the genesis for the sudden turn-around came from the near-riot that occurred last Friday at a Strikebox/Titans Fighting event in Montreal.

That event, promoted by former TKO president Stephan Patry, aimed to utilize MMA striking rules, but negated the ground aspect of the sport. However, the commission advised Patry that the proposed rule changes would not be allowed, and that the show would follow MMA regulations instead.

A private agreement amongst a majority of the fighters to keep the bouts standing was followed until the main event, when British brawler James Thompson took down Steve Bosse and began to ground-and-pound the Canadian hockey enforcer. The crowd of nearly 1,200 spectators erupted in disapproval, throwing chairs and beer cans. The commission called the contest, while the fighters had to be escorted out of the cage by security.

Though Thériault acknowledges that the Strikebox/Titans fiasco played a role in what appears to be a sudden adherence to the rules on hand, he said the decision has already been in the works for some time.

“[The Strikebox scenario] was an important part of getting us to this point, but Richard Renaud [Director of the Division of Combat Sports in the RACJ], who is replacing Mario LaTraverse, has been working with the President of the RACJ, Denis Racicot to change the sport, and noted that we had tolerated the [past] rules,” Thériault said.

Ratner believes LaTraverse’s retirement from the commission has also played a role in the recent events, but sees a positive outcome on the horizon.

“We’re aware of the situation and working with [the RACJ and the Quebec Boxing Commission] to resolve the situation,” Ratner told Sherdog.com on Thursday. “I’m confident that this will all work out.”

While Ratner said discussions regarding the rules would continue into next week, Thériault emphasized that the RACJ was neither making any drastic changes nor trying to run the UFC out of town.

“We’re not following any new rules,” he said. “We’re following the rules that are in place.”

Loretta Hunt contributed to this report.

Check out the latest installment of MMA Live on ESPN. This is a great internet show that does a solid job of covering many aspects of the MMA world. What’s in store for a number of UFC fighters? Check it out at http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/video?id=3902821

Florian Denies GSP Email, Plans for Penn Bout
by Loretta Hunt, Sherdog.com

Kenny Florian knew that trash talk would be par for the course gearing up towards a fight with UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn. However, he didn’t quite expect the kick-off he got on Tuesday.

Penn, who’s been nursing his wounds since his four-round loss to welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 94 on Jan. 31, expressed surprise that Florian planned to train with the French Canadian fighter, claiming that Florian had previously contacted Penn to warn him of St. Pierre’s proclivity to “grease up” before fights.

Penn dropped the bombshell statement during his first sit-down video interview since UFC 94 on BJPenn.com.

“That is kind of surprising to me because Kenny is actually the guy who tipped us off that GSP was going to be greasing,” said Penn. “He actually e-mailed me and tipped me off.”

Florian, who once trained with the popular Hawaiian fighter in his homeland, seemed flabbergasted by Penn’s assertion.

“I’ve never emailed a fighter about anything like that. I don’t even have B.J. Penn’s email,” a puzzled Florian told Sherdog.com on Tuesday. “I’d love to see that email. I would say print that email and show it to everybody. Where’s this mystery email?”

Florian, 32, also dispelled any possibility that the two had exchanged the alleged information by other means.

“I haven’t spoken to B.J. — besides ‘hello’ — since January of 2007,” he said. “I’ve never trained with [St. Pierre] in the past. I have no motive in saying that. Even if I knew, would I say that? I know of other fighters who have [greased] and I don’t say anything to anybody.”

Florian, who busted through Joe Stevenson in four minutes at UFC 91 last November, has gone 6-0 in the Octagon since his unanimous decision loss to then-champion Sean Sherk at UFC 64 in October 2006.

The Boston native is widely considered the No. 1 contender to Penn’s lightweight throne, though the controversy surrounding greasing allegations by St. Pierre’s corner and subsequent aspirations for a rematch have threatened to derail a Penn-Florian showdown.

Florian (11-3) interpreted Penn’s latest revelation as a step back in his direction at least.

“I was a little worried [about a St. Pierre-Penn rematch coming first],” said Florian. “From what I heard, it did really well with the pay-per-view and a lot of people turned up for it. The UFC certainly could have made a lot of money doing the third one, but I think the overwhelming response was –- I didn’t realize how big of a fight it would be between me and B.J. until I saw the polls and people talking on the Interweb. People want to see me fight B.J. and it feels good to know that.”

Florian suggested that Penn “feels threatened” by the fighter’s intentions to train with St. Pierre, and described the Hawaiian’s comments as “a mind game.” Florian hopes to join the multi-talented 170-pound king in Montreal sometime in March.

Penn’s assessment of Florian the fighter was far less controversial.

“He’s very good,” said Penn during the hour-long interview. “He’s very well rounded. He’s a black belt in jiu-jitsu. He’s obviously improved his wrestling and he’s a southpaw muay Thai fighter with great kicks. He can box, he can elbow, he can knee. He’s a mixed martial artist. He is. I give Kenny that: He’s a mixed martial artist, and I’ve got my work cut out for me.”

The UFC has not officially offered Florian a title shot against Penn (13-5-1) yet, though the part-time ESPN correspondent anticipates a return to the Octagon in June or July. Penn confirmed that his reps are currently negotiating the bout with the UFC.

Known as a cerebral competitor, Florian’s reasons for training with St. Pierre are two-fold.

“He’s trained everyone to fight against me. He trained both [Sam] Stout and [Roger] Huerta to fight me,” said Florian. “and obviously, he got a first-hand account of fighting B.J. –- twice. He’s gone seven rounds with B.J., so that’s some good information to get. Hopefully Georges will forget about the email I sent B.J. Penn and share it with me.”

Joe Hall contributed to this article.

By Elliot Worsell,
UFC.com

Nate ‘The Great’ Marquardt isn’t superstitious and he doesn’t believe in luck. When you’re 30-8-2 and a former UFC title challenger, luck is something you discarded long ago. Besides, Marquardt feels luck is for the inferior man.

UFC 88: Breakthrough

So when you ask the Denver favourite whether he’ll strike it third time lucky against a Brazilian at UFC 95, you know what answer to expect.

“Nah, I don’t think luck will have anything to do with it,” says Marquardt, of his fight with Wilson Gouveia in London on February 21st. “I think I’m going to win and luck won’t be needed for this fight.”

The question was asked due to the fact that Marquardt, one of the leading middleweight contenders in the UFC, has recently hit the proverbial wall when up against Brazilians. The only two losses in his eight UFC bouts have come at the hands of Brazilians, namely Anderson Silva and Thales Leites. Not bad Brazilians to lose to, one must hasten to add. Marquardt was swamped by Silva in the first-round and unlucky to lose a foul-ridden three-rounder to Leites.

Conquerors of ‘The Great One’, Silva and Leites now square off in April at UFC 97 to decide the middleweight championship. Marquardt will be a keen observer.

“Whichever guy gets their game plan right will be the one that wins,” assesses Nate. “Obviously Thales wants to get it down to the ground, but if Thales can use his footwork and his defence and seize the opportunities to take Anderson down without rushing in, he could have a chance.

“He mustn’t rush in and take Anderson down, though. That way he’ll just walk into a load of punishment. He’s definitely got a chance once things get to the ground. Thales is a lot stronger on the ground than Anderson and technically a lot better.”

Having shared Octagon time with both Brazilians, Marquardt is better positioned than most to break down their impending middleweight title fight. Despite claiming Leites would be better suited to take things south with Silva, Nate knows only too well how dangerous Leites can be with his fists. Back in June at London’s The O2, Marquardt had to drag himself up off the floor following a Leites right hand.

“Thales has a really long reach,” he continues. “He may even have a longer reach than Anderson. So although I think his best shot is on the ground, Thales can also hold his own on his feet. He’ll be at disadvantage, for sure, but I definitely give Thales a shot wherever the fight goes.”

Marquardt’s interest in their April 18 dust-up extends beyond the mere fact he can call himself a common opponent. Marquardt would love nothing more than to fight the winner – preferably Silva.

“Oh, definitely,” enthuses Nate. “That’s my goal right now. I want that rematch with Anderson. I know I can do better than I did first time round, and I’ve improved a lot since our first meeting. I now know I can beat him.”

In July 2007, Marquardt attempted to beat Silva and quickly realised it was a job easier said than done. Stopped with only seconds to go in the first round, Marquardt cut a bewildered and, ultimately, overwhelmed figure. Thoughts of a rematch were a long way from his mind back then.

“I gave him way too much respect and fell away from my own game plan,” explains Marquardt. “That’s not to take anything away from Anderson, though. He’s a great fighter and it would be a tough fight either way.”

Before Marquardt can even begin dreaming of sharing Octagon space with Silva again, the Colorado resident must first derail the title intentions of another Brazilian, Wilson Gouveia. Whilst not possessing the seek-and-destroy aura of Silva, Gouveia is a capable middleweight with dangerous striking and a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

“I’m really excited to be fighting Wilson,” says Marquardt, a fellow black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. “I’m excited to be fighting in London and also to be co-main event. It sounds like they’re really hyping the fight out there.

“I’m definitely excited to get back in there.”

Hard pressed to find any weaknesses in his own varied arsenal, Marquardt is confident of his chances against the equally versatile Gouveia.

“I definitely match up well with Wilson,” admits Nate. “I feel that I’ll be technically better than him in all areas and will also be quicker and stronger than him. He’s a very tough guy, but I feel as though I hold all the advantages. He’ll probably come on real strong in that first round, but I’ll just have to make sure I also come out at 100% in the first round. From there, the fight will be mine.

“There’s not one area of his game that I’d say I’m afraid of or am not going to fight him at. I’m happy to fight him on our feet and on the ground. I’m anticipating him looking to keep the fight standing. I’m pretty sure he’ll want to try and strike. If he takes me down he’ll be in trouble. I’m ready for anything, though. I really don’t mind where it goes. This is definitely going to be a great fight. I’m going to be looking to knock him out and he’ll be hoping to do the same to me.”

Now well-versed at dealing with the various styles of Brazilian mixed martial artists, Marquardt hopes to be in a better position at The O2 on February 21st than he was last June, when dropping a frustrating decision to Leites. As far as similarities go, a Brazilian opponent in London is about where it begins and stops.

“They’re different,” says Marquardt, of similarities between Gouveia and former foe Leites. “I think Gouveia’s stand-up is a little better, but he’s not going to be as big or as strong on the ground as Thales. Everybody is different and everybody has their own strengths.”

Marquardt’s main strength appears to be his ability to run through the middleweight division before walking into the vicious strikes of champion Silva. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you Marquardt is as good as any other middleweight out there not born in Curitiba, Brazil and nicknamed ‘The Spider’.

Marquardt’s first-round demolition of the highly-touted Martin Kampmann last September merely emphasised the fact.

“I didn’t necessarily expect to beat him that quickly, but I definitely thought I was going to beat him,” recalls Marquardt. “I knew I had the style to beat Kampmann and I had a feeling it would be done in impressive fashion. I have a lot of belief in my abilities, my training partners and my coaches. When we get things right, the results are usually great.
Click here to find out more!

“Kampmann had beaten Thales and was a good name on the rise. A few people were taking about him. It was good to beat someone like that in impressive fashion. I think it made a bit of a statement.”

It’s all about making statements from this point on for Marquardt. Already considered a veteran of the mixed martial arts scene at only 29 years of age, Marquardt is prepared to travel anywhere and beat anyone to further his climb up the middleweight ladder. If he’s told to pack his bags and face a Brazilian in London, he’s there. It’s all part of the bigger plan.

“The fans were great in London last time,” says Marquardt, recalling his last stop to England in June. “Everybody over there treated us well. We love it over there and I’m excited to go back there. Obviously, when you fight at home it’s easier because you’re used to the surroundings and don’t have to deal with any jet lag. It doesn’t bother me to fight overseas, though. I’m kind of used to it and like travelling around a lot.”

A natural jet setter, Marquardt is looking to add more consistency and stability to his fighting form. There will be less recklessness against Gouveia on February 21st. He won’t take the chances he did with Leites at the same arena in June.

There’s too much at stake now.

“I want to fight Anderson for the title,” he reiterates. “I want to rematch him. I don’t want to have to fight someone else for the belt. Thales could win in April, and it would be nice to rematch him, but it would be even nicer to fight Anderson again. I’d really like that.

“A title shot has always been my aim. I don’t want to force it too early, but I’m ready whenever and wherever it happens.”

Marquardt will travel all around the world to locate that elusive middleweight title belt. One thing’s for sure – whomever it is holding that belt, judging by Marquardt’s past luck, it’ll no doubt be a Brazilian.

The line up is set and the bouts are just a few weeks away. Rampage Jackson will square off against "The Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine. I can tell you Jardine is focused and ready for this fight. He is part of Greg Jackson’s camp and was recently in Colorado training with Nate Marquardt. This main event will be one helluva fight. The other fight on this card that I am particularly interested in watching is Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga. This will be Shane’s toughest opponent to date in the UFC and if he makes it through Gonzaga he’s one step closer to a a title fight.

    Main event:
    205 lbs.: Quinton Jackson (29-7) vs. Keith Jardine (14-4-1)

    Main card (Televised):
    205 lbs.: Matt Hamill (5-2) vs. Mark Munoz (5-0)
    265 lbs.: Shane Carwin (10-0) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (10-3)
    155 lbs.: Jim Miller (13-1) vs. Gray Maynard (6-0)
    170 lbs.: Pete Sell (8-4) vs. Matt Brown (8-7)

    Under card (May not be broadcast):
    185 lbs.: Kendall Grove (9-5) vs. Jason Day (17-7)
    205 lbs.: Tim Boetsch (8-2) vs. Jason Brilz (16-1-1)
    205 lbs.: Brandon Vera (9-3) vs. Mike Patt (12-3)
    170 lbs.: Ryan Madigan (5-0) vs. Tamdan McCrory
    155 lbs:: Aaron Riley (27-10-1) vs. Shane Nelson (11-3)

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Feb 10, 2009 at 2:04 pm ET

Spike TV’s Feb. 7 broadcast of “UFC Fight Night 17: Lauzon vs. Stephens” peaked with a 1.51 rating and two million viewers during the 15-minute block that featured the night’s main event between Joe Lauzon and Jeremy Stephens, Spike TV today announced.

Overall, the two-hour broadcast scored 1.3 rating and averaged 1.7 million viewers.

It ranked No. 1 in the key Men 18-49 and Men 18-34 demographics among ad-supported cable stations for the time period.

The event took place at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Fla. Although the UFC had held four previous events in the state of Florida, the organization had never ventured to Tampa before this past weekend’s event, which drew a near-soldout crowd of 7,596.

Overall, the ratings took a slight dip compared to Spike TV’s two most recent UFC broadcasts. A Dec. 13 airing of The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale earned a 1.3 rating and averaged 1.9 million viewers. UFC Fight Night 16, which Spike TV broadcast on Dec. 10, also scored a 1.3 rating with 1.9 million viewers.

UFC Fight Night 17 featured Lauzon’s submission victory over Stephens in the night’s headline bout. Also on the televised main card, heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez easily dispatched Denis Stojnic, Josh Neer submitted Mac Danzig in a “Fight of the Night” lightweight contest, and Anthony Johnson scored a TKO victory over Luigi Fioravanti.

MMAjunkie.com.

Episode 34: February 9, 2009

UFC Lightweight Contender Clay Guida & Fight Night Recap Headline Pro MMA Radio!

UFC Lightweight Contender Clay Guida came by after the biggest win of his career at UFC 94 over Nate Diaz. We talked about the fight, his disappointing loss to Roger Huerta, who might be next for him and more.

Yahoo’s Cage Writer, Steve Cofield, joined Pep in the Opening Round to talk Vaseline Gate, P4P and UFC Fight Night. Check it out!

      Complete Replays Available: UFC Champion Randy “The Natural” Couture, Sean Sherk, Rashad Evans, Joe Lauzon and many more! Click here.

If you’re in Las Vegas this is one gym worth checking out. Equipped with a number of things you’ll be hard pressed to find in other gyms…

By Michael DiSanto, UFC.com

Few expected UFC newcomer Denis Stojnic to conquer heavyweight golden boy Cain Velasquez on Saturday night, partly because he was an unknown commodity in the domestic mixed martial arts community. But he was far more dangerous of an opponent than most realized.

Not only is Stojnic a sambo black belt, he is a member of the fearsome Golden Glory kickboxing team. The latter means that he hones his striking skill with a full stable of murderous strikers, including Alistair Overeem and Semmy Schilt, while the former means that he is well versed in throws and submissions, particularly leg locks.

Of course, Velasquez isn’t fast becoming a heavyweight cult hero for nothing. The hot UFC prospect is a two-time Division I All American wrestler from Arizona State University that is learning his way around the Octagon under the expert tutelage of American Kickboxing Academy trainers Javier Mendez (a former world champion kickboxer) and Dave Camarillo (a renowned Jiu Jitsu black belt and skilled Judoka). But Velasquez has only been training submission defense for a few scant years, so takedowns would be risky against a sambo black belt like Stojnic. Thus, most fight cognoscenti expected the former wrestler to come out and try and outbox the Golden Glory kickboxer.

Velasquez did just that, fighting behind a surprisingly effective left jab, hard right hands and constant head movement. Stojnic was game to exchange on the feet. More than once, he countered Velasquez’s combinations with accurate power punches.

It was at those moments that Team Velasquez had to be holding their collective breath. Nobody really knows whether the athletic heavyweight has a sturdy chin because it had never before been tested inside the Octagon. And few could predict how he would respond to hard shots from a skilled kickboxer.

Velasquez didn’t wilt when Stojnic landed hard shots. He didn’t back up. He fought back like many Mexican warriors who thrilled boxing fans with memorable fights. He temporarily threw caution to the wind, planted his feet and made sure that Stojnic knew that he was not going to be intimidated on the feet or anywhere else. In other words, he lived up to the large tattoo displayed boldly across his upper chest that reads ‘Brown Pride,’ one heck of a statement for a fighter considering the fearless mentality of all the great Latino warriors who have competed in combat sports over the years.

That sort of fighting spirit is what separates Velasquez from many other accomplished amateur wrestlers turned novice mixed martial artists who test their mettle In the Octagon. Mix that spirit with his awe-inspiring work ethic and fans now know why MMA insiders are so high on Velasquez’s future in the heavyweight division.

Velasquez himself was disappointed in his performance because he was unable to stop Stojnic in spectacular fashion. I’m on the other side of that coin. Velasquez’s performance was unbelievably impressive on a number of levels, not the least of which is the hockey stick development of his standup skills. If Velasquez continues working hard to improve his overall skills, then the sky is the limit for this guy.

The big question now is whether the UFC and his management will continue bringing him along slowly for the remainder of 2009 or whether it is time for him to step up against more experienced competition.

NEER CONTINUES TO HUNT DOWN TUF ELITE

Josh Neer calls himself ‘The Dentist.’ A more accurate moniker would be ‘The TUF Hunter.’

The Iowa native has faced TUF alumni in six of his last seven UFC bouts, scoring wins against four of them, including TUF winners Joe Stevenson at Ultimate Fight Night 4 back in 2006 and Mac Danzig last Saturday. And his split decision loss to TUF 5 winner Nate Diaz easily could have gone either way.

The win over Danzig, a fighter considered by many to be an up-and-coming contender in the 155-lb division, puts Neer in the mix for a marquee matchup against one of the big names in the division. Of course, whether he can compete with the lightweight elite remains to be seen.

Nonetheless, Neer is a must-see fighter, a throwback like gladiator cut from the same cloth as former boxing titlist (and universally recognized blood-and-guts champion) Arturo Gatti. His focus seems to sharpen once he starts bleeding. He fires his punches with just a little more malice after he has been hurt. And his guerilla warfare attitude grows with each passing second on the fight clock.

As a result, Neer is never out of a fight until he is either left unconscious on the mat or caught in an inescapable submission hold. And fans love guys like that, boos in Tampa notwithstanding.

Maybe ‘The Dentist’ should forget looking for a fight against a top contender and search out another reality show alumnus so he can keep on his successful run of TUF hunting.

DANZIG STILL TRYING TO FIND HIS WAY IN THE LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION

Mac Danzig was a household name among hardcore mixed martial arts fans long before he taped his first episode of TUF. He spent years building his individual brand by competing and winning in smaller promotions and corresponding with fans on popular message boards. So, expectations were palpable when the first episode of TUF 6 finally aired in September 19, 2007.

Danzig lived up to the hype by winning the 16-man welterweight tournament, often beating naturally larger men. His waltz through the amorphous TUF brackets and later announcement that he would be dropping to his natural division, 155 lbs, for his UFC career served to heighten the expectations following Danzig.

Yet, his 1-2 record in the UFC lightweight division must have his fans scratching their heads as they wonder what is going on. The answer is that nothing is going on. Danzig is a gritty, well rounded competitor who is cutting his teeth the hard way in the ultra-deep lightweight division.

Losses to Clay Guida and Josh Neer are nothing to be ashamed of. Danzig was a game competitor in both fights, but Guida’s wrestling and Neer’s unyielding toughness proved to be too much for the tactician at this point in his young UFC career. Expect Danzig to continue improving in the face of his recent losses. He didn’t win TUF 6 by accident. Danzig is the real deal, though he needs to step up his game now that he is a UFC regular. I think he’ll do just that for the remainder of 2009.

JOHNSON CONTINUES TO IMPRESS

Nobody can deny Anthony Johnson’s talent. The six-foot-two welterweight is a former champion junior college wrestler who uses his wrestling to keep the fight on the feet so that he can showcase his explosive striking skills. Yet, the two question marks hanging over him after five trips to the Octagon are whether he can truly hang with elite-level welters and the depth of his submission game.

Johnson didn’t answer either of those questions on Saturday night, but he did thrill the fans with yet another exciting knockout victory, stopping Luigi Fioravanti with strikes at the 4:39 mark of the opening round. The win might as well be his fourth-consecutive win. The lone loss during his current four-fight stretch was a freak occurrence loss to Kevin Burns back in July. Johnson was clearly winning the entertaining bout until Burns inadvertently poked him in the eye. The referee did not notice the obvious infraction, thus when Johnson was unable to continue, the bout was incorrectly ruled a technical knockout.

Johnson avenged the loss five months later with a savage knockout and followed it up tonight with an even more impressive technical knockout win. Yet, Johnson said afterward that he was dissatisfied with his performance, suggesting that he felt tight during the bout. That is a scary thought because he was extremely impressive against Fioravanti.

What is next for the 24-year-old gladiator remains to be seen, but he is rapidly becoming one of the more promising prospects in the UFC.

IT’S TIME FOR A TRANSFORMATION

Luigi Fioravanti. What a great Italian name. In fact, his forename is the perfect name for a UFC fighter of Italian descent—it means “famous warrior”.

With a somewhat spotty UFC record, Fioravanti may want to consider a physical transformation if he wants to live up to the translation of his forename. The Florida resident looks like
he carries about 10 extra lbs of bad weight on his frame. If he was able to drop that weight and get down under 10% body fat when in fighting shape, then he could either add 10 lbs of muscle and continue competing in the welterweight division as a much stronger combatant or cut to lightweight, where he would be absolutely huge.

DID CLEMENTI BRING TOO MUCH ‘FIGHT’ BACK?

Rich ‘No Love’ Clementi continued his recent struggles, suffering a first-round submission loss to Gleison Tibau via guillotine choke. The loss is Clementi’s second in a row after racking up four consecutive wins inside the Octagon.

In the weeks leading up to the bout, Clementi talked openly about wanting to focus more on fighting once the bell sounded, rather than focusing on game plans and getting too caught up with pre-planned techniques. That didn’t work against the bigger, stronger Tibau.

Clementi is a tough guy, the kind that can hold his own in any back alley situation—there is no doubt about it. His love for combative competition and willingness to fight just about anyone at any time has resulted in Clementi building one of the longest resumes in the UFC lightweight division with more than 50 professional fights. All that experience, plus his years as an instructor have turned him into a refined technician and a cerebral fighter able to breakdown his opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and develop a game plan to use his strengths to exploit those weaknesses.

Whether his loss to Tibau can be chalked up to Clementi not spending enough time breaking down film is a question that only the Louisiana resident and his team can answer. Just going out there and fighting works in lesser mixed martial arts leagues. But the UFC is the best of the best. Its combatants are highly trained athletes, many of whom prepare several hours a day for weeks, if not months, on specific ways to defeat their particular opponent. As Clementi tries to refine his approach to preparing for a fight, he would be well served to keep that notion in the back of his head.

Then again, I’m not telling the cagey veteran anything that he doesn’t already know

The UFC returns to Montreal once again, and their not holding anything back this time. Anderson Silva is finally getting back in the ring and I know everyone was wondering when they would see the "Spider" next. Silva will be fighting Thales Leites (14-1-0). Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell will also be returning to the octagon to face Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Liddell has lost 3 of his last 4 fights and hasn’t been back in the ring since his Sept. loss to Rashad Evans. Rua is coming off a Technical Knockout against Mark Coleman in Jan. Let’s hope for the sake of the fans that both of these fighters are in top shape and bring us an exciting match.

For tickets and more info go to UFC.com