ICF: Power of Champions 2 Results

ICF's Power of Champions 2 took place at John Wood's Warrior Training Center in Las Vegas, Nevada last weekend. The event focused on amateur up and coming fighters and was affliated with ISCF amateur fighting.

Special Guests in attendance included Forest Griffin, Frank Mir, Sam Stout, Amir Sadolah, Matthew Brown, Mike Whithead, Kim Couture and Shawn Tompkins. In addition to the MMA bouts, the event featured 3 Muay Thai contests. MMA fighter Joe Slick was on hand as the referee.

Results:

Robb Anderson def Matt Carpenter via TKO (ground & pnd) R1, 1:23
Derrick Lagasca def Robin Huchinson via Sub (rear naked choke) R1, 2:02
Lizzy Miller def Brooke Guidry via Sub (rear naked choke) R1, 1:56
Presley Lint def Rich St. Claire via TKO (ground & pound) R1, :56
Truett Anderson def Danny Penia via Sub (rear naked choke) R1, 1:51
Lis Braverman def Ivana Coleman via unanimous decision
*Braverman and Coleman had the fight of the night with a three round slugfest.



Expect the ICF to be staging affordable and exciting MMA shows in Vegas in the coming months! Check out http://www.icfights.com/ for details.

Video of the Day - Akiyama v. Nagata

Here is Yoshiro Akiyama v. Katsuhiko Nagata from K-1: Hero's 5 which took place on 5/3/06. Akiyama fights Alan Belcher at UFC 100.

Sengoku 7: Excitement

The last installment of Sengoku 7 delivered on many levels with exciting fights from beginning to end. The action in the featherweight tournament was fast and furious, with Nam Phan and Denis showing knockout power to slick Sandro and Hioki submission victories. Kim Mo again put on a show, busting a pearl white robe out of the closet.

Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal def Ryo Kawamura via unanimous dec- King Mo domining the action and defending his kingdom. Much like a repeat of the Lesnar v. Herring fight, King Mo got takedows at will dominating Ryo. In the first, Mo landed some slams, and throughout the fight, got Ryo's back throwing knees and punches. While Kawamura was able to last the entire fight, he took quite a bit of punishment, including devastating knees to the hamstrings.

Jim York def James Thompson via KO(punch) R1, 4:33- Both fighters stood and traded punches, but York got to Thompson first. A few punches rocked Thompson, who tried to get a double leg takedown. However, York would not allow a takedown, and near the end of the first round threw a nasty punch which sent Thompson to the canvas.

FW Tournament:

Hatsu Hioki def Chris Manuel via sub (arm bar) R1, 4:12- Hioki showed superior grappling skills as he outworked Manuel, eventually getting a beautifully executed armbar in the first round.

Nam Phan def Hideki Kadowaki via TKO (punch) R1, 3:09- Phan and Kadowaki threw as many punches as you could fit into 3 minutes in this fight. But Phan had the more accurate strikes, throwing a devastating right hand which leveled Kadowaki.

(Nam Phan pictured)

Michihiro Omigawa def LC Davis via unanimous dec- LC Davis looked like he was fighting without energy throughout the fight. Omigawa got takedowns at will and was able to land punches.

Marlon Sandro def Matt Jaggers via sub (standing head and arm choke) R2, 2:57- Sandro was able to take Jaggers down at will in the first, but Jaggers always managed to get up and out of trouble. However in the second, with Bas Rutten and Jaggers corner thinking Sandro was stalling, the two made it to the feet. However, Jaggers left an arm out and Sandro sunk in a deep, nasty head and arm choke. Jaggers was unconscious very quickly.
*MMA Blaster Submission of the Night.

Masanori Kanehara def Jong Man Kim via unanimous dec- Kanehara won the fight with stining low kicks and controlling the action on the ground.

Chan Sung Jung def Shintaro Ishiwatari via sub (rear-naked choke) R1, 4:29- Jung came out throwing wild punches with Ishiwatari looking more conventional. However a looping punch found its mark and knocked Ishiwatri to the ground. From there, Jung pounced on his wobbled foe and finished the fight with a rear naked choke.

Ronnie Mann def Tetsuya Yamada via unanimous dec- This was an entertaining fight that featured kicks, knee bar attempts, takedowns, and sweeps. It was back and forth, and Yamada almost got an upkick KO. But Ronnie Mann pressed the action more and was closer to finishing the fight. Mann took the decision.
*MMA Blaster Fight of the Night.

Nick Denis def Seiya Kawahara via TKO (strikes) R1, 2:36- Denis may have entered the fight an underdog, but with emotion on his side he brought some serious thunder. He connected on a head kick early, then punches, another kick, and followed Kawahara to the ground throwing hammerfists until Kawahara's corner threw in the towel.
*MMA Blaster KO of the Night.

Bellator Fighting Championships

Bellator Fighting Championships is slated to debut on ESPN Deportes on April 4, 2009. The format of the show will consist of 12 episodes with a run time of 2 hours shown on tape delay. The shows will feature 8 man tournaments in the 145, 155, 170 and 185 pound divisions played out over 3 months. There will also be non-tournament bouts featured.

Here are five quality fighters that are rumored tourney participants:

Wilson Reis (6-0) is an intriguing prospect in the featherweight, 145 pound, division. Wilson is a BJJ blackbelt who grew up in Brazil and moved to the states a few years ago. The submission specialist has 3 submission and 3 decision victories on his resume with a 4-0 mark in Pro Elite's Elite XC and Sho XC organizations. His last two victories were over Abel Cullum (13-2) and Brian Caraway (10-3).
*Wilson is slated to face Henry Martinez on April 10th.

(Wilson Reis pictured)

Eddie Alvarez (15-2) made a name for himself last year by having an excellent run in the Dream Lightweight Grand Prix. His entertaining street brawling mixed with wrestling style thrilled the fight fans of Japan as he beat Andre Amade, Joachim Hansen and Kawajiri in the tournament. Eddie is a former BoDog 170 pound champ, knocking out veteran fighter Derrick Noble (23-11) in 1:01 of the first round for the title, he defended the title over UFC vet Aaron Riley. In his last fight, Alvarez was baited to the ground by submission wizard Shinya Aoki and submitted via heel hook in the first round.
*Eddie is slated to face Greg Loughran (18-11) on April 3rd.

(Eddie Alvarez pictured)

Jorge Masvidal (16-3) is a 155 pound American Top Team member fighting out of Miami, Florida. He has lighting quick hands and feet which have produced some outstanding knockouts. Jorge has fought in the Sengoku/World Victory Road, Strikeforce and Bodog promotions. His big victories have come over UFC vets Yves Edwards, Joe Lauzon and IFL champ Ryan Schultz.
*Jorge is slated to face Nick Agallar (21-5) on April 3rd.

(Jorge Masvidal pictured)

Hector Lombard (18-2) is a famous 185 pound Cuban fighter with an excellent Judo background. Hector brings a 10 fight win streak into Bellator. He won the Australian based Cage Fighting Championships MW belt in November of 2007 and has defended three straight times. In his last fight, Hector beat Brian Ebersole (37-15) in the fourth round via a submission due to punches.
*Hector is slated to face Virgil Lozano (6-1) April 17th.

(Hector Lombard pictured)

Dave Menne (42-15) was the first Middleweight Champion of the UFC when he defeated Gil Castillo at UFC 33. Menne has been competing since 96' and has many victories not listed among his official 42 victories. His other big career moments were winning tournaments in Hook and Shoot, Extreme Challenge, Gladiators and Shidokan. Menne has big victories were over Carlos Newton, Jose Landi-Jons, Chris Lytle, Roberto Traven and Dennis Hallman. He'll be competing in the 170 pound tournament.
*Menne is slated to face Norman Paraisy (5-0) on April 17th.

(Dave Menne pictured)

WEC 40 Chicago - Preview

WEC 40 takes place April 5th at the UIC Pavillion in Chicago, Illinois. There is a solid lineup of fights that will take place. The undercard is stacked with Wagnney Fabiano, Eddie Wineland, Manny Tapia, Bart Palaszewski and Rafeal Dias. Expect to see some quick and exciting action.

Miguel Torres vs. Takeya Mizugaki- This fight is for the 135 pound bantam weight title. Torres (35-1, 4-0 WEC), won the BW belt at WEC 32 over Chase Beebe and has defended against Yoshiro Maeda and Manny Tapia. Torres is a relentless, creative and entertaining fighter who has an endless supply of energy. Expect him to go big in this fight in his hometown.

(Miguel Torres pictured)

Takeya Mizugaki (11-2, 0-0 WEC) is a late replacement for Brian Bowles, who had to withdraw due to injury. Mizugaki is a veteran of the Japanese Shooto and GCM promotions and is currently riding a 5 fight win streak. He was a Shooto rookie of the year in 2003.


Joseph Benavidez vs. Jeff Curran- This match sets up nice to determine a number 1 contender for the BW Title. Curran (29-10, 2-2 WEC) has had a tough past two fights losing via guillotine against Urijah Faber and a decision to Mike Thomas Brown. Curran should look to take the fight to the ground to utilize his submission game. He has fought in the UFC, IFL and Pride with big wins over Rafael Assuncao, Wagnney Fabiano, Jason Dent and Bao Quach.

(Jeff Curran pictured)

Joe Benavidez (9-0, 1-0 WEC) is an up and coming prospect who trains with Urijah Faber. Benavidez fought in local promotions before being called to fight in Dream, defeating Junya Kudo (7-2) at Dream 5. In his lone WEC fight, Benavidez seemed tenantive at times, but was crisp in his striking. He notched a unanimous victory over Danny Martinez.

(Joe Benavidez pictured)

Ben Henderson vs. Shane Roller- Ben Henderson (8-1, 1-0 WEC) has six submission victories on his resume. In his last two fights he won via decision over Diego Saraiva and won his WEC debut over Anthony Njokuani via guillotine choke. Shane Roller (5-1) is a top level wrestler with 3 submissions and 2 TKO's on the win list. Roller won his two WEC fights over Mike Budnick and Todd Moore with the guillotine choke.

Rafael Assuncao vs. Jameel Massouh- Rafeal Assuncao (12-1, 0-0 WEC) is a BJJ blackbelt that some circles put in the top ten at 145. He has 8 submission wins on his resume with victories over Joe Lauzon, Jorge Masvidal and Joe Pearson. Massouh (21-4, 0-0 WEC) has fought many times out of Wisconsin's FCC promotion. Recently, Massouh has fought in Pancrase.

UNDERCARD

Anthony Njokuani vs. Bart Palaszewski
Dominick Cruz vs. Ivan Lopez
Diego Nunes vs. Cub Swanson
Wagnney Fabiano vs. Fredson Paixao
Eddie Wineland vs. Rani Yahya
Akitoshi Tamura vs. Manny Tapia
Mike Budnik vs. Rafael Dias

Dream 8 Preview

Dream will also have an event going on Sunday, April 5th in its Dream 8 event. The event kick off the Dream 8-man 170 pound tournament. Also, the last 139 pound bout will take place in Hata v. Tokoro. The event will be shown on a 5 day delay on HDNet. The headliner bout between Sergei Kharitonov and Jeff Monson should be interesting, as Sergei only fought once in 2008 beating Jimmy Abriz.

Non-Tourney Bouts

Sergei Kharitonov vs. Jeff Monson
Katsuhiko Nagata vs. Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro
Andrews Nakahara vs. Shungo Oyama
Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa vs. Katsuyori Shibata

170 Pound WW Tournament

Shinya Aoki vs. Hayato "Mach" Sakurai
Jason High vs. Yuya Shirai
Seichi Ikemoto vs. Marius Zaromskis
John Alessio vs. Andre Galvao

139 Pound FW Tournament Final Bout

Daiki "DJ.taiki" Hata vs. Hideo Tokoro


(Sergei Kharitonov pictured)

UFC Fight Night 18 Preview

UFC Fight Night 18 will air next Wednesday, April 1st. The card features former WEC welterweight champ Carlos Condit v. Martin Kampmann. After the show will be the premier of The Ultimate Fighter Season 9. With 8 undercard fights, expect some quick finishes to make the two hour timeslot.

Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann- I expect these two to test it on the feet before Condit attempts to get the fight to the ground. Carlos Condit (23-4, 0-0 UFC) is a superb grappler with 13 submissions 10 T/KO's on his resume. Condit won the WEC WW title against John Alessio and defended against Brock Larson, Carlo Prater and Hiromitsu Miura. Condit has fought in Pancrase and Rumble on the Rock with wins against Frank Trigg, Koji Oishi, Ross Ebanez and Renato Verissimo.

(WEC Champ Carlos Condit pictured)

Martin Kampmann (14-2, 5-1 UFC) comes from a kickboxing background, but he has an excellent submission game. He is most popular for the come from behind arm triangle victory against Drew McFedries at UFC 68. Kampmann's UFC victories have come against Jorge Rivera, Crafton Wallace, Thales Lietes and Alexandre Barros.

(Martin Kampmann kicks Thales Leites)

Ryan Bader vs. Carmelo Marrero- This is a grappler v. grappler match-up that favors TUF 9 champ Ryan Bader. Bader won TUF 9 with a nasty KO of Vinny Magalhaes. Bader (8-0, 1-0 UFC) may stand and trade with Marrero, denying his takedown attempts. To get to the finals of TUF, Bader subbed Kyle Kingsbury, KO'd Tom Lawlor and won a unanimous decision over Eliot Marshall.

(Ryan Bader pictured)

Carmelo Marrero (10-2, 1-2 UFC) was also wrestler in college, but competing in the junior college circuit doesn't compare to Bader's All-American status at ASU. Marrero is most known for his split decision defeat of Cheick Kongo at UFC 64. After that win, Marrero lost to Gabriel Gonzaga and Wilson Gouveia and was cut from the UFC. Marrero has stormed back, winning 4 fights straight with his last over Steve Steinbeis in the WEC.

(Carmelo Marrero pictured)

Rafael dos Anjos vs. Tyson Griffin- Tyson Griffin (12-2, 5-2 UFC) is a top level wrestler with some big wins in and out of the UFC. Inside the UFC, Griffin was within grasp of a title shot, but lost to Sean Sherk last October. Before the UFC, he TKO'd Urijah Faber and Duane Ludwig. Inside the UFC, Griffin has decision wins over Clay Guida, Marcus Aurelio, Gleison Tibau and Thiago Tavares while submitting David Lee.

(Tyson Griffin pictured)

Dos Anjos (11-3, 0-1 UFC) was dominating Jeremy Stephens with excllent grappling for two rounds of his UFC debut. Unfortunately, in the third round Stephens unleased an uppercut that put out dos Anjos out. Outside the UFC, dos Anjos has wins in Brazil and Japan, with his biggest win over Takafumi Otsuka

Junie Browning vs. Cole Miller- Surprising Cole Miller is the one running his mouth before this fight saying he will give Junie a beatdown in this battle of TUF veterans. Cole Miller (14-3, 3-1 UFC) is a lanky 155 pound fighter, who has an excellent triangle. Miller has a last second submission of the night victory over Jorge Gurgel in his last fight. Prior to that, Miller lost to Jeremy Stephens, beat Leonard Garcia via decision and Andy Wang.

(Cole Miller pictured)

Junie Browning (3-0, 1-0 UFC) looked impressive in the TUF 8 finale, beating up Frank Mir favorite Dave Kaplan. The first round Junie looked to have good stand-up and in the second was able to get an arm-bar. My guess is that Junie will look to keep the fight standing, getting inside to take away Miller's reach.

(Junie Browning's Hand Grenade Tattoo)

UNDERCARD

Jeremy Stephens vs. Gleison Tibau
Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Horwich
Brock Larson vs. Jesse Sanders
Nick Catone vs. Tim Credeur
Nissen Osterneck vs. Jorge Rivera
Rob Kimmons vs. Joe Vedepo
Tim McKenzie vs. Aaron Simpson
Ryan Jensen vs. Steve Steinbeiss (bout canceled after Jensen admitted Adderall usage)

KO Cage presents March Mayhem

KO Cage presents March Mayhem is looking for amateur fighters for their March 28th show in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. The event will take place in the Mt. Vernon Township HS at 7 PM. They are specifically looking for an amateur woman around 150-160 pounds, but need both male and female fighters. Email Lori at ilcountrygirl73@yahoo.com for more information.

Video of the Day - Elbe v. Salmanov

Here is TUF 9 contestant Ray Elbe (20-11) v. Djalili Salmanov at the Governor's Cup in Russia, from 11/10/07. Pretty crazy ending round 2:30. Ray is mainly a Muay Thai fighter who has trained with the legendery Tiger Muay Thai camp in Phuket, Thailand. Elbe's biggest victory was over IFL veteran Donny Liles (12-5).

UFC 96: Jackson Howls

UFC 96 was an excellent fight card with several exciting bouts. As the dust settled, it appears that a Rashad v. Rampage Jackson fight looms on the horizon. Also, heavyweight powerhouse Shane Carwin will be entering the title picture.

Quinton Jackson def Keith Jardine via unanimous dec- Jardine was not able to quell Jackson's power and swarming style as Jackson overwelmed Jardine en route to a unanimous decision. Jackson landed the heavier punches in all three rounds and managed to score a couple takedowns. Jardine landed a couple leg kicks but couldn't mount much offense.

In the second and third rounds, Jackson was able to knock Jardine to the floor with combinations. But Jardine didn't go out and kept fighting. After the decision was read for Rampage, current light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans emerged in the cage. Rampage obliged with a stare down. It now appears that Rampage will take on Rashad Evans for the title, possibly at UFC 98.


Shane Carwin def Gabriel Gonzaga via KO(punch) R1, 1:09- Carwin came out firing again, proving he belongs among the elite in the heavyweight division. After Carwin ate a couple punches and was taken down, the tide turned. Carwin got to his feet and threw a massive punch that clobbered Gonzaga in the face. With Gonzaga rattled, there was no choice but for the ref to jump in.

Matt Brown def Pete Sell via TKO (strikes) R1, 1:32- Pete Sell decided to throw punches and again it proved to be his downfall. Matt Brown is as tough a brawler as they come and he landed a perfect combination sending Sell to the ground. It appeared as though the ref stopped it, but for some reason he didn't. Sell ate more punishment before the bout was called.

Matt Hamill def Mark Munoz via KO (head kick) R1, 3:53- With Mark Munoz looking to turn the bout into a wrestling match, Matt Hamill wasn't having it. Munoz failed at takedown attempts then started to eat punches. Slightly wobbled with his hands dropped, Hamill fired a high kick that landed flush on Munoz, crumpling him to the canvas. The replay showed Hamill's shin strike Munoz' temple, a recipe for a devastating KO.

Gray Maynard def. Jim Miller via unanimous dec- Gray Maynard lived up to his nickname "The Bully" as he pushed around Miller throughout the fight. Maynard used his boxing effectively, throwing combinations while moving in and out. Miller was unsuccessful in attempting takedowns, eating punishment for his efforts. All the judges had the fight 30-27. Maynard now has 4 straight decision victories and is 5-0 in the UFC.

Tamdan McCrory def Ryan Madigan via TKO (strikes) R1, 3:35- McCrory wanted no part of Madigan's stand-up as he was able to get a takedown and bring the fight to the mat. Once there, McCrory worked for mount and threw punches and elbows until the fight was called.

Kendall Grove def Jason Day via TKO (strikes) R1, 1:32- In a must win fight, Kendall came out firing and ready to trade punches. Day backed him up early, but Kendall connected with a couple overhand rights. With Day dazed, Kendall went to the mat to finish the job.

Jason Brilz def Tim Boetsch via unanimous dec- Brilz brought the fight to Boetsch, utilizing takedowns and ground and pound to pick up the decision.

Brandon Vera def Michael Patt via TKO (leg kicks) R2, 1:27- Brandon Vera came out firing, looking crisp in his punches and kicks. It seemed as if every leg kick landed and by the second round, Patt was having trouble standing. The snapping kicks eventually led to Patt being unable to stand and continue.

Shane Nelson def Aaron Riley via TKO (strikes) R1, 0:44- For some reason this fight wasn't broadcast.

WVR Sengoku 7th Battle!

The upcoming Sengoku 7th battle will be shown this Friday on HDNet. It will probably shown at an odd hour, so get your DVR's ready. Sengoku will have the opening round of its 143 pound featherweight grand prix along with two non-tournament bouts. All fighters made weight and are ready to go.

Ryo Kawamura vs. Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal- Mo Lawal is (3-0) in his brief MMA career fighting exclusively in Japan. His "King Mo" persona will be in full effect, as well as his superb wrestling and striking skills. Mo has TKO victories over Travis Wiuff, Fabio Silva and Yukiya Naito. Kawamura (9-3) is a solid fighter in his own right, while fighting primarily in Pancrase before coming to Sengoku. He will have his hands full with Mo.

(Mo Lawal pictured)

James Thompson vs. Jim York- This is a fight between two big bruisers. Punches will be thrown, and one of these big boys will get knocked out. Thompson is coming off an odd NC in the ill fated Strikebox promotion, and a loss to Kimbo Slice. Jim York (9-2) was knocked out in his last fight, but prior to that had 9 straight wins including a win over UFC vet Brad Morris.

Featherweight Tournament Bouts:

I'm looking forward to watching exciting featherweights L.C. Davis, Nam Phan, Marlon Sandro and Hatsu Hioki in their first round match-ups.

Hatsu Hioki vs. Chris Manuel
Nam Phan vs. Hideki Kadowaki
Michihiro Omigawa vs. L.C. Davis
Marlon Sandro vs. Matt Jaggers
Kim Jong Man vs. Masanori Kanehara
Chan Sung Jung vs. Shintaro Ishiwatar
Ronnie Ushiwaka vs. Tetsuya Yamada
Seiya Kawahara vs. Nick Denis

Video of the Day - Tibau v. Camoes

Here is a fight between Gleison Tibau and Fabricio Camoes from Meca Vale Tudo 12 which took place on 7/9/05. Tibau (16-6, 4-3 UFC) is scheduled to fight hard hitter Jeremy Stephens at Ultimate Fight Night 18. Camoes is currently (9-4) and fought twice in the ShoXC division of Elite XC

TUF 9 Cast Revealed

TUF 9 will premier directly after the conclusion of Ultimate Fight Night 18. Spike TV has announced the first 32 participants in the 9th season of The Ultimate Fighter. The UK and US teams will each face 1st round elimination fights before making it into the house. Coaching Team USA will be Dan Henderson, with assistants Krzysztof Soszynski Vinny Magalhaes. Coaching Team UK will be Michael Bisping with Cyrille Diabate as a stand-up coach.

Team USA Welterweights:

Mark Miller (10-4)- Mark was a former member of the IFL's Chicago Red Bears. His career highlights have been a devastating KO of UFC fighter Josh Neer at IFL Chicago and a decision victory against UFC fighter Brad Blackburn. He is mainly a stand-up fighter with a solid Muay Thai game.

(Mark Miller KO's Josh Neer)

Kevin Knabjian (10-3) is a former Eastern Illinois wrestler who brings a four fight win streak into the tournament. He has wins over decent competition in TUF alum Josh Rafferty (9-6), Jacob Kuester (8-3), Mario Stapel (14-11) and Nino Marroquin (5-1). He has 6 KO's and 4 submissions on his record.

Jason Pierce fights out of Miletich Fighting Systems in Iowa. He has a (9-0) or (6-0) record depending on what database you look at. He has fought in the Extreme Challenge promotion with his biggest win over Luke Gwaltney (11-11).

Other US WW's: Ryan Biglar, Christian Fulgium, DaMarques Johnson, Kiel Reid and Ray Elbe (profiled in video below)

Team USA Lightweights:

Jason Dent (19-9) fought twice in the UFC, losing decisions to Gleison Tibau and Roger Huerta. The submission specialist has 14 submission victories on his resume with wins over Hawaiin veteran Kolo Koka (12-11), Harris Sarmiento (25-19) and team USA member Josh Souder (7-2).

(Jason Dent pictured)

Santino DeFranco (13-4) fought once in the IFL losing to Rafeal Dias. With 9 submissions on his resume, his big wins are against Melvin Guillard (21-7), Kevin English (11-7) and Jamal Perkins (9-3).

Richie Whitson (4-0) is an Alaskan fighter now fighting out of Team Quest with coach Dan Henderson. The striker has KO wins over Ray Cooper (14-9) and Schon Ellis (6-2).

Other US LW's Paul Bird, Cameron Dollar, Tom Hayden, Waylon Lowe and Josh Souder.

Team UK Welterweights:

Che Mills has a record of (7-2) or (6-1) depending on what database you look at. He has heavy hands and power in his punches. He has fought primarily in the Cage Rage promotion with big wins over Ross Mason (14-9), Marius Zaromskis (8-2) and Oriol Gaset (6-3).

James Wilks (5-2) trains out of Eric Paulson's gym in California. He has wins over Ray Lizama (7-5) and Roman Mitichyan (5-2).

(James Wilks pictured)

Nicholas Osipczak (3-0) trains out of Pancrase UK. None of his fights have gone out of the first round. His biggest win was over Brendan Flanagan (3-2).

Other UK WW's- Dean Amarasinghe, James Bateman, David Faulkner, Tommy Maguire and Alex Reid

Team UK Lightweights:

Andre Winner (9-2)- Winner was (8-1) before his last two fights where he drew against Abdul Mohamed (16-6) and lost a majority decision to Bendy Casimir (17-5). He has notable victories over Mario Stapel (14-11), teammate Jeff Lawson (13-2) and Daniel Thomas (9-6).

Jeff Lawson (13-2) is probably the frontrunner in the LW division with 11 submission victories on his resume. After a loss to teammate Andre Winner in 06', he has pulled off 10 straight wins. His big wins have come against Greg Loughran (18-11) and Joakim Engberg (4-3). He has crushed alot of cans in his young career. The judo blackbelt was a member of the British national judo team.

(Jeff Lawson pictured)

Ross Pearson has an (8-4) or (9-3) record depending on the database you look at. He is the Strike & Submit British LW Champ and Ultimate Force LW Champ. In his last fight he beat Ian Jones (6-5) via submission.

Martin Stapleton (5-1) is primarily a Muay Thai fighter with solid kicks. He hasn't beaten a fighter with an above 500 record, with his biggest win over Martin Begley (5-9)

Other UK LW's- James Bryan, Dan James, Gary Kelly and A.J. Wenn

WEC 39 Results

WEC 39 produced some exciting moments and was a decent show. With Frank Mir out training, Jens Pulver was on the mic doing the commentary. Mike Thomas Brown looked strong and dominant as he defended his 145 pound belt for the first time.

Mike Thomas Brown def Leonard Garcia via sub (head and arm choke) R1, 1:57- Mike Brown again came out looking like the stronger fighter. Brown connected with an overhand right that fazed Garcia. From there, it was all Brown as Garcia tried to recover. After cutting Garcia with a couple elbows, Brown locked in the fight ending choke in under two minutes. In the post fight interview, Brown said that he would love to fight Urijah Faber again.
*Brown earns Submission of the Night.

(Mike Thomas Brown pictured)

Ricardo Lamas def Bart Palaszewski via unanimous dec- Late replacement Ricardo Lamas came up big in his WEC debut defeating long time vet Bart Palaszewski. Lamas consistently scored takedowns in the fight and dished out some punishment. Bart almost got close to a triangle choke, but just wasn't there. Lamas' best offense came in the first round when he nearly got Bart's back and when standing Lamas kicked him from behind in the face.

Jose Aldo def Chris Mickle via TKO (strikes) R1, 1:39- Aldo was on his game and Mickle kept his hands low. Those two things didn't mix as Aldo landed kicks and punches before a flying knee. Aldo didn't stop until the ref intervened.

Rob McCullough def Marcus Hicks via majority dec- This fight was a snoozer in the first round, and the fans let their disdain be known. The second round had the most action, as Hicks stunnd McCullough and almost got his famous guillotine choke locked. After Rob got out of the choke, he went to work on Hicks with kicks and punches doing some damage. In the third the fight slowed down again with Rob being more active.

Damacio Page def Marcos Galvao via KO (punches) R1, 0:18- Page came out looking absolutely mean in his stare down. Galvao looked a little scared and young, and it showed once the bell rang. Page threw 9 right hand punches, crumpling Galvao before the ref intervened.
*Won KO of the Night.

Danny Castillo def Phil Cardella via split dec
Kenji Osawa def Rafael Rebello via split dec
Alex Karalexis def Greg McIntyre via TKO (punches) R1, 4:19
John Franchi def Mike Budnik via split dec
Mike Pierce def Justin Haskins via TKO (punches) R3, 3:39
Johny Hendricks def Alex Serdyukov via unanimous dec
*Won Fight of the Night.

2008 Exclusives

Here are some exclusive intervies from 2008.

Chuck Grigsby
http://mmablaster.blogspot.com/2007/12/dreams-goals-dedication-chuck-reverend.html

Muhsin Corbbrey
http://mmablaster.blogspot.com/2008/10/spectacular-muhsin-corbbrey.html

Jason Nicholson
http://mmablaster.blogspot.com/2008/10/never-stop-fighting-jason-nicholson.html

Shah Bobonis
http://mmablaster.blogspot.com/2008/10/hollywood-in-hood.html

Larry Landry
http://mmablaster.blogspot.com/2008/11/lethal-leprechaun-larry-landry.html

Gerald Harris
http://mmablaster.blogspot.com/2009/03/gerald-harris-exclusive-interview.html

http://mmablaster.blogspot.com/2008/07/gerald-harris-update.html

TJ O'Brien and Jesse Lund
http://mmablaster.blogspot.com/2008/01/team-revolutions-tj-obrien-and-jesse.html

Douglas Lima
http://mmablaster.blogspot.com/2008/05/aggressor-douglas-lima.html

Video of the Day - Dana White Mario

Here is a funny/weird video of Dana White as Mario produced by Lookoutawhale. Guest appearances by Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, Tito Ortiz, Bas Rutten and Jenna Jameson.

Dream FW Tournament

**I will post results and review once I see the event. Should be broadcast on HDNet shortly!

Dream has announced 15 participants and match-ups in its upcoming 139 pound featherweight tournament. The first round will take place on March 8th on the Dream 7 card. The event will be shown via tape delay on HDNet. The tournament features a couple big names and 4 former WEC fighters.

That field is limited to 15 as veteran Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto (17-1) holds a bye into the second round. Kid beat Rani Yahya in his last fight a year and a half ago and has since had ACL surgery. Kid's big wins have come over Genki Sudo, Royler Gracie, Jeff Curran and Cael Uno.

(Kid Yamamoto's famous flying knee KO of Miyata)

Here are the match-ups:

Masakazu Imanari (15-6-1) v. Atsushi Yamamoto (12-5-1)- Imanari owns wins over WEC champ Mike Thomas Brown, Yoshiro Maeda Robbie Oliver, Jean Silva and Jorge Gurgel. He is a former Cage Rage and DEEP champion. Imanari is known for his prowess in leglocks with 8 leglock, heel hook or toe hold victories. He is one of the favorites in the tournament.

Atsushi Yamamoto's last seven fights have gone to decision, but he has gone 5-2 during that stretch. He won over Hideo Tokoro at Dream 6. Yamamoto holds wins in Shooto and Pancrase.

Chase Beebe (12-3) v. Joe Warren (0-0)- Chase Beebe was the WEC 135 pound champion before being defeated by Miguel Torres. Beebe won the BW title over Eddie Wineland and defended the title against Rani Yahya. Joe Warren is a former Greco-Roman Olympic wrestler.

Micah Miller (10-2) v. Yoshiro Maeda (23-6)- Miller is also a veteran of the WEC with victories over Chance Farrar (7-2) and Jesse Moreng (8-1). Miller is an unorthodox, tall and lanky fighter who should present problems to the Japanese dominated field. Miller fought WEC's 145 pound division but shouldn't have a problem making 139.

Maeda's last two fights were losses in the WEC to Miguel Torres for the 135 pound title and to Rani Yahya. Maeda is a crafty veteran normally fighting at 135. He will be at a size and reach disadvantage to Miller in this fight. In his lone WEC win, Maeda knocked out Charlie Valencia with a kick to the body.

This should be a great fight. If I were ranking the tournament seeds, I would have Miller and Maeda up near the 3-5 mark, so they may have gotten shafted with the match-up.

Wicky Akiyo (9-3-1) v. Abel Cullom (13-2)- Wicky, real name Akiyo Nishiura, is 4-1 in past 5 fights and has fought primarily in Shooto. Cullom is from the United States. In the biggest fight of his career, Cullom lost a unimous decision to BJJ ace Wison Reis in ShoXC. Cullom has a 4-0 King of the Cage record with 8 subs and 4 KO's in his 13 wins.

Takafumi Otsuka (8-3-1) v. Bibiano Fernandes (3-2)- Otsuka was 4-1 in 2008, fighting primarily in Deep. Fernandes is a BJJ blackbelt with two losses to tough competition, Faber and Kid Yamamoto. Fernandes has 2 victories in a row.

Hiroyuki Takaya (9-6-1) v. Kim Jong Won (0-0)- Kim Jong Won is a 1996 Judo Olympian from Korea. Takaya's last two fights were losses in the WEC. Takaya holds wins over Antonio Carvalho and Stephan Palling.

Hideo Tokoro (21-15-1) v. Daiki "DJ.taiki" Hata (9-5-3)- Tokoro has the most experience out of the group. He recently lost via armbar to fellow competitor Atsushi Yamamoto. Tokoro's big wins in his career have been against Brad Pickett, Royler Gracie, and Alexandre Franca "Pequeno" Nogueira.

Hata is a Pancrase and Deep veteran with victory over Yoshiro Maeda. Hata suffered an injury pushing this fight to Dream 8.

Non-tournament Bouts:
Shinya Aoki vs. David Gardner
Mitsuhiro Ishida vs. Daisuke Nakamura
Ross Ebanez vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri

MMA in Louisiana - EFA

If you are in Louisiana and looking for a great show, check out the Elite Fighting Alliance: Rebels Without a Cause. The event takes place on March 14, 2009 in Monroe, Louisiana. There will be a pro tournament in the 170 pound division. Check out http://www.efalliance.com/ for details.

UFC 96 Preview

UFC 96 takes place this Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. The fights will be available on ppv. Here is the current line-up.

MAIN CARD

Quinton Jackson vs. Keith Jardine- The main event could be a quick one or a long battle. Both fighters have produced dramatic results in the UFC. Jardine (14-4, 6-3 UFC) has knocked out former champ Forrest Griffin and won split decisions over Chuck Liddell and Brandon Vera. Jardine, a veteran of TUF 2, has an unorthodox stance and throws very good leg kicks.

Rampage Jackson (29-7, 4-1 UFC), the former champ, is almost guaranteed a title fight against Rashad Evans if he wins. Rampage won the belt with a knockout victory over Chuck Liddell and defended with a decision victory over Dan Henderson. With a long lay-off Jackson lost a razor thin decision to Forrest Griffin before recently defeating Wanderlei Silva in brutal fashion. Expect Rampage to throw big bombs from his feet. If a KO doesn't happen, I expect Rampage to look for a takedown.

(Rampage Jackson pictured)

Matt Hamill vs. Mark Munoz- This will be a battle of two former top notch wrestlers. Hamill is a 3 time Division III national champion. Munoz is a 2 time All-American, winning the Division I title in 2001. Hamill was a stand-out in TUF 3, where he beat veteran fighter Mike Nickels. Hamill (5-2, 5-2 UFC) has the UFC experience factor, getting TKO's against tough opponents in Tim Boetsch, Reese Andy and Seth Petruzelli. His loss to Michael Bisping was perhaps one of the worst decisions in the sport.

(Matt Hamill pictured)

Mark Munoz (5-0, 0-0 UFC) won twice in the WEC before they folded the 205 division. Munoz looks for the takedown early and often, and if he gets it has a good ground and pound game. With Munoz stating he will test his wrestling against Hamill, this will make for a quality fight. Both are extremely strong.

(Mark Munoz pictured)

Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga- This match will prove whether or not Shane Carwin belongs in the heavyweight elite. Carwin (10-0, 2-0 UFC) is an absolute beast, standing 6'4" with 265 pounds of pure muscle. Carwin won the Division II national championship in 1999, and was a runner-up in 1998 and 1997. He knocked Christian Wellish out cold in his UFC debut and Neil Wain in his second fight. No fighter has lasted more than 3 minutes with Carwin.

(Shane Carwin pictured)

Gabriel Gonzaga is no slouch himself, with his young career capped with a devastating head kick KO of uber striker Mirko Cro Cop. Gonzaga (10-3, 6-2 UFC) is a BJJ blackbelt with 6 submissions on his resume. He dropped a tough loss to Randy Couture in his shot at the heavyweight title, and lost to Fabricio Werdum via TKO in his next match. He has since rebounded with a KO of Josh Hendricks and kimura over Justin McCully.

(Gabriel Gonzaga pictured)

Matt Brown vs. Pete Sell- Matt Brown (8-7, 2-1 UFC) will look to stand and trade as brawling is his forte. With a solid BJJ background Sell (8-4, 2-4 UFC) is best when looking to utilize his submission game. Sell gets in trouble when he stands and swings for the fences, which would play into Brown's game.

Gray Maynard vs. Jim Miller- Maynard (6-0, 4-0 UFC) has been climbing the 155 pound ranks with solid wrestling and ground and pound. Then knock on Maynard has been a lack of excitement in his fights, he may try to push the pace here. Miller (13-1, 2-0 UFC) won over Matt Wiman in his last fight on a weeks notice. He will have more time to prepare for this one, but the fight will boil down to whether Miller can pull a submission off his back.

UNDER CARD

Ryan Madigan vs. Tamdan McCrory
Jason Day vs. Kendall Grove
Tim Boetsch vs. Jason Brilz
Mike Patt vs. Brandon Vera
Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley