Video of the Day - Shields v. Cooper

Here is Jake Shields against Ray Cooper for the Shooto MW title in Shooto: Hawaii which took place on 7/9/04. Shields faces Hector Lombard at UFC 171 next.

Shields has held belts in Strikeforce, Elite XC, Rumble on the Rock and Shooto and holds other career wins over Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler, Demian Maia, Tyron Woodley, Mike Pyle, Carlos Condit, Yushin Okami, Martin Kampmann and Dave Menne.

UFC Primetime Episodes 1 and 2

Here are the first two episodes of UFC Primetime - St. Pierre v. Shields, which the UFC has put on youtube to promote the epic match-up.

The fight will take place at UFC 129 on April 30, 2011, and are expected to shatter North American gate and attendance records. The PPV numbers should also be off the charts.



Here is the line-up for UFC 129:

PPV MAIN CARD

Champ Georges St. Pierre v. Jake Shields
Champ Jose Aldo v. Mark Hominick
Jason Brilz v. Vladimir Matyushenko
Randy Couture v. Lyoto Machida
Mark Bocek v. Ben Henderson

SPIKE TV CARD

Nate Diaz v. Rory MacDonald
Jake Ellenberger v. Sean Pierson

FACEBOOK CARD

Claude Patrick v. Daniel Roberts
Ivan Menjivar v. Charlie Valencia
Jason MacDonald v. Ryan Jensen
John Makdessi v. Kyle Watson
Pablo Garza v. Yves Jabouin

Proposed Punishments Excesive Following Strikeforce: Nashville Brawl

By MMA Blaster

The Tennessee Athletic Commission is still investigating the post fight brawl that occurred on April 17, 2010 after the Strikeforce main event in Nashville, Tennessee. Following current Jake Shields’ defense of his belt, which saw him pull off an upset against former Pride champ Dan Henderson, fighter Jason "Mayhem" Miller broke up the post-fight interview, getting on the microphone and asking for a rematch.

What ensued next was Shields pushing Miller, then Shields training partners Gilbert Melendez, Nick Diaz and Nate Diaz jumping into the fray, throwing wild kicks and punches. By the time the action stopped, it looked like every staff member from Strikeforce was breaking the brawl up. As per usual, announcer Gus Johnson was yapping like a crazy person to the television audience.

The rumored punishments for the brawl participants stands at a nine month suspension with a $20,000 fine ranging to a three month suspension with a $5,000 fine. These punishments are overly excessive. Fighters Jason "Mayhem" Miller, Jake Shields, Gilbert Melendez and Nick and Nate Diaz were caught in the heat of the moment and regret their actions. But what damage was actually done? Everyone was healthy afterward and apologized for what occurred.

Mayhem Miller acted inappropriately for interrupting the champion mid sentence after he had just started his post fight interview. Obviously, the Cesar Gracie trained Shields, Melendez and Diaz brothers reaction was over the top. But, Miller should have known that type of reaction would follow if he got in the cage at that time. Likewise, Strikeforce employees should not have allowed Miller into the cage.

While I would agree with a thirty day suspension and $5,000 fine, hampering the fighters ability to earn a living for potentially nine months is overly excessive. I have seen worst displays in boxing weigh-ins and press conferences. Look up the Hopkins vs. Wright, Khan vs. Malignaggi or Mayorga vs. Vargas brawls on youtube.com for examples.

Recently, Paul Daley sucker punched Josh Koscheck following the bell at UFC 113. While Daley was released from the UFC following the incident, the athletic commission has not issued a fine or suspension.

Why draw further attention to a minor black eye in MMA history? The casual fan and mainstream media have completely forgotten about the incident. The Tennessee Athletic Commission should give the participants of the brawl a reduced punishment and move on.


(Jason "Mayhem" Miller Pictured)

Check out Joe Show contributor mmablaster.com for additional MMA coverage

Strikeforce Brawl Fallout

Here is video of the brawl which erupted at the conclusion of Strikeforce's second foray on CBS. The post-fight melee is not close to as bad as events that have happened in Brazian MMA in the past, most notably the riot during the Renzo Gracie fight against Eugenio Tadeu in September of 1997.


You could blame the melee on Mayhem Miller interrupting Jake Shields post fight speech, Melendez pushing Miller, or the Diaz brothers going crazy. Mayhem was the instigator however, and should have known the reaction that would follow. So far Scott Coker, president of Strikeforce, has stated he did not know Mayhem Miller was going into the cage.

The Strikeforce: Nashville ratings have been reported to be horrendous, losing to NBC, ABC and Fox. The brawl is being talked about much more than the three championship fights. While the three championship fights were technically sound, but they were not entertaining, highlight reel fights CBS was hoping for. The brawl is now the only thing that people are talking about.

When a brawl is the main source of publicity, that is a very bad sign. The CBS deal could be in severe jeopardy, which could impact one of the main revenue streams of the promotion. Strikeforce could get a boost in publicity, but this is the worst way to get it. The history of Strikeforce will be marred forever by this incident, we will wait to see where they go.

What are your thoughts on the brawl? Feel free to post your comments below.

Strikeforce on CBS Preview

Strikeforce will bring its second card to CBS this Saturday, April 17, 2010. CBS has been pushing the Strikeforce card since the NCAA tournament with spots featuring Dan Henderson, Jake Shields, Gilbert Melendez and Shinya Aoki. The fights will take place in Nashville, Tennessee at the Bridgestone Arena.

Here is a look at the match-ups:

MAIN CARD

Jake Shields vs. Dan Henderson- This fight could be a quick one for Jake Shields if he doesn't have his takedown game working. Dan Henderson is an olympic level wrestler with a nasty right hand. Look for Henderson to sprawl and brawl, throwing his trademark overhand right.

Henderson (25-7) is a legend of the game, coming off his UFC run where he had three consecutive victories over Rousimar Paulhares, Rich Franklin and Michael Bisping. Prior to that, Henderson competed in Rings and Pride, scoring big wins over Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Renzo Gracie and Akhiro Gono.

(Dan Henderson pictured)

Jake Shields (24-4, 1-0 SF) is the current Strikeforce 185 champ and is the former Elite XC 170 pound champ. The BJJ blackbelt has victories over Mayhem Miller, Paul Daley, Carlos Condit and Yushin Okami.

Gegard Mousasi vs. Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal- This fight is for the Strikeforce 205 pound title. Mousasi took the belt from Babalu Sobral, then subsequently crushed Sokoudjou in his first defense. King Mo, a NCAA champion wrestler, has gone 6-0 in his young career with 5 KO's.

Expect Mousasi (28-2) to utilize his precision kickboxing game and slick submissions to finish this fight before the final round. While Lawal has the clear advantage wrestling, his striking is unrefined. In addition, Lawal's submission game really hasn't been tested.

Gilbert Melendez vs. Shinya Aoki- This bout is for the Strikeforce lightweight title. Gilbert Melendez (17-2)was able to get the belt from Josh Thomson after dominating the takedowns and boxing game. Comparing Aoki's submission game to Thomson's is just something you cannot do.

Aoki (23-4) is by far one of the slickest submission artists in the game. He has pulled off some crazy subs, including a standing armlock, 2 gogoplatas, hammerlock arm breaker and flying triangle. While Aoki won't have his trademark rainbow pants, he will be prepared for his American debut.

(Aoki almost tapping JZ Calvancante)

SWING BOUT

Jason "Mayhem" Miller vs. Tim Stout

UNDER CARD

Zach Underwood vs. Hunter Worsham
Josh Schockman vs. Cale Yarbrough
Dustin Ortiz vs. Justin Pennington
Andrew Uhrich vs. Dustin West
Chris Hawk vs. Ovince St. Preux
Thomas Campbell vs. Cody Floyd

Strikeforce - Chicago

Strikeforce Chicago took place this past Saturday at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The event had plenty of excellent fights, featuring submissions, exciting grappling displays and the worlds greatest scoring a KO.

Fedor Emelianenko def Brett Rogers via TKO (punches) R2, 1:48- This showstopper was by far the craziest fight I have ever seen. As soon as Fedor appeared the audience went nuts. During the first round, Rogers was able to get a straight jab in on Fedor, opening a large gash above his nose.

Despite blood pouring from his nose, Fedor was the aggressor throughout the fight. Fedor dominated transitions, attempting submissions and landing shots after takedowns. In the second round, Fedor landed a huge overhand right crumpling Rogers to the canvas. As he laid on the ground, Fedor pounced and the fight was called.

The legend of Fedor is only growing, as the replay showed a clean power right hand that landed to the face of Brett Rogers sending him to another planet. With the win, Fedor has reeled off 8 straight stoppage wins. If you count the TK illegal cut as a loss, Fedor has 27 straight victories.

(Fedor Emelianenko pictured)

Jake Shields def Jason "Mayhem" Miller via unanimous dec


Gegard Mousasi def Sokoudjou via TKO (strikes) R2, 3:43

(Mousasi throwing punches)

Fabricio Werdum def Antonio Silva via unanimous dec

PRELIMINARY CARD

Marlos Coenen def Roxanne Modafferi via sub (armbar) R1, 1:03
Jeff Curran def Dustin Neace via sub (injury) R1, 1:39
Shamar Bailey def John Kolosci via unanimous dec
Nate Moore def Louis Taylor via submission (strikes) R2, 3:24
Christian Uflacker def Jonatas Novaes via unanimous dec

Strikeforce - Fedor v. Roger Preview

On Saturday, November 7th, the number 1 MMA fighter of all-time Fedor Emelianenko will be fighting rising top 10 heavyweight Brett Rogers. Rounding out the card is a 185 pound title fight between Jake Shields and Jason "Mayhem" Miller, Gegard Mousasi, Fabricio Werdum and Jeff Curran. The card unfolds at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois and will be broadcast live on CBS.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers- Finally we get to see Fedor fight after he was MIA from MMA action since a KO win over Andrei Arlovski in January. Also, Brett Rogers will be returning since his June beatdown of the aforementioned Arlovski.

Fedor (30-1) is an absolute beast, dismantling former UFC champs, massive brawlers and NCAA champs at ease. He owns wins over a staggering group of fighters including everyone from Antonio Nogueira, Tim Sylvia, Mark Coleman, Matt Lindland, Kevin Randleman and Ricardo Arona.

Look for Fedor to bring Rogers to the mat and take him to school with his amazing grappling aresenol. If the fight stays standing, I would expect Fedor to look to use his quickness against Rogers power punching.

(Fedor Emelianenko pictured)

Brett Rogers (10-0) is a rising star in the mixed martial arts world. He started his career training working full-time in Sam's Club's tire department and training in a 5 car garage. He has awesome power, standing 6'5" and weighing 265+ pounds. Expect Rogers to keep the fight standing, hunting for a knockout.

During his brief MMA career, Rogers has finished every fight with 9 TKO/KO's and 1 submission, albeit via a punches. Besides Arlovski, Rogers has taken out James Thompson, Jon Murphy and Ron "Abongo" Humphrey.

(Brett Rogers pictured)

Jason "Mayhem" Miller vs. Jake Shields- After the extremely entertaining Cung Le decided to vanquish his middleweight belt, Strikeforce has handed the title shot to two of the best American fighters outside the UFC. The grappling wizards will be fighting five rounds to determine the new champ.

Mayhem Miller (22-6) has used his "unique" personality to host the show Bully Beatdown and launch various other endevors. With an underrated submission game, Miller will look to defend Shields submission attempts while looking to punish the jiu-jitsu blackbelt.

Miller has fought in Hawaii, Japan and the continental US during his long career, with wins over Kala Hose, Robbie Lawler, Niko Vitale, Tim Kennedy and Ron Jhun.

(Mayhem Miller pictured)

Jake Shields (23-4) was the first and only Elite XC 170 pound champ, a Shooto champ and two time Rumble on the Rock tournament champ. He is currently riding a 12 fight win streak. Shields grappling has looked flawless during that stretch. Expect Shields to look for takedowns early and often, and then try for a submission.

Shields won the 170 pound Elite XC belt over Nick Thompson and defended against Paul Daley. He would then beat Robbie Lawler at a 182 catch weight in his first Strikeforce fight. Shields has other career victories over Carlos Condit, Mike Pyle and Dave Menne.

(Jake Shields pictured)

Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou- Gegard Mousasi (26-2), the Strikeforce 205 pound champion, will be taking on the uber athletic Sokoudjou in this non-title match. Expect Mousasi to use his precision kickboxing to neutralize Sokodjou's power. Mousasi is on a 13 fight win streak with victories over Babalu Sobral, Melvin Manhoef, Denis Kang and Jacare.

Antonio Silva vs. Fabricio Werdum- The winner of this heavyweight clash will find himself in a potential showdown with the winner of Fedor v. Rogers. Both fighters are excellent grapplers, and this fight will likely be determined on the ground. Werdum is coming of a 2009 ADCC HW championship.

PRELIMINARY CARD

Marloes Coenen vs. Roxanne Modafferi- CBS Swing Bout
Jeff Curran vs. Dustin Neace
Shamar Bailey vs. John Kolosci
Deray Davis vs. Mark Miller
Nate Moore vs. Louis Taylor
Jonatas Novaes vs. Christian Uflacker

Strikeforce - Shields and Rogers

Despite the announcing crew declaring Jake Shields and Brett Rogers major underdogs who would be knocked out quite easy, the opposite proved true at Saturday's Strikeforce event.

Five fights made the broadcast, starting off with decision victories for Mike Whitehead and Joe Riggs. Riggs broke both hands in his fight with Phil Baroni. Whitehead outpointed Kevin Randleman and ate a big shot in the third, but worked through it.

Nick Diaz def Scott Smith via Sub (Rear-Naked Choke) R3, 1:41- Diaz played with Smith throughout the bout, landing strikes from all angles. In the third, Diaz was able to utilize his ground game and get the choke.

Brett Rogers def Andrei Arlovski via TKO (Punches) R1, 0:22- Brett Rogers came out to answer the step up in competition, fighting to get his family a new house. The big bruiser, pushing 262 pounds, struck Arlovski square in the face, and didn't stop, punishing Arlovski as his eyes rolled back and Big John McCarthy stepped in.

Jake Shields def Robbie Lawler via Sub (Guillotine) R1, 2:02- Jake Shields made a resounding splash at 182 pounds. He landed some kicks while taking punches from Robbie Lawler. Shields attempted a takedown, but was denied. At that point Gus Johnson and Mauro Ranallo(announcers) gave the fight to Lawler. However, as Lawler fought off another takedown with an underhook, Shields sunk in a tight guillotine choke and ended the fight.


(Jake Shields pictured, non-title fight against Lawler)

Mike Whitehead def Kevin Randleman via Dec (Unanimous)
Joe Riggs def Phil Baroni via Dec (Unanimous)
Jesse Finney def Josh Bumgarner via sub (keylock) R1, 1:55
Mike Kyle def Rafael Cavalcante via TKO (strikes) R2, 4:05
Booker DeRousse def James Wade via TKO (strikes) R1, 4:06
Lucas Lopes def Scott Ventimiglia via DQ (illegal knee) R1, 3:26
Pat Benson def Dave Cochran via sub (triangle choke) R1, 2:18
Tyron Woodley def Salvoder Woods via sub (north-south choke) R1, 4:20

Strikeforce Saturday!

Strikeforce's big time debut on Showtime will be this Saturday night featuring a headliner bout of WW Champ Jake Shields v. MW Champ Robbie Lawler. The main card fights look very solid, while the undercard has three big names in Cavalcante, Kyle and Woodley. Here is the line-up:

Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Shields- This match will feature two very contrasting styles. 170 pound BJJ blackbelt Jake Shields is an accomplished grappler that will look to get the fight to the ground as soon as possible. Lawler will try KO Shields on his feet while defending the takedown.

Elite XC WW champ Jake Shields (22-4) has been on a serious roll with an 11 fight win streak. Jake has victories over Yushin Okami, Paul Daley, Nick Thompson, Carlos Condit and Dave Menne in his career.

(Jake Shields pictured)

Elite XC's MW Champ Robbie Lawler (16-4) will be looking for a KO while standing and when Shields attempts taking him down. Lawler has serious knockout power, as 13 of his victories have come via KO/TKO. Lawler has victories over Scott Smith, Joey Villasenor, Frank Trigg and Ninja Rua.

(Robbie Lawler pictured)

Andrei Arlovski vs. Brett Rogers- Former UFC HW champ Arlovski will have his hands full against rising undefeated up and comer Rogers. Rogers is a massive 6'5" 265 pounds and have at least 30 pounds on Arlovski. Arlovski will need to utilize his quickness and precision boxing against Rogers brawling.

Andrei Arlovski (15-6) was on a five fight win streak, winning 3 in the UFC, and two over IFL stars Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson before he met the best in the world. Arlovski defeated Tim Sylvia for the UFC HW title and defended twice over Paul Buentello and Justin Eilers. Arlovski also has wins over Ian Freeman, Vladimir Matyushenko and Marcio Cruz.

(Andrei Arlovski pictured)

Brett Rogers (9-0) had his biggest test on an April Strikeforce card against Ron Humphrey (5-0 at the time), TKO'ing him with knees in the second round. All of Rogers other fights were ended in the first round, including KO's over Bully Beatdown's Jon Murphy and Prive vet James Thompson. Rogers will have to use his heavy hands to KO Arlovski.

(Brett Rogers pictured)

Nick Diaz vs. Scott Smith
Phil Baroni vs. Joe Riggs
Kevin Randleman vs. Mike Whitehead

PRELIMINARY CARD

Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante vs. Mike Kyle- swing bout
Josh Bumgarner vs. Jesse Finney
Tyron Woodley vs. Sal Woods- Woodley All-American wrestler
Lucas Lopes vs. Scott Ventimiglia
Pat Benson vs. Dave Cochran
Booker DeRousse vs. James Wade

Video of the Day - Miller v. Hose

Here is Jason "Mayhem" Miller v. Kala Hose from Kingdom MMA - Miller v. Hose. The fight was for the Kingdom MW belt. Mayhem's next match will be against Jacare Souza in the next Dream show.

Mayhem has gained increased popularity for his MTV show Bully Beatdown. There have been varying opinions as to the shows authenticity that has featured former Elite XC fighters Jake Shields and Jon Murphy.


*Thomas "Wildman" Denny was the only pro fighter not to get the majority of the bully's fight purse. The bully basically stalled for three minutes during the grappling round, then took a 3 minute beating in kickboxing.

*Jon Murphy probably laid the biggest beatdown on his opponent, getting all $10,000 to go to the "victim." The bully got worked over in the grappling and dislocated his shoulder after eating a few punches during kickboxing.

Strikeforce Buys Pro-Elite

According to the Strikeforce website, they have purchased certain fighter contracts and the entire Pro-Elite video library. Pro-Elite's biggest promotion was Elite XC, which made a run at the UFC, but spent too much on overhead and ended up in the hole for over 55 million dollars.

In addition, Strikeforce will take over Pro-Elite's television deal on Showtime. As Showtime is owned by CBS, there is the possibility for 3-4 shows on the major network.

While no fighters were individually named as new to Strikeforce, it can be inferred that Jake Shields, Robbie Lawler, Gina Carano and Kimbo Slice will be some of the ones moving. Former Elite XC and UFC veterans Benji Radach and Scott Smith are already set to fight in an upcoming Strikeforce show.

Former Elite XC Heavyweight champ Junior Silva tested positive for a banned substance in his last appearance in Elite XC and subsequently fought in Japan. He is unlikely to fight again in the USA for a long time. Undefeated HW prospect Brett Rogers has yet to fight since Elite XC closed its doors. HW prospect Dave "Pee Wee" Herman has fought twice since Elite XC folded, beating Chris Guillen and losing to Mu Bae Choi in Japan.

The Strikeforce organization was originally run as a kickboxing promotion. With the explosion of MMA, the organization has shifted gears and been quite profitable in the California area. The stars of Strikeforce include Josh Thomson, Cung Le, Phil Baroni, Kazuo Misaki and Duane Ludwig. Alistair Overeem is still the HW champ of Strikeforce despite fighting in K-1 and Dream since winning the title.

(Cung Le pictured)

Elite XC Goes Under!

Story by MMA Blaster

It appears that the paperwork has been filed and Elite XC has kicked the proverbial bucket. Their assets will be sold at public auction shortly. I enjoyed the promotion as they had some great fighters and put on a decent card. There are quite a few top free agents that will hit the market in the short term. Here are some of the Elite XC fighter list.

Eddie Alvarez- After his performance in the Dream lightweight tournament, Alvarez will most likely continue to see big paydays in Japan. I wouldn't be surprised to see him fight on New Years Eve versus Joachim Hansen. Alvarez is an extremely exciting young fighters with wins over Tatsuya Kawajiri, Joachim Hansen, Andre Amade, Aaron Riley, Derrick Noble, Matt Lee and Ross Ebanez.

Nick Diaz- Diaz probably wants to remain fighting at a catch-weight of 160. He has many fights he can do in Japan against the aforementioned Alvarez, a rematch with Takanori Gomi in World Victor Road, Shinya Aoki or many others. His brother has been on a roll in the UFC, and it is unlikely the UFC wants to deal with him.


Jake Shields- Shields already has called out Georges St. Pierre at a press conference after a quick win against Nick Thompson to get the WW Elite XC belt. He may of eaten some punches, but he was also able to finish off Paul Daley in his latest defense. With few good opponents at 170 for Jake to fight, the UFC has intriguing match-ups. Shields holds wins over Yushin Okami, Carlos Condit, Nick Thompson, Mike Pyle, Dave Menne and Hayato Sakurai.

Dave "Pee Wee" Herman- Herman at (12-0) has destroyed his last three opponents in Elite XC, veterans Mario Rinaldi, Ron Waterman and Kerry Schall. At 6'5", the agile 245 pound heavyweight should be the coveted young heavyweight the UFC desperately needs. Herman could go to the new ESPN league or World Victory Road Sengoku as well.

Brett Rogers- The large 6'5" 265 pound heavyweight throws some heavy hands. At 8-0, it is unknown whether or not he can fight from the ground. He does have knock-out power and could be a big draw one day. I wouldn't be surprised to see him fight in whatever promotion offers the most cash. That could be Sengoku.

Robbie Lawler- The hard hitting Elite XC MW champ would fit in well in a UFC MW class looking for a striker to fight Anderson Silva. Lawler has 6 straight wins including KO victories against Scott Smith, Ninja Rua, Frank Trigg and Joey Villasenor. Strikeforce could also be a possibility for a match-up with Cung Le. Lawler was at the recent UFC 90 event in Chicago.

Antonio Silva- Bigfoot will more command more dollars than the UFC will give to him. He will either choose Affliction for the possible big fights or Sengoku. Silva also has had problems with athletic commissions in the USA, which might be a factor in seeing him go to Japan. Silva has wins over Ricco Rodriguez, Justin Eilers and Cabbage.

Gina Carano- A fight between Carano and Tara LaRosa would be a good fight for women's mma if Carano went to the AFL. Carano has looked impressive in all her 7 victories. 140 is not a good weight class for her. If Affliction starts women's mma, they may also be bidding for Carano's services. Strikeforce has some women on their roster, that might also be a logical choice.


Kimbo Slice- Kimbo has stated that he wants to fight in Japan. The Japanese love larger than life characters, and Kimbo fits that mold. While Kimbo may not have the best skills in mma, he is a legit draw. I wouldn't be surprised to see him fight in Dream or Sengoku against another larger than life character.

AFL

Elite XC - Kimbo Goes Down

Elite XC: Heat proved to be a very entertaining card from top to bottom. Like every single Elite XC event broadcast so far, they had a ridiculously long and drawn out opening. Once the fights started, there were sparks a plenty as every fight was entertaining. A constant of the night was the over the top announcing from Elite XC broadcaster Mauro Ranallo. Rua, Nelson and Daley all came very close to seizing victory, but came up short. The second round losses were much closer than it looks on paper.

Benji Radach def. Murilo Rua via TKO (Punches) R2, 2:31- Benji Radach started the fight with agressively pursuing Rua with a punch cominations. Radach had the edge for most of the round landing punches until the fight went to the ground. From their, Rua was almost able to get a knee-bar and heal hooks, but was just a step behind. Rua also nearly got a kimura.

In the second round, Radach became stunned from blocking kicks and punches. However, an ill-fated muay thai kick left Rua on his back. He didn't cover quick enough as Radach landed a massive punch to a grounded Rua, that was followed by more punishment. Luckily, Rua was ok, and Radach left with his hand raised.

Gina Carano def. Kelly Kobold via Decision (Unanimous)- Kobold had a pretty clear game plan, push Carano to the fence and try to get a takedown. Unfortunately, Carano didn't give up that easy. Carano landed the majority of punches and all the kicks to get the victory. Kobold fought with heart, with her closest shot at victory when she took Carano down in the second landing some strikes. Once Carano faces an elite grappler with superior strength and submission skills, she will be in trouble.

Andrei Arlovski def. Roy Nelson via KO (Punch) R2, 3:14- This was not the stand-up slugfest that it was thought to be, but Nelson did have a chance at beating the former UFC superstar Arlovski. When Arlovski looked to have a takedown from the body-lock in the first, he was quickly reversed by Nelson. Nelson maintained top position, looking for a submission from sidemount and north south position, which was unsuccessful. When there was a lull in action, it was stood up where Arlovski held an advantage.

In the second, Arlovski dominated the stand-up and was able to land a devasting uppercut followed up by a punch or two. After Nelson hit the canvas, the ref called the fight. Maybe a little pre-mature, but Arlovski was landing everything in the second.

Jake Shields def. Paul Daley via Submission (Armbar) R2, 3:47- After this fight, Shields has got to know that his stand-up skills still need some work. Daley, an excellent muay thai practioner, punished Shields on occasion, making him pay for takedown attempts. Once Shields had Daley down, he was in obvious trouble and mounted easy. However, at the end of the first, Shields botched an arm bar and Daley was able to land some good elbows.

In the second, Daley was again able to punish Shields, however Shields got the takedown, mount and the armbar. In the post-fight interview, Shields indicated that he was interested in moving to 185 to challenge for the title and get two belts. For that to happen, Shields would have to vastly improve his stand-up skills as Daley was clearly better on his feet. Shields, a BJJ black belt is an excellent fighter, however he has to minimize punishment taken on takedown attempts.

Seth Petruzelli def. Kevin Ferguson via TKO (Punches) R1, 0:14- Petruzelli landed a couple karate style front kicks before connecting flush on a right hand. This punch sent Kimbo to his knees, where Petruzelli landed a couple more punches before it was called. If experienced, Kimbo would have attempted to roll to his guard, but he obviously still needs much work.

Elite XC broadcaster Mauro Ranallo or Gus Johnson called it, "the biggest upset in mma history." "The biggest fight in mma history." Guys, that is NOT correct. Have you ever seen Matt Serra v. Georges St. Pierre? It was really not even an upset, as any mma expert would put the former UFC veteran over Kimbo in a heartbeat.
*Smart MMA Blaster readers had Kimbo losing to Ken Shamrock 6-7.

Undercard
Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos def. Yoko Takahashi via Dec(Unanimous)- There were some highlights of this fight shown. They featured Cyborg pushing the action and landing highkicks.
Nicolae Cury def. Jorge Bouchat via Sub(Reverse Triangle Choke) R1, 1:35
Bryan Hamade def. David Gomez via Sub (Guillotine) R1, 2:03
Mikey Gomez def. Lorenzo Borgomeo via Sub (Armbar) R2, 4:06
Conor Heun def. James Edson Berto via TKO (Punches/Elbows) R2, 2:18

Elite XC Video Preview

Here are some interesting video's starring some of the fighters that will be featured in Elite XC: Heat this Saturday.

David Blaine v. Kimbo Slice- Kimbo street fighting highlights, then a punch to David Blaine's gut.


Ken Shamrock v. Bas Rutten 2 in Pancrase


Jake Shields v. Ray Cooper for the Shooto Championship


Gina Carano v. Unknown Thai Boxing Opponent

Elite XC Weigh-In's

*Multiple sources are reporting that the main event of Kimbo Slice v. Ken Shamrock has been scratched due to a cut suffered by Shamrock. Many have been rumored to replace the injured Shamrock including Shamrock's brother, Frank, Seth Petruzelli and Aaron Rosa.

In the video below is the weigh-ins for Elite XC. Due to them needing ratings to stay afloat on CBS, try to tune in tonight. I'm excited for the Roy Nelson v. Andrei Arlovski fight. Nelson is the reigning IFL Heavyweight Champ while Andrei Arlovski is the former UFC Heavyweight Champ. Expect this to be a slugfest.

Elite XC WW Champ Jake Shields and Paul Daley have an interesting staredown. The start by laughing and ends in some pushing. Ken Shamrock came in at just 206, giving up nearly 30 pounds to Kimbo. They also have the Gina Carano weight incident.

Gina Carano proved again that she has a tough time making 141 pounds.



Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COM
*picture from Sherdog free sharing, check out Sherdog.com

Elite XC - Heat Preview

Elite XC - Heat will take place this Saturday, October 4th in Sunrise, Florida. I applaud the recent addition of hard hitting heavyweights Andrei Arlovski and Roy Nelson. This show will be broadcast on CBS.

Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson vs. Ken Shamrock- This match-up pits UFC Hall of Famer and MMA Legend Ken Shamrock against the ever popular Kimbo Slice. Kimbo has proven that he has power in his three fights, which have all ended in KO or TKO. However, Kimbo looked bad giving up take-downs to James Thompson, who is not known for his wrestling.


Ken Shamrock is an MMA Legend with wins over Bas Rutten twice, KOP Champ Masakatsu Funaki twice, UFC Champ Dan Severn, UFC HW Champ Maurice Smith, Pancrase vet Yoshiki Takahashi twice, Kimo Leopoldo twice, Patrick Smith and Ryushi Yanagisawa. Ken has not looked good since his return to action in 2000, going 3-8.

Ken will have to get Kimbo against the fence using the clinch and go for a body lock takedown. From there he has to try to get a submission of some sort. Ken has said he will break Kimbo's leg, we will see if he can do it.

Andrei Arlovski vs. Roy Nelson- Former UFC Heavyweight Champ Arlovski (13-5) comes to the fight on a four fight wins streak, last defeating Ben Rothwell via 3rd TKO. After standing and trading with Rothwell, Arlovski will likely stand and brawl with the robust Roy Nelson.

The reigning IFL Champ Nelson last defended his belt in a nasty KO over Brad Imes during his five fight win streak. Nelson at (13-2) is an accomplished grappler in addition to being a devastating striker. I wouldn't be surprised to see Nelson go for a take-down in this fight with ground and pound.

Jake Shields vs. Paul Daley- EliteXC WW Title- 170 Pound Champ Jake Shields will defend his belt for the first time since his first round destruction of Nick Thompson. Daley has explosive hands and dominated the English Cage Rage circuit. Shields, the BJJ Blackbelt, will get a submission quick if he can geta takedown. Daley will have to defend the takedown and land as many strikes as possible.

Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobold- Carano comes in at 6-0, looking crisp in his last two victories over Kaitlin Young and Tonya Evinger. Carano, the former American Gladiator, has a superb muay thai and boxing backround and will likely look to keep the fight standing. Kobold has lost her last two fights, but sports a record of 16-2 with a victories over Shayna Baszler and Adrienna Jenkins. Kobald has 8 submission victories, and may look to get the fight to the ground.

*Gina Carano on photobucket

Benji Radach vs. Murilo "Ninja" Rua- Former IFL MW Champ Radach (18-4) will look to bounce back since a KO loss to Matt Horwich. Ninja Rua, brother of Shogun Rua, has two wins in a row over Tony Bonello and Xavier "Professor X" Foupa-Pokam.

Undercard
Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos vs. Yoko Takahashi- May broadcast.
Edson Berto vs. Connor Heun
Seth Petruzelli vs. Aaron Rosa
Lorenzo Borgomeo vs. Mikey Gomez
Jorge Bouchat vs. Nicolae Cury
David Gomez vs. Brett Jackowski

Elite XC - Unfinished Business

Elite XC's second prime time CBS show featured four great fights in two hours. However, two fights ended in the first round and two fights ended in the second. This ended up in a ridiculous amount of filler. We did learn that both Gina Carano and Kimbo Slice will be fighting on October 4th.


*Cris Cyborg v. Shayna Baszler from photobucket

Results:

Antonio Silva def. Justin Eilers by TKO at 0:19, R2- Silva basically bullied the smaller Eilers around the cage, landing crisp punches and having Eilers nearly beat on several occasions. After getting a point deducted for punching the back of the head, Silva remained strong, and won in the second. Silva wins the HW belt.

Robbie Lawler def. Scott Smith by TKO at 2:35, R2- This was a very exciting fight, as Smith controlled the pace of the first round throwing leg and body kicks. Lawler counter-punched and kicked doing some damage in the process. In the second, Smith landed a good elbow that cut Lawler. Not wanting the ref to step in, Lawler went crazy, throwing everything he had a Smith, eventually knocking him to the canvas and getting the TKO victory. Lawler defends the MW belt.

Nick Diaz def. Thomas Denny by TKO at 0:40, R2- Diaz looked crisp while weathering an early storm by Denny. Wearing pink shorts with some pink in his hair, Denny did get Diaz down, and Diaz went for an armbar. In the second, it was all Diaz as he landed a rough shot to Denny's face, "clowned" him, and then got the TKO.

Jake Shields def. Nick Thompson by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:03, R1- This fight did not take long as Shields transitioned between a few submissions and another guillotine before locking up the finisher.

Cris “Cyborg” Santos def. Shayna Baszler by TKO at 2:48, R2- Baszler's ill advised leg lock attempt proved to be the beginning of her downfall. She ate punches from every angle in the second, and at one point Cyborg sent Baszler to the canvas. Thinking the fight was over, Cris jumped on the cage. As the ref restarted the action, it took a couple seconds for Cris to seal the TKO win. Horrible job by the ref in this fight, as Baszler was very dazed from the shot that sent her to the canvas.

Undercard: Some Fights will be re-played on Showtime
Anthony Ruiz def. Jeromy Freitag by Unanimous Decision (29-28 on all three cards)
David Douglas def. Marlon Mathias by TKO at 0:12, R1.
Rafael Feijao def. Travis Galbraith by TKO at 3:01, R1.
Wilson Reis def. Bryan Caraway by Unanimous Decision (30-27 on all three cards)
Carl Seumantafa def. Mike Cook by TKO at 3:39, R1.
Drew Montgomery def. Brandon Tarn by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 4:22, R3.

Frank Shamrock v. Cung Le Set For March 29th

It appears that the MMA Legend Frank Shamrock (23-8) will face the exciting Cung Le (5-0) for the Strikeforce World Middleweight Title. The mixed martial arts bout is set for March 29th in San Jose, California. This card looks to be very good, check out the other bouts.

Jake Shields (20-4)(#7 WW) v. Drew Fickett (31-5)- WW Title- Fickett (4-2 UFC) will be a tough test for Shields. If Shields wins, I wouldn't be surprised if he moved up to 185 to take on the winner of Shamrock v. Le.

**Joe Riggs (27-9) v. Joey Villasenor (24-6)- Riggs was on the receiving end of a massive hip toss applied by Cory Devela at last weekends Strikeforce event and there is no way he will be competing. Riggs ended up in the hospital and I hope he is doing ok. It will be interesting to see who they get as a replacement. Why not Jorge Santiago?

Also rumored to be fighting on the card are Jorge Santiago (16-7) (Strikeforce MW tourney champ), Gina Carano (5-0) and Paul Buentello (23-10).

Gilbert Melendez (13-1) was initially rumored to be on the card, then removed. There have been some rumblings that Buentello will take on Kimbo Slice (2-0). If so, it would be Kimbo's biggest test to date and he would have just over a month to prepare. We would learn how Kimbo defends kicks if that match were a go.



*Jake Shields throwing a kick against Yushin Okami in the Rumble on the Rock Tournament that took place 4/21/06. After beating Okami, Shields won a decision against WEC WW champ Carlos Condit. Shields is currently on a 9 fight win streak.

Elite XC - The Kimbo Legend Kontinues

Elite XC Review by the Blaster

Sorry Elite XC, I watched the fights on Google rather than watching it live. Hope you don't mind but I was out getting a couple beers in me. Here were the results.

You've probably heard of the guys who won and Diaz
*KJ Noons def. Nick Diaz (gogo'd Gomi) via TKO (doctor’s stoppage — cuts) — Round 1, 5:00
*Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson (street fighting legend) def. Bo Cantrell (just gogo'd by Brad Imes) via TKO (strikes) — Round 1, 0:19
*Jake Shields (WW Champ) def. Mike Pyle (ex-IFL) via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 3:39
*Kyle Noke (Austrailian who beat George from TUF) def. Seth Kleinbeck (Doctor) via TKO (doctor’s stoppage — cut) — Round 2, 4:22
*Antonio Silva (Massive melon) def. Jonathan Wiezorek via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 3:12
*Yves Edwards (creator of thugjitsu) def. Nick Gonzalez via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 3:05

Undercard - very obscure fighters
Geoff Bumstead def. Robert Ruiz via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 1:30
Matt Lucas def. Jon Kirk via unanimous decision
Brett Rogers def. Ralph Kelly via submission (strikes) — Round 1, 1:43
Jae Suk Lim def. Daniel Pineda via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 2:42

I just can't believe that Diaz lost. This guy successfully pulled off a gogoplata over then #1 ranked lightweight, and has since looked like absolute crap. Is it because he is concerned about possible drug tests? Was there too much pressure after they created the 160 pound weight class for him? Is he just not focused? Maybe he just needs to switch camps or get some different people around him. Bottom line was that KJ Noons was ready to brawl and Diaz wasn't.

Kimbo Slice continues his legend with a brutal KO over Bo Cantrell. Kimbo imposed his mass and bludgeoned Cantrell with punches and then what looked like a forearm shiver to knock Cantrell to the canvas. Bo then tapped and covered as he didn't want to withstand more punishment.

Ranked welterweight Jake Shields won again over Mike Pyle. It only begs the question, when will Elite XC find some tougher 170 pounders? Mr. Shields needs a big fight to test him. It was reported that he signed a big deal with Elite. Maybe a fight with Yves Edwards is coming, good to see Mr. Thugjitsu get a victory. Hope he is healthy.