The mixed martial arts and boxing worlds will collide Nov. 17 at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgounds in Robstown, as fighters from across the Coastal Bend converge for a historic event.
For the first times, MMA fighters and boxers will share an event, fighting in ten distinct bouts. There will be five MMA matchups and five boxing bouts for the public to enjoy. The event, called "Worlds Collide" will showcase local talent.
Among those competing, Audrey Alvarez will take to the ring for only the third time. Alvarez, a former Alice Firefighter, has trained in jujitsu and kickboxing over the last four years to hone the mixed martial arts skills needed in the ring. She will defend her 2-0 record.
Alvarez said the hardest part about being a female mixed martial arts fighter is trying to find an opponent. Originally slated to fight as many as 10 bouts over the last two years, only two fights came to fruition.
"You have to be mentally focused and prepared. Training is hard, making weight is hard, but finding opponents is very hard," Alvarez said. "God has a plan for me, and I'm going to stay
on the path I'm supposed to go."
Triple A Promotions hosted the fight card to South Texas with Solid Knockout Entertainment's “Worlds Collide.”
Five MMA and five boxing bouts will be featured. Boxers include:
Oscar Cantu -Kingsville Boxing Club
Worlds Collide brings MMA and boxing to fairgrounds - Nueces County Record Star: News
The finalists for the "2012 World MMA Awards" have been announced and the Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion was nominated in a record four categories, including the most prestigious best fighter award.
Named the "Charles (Mask) Lewis Fighter of the Year" award, the honour is voted on by the fans and goes to the mixed martial artist, male or female, deemed to have performed the best or accomplished the most over the 12-month period from Sept. 1, 2011 to Sept. 30, 2012. Rousey won three fights in the span, including a defeat of Miesha Tate on March 3 to become champion.
Last year’s winner was Jon Jones, after he went 4-0 in the UFC and captured the light-heavyweight title. Jones is nominated again this year, along with Benson Henderson, who won the UFC lightweight title, Nate Diaz and Daniel Cormier.
Rousey also received nominations for Female Fighter of the Year and Breakthrough Fighter of the Year, and her first-round armbar of Miesha Tate at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey is up for the Submission of the Year award.
The annual awards are presented by Fighters Only Magazine and can be voted on at www-worldmmaawards-com. The ceremony will be held in Las Vegas later this year; the date and venue are expected to be announced soon.
Here is the list of nominees in 20 categories (a 21st category, titled "Fans' Highlight Reel Moment of the Year Award" allows voters to type an entry in 140 words or less):
Rousey up for record four World MMA Awards - sportsnet.ca
Bonner, who recently suffered a lopsided first-round knockout loss at the hands of Anderson Silva at UFC 153, had his fate sealed by UFC President Dana White late Tuesday night.
"Yes, Bonnar will be retiring now," White revealed midway through an online MetroPCS chat with fans.
Bonnar later confirmed the news to MMAFighting-com's Ariel Helwani.
For all intents and purposes, Bonnar was unofficially retired before being coaxed back into action by the surprise, late-notice offer to fight Silva. Immediately following the loss, which snapped a three-fight winning streak stretching back to 2010, Bonnar was non-committal regarding any potential return.
Bonnar ends his mixed martial career sporting a 15-8 record, having lost only to champions or former champions Forrest Griffin, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Jon Jones, Mark Coleman, and Silva, barring a controversial TKO loss to Krzysztof Soszynski.
Bonnar's legendary brawl against Griffin on the finale of the first Ultimate Fighter is widely credited with helping save the UFC and is often mentioned among the greatest fights in MMA history.
Stephan Bonnar retires from mixed martial arts - MMA Fighting
Palms President Joe Magliarditi showed up in the lobby of UFC headquarters on Monday, apparently on a mission to defuse a conflict with UFC President Dana White.
The meeting took place after it was reported here on Monday that White cut ties with the Palms six months after the humiliation of having his credit line reduced by half, according to sources.
The Palms on Tuesday sent a statement to KVVU-TV, Channel 5, that read: "Palms is disappointed in the article because of its inaccuracies. Palms has been and remains a supporter of the UFC."
White, reached by telephone, confirmed the meeting with Magliarditi and stated, "This is something I really don't want to get into it," White said. But, he added, "everything written about me and the reason why I left is true.
"Since the story came out, we (he and Magliarditi) had a face to face, a sit-down, and we had a good conversation."
Asked for a response to White's comments, Palms spokesman Alex Acuna said in an email: "As a matter of company policy, we do not comment on guests or customers of Palms Casino Resort."
The Palms was asked to comment Sunday on the initial report but did not respond. When the Review-Journal asked for a copy of the statement sent to Channel 5, the request was denied.
What triggered the fireworks?
Sources said White was on a huge run, then lost more than a third of it. When he asked for more credit, he was abruptly informed of the downgrade.
Several veteran gaming executives who spoke on the condition of anonymity said most gamblers would consider that beyond bad form.
White, one of the biggest players in town and a exorbitant-tipping Palms regular for a decade, was livid.
He left a fiery letter for Magliarditi, according to sources, informing the new president that all UFC events were being pulled out of the Palms' 2,000-seat concert hall, which was popular for its intimacy.
White is known as a highly disciplined blackjack player who, when he won early, would walk away. That practice is known to drive casino operators crazy, especially in these budget-slashing days.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
A downtown Halloween spectacular called "Zombie Apocalypse" will run from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. tonight in the Haunted Alley behind the Downtown Cocktail Room, The Griffin and Beauty Bar. Military-dressed escorts on armored vehicles will take groups of 15 through an "evacuation zone" under a zombie attack. For more information, go to: Silver State Production Services :: Your production partners in Nevada..
SIGHTINGS
Actress Salma Hayek, with her family at Yellowtail (Bellagio) on Monday night. ... Michael Douglas, back at Julian Serrano Restaurant (Aria at CityCenter) for tapas. He's shooting "Last Vegas" with Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline. … Former Sheriff Ralph Lamb, with a group Monday at the Golden Steer, an old Vegas institution. Earlier he joined Carrie-Ann Moss of CBS' hit drama "Vegas" on the red carpet at the Vegas magazine party at The Venetian. ... UNLV grad Guy Fieri, host of the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," dined at Wolfgang Puck's CUT at Palazzo on Monday with a group of nine. ... Speedway Motorsports Chairman Bruton Smith, whose tracks include Las Vegas Motor Speedway, at Piero's on Monday with longtime Las Vegas gaming executive and car racing enthusiast Mel Larson and LVMS President Chris Powell.
THE PUNCH LINE
"The Giants swept the Tigers four straight to win the World Series. The last time a Tiger took a beating this bad, he had a nine-iron through the back window of his Escalade." - Jay Leno
UFC boss confirms ties cut with Palms - News - ReviewJournal-com
Georges St-Pierre has somehow managed to find the silver lining to reconstructive knee surgery and the lengthy rehab that inevitably follows.
"This injury was a negative thing in the beginning but it became a positive thing at the end," said the UFC welterweight champion.
"Because it allowed me to correct my training and make it better and improve it."
St-Pierre (22-2) will test his knee and new training regimen -- part of which involved training with track sprinters in his hometown of Montreal -- on Nov. 17 against Carlos (Natural Born Killer) Condit who won the UFC's interim title during St-Pierre's absence.
The two 170-pound pision belts will become one at the Bell Centre where the real welterweight champion will be confirmed at UFC 154 in St-Pierre's first fight since an April 2011 win over Jake Shields at Toronto's Rogers Centre.
It's a welcome return for the UFC which counts the 31-year-old St-Pierre as its biggest pay-per-view draw. GSP is literally money in the UFC bank.
St-Pierre has long been known for gruelling workouts and for taking little time off from the gym. He now believes his injury was perhaps caused by that pedal-to-the-metal training approach.
"I had the mentality that more is better, but I realize that's wrong. Smarter is always better."
As a result, he says he is enjoying his training more.
"I have more fun doing it," he said. "I'm more fired up to go train now."
That's bad news for opponents since St-Pierre's fights have always gone the way of his training. A good camp and he prospers in the cage.
The one exception was his first title defence against Matt (The Terror) Serra. St-Pierre, dogged by his father's poor health and perhaps not handling his newfound fame, was stopped in the first round at UFC 69 in Houston in April 2007.
St-Pierre often says he doesn't make the same mistake twice.
After the Serra loss, he rejigged his coaching and management support team. He hasn't lost since, winning nine in a row.
St-Pierre will need to be at the top of his game against Condit, a former WEC champion who has disposed of Jake Ellenberger, Canadian Rory MacDonald, Dan Hardy, Dong Hyun Kim and Nick Diaz since losing a split decision in his UFC debut to Martin Kampmann in April 2009.
The 28-year-old Condit is a smart well-rounded fighter who seems to be putting his game together nicely.
He is durable, as MacDonald learned after dominated the early going of their fight only to fall under a late Condit barrage. His power should not be underestimated -- ask Hardy.
He is opportunistic, savaging Kim with a flying knee when the opening arose. And he is savvy, sticking to a game plan that emphasized movement and distance against the prickly Diaz in their February fight for the interim title.
Condit (28-5) landed 151 significant strikes to 105 for Diaz, one of the best boxers in MMA. Some 68 of those were kicks directed at Diaz's legs, according to FightMetric which tracks MMA stats.
St-Pierre was cageside that night in Las Vegas, rooting for Diaz to win because the surly California fighter had irked him by not showing up for joint news conferences prior to a previously planned bout.
Irate at Diaz's no-shows, UFC boss Dana White dumped Diaz in favour of Condit-GSP but was eventually forced to match the two contenders when the champion had to withdraw through injury.
St-Pierre insists he had no problem with Condit being given a championship belt of his own that night in February.
"For me the belt doesn't matter. I want to be the best," St-Pierre explained. "It's not really the belt that matters, it's the meaning of it."
Condit will have to deal with St-Pierre's relentless takedowns. According to FightMetric, which tracks MMA stats, St-Pierre tops the UFC with 68 takedowns and a takedown success rate of 77.3 per cent.
"I do feel I'll be able to take him down," said St-Pierre, adding his focus is on what he does and not what Condit can do.
"I want to dictate the pace and make my fight, do what I want to do."
Condit, who has fought less in the UFC than St-Pierre, defends 46 per cent of takedowns according to FightMetric. GSP ranks third in the UFC in takedown defence, stopping 88 per cent of opponents' attempts.
St-Pierre can also use the takedown threat as a decoy, to set up another attack.
St-Pierre's injury-plagued fall in 2011 started with a minor left knee problem and pulled hamstring. Because of the injury, he believes he overcompensated with his right leg when he returned to training.
The result of an attempted takedown during a wrestling drill was a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a small tear to his internal miniscus.
Reconstructive surgery to the right knee followed in mid-December. It was done by Neal ElAttrache, the surgeon who looked after NFL star Tom Brady's knee in 2009.
"My knee feels like it never happened ... It's very strong," St-Pierre said of the surgery which left only "a little scar."
The champion's biggest test is his diet. GSP is something of a foodie. Talk up a restaurant and he will ask you for the address.
"I love eating," he acknowledged.
"No one in my family does sports and they're all muscular and ripped," he added. "They don't have a problem. It's good genetics, I'm lucky. I don't get fat. I'm always in shape."
Since St-Pierre has ties to trainer Greg Jackson and Condit trains at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., the highly regarded coach will sit out the fight.
UFC champion Georges St-Pierre sees positive side to knee surgery
Before we take a look at November's most intriguing fights, let's pause for a moment and honor the memory of the Strikeforce card that could have been.
Remember that one? The Oklahoma City city event scheduled for Saturday was supposed to feature Daniel Cormier vs. Frank Mir and Sara McMann vs. Liz Carmouche. But it's vanished into the same void which sucked up UFC 151 and Gilbert Melendez vs. Pat Healy.
November's fight schedule just isn't the same without it.
But the news isn't all bad. December's schedule is killer -- knock on wood -- and there's still enough going on until then to keep fans interested. So without further ado, a look at six fights with interesting story lines, for a wide variety of reasons, over the next month:
1. Tyson Griffin vs. Effrain Escudero, RFA 4, Las Vegas, Nov. 2: The opening bout of UFC 67 figured to feature a future lightweight champion. And it did, with a twist: Frankie Edgar handed the much-hyped Tyson Griffin his first career loss. Griffin never quite regained his "future champion" shine after that loss and was finally cut from the UFC after dropping four of his last five bouts. Escudero is a former TUF winner who was cut from the company after going 0-2 in his second stint. It's wrestler vs. submission artist in the main event of a show coincidentally being held at the Fertitta-owned Texas Station, and the winner will get a big head start on his career revival effort.
2. Anthony Johnson vs. D.J. Lindermen, World Series of Fighting, Las Vegas, Nov. 3: Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting this fight to be a classic by any stretch of the imagination. But with a live national television platform, this will be the first most have seen of "Rumble" since his weight-related escapades punched his ticket out of the UFC. Since dropping out of the spotlight, the former welterweight has settled in at light heavyweight and scored three straight wins, most recently knocking out Jake Rosholt in September. California native Lindermen, the current Cage Warriors heavyweight champ, has won four of five as he drops down to 205.
3. Joe Warren vs. Owen Evinger, Bellator 80, Nov. 9: It wasn't all that long ago that Joe Warren was one of MMA's hottest up-and-coming fighters. The then-undefeated Bellator featherweight champion was openly talking about defending the 145-pound crown, winning a bantamweight tournament, and simultaneously training for Greco-Roman wrestling's U.S. Olympic team. Since then? Warren lost his Bellator bantamweight quarterfinal bout, then Pat Curran knocked him out to take his featherweight belt. Can Warren get his career back on track? If so, he absolutely needs to defeat Owen Evinger, loser of three of his past four bouts, at Bellator 80 in Florida.
4. Thiago Silva vs. Stanislov Nedkov, UFC on Fuel 6, Nov. 10: Two simple questions in this one: 1. Is Nedkov legit? and 2. Is Silva still a contender? We'll start with Nedkov, who has been under contract to the UFC for more than two years, but will only compete for the second time. An injury forced him to pull out of his planned debut against Rodney Wallace. Steve Cantwell got hurt before their UFC 120 bout and they couldn't get a short-notice replacement. Visa issues forced him out of a bout with Fabio Maldonado. Somewhere in the middle of all that, we got our one look at the undefeated Bulgarian, an impressive first-round TKO of Luiz Cane at UFC 134 which improved his record to 12-0. Then there's Silva, who at one point was 13-0 and seemed destined for big things. But it's been all downhill for him since, with a suspension for a fake drug test sample and a 1-3 record with a no-contest in his past five fights. For Silva, this fight is about staying relevant; for Nedkov, it's a chance to prove he's worth the wait.
5. Georges St-Pierre vs. Carlos Condit, UFC 154, Montreal, Nov. 17: If I need to explain why this one is relevant, you've probably stumbled onto this website by accident. I don't think anyone could have foreseen how much turbulence the MMA industry would hit since the night just a year and a half ago when St-Pierre retained his title against Jake Shields at a sold-out Rogers Centre in Toronto. Or that St-Pierre would be out of action until now. Or that Condit would help further marginalize the welterweight division in St-Pierre's absence by sitting on an interim "championship" for the bulk of 2012. Regardless, St-Pierre vs. Condit is finally on the horizon, and with it the obvious questions: Will Octagon rust affect St-Pierre? How will his knee hold up? Condit used a cautious game plan tailor-made to outpoint Nick Diaz in their UFC 143 bout. But that's not nearly as likely to work against GSP as it did against an arrogant brawler. Will we see a return of the old go-for-broke Condit, or is Greg Jackson cooking up something completely different? We'll find out on Nov. 17.
6. Johny Hendricks vs. Martin Kampmann, UFC 154, Nov. 17: The Montreal event also features a quality welterweight contender's bout. Former NCAA wrestling champion Hendricks has won four in a row, with the last two being a flash knockout of Jon Fitch and a grinding split decision over Josh Koscheck. Kampmann has earned admiration for his comeback performances this year: A late submission victory over Thiago Alves when it appeared he was on his way to a 30-27 loss; and his second-round finish of Jake Ellenberger after nearly being put away in the bout's opening moments. Let's hope this one goes off as planned. After everything that's gone down this year, it would be nice to have one of these two guys who have built their momentum earn their title shot strictly based on what they've done in the cage and not due to fight fallouts and injury replacements.
Pick Six: November MMA storylines worth watching - MMA Fighting
The World Series of Fighting kicks of Saturday night and for a fledgling promotion its first ever show could not have hoped for a better set of circumstances. Yes, it may feature a set of UFC, Strikeforce and Bellator retreads on its roster, but that’s not bad for an organization starting from scratch. More importantly with a Strikeforce card being cancelled on the same night, the WSOF will have top billing for fight fans with five of the eleven bouts on the card being televised.
One fight viewers can look forward to is the headline bout of Andrei Arlovski (17-9) and Devin Cole (20-9-1). Arlovski is a long way away from his days as the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, but he’s a name, and more importantly a name that can still show glimpses of the skills that took the bearded Belarusian to dizzying heights in the sport. A four fight losing streak that ended in 2011 might seem more than ominous, but Arlovski’s formidable skill set will no doubt offer fans something exciting to watch as Arlovski still remains the only fighter to knock out bruiser Roy Nelson.
As for Devin Cole, like every fighter on the card, he may not be in the UFC right now, but it seems its only a matter of time for the hard hitting Oregonian. In his last two fights he has beaten Shawn Jordan and Gabriel Salinas-Jones both current UFC fighters, so not too shabby as first offerings go.
On the undercard, one fight fans should keep an eye on is former bantamweight star Miguel Torres (40-5) facing off against Marion Moraes (8-4-1). Torres is another former UFC faded alumni, a fighter with a seventeen fight win streak in his career and formerly one of the sport’s top bantamweights. But with a 2-2 record in the UFC, after a failed step up, Torres finds himself fighting on Saturday aiming to restore credibility to a career that was once held in the highest regard.
Facing Torres will be fast and furious Marion Moraes, a Brazilian muay-Thai champion. With four defeats in a 13 fight career, however, the onus will be on Moraes to prove he’s not merely a small stepping stone for other prospects Torres will bring a ground game that aims to neutralize the non-stop offense of Moraes, which can only mean an intriguing spectacle for fight fans.
As if that wasn’t enough to tickle the fancy of watching guys desperately scrambling away for potentially one more shot in the big leagues, there’s one last bout that should satiate any fans’ MMA thirst on Saturday night - Anthony Johnson (13-4) against D.J. Linderman (13-3-0). Johnson, a longtime UFC staple has wins over the likes of mohawked British jester Dan Hardy, but also losses against the likes of Vitor Belfort.
The Belfort loss was notable because it was at middleweight, a class Johnson struggled and failed to drain his body into such a small shell for. Now fighting at light-heavyweight, something infinitely more suitable to his physical gifts, Johnson will face D.J. Linderman.
Linderman for those who don’t know is a pretty active fighter, having faced four guys this year and losing only once. With a career in Bellator on his resume Linderman is no slouch and will seek to use takedowns on Johnson, before the power merchant Johnson known as “Rumble” can inflict damage himself.
A win for Johnson, followed by perhaps a few more, would surely mean a recall to the UFC, while for Linderman, the beating of Johnson would be one heck of a name on the resume and a stock rise of career changing proportions.
Read more: MMA: World World Series of Fighting Kicks Off | Fox News Latino
When it comes to judo, Kayla Harrison is in her element.
She’s traveled the world, faced the stiffest competition and beat the best. At 22, she even has the hardware to prove it, including a gold medal from the 2012 Olympics Games in London. As her coach Jimmy Pedro said, “The girl has nothing else to do in the sport. She has nothing to prove.”
He’s right. Aside from becoming the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in judo, Harrison also won a Junior World Championship title in 2008 and gold at the World Judo Championships in 2010. With her striking success in one combat sport, many wonder if she’ll take part in another — mixed martial arts.
After all, another judo Olympian Ronda Rousey is turning the MMA world upside down. Rousey, who trained with Harrison in Wakefield at Jimmy Pedro’s Judo Center, has quickly become the best female fighter on the planet.
Harrison’s not surprised by her former roommate’s success and said perhaps one day, she’ll be inside the cage, dominating as well. But that time isn’t now. Despite Pedro’s assertion, Harrison is setting her sights on Rio de Janeiro and the 2016 Olympics — because, quite frankly, the way she views it, MMA might not be challenging enough right now.
“I don’t think that women’s MMA is ready for me yet,” Harrison said. “I think that four years is a long time, and the women’s MMA field could grow over time. I just think that right now, if I went into MMA . . . and I don’t want to sound too cocky, but I just don’t think anyone would be able to stay in the ring with me. That’s the type of person I am. I’m like Ronda. I’m a professional.”
Since winning gold in London, Harrison has been busy with personal appearances — including the Country Music Awards on Thursday — and will finally be able to catch up on some rest. She’ll get back to training in January in preparation for her next judo run. Though MMA is a legit possibility, she knows that if she wants to succeed she can’t do both.
When it came time to make a choice, she followed her heart.
“You have to pick one,” Harrison said. “My passion is still with judo. I’m 22 right now, so I have a lot of time. I think that the next four years could be my best four years in judo. “
Much like Harrison, Rousey was at one time, one of the best female judokas on the planet. At 17, she was the youngest judo competitor at the 2004 Olympics. At the 2008 Games, she became just the second American to win an Olympic medal in women’s judo.
Instead of going for her third run in the Olympics, Rousey entered MMA in 2010. In nine combined amateur and professional bouts, she’s finished all of her opponents in the first round. She earned a title shot in Strikeforce when she was 4-0. Her skills, combined with her charisma have prompted Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White to say that Rousey will most likely become the first female fighter signed by the UFC.
“It’s crazy to think about, but I’m not really going to believe it until I see it,” Rousey said. “Until now, it’s still just talk. There’s no actual fight planned or bouts signed, so until then I’m going to keep training and keep my mind open to whatever they throw at me.”
Rousey, 25, said she was fortunate to be prepared for MMA “before anyone saw it coming.” She has been competing in high-level combat sports since she was an early teen. With women’s seemingly MMA at its inception, Rousey is ahead of the curve.
And so is Harrison, who won two national championships by the time she was 15. She believes Rousey’s perfectly suited to catapult women’s MMA.
“I think that she’s honest and kind of has a no-(expletive) policy. She’s extremely refreshing and Ronda’s beautiful,” Harrison said. “If anyone’s going to bring women’s MMA to that level, it’s girls like Ronda.”
Following the London Games, Harrison signed with MMA manger Ali Abdel-Aziz and Dominance MMA. She also started taking Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes with MMA legend Renzo Gracie in New York and plans on reevaluating her plans in four years.
Read More: Kayla Harrison’s thirst for more Olympic gold means MMA can wait - BostonHerald-com
Kyle Kingsbury, a cast member on 'The Ultimate Fighter' (TUF) season 8, is coming off a brutal fight with Jimi Manuwa five weeks ago and strongly considering retirement from the sport. Kingsbury said he was leaning in that direction when interviewed by Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour on Wednesday.
"I'm leaning toward not doing it again," said the American Kickboxing Academy-based fighter. "That's where I am right now. There are a number of reasons why I won't say I'm retiring. Some of that has to do with medical bills still being covered, and some of that has to do with not knowing If I'll get that itch again. I could wake up a month or two from now and be as hungry and I've ever been and think I shouldn't have opened my mouth a month ago. So there's no finite decision, but I am leaning toward not fighting again and becoming a fireman."
Kingsbury, 30, has an 11-5 record with one no contest, but has lost his last three fights to Stephan Bonnar, Glover Teixeira and Jimi Manuwa. He suffered two orbital bone fractures against Manuwa in an exciting fight that many felt was the fight of the night at UFC on FUEL TV 5. Because of his performance where he came back to win the second round after being nearly knocked out in the first and before the fight was stopped due to an eye injury while he had momentum, UFC did not release him.
"They haven't cut me and I'm very grateful for that," he said. "If I decide to stick around, it'll be in the UFC."
More than a quarter century before the UFC, the late martial artist and film star Lee described in great detail what ultimately would become the sport of mixed martial arts.
The UFC was founded in 1993, partly in an effort to determine which fighting style is best. But as Lee had pointed out years before, it is a mixture of styles, not simply one, that is the most effective fighting form.
"The best fighter is not a boxer, karate or judo man," Lee once said. "The best fighter is someone who can adapt to any style. He kicks too good for a boxer, throws too good for a karate man, and punches too good for a judo man."
Nearly 40 years after his untimely death at 32 in 1973, Lee's fighting philosophies are on display in cages around the world. Fighters who were born many years after his death idolise him nonetheless and credit him with shaping them as athletes.
UFC president Dana White calls Lee the father of modern MMA. While there are others who deserve to be in that conversation, there is no question Lee's impact upon the sport is still being felt.
The UFC will host its first card on Chinese soil on November 10 at UFC on Fuel 6 in Macao, a gaming mecca near Hong Kong where Lee grew up.
To honor Lee, White had an image of the martial arts icon included on the official promotional poster for the event.
"It's pretty amazing when you look back at 'Enter the Dragon,' " said Lee's daughter, Shannon. "There he is in the opening sequence in the shorts and the fingerless gloves, ending it in an arm bar. It's almost as if he knew what was coming. But that all sprung from his belief about what it meant to be a complete fighter. He really believed fully that in order to be a complete fighter, you had to have many different things in your arsenal and be able to defend against and attack in whatever situation may present itself."
White said that though racism toward Chinese people was rampant in the U.S. during Lee's lifetime, Lee was such a special athlete that people of disparate cultures came to idolise him regardless.
"If you weren't white, there was some serious racism in this country [during Lee’s lifetime],” White said. “It was happening in Hollywood, too. It was hard to get parts. But not only did he break through and bring martial arts to another level on a worldwide basis, he made it the thing to do. Everybody wanted to do it, all races. It broke through because of what he was doing. Look at the way Asians were portrayed back then. They were portrayed as kind of goofy, and weak.
"And then here comes this Asian guy that every person of every colour in every country around the world worshipped as the baddest dude in the world. He changed people's way of thinking about Chinese people. Do you know how powerful that is? At a time of serious racism and the way Chinese people were looked at, he became a worldwide hero. And it wasn't just to white kids in suburbia. White kids in the south were hanging pictures of this Chinese guy on the walls in their bedrooms. That is amazing."
Lee became a hero to White and to generations of fighters who followed him. Fighters routinely quote him and one, Alex Caceres, adopted the nickname of "Bruce Leeroy" in homage to his idol. White first dubbed Caceres "Bruce Leeroy" during the filming of the reality series, "The Ultimate Fighter," and Caceres quickly took it as his own.
Caceres is 24 and was born in 1988, almost 15 years after Lee died. He was bullied when he was six years old and his father showed him the Lee film, "The Chinese Connection," as part of a way to teach him how to defend himself.
Caceres became one of those who idolised Lee, to the point he even wears the style of clothes that Lee wore.
Many believe Caceres did it as a gimmick to capture attention while on "The Ultimate Fighter," but he said he was doing that long before.
"I believe fully, totally, in a lot of his philosophies of being creative while adding yourself to everything and adding everything to yourself, being that interchangeable," Caceres said. "… At the age of 14, I was walking around at school, outside at the malls, I always had the Bruce Lee gi on. I never had an eye toward designer fashion. He had a very humble persona about himself and that's what I've been trying to get to."
The UFC’s biggest stars have raved about Lee and his impact. UFC champions Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre regularly quote Lee.
On his Twitter feed, St-Pierre posted one of Lee's most famous quotes: "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."
Even boxer Manny Pacquiao grew up idolising Lee. Pacquiao said he's tried to adapt his fighting style to Lee's philosophies.
"Bruce Lee was a big influence on me," Pacquiao said. "The first movie I saw was 'Enter the Dragon,' when I was eight. Every time we'd leave the movie theater after one of his movies, we'd all jump around and kick. In my early years [as a fighter], I tried to emulate his style in terms of speed and quickness. And I still do a little now."
Shannon Lee was four years old when her father died. Now, she runs the Bruce Lee Foundation and handles his licensing deals. She constantly talks about him and knows his history intimately, but her personal memories of her father only come in what she describes as "brief glimpses."
"He was very playful and energetic," she said. "He had a camera and he was always filming my brother [Brandon] and I. Of course, he was always teaching martial arts and there was a lot of punching and kicking going on."
White worshipped her father, but she said she believes her father would hold White in high regard as well.
She has gotten to be friends with White in recent years and said her father admired many of the traits she sees in White.
"My dad would have liked Dana a lot, I really think so," she said. "With Dana, what you see is what you get. Dana's a funny guy and a personable guy, bu
Should we blame MMA fans for expecting so much out of the sport?
It's hard to say whether we should or should not. In such a short time, the sport has expanded globally and fans now get the luxury of watching fights through more mediums than just a standard pay-per-view or an Internet stream.
Obviously, the UFC knows a thing or two about giving their fans the luxury of multiple mediums in which to watch their product. The Fox deal ensured that the UFC product would expand to a wider audience with programming on FX and Fuel TV. In addition, they also feature cards and programming via their Youtube channel and through the UFC.tv web site.
However, we might need to dial down on what we're expecting of the sport, especially with what we're expecting of the UFC as it closes out the first year of its deal with Fox.
The UFC will reap the benefits that most expected to see from the deal, but much like the evolution of a prospect with the potential to rise to "greatest of all time" status, those changes will not come overnight.
In time, the sport will gain its mainstream acceptance, and it will gain respect from even a much wider audience than just those who watch Fox, Fuel TV or FX. However, we can't assume otherwise simply because the injury bug cost the MMA world a handful of awesome cards.
Just as new organizations and prospects must take time to progress, such is true about the UFC's deal with Fox and the progression of MMA as a mainstream staple of the sports world. If we keep expecting too much too soon for the sport, the sport will only take longer in reaching those goals that fans expected the UFC to reach once the Fox deal officially started.
Are We Expecting Too Much Too Soon from MMA? | Bleacher Report
In a perfect America, we could say whatever we want about the leader of our nation and expect no repercussions. For example: I could say, “Someone needs to smack some sense into Obama.” Now granted, freedom of speech does apply to most ordinary citizens. However, if you happen to be a UFC fighter, then by the stars and stripes you pay the price for freedom of speech.
I thought in the spirit of Barack Obama’s reelection, I would talk about UFC lightweight Jacob Volkmann. After defeating Antonio McKee at UFC 125, Volkmann was feeling political. Volkmann said he would fight Obama: “Someone needs to knock some sense into that idiot.” Despite only exercising the first amendment, calling out the president to a fight was not a good idea.
According to an article on espn-com, Obama enthusiasts ridiculed and threatened Volkmann and his family. On top of that, he was suspended from his job as a wrestling coach and had an unwelcome visit from the Secret Service. Talk about an escalating situation.
I believe Volkmann was treated unfairly for exercising his rights. But by the same token, I think he did it irresponsibly. Times have changed since our founding fathers put together our great nation. The amendments that were forged out of a desire for liberty may not always be in American’s best interest. The right to bear arms was created because our founding fathers lived in a time where a tyrannical monarchy loomed over their shoulders. The consequence of having this amendment now, yields flexible gun laws. The consequence for freedom of speech means you have the potential to piss off a lot of people, as Volkmann did.
I support what Volkmann did, just not how he did it. As a person with mass media exposure, you need to be careful when and how you exercise your first amendment rights. If Volkmann had approached his presidential critique constructively, he wouldn’t have been treated so harshly. Freedom of speech is a two way street, with an expensive toll to pay.
Read more at MMA and the rights to free speech
The fights tonight in Gatineau will mark the end of an era for Ottawa’s lone MMA promoter.
Nick Castiglia, the WRECK MMA president responsible for many if not all elements of each show since 2009, from facilities to fighters to post-event festivities, including charities and marketing, will shift roles and become a fulltime coach at the umbrella Ottawa Academy of Martial Arts (OAMA).
“You look back at all the good times ... and WRECK MMA is what created those opportunities for me,” Castiglia said Thursday morning on the phone while attending to weigh-ins at the Ottawa Hilton.
“Through these shows you saw a lot of the human in everybody.”
Castiglia was also largely responsible for staging two WRECK MMA events in Afghanistan.
“These events are not only a lot of money but also a lot of man hours to maintain,” said WRECK MMA bantamweight champion Randy “Relentless” Turner (6-2), who trains out of OAMA and will be looking to win a fifth straight fight in his first title defence against American BJ Ferguson (8-2).
“I can see the stresses it puts on the organization,” Turner said.
“I am disappointed not just for myself but for the young up-and-comers.”
OAMA welterweight Mark “Boots” Holst (10-4), who trains alongside Turner and has known Castiglia since the two were teenagers, meets crosstown rival Nabil “The Thrill” Khatib (11-9) of Team Bushido MMA Fitness Center in the other co-main event.
“Nick’s been doing this for a long time,” said Holst. “It’s too bad ... (but) OAMA is always going to have fighters in the house.”
WRECK MMA will host its 10th and final event, at the Casino Lac-Leamy starting at 7 p.m.
Tickets for 10 fights are available through capitaltickets.ca.
Nick Castiglia leaving WRECK MMA to become full-time coach | Other Sports | Sports | Ottawa Sun
By now, unless you're coming back from an overnight camping trip in a remote location without internet access, you've heard that Strikeforce will run its final show on Jan. 12 and that Ronda Rousey is the first UFC women's bantamweight champion, as the company adds women's MMA.
Among the key questions unanswered as of Friday -- and right now, few who matter are talking on the record -- is whether Showtime will stay in the mixed martial arts business.
Showtime's involvement in mixed martial arts, while not without its flaws, is ultimately a good thing, for reasons obvious and less obvious. The obvious? More high-profile MMA promotions mean more jobs for fighters. This in turn means more work for everyone on down the line from production to the announcers to the road crew. The more big-money promotions there are, run by people with a long and competent history in the fight business, the bigger the industry can grow.
Then there's the less obvious sidelight: Dana White and company over at Zuffa simply do better work when they're being pressed by legitimate competition. Compare the UFC of this year, when Zuffa had Strikeforce in-house and no real promotional competitors (sorry, Bellator), to the previous several, when Zuffa aggressively counter-programmed their foes (remember the night Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia went head-to-head with Anderson Silva's light heavyweight debut?) and you have your answer.
The next question, though, is whether there's enough headline talent not locked up to Zuffa at the moment to make the sport worth Showtime's while. In past years, there always seemed to be a Fedor, Frank Shamrock, or Gina Carano around who could headline a card. But what's out there now? Strikeforce itself barely had enough talent, toward the end, to even fill out a card.
Which way Showtime decides to go with MMA is one of the bigger items to keep an eye on as the calendar turns toward 2013.
Read More: Fightweets: Will Showtime stay in MMA? - MMA Fighting
In the first UFC main event ever in China, middleweight Cung Le delivered a knockout its new fan base likely won't soon forget. A perfectly placed overhand right ended Rich Franklin's night and gave Le his first finish in the UFC. Referee Marc Goddard stopped the fight immediately at the 2:17 mark.
Franklin came out looking to establish his straight left and dictate range against the unorthodox Le. It appeared to be working until he got clipped. After throwing leg kick, Franklin looked to follow with a right hand, leaving his chin exposed. Le found it.
"That's the biggest fight of my life. Lucky punch," Le said. "He kept looking for me to kick. I came in with the overhand right. I caught him."
Franklin, who survived being hurt in a decision win over Wanderlei Silva in June, said little after the fight but made no mention of possibly retiring at age 38. "I don't know. I'll have to go back and watch it," said Franklin, referring to the final exchange. "I'm a little fuzzy right now. I'll have to go home and go back to the drawing board -- make an intelligent decision."
Le (9-2) records perhaps the biggest win of his professional career. The former Strikeforce middleweight champion entered the UFC on a loss to Wanderlei Silva last November, but has rebounded with wins over Patrick Cote and Franklin.
Franklin (29-7), who had spoke publicly on wanting a final title run at 185 pounds, suffers the fifth knockout loss of his 13-year professional career. He has fought only four times since the start of 2010 due to injury, with wins over Chuck Liddell and Silva during that time.
Cung Le finishes Rich Franklin with one punch - ESPN
While Dominick Cruz's mixed martial arts career has braked for a pit stop, he'll be getting help from the racing world to get back on track.
Cruz, the UFC's bantamweight champion, is being sponsored by the Phoenix International Raceway for his next fight, which is expected to take place in early 2013. The 27-year-old will wear the track's logo on his shirt and shorts.
A torn ACL has sidelined Cruz since May, but that didn't stop him from getting behind the wheel of a pace car. On Sunday, he did his second drive for the AdvoCare 500, which is part of Sprint Cup series.
"To feel even a sliver of the adrenaline that these drivers experience was so awesome, and I can't wait to do it again," he stated.
PIR's one-mile oval, which is located in Avondale, Ariz., hosts two NASCAR Sprint Cup events each year.
The bantamweight champ was a hit with the crowd in March when he helped to kick off the Subway Fresh Fit 500 race, said Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan Sperber. Middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva also drove a pace car at a Sprint Cup event in November.
Cruz, however, is the first MMA fighter to be sponsored by the racetrack. Sperber said the fighter's Arizona roots and love of racing make him a perfect fit.
"We jumped at the chance to be able to support Dom," Sperber said. "We're able to showcase what we're doing to the UFC's audience. It's kind of a groundbreaking opportunity because it's never been done."
Cruz, a three-time WEC champ before becoming the UFC champ, served as a coach on "The Ultimate Fighter: Live" opposite former champ Urijah Faber. He was training for a traditional season-ending fight with his rival when the injury occurred.
When he's fit to fight, Cruz (19-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will meet Brazilian interim champ Renan Barao (28-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who bested Faber at UFC 149 in July.
Sperber is an avid fan of MMA and has made a few friendly bets on the action inside the octagon. He'll be watching when Cruz returns to the cage.
Who would he wager on to win with Cruz and Silva out in front of the cars?
"I don't want to say anything bad about either one of their driving skills, so I'm going to say a tie," he said.
UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz first in MMA to win speedway sponsorship | MMAjunkie-com
There are hundreds of MMA fights around the country every weekend. Each fight needs qualified judges to score the action, but the growth of MMA means there aren't enough judges to go around.
Over the weekend, I sat in on an MMA judging clinic by Association of Boxing Commissions-certified trainer Robert Hinds of Combat Consulting. (The ABC is the group that oversees the state commissions that administer MMA across the United States.) The clinic gives prospective judges to be a place to start their judging career, and several state commissions require certification from an event like the one I attended. Whether you want to be a judge or not, every MMA fan should know something about how winners and losers are chosen when fights go to decisions. Here is what you need to know:
1. Judges look at result of the move, not the move itself. It's not about the takedown. It's about what happens from the takedown. It's not about the punch. It's about if the punch lands, and if it has an impact.
2. Judges are not fans. If they are scoring as fans, they should be fired. Judges have to be dispassionate and objective in every fight they judge. If they are a fan of one fighter or another, they need to reconsider their job.
3.Media, fans and promoters have no business comparing their score cards to those of judges. When I'm covering fights, I'm watching the fights, taking notes, tweeting and answering emails, text messages and instant messages. When fans watch the fights, they watch the fights, order beers, talk with friends, and check out the waitress who just delivered another plate of wings. When a promoter watches the fights, he or she is watching the fights, keeping an eye on the broadcast, dealing with inevitable problems on every fight card, and talking with fans and staff.
When a good judge is watching a fight, he or she is watching the fight. That's it. He or she has been trained on how to focus on the fight and see what has affected the round. Every bit of their brain power is focused on the fight. I've never had a judge tell me how to cover a story. I shouldn't try to do their job, and neither should you.
4. Positioning matters. With three judges around the cage, each one will not see the same thing. Sometimes a judge will not see a punch because only a fighter's back is visible. While monitors help in this situation, they're not everywhere yet and they are not a cure all. The judge is then limited to the view decided by the director of the show. If you're wondering what fight a judge watched, realize that it may not be the exact same one you saw on television.
5. Judges score rounds, not fights. When a round ends, the judge should score it and forget it. What happened in round one should not affect what score a judge gives in round three. In fact, Hinds recommended the use of individual score cards for each round so that judges are not influenced by their previous score.
6. 10-10 rounds are rare. Hinds described 10-10 rounds as a "unicorn." In a five-minute round, or even a three-minute round, something should happen that will give one fighter the edge over another. An observant judge should be able to catch it. 10-8 rounds have a specific definition: complete domination and significant impact for the entire round. If you don't see both, it's not a 10-8.
7. Judges can do nothing but judge. If a foul is not called by a ref, the judge cannot deduct a point. If a fighter's corner is giving the fighter terrible advice, the judge cannot give the fighter the benefit of the doubt. If the matchmaker came up with a terrible fight, the judge cannot take a round off and expect the knockout. The judge can judge the round. That's it.
8. What makes a bad judges is not the results they give, but their methods in judging and not using the criteria. Judges have a criteria and professional standards to follow. They need to carefully judge rounds, staying focused the entire time on using the criteria to call a winner in each round. If they are looking away, talking to someone, or eating or drinking during a round, that's a problem. If they can't say how the criteria applied to their judgment, that's a problem.
9. Not everyone can be a judge. During the clinic, we watched several fights to practice judging. Five minutes at a time, we practiced focusing on the fight and nothing else. It took me about a minute before my mind wandered. On Saturday night, we sat cageside for amateur fights so we could practice what we learned during the day. MMA's brutality is in your face from that distance. One man from the clinic confessed being so close to the action was emotional.
Judges have to be focused, and they cannot be squeamish. If you're not OK with listening to fighters get hit in the head, or hearing their bones crunch throughout their fights, or having blood and sweat fly onto your face, don't be a judge.
10. Judging ain't easy. Much like any profession, judges don't wake up one day and decide it's time to start judging UFC fights. Someone hoping to be a qualified judge has to practice by judging fights on television and judging sparring sessions at nearby gyms. They attend clinics and shadow judges in amateur fights before trying it themselves, then do the same routine before trying a professional fight.
With the growth of MMA from the amateurs on up the UFC, the sport needs good judges. If you think you can contribute to the sport in this way, contact your state commission.
10 things every MMA fan needs to know about judging | Cagewriter - Yahoo! Sports
The sidelined UFC heavyweight star plans on making his return to the Octagon at UFC 156 in Las Vegas, where he'll meet Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, according to a Tuesday report by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The match is contingent upon Overeem being relicensed by the Nevada Athletic Commission. Overeem is suspended in Nevada through Dec. 27 and must apply and be approved for a new fighter's license before the bout can be made official.
Overeem, the former Strikeforce and Dream heavyweight champion who trains with the Blackzilians in Florida, made his UFC debut on Dec. 30, 2011, with a first-round finish of Brock Lesnar. Overeem was scheduled to meet Junior dos Santos for the heavyweight title in May, but he failed an unannounced drug test held at a March press conference promoting the fight.
While serving his suspension, Overeem has agressively lobbied for a title shot with dos Santos upon his returned, but the timing of dos Santos' title defense against Cain Velasquez on Dec. 29 precludes such a fight.
In the Review-Journal report, NAC executive director Keith Kizer explained Overeem will have to appear before the commission in person to apply for his license, then described the procedure.
"The commission can go any way they want to at that meeting," Kizer told the paper. "They could say yes, they could say no, they could say yes with conditions," Kizer told the paper. "All of that will be on the table, but nothing can happen as far as licensure until after (Dec. 27)."
If he's cleared, Overeem (36-11) and Silva (17-4) will meet in what's shaping up to be a strong card on Feb. 2 at Vegas' Mandalay Bay Events Center. The bout is headlined by a quasi-super fight, as former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar challenges current featherweight champion Jose Aldo Jr.; and Rashad Evans is expected to return and meet Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
For his part, Silva (17-4) snapped a two-fight losing streak with his first-round knockout of previously unbeaten Travis Browne on Oct. 5.
Report: Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio Silva on Super Bowl weekend - MMA Fighting
Wednesday, Gray Maynard became the latest UFC fighter to drop out of an upcoming fight due to an injury.
But in this case, the UFC was quick to find a suitable replacement for his UFC 155 bout against Joe Lauzon, as Jim Miller will take Maynard's place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 29.
The UFC announced the moves on Wednesday.
The injury suffered by Maynard (11-1-1), who was looking for his second straight win after defeating Clay Guida in June, was undisclosed.
Lauzon (22-7), who holds the UFC record for post-fight bonuses with 11, has won three of his past four fights. His most recent bout, a submission win over Jamie Varner at UFC on FOX 4, is on the short list of this year's Fight of the Year candidates.
Miller (22-4), meanwhile, has a golden opportunity to rebound. The well-respected veteran from New Jersey has dropped two of his past three fights, most recently his submission loss to Nate Diaz at UFC on FOX 3 in May.
Jim Miller steps in for injured Gray Maynard against Joe Lauzon - MMA Fighting
Breakthrough MMA is scheduled to host its “Night of Champions” event Friday night at the Ocean Center.
The event is slated to feature 15 fights, including five title fights. Doors open at 6 p.m. and fights are scheduled to begin at 7. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
“This is definitely the most talent we have ever put on a card,” Breakthrough MMA promoter Jason Arnett said.
That talent includes former Atlantic High School wrestler Jay Pressley (3-1) who fights out of The Armory. Pressley will take on Ryan Favale (2-1) for the 135-pound title.
Arnett called Pressley's striking “Jon Jones-ish,” referring to the UFC light heavyweight champion.
Pressley said he is looking forward to a good fight.
“I've definitely heard a lot of good things about (Favale),” he said. “I think it will be a real fast, high-paced fight. We both take risks and that is what the fans want to see. Be ready. It will be crazy.”
Other scheduled title fights include: Chris Walker (4-0) vs. Trevor Norris (2-1) (145 pounds), Alex Zee (2-1) vs. Phil Rowe (4-3) (170 pounds), Mo De'Reese (4-0) vs. Garrick James (3-1) (205 pounds), Robert Reed (5-2) vs. Alex Nicholson (9-4) (185 pounds).
Breakthrough MMA 'Night of Champions' to feature five title fights | News-JournalOnline-com
For the first times, MMA fighters and boxers will share an event, fighting in ten distinct bouts. There will be five MMA matchups and five boxing bouts for the public to enjoy. The event, called "Worlds Collide" will showcase local talent.
Among those competing, Audrey Alvarez will take to the ring for only the third time. Alvarez, a former Alice Firefighter, has trained in jujitsu and kickboxing over the last four years to hone the mixed martial arts skills needed in the ring. She will defend her 2-0 record.
Alvarez said the hardest part about being a female mixed martial arts fighter is trying to find an opponent. Originally slated to fight as many as 10 bouts over the last two years, only two fights came to fruition.
"You have to be mentally focused and prepared. Training is hard, making weight is hard, but finding opponents is very hard," Alvarez said. "God has a plan for me, and I'm going to stay
on the path I'm supposed to go."
Triple A Promotions hosted the fight card to South Texas with Solid Knockout Entertainment's “Worlds Collide.”
Five MMA and five boxing bouts will be featured. Boxers include:
Oscar Cantu -Kingsville Boxing Club
Worlds Collide brings MMA and boxing to fairgrounds - Nueces County Record Star: News