MMA News - MMA Junkie Feed

**Latest MMA News Feed from MMAJunkie.com**

  • Fans invited to pre-UFC 117 press conference in San Francisco
    The Ultimate Fighting Championship is primed to take over Northern California.

    With the anticipation high for August's "UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen" event in Oakland, the UFC is now opening the doors to the card's pre-event press conference, which takes place Thursday, Aug. 5, at the Fisherman's Wharf Hilton Hotel in San Francisco.

    UFC president Dana White and UFC 117 fighters Anderson Silva, Chael Sonnen, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, Matt Hughes, Ricardo Almeida, Roy Nelson and Junior Dos Santos will all be on hand for the conference, which is free and open to the public.


  • Champ Joe Soto vs. Joe Warren official for Bellator 27 in San Antonio
    Bellator Fighting Championships featherweight champion Joe Soto and season-two tournament winner Joe Warren will clash on Sept. 2.

    As was first reported by MMAjunkie.com, Soto and Warren meet in the main event of Bellator 27.

    Bellator officials today announced the matchup for the card, which takes place at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, Texas.


  • Mike Guymon vs. Daniel Roberts targeted for UFC 121 prelims
    A welterweight match-up between Mike "The Joker" Guymon and Daniel Roberts is targeted for UFC 121.

    Sources close to the event today confirmed to MMAjunkie.com that verbal agreements are in place with bout agreements expected to be signed shortly.

    UFC 121 takes place Oct. 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and features a heavyweight title match between current champion Brock Lesnar and challenger Cain Velasquez.


  • UFC hosts first-ever international fan expo in London in October
    The UFC will hold its first-ever European-based MMA exposition in conjunction with October's UFC 120 event, the organization today announced.

    As MMAjunkie.com first reported UFC Fan Expo London 2010 will be held Friday and Saturday, October 15-16, at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre with meet-and-greet sessions with UFC fighters, MMA demonstrations, fan-inspired special events, training and development sessions, and other activities.

    Featuring a middleweight contest between Michael Bisping and Yoshihiro Akiyama, UFC 120 takes place October 16 at the O2 Arena in London.


  • MMAjunkie.com Radio: Marc Laimon, Joey Oddessa, Percy Crawford, Jorge Lopez
    MMAjunkie.com Radio today welcomes a plethora of expert analysts to the show to break down this weekend's combat sports action, as well as Wand Fight Team prospect Jorge Lopez.

    Top trainer Marc Laimon comes in-studio to breakdown UFC on Versus 2, while MMA oddsmaker Joey Oddessa calls in to offer his expert opinion as well. Percy Crawford of FightHype.com also joins us via phone to share his wisdom on the latest in boxing, while Lopez previews his fight at Saturday's MMA Xplosion show in Las Vegas.

    MMAjunkie.com Radio airs from 12-2 p.m. ET (9-11 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. Listen to and watch a video stream of the two-hour show at www.mmajunkie.com/radio.


  • "The Sunday Junkie" deadline reminder, win a free Fighters Only subscription!
    As a reminder, submissions for the upcoming edition of "The Sunday Junkie" are due Sunday at 10 a.m. ET.

    All topics - including this weekend's UFC on Versus 2 event and the busy schedule coming in August  - are open for discussion. The person who sends in the submission we deem the best - based on timeliness of subject, clarity and overall persuasiveness - will be invited onto MMAjunkie.com Radio to discuss the topic.

    Each winner will also receive a free year's subscription to Fighters Only, the world's leading MMA and lifestyle magazine!


  • Forrest Griffin hits the road in support of "Be Ready When the Sh*t Goes Down"
    Former UFC light-heavyweight champion, "The Ultimate Fighter" winner and best-selling author Forrest Griffin is at it again.

    Griffin and publisher William Morrow are set for an August release of "Be Ready When the Sh*t Goes Down: A Survival Guide to the Apocalypse," the follow-up to the fighter's best-selling debut, "Got Fight?"

    In support of the release, Griffin will soon embark on a nine-day, nine-city book signing tour that includes visits to New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California and Nevada.


  • Ben Rothwell undergoes ACL surgery, estimates nine-month recovery
    UFC heavyweight Ben Rothwell sat at UFC 115's post-fight podium and made no excuses.

    He had won a unanimous decision over Gilbert Yvel on the June 12 event's pay-per-view card but said it was "not a victory" for the fight's lack of finish. He chose not to disclose that he had torn his ACL on the first takedown of the three-round contest.

    Rothwell on Tuesday underwent surgery to repair both his ACL and a torn meniscus and hopes to be back in action by February or March of 2011.


  • Report: Zuffa, LLC sues Bellator, Ken Pavia over alleged theft of trade secrets
    While most MMA pundits wouldn't consider Bellator Fighting Championships and the UFC direct rivals, they soon will be - in court.

    According to a report by Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole, Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has filed suit in a Nevada court against MMA Agents' head Ken Pavia and the Bellator organization.

    At the center of the concern is alleged theft of "trade secrets and confidential Zuffa documents," which Zuffa contends Pavia passed along to Bellator officials.


  • With new training camp, same attitude, Ellenberger ready to shine at UFC on Versus 2
    With a career record of 22-5, UFC welterweight Jake Ellenberger was doing just fine the way things were.

    But in the ultra-competitive world of professional mixed martial arts, if you're not moving forward, you're about to get passed up.

    With that in mind, Ellenberger took his training camp from his native Nebraska to Orange County, California, and he's looking forward to displaying the results at this weekend's UFC on Versus 2 event.


  • HDNet Fights Video Vault: Marianna Kheyfets vs. Kim Couture at XFC 11
    In our latest installment of HDNet Fights Video Vault, we take a look at a female contest from a recent Xtreme Fighting Championships event.

    In our fight-of-the-week feature, Marianna "The Crushen Russian" Kheyfets made her professional debut against two-time Strikeforce veteran Kim "Sugar Free" Couture.

    The fight served as the co-main event of HDNet's July 9 broadcast of "XFC 11: The Next Generation" at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla.


  • Fight Path: Olympic medalist Randi Miller brings wrestling pedigree to female MMA
    The difference for Randi Miller came when a roommate put in a University of Iowa wrestling tape.

    Before that, the daughter of a firefighter and public relations executive didn't feel like she was reaching her potential in female wrestling after starting the sport as a senior at her Texas high school, where the sport was more accepted for girls.

    Now after securing an Olympic bronze medal and being named the 2008 U.S.A. Wrestling Female Wrestler of the Year, Miller eyes her mixed martial arts debut, and she's not willing to settle for less than a championship belt.


  • Wanderlei Silva protégé Vitor Vianna targets big-show contract with MMA Xplosion fight
    Vitor Vianna hasn't had a mixed-martial-arts fight in 26 months.

    But just think about what he has done since: Move from his native Brazil to Las Vegas because Wanderlei Silva was once so impressed with fights he saw years ago he wanted Vianna in his camp. Become a teacher at Silva's gym. And gain a buzz that is one of the most significant for the relatively unknown fighter in Vegas.

    He just hasn't been fighting, but not all by his choice.


  • UFC's Jason MacDonald cleared to train, anticipates December return
    Duane "Bang" Ludwig isn't the only fighter getting back to his feet.

    UFC middleweight Jason MacDonald on Tuesday had two three-inch screws removed his ankle and was cleared for light training.

    MacDonald suffered a broken tibula, a dislocated ankle and bone and ligament damage when John Salter took him down in the first round of their fight at UFC 113.


  • Despite little fanfare, 38-year-old Todd Brown promises to deliver at UFC 117
    At 38 years old, UFC newcomer Todd Brown has a lifetime of combat sports competition under his belt. Toughman contests, amateur boxing, kickboxing - Brown has done it all.

    So while the Indiana native certainly won't have youth on his side when he faces veteran slugger Tim Boetsch at August's UFC 117 event, Brown said he'll have something even better to rely on: a proven track record of hard work.

    "In this case, my age is probably a good thing," Brown told MMAjunkie.com Radio.


  • Browne vs. Kongo, Patrick vs. Wilks among four official additions to UFC 120
    The UFC's return to England is quickly taking shape, and Spike TV executives today announced that four previously reported matchups for the Oct. 16 event are now official.

    On the main card of UFC 120, Travis Browne faces Cheick Kongo, and Claude Patrick meets James Wilks.

    Meanwhile, on the prelims, Cyrille Diabate faces Alexander Gustafsson while Steve Cantwell clashes with Stanislav Nedkov.


  • MMAjunkie.com Radio: Ricco Rodriguez, Dr. Johnny Benjamin, Cal Rocha
    MMAjunkie.com Radio today welcomes to the show 11-year MMA veteran and former UFC champion Ricco Rodriguez, as well as MMAjunkie.com medical consultant Dr. Johnny Benjamin and The Sunday Junkie winner Cal Rocha.

    Rodriguez has undergone a career renaissance of sorts and is currently on an eight-fight win streak. Meanwhile, Benjamin calls in to discuss a variety of medical issues in MMA. Finally, Rocha calls to discuss his winning entry regarding the UFC's anti-piracy efforts.

    MMAjunkie.com Radio airs from 12-2 p.m. ET (9-11 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. Listen to and watch a video stream of the two-hour show at www.mmajunkie.com/radio.


  • Ryan Couture makes professional debut at Strikeforce Challengers 10 in Arizona
    The long-anticipated professional debut of Ryan Couture is now official.

    Following a successful amateur career, Couture will cash his first paycheck following an Aug. 13 bout against Rage in the Cage veteran Lucas Stark at Strikeforce Challengers 10.

    Couture, of course, is the son of UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and trains with his father's Xtreme Couture camp in Las Vegas.


  • UFC welcomes fans to next week's UFC 117 open workouts in Concord, Calif.
    In keeping with a recently introduced trend in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, fans will be granted access to the open workouts of six high-profile fighters competing at August's UFC 117 event.

    UFC officials recently announced the event's open workout sessions are open to both media and fans.

    The free event, which are scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 4, from 1-3 p.m. PT (local time), take place at the UFC Gym at 1975 Diamond Blvd. in Concord, Calif.


  • With stakes high for both, Rick Story expects dangerous Dustin Hazelett at UFC 117
    Before he even thought about fighting in the UFC, Rick Story watched Dustin Hazelett pull off crazy submissions inside the octagon and thought, "Man, that guy's tough."

    But Story is fighting Hazelett in a little over a week, so it's time to get down to business. He believes the stakes are high for both. He wants to be a main-card regular, and Hazelett is fighting to keep his UFC job.

    "He's fighting to stay in, pretty much," Story told MMAjunkie.com.


  • "Countdown to UFC 117" preview show debuts Aug. 2 on Spike TV
    The UFC's traditional pre-event preview show returns Aug. 2 for the debut of "Countdown to UFC 117."

    The one-hour special debuts at 11 p.m. ET/PT on Spike TV and spotlights the Aug. 7 event, which features a headliner and middleweight title fight between current champion Anderson Silva and challenger and pound-for-pound pre-fight hype favorite Chael Sonnen.

    Replays air Aug. 3 (1 a.m. ET/PT) on MTV Tr3s, Aug. 4 (8 p.m. ET/PT) on Spike TV and Aug. 5 (midnight ET/9 p.m. PT) on Versus.


  • Carina Damm's position in Strikeforce tourney in doubt; officials say replacement waiting
    Strikeforce's upcoming four-woman 135-pound tournament is in danger of losing a competitor, but company officials insist there's still a chance the field will remain intact.

    With a little more than two weeks remaining until the tourney, which takes place at Strikeforce Challengers 10, Brazilian veteran Carina Damm has yet to secure a work visa needed for entry to the U.S.

    Damm's troubles were first reported by MMARising.com, and Strikeforce officials confirmed the news late Wednesday night.


  • Bellator announces Jose Vega as fifth participant in bantamweight tournament
    With the start of Bellator Fighting Championships' third season now just three weeks away, company officials have announced Jose Vega as the fifth fighter in the upcoming eight-man bantamweight tournament.

    Vega earned his way into the tournament with his stunning 39-second finish of Jarrod Card in a non-tournament bout in June.

    "Jose showed everyone in MMA what he's capable with his highlight-reel knockout at Bellator 22," Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney stated in today's release.


  • WEC 50 official with 10 bouts, Cruz vs. Benavidez title fight headlines Aug. 18 event
    As expected, August's WEC 50 event is set with a 10-bout lineup.

    The Versus TV-broadcast event takes place Aug. 18 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

    WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz meets challenger Joseph Benavidez in the night's main event, a rematch of an August 2009 affair between the two, and lightweight contenders Anthony Pettis and Shane Roller face off in the evening's co-feature.


  • Jon Jones says UFC on Versus 2 opponent tougher than his previous two
    Jon Jones likens his instant stardom to surfing a wave. The key to staying upright is to not think about where the water is taking him.

    "That whole 'next big thing' stuff, it sounds cool," Jones told MMAjunkie.com. "But it doesn't change anything about me or my family and my personal life. It doesn't hold that much weight."

    And while many critics say his next opponent, Vladimir Matyushenko, is a lightweight obstacle, the 23-year-old fighter believes "The Janitor" is a better fighter than previous opponent Brandon Vera, whom he defeated in March.


  • UFC's Jon Jones gets first-pitch honors at Friday's San Diego Padres game
    UFC on Versus 1 headliner Jon Jones will throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to Friday's San Diego Padres game.

    Jones, a top UFC light-heavyweight contender, meets Vladimir Matyushenko on Sunday at the San Diego Sports Arena.

    A couple days prior to the fight, he heads to PETCO Park and tosses a pitch prior to the Padres 7:10 p.m. PT game with the Florida Marlins.


  • MMAjunkie.com's John Morgan on "The Fight Show" with Mauro Ranallo today
    MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan is a guest on today's edition of "The Fight Show with Mauro Ranallo."

    Morgan joins Ranallo to discuss the UFC on Versus 2 and UFC 117 events, as well as a variety of topic around the landscape of mixed martial arts.

    Catch the segment at 4:15 p.m. ET (1:15 p.m. PT) on Hardcore Sports Radio, which is available on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 98 or online at HardcoreSportsRadio.com


  • President: Announcement of Shark Fights 13 broadcast plans coming next week
    Now that officials have booked some big names and marketable matchups for its star-studded Shark Fights 13 event, the first question is obvious: How do fans watch it?

    Brent Medley, president of the successful Texas-based promotion, today told MMAjunkie.com Radio that fans can expect an announcement shortly.

    "It'll be available for people to see," he said. "I wouldn't stack this card and not show it to essentially the world."


  • Shark Fights 13 adds champion Evans, Larson, Herman, Spratt, Mann, Hicks
    The biggest card in Shark Fights history just got some additional starpower.

    After already announcing four fights for the Sept. 11's main card, the Texas-based promotion unveiled a near-complete 10-fight lineup that includes a surprisingly deep preliminary card.

    Notable additions include Bellator heavyweight Dave Herman vs. Aaron Rosa, WEC vets Karen Darabedyan vs. Marcus Hicks, and UFC vet Pete Spratt vs. Eric Davila.


  • With opponents scarce, Strikeforce's Daniel Cormier heads to Australian XMMA show
    With a meager 2-0 pro mixed-martial-arts record, Daniel Cormier, a two-time JUCO national wrestling champion and NCAA Division I national runner-up, needs more fights and cage time.

    Of course, that's easier said than done.

    That's why the Strikeforce heavyweight prospect, who also fights at next month's Strikeforce Challengers 10 event, heads to Australia this weekend for an XMMA fight with heavyweight champ Lucas Browne.


  • MMAjunkie.com Radio: WEC's Shane Roller, UFC's Todd Brown, Shark Fights CEO
    MMAjunkie.com Radio today welcomes to the show in-studio guest and WEC 50 co-headliner Shane Roller, who meets Anthony Pettis in a likely No. 1 contender's bout.

    Additionally, promotional newcomer Todd Brown discusses his UFC 117 fight with Tim Boetsch, and Shark Fights CEO Brent Medley discusses the upcoming and star-studded Shark Fights 13 event.

    MMAjunkie.com Radio airs from 12-2 p.m. ET (9-11 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. Listen to and watch a video stream of the two-hour show at www.mmajunkie.com/radio.


  • Phil Davis vs. Rodney Wallace official for UFC 117 preliminary card
    A light-heavyweight bout between Rodney Wallace and replacement fighter Phil Davis is now official for next month's UFC 117 event.

    As MMAjunkie.com reported this past week, Davis took the fight when Stanislav Nedkov was forced off the card due to an undisclosed injury.

    UFC officials now have formally announced the new matchup, which takes place Aug. 7 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.


  • Jeremy Horn vs. tourney runner-up Bryan Baker targeted for Bellator 30
    A middleweight bout between MMA iron man Jeremy Horn and season-two tournament runner-up Bryan Baker is expected to be part of September's Bellator 30 event.

    A source close to the event told MMAjunkie.com the fighters have agreed to the Sept. 23 matchup but that bout agreements haven't been signed.

    Horn, who makes his Bellator debut in his 111th career fight, posted the news via Facebook but mistakenly referred to a Sept. 28 date.


  • Mark Miller meets Josh Shockley at Bellator 25 in Chicago
    Bellator Fighting Championships has added a fourth fight to the preliminary card of the already star-studded Bellator 25 event, which takes place on its home turf of Chicago.

    Lightweights Mark Miller and Josh Shockley are set to meet at the event, a source close to the event confirmed with MMAjunkie.com.

    Bellator 25 takes place Aug. 19 at the historic Chicago Theatre in Illinois. As is typical with Bellator, the preliminary-card matchup includes area talent that's meant to draw local fans.


  • UFC 117's Chael Sonnen: "Dummy" Anderson Silva doesn't know how to promote
    It took a while, but UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva opened up and said his piece.

    After a string of one-word answers and an apparent lack of interest in promoting his UFC 117 headliner against Chael Sonnen, Silva said he simply differs with the trash-talking challenger on how to sell a fight.

    "I just don't choose to promote the fight like that," Silva told MMAjunkie.com.


  • Dan Miller replaces Phil Baroni, meets John Salter on UFC 118 preliminary card
    By now, John Salter should be used to last-minute opponent changes.

    Following middleweight Phil Baroni's withdrawal from their fight at UFC 118, sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com that Dan Miller has stepped in to meet the Southerner on the event's preliminary card.

    MMADiehards.com first reported the change.


  • Hamman vs. Kingsbury, Mitchell vs. Waldburger set for UFC Fight Night 22
    Light heavyweights Jared Hamman vs. Kyle Kingsbury and welterweights David Mitchell vs. Anthony Waldburger are set for UFC Fight Night 22's un-aired preliminary card.

    MMAjunkie.com previously reported the two matchups, which recently were made official.

    UFC Fight Night 22 takes place Sept. 15 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, and airs on Spike TV.


  • UFC champ Anderson Silva: I now want to retire at middleweight
    Forget light heavyweight, forget heavyweight, and especially forget welterweight; Anderson Silva says he wants to stick to middleweight.

    The UFC's 185-pound champion today said that he plans to retire in the 185-pound class and apparently is uninterested in fighting at light heavyweight or heavyweight.

    "I like my weight division that I fight in, and I'm prepared to stay in my weight division," Silva today said through translator and manager, Ed Soares.


  • Gerald Harris vs. Alessio Sakara keeps spot on UFC 118 "UFC Prelims" broadcast
    Despite the loss of middleweight Jorge Rivera due to a broken arm, replacement fighter Gerald Harris and opponent Alessio Sakara have kept their spot on the UFC 118 "UFC Prelims" broadcast.

    A source close to the event today confirmed the news with MMAjunkie.com.

    Harris vs. Sakara, as well as Terry Etim vs. Joe Lauzon, remain on the one-hour Spike TV broadcast, which precedes the night's pay-per-view main card.


  • UFC newcomer Todd Brown replaces Thiago Silva at UFC 117, meets Tim Boetsch
    UFC newcomer Todd "Bulldog" Brown has replaced injured Thiago Silva and now meets Tim Boetsch at UFC 117.

    Earlier today MMAjunkie.com reported that a back injury had forced Silva off the upcoming card.

    In his place steps Brown, who according to agent Ken Pavia of MMAAgents.com, recently finalized a four-fight deal with the promotion.