Pride Middleweight and Welterweight Champ Henderson Enjoying New Belt

By Derek Constable

Dan HendersonMarch 3, 2007 - Wanderlei Silva’s not a man many people look forward to facing, but just five days after knocking out Silva in the third round of their middleweight title bout, Dan Henderson said that’s exactly how he felt going into PRIDE 33.

“I got excited every time I thought about it, I had goose bumps,” Henderson said.
The win over Silva unified Pride’s middleweight and welterweight title, making Henderson the first MMA champion to hold belts in two weight classes simultaneously.

“I didn’t realize that it was that big of a deal until I did it, and everyone started talking about the fact that it’s never been done before,” he said.

More amazing than the milestone itself was the fact that Henderson finished the fight after fracturing a hand in the very first round. He showed no sign of it bothering him from the start of Round 2 up until he KO’d the former champ with a ferocious left hook in Round 3.

“I don’t know exactly when I broke it. It was probably a lot of the adrenaline,” Henderson said. “I just focused on what I had to do after the first break between rounds. I felt so good in what I was doing, it never hurt me. I just kept fighting.”

Henderson is a former Olympic wrestler, who competed in 1992 and 1996, and while he’s known for his intensity and heavy hands in MMA, he said that it was his many years of wrestling that have made him the guy he is today.

“There are a lot of guys that are good in cage fighting who haven’t [qualified for an] Olympic team, but if you’ve been on one, it shows you put in the work and your dedicated both mentally and physically – you’re going to be ready.”

Henderson was more than ready for this last fight in Las Vegas , a rare appearance by PRIDE on American soil. He said it was definitely a nice change as an American whose been fighting in for eight years.

“I definitely still want to fight in as well, but it was a welcome change to have my friends and family there, it made all the difference in the world.”

Silva defeated Henderson by in 2000, but Henderson said this rematch wasn’t about settling scores, saying, “It was so long ago the first time, obviously it felt good to beat him the other night, but it wasn’t about settling the score it was about making history and taking his belt. Either way it felt good.”



Henderson joins Randy Couture as the only other MMA fighter to hold a world title in two different weight classes, but he is the first and only one to hold both belts at the same time.

Couture became the newest UFC Heavyweight champion, and the UFC’s first five-time champion, after going the distance five rounds with Tim “The Mainiac” Sylvia on Saturday at UFC 68. Many questioned Couture’s decision to move up a weight class in his return from retirement, but Saturday’s performance solidified Randy Couture as one of the greatest MMA champions of all time, in addition to surprising a few fans and friends.

“I don’t think it was the smartest decision to fight someone like Tim his first fight out,” Henderson said of Couture two days before the big fight, “but I’m not involved in his training and am looking on it from the outside … he might know something that we don’t.”

Enson Inoue Interview

Franklin-Silva rematch may be in Cincinnati

By Chad Edward

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion Rich Franklin wants another shot at Anderson Silva. And he wants it in his hometown Cincinnati.

After defeating Jason MacDonald on a corner stoppage due to strikes late Saturday at Nationwide Arena in Columbus during UFC 68, Franklin dropped the challenge on the man who took his title belt.

"I felt great in here tonight," Franklin told the capacity crowd of more than 17,000. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jittery."

Then Franklin called Silva into the Octagon.

"He's the champion," said Franklin. "He's a champion at heart."

The boos directed toward Silva from the pro-Franklin crowd turned to roaring cheers when Franklin announced Silva agreed to "rematch in Cincinnati."

Then the fighters embraced.

A UFC spokesperson said Sunday no contract has been signed, and there is no date or venue set, but the UFC wants to hold the bout in Ohio.

The Brazilian Silva (18-4) took the belt from Franklin (23-2) in October, winning by first-round TKO after a series of knee strikes to the head of Franklin, who couldn't escape Silva's Muay Thai clinch.

On Saturday, Franklin, a former Oak Hills math teacher, outclassed MacDonald. The two spent most of the fight on the mat, with Franklin maneuvering into position and hammering punches into MacDonald's head. MacDonald's corner threw in the towel after the second five-minute round.

Also on the card Saturday was Loveland alumnus Matt Hamill, who improved his mixed martial arts record to 3-0 with a first-round TKO. His opponent was Columbus native Rex Holman, who fell to 4-2 in MMA bouts.

Hamill started the action early by landing a flying Superman punch that left a cut on the bridge of Holman's nose. The cut became a target for the rest of the bout as Hamill peppered Holman with snapping jabs and straight rights and lefts.

The two former high school wrestlers clinched only twice, to neither fighter's advantage. As the first round neared three minutes, the 38-year old Holman was winded. A punch dropped Holman, and the better-conditioned Hamill pounced. The fight was stopped by the referee at four minutes of the first round with Holman lying prone and Hamill straddling his back and wind-milling punches into each side of his head.

(Source)

Tim Sylvia, the anti-champ

By Mad Squabbles

So before I say a word about Tim Sylvia, let me acknowledge how wrong I was on the Holman vs. Hamill fight: TOTALLY WRONG. But, I don't feel bad about it and don't really care. Hamill still looked horrendous, but Holman managed to out horrendous him. This isn't the first, nor the last time I'll be way off. MMA fights - and particularly upsets - are incredibly difficult to call. I'll just do my best next time. C'est la vie.

Now onto Sylvia.

I doubt he agrees with me, but I think this is a good loss for Sylvia. In terms of popularity, he has nowhere to go but up. The guy - a heavyweight champion - got booed at the weigh-ins, for crying out loud. Sylvia is arguably the least popular fighter in the UFC and he just lost to arguably the most popular. I doubt he can fight again and be disliked as much by the fans. He's got nowhere to go but up.

Add to that he's been stripped of his belt, so his comeback to a title shot provides him the perfect opportunity to repair his image. He'll still be hated heading into whoever he fights next, but it'll be different for a few reasons.

1. Sylvia's been a disliked fighter for a while, but some of the extra hate was a function of his status as champion. Hardcore fans just couldn't accept him in that role. Sure he was big, but he was goofy and it just didn't seem meritorious that he held the belt. And when compared to PRIDE's heavyweight roster, Sylvia seemed to be good, but be holding only a paper championship belt. Sylvia didn't do himself any favors by constantly saying he was the best in the world, either. When looking around the heavyweight MMA landscape, no one took that claim seriously. The problem for fans was that unless he actually stepped into the ring with PRIDE's heavyweights there was simply no way to prove it. I believe Sylvia used that "possibility gap" as an opportunity to be overly confident and smug while the fans used their frustration to spit yet more venom at him.

The point, then, is that since Sylvia's no longer the heavyweight title holder, some of the vitriol and negativity sent his way should dissipate. Sylvia could squander this opportunity, so maybe not. But at least the opening is there for him.

And now that's he lost to the legend Couture, the fans desire to see Sylvia dethroned has finally been satiated. I think fans were hoping CroCop (the former PRIDE fighter and therefore pseudo PRIDE heavyweight representative) would do it, but they'll take this win without hesitation.

2. Tim used his championship BELT as a means for vindication. Plain and simple, that's a recipe for disaster.

Tim Sylvia's "story" is truthfully very inspiring. He had a desire to compete and win, but was counted out even by his trainers at Miletich when he first started. He didn't have the natural athletic ability and really suffered for years as he trained and learned to fight. But somewhere along the line the work paid off. He actually began to get, well, good. Really good. He started competing and dominated nearly everyone who crossed his path. From there the rest is history, but its worth noting that Tim Sylvia's heart and work ethic are second to none. He got where he got because he worked his ass off and earned it the old fashioned way, genetics and nay-sayers be damned. I will always have such a strong admiration for that.

But I think Sylvia may have been holding a grudge all these years against that nebulously-defined group of "doubters, critics, and haters." To some extent this is understandable: he was, in fact, hated. People did constantly doubt him, so the pressure to perform and prove them wrong was certainly present. But I think somewhere along the line this quest to silence critics became his mission. And the more critics pushed, the more he angrily and dismissively pushed back. That just fanned the flames even further.

I think Tim wanted the love of the fans, but he was waiting for them to come around first before he gave love back. In his mind, he earned his place at the throne of the heavyweights and it was the fans' fault for not recognizing that. To be honest, I think it bothered him that they've never really come around. He says it hasn't, but how can it not?

3. Tim just wasn't a good "champ". I'm not referring to his fighting prowess, which in my view, is still top-level. I'm referring to his status as the heavyweight champ: the MMA icon, torch bearer, role model, and celebrity. On all but the second account he was simply not interested in playing the role (and did only a modest amount of work on the second). Sylvia didn't have the big muscular physique, he strangely wore his belt everywhere he went, he gave fans the fingers when they booed, and he always seemed to make comments that were more irritating than he had to. For example, when he said he "out jiu-jitsu'd" Jeff Monson and almost submitted him, you have to wonder who he's trying to convince: himself or the fans?

None of that ever personally bothered me and I try to not use a fighter's personal habits as a criteria to judge them, but Sylvia fails to recognize just how important those traits are. When a politician runs for office, the number one thing voters look for is the candidates personal traits and habits. How a candidate's voted on important pieces of legislation or where they stand on issues comes FAR after whether they're a runner, enjoy golfing, seem friendly, and like the color red. That may be sad, but its the truth. If you want to be a popular fighter or champion you don't have to cater to these base-level criteria all the time, but you should recognize they're there and that FANS do pay attention to them.

So how does Sylvia come back?

He's got to stop isolating himself. He's cornered himself into this world of close, loyal friends and the Miletich camp. I understand this temptation, but a popular fighter is often an accessible fighter. It's a fighter who's not only exciting in the cage, but talks to fans, loves to perform for the crowd, and embodies traits that others relate to. I don't know that fans can relate to Tim Sylvia as he presents himself, but it need not be that way. If he humbly stated before fights he's working his ass off because he knows its going to be his ticket to beat his athletic opponent, I think people would be more inclined to honor Sylvia's hard work and sacrifice. They'd like his recognition of his limited athletic skills, but cheer his efforts to overcome what limits nature may have imposed. He'd almost be the dominant underdog, if you will: a guy who is so good he can beat just about any of the top 10 fighters in his weightclass, but is only able to do that because he overcame serious adversity.

The "material" is there for Sylvia to get the appreciation and respect he deserves. He can turn his weird quirks and at times awkward movement into an asset. He has the skills and story to make it happen if he so desires. I think he needs to figure out a better way to speak about himself, other Miletich fighters, and his opponents. He also needs to let the critics be critics, whether he wins or losses. And he needs to reach out to fans both in practice and attitude. Fans simply want nothing to do with him at the moment. Part of his mission as he makes his comeback needs to be letting fans know he's part of them, just like Rich Franklin did in Ohio when he said he couldn't lose there and GSP did in Vegas by telling the fans he's Canadian, but always feels at home in their city. If a foreigner with broken English can be a MMA icon, so can Tim Sylvia.

Lastly, Tim needs to do what he does best and that's win fights. I have no doubt that Tim's next opponent is in for a world of hurt. When Tim's performing up to his talent level, his opponents are asleep on the floor. Newbie fans want to see the KO at MMA fights and Sylvia can deliver on that expectation, yet another reason why Sylvia could turn his popularity around.

So Tim, take time off. Go on vacation. Relax a little. Gain a little weight. I think at the end of the day Randy actually did you a favor. You can not only get your title back - thereby making 2 fighters to win the heavyweight belt 3 times - but you can also remold your image. You can be a champ and get the respect from experts and casual fans alike. And when you come back, be positive, be ready, be aggressive, be humble, be an inspiration, be accessible, and win. Leave the negative pressure and the "me against the world" attitude behind.

(Source)

Jardine-Ortiz romp yet to be sealed

By Steve Sievert

Despite reports that Keith Jardine will meet Tito Ortiz at UFC 71, the fight has yet to be nailed down.

In talking with Jardine Saturday night at UFC 68, he told Brawl Sports that the UFC is still figuring out how to position the rising light heavyweight, who shook up the division by upsetting Forrest Griffin - and almost assuredly robbing Griffin of a title shot - in December.

The 31-year-old Montana native, who fights out of Greg Jackson's Albuquerque camp, would welcome the chance to face T-O, but he has yet to ink paper that would consummate the bout.

"I talked to (UFC matchmaker) Joe (Silva) the other day, and he told me they really do not know who I'm fighting yet. I think they don't know what to do with me right now. Whoever I fight next, I'm going to be beat, so they gotta figure out who they want to risk. They know I'm a contender, but I think they want to build me up a bit more."

On another note, "The Dean of Mean" confirmed what most fans suspected, he would not fight Rashad Evans, even though a matchup between the two would be a compelling title elimination bout. As stable mates, they have agreed that a matchup is off the table.

Jardine considers Evans the No. 1 light heavy contender.

UFC 68: Road Report

By Dan Bliss

Live, UFC 68 was certainly an experience. Wildly successful, I would also imagine. The crowd at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus last night was there for three reasons: To see Matt Hughes and Rich Franklin win and, most of all, to see Randy Couture beat the heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia. No one left disappointed, and it was an awfully happy group of people leaving the arena.



The main event was a spectacle unlike any I’ve personally experienced at a sporting event. I knew Couture was popular, but I didn’t know he was that popular. Outside of his corner and any family members that may have made the trip, I don’t think there was a Sylvia fan in the audience. When Couture dropped Sylvia in the opening seconds of the first round, everyone in the crowd was on their feet within seconds. Any doubt that anyone had in Randy Couture vanished at that instant. There was an air of cautious excitement throughout the fight that kept building like a wave as the rounds wore on. The place just erupted in the waning seconds of the fight. I can’t recall a reception like that anywhere.

Everyone knows the UFC is popular right now, but experiencing it live is quite different than reading pay per view buy rates or looking at gate figures. The shear mass of humanity waiting outside for the doors to open in the cold night air was quite the site. Inexplicably, UFC fans do not like coats. It didn’t hurt their enthusiasm, however. The restaurants and bars in the area were bursting at the seams. Once inside, the place was packed. There were six sections in the upper deck blocked off by large screens. I have no doubt they could have filled those seats as well. The crowd was mostly the under 30 or so young adult crowd that I expected to see. There were also a fair number of children in attendance with their parents, which has to be a testament to the mainstream movement of MMA in America. Merchandise sales must have been high. The lines were long and people were walking away with piles of goodies. When attractive young ladies are excited to see that they can buy UFC panties, the company must be on the right track.

It looked to be a fairly educated crowd, but one that was there to see the stars. At least until the headliners fought, the section I was sitting in was extremely silent. Most people were intently watching the fights and would pop when someone tried a submission or made a nice reversal. Sitting in the very last row of the arena, as I was, I could hear instructions from the corners during some of the opening bouts. Still, everyone looked interested in all of the fights.

The rest of the card was largely by the books. The only truly bad contest was Jason Dent vs. Gleison Tibau. Basically a stalemate on the ground for the three rounds that left the crowd restless, with loud chants of “stand them up.” Matt Hamill received a surprisingly loud reaction. Besides the big three, it was by far the biggest reaction of the night. He looked impressive finishing Rex Holman in short order. It may be too soon for Hamill to hang with the elite of the Light Heavyweight division, but the UFC may have a drawing card on their hands. Jamie Varner also looked great in demolishing Jason Gilliam quickly with a choke to open the show. The only surprise before the main event was Jason Lambert’s come from behind win over Renato Sobral. A hell of a turn around and probably the second best fight of the night.

Matt Hughes and Rich Franklin are, without a doubt, superstars. It may have been bolstered a bit by the Midwest connection, but both had thunderous ovations. The reactions paled in comparison to Couture’s, but it seemed quite impressive at the time. Hughes win over Chris Lytle was unspectacular at best. It was still a solid performance, but hardly the most exciting. Franklin, on the other hand, looked like he had regained his old form in a pretty exciting little match. Besides Tim Sylvia, Anderson Silva had to be the least popular man in the building. Perhaps it’s the name. In any event, I’d expect a dynamic similar to Slyvia/Couture should the UFC go ahead and have the rematch in Cincinnati.

From the homeless man I saw disco dancing to the Bee Gees in an Arby’s before the show all the way through the crowning of Randy Couture as heavyweight champion, it was quite an unforgettable evening. The big question about the UFC’s recent success seems to be is this a fad or is it here to stay? I can’t say, but I do know that being there live, it sure doesn’t feel like a flash in the pan.

If business is about sending folks home happy, you could not possibly do any better than UFC 68.

Austin. Klitschko Size Up...

HEIDELBERG, Germany -- Ray Austin and Wladimir Klitschko are the same height, with just about the same reach. Austin figures that will work in his favor when the two fight Saturday for Klitschko's IBF heavyweight title.

"Styles make fights, that's why this will be a good fight," the American said Monday at a news conference. "We match up at about the same height and reach. That's why this is going to be a good fight. I'm gonna make some rain fall on Klitschko come Saturday night."



The fight in Mannheim's SAP Arena is a mandatory defense for Klitschko, who is 47-3, with 42 knockouts. Austin is 24-3, with four draws and 16 knockouts. His last lost was in 2001.

Both fighters are 6-foot-6. Klitschko's reach is 81 inches, about an inch more than that of Austin.

"Klitschko has a history of having problems with taller, heavier heavyweights," Austin's trainer, Stacey McKinely, said."They're going to weigh about the same, have the same reach and share the same height. Ray Austin is a dangerous man in the
condition he is in today."

Klitschko did not sound concerned.

"Height does not make a difference during the fight. This subject is addressed in the training leading up to the fight," he said.

Emanuel Steward, Klitschko's trainer, said the Ukrainian fighter had a lot of respect for Austin -- "more than Ray apparently has for Wlad judging by his comments at the first press conference."

"After one minute of the first round everything will change for Ray Austin when he realizes who he is in the ring with," Steward said. "Wladimir is on a different level and at age 30, he's already entering his 51st fight."

Big Time Boxing Comes to Worcester: Butterbean Takes on Joe Siciliano

By Geno McGahee

This Friday, the “King of the 4 Rounders,” Butterbean, 76-7-4, 57 KO’s, comes to Worcester, Massachusetts, to face the Central Massachusetts Heavyweight Champion, Joe Siciliano, 4-3, 2 KO’s, in a four round battle. This bout makes all the sense in the world as two bulbous novelty acts go head to head in a bout that will surely sell out the Palladium, where it will be held. Now, for you unification buffs, I don’t believe that this will be a King of the 4 Rounder Championship/Central Massachusetts Heavyweight Championship unification bout, but what we can say is that the winner of this bout will be the undisputed best rotund heavyweight that is fighting four round matches only.

In one corner, we have Butterbean, a legitimate tough guy that can punch with both hands, and brings a lot of weight into that ring, weighing in recently at 380 pounds. That is a lot of Bean. At 5’11 ½,” he weighs more than our 7 foot WBA Heavyweight Champion, Nikolay Valuev, but he uses his weight to his advantage and as I have said, he is a tough guy. He has never beaten a good heavyweight, but he has knocked out Peter McNeeley in one round and has also stopped WWE Wrestler Bart Gunn in one round as well. He went the distance with an ancient Larry Holmes in a good effort and does rather well in MMA competitions.

In the late 1990s, Butterbean was the biggest thing (literally) since sliced bread when it comes to boxing. His boxing exploits would be on display, typically as an extra on a Pay Per View, and his popularity would grow by epic proportions. He barreled through hand selected opposition, usually winning in explosive fashion and always hinting afterward that he would eventually graduate to longer bouts, where he would test his skills against a legitimate foe. With a KO loss to Mitchell Rose, a fighter that had won only 1 out of his 9 outings going in, his statements of moving up had to be taken with a grain of salt. There was too much money to be made with the 4 round contests anyway. Most amount of money and least risk.

The novelty wore off and Bean faded away, but re-invented himself and moved on to MMA and also appeared in the movie “Jackass,” where he won the Department Store Boxing Championship with a KO of Johnny Knoxville. His appearances in the Mixed Martial Arts have been profitable, especially in Japan, where they seem to like heavyset men, such as pro-wrester, Van Vader, and Sumo Wrestlers. Butterbean has probably had over 200 fights in his life when you combine his tough man stint, his boxing career, his MMA bouts, and his Department Store Championship bouts. He is a real fighter. He is not an elite fighter, but he can actually fight very well.

Joe Siciliano, a 49-year-old, 300+ fighter, police detective on the Leominster Police Force has become quite the local novelty in the New England area. He has held the Central Massachusetts Heavyweight Title for seven years, but has only defended it once. Apparently the Central Mass Sanctioning body has strict guidelines: Title must be defended once every ten years.

The chances of Siciliano, rated 610th by boxrec.com, beating Butterbean are slim and I hesitate to use the word “slim” when referring to this bout. These are two huge guys and the end result will not be pretty. Although this is a horrible mismatch, this is a fight that seems to be destined. For the longest time, Siciliano was referred to as Mass’s Butterbean, and now he is facing the king of all the Butterbeans, because I’m assuming that every state has one, in a bout that will not go over 1 minute, let alone 1 round. As nice a guy that Siciliano is, and as much courage that he does have, he does not know how to fight. He flails his punches, lunging forward without much affect. Butterbean can punch very well and will probably win this one when he lands his first punch.

As a New England resident, I will be sitting there hoping against hope that our hometown boy comes through with a victory. I want to be able to tell the world that Massachusetts has the best four round, heavyset, Central Massachusetts Heavyweight Champion of all time, but it is unlikely. If Peter McNeeley starches you in 25 seconds, your prospects against the Bean are not good.

In other action, Brandon Esch (Butterbean, JR.), will be making his pro debut against Shawn McClean another newbie in a four round bout. Welterweight Luis Viramontes, making his pro debut will be facing another 0-0-0 fighter, Olade Thomas. There are five scheduled bouts to this interesting card, and I expect the 2500 capacity palladium to be jam-packed with fight fans or people that like to see a large guy get plowed over in quick fashion. Jimbo Isperduli, the Manager of Siciliano and the Promoter of the event, should be given some credit for putting this card together. It should be a fun night in Worcester.

(Source)

Cunha analyses Wand and Minotouro

Photo by Marcelo Alonso

The Muay Thai trainer from BTT, Sérgio Cunha, in excluive interview to site TATAME, analysed the defeats of Rogério Minotouro and Wanderlei Silva at Pride Las Vegas, and the victory of Rafael Feijão at IFL. “Sokoudjou will never more do a right punche like that one”, said Cunha about the KO suffered by Minotouro, but the trainer said that it will just delay the plans of Minotouro getting the Midleweight belt this year.

“Some Brazilian athlete must take this belt from Henderson , and I hope he cames here to BTT”, said Cunha, who also talked about Dan Henderson’s game and who could possible defeat him. “Watching that fight of the GP final, I believe that Murilo could win that one. I also think that Paulo Filho and Denis Kang has some conditions to win”, finished him. Check out the complete interview during this week here at site TATAME.

(Source)

Daniel Puder To Walk Red Carpet At '300' Film Premiere

Mixed Martial Artist and Pro Wrestling star, Daniel Puder, will walk the red carpet today at the "300" film premier in Los Angeles Ca. On his arm will be the beautiful cover model Gabrielle Richens. Together the will gracefully stroll the red carpet with many other celebrities in attendance.

Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, "300" concerns the 480 B.C. Battle of Thermopylae, where King Leonidas (actor Gerard Butler) and his band of 300 Spartan warriors battled the mightiest force to ever come out of Persia. Outnumbered one hundred thousand to one by King Xerxes's massive army, the battle took place at Thermopylae, also called The Hot Gates, a narrow canyon where the Persians could not take full advantage of their numbers. The brave Greek army bought time for the rest of the Greek forces to prepare for the invasion. This epic battle is still remembered to this day as an example of the brave sacrifice of these men for their country.

Interview: Tito Ortiz

Jacob "Tito" Ortiz (born January 23, 1975) is a Mexican American participant of the sport of mixed martial arts, or "MMA". Ortizs career has been mostly within the UFC organization. A former Light-Heavyweight UFC champion, Ortiz has become one of the sports most shining stars, headlining several Pay Per View championship undercards, and appearing on the covers of various magazines, such as Black Belt Magazine. He is a native of Huntington Beach, California. Tito Ortiz is recognized as a charismatic, if controversial and highly-criticized fighter. Whatever the opinions of Ortiz, he undeniably is both a showman and a talented fighter.

MMAToday: How are you doing?
TO: Great! I just got back from a month of vacation and I amfeeling good.

MMAToday: Have you returned to training since your last fight?
TO: Just started training again lightly about a week ago andI am getting ready to get all the way into it.

MMAToday: How much training time do you plan to put in before your next fight?
TO: About 2 full months

MMAToday: What brought you into competing in MMA?
TO: I was in wrestling in high school and college, I startedas Tank Abbots training partner. I started really getting into theUFC when they started having weight classes since I competed at 199in wrestling in college so 205 was a natural fit for me. Just thelove of competition. I fought my first fight for free because I wasstill in college and would lose my scholarship if I was paid.

MMAToday: What training and experience did you have that made you know you would be successful at it?
TO: Just wrestling, growing up with older brothers who used to beat me up a lot, and I started training boxing in my garage in high school

MMAToday: What fighters early in your career did you admire and maybe try to model your training and fighting style after?
TO: Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock and Tank, tried to take lessons from what they had done and been successful at and incorporate it all. Guys like Frank Shamrock knew the whole game and his cardio was awesome. I didnt try to be like anyone else really but learn from them and take that and add it all up to make the perfect fighter.

MMAToday: Are there any fighters you look up to now?
TO: Not anyone now currently, but I look at people who put it all together like Ali, Bruce Lee 30 years ago. GSP and BJ are great fighters. I cant respect anyone in my weight class anymore because I get caught up in watching them and being in awe instead of stomping on them, which is what I need to be do doing.

MMAToday: One fight that is noted as making a big difference early in your training and career was against Frank Shamrock, how did that fight affect you?
TO: I trained with Frank after the loss for a couple weeks, got to see what it took to be a top contender. I lost to Frank because of conditioning. Frank helped teach me about heart rate and rest. I learned about recovery times. After only fighting for almost 2 years and training with Frank I was able to go at it with Wanderlei Silva for 5 full rounds at full speed.

MMAToday: How was it the first time you won a UFC Championship? How did you feel afterwards?
TO: When I first won it was amazing but I had another goal and that was to keep the belt. Dont get me wrong I slept with that belt for the first month after I got it, but I wanted to keep it. I wanted to keep it longer than anyone ever had and break the record for it, and be dominant and I did that.

MMAToday: What fight or fights for you are the most memorable of your career?
TO: Theres a few. First beating Silva for the title and my first fight with Ken. The other two fights with Ken just made it more memorable. I really took it to heart the first time against him, that I was good when I beat Ken and was dominant.

MMAToday: Which fight brought you the most satisfaction and which brought you the most disappointment?
TO: Satisfaction: The first fight with Ken, I came off a knee surgery and ACL injury and was dominant after 6 months being healthy. Second against Vladimir Matyushenko and dominated, that was the best shape I have ever been in.
Disappointment: Losing the title to Randy. That hurt the worst andI wasnt right for almost two months after. I had to find the motivationto keep going forward. The second fight with Chuck this past December,I felt I let my fans down and I was in the best shape and broughtmy A game.

MMAToday: This past year was a busy one for you, after a year long layoff, with 4 fights. Are you planning on taking it a little slower this year?
TO: I am trying for 3 fights this year, I like being in the octagon. When I wasnt there it was about the money and paying bills, now its not about the money. I am having fun, and Im fighting to get my title back. I keep working and getting better and trying to be a better fighter. I would like to fight Chuck, I will fight him 5 or 6 times however many times it takes. Im confident now that I stood with him, and Im confident I can fix the mistakes I made. First thing I think of is who I have to fight to get back to the top and be in contention. I will crush anyone in the LHW division. I only lost to the top guys in the game Randy Couture, Frank Shamrock and Chuck Liddell. I still have a bright future ahead and my body feels good. I have no injuries my knee is great and my back is great.

MMAToday: What can we expect from you in 2007?
TO: More movies? My heart is really in fighting right now andIm in fighting mode. I want to keep going with Punishment Athletics.Im a business man then a fighter and then actor man but fighter firstand foremost now. My next fight is in May against Keith Jardine.

MMAToday: Where do you see yourself in the UFC title picture at Light Heavyweight?
TO: Im in the top 3. I will fight any of them, I fought Liddell and made some mistakes but that wont happen again. He has been dominant and done what he has done, so have I and I will do it again.

MMAToday: What motivates you to continue fighting and training after an almost 10 year professional career of fighting?
TO: My fans and the drive to be the best. Its a mixture of both.

MMAToday: Who are your favorite fighters to watch?
TO: GSP #1. He has a hard work ethic and is very exciting, what he did to Matt Hughes was impressive. Brandon Vera is exciting and hits hard, hes a good wrestler and has good Jiu-jitsu.

MMAToday: Are there any fighters you want to fight that you havent had a chance to yet?
TO: Shogun Rua would be an awesome fight, Id love to fight him, Wanderlei just lost and Id love to fight him again. Dan Henderson would be great. I will fight anyone and make it exciting for the fans. I just want to keep people buying pay per views and keep the fans entertained, me and chuck did it right and broke records for pay per view buys.

MMAToday: You have done a small bit of acting in recent years, is something you are looking to pursue?
TO: I was just on CBS Numbers in a small part last week. , I did a MadTV episode that will be airing in April or May. I have to make the right choices and I want to stay away from the fight movies and go more into action films.

MMAToday: Is there anything you would change in the UFC currently to make it safer rules wise for the fighter? Or any changes you would make?
TO: Everything is good; sometimes the referees need to be a little more knowledgeable in a championship fight. The fight with Liddell, the referee (Mario Yamasaki) was never in a huge fight. Big John knows what its like to be in those fights. He should have let us fight; I will take a lot of damage, but dont stop the fight when Im getting hit in the arms. Let the fight go if Im defending those shots, a lot of them were hitting my forearms.

MMAToday: Can you request a referee for a fight?
TO: Athletic Commissions assign the refs, and they changed it to Yamasaki at the weigh-ins.

MMAToday: What do you think of the recent explosion of MMAs popularity over the last 2 years? Is it beneficial for everyone? The fans, the fighters and the promoters alike?
TO: I think its better for the fighters. As it gets bigger guys will be paid more. Making 2 grand a fight is BS, but it comes down to the fighters. You have to have more respect for yourself and not let them walk all over you. You have to hold out and demand more money. I think I was the first guy to really hold out; I was willing to hold out for what I believed in. But its a catch 22, if you sign the contract for making less money everyone bitches that you dont make enough, but they bitch if you ask for more. We top fighters are making good money, but its not about the money anymore for me, I just want to fight, I love to compete.

MMAToday: Any chance you would leave UFC?
TO: I really dont want to, I started here and I plan on finishinghere. I hope they would promote me more. I don?t see going anywhereelse but you never know what happens, but my heart sticks with theUFC till they start treating me bad. Dana and I have good feelingsright now.

MMAToday: Would you consider leaving to fight Silva and Shogun?
TO: I could make that decision but I worked hard to be where I am but I would go if they set it up, I think it just comes down to I will fight any of them. I will stomp anyone at 205, I am in the top 3 in the world and I will beat Shogun, Henderson and Silva if I get the chance.

MMAToday: How did the TUF appearance change anything for you?
TO: The misconceptions people had of me. I am two separate people, I have a cocky attitude in the octagon but, but I am a caring person outside. It was a chance for my fans to see another side of me. You have to have charisma to be successful in the ring. When I am in the ring I know the angles I need to take like Muhammad Ali and Hulk Hogan, you have to be cocky and brash and thats how you attract the fans. My team did great and went 9-3; it was nice to know I had even a small part in that.

MMAToday: Would training young fighters be a goal after your fighting career is over?TO: Maybe not but maybe, maybe Ill do my own TV show. I lovetraining and helping out with guys. I loved training kids when I wasin college, I helped train them at the local high school.

MMAToday: Is there anyone currently training with you that we should be on the lookout for?
TO: Not yet, after my fight Ive had a few guys trying to get a hold of me for training but I am picky, you need to be a hard worker and have the right attitude to train with us. Like Melvin Guillard, hes training with us, hes a hard worker and is rising fast. But we need a HW for Team Punishment, a big like around 6 foot 3 to 6 foot 5 , around 265 pounds preferably a wrestler. We work hard and theres no one that trains like we do at Team Punishment.

MMAToday: You have been involved in numerous charities over the years, anyone you are working with now in particular?
TO: Doing motivational speaking at high schools and speakingto the Marines. I am going to the Armed Forces Day to speak in frontof the Marines that just came back from, and some that are going outto Iraq on May 19th in Banning, California from 11am -1pm . I am lookingto work with inner city kids and training camps with them, nothingis etched in stone yet but I really want to help kids.

(Source)

BodogFight: St. Petersburg Episode 4 Preview

Female Fighters Battle for Survival On Episode 4 of BodogFight: St. Petersburg

Some of the world's toughest women take to the MMA mat in the latest episode of the hit TV series BodogFight: St. Petersburg. This week's show, airing March 6 at 11 p.m. / 10 p.m. Central on ION Television, features twice the action with not two, but four brutal elimination bouts.

Rosie Sexton will be looking to prove she is one tough mother, literally! Leaving her baby son, Lewis, at home in Manchester, England, the hard-hitting Sexton arrives in Russia eager to trade punches with flamboyant Carina Damm of Brazil. A black belt in Tae Kwon Do (and the only doctor of theoretical computer science ever known to possess a Cage Warriors Women's Championship belt), Dr. Sexton will need to harness all her brain power to outsmart the tricky Damm, who teaches Jiu-Jitsu and Capoeira with her brother, Rodrigo. Damm's ferocity and stunning physique have earned her the nickname "Beauty but the Beast". This fight should not be missed.

Other action includes Tae Kwon Do black belt Julie Kedzie of Indiana locking horns with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Amanda Buckner of Maine. Kedzie confesses she faces one of her MMA idols in Buckner, who has fought and won in numerous competitions including the Rocky Mountain Slammer, Ultimate Athlete, Grapplers Quest, and the Extreme Challenge.

The hits keep coming as tough-as-nails Shayna Baszler of South Dakota stands toe-to-toe with the well-rounded Roxane Modaferri of Massachusetts, while Osaka Judo champion Hitomi Akano takes on fan favorite Tama Chan, with Japanese national pride at stake!

All eight women vow to leave it all on the mat, with opportunities to compete at BodogFight's April 14th pay-per-view spectacular, "BodogFight: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Matt Lindland, Clash of the Nations". Visit www.BodogFight.com/PPV for more information.

Watch all eight episodes of the BodogFight: St. Petersburg series on ION Television (check local listings) or via streaming video on the award-winning web site www.BodogFight.com. Visitors get exclusive access to behind-the-scenes footage, fighter bios, unedited interviews, plus the most up-to-date news from the world of mixed martial arts.

BodogFight & Warner Brothers Co-Promote "300"

By Charles Pearson

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua and Barbuda - Upstart mixed martial arts powerhouse BodogFight has joined with Warner Bros. Pictures in a unique on-campus promotional campaign for the highly anticipated action adventure movie "300".

The promotion will bring screenings of the film to 30-40 college campuses across the U.S., with distinct BodogFight/"300" posters graphically announcing the details. Also, Bodog Girls will be at the screenings to hand deliver promo cards for a www.bodogfight.com/300/ online contest, where site visitors can enter to win a prize package that includes fight training with the trainer from "300", airfare and accommodation, BodogFight gear and $5,000 cash.

In addition, two radio stations, both located in major markets, will each give away a $5,000 prize package that includes an exclusive MMA training session, airfare and accommodation, a rental car, and BodogFight gear. Men's Health magazine will run a similar contest promotion.

BodogFight and Bodog Entertainment Founder Calvin Ayre said, "We are thrilled to do this promotion for '300'. Our fighters are some of the most exciting in all of mixed martial arts and our BodogFight production values are extremely high, so helping to promote this impeccably produced film with its thrilling fight scenes is a perfect fit."

Viewers of "BodogFight: St. Petersburg" on ION Television can expect to see a trailer from the movie "300" integrated into its episodes, which air weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 11 p.m./10 Central (check local listings).

About "300" The Movie
Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller ("Sin City") and Lynn Varley, "300" is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian Army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspires all of Greece to unite against their enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy. Director Zack Snyder ("Dawn of the Dead") brings Miller's acclaimed graphic novel to life by combining live action with virtual backgrounds that capture his distinct vision of this ancient tale.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents in association with Legendary Pictures and Virtual Studios, a Mark Canton/Gianni Nunnari Production, "300". Directed by Zack Snyder ("Dawn of the Dead"), the film stars Gerard Butler ("Phantom of the Opera"), Lena Headey ("The Brothers Grimm"), David Wenham ("The Lord of the Rings" trilogy) and Dominic West ("The Forgotten"). The screenplay is written by Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad and Michael B. Gordon. "300" is produced by Gianni Nunnari ("The Departed"), Mark Canton, Bernie Goldmann ("Land of the Dead") and Jeffrey Silver ("Training Day") with Deborah Snyder, Frank Miller, Craig J. Flores, Thomas Tull, William Fay and Benjamin Waisbren serving as executive producers.

"300" will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. This film has been rated "R" for "graphic battle sequences throughout, some sexuality and nudity." www.300themovie.com

About Bodog Entertainment
Bodog Entertainment offers a host of entertainment services, including: an international television production division, which produces television series, such as BodogFight (BodogFight.com) and Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker (Bodog.TV); an international record label (BodogMusic.com); a million-dollar band search competition (BodogBattleoftheBands.com); a publishing division (with an online magazine, BodogNation.com, and blog, BodogBeat.com); and an events department renowned for producing parties that are stunning, chic and celebrity-filled. Bodog Entertainment Founder Calvin Ayre, who is recognized as a world authority on branding in the digital entertainment industry, was featured on the cover of Forbes magazine's best-selling "Billionaires" issue in March 2006. For more information, contact Media Relations at 1-866-892-3371, or pr@bodog.com. BODOG is a registered trademark of Bodog Entertainment Group.

Minotouro’s bane speaks

"To tell you the truth, I knew I was going to war for about fifteen minutes"

Already considered to be one of the greatest upsets in MMA's recent history, the Cameroonian Rameau Thierry Sokondjou is still coming to terms with his sudden fame after knocking out the Brazilian Rogério Minotouro Nogueira in only 23 seconds at Pride 33, on February 24. In an interview carried out in the USA, the African recognized he did not expect to leave the ring victorious so quickly.

“To tell you the truth, I knew I was going to war for about fifteen minutes. I knew he (Minotouro) was a good boxer and had never been knocked out, but me beating him like that was kind of not unexpected,” said Sokondjou.

The fact that he was so heavily regarded as the underdog before the fight that someone betting US$ 100 would take home US$ 1,300, did not scare the Cameroonian. "Those "many people" get paid for saying what they're saying, and I get paid to fight... and the more they talk, the more it will make me train harder to prove them wrong just like I proved them wrong by beating Nogueira... Nobody expected me to win, but I did,” he said.

Sokondjou also recalled how he started training at Team Quest, where he trained side-by-side with the recently-crowned middleweight champion, Dan Henderson. “Actually it was back in 2004 when Dan Henderson was getting ready to fight Nakamura and was looking for someone who knew Judo.
I got the call from my boss (I was a bouncer in a local club at the time) then went to train with him and I liked it thereafter. Rulon Gardner was fighting Yoshida and I helped him train as well. Those two experiences made me stay with Team Quest and also the people out there, really friendly and they're a real family...” he finished.

(Source)

Cuban Boxers Take Next Step..

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- They couldn't hide the tears when they spoke of leaving their families. Yet three Olympic gold medalists who defected from Cuba are ready to begin new lives in a new country as professional boxers.

"We have a commitment with the people of Miami and the people of Cuba, it's true -- to become world champions," flyweight Yan Barthelemy said in Spanish during the group's first official news conference since arriving in the United States on Friday.

Fans will have to wait a bit longer for their first pro fight because a two-month delay in obtaining U.S. travel visas left the three fighters, "a little out of shape," according to their
Miami-based manager, Tony Gonzalez.

"They've asked for about six weeks to train, so we're looking at around April 13," he said.

Odlanier Solis, a 26-year-old heavyweight; Yuriorkis Gamboa, a 25-year-old super bantamweight; and 27-year-old Barthelemy stole away from their hotel while training in Venezuela for the upcoming Pan American Games and then crossed into Colombia.

There, they hit a snag until they could prove they were not planning to permanently move to the U.S. and that they planned reside in Germany.

Each fighter has signed a seven-figure, three-year contract with Hamburg-based First Artist and Arena with an option for two more years, not counting purses, Gonzalez said. They planned to fly to Germany on Tuesday before returning to Miami for training.

Solis and Gamboa left behind young children.

"It was a hard decision. It may be months or years before we see them," a tearful Solis said. "But I believe in the end it will be best for them."

All three were favorites in their weight classes to repeat at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Gamboa said he sold his 2004 gold medal last year to pay for his 2-year-old daughter's first birthday party. It's not uncommon for Cuban Olympic athletes sell their medals to earn cash to help their families, he added.

"You know things are hard in Cuba," Gamboa said. "I wanted to be able to give her the celebration she deserved as the daughter of a champion."

CAGE RAGE STRIKES TV DEAL WITH SKY SPORTS

By Stash Capar

It seems that Cage Rage 21 will become the first live mixed martial arts event to be broadcast on British television. According to a Cage Rage spokesperson, Sky Sports, a large UK broadcaster, will be screening Cage Rage 21 from 9 -11 PM on April 21, placing the leading local event in some nine million homes.

“Cage Rage and Sky Sports have confirmed the deal,” said Cage Rage promoters in a public statement made over the weekend. “Cage Rage Championships are pleased to further cement their relationship with Sky Sports and as the biggest UK based MMA event in Europe, have once again raised the bar to bring you another spectacular fight night from Wembley Arena.”

The development is big news for the London-based MMA promotion, which will be going head-to-head with the UFC next month. UFC 70 “Nations Collide” is scheduled for April 21 at the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England.

“We have worked with Sky Sports for about three years now,” said promoter Andy Geer. “But this deal is something else. When Sky Sports throw their considerable advertising budget at this event it will pack sports bars up and down the country and finally put our wonderful sport live in the homes of millions of people.”

Sky Sports currently owns nine different pay sports channels. These channels have 3.3% of the UK and Irish TV market combined, tallying up to some nine million viewers.

A Sky Sports spokesperson was initially unavailable for comment today.

EVAN TANNER RETURNS WITH A NEW VISION

By Mick Hammond

There’s no denying the fact that at one point and time, MMA veteran Evan Tanner was one of the top fighters in the world.

After moving down in weight from 205lbs to 185lbs, Evan captured the UFC Middleweight Championship in 2005, becoming only the third man to hold the title. However, two straight losses would derail Tanner’s express ride on top, before he rebounded in April of last year to beat tough youngster Justin Levins at UFC 59.

Now after a year away from the public eye, Evan is ready to return to the sport of MMA, but not in the capacity that you might think.

In his first formal interview in nearly a year, Tanner spoke to MMAWeekly to discuss where he’s been, what he has on the horizon and possibility of a comeback in 2007.

MMAWeekly: First off Evan, what have you been up to since your last fight almost a year ago?

Evan Tanner: I’ve been on the road this past year, doing a lot of traveling. I did some cross-country bike rides, went cross-country in my Land Cruiser, just kind of bounced around and took some time off. I did a lot of visualization on fighting techniques – haven’t been training at all – but I’ve been doing a lot of visualization on some new fighting techniques I’m going to try out.

I’m back here in Oregon and have been here for a couple months now and I’m looking into setting up a foundation for disadvantaged athletes/athletes at risk. You know, using MMA to give some of these young men some direction in their lives, something to focus on, and something to be a part of. Hopefully it will be a motivational atmosphere that will encourage these guys to learn discipline, self-respect, respect for others and hopefully help them find a little direction in their lives.

MMAWeekly: How did the idea for this new foundation come about?

Evan Tanner: I’ve got this big house and it’s just me here now, and it’s too big for one guy. It’s just been basically sitting empty for a year and it just hit me one day that this house is big enough that I could fit a lot of guys in here. The idea of the foundation just came to me one night, and I figured why not just do it out of my house? Set up a fight camp, get a gym set up and use MMA to bring some good to people’s lives and give back to the fight community everything that’s been given to me.

MMAWeekly: What’s the set up for the guys who get brought into the house?

Evan Tanner: It’s going to be really strict. The guys are going to have many obligations to the house. It’s going to be a very tight structure. We’ll train together, eat together, pretty much spend most of our time together and that will instill a sense of unity. Everybody’s going to have chores, things they have to do around the house and once a week we’ll do a full day of community service.

The guys are pretty much going to be given everything as long as they adhere to the rules: free training, free management, free gym access, free food and a place to live. But in return they have to live up to strict behavior standards, not only in the house but out in public. Some of the rules they have to live by include: absolutely no fighting outside of the ring, no fighting in the house or out in public, no alcohol or drugs or anything like that in the house – no drugs at all – and there are certain rules that if they are broken, they are immediately asked to leave.

So they have to live up to strict standards and hopefully it will motivate them to be better and give them direction. Hopefully the atmosphere will help teach discipline – and I need to learn some more discipline myself – so it will help me too. I’m going to live by the same rules all the guys.

MMAWeekly: What kind of people are you going to be looking to bring into this new foundation, what do you mean by disadvantaged or at-risk fighters?

Evan Tanner: The guys that I’m looking for don’t necessarily have to have any experience in MMA or previous training. What I’m looking for, is guys that fall under a few different categories. I’m looking for guys that maybe can use MMA to give them direction, other guys my have a great desire to fight, but where they live there may not be any coaches or training centers, no opportunity for them, so those are examples of what I’d call disadvantaged athletes. It could be a lack of financial resources, a lack of trainers, centers; it could be many, many things.

At-risk fighters, I’m thinking people that maybe have substance abuse problems or have had some in the past. Being a part of this I think will really help someone like that. At-risk could also mean inner-city youths that are at risk of drugs, gangs, anything that could lead them down the wrong path.

I’m really open to anyone that has a sincere desire to try to better themselves, but don’t have the opportunity or atmosphere to do it. I’m open to anybody like that and want to help them achieve something better in their lives.

MMAWeekly: So, just to reiterate, MMA is just the gateway towards bettering the individual and the fighting itself is not the main focus of the foundation?

Evan Tanner: The fighting, MMA, training, that’s just a vehicle. That’s something to keep the mind focused and occupied with. It’s something that’s going to require discipline, and it’s a way to instill these desirable qualities in the guys and that’s going to give them self worth.

If they live up to the standards and they’re training as hard as I want them to train, they’re going to be good at what they do. That’s going to make them feel good about themselves and ultimately I think it’s going to make them a better person for the rest of their lives, to help them deal with everything in their life. It’s not a strict-fight camp so these guys can go out and get glory; the MMA is just the vehicle to get to things far more important in life.

MMAWeekly: Are you going to be handling most of this on your own or are you going to have help with the foundation?

Evan Tanner: It’s not going to be just me working on this. I can handle certain aspects of the house, but I’m going to be limited in the range of things I can do. So there has been a lot of people that have offered their services and expertise in certain areas for free. A lot of people are really excited about this idea, which I’m very fortunate that so many people have come forward expressing interest in this.

I have people who want to help with the garden at the house, attorneys that want to help with the legal issues, tax people that want to help with tax issues, licensed councilors who want to help, EMTs who have offered their services. It’s a really – to use a cliché – heart-warming thing, it’s just amazing having so many people coming out and wanting to help a good thing.

MMAWeekly: How would fighters be able to apply for the foundation, or how would people who’d like to get involved with the foundation house, or like to know more about it, get to do that?

Evan Tanner: I’m not quite ready to accept [fighter] applications quite yet, but hopefully I’ll have that out by the end of the month. For people that want to contact me as potential sponsors or anyone that wants to be involved in the administrative capacities or to know more about the foundation, I can be reached at www.myspace.com/evan_tanner on MySpace.

Right now I’m conducting most of my business on MySpace, but we are in the process of putting up a website for the house, and when that goes up people will be able to find out more about it when that goes up and contact me through there as well.

MMAWeekly: Okay, transitioning away from the foundation itself, when we spoke privately you mentioned something about a formal fight team as well. Tell us about that.

Evan Tanner: Obviously I want to start the foundation first, that’s the most important thing right now, but down the road I would like to start a competition fight team. That will be something separate from the house. The focus of the house isn’t the fighting itself, it’s using fighting to try to mold better men –including myself – but the competition fight team, that’s something that I want to represent the gym that I get set up.

I want the competition team, when they go out and compete, it will help the house as well. Everything’s interconnected really. I’m going to encourage the guys in the house to try out for the competition team, if not, that’s okay, I don’t want to pressure them to tackle that kind of competition. The competition team will be open to guys in the house and fighters from the outside. That’s something I’m really excited about as well, but it’s down the road.

MMAWeekly: Having said that, the question on every fan’s mind is, you have one fight left on your UFC contract, so when is Evan Tanner going to get back in the Octagon?

Evan Tanner: I don’t know about that yet. Right now I’m not thinking about myself. My main focus is getting this foundation set up. But it goes without saying that if I’m going to be working with the guys every day, I’m going to be in training every day, year round, which I’ve never done.

In my history of my career I’ve only trained when I got offered a fight. Then I’d train for two-and-a-half to three months, but I’ve never trained year-round. With this situation, with the way the house and everything is set up, I’m going to be training every day, so as far as me getting in the ring again, who knows? At least I know I’ll be in shape.

So, I’m not sure about that, right now my priority is the foundation, but I enjoy competition, and enjoy fighting. If I fight again, that’s great, I enjoy the competition, if not, I’ve got a lot of other things going on in my life. Fighting is one of the things I enjoy, but I enjoy a lot of other things too.

MMAWeekly: Thanks for your time Evan; it’s great to speak to you again after all this time. Is there anything you’d like to say as we head out?

Evan Tanner: I know I’ve been gone a while, and I want to thank the fans for remembering me, and I want to thank everyone that’s offered to help out with the foundation, I want to thank all of you. I’m really excited about that and I’m thinking that if we all work together we can make some really good things happen for some people.

Right now I just want to get the foundation set up, then the competition team, then I can worry about myself when those two things are taken care of, then I can think about getting back in there and fighting again. Competition is in my blood and if I do get back in there I will be something you’ve never seen before. I’ve been working on my technique, coming up with a new style and it’s going to be good.

MMAWeekly: So maybe we’ll see the famous “pirouette punch” that you used in your second fight with Phil Baroni, again?

Evan Tanner: [Laughs] You never know.

NICK DIAZ FAILS DRUG TEST

By Ivan Trembow

BREAKING NEWS ON MMAWEEKLY: Nick Diaz has failed the drug test that he took following his win over Takanori Gomi at Pride 33: The Second Coming. Diaz tested positive for marijuana, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Diaz will have an opportunity to defend himself at a Nevada State Athletic Commission hearing in the future. The typical punishment for MMA fighters or boxers who test positive for marijuana in the state of Nevada has been a six-month suspension, most recently with a professional boxer who was suspended for six months at his NSAC disciplinary hearing just this morning.

Diaz defeated Takanori Gomi by submission at Pride 33: The Second Coming in a huge upset.

All of the other fighters who were drug tested at Pride 33: The Second Coming tested negative for all banned substances, including steroids, stimulants, and recreational drugs.



The ten fighters that the Nevada State Athletic Commission chose to test following their respective fights at Pride 33 on February 24th were Nick Diaz, Takanori Gomi, Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Alistair Overeem, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Joachim Hansen, and Jason Ireland. The remaining eight fighters on the card were not drug tested.

According to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the total cost of drug testing one fighter for performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants, recreational drugs, and all other banned substances is $278.40.

The NSAC spent a total of $2,784 on drug testing for Pride 33: The Second Coming, while the total cost of drug testing every single fighter on the card would have been $4,454. The event drew $2,033,098 in ticket sales.

PRIDE 33 Performance-Enhancement Free

By Josh Gross

Fighters tested for performance-enhancing drugs, including anabolic steroids and stimulants, following Feb. 24's PRIDE card in Las Vegas, Nevada, have tested clean, the Nevada State Athletic Commission confirmed to Sherdog.com Monday morning.

In all, 10 fighters — Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, Takanori Gomi, Nick Diaz, Mauricio Rua, Alistair Overeem, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Joachim Hansen, and Jason Ireland — were tested.

Results for drugs of abuse should arrive in his offices later this week, NSAC executive officer Keith Kizer said.

Following PRIDE's first effort in Las Vegas last Oct., Vitor Belfort and Pawel Nastula yielded positive results for performance-enhancing substances, while Kevin Randleman provided a dubious test that appeared to consist of fake urine.

Belfort and Nastula's licenses are currently under suspension by the NSAC, while Randleman had his license revoked in the middle of Feb. He can reapply after Oct., 21 2007.

The ‘Count’down with Michael Bisping - Week Three

By Michael Bisping

THE GOING GETS TOUGH

With less than eight weeks to go before fight time at the MEN Arena, I’m really pushing myself full blast in training.

April 21 may still seem like a long way away but, believe me, these next weeks will fly by - and I could not wait to start kicking my own arse in the gym.

I think one of my main assets as a fighter is - unusually - I actually love the training aspect of it. I’m weird like that - I look forward to it and actually miss it when I am not doing it.

The only part I don’t love doing is running on treadmills - I get bored of them so I go for nice scenic runs around the local woods and hills instead with my new iPod.

I’m constantly evolving my training for each and every fight and I‘ve just got back from Birmingham, where I‘ve been training for a few days with respected coach Mark Goddard and his K-1 fighters.

I’ve also been training really hard at the Wolf’s Lair in Runcorn, my usual gym, but I just wanted to spar with a few new bodies just for a couple of days just to shake things up a bit.

Back at the Wolf’s Lair, my boxing coach Tony Quigley tells me I’m hitting harder than ever and – without letting my April 21 opponent Elvis Sinosic in on anything - I’ve worked really, really hard this week on perfecting a certain strike and am very pleased with the results. If I land this thing at the MEN, Elvis may well leave the building through the roof.

SO THAT’S WHAT ONE IS!

As I said here a couple of weeks ago, Dana White has very kindly described me as the UFC’s “poster boy” for the UK and while I was flattered, I never quite knew what he was on about.

Until this week.

I was on a train to London the other day for a bit of PR work and when we slowed down to go through Wolverhampton station there was a huge mug shot of yours truly staring right back at me from the platform.

Mates of mine have seen massive posters all over the place - on motorways, billboards in London, Manchester, Birmingham - all over. It’s mad, really. Like I’ve said before, I only took this sport up a few years ago and to see myself as part of something massive like this is a bit amazing.

Now I’ve got to live up to the hype, of course.

It seems every fight I’ve had in the UFC is bigger, and comes with more pressure than the last and, with me on the poster for UFC 70: Nations Collide along with great names like Mirko Cro Cop and Andrei Arlovski, this one is no different.

If I don’t kick Elvis’s arse on April 21, I could be putting UFC posters up next time rather than appearing on them.

When you think of it in terms like that, you work your arse off even harder in the gym.

I’ve literally moved into the Wolf’s Lair now. I have an hour’s drive each morning to get to the gym and an hour’s drive back home so, when I am in full training like I am now, I go to the gym in the morning, train for a few hours, then relax in one of the dorms they’ve got at the back of the gym, then train again in the evening. It saves me a two hour round trip and from going mental in all the traffic.

QUINTON-ESSENTIAL ENGLISHMAN

Quinton Jackson was in England the other week doing some media work and, although we fired a few friendly jibes at each other, we got on great and I’m happy to have got to know him a bit.

He was very funny, he kept asking everyone where we kept all the black people in England and things like that. We had a bit of banter at the UFC press conference in Manchester the other Friday – probably because of that Jackson Five out of 10 thing I wrote (laughs) - but it was just fighter talk.

Me and my training team invited Rampage and Dean Lister - who was also in town - out for a night around Liverpool and show them some English hospitality.

A good night was had by all.

Rampage and I actually found we’re a lot like each other - we are both always cracking jokes and don’t take too much that seriously.

But, anyway, enough on Mr Jackson!

THE BRITISH ARE COMING

During my trip to Birmingham, I taught a seminar for about 30-35 mixed martial artists and was impressed by what I saw.

There were all levels of MMA at the seminar – absolute beginners to guys who’ve had a couple of fights, kids to older guys - people from all walks of life, basically.

But all of them had a passion for MMA and I’m seeing more and more of that around the country.

I think British MMA is closing the gap on the Americans and, with the UFC now back in Britain in a major way, I think the standard of British fighters will now really start to improve rapidly as more and more people come into the sport.

One of the things the guys at the seminar were asking me about - and the thing UFC fans ask me the most about as well - was the flying knee that I used to win the TUF 3 semi final v Ross Pointon last year. It’s a move I am happy to talk about because it was a real highlight reel move - one of my gym mates said it looked like something out of the Matrix movies!

One of the students asked me why I threw the left knee, thinking that because I stand with my left leg forward, I’d have gotten more power if I’d thrown the right knee.

I explained that I’m actually left-handed, and my power leg (and power hand) is my left. Don’t get me wrong, I hit plenty hard with both hands and feet, but I am a converted southpaw - just like legendary world boxing champion Joe Louis.

WELCOME BACK RANDY!

Many, many congratulations to Randy Couture, who of course won the UFC Heavyweight Title for the third time Saturday night in Ohio. It was a tremendous performance and achievement by Randy to beat Tim Sylvia - and to see him come back at 43 to achieve what he did this weekend is nothing short of remarkable.

The guy is amazing and no one deserves the distinction of being the most decorated UFC star in history more than ‘the Natural’.

I’ve only met Randy three or four times and what everyone says about him - that’s he’s a world class gentleman and just a totally classy guy - is all true. He’s a fantastic ambassador for the UFC and so welcome back ‘the Natural’.

Hopefully, he’ll now come across to Manchester for UFC 70 to see who wins out of Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ and Gabriel Gonzaga and fights him in his first defense of his new title.

I’m sure if Randy does come across to England in April, the British fans will make the now five time champion feel very, very welcome.

Until next week - the Count.

As told to Ant Evans.

March Grappling Magazine features UFC President Dana White

Doug Jeffrey of Grappling Magazine tries to keep up with UFC President Dana White to find out what it takes to make the UFC happen. On newsstands in the USA now.

Nevada OKs grudge match between UFC chief White and Tito Ortiz

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada regulators on Monday approved an unusual grudge match between Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White and the "bad boy" of Huntington Beach, Calif., Tito Ortiz.

White, is the 37-year-old president of the mixed martial arts promotion company that has become a heavyweight in the pay-per-view business. Ortiz (15-5-0) is one of its toughest, most popular combatants.

Ortiz made the three-round match - in which both fighters will box only, no grappling - a condition of his recent contract negotiations.

White was once Ortiz' manager, but the two "had a real bad falling out" in 2003, White said.

"The last time Tito and I boxed was six years ago and he's a lot better than he was six years ago," White said after a hearing at the Nevada Athletic Commission, which approved the fight 3-1. "I'm a lot older than I was six years ago, so we'll see."

Regulators expressed concern that White would be seriously hurt by Ortiz, 32.

But most commissioners were reassured by sparring tapes showing White in the ring against another heavyweight from two months ago. White said he's been training since last July.

"I've seen Tito as a boxer, and he's probably not as good as you are," commission chair Dr. Tony Alamo told White.

Ortiz will weigh in at 205 pounds, while White weighs 196 pounds, both the boxing equivalent of heavyweight fighters.

The fight March 24 will likely take place at the UFC training center in Las Vegas and be broadcast later on the company's Web site, http://www.ufc.com , the company said.

SPIKETV ANNOUNCES NEXT UFC FIGHT NIGHT EVENT

By Spike TV

“THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER” ALUMS JOE “DADDY” STEVENSON AND MELVIN “THE YOUNG ASSASSIN” GUILLARD DO BATTLE IN KEY LIGHTWEIGHT MATCH ON SPIKE TV APRIL 5

Boston Bruiser and TUF 1 Finalist Kenny Florian vs. Dokonjonosuke Mishima in Co-Feature First Ever UFC® Fight Night™ From The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas.

New York, NY – March 5, 2007 – Joe “Daddy” Stevenson and Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard step into the Octagon® in a match-up of top UFC lightweight contenders on Spike TV’s UFC® Fight Night™ live from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort on Thursday, April 5 at 8:00pm ET. Stevenson (31-7) was The Ultimate Fighter 2 champ in the welterweight division and will drop down in weight to fight at 155 lbs. against fellow The Ultimate Fighter 2 alum, Guillard (39-6-3).

In the co-features, The Ultimate Fighter 1 finalist and Boston native Kenny “Ken-Flo” Florian (7-2) takes on Japan’s Dokonjonosuke Mishima (17-4-2). Florian recently lost a 5-round grueling battle to Sean Sherk for the vacant UFC lightweight crown. Veteran UFC heavyweight Frank Mir (9-2), whose impressive UFC resume includes victories over Tim Sylvia and Tank Abbott, takes on Antoni Hardonk (4-2).

Fighting out of Las Vegas, “Daddy” Stevenson is known for his overwhelming wrestling and ground and pound. Like Guillard, Stevenson fought his way through The Ultimate Fighter 2 competition to the finals where he defeated Luke Cummo by unanimous decision in a classic fight to earn his claim as the welterweight winner. Since then, Stevenson scored a second round TKO over Yves Edwards at UFC 61, and recently won a first round submission over Mishima at UFC 65. At the upcoming UFC Fight Night™, Stevenson is planning a convincing victory over Guillard to show he will be the new favorite in the UFC lightweight division.

Fighting out of Baton Rouge, LA, Guillard is an explosive fighter with good wrestling and striking skills. His brash personality made him stand out immediately on The Ultimate Fighter 2, but with a decisive win over Marcus Davis in the finale, Guillard proved he has more than just attitude. After a setback against Josh Neer at welterweight, Melvin dropped down to the lightweight division at UFC 60 and destroyed Rick Davis quickly in the first round. Continuing as a lightweight, he followed that win with a second round TKO over Gabe Ruediger at UFC 63. Now Guillard is ready to take on Stevenson and prove his new-found dominance in the UFC’s 155-pound division.

The complete card of UFC Fight Night will be announced shortly.

Larkin, Janoff and Ewing on Production Team for IFL

By John Eggerton

The International Fight League has named the production team for its upcoming TV ventures, including MyNetworkTV's March 12 launch of its Monday night fight.

Jay Larkin, formerly a boxing and big event dealmaker at Showtime (including the 2002 heavyweight title bout between Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis) has joined as executive producer of the IFL's mixed martial arts league programming.

Craig Janoff, whose credits inclue Monday Night Football, NCAA baseketball and football, the Triple Crown and the Olympics.

Reality vet Darren Ewing, whose credits include the Osbournes and Manhunt--as well as Fox dramas 24 and House--joins as executive producer of IFL Battleground, the 22, two-hour shows that will air on MyNetworkTV.

The IFL is also airing 22 one-hour shows on FSN Friday nights at 11 p.m.

(Source)

Prof brings Jiu-Jitsu to classroom

By Yousef AbuGharbieh

As faculty adviser of the recently formed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class at Duke, political science professor Scott de Marchi has taken the phrase "interactive teaching" to new heights.

De Marchi leads a weekly class that meets to learn and practice the techniques of BJJ, a combat sport that focuses on grappling, choke holds and joint locks. De Marchi learned BJJ while working out with Team R.O.C, a mixed martial arts team based in Chapel Hill.

De Marchi said he agreed to teach the BJJ class-which is part of a larger martial arts club at Duke that includes taekwondo and judo-after students expressed interest last fall. He added that his goal was to make expensive martial arts training available to all interested students.

"A lot of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu clubs are expensive-$100-so I created the club for students who couldn't pay," de Marchi said.

Class sessions are mainly instructional, but involve a significant amount of sparring, said freshman Ashley Disilvestro, martial arts club vice president.

"A typical practice begins with [de Marchi] demonstrating several escapes, joint locks and choke holds," Disilvestro said. "We practice each of them, and then we spar for the remainder of practice."

BJJ, a sport that is unfamiliar to most Americans, can best be compared to wrestling, although there are some significant differences, participants said.

"All the moves that you got penalized for in high school are the ones you're supposed to do in Jiu-Jitsu-in the sense of chokes and going against joints," freshman Frank Jemison said.

BJJ matches can only end when one combatant taps out and admits defeat. Even so, injuries are rare and the club maintains a friendly atmosphere, de Marchi said.

"Since everyone is training and trying to help one another learn, very few people get hurt. If you look at judo, BJJ or wrestling, people are much nicer than in team sports. Nobody gets angry, nobody mouths off. It's much friendlier," de Marchi said. "There's an ethic in all of these sports to help everybody get better, as opposed to basketball where you just want to win."

Nearly all of the participants are new to the sport, and most said they do not have ambitions of competing. For them, practicing BJJ is just another way to exercise, Jemison said.

"It's a really good work out," freshman Elad Gross said. "If you fight, all your muscles are strained for 3 to 5 minutes. It works muscle endurance."

Gross added that taking BJJ has made him more confident about his ability to defend himself.

"I think it's very useful for self-defense, especially if you're in hand-to-hand combat. You'll be able to incapacitate the person," he said. "I feel more prepared to go into a fight and defend myself, if necessary."

Other class members agreed with Gross, adding that BJJ gives a person much more practical techniques for self-defense than other martial arts disciplines.

"I think it is more useful than other forms of martial arts because you fight an opponent that's closer to you," Jemison said. "It may not look as graceful or as technical as other martial arts, but I think it caters much more to real life because you learn what to do when somebody's on top of you punching your face."

Many of the class's members-several of whom are de Marchi's former students-said that they value the opportunity for faculty-student interaction in a less formal, more social setting.

De Marchi said he does not think there's anything strange about teaching students how to fight.

"It's just wrestling," de Marchi said. "I play basketball with students too."

(Source)

Couture captures Ultimate Fighting gold, Dana White smiles ear to ear.

By Josh Hachat

COLUMBUS - Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White was exhausted by 2 a.m. Sunday. He had spent most of Saturday night in Nationwide Arena mingling with fans, settling business and taking in what turned out to be a historic evening.

But amidst that exhausted look was a smile that wasn't about to be wiped away.

"This was an amazing, amazing weekend," White said. "We're pretty blown away. I'm just so excited.

"We've done some big events, but, seriously, in the six-year history of our company, I've never seen anything like I've seen tonight. It was amazing. I was so blown away. The response we've had here is incredible."

n one great night at UFC 68 at Nationwide Arena, 43-year-old Randy Couture sent shockwaves through the sport of mixed martial arts, Ohio made itself known as an MMA hotbed and records were shattered.

Couture captured heavyweight gold for the third time in a hall-of-hame career in front of a crowd of 19,044, the largest total not only for the UFC but in North America for an MMA event.

The gate, which ended up at more than $3 million, blew away the single-event record for Nationwide Arena, but the evening didn't come to a climax until just after 12:30 a.m., when Couture's arm was raised after defeating heavy favorite Tim Sylvia.

It wasn't Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson, but it was close for a sport that has left boxing in the dust as the premier combat sport. On Saturday, it was Couture who took the sport to a new level.

"This was a huge night," he said. "Breaking all these records, and there's just a few times in your career when things come together like that, and it was just an exceptional night. ... I just see the sport continuing to entrench itself as the combat sport of the future."

White had planned to bring the UFC to the Midwest, but the reception it got in Columbus blew everyone away.

The arena was packed before the first undercard fight - a rarity in combat sports - and it was buzzing almost the entire night. Matt Hamill, a Cincinnati native, said he felt vibrations before walking to the octagon before his fight, while others were just as overwhelmed.

Matt Hughes, an Illinois native who was one of the top draws on the card, said his experience in Ohio topped even his legendary fight with Royce Gracie last May.

"I thought it was great," said Jason Lambert, who scored the other upset of the evening with a victory against Renato Sobral. "Just to see this many fans in one arena was shocking."

Said Cincinnati native Rich Franklin: "It's great for everyone to see it here. It's just really exciting to see all the die-hard fans in the Midwest."

Franklin added it would be a card he'll always remember - because of the crowd for one, but also because of what Couture did.

White was so impressed with the city he guaranteed a return trip to Columbus, along with future shows - perhaps this year - in Cincinnati.

The headliner for a show like that obviously could be Franklin, who would face Anderson Silva in a rematch for the welterweight title.

White said a night like Saturday made it an easy decision to return to Ohio. He also mentioned why he thought the UFC and MMA in general have had such a

meteoric rise.

"This is the most exciting live event you'll ever see," he said. "When we go live, I'm jumping around like a little kid. But these guys always deliver. They're incredible athletes and incredible human beings."

(Source)

K-1 World Max 2007 - Card Update

Ameba presents K-1 WORLD MAX 2007
Date : Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Gate Open 17:00 Start 18:00
Place : Yokohama Arena, Kanagawa, Japan



Masato vs Ole Larson
Buakaw Por. Pramuk vs Andy Ologun
Andy Souwer vs Yoshihiro Sato
Albert Kraus vs Tatsuji
Mike Zambidis vs Kozo Takeda
Ian Schaffa vs Keiji Ozaki
Drago vs Roasario "The Sicilian Don" Prestei

Possible Fighters:
Virgil Kalakoda
Jordan Tai
Tsoqto "Shinobu" Amara

(More)

Haber combat series takes on UFC

Alfred Haber Distribution International (AHDI) in the US has paired up with a team-based mixed martial arts professional league, formed to compete with the likes of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

The distributor has acquired rights, excluding Latin America and the Middle East, to the International Fight League's new late-night series IFL Fight Night and primetime series IFL Battleground.

IFL Fight Night (22x60'), a late-night event series that showcases five fights between two teams, originally premiered on the Fox Sports Network in the US on February 23.

IFL Battleground (22x120') offers a behind-the-scenes look at the IFL with action footage of the sport's rising stars and their coaches. The series, set to air in the US in a primetime slot on MyNetworkTV from March 12, also includes highlights and vignettes.

According to AHDI founder Alfred Haber, the IFL's move to capitalise on the worldwide popularity of mixed martial arts involves making the sport more mainstream. This has been achieved by replacing the traditional cage – known as the Octagon in UFC circles – with an oversized boxing ring, as well as replacing many of the moves that emphasise "blood over strategy and athleticism."

Commenting on his decision to join IFL's corner, Haber said: "Over the last few years, the growth rate of mixed martial arts has been nothing less than phenomenal. With the IFL coming on the scene at this juncture, with its team-based format, the Fox Sports combat series and the primetime network Battleground presentation, it all combines to create explosive television for broadcasters around the world."

(Source)

Franklin-Silva rematch may be here

By Chad Edward

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion Rich Franklin wants another shot at Anderson Silva. And he wants it in his hometown Cincinnati.

After defeating Jason MacDonald on a corner stoppage due to strikes late Saturday at Nationwide Arena in Columbus during UFC 68, Franklin dropped the challenge on the man who took his title belt.

"I felt great in here tonight," Franklin told the capacity crowd of more than 17,000. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jittery."



Then Franklin called Silva into the Octagon.

"He's the champion," said Franklin. "He's a champion at heart."

The boos directed toward Silva from the pro-Franklin crowd turned to roaring cheers when Franklin announced Silva agreed to "rematch in Cincinnati."

Then the fighters embraced.

A UFC spokesperson said Sunday no contract has been signed, and there is no date or venue set, but the UFC wants to hold the bout in Ohio.

The Brazilian Silva (18-4) took the belt from Franklin (23-2) in October, winning by first-round TKO after a series of knee strikes to the head of Franklin, who couldn't escape Silva's Muay Thai clinch.

On Saturday, Franklin, a former Oak Hills math teacher, outclassed MacDonald. The two spent most of the fight on the mat, with Franklin maneuvering into position and hammering punches into MacDonald's head. MacDonald's corner threw in the towel after the second five-minute round.

Also on the card Saturday was Loveland alumnus Matt Hamill, who improved his mixed martial arts record to 3-0 with a first-round TKO. His opponent was Columbus native Rex Holman, who fell to 4-2 in MMA bouts.

Hamill started the action early by landing a flying Superman punch that left a cut on the bridge of Holman's nose. The cut became a target for the rest of the bout as Hamill peppered Holman with snapping jabs and straight rights and lefts.

The two former high school wrestlers clinched only twice, to neither fighter's advantage. As the first round neared three minutes, the 38-year old Holman was winded. A punch dropped Holman, and the better-conditioned Hamill pounced. The fight was stopped by the referee at four minutes of the first round with Holman lying prone and Hamill straddling his back and wind-milling punches into each side of his head.

(Source)