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As the World Series of Fighting made its foray into Canada, Georgi Karakhanyan became the promotion’s second ever champion.
Karakhanyan was able to defeat the one-time Ohio State wrestler Lance Palmer in the third round with a guillotine choke to take home the inaugural featherweight belt. Karakhanyan controlled much of the action by keeping the fight standing and staying on the outside. He strafed Palmer and used his length, landing jabs and combinations throughout the first two rounds. Karakhanyan eventually caught the Team Alpha Male member Palmer with a perfectly executed guillotine, in which made a beautiful adjustment to secure, late in the third round.
"Lance Palmer is a great fighter who comes for a good wrestling background," Karakhanyan said in the post-fight interview. "My coach Romie Aram told me to keep it standing and pick him apart, but you know Lance was trying to grind me out. It was a very tough fight. But, if I put that guillotine on you, I don’t care who you are, you’re going to tap."
The end came at the 4:40 of the round three in a fight scheduled for five. With the victory, Riverside’s Karakhanyan moves to 23-3-1.
The co-main event featured Jesse Taylor against the Bosnian born Elvis Mutapcic in a middleweight title eliminator, a fight originally slated to take place in September in Atlantic City. That night, just before the walkouts, the bout was scrapped when Mutapcic was discovered with unapproved prescription pills in the locker room. Three months later, Taylor fought like a man who didn’t appreciate having his time wasted like that. He dominated all three rounds with his wrestling and ground-and-pound, winning a unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Taylor will now face David Branch for the inaugural 185-pound title at a date later to be determined.
And in one of the card’s most intriguing match-ups, lightweight Nick Newell kept his record perfect when he submitted British Columbia’s Sabah Fadai with a modified guillotine choke at 1:21 of the first round. Newell went for a single leg and forced Fadai to the fence, where he quickly snatched the "Persian Warrior’s" neck and forced him to tap.
With the win Newell -- a one-armed fighter who has swiftly become one of WSOF’s most popular fighters -- moves to 11-0 in MMA (with eight submissions).
WSOF 7’s main card opened with Surrey native Kalib Starnes, a UFC vet remembered for all the wrong reasons for his performance at UFC 83, against Dwayne Lewis. In his WSOF debut, which was contested at light heavyweight tilt, Starnes made the most of things.
Starnes crumpled Lewis with a short left elbow on the inside that ended things abruptly in the second round. Though Starnes has had a checkered record since his last fight in the UFC, he has reeled off four wins in a row.
WSOF 7 results: Georgi Karakhanyan captures featherweight belt - MMA Fighting
Karakhanyan was able to defeat the one-time Ohio State wrestler Lance Palmer in the third round with a guillotine choke to take home the inaugural featherweight belt. Karakhanyan controlled much of the action by keeping the fight standing and staying on the outside. He strafed Palmer and used his length, landing jabs and combinations throughout the first two rounds. Karakhanyan eventually caught the Team Alpha Male member Palmer with a perfectly executed guillotine, in which made a beautiful adjustment to secure, late in the third round.
"Lance Palmer is a great fighter who comes for a good wrestling background," Karakhanyan said in the post-fight interview. "My coach Romie Aram told me to keep it standing and pick him apart, but you know Lance was trying to grind me out. It was a very tough fight. But, if I put that guillotine on you, I don’t care who you are, you’re going to tap."
The end came at the 4:40 of the round three in a fight scheduled for five. With the victory, Riverside’s Karakhanyan moves to 23-3-1.
The co-main event featured Jesse Taylor against the Bosnian born Elvis Mutapcic in a middleweight title eliminator, a fight originally slated to take place in September in Atlantic City. That night, just before the walkouts, the bout was scrapped when Mutapcic was discovered with unapproved prescription pills in the locker room. Three months later, Taylor fought like a man who didn’t appreciate having his time wasted like that. He dominated all three rounds with his wrestling and ground-and-pound, winning a unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Taylor will now face David Branch for the inaugural 185-pound title at a date later to be determined.
And in one of the card’s most intriguing match-ups, lightweight Nick Newell kept his record perfect when he submitted British Columbia’s Sabah Fadai with a modified guillotine choke at 1:21 of the first round. Newell went for a single leg and forced Fadai to the fence, where he quickly snatched the "Persian Warrior’s" neck and forced him to tap.
With the win Newell -- a one-armed fighter who has swiftly become one of WSOF’s most popular fighters -- moves to 11-0 in MMA (with eight submissions).
WSOF 7’s main card opened with Surrey native Kalib Starnes, a UFC vet remembered for all the wrong reasons for his performance at UFC 83, against Dwayne Lewis. In his WSOF debut, which was contested at light heavyweight tilt, Starnes made the most of things.
Starnes crumpled Lewis with a short left elbow on the inside that ended things abruptly in the second round. Though Starnes has had a checkered record since his last fight in the UFC, he has reeled off four wins in a row.
WSOF 7 results: Georgi Karakhanyan captures featherweight belt - MMA Fighting
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In the three weeks since UFC 167, things went from irrational to pretty rational when it comes to talking about the judging, and if anything, the recent controversy opened a lot of eyes to the fact that judges themselves are handicapped to a degree by the system in place.
The funny part of all of this is as much as the Georges St-Pierre vs. Johny Hendricks title match fueled the talk, is that it was another fight on that show, Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald, that was almost the perfect example of what is wrong with the ten-point must system.
In that fight, virtually nothing happened in the first round. It was as close to a 10-10 round as you can get, but given that judges in 97 percent of the cases are going to call a round 10-9, that's what happened. As it turned out, Lawler got the benefit of the coin-toss round on two cards. The second round was clearly MacDonald's, but Lawler won the third with far more of a margin, including scoring a knockdown and doing most of the key damage in the fight.
Lawler got the split decision, which meant that if one judge had gone the other way, and with the way round one happened, that was a distinct possibility, MacDonald would have gotten a win. Some knocked the call of Glenn Trowbridge (ironically the only judge to vote for Hendricks in the main event), because how could he possibly give the fight to MacDonald given all the damage Lawler did in the third round. But again, that line of thinking shows a complete lack of understanding of the scoring system.
Had MacDonald won, fans who don't understand the system would complain about a robbery, and incompetent judging. Now, in that case, it didn't happen, even though with a 50-50 first round, there was a 50 percent chance of either fighter getting a fair and just decision in a fight that Lawler very clearly won.
Read More: What can be done with MMA scoring? - MMA Fighting
The funny part of all of this is as much as the Georges St-Pierre vs. Johny Hendricks title match fueled the talk, is that it was another fight on that show, Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald, that was almost the perfect example of what is wrong with the ten-point must system.
In that fight, virtually nothing happened in the first round. It was as close to a 10-10 round as you can get, but given that judges in 97 percent of the cases are going to call a round 10-9, that's what happened. As it turned out, Lawler got the benefit of the coin-toss round on two cards. The second round was clearly MacDonald's, but Lawler won the third with far more of a margin, including scoring a knockdown and doing most of the key damage in the fight.
Lawler got the split decision, which meant that if one judge had gone the other way, and with the way round one happened, that was a distinct possibility, MacDonald would have gotten a win. Some knocked the call of Glenn Trowbridge (ironically the only judge to vote for Hendricks in the main event), because how could he possibly give the fight to MacDonald given all the damage Lawler did in the third round. But again, that line of thinking shows a complete lack of understanding of the scoring system.
Had MacDonald won, fans who don't understand the system would complain about a robbery, and incompetent judging. Now, in that case, it didn't happen, even though with a 50-50 first round, there was a 50 percent chance of either fighter getting a fair and just decision in a fight that Lawler very clearly won.
Read More: What can be done with MMA scoring? - MMA Fighting
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Shane del Rosario, 30, died at a hospital in Newport Beach, Calif., nearly two weeks after suffering cardiac arrest.
Teammates Ian McCall and Carla Esparza confirmed the news on Twitter.
The UFC recently confirmed the news and released a statement.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship mourns the tragic loss of heavyweight competitor Shane Del Rosario, who has passed away at the age of 30. Del Rosario suffered a heart attack on Tuesday, Nov. 26 as a result of what doctors believe to be a congenital heart disorder, according to his manager Jason House.
The entire organization sends its deepest condolences to Shane's family and friends.
According to a Sherdog-com report, McCall, del Rosario's roommate, discovered del Rosario unconscious on the floor of their Laguna Niguel residence on Nov. 26. McCall administered CPR and contacted 911, who sent an ambulance which transported him to the hospital.
There was online confusion on Thanksgiving Day after a published report indicated del Rosario died, but del Rosario's manager, Jason House, clarified the situation, saying he was still alive but "needed a miracle."
A lifelong resident of Orange County, Calif., Del Rosario got into mixed martial arts after graduating from the University of California at Irvine, where he earned his bachelor's degree in psychology.
Del Rosario, who also competed in kickboxing, made his MMA debut in 2006 and won his first 11 professional fights, all via finish. This culminated in his biggest career victory, a first-round finish of Lavar Johnson on Feb. 12, 2011, in E. Rutherford, N.J. The bout was an alternates match in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament.
His life changed, however, two months later. Del Rosario was the victim of a drunk driving accident, as an inebriated driver slammed into his car from behind while del Rosario was stopped at a red light. Del Rosario was out of action for more than a year. As he readied for his return last year, del Rosario spoke about putting his frustrations in perspective.
"I had some dark times and it really sucks not doing what you want to do, but I put it all in perspective," del Rosario said. "My thing isn't all that bad. Other people are going through a lot of hard stuff."
Del Rosario returned to competition in 2012 and fought twice, first losing to Stipe Miocic at UFC 146, then to Pat Barry in December.
A member of Team Oyama in Irvine, which includes McCall and Esparza, del Rosario was scheduled to fight Guto Inocente at UFC 168, but recently pulled out with a rib injury.
Shane del Rosario, UFC heavyweight, dies at age 30 - MMA Fighting
Teammates Ian McCall and Carla Esparza confirmed the news on Twitter.
The UFC recently confirmed the news and released a statement.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship mourns the tragic loss of heavyweight competitor Shane Del Rosario, who has passed away at the age of 30. Del Rosario suffered a heart attack on Tuesday, Nov. 26 as a result of what doctors believe to be a congenital heart disorder, according to his manager Jason House.
The entire organization sends its deepest condolences to Shane's family and friends.
According to a Sherdog-com report, McCall, del Rosario's roommate, discovered del Rosario unconscious on the floor of their Laguna Niguel residence on Nov. 26. McCall administered CPR and contacted 911, who sent an ambulance which transported him to the hospital.
There was online confusion on Thanksgiving Day after a published report indicated del Rosario died, but del Rosario's manager, Jason House, clarified the situation, saying he was still alive but "needed a miracle."
A lifelong resident of Orange County, Calif., Del Rosario got into mixed martial arts after graduating from the University of California at Irvine, where he earned his bachelor's degree in psychology.
Del Rosario, who also competed in kickboxing, made his MMA debut in 2006 and won his first 11 professional fights, all via finish. This culminated in his biggest career victory, a first-round finish of Lavar Johnson on Feb. 12, 2011, in E. Rutherford, N.J. The bout was an alternates match in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament.
His life changed, however, two months later. Del Rosario was the victim of a drunk driving accident, as an inebriated driver slammed into his car from behind while del Rosario was stopped at a red light. Del Rosario was out of action for more than a year. As he readied for his return last year, del Rosario spoke about putting his frustrations in perspective.
"I had some dark times and it really sucks not doing what you want to do, but I put it all in perspective," del Rosario said. "My thing isn't all that bad. Other people are going through a lot of hard stuff."
Del Rosario returned to competition in 2012 and fought twice, first losing to Stipe Miocic at UFC 146, then to Pat Barry in December.
A member of Team Oyama in Irvine, which includes McCall and Esparza, del Rosario was scheduled to fight Guto Inocente at UFC 168, but recently pulled out with a rib injury.
Shane del Rosario, UFC heavyweight, dies at age 30 - MMA Fighting
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The UFC, Bellator, Invicta FC and more have given us a fantastic year of fights, and it's not over yet.
We have seen ground battles, upsets, knockouts and wars of attrition since January. The process of narrowing down the list has become increasingly difficult as we see fight after fight.
It took multiple views to construct this list. Sometimes we can be prisoners of the moment after an exciting bout and forget about others. How do you determine if a fight is worthy of this praise? In general, it is a gut feeling; however, you must consider all the aspects of MMA in utilizing sound judgement.
2013 is not over yet, but it has already delivered exciting fight after exciting fight. As we are already a third of the way through December, let's look at the current shortlist for Fight of the Year.
Pictures: MMA Fight of the Year Watch: December 2013 Edition | Bleacher Report
We have seen ground battles, upsets, knockouts and wars of attrition since January. The process of narrowing down the list has become increasingly difficult as we see fight after fight.
It took multiple views to construct this list. Sometimes we can be prisoners of the moment after an exciting bout and forget about others. How do you determine if a fight is worthy of this praise? In general, it is a gut feeling; however, you must consider all the aspects of MMA in utilizing sound judgement.
2013 is not over yet, but it has already delivered exciting fight after exciting fight. As we are already a third of the way through December, let's look at the current shortlist for Fight of the Year.
Pictures: MMA Fight of the Year Watch: December 2013 Edition | Bleacher Report
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Available now on iTunes, Amazon, Xbox, Playstation, Vudu and Hulu The Proving Grounds is a documentary about the #1 Mixed Martial Arts academy in the world, Jackson’s MMA, located in Albuquerque, NM. The film stars three time MMA Coach of the Year and MMA guru Greg Jackson, current UFC pound for pound champ Jon “Bones” Jones and the rest of the Jackson’s MMA family.
The film is being distributed by digital entertainment curator FilmBuff (FilmBuff-com) and is now available on major digital platform iTunes, Amazon and more. FilmBuff has released numerous titles on all major digital platforms including iTunes, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and more.
Jackson’s MMA has been unanimously described as the #1 MMA camp in the world and was founded by trainer Greg Jackson in 1992. It is located in Albuquerque, NM and is home to more than a dozen world champions. This film is an all access look inside Jackson’s MMA to learn the history, hardships and philosophies on the winningest camp in the sport of mixed martial arts.
The film stars the biggest names in the sport including current UFC champs Jon “Bones” Jones, Georges “Rush” St. Pierre and the three time MMA coach of the year Greg Jackson. The film also stars UFC stars Carlos Condit, Clay Guida, Diego Sanchez, Donald Cerrone, Julie Kedzie, Leonard Garcia, Mike Winkeljohn, John Dodson, Holly Holm and includes cameos from former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Tapout founder Punkass.
The Proving Grounds is directed by The Mash-Up King (Landon Dyksterhouse)
It is his first documentary film. Producers on the film are Landon Dyksterhouse, Nick Shuster, RD Whittington and Shandon Dyksterhouse. The film is a D-House Entertainment production and presented by the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Albuquerque, NM in association with Jackson’s MMA. Film shot on location in Albuquerque, NM.
TRT: 1:39:11
Jackson's MMA Doc Out Worldwide | UFC ® - News
The film is being distributed by digital entertainment curator FilmBuff (FilmBuff-com) and is now available on major digital platform iTunes, Amazon and more. FilmBuff has released numerous titles on all major digital platforms including iTunes, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and more.
Jackson’s MMA has been unanimously described as the #1 MMA camp in the world and was founded by trainer Greg Jackson in 1992. It is located in Albuquerque, NM and is home to more than a dozen world champions. This film is an all access look inside Jackson’s MMA to learn the history, hardships and philosophies on the winningest camp in the sport of mixed martial arts.
The film stars the biggest names in the sport including current UFC champs Jon “Bones” Jones, Georges “Rush” St. Pierre and the three time MMA coach of the year Greg Jackson. The film also stars UFC stars Carlos Condit, Clay Guida, Diego Sanchez, Donald Cerrone, Julie Kedzie, Leonard Garcia, Mike Winkeljohn, John Dodson, Holly Holm and includes cameos from former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Tapout founder Punkass.
The Proving Grounds is directed by The Mash-Up King (Landon Dyksterhouse)
It is his first documentary film. Producers on the film are Landon Dyksterhouse, Nick Shuster, RD Whittington and Shandon Dyksterhouse. The film is a D-House Entertainment production and presented by the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Albuquerque, NM in association with Jackson’s MMA. Film shot on location in Albuquerque, NM.
TRT: 1:39:11
Jackson's MMA Doc Out Worldwide | UFC ® - News
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Lyoto Machida is set to face off against Gegard Mousasi at UFC Fight Night 36 in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil, on Feb. 15, but he wanted to fight Vitor Belfort instead.
Following a quick knockout win over Mark Munoz, "The Dragon" said he would be open to take on Belfort in his second middleweight fight. "The Phenom", however, said he should not call him out because they are Brazilians.
"He contradicts himself a lot," Machida said during a media day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. "He says everyone should fight each other because it’s professional, but then he says we shouldn’t fight each other.
"It’s hard to understand. What does he mean? Why is he contradicting himself? I have nothing against him, we’re good, but we’re professionals."
Machida is still open to fight Belfort or any other top contender in the division after he faces Mousasi.
"If you want to get to the top, you can’t say you won’t fight this one or that one," he said. "You have to be open to fight the best.
"Vitor has been dedicating himself a lot do he was able to get outstanding results, great knockouts, so he rightfully is the next in line for a shot at the title. He deserves all this, he was impressive this year."
Belfort is the next in line for a shot at the middleweight title, facing the winner of UFC 168’s Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva, and Machida sees tough opponents on the horizon for him.
"This division has tough fighters, maybe one of the most stacked divisions in the UFC," he said. "We have Anderson, Weidman, Belfort, Jacare, Mousasi and Munoz, and all of them would be top ranked in the light heavyweight division. I'll keep training hard to get there."
Machida has been training at Black House for his recent fights, but he could move his camp to American Top Team for UFC Fight Night 36.
"I don’t have ties with any team so I can go where I feel I’ll get the better training partners for a specific fight," Machida said. "I’m training with Glover (Teixeira) and (Fabricio) Werdum, so maybe I can go to American Top Team to see if that’s the place where I’ll get the best sparring for me."
"The Dragon" won the light heavyweight championship when he was training with his family in Belem, Brazil, but doesn’t regret moving away from his hometown.
"It’s important to have the support of your family, but when is time to move away? You have to walk with your own legs one day," he said. "Having your father to help you to get back up is good, but you need to get up by yourself and walk alone. Life goes on."
Lyoto Machida believes Vitor Belfort contradicts himself - MMA Fighting
Following a quick knockout win over Mark Munoz, "The Dragon" said he would be open to take on Belfort in his second middleweight fight. "The Phenom", however, said he should not call him out because they are Brazilians.
"He contradicts himself a lot," Machida said during a media day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. "He says everyone should fight each other because it’s professional, but then he says we shouldn’t fight each other.
"It’s hard to understand. What does he mean? Why is he contradicting himself? I have nothing against him, we’re good, but we’re professionals."
Machida is still open to fight Belfort or any other top contender in the division after he faces Mousasi.
"If you want to get to the top, you can’t say you won’t fight this one or that one," he said. "You have to be open to fight the best.
"Vitor has been dedicating himself a lot do he was able to get outstanding results, great knockouts, so he rightfully is the next in line for a shot at the title. He deserves all this, he was impressive this year."
Belfort is the next in line for a shot at the middleweight title, facing the winner of UFC 168’s Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva, and Machida sees tough opponents on the horizon for him.
"This division has tough fighters, maybe one of the most stacked divisions in the UFC," he said. "We have Anderson, Weidman, Belfort, Jacare, Mousasi and Munoz, and all of them would be top ranked in the light heavyweight division. I'll keep training hard to get there."
Machida has been training at Black House for his recent fights, but he could move his camp to American Top Team for UFC Fight Night 36.
"I don’t have ties with any team so I can go where I feel I’ll get the better training partners for a specific fight," Machida said. "I’m training with Glover (Teixeira) and (Fabricio) Werdum, so maybe I can go to American Top Team to see if that’s the place where I’ll get the best sparring for me."
"The Dragon" won the light heavyweight championship when he was training with his family in Belem, Brazil, but doesn’t regret moving away from his hometown.
"It’s important to have the support of your family, but when is time to move away? You have to walk with your own legs one day," he said. "Having your father to help you to get back up is good, but you need to get up by yourself and walk alone. Life goes on."
Lyoto Machida believes Vitor Belfort contradicts himself - MMA Fighting
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An article depicting the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a “bloody disgrace” recently made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
After attending what seemed like his first MMA event, Australian journalist Phil Rothfield published a whole 24 sentences in an article for The Daily Telegraph, where he labeled the sport as “barbaric savagery that should be banned" in Australia:
On Saturday night on Fuel TV I witnessed the brutality and bloodshed of the UFC - apparently, and worryingly, the world's fastest growing sport. This was nothing but barbaric savagery that should be banned in this country.
It’s completely understandable how a newcomer might have felt a bit overwhelmed by what transpired at UFC Fight Night 33.
For 15 minutes, Ryan Bader gave 41-year-old Anthony Perosh one of the most lopsided beatings of the year. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua knocked James Te-Huna into another stratosphere, and Mark Hunt and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva put forth one of the bloodiest and grittiest heavyweight bouts in MMA history.
But after each fight, the fighters helped one another up, hugged it out and congratulated one another on a job well done. Where is the savagery in that? Quite the contrary, moments like these are what makes MMA, not “UFC,” a sport.
In the article, Mr. Rothfield goes on to snub the level of skill it takes to compete at a professional level:
The beauty of all sport is the toughness and determination of its competitors. The pain they put themselves through to become the best. The injury risks they face in rugby league and all the footy codes. At least their sport involves a large degree of skill - and it's not just a contest to ******violently bash another person into submission.
Few sports, if any, exhibit the same amount of mental toughness that is found in MMA. Imagine being told you had to learn and excel at four or five other sports just to compete at a high level in one particular sport.
What other form of competition puts that same level of demand on its athletes?
MMA incorporates every combat art, and fighters are forced to soak up as much information as possible to remain relevant. Particular arts like wrestling, boxing, judo and Taekwondo are Olympic sports on their own. In MMA, they only represent complementary pieces to a perpetual puzzle.
As a separate entity, does boxing not require a large degree of skill? Does wrestling not require a large degree of skill? Does judo not require a large degree of skill? Does Taekwondo not require a large degree of skill?
This doesn’t even include Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu, which are two of MMA’s most important skill sets.
Cynics tend to bloviate over MMA being a blood sport while glossing over its most inspiring aspects. On a daily basis, fighters are subjected to harsh training regimens, which often include elongated and strict diets.
But more than anything, the sniper-like mentality it takes to be an MMA fighter is what truly sets the sport apart and attracts fans.
Enduring weeks upon weeks of torture in the gym is one thing, but actually mustering up the courage to step into the cage and put it all on the line is something else entirely. There is no one to help or place blame on. As a fighter, the onus falls completely on your shoulders alone. There is no form of competition more raw or pure than MMA.
Sadly, some individuals are turned off by the blood and don’t take the time to educate themselves on the nuances of the sport.
In his condemning piece, Rothfield questions the blood testing and compares MMA to street fighting. He even called the sport a “disgrace” for including female participants:
The fact women were allowed to fight on the card was an even bigger disgrace. … Almost defenceless men being held down on the ground and punched senseless. What does it say about our society? Why do we allow our kids to watch and cheer for something we teach them not to do? And why are the competitors allowed to do all this inside a cage when it's illegal on the streets? People have been sent to jail for less than what happened inside a cage on Saturday night. … Why aren't fighters getting protection from blood diseases?
Did Stewie Griffin create another time machine and warp us back to the 1800s?
Women are strong and independent human beings capable of making their own decisions. Why shouldn’t they be given the same opportunities as men to step into the cage and showcase their skills under the bright lights of the UFC?
It’s even more offensive to cast aside the warrior spirit of these young ladies simply because we don’t want to see them get a little banged up. No man should be able to deem what sports are acceptable and unacceptable for women to participate in. It would only take one peek inside an MMA gym to see how hard these women work to be the very best in the world. In a popular YouTube highlight video, Cynthia Vance does an astounding job of conveying the hard work and dedication women have endured on their road to acceptance.
For centuries, men and women have had their faces mangled and bloodied in boxing. They have been dumped on their heads in wrestling and judo. It is only when these sports are blended together that people suddenly want to wise up to the “barbaric savagery” of it all.
Unfortunately, it’s human nature to dislike what we don’t understand.
Fighters aren’t “defenseless” on their backs. In fact, it is considered an offensive position in MMA, especially by athletes with a great jiu-jitsu base. Doctors and referees are always on hand to check on fighters and stop bouts whenever deemed necessary.
An argument can be made that MMA is actually safer than boxing. Winning doesn’t have to be accomplished by punching someone in the face, and fights come to an abrupt end when a fighter isn’t able to intelligently defend himself.
In boxing, fighters are given multiple opportunities to stand back up after having their brains scrambled, along with y
After attending what seemed like his first MMA event, Australian journalist Phil Rothfield published a whole 24 sentences in an article for The Daily Telegraph, where he labeled the sport as “barbaric savagery that should be banned" in Australia:
On Saturday night on Fuel TV I witnessed the brutality and bloodshed of the UFC - apparently, and worryingly, the world's fastest growing sport. This was nothing but barbaric savagery that should be banned in this country.
It’s completely understandable how a newcomer might have felt a bit overwhelmed by what transpired at UFC Fight Night 33.
For 15 minutes, Ryan Bader gave 41-year-old Anthony Perosh one of the most lopsided beatings of the year. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua knocked James Te-Huna into another stratosphere, and Mark Hunt and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva put forth one of the bloodiest and grittiest heavyweight bouts in MMA history.
But after each fight, the fighters helped one another up, hugged it out and congratulated one another on a job well done. Where is the savagery in that? Quite the contrary, moments like these are what makes MMA, not “UFC,” a sport.
In the article, Mr. Rothfield goes on to snub the level of skill it takes to compete at a professional level:
The beauty of all sport is the toughness and determination of its competitors. The pain they put themselves through to become the best. The injury risks they face in rugby league and all the footy codes. At least their sport involves a large degree of skill - and it's not just a contest to ******violently bash another person into submission.
Few sports, if any, exhibit the same amount of mental toughness that is found in MMA. Imagine being told you had to learn and excel at four or five other sports just to compete at a high level in one particular sport.
What other form of competition puts that same level of demand on its athletes?
MMA incorporates every combat art, and fighters are forced to soak up as much information as possible to remain relevant. Particular arts like wrestling, boxing, judo and Taekwondo are Olympic sports on their own. In MMA, they only represent complementary pieces to a perpetual puzzle.
As a separate entity, does boxing not require a large degree of skill? Does wrestling not require a large degree of skill? Does judo not require a large degree of skill? Does Taekwondo not require a large degree of skill?
This doesn’t even include Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu, which are two of MMA’s most important skill sets.
Cynics tend to bloviate over MMA being a blood sport while glossing over its most inspiring aspects. On a daily basis, fighters are subjected to harsh training regimens, which often include elongated and strict diets.
But more than anything, the sniper-like mentality it takes to be an MMA fighter is what truly sets the sport apart and attracts fans.
Enduring weeks upon weeks of torture in the gym is one thing, but actually mustering up the courage to step into the cage and put it all on the line is something else entirely. There is no one to help or place blame on. As a fighter, the onus falls completely on your shoulders alone. There is no form of competition more raw or pure than MMA.
Sadly, some individuals are turned off by the blood and don’t take the time to educate themselves on the nuances of the sport.
In his condemning piece, Rothfield questions the blood testing and compares MMA to street fighting. He even called the sport a “disgrace” for including female participants:
The fact women were allowed to fight on the card was an even bigger disgrace. … Almost defenceless men being held down on the ground and punched senseless. What does it say about our society? Why do we allow our kids to watch and cheer for something we teach them not to do? And why are the competitors allowed to do all this inside a cage when it's illegal on the streets? People have been sent to jail for less than what happened inside a cage on Saturday night. … Why aren't fighters getting protection from blood diseases?
Did Stewie Griffin create another time machine and warp us back to the 1800s?
Women are strong and independent human beings capable of making their own decisions. Why shouldn’t they be given the same opportunities as men to step into the cage and showcase their skills under the bright lights of the UFC?
It’s even more offensive to cast aside the warrior spirit of these young ladies simply because we don’t want to see them get a little banged up. No man should be able to deem what sports are acceptable and unacceptable for women to participate in. It would only take one peek inside an MMA gym to see how hard these women work to be the very best in the world. In a popular YouTube highlight video, Cynthia Vance does an astounding job of conveying the hard work and dedication women have endured on their road to acceptance.
For centuries, men and women have had their faces mangled and bloodied in boxing. They have been dumped on their heads in wrestling and judo. It is only when these sports are blended together that people suddenly want to wise up to the “barbaric savagery” of it all.
Unfortunately, it’s human nature to dislike what we don’t understand.
Fighters aren’t “defenseless” on their backs. In fact, it is considered an offensive position in MMA, especially by athletes with a great jiu-jitsu base. Doctors and referees are always on hand to check on fighters and stop bouts whenever deemed necessary.
An argument can be made that MMA is actually safer than boxing. Winning doesn’t have to be accomplished by punching someone in the face, and fights come to an abrupt end when a fighter isn’t able to intelligently defend himself.
In boxing, fighters are given multiple opportunities to stand back up after having their brains scrambled, along with y
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Georges St-Pierre may never again move barefoot around the UFC's octagon as thousands of people in the arena chant his name.
No punch or kick chased the greatest welterweight champion in UFC history away from the cage. No diminished skill set, no slowness from age. Simply his own mental obsessions.
"Mentally, I just feel like I can not go through another training camp right now and I don't know when I will be able to," St-Pierre said Friday, when he announced he is vacating his title and taking a break from MMA. "It's like every fight, I'm carrying weight on my shoulders. And, every fight, it's like you add weight on your shoulders. Every fight, you add weight, you add weight and you add weight. At one point, it becomes so heavy, I have a hard time carrying it myself."
Very few athletes, let alone fighters, leave on their own accord. More often, someone else makes that decision for them. An opponent, a general manager, an owner.
In this case, St-Pierre chose. He gave up the one thing that always drove him to push his body to the limit -- the championship belt. That 15-pound strap of gold that signifies there's no one better.
St-Pierre (25-2) has the most wins in UFC history with 19. His run of nine straight title defenses is second best in UFC history. We throw the word "great" out too much in sports, but with St-Pierre, it's not enough. He dominated opponents, one after the other, for more than five straight years -- and that's after he won the title a second time.
"He's the greatest welterweight ever," UFC president Dana White said. "He's the gold standard for everything.''
So there sat St-Pierre in a mall in Quebec, telling reporters on a conference call that he no longer could handle it all.
This wasn't the same GSP who could own a press event with his French-Canadian accent, professionalism and genuine charm. That was obvious from the tone of St-Pierre's voice for much of the call -- a combination of tension, stress, anxiety and emotion.
Instead, here was a 32-year-old -- a man who made a name for himself by being nearly invincible in physical combat with other men -- willingly walking down from atop the mountain.
St-Pierre said he has personal issues to tend to, same as he said last month after UFC 167, when he first mentioned taking a break. "My life, it's a freaking zoo right now," St-Pierre said Friday.
He would not elaborate on the issues that are plaguing him, which is perfectly fair. If they are enough to cause a true champion to give up what he dedicated his life to achieving, and to use terms such as "mental equilibrium" and "mental stability" so publicly and willingly, they must be significant.
"You can tell by the way he talks that the issues he's dealing with outside of the octagon are driving him nuts,'' White said. "He needs to button up some things in his personal life and then you'll see him again."
This was not a retirement -- officially. Perhaps leaving the door open makes it easier for people to digest the possibility of not seeing him fight again.
"I wanted to do things to be remembered, to make a difference in the sport, to make the sport reach a different level," St-Pierre said. "One day, when I feel like it, I might come back. But right now, I need a break."
Georges St-Pierre leaving MMA on his own terms
No punch or kick chased the greatest welterweight champion in UFC history away from the cage. No diminished skill set, no slowness from age. Simply his own mental obsessions.
"Mentally, I just feel like I can not go through another training camp right now and I don't know when I will be able to," St-Pierre said Friday, when he announced he is vacating his title and taking a break from MMA. "It's like every fight, I'm carrying weight on my shoulders. And, every fight, it's like you add weight on your shoulders. Every fight, you add weight, you add weight and you add weight. At one point, it becomes so heavy, I have a hard time carrying it myself."
Very few athletes, let alone fighters, leave on their own accord. More often, someone else makes that decision for them. An opponent, a general manager, an owner.
In this case, St-Pierre chose. He gave up the one thing that always drove him to push his body to the limit -- the championship belt. That 15-pound strap of gold that signifies there's no one better.
St-Pierre (25-2) has the most wins in UFC history with 19. His run of nine straight title defenses is second best in UFC history. We throw the word "great" out too much in sports, but with St-Pierre, it's not enough. He dominated opponents, one after the other, for more than five straight years -- and that's after he won the title a second time.
"He's the greatest welterweight ever," UFC president Dana White said. "He's the gold standard for everything.''
So there sat St-Pierre in a mall in Quebec, telling reporters on a conference call that he no longer could handle it all.
This wasn't the same GSP who could own a press event with his French-Canadian accent, professionalism and genuine charm. That was obvious from the tone of St-Pierre's voice for much of the call -- a combination of tension, stress, anxiety and emotion.
Instead, here was a 32-year-old -- a man who made a name for himself by being nearly invincible in physical combat with other men -- willingly walking down from atop the mountain.
St-Pierre said he has personal issues to tend to, same as he said last month after UFC 167, when he first mentioned taking a break. "My life, it's a freaking zoo right now," St-Pierre said Friday.
He would not elaborate on the issues that are plaguing him, which is perfectly fair. If they are enough to cause a true champion to give up what he dedicated his life to achieving, and to use terms such as "mental equilibrium" and "mental stability" so publicly and willingly, they must be significant.
"You can tell by the way he talks that the issues he's dealing with outside of the octagon are driving him nuts,'' White said. "He needs to button up some things in his personal life and then you'll see him again."
This was not a retirement -- officially. Perhaps leaving the door open makes it easier for people to digest the possibility of not seeing him fight again.
"I wanted to do things to be remembered, to make a difference in the sport, to make the sport reach a different level," St-Pierre said. "One day, when I feel like it, I might come back. But right now, I need a break."
Georges St-Pierre leaving MMA on his own terms
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If the first time they fought at UFC 152 was decided by the slimmest of margins, this time the UFC's flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson didn't leave anything to chance against Joseph Benavidez.
In Benavidez's hometown of Sacramento, Johnson proved the old adage that dynamite comes in small packages by becoming the first fighter to ever knock him. The end came at 2:08 of the first round, when "Mighty Mouse" caught Benavidez with a brutal right hand.
As expected, the skirmishes came fast and furious out of the gate, with both fighters as shifty and elusive as they had been back at UFC in September 2012, when Johnson pulled out a split decision victory. But that didn't last long. Midway through the firs round, just as the two came together on the fence, Johnson timed out huge right hand in a flash moment that caught Benavidez flush and dropped him where he stood. Johnson landed four more shots on Benavidez as he lay on the ground, but the No. 1 contender was long out.
It was the fastest knockout for a UFC flyweight in the young history of the division.
"First off, a lot of people saying I don't have knockout power, but I'm just displaying that I'm always getting better working with AMC with Matt Hume, Brad Kerston, Joel Jamieson, and all the coaches," Johnson told Joe Rogan in the cage afterwards. "And Sacramento, you guys have a great fighter in Joseph Benavidez, he's an awesome guy, and I love you guys"
"Me and my coaches back at home were trying to work on settling my weight down and landing big power shots, so just showing a little bit of everything I've been doing at AMC," he said. "Just more things to come."
Johnson (19-2-1) has now defended the 125-pound belt three times, and hasn't lost a contest since dropping a decision to current bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz back in 2011. As for Benavidez (19-4), he now enters a no man's land in UFC contendership. The Team Alpha Male's only career losses are to bantamweight champ Cruz (twice) and now Johnson (twice), meaning he'll have to wait for a changing of the guard in either division before he gets another title shot.
UFC on FOX 9 results: Demetrious Johnson knocks out Joseph Benavidez - MMA Fighting
In Benavidez's hometown of Sacramento, Johnson proved the old adage that dynamite comes in small packages by becoming the first fighter to ever knock him. The end came at 2:08 of the first round, when "Mighty Mouse" caught Benavidez with a brutal right hand.
As expected, the skirmishes came fast and furious out of the gate, with both fighters as shifty and elusive as they had been back at UFC in September 2012, when Johnson pulled out a split decision victory. But that didn't last long. Midway through the firs round, just as the two came together on the fence, Johnson timed out huge right hand in a flash moment that caught Benavidez flush and dropped him where he stood. Johnson landed four more shots on Benavidez as he lay on the ground, but the No. 1 contender was long out.
It was the fastest knockout for a UFC flyweight in the young history of the division.
"First off, a lot of people saying I don't have knockout power, but I'm just displaying that I'm always getting better working with AMC with Matt Hume, Brad Kerston, Joel Jamieson, and all the coaches," Johnson told Joe Rogan in the cage afterwards. "And Sacramento, you guys have a great fighter in Joseph Benavidez, he's an awesome guy, and I love you guys"
"Me and my coaches back at home were trying to work on settling my weight down and landing big power shots, so just showing a little bit of everything I've been doing at AMC," he said. "Just more things to come."
Johnson (19-2-1) has now defended the 125-pound belt three times, and hasn't lost a contest since dropping a decision to current bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz back in 2011. As for Benavidez (19-4), he now enters a no man's land in UFC contendership. The Team Alpha Male's only career losses are to bantamweight champ Cruz (twice) and now Johnson (twice), meaning he'll have to wait for a changing of the guard in either division before he gets another title shot.
UFC on FOX 9 results: Demetrious Johnson knocks out Joseph Benavidez - MMA Fighting
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Mixed Martial Arts fighter Joe Camacho, 41, of Ontario died Monday at Queen of the Valley Hospital, West Covina police officials said.
Camacho was at his girlfriend’s residence in West Covina when he began experiencing difficulty breathing, Cpl. Rudy Lopez said in a press release.
He was transported by the West Covina Fire Department paramedics.
Hospital officials called the police shortly before 7 a.m. to notify them of Camacho’s death.
The cause of death has yet to be determined by the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office.
Camacho was a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor and competitor, and had competed in Long Beach on Sunday.
In Southern California, Camacho was considered a pioneer in the mixed martial arts world, competing even before the sport reached the mass appeal it has today. But to his family, he was the kind, gentle man who cared for the well-being of those he loved.
“His heart was in MMA,” said his mother, Maria Hunsucker. “He always wanted to own his own studio so that he could get the kids out of the ghetto. This last May he did it, he opened his own studio and we were all so proud of him.”
Camacho opened Camacho Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Acamedy in the 400 block of Colyton Street in East Los Angeles. On the academy’s Facebook page, dozens of people share their condolences.
In a previous interview with this newspaper, Camacho said he grew up in East Los Angeles. He credited MMA fighting with changing his life for the better since he got involved 19 years ago.
Camacho had hoped to expose others to mixed martial arts.
Through the mental and physical discipline of martial arts, “I want to guide them in the right direction,” he said.
Camacho was an advisor from 2009-2012 on the board of directors for the Man-e Moreno Foundation, a San Gabriel Valley-based nonprofit group dedicated to helping homicide victims’ families and keeping kids away from drugs and gangs.
“I love kids,” Camacho said. “I’m a big kid myself.”
Camacho participated in the North American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation over the weekend in Long Beach and won a silver medal, according to his friends.
Robert Moreno, founder of Man-e Moreno Foundation, had known Camacho since 2007 and worked closely with him.
“He made a great impact on our youths in the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles County, and in the world,” Moreno said. “Whether he was training, mentoring or listening to the young people in our communities, he truly made an impact on their lives.”
Camacho participated in numerous speaking engagements for youths at schools and local organizations and recently opened a gym, Joe Camacho Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy, in Los Angeles.
“He will be deeply missed by many and his legacy will live on,” Moreno said.
Camacho’s cousin, Charlie Valencia, said Joe’s death shocked him.
“I’ve never seen him drink or smoke, I don’t understand; he was a very healthy kid,” Charlie Valencia said.
Charlie Valencia introduced Camacho to MMA in the 1990s and his career then took off.
“He decided to pursue Jiu-Jitsu and earned his black belt,” Valencia said. “After earning his black belt, he enjoyed teaching and loved to be around mixed martial arts.”
On Monday afternoon, family gathered at the home in south Ontario where Camacho had lived since he was 18 with his mother and stepfather, Kenneth Hunsucker.
Through tears and laughs, they shared memories about how even in his youth, Camacho had a competitive spirit, and always wanted to be the best.
“He lost his first fight but it gave him a lot more desire to train better and get better,” said his cousin Cristina Valencia .
The two were very close, more like siblings than cousins, and Camacho would often stop by and visit Cristina and her husband, Charlie. So much so that Cristina would always make sure to keep grape jelly, his favorite, in stock.
Family members said that Camacho spent every day in the gym. He worked at the UFC gym in Rosemead and when he wasn’t there, he was at his own gym.
“He was always motivated to help kids and get them off the streets,” said his aunt, Lucille Gonzalez.
Hunsucker admits she couldn’t attend too many of his fights, it was just too painful, she said.
“He was a very good son, he was always doing things for everybody,” his mother said. “I was so proud of him.”
Charlie Valencia said Camacho was very positive and would do anything possible to help others.
“It’s unfortunate. I was very close to him; we can’t even put things into perspective, I still can’t believe it,” Charlie Valencia said.
Charlie Valencia said Camacho was a pioneer in the sport and was fighting before it became mainstream.
“He did so much and took fights he probably shouldn’t have taken, but still did it; that’s how much he loved the sport,” he said.
“I’m stunned,” said martial arts Hall of Famer George Valdez, who owns kick boxing studios in Whittier and East Los Angeles and said he knew Camacho for about 20 years.
He called Camacho’s death a huge blow to the MMA community.
“It’s a tremendous loss, especially to his huge fan base in East Los Angeles and Montebello,” said Valdez, who first met Camacho at his East L.A. gym. “He was a hell of a guy, and so good for the community.”
Orlando Aspericueta went to Garfield High School with Camacho and said Camacho introduced him to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu during a rough time in his life.
“My life was at a pretty bad point when Joe came into it and introduced me to mixed martial arts,” Aspericueta said. “It’s because of him that I’m in a much better place than where I was headed.”
Aspericueta became a student of Camacho’s many years ago and soon became an amateur mixed martial arts fighter.
“Joe is the knot to hundreds of fighters, he is the one who brought hundreds of local people together and introduced us to the sport,” he said. “It was because of Joe that a lot of us became fighters.”
“Joe would want everyone to remember him as a positiv
Camacho was at his girlfriend’s residence in West Covina when he began experiencing difficulty breathing, Cpl. Rudy Lopez said in a press release.
He was transported by the West Covina Fire Department paramedics.
Hospital officials called the police shortly before 7 a.m. to notify them of Camacho’s death.
The cause of death has yet to be determined by the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office.
Camacho was a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor and competitor, and had competed in Long Beach on Sunday.
In Southern California, Camacho was considered a pioneer in the mixed martial arts world, competing even before the sport reached the mass appeal it has today. But to his family, he was the kind, gentle man who cared for the well-being of those he loved.
“His heart was in MMA,” said his mother, Maria Hunsucker. “He always wanted to own his own studio so that he could get the kids out of the ghetto. This last May he did it, he opened his own studio and we were all so proud of him.”
Camacho opened Camacho Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Acamedy in the 400 block of Colyton Street in East Los Angeles. On the academy’s Facebook page, dozens of people share their condolences.
In a previous interview with this newspaper, Camacho said he grew up in East Los Angeles. He credited MMA fighting with changing his life for the better since he got involved 19 years ago.
Camacho had hoped to expose others to mixed martial arts.
Through the mental and physical discipline of martial arts, “I want to guide them in the right direction,” he said.
Camacho was an advisor from 2009-2012 on the board of directors for the Man-e Moreno Foundation, a San Gabriel Valley-based nonprofit group dedicated to helping homicide victims’ families and keeping kids away from drugs and gangs.
“I love kids,” Camacho said. “I’m a big kid myself.”
Camacho participated in the North American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation over the weekend in Long Beach and won a silver medal, according to his friends.
Robert Moreno, founder of Man-e Moreno Foundation, had known Camacho since 2007 and worked closely with him.
“He made a great impact on our youths in the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles County, and in the world,” Moreno said. “Whether he was training, mentoring or listening to the young people in our communities, he truly made an impact on their lives.”
Camacho participated in numerous speaking engagements for youths at schools and local organizations and recently opened a gym, Joe Camacho Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy, in Los Angeles.
“He will be deeply missed by many and his legacy will live on,” Moreno said.
Camacho’s cousin, Charlie Valencia, said Joe’s death shocked him.
“I’ve never seen him drink or smoke, I don’t understand; he was a very healthy kid,” Charlie Valencia said.
Charlie Valencia introduced Camacho to MMA in the 1990s and his career then took off.
“He decided to pursue Jiu-Jitsu and earned his black belt,” Valencia said. “After earning his black belt, he enjoyed teaching and loved to be around mixed martial arts.”
On Monday afternoon, family gathered at the home in south Ontario where Camacho had lived since he was 18 with his mother and stepfather, Kenneth Hunsucker.
Through tears and laughs, they shared memories about how even in his youth, Camacho had a competitive spirit, and always wanted to be the best.
“He lost his first fight but it gave him a lot more desire to train better and get better,” said his cousin Cristina Valencia .
The two were very close, more like siblings than cousins, and Camacho would often stop by and visit Cristina and her husband, Charlie. So much so that Cristina would always make sure to keep grape jelly, his favorite, in stock.
Family members said that Camacho spent every day in the gym. He worked at the UFC gym in Rosemead and when he wasn’t there, he was at his own gym.
“He was always motivated to help kids and get them off the streets,” said his aunt, Lucille Gonzalez.
Hunsucker admits she couldn’t attend too many of his fights, it was just too painful, she said.
“He was a very good son, he was always doing things for everybody,” his mother said. “I was so proud of him.”
Charlie Valencia said Camacho was very positive and would do anything possible to help others.
“It’s unfortunate. I was very close to him; we can’t even put things into perspective, I still can’t believe it,” Charlie Valencia said.
Charlie Valencia said Camacho was a pioneer in the sport and was fighting before it became mainstream.
“He did so much and took fights he probably shouldn’t have taken, but still did it; that’s how much he loved the sport,” he said.
“I’m stunned,” said martial arts Hall of Famer George Valdez, who owns kick boxing studios in Whittier and East Los Angeles and said he knew Camacho for about 20 years.
He called Camacho’s death a huge blow to the MMA community.
“It’s a tremendous loss, especially to his huge fan base in East Los Angeles and Montebello,” said Valdez, who first met Camacho at his East L.A. gym. “He was a hell of a guy, and so good for the community.”
Orlando Aspericueta went to Garfield High School with Camacho and said Camacho introduced him to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu during a rough time in his life.
“My life was at a pretty bad point when Joe came into it and introduced me to mixed martial arts,” Aspericueta said. “It’s because of him that I’m in a much better place than where I was headed.”
Aspericueta became a student of Camacho’s many years ago and soon became an amateur mixed martial arts fighter.
“Joe is the knot to hundreds of fighters, he is the one who brought hundreds of local people together and introduced us to the sport,” he said. “It was because of Joe that a lot of us became fighters.”
“Joe would want everyone to remember him as a positiv
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A pair of men who pleaded guilty to charges in a $100 million gambling ring allegedly used mixed martial arts fighters to collect a debt from a poker player, federal prosecutors say.
Kirill Rapoport, 41, and Arthur Azen, 44, were among the 30 people arrested in April in the operation with ties to the Russian Mafia, according to the Daily News. Both men pleaded guilty to federal crimes for their roles in the ring.
In a letter for Rapoport’s sentencing hearing Thursday, prosecutors contended that Rapoport and Azen were collectors who used MMA fighters on at least one occasion to scare gamblers into paying debts, the News reports.
“On Oct. 5, 2012, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents observed the defendant, Azen and two mixed martial arts fighters go to meet with a player in Azen’s poker games, who based on earlier interceptions appeared to be delinquent in paying Azen’s debts,” the letter said.
According to the letter, FBI agents had to arrange for the NYPD to intervene because they were afraid Rapoport, Azen and the MMA fighters would hurt the gambler, who owed Azen $35,000 to $40,000 in gambling debts.
According to the News, Rapoport faces up to five years behind bars. His plea deal calls for six to 12 months in prison for running poker games in Manhattan.
“The defendant’s role in the offense was serious. He was not a dealer or a bartender,” the letter said. “His job was to make sure that bettors at Azen’s illegal poker games and bettors of Azen’s sports book paid their debts.”
Azen pleaded guilty last month to money laundering conspiracy and extortionate credit collection.
Feds Say MMA Fighters Used to Collect Poker Debts: Report | NBC New York
Kirill Rapoport, 41, and Arthur Azen, 44, were among the 30 people arrested in April in the operation with ties to the Russian Mafia, according to the Daily News. Both men pleaded guilty to federal crimes for their roles in the ring.
In a letter for Rapoport’s sentencing hearing Thursday, prosecutors contended that Rapoport and Azen were collectors who used MMA fighters on at least one occasion to scare gamblers into paying debts, the News reports.
“On Oct. 5, 2012, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents observed the defendant, Azen and two mixed martial arts fighters go to meet with a player in Azen’s poker games, who based on earlier interceptions appeared to be delinquent in paying Azen’s debts,” the letter said.
According to the letter, FBI agents had to arrange for the NYPD to intervene because they were afraid Rapoport, Azen and the MMA fighters would hurt the gambler, who owed Azen $35,000 to $40,000 in gambling debts.
According to the News, Rapoport faces up to five years behind bars. His plea deal calls for six to 12 months in prison for running poker games in Manhattan.
“The defendant’s role in the offense was serious. He was not a dealer or a bartender,” the letter said. “His job was to make sure that bettors at Azen’s illegal poker games and bettors of Azen’s sports book paid their debts.”
Azen pleaded guilty last month to money laundering conspiracy and extortionate credit collection.
Feds Say MMA Fighters Used to Collect Poker Debts: Report | NBC New York
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On Dec. 20, Brazil will make mixed martial arts history when the country hosts what's being billed as the first-ever match between a man and a woman since the sport adopted the Unified Rules.
Emerson Falcao (0-1) is set to take on Juliana Velasquez (0-0) at Rio de Janeiro's Shooto 45 in a three-round bantamweight fight (the MMA weight class tops out at 135 pounds), according to MMAFighting-com. Last April, Falcao, who is about an inch taller than Velasquez, made his MMA debut but suffered a first-round loss to Benny Blackat. The fight on Friday will be Velasquez's first professional MMA fight.
Shooto President Andre Pederneiras, who is also head of Falcao's MMA team Nova Uniao, has been promoting the fight but has yet to outline any specifics with regard to special rules, according to Bleacher Report.
"We guarantee that everything will be done within the law and safely," he said, according to MMAjunkie's translation of his comments to Combate-com, a Brazilian site.
Velasquez, for her part, told MMAFighting-com that she's ready to win: 😉
Man vs. Woman MMA Match In Brazil Provokes Controversy
Emerson Falcao (0-1) is set to take on Juliana Velasquez (0-0) at Rio de Janeiro's Shooto 45 in a three-round bantamweight fight (the MMA weight class tops out at 135 pounds), according to MMAFighting-com. Last April, Falcao, who is about an inch taller than Velasquez, made his MMA debut but suffered a first-round loss to Benny Blackat. The fight on Friday will be Velasquez's first professional MMA fight.
Shooto President Andre Pederneiras, who is also head of Falcao's MMA team Nova Uniao, has been promoting the fight but has yet to outline any specifics with regard to special rules, according to Bleacher Report.
"We guarantee that everything will be done within the law and safely," he said, according to MMAjunkie's translation of his comments to Combate-com, a Brazilian site.
Velasquez, for her part, told MMAFighting-com that she's ready to win: 😉
Man vs. Woman MMA Match In Brazil Provokes Controversy
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His cage fighter pals put him behind bars.
The Brooklyn poker game operator who went with two menacing mixed martial arts fighters to collect a debt from a bettor was sentenced to six months in jail Thursday after a judge compared his hired goons to weapons.
Kirill Rapoport, 41, asked for no jail time after pleading guilty in August to running high-stakes, illegal poker games in Manhattan.
He said he was a minor player in a $100 million gambling enterprise, and his lawyer told Manhattan Federal Judge Jesse Furman there was no evidence that Rapoport hurt anyone.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Naftalis reminded the judge about an Oct. 5, 2012, incident in Brighton Beach that involved the tall, brawny defendant and cage fighters.
In a pre-sentence letter, prosecutors said FBI agents saw Rapoport, an associate and two MMA fighters show up at the home of a bettor who later told authorities that he owed $35,000 to $40,000 in poker debts.
The FBI, who had been monitoring Rapoport, was so concerned about the bettor being harmed that it had the NYPD intervene in the meeting by claiming cops were checking a report of someone smoking marijuana in the vicinity.
“His job was not to be a dealer,” Naftalis said in court Thursday, telling Furman that Rapoport often visited bettors to collect. “His job was to scare people.”
Rapoport’s lawyer, Jay Schwitzman, said his client wasn’t armed during the visit with the MMA fighters. But the judged replied that the goons were obviously there as weapons.
Furman also pointed out that Rapoport had brass knuckles and an inoperable gun when he was arrested.
The judge acknowledged that Rapoport “was no big fish” in the gambling ring. But he said “the use or threat of violence in our society is intolerable.”
“There is no question in my mind that the reason to have two mixed martial arts fighters with you is to send an unmistakable message,” Furman said.
Schwitzman said Rapoport, who fled the Soviet Union as a young man, is nearly broke and had to borrow dress shoes for court. But Furman ordered that the defendant forfeit $250,000 anyway.
“I’m very sorry from my heart,” Rapoport said in court before hearing his sentence.
“I’m just sorry for everybody and my family.”
The feds declined to provide details about the MMA fighters.
Rapoport and Schwitzman declined to comment Thursday.
Back when Rapoport pleaded guilty, Schwitzman told reporters that his client’s crime was “hardly different from what you and I do when we play poker.” The lawyer also said the feds targeted Rapoport due to his Russian background.
He retracted that allegation in court Thursday.
“Mr. Rapoport understands and I understand that he was targeted by the federal authorities because he committed a crime, not because of his ethnicity,” Schwitzman said.
Read more: Brooklyn poker operator gets six months in jail for bringing mixed martial arts fighters to collect debt - NY Daily News
The Brooklyn poker game operator who went with two menacing mixed martial arts fighters to collect a debt from a bettor was sentenced to six months in jail Thursday after a judge compared his hired goons to weapons.
Kirill Rapoport, 41, asked for no jail time after pleading guilty in August to running high-stakes, illegal poker games in Manhattan.
He said he was a minor player in a $100 million gambling enterprise, and his lawyer told Manhattan Federal Judge Jesse Furman there was no evidence that Rapoport hurt anyone.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Naftalis reminded the judge about an Oct. 5, 2012, incident in Brighton Beach that involved the tall, brawny defendant and cage fighters.
In a pre-sentence letter, prosecutors said FBI agents saw Rapoport, an associate and two MMA fighters show up at the home of a bettor who later told authorities that he owed $35,000 to $40,000 in poker debts.
The FBI, who had been monitoring Rapoport, was so concerned about the bettor being harmed that it had the NYPD intervene in the meeting by claiming cops were checking a report of someone smoking marijuana in the vicinity.
“His job was not to be a dealer,” Naftalis said in court Thursday, telling Furman that Rapoport often visited bettors to collect. “His job was to scare people.”
Rapoport’s lawyer, Jay Schwitzman, said his client wasn’t armed during the visit with the MMA fighters. But the judged replied that the goons were obviously there as weapons.
Furman also pointed out that Rapoport had brass knuckles and an inoperable gun when he was arrested.
The judge acknowledged that Rapoport “was no big fish” in the gambling ring. But he said “the use or threat of violence in our society is intolerable.”
“There is no question in my mind that the reason to have two mixed martial arts fighters with you is to send an unmistakable message,” Furman said.
Schwitzman said Rapoport, who fled the Soviet Union as a young man, is nearly broke and had to borrow dress shoes for court. But Furman ordered that the defendant forfeit $250,000 anyway.
“I’m very sorry from my heart,” Rapoport said in court before hearing his sentence.
“I’m just sorry for everybody and my family.”
The feds declined to provide details about the MMA fighters.
Rapoport and Schwitzman declined to comment Thursday.
Back when Rapoport pleaded guilty, Schwitzman told reporters that his client’s crime was “hardly different from what you and I do when we play poker.” The lawyer also said the feds targeted Rapoport due to his Russian background.
He retracted that allegation in court Thursday.
“Mr. Rapoport understands and I understand that he was targeted by the federal authorities because he committed a crime, not because of his ethnicity,” Schwitzman said.
Read more: Brooklyn poker operator gets six months in jail for bringing mixed martial arts fighters to collect debt - NY Daily News
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Shooto Brazil returned to Rio de Janeiro with a good card.
The controversial man vs. woman was only a way to promote a campaign to stop violence against women, like MMAFighting-com reported on Thursday, but the real fights of the card delivered exciting action.
Changing a tradition that lasted more than a decade, Shooto Brazil replaced the ring with a cage. Nova Uniao’s Alexandre Pantoja (14-2) went in there and defended his flyweight title in the main event.
In a rematch against Lincoln de Sa (11-3), Pantoja controlled the pace of the fight and did enough to retain the title via unanimous decision.
Nova Uniao had a night to remember at Shooto Brazil 45. The 12-fight card in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, had 12 fighters from Andre Pederneiras’ team, and it celebrated 11 wins. In the co-main event, Walmir Lazaro (11-2) stopped Wande Lopes (7-2) in the first round.
Andrius Hubaldo (10-8, 1 no-contest), Bruno Carvalho (9-4), Will Galvao (2-1), Matheus Nicolau (8-1-1), Hemerson Hubaldo (4-2), Felipe Jesus (3-1), Nikolas Motta (4-1), Ronaldo Candido (2-0) and Luciana Pereira (4-3) scored wins for Pederneiras’ team. Marcio Breno Braga (8-4) gave Nova Uniao its only loss at the event with a submission over Chris Murphy (0-1).
Check below the complete results for Shooto Brazil 45:
Alexandre Pantoja def. Lincoln de Sa via unanimous decision
Walmir Lazaro def. Wande Lopes via first-round KO
Andrius Hubaldo def. Willian Vitorio via unanimous decision
Bruno Carvalho def. Emerson Santos via third-round submission (guillotine choke)
Will Galvao def. Marcio Bruno Braga via via unanimous decision
Matheus Nicolau def. Wanderley Carvalho via unanimous decision
Hemerson Hubaldo def. Diogo Sotero via unanimous decision
Felipe Jesus def. Paulo Almeida via second-round TKO
Nikolas Motta def. Rafael Mota via first-round TKO
Marcio Breno Braga def. Chris Murphy via second-round submission (triangle choke)
Ronaldo Candido def. Fernando Guerra via first-round submission (rear-naked choke)
Luciana Pereira def. Paula Baack via unanimous decision
Shooto Brazil 45 results: Alexandre Pantoja defends flyweight title - MMA Fighting
The controversial man vs. woman was only a way to promote a campaign to stop violence against women, like MMAFighting-com reported on Thursday, but the real fights of the card delivered exciting action.
Changing a tradition that lasted more than a decade, Shooto Brazil replaced the ring with a cage. Nova Uniao’s Alexandre Pantoja (14-2) went in there and defended his flyweight title in the main event.
In a rematch against Lincoln de Sa (11-3), Pantoja controlled the pace of the fight and did enough to retain the title via unanimous decision.
Nova Uniao had a night to remember at Shooto Brazil 45. The 12-fight card in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, had 12 fighters from Andre Pederneiras’ team, and it celebrated 11 wins. In the co-main event, Walmir Lazaro (11-2) stopped Wande Lopes (7-2) in the first round.
Andrius Hubaldo (10-8, 1 no-contest), Bruno Carvalho (9-4), Will Galvao (2-1), Matheus Nicolau (8-1-1), Hemerson Hubaldo (4-2), Felipe Jesus (3-1), Nikolas Motta (4-1), Ronaldo Candido (2-0) and Luciana Pereira (4-3) scored wins for Pederneiras’ team. Marcio Breno Braga (8-4) gave Nova Uniao its only loss at the event with a submission over Chris Murphy (0-1).
Check below the complete results for Shooto Brazil 45:
Alexandre Pantoja def. Lincoln de Sa via unanimous decision
Walmir Lazaro def. Wande Lopes via first-round KO
Andrius Hubaldo def. Willian Vitorio via unanimous decision
Bruno Carvalho def. Emerson Santos via third-round submission (guillotine choke)
Will Galvao def. Marcio Bruno Braga via via unanimous decision
Matheus Nicolau def. Wanderley Carvalho via unanimous decision
Hemerson Hubaldo def. Diogo Sotero via unanimous decision
Felipe Jesus def. Paulo Almeida via second-round TKO
Nikolas Motta def. Rafael Mota via first-round TKO
Marcio Breno Braga def. Chris Murphy via second-round submission (triangle choke)
Ronaldo Candido def. Fernando Guerra via first-round submission (rear-naked choke)
Luciana Pereira def. Paula Baack via unanimous decision
Shooto Brazil 45 results: Alexandre Pantoja defends flyweight title - MMA Fighting
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Fabricio Camoes and Jim Miller will clash in a lightweight bout at UFC 168 while Anderson Silva looks to win the middleweight championship back in the main event facing Chris Weidman on Dec. 28. However, many fans don’t know that Silva’s first tournament win happened on June 25, 1997, when he fought Camoes in Brazil.
Camoes, an 18-year-old jiu-jitsu purple belt under Royler Gracie, was invited to make his MMA debut in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, at Brazilian Freestyle Circuit. Silva would also have his first experience in MMA that same night, and they eventually met in the 176-pound tournament final.
"We traveled 17 hours by bus to get there," Camoes told MMAFighting-com. "We got there on Thursday, two days before the fight. We had no preparation to be honest, we basically used what we had from our jiu-jitsu background."
The fights were contested in 10-minute rounds, and Camoes needed less than five minutes to finish his first opponent. Silva finished his first bout in less than two minutes.
"I beat Eliezer Ninja in the first fight, and Anderson defeated Raimundo Pinheiro in the other semifinal," he said. "In the final, with five minutes left in the third round, I couldn’t stand back up after so many kicks so the referee stopped the fight. It was a great experience for me, I would do it again the same way.
"When I see him finishing guys in three minutes and remember that I fought him for 25 minutes, I feel good about it. The experience I gained with that fight I use in all my fights. What could be worse than making your MMA debut against the best of all time? I knew nothing about him at that time, really. I had no idea what I was going to face."
UFC lightweight Cristiano Marcello also made his MMA debut that night, stopping Claudio de Souza and Ray Peres to win the 155-pound tournament, and he helped Camoes after the night was over.
"There was no money, no glamor back then," Camoes said. "If you were to fight, you were there because you love it. The tournament winner got paid 500 dollars, the runner-up received 250 dollars, and the fighters who lost in the semifinals didn’t get paid at all.
"Cristiano Marcello won his tournament and I lost in the final, so he helped me to pay the flight back home. No way I would take a 17-hour travel on a bus after a 25-minute fight with Anderson Silva. We spent all the money to pay for the flight tickets. One win, one loss and no money in the pocket, but a lot of experience. It was positive in the end, and now I can say that I fought Anderson Silva even though I lost."
Sixteen years later, Camoes and Silva are back in the same card once again, and the lightweight is confident that the former middleweight champion will bring the title back to his country.
"Lightning never strikes twice in the same place," he said. "Anderson Silva will show why he’s the best this time. He has all the tools to win this fight. He’s the best of all time, he evolves a lot after every fight and it won’t be different this time."
Fabricio Camoes recalls 25-minute battle with Anderson Silva - MMA Fighting
Camoes, an 18-year-old jiu-jitsu purple belt under Royler Gracie, was invited to make his MMA debut in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, at Brazilian Freestyle Circuit. Silva would also have his first experience in MMA that same night, and they eventually met in the 176-pound tournament final.
"We traveled 17 hours by bus to get there," Camoes told MMAFighting-com. "We got there on Thursday, two days before the fight. We had no preparation to be honest, we basically used what we had from our jiu-jitsu background."
The fights were contested in 10-minute rounds, and Camoes needed less than five minutes to finish his first opponent. Silva finished his first bout in less than two minutes.
"I beat Eliezer Ninja in the first fight, and Anderson defeated Raimundo Pinheiro in the other semifinal," he said. "In the final, with five minutes left in the third round, I couldn’t stand back up after so many kicks so the referee stopped the fight. It was a great experience for me, I would do it again the same way.
"When I see him finishing guys in three minutes and remember that I fought him for 25 minutes, I feel good about it. The experience I gained with that fight I use in all my fights. What could be worse than making your MMA debut against the best of all time? I knew nothing about him at that time, really. I had no idea what I was going to face."
UFC lightweight Cristiano Marcello also made his MMA debut that night, stopping Claudio de Souza and Ray Peres to win the 155-pound tournament, and he helped Camoes after the night was over.
"There was no money, no glamor back then," Camoes said. "If you were to fight, you were there because you love it. The tournament winner got paid 500 dollars, the runner-up received 250 dollars, and the fighters who lost in the semifinals didn’t get paid at all.
"Cristiano Marcello won his tournament and I lost in the final, so he helped me to pay the flight back home. No way I would take a 17-hour travel on a bus after a 25-minute fight with Anderson Silva. We spent all the money to pay for the flight tickets. One win, one loss and no money in the pocket, but a lot of experience. It was positive in the end, and now I can say that I fought Anderson Silva even though I lost."
Sixteen years later, Camoes and Silva are back in the same card once again, and the lightweight is confident that the former middleweight champion will bring the title back to his country.
"Lightning never strikes twice in the same place," he said. "Anderson Silva will show why he’s the best this time. He has all the tools to win this fight. He’s the best of all time, he evolves a lot after every fight and it won’t be different this time."
Fabricio Camoes recalls 25-minute battle with Anderson Silva - MMA Fighting
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Multiple time jiu-jitsu champion Augusto Mendes made quick work of his first opponent in MMA.
"Tanquinho" made his amateur MMA debut on Saturday night at Duel for Domination 6 at the Arizona Event Center in Meza, AZ. A training partner of former UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson at MMA Lab, the Brazilian needed only 36 seconds to take Jamie Carskaden down, get the mount and finish the bout with an arm-triangle choke.
Mendes fought Carskaden in a featherweight clash, and plans to make his professional debut in the bantamweight division early next year.
"Our head coach John Crouch thought it would be better to do an amateur fight first to get rid of the anxiety of the debut, get some experience in the cage and feel the weight cut," Mendes told MMAFighting-com before the fight. "I’ll do what they tell me, and hope to make my professional debut next year.
"My goal is to become the champion anywhere I fight. I know I’m far from being a champion, but I’ll train hard every day to get one step closer. One of my goals in jiu-jitsu was always become the champion, and that’s how I became a two-time world champion in the black belt division."
Video ?Tanquinho? Mendes scores 36-second win in MMA debut - MMA Fighting
"Tanquinho" made his amateur MMA debut on Saturday night at Duel for Domination 6 at the Arizona Event Center in Meza, AZ. A training partner of former UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson at MMA Lab, the Brazilian needed only 36 seconds to take Jamie Carskaden down, get the mount and finish the bout with an arm-triangle choke.
Mendes fought Carskaden in a featherweight clash, and plans to make his professional debut in the bantamweight division early next year.
"Our head coach John Crouch thought it would be better to do an amateur fight first to get rid of the anxiety of the debut, get some experience in the cage and feel the weight cut," Mendes told MMAFighting-com before the fight. "I’ll do what they tell me, and hope to make my professional debut next year.
"My goal is to become the champion anywhere I fight. I know I’m far from being a champion, but I’ll train hard every day to get one step closer. One of my goals in jiu-jitsu was always become the champion, and that’s how I became a two-time world champion in the black belt division."
Video ?Tanquinho? Mendes scores 36-second win in MMA debut - MMA Fighting
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Manager Sam Kardan was just as surprised as other MMA fans when he heard his client, UFC welterweight Adlan Amagov, was quitting the sport for religion.
Then he called Amagov, who is a practicing Muslim. The fighter laughed at a rumor he was going to become a spiritual leader.
“There’s a lot of rumors on the Internet, and it has absolutely nothing to do with what’s going on,” Kardan today told MMAjunkie.
What is going on, Kardan said, is a matter Amagov (13-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) would like to keep private. The fighter is undergoing personal issues that he needs to resolve before returning to the cage.
“He’s a very private guy, and he doesn’t really want to talk about that stuff,” Kardan said.
Nevertheless, Kardan said he’s been deluged with hundreds of messages asking about the rumor, which took root after an Instagram post apparently connected to the fighter’s team circulated online.
“I can guarantee there’s nothing further than the truth than he’s quitting for religious purposes,” Kardan said. “He’s been religious all his life, and he’s been fighting all his life.”
Amagov, however, withdrew this past week from a booking opposite Jason High at UFC Fight Night 35, which takes place Jan. 15 at Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga. The disclosed reason for his withdrawal was an injury, but Kardan said the fighter is healthy.
Kardan declined to identify the issues facing Amagov. The manager said he’ll sit down with fighter after the new year to discuss his plans for the future and whether he’ll compete again.
“The possibility is that he may take a little break and come back,” Kardan said. “That’s what we’re looking at right now. We haven’t had a discussion of retirement or anything like that. He just needs a little time off right now. “It’s just something in the family. He needs to be with his family right now. It’s nothing too tragic or anything like that. It’s just very private.”
Amagov most recently appeared in the octagon in October at UFC 166, where he earned a first-round knockout of T.J. Waldburger. Previously, he made his promotional debut with a unanimous decision win over Chris Spang at UFC on FUEL TV 9.
For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
Manager: UFC’s Adlan Amagov not quitting MMA for religion | MMAjunkie
Then he called Amagov, who is a practicing Muslim. The fighter laughed at a rumor he was going to become a spiritual leader.
“There’s a lot of rumors on the Internet, and it has absolutely nothing to do with what’s going on,” Kardan today told MMAjunkie.
What is going on, Kardan said, is a matter Amagov (13-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) would like to keep private. The fighter is undergoing personal issues that he needs to resolve before returning to the cage.
“He’s a very private guy, and he doesn’t really want to talk about that stuff,” Kardan said.
Nevertheless, Kardan said he’s been deluged with hundreds of messages asking about the rumor, which took root after an Instagram post apparently connected to the fighter’s team circulated online.
“I can guarantee there’s nothing further than the truth than he’s quitting for religious purposes,” Kardan said. “He’s been religious all his life, and he’s been fighting all his life.”
Amagov, however, withdrew this past week from a booking opposite Jason High at UFC Fight Night 35, which takes place Jan. 15 at Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga. The disclosed reason for his withdrawal was an injury, but Kardan said the fighter is healthy.
Kardan declined to identify the issues facing Amagov. The manager said he’ll sit down with fighter after the new year to discuss his plans for the future and whether he’ll compete again.
“The possibility is that he may take a little break and come back,” Kardan said. “That’s what we’re looking at right now. We haven’t had a discussion of retirement or anything like that. He just needs a little time off right now. “It’s just something in the family. He needs to be with his family right now. It’s nothing too tragic or anything like that. It’s just very private.”
Amagov most recently appeared in the octagon in October at UFC 166, where he earned a first-round knockout of T.J. Waldburger. Previously, he made his promotional debut with a unanimous decision win over Chris Spang at UFC on FUEL TV 9.
For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
Manager: UFC’s Adlan Amagov not quitting MMA for religion | MMAjunkie
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It was another banner year for Asian mixed martial arts (MMA) in 2013, with cards taking place across the continent every single weekend. ONE FC did shows in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Jakarta, while Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to Japan for the second year in succession.
Meanwhile, Road FC put on six cards in Korea, between them the URCC and PXC did 10 shows in Philippines and there were countless cards in Japan with Shooto, Pancrase, Deep and VTJ all going strong, while Dare returned to Thailand. In addition, the CTN broadcast network in Cambodia started hosting weekly events and the SFL put on another series of events in Mumbai, India.
The Asian MMA scene is growing so rapidly that it is increasingly difficult to keep track of, but as more promotion's start to stream their events online, it is possible to watch more fights than ever before. With that said, check out the "2013 Asian MMA Awards" below:
"Fighter of the Year:"
Hyun Gyu Lim introduced himself to UFC fans in devastating style with back-to-back knockout wins. He only fought twice, but both fights were brief and brutal with Marcelo Guimaraes dispatched with a brutal knee in the second round at UFC on Fuel TV 8 and Pascal Krauss taken out with a flurry of punches followed by a knee at UFC 164.
It has been well documented that Asian fighters have sometimes struggled to make the transition to UFC, but Lim --who wasn't even a particularly big name in Asia -- is taking the welterweight division by storm. And if he can beat Tarec Saffiedine in similar style on Jan. 4, 2014, a title shot could be on the agenda in 2015.
Other candidates include Takeya Mizugaki who went undefeated (3-0) for UFC, but only courtesy of a couple of split decisions, Dong Hyun Kim who was perfect (2-0), but not in quite the same emphatic style as fellow Korean welterweight Lim and Michinori Tanaka, who also went unscathed (3-0) fighting for PXC, winning and defending the 135 lbs belt in the process.
"Fight of the Year"
Doo Ho Choi vs Shoji Maruyama . Doo Ho Choi was expected to make short work of Shoji Maruyama in his Deep swan song, but there was nothing comfortable about this win with the Korean prodigy repeatedly rocked throughout the opening round.
Choi showed remarkable powers of recovery to repeatedly get back to his feet and return fire only to get dropped again early in the second round. It seemed the MMA upset of the year was on the card until the Korean (who subsequently signed with UFC) staggered the Japanese journeyman with an upkick and then put him away with a perfectly timed right hook.
Other contenders include the war between Wanderlei Silva and Brian Stann at UFC on Fuel TV 8, Joachim Hansen's second round arm triangle submission of Doo Won Seo at Road FC 11 (when the Norwegian was seconds away from tapping to a guillotine at the end of the first), Koji Oishi's come-from-behind stoppage win over Honorio Banario to win the ONE FC 145-pound title and Yui Chul Nam's controversial extra round decision win over Takasuke Kume in their Lightweight title fight at Road FC 12.
"Submission of the Year"
Caol Uno scored three submission wins in 2013, but he saved the most impressive for last, submitting Daniel Romero with an inverted triangle choke from side control in the second round at VTJ 3rd. The Japanese veteran had taken a beating in the opening round and had to come from behind to find the finish, his second in succession against a Team Alpha Male-trained opponent
Jang Yong Kim comes in a narrow second place after his leg scissor choke submission of Mark Striegl in the third round of their PXC title fight, while Kyoji Horiguchi and Shinya Aoki both warrant a mention for second round rear naked chokes, which won titles, the former against Hiromasa Ogikubo to claim the Shooto 132-pound strap and the latter against Kotetsu Boku for ONE FC 155-pound honors.
"Knockout of the Year"
Ikuhuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa celebrated his 100th fight in style with a one punch knockout of Hoon Kim at Road FC 13. In truth Minowaman is something of a journeyman these days and it is years since he beat an an opponent of note but this was the perfect way for the 37 year old to mark a major career milestone.
On any other year Kevin Belingon would probably have walked away with this award for his one punch KO of the previously undefeated David Santacana at ONE FC: "Moment of Truth," while the knee with which Hyun Gyu Lim finished Marcelo Guimaraes would also have been a worthy winner.
"Camp of the Year"
Evolve MMA boasts an impressive 87.5 percent win ratio over the course of the year with Shinya Aoki winning the ONE FC 155-pound belt, Irshaed Sayed winning the RUFF 135-pound belt and Rafael Dos Anjos moving closer and closer to a UFC title shot as Chatri Sityodtong's camp, which recently added Ben Askren to the fight team, cemented its status as the most dominant in Asia.
No other camp comes close in terms of the winning record, but Phuket Top Team has been one of the busiest with the Leone brothers doing well at Bellator and ONE FC and Rob Lisita edging ever closer to UFC contracts. Korean Top Team lost Chan Sung Jung, but still saw Hyun Gyu Lim star for UFC and Jang Yong Kim win the PXC 145-pound belt, while at Team Posse Yui Chul Nam won the Road FC 155-pound belt and signed with UFC, while teammate Bae Young Kwon beat a couple of Japanese veterans.
"Promotion of the Year"
ONE FC is going to be winning this award for the forseeable future unless something dramatic changes in Asia. The Singapore-based promotion put on successful shows in Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia and demonstrated that it can go head-to-head with any organization in the world when it comes to signing fighters with the eye catching acquisition of undefeated former Bellator Welterweight champion Ben Askren.
In terms of Pan Asian promotions, the demise of Legend FC effectively ended any competi
Meanwhile, Road FC put on six cards in Korea, between them the URCC and PXC did 10 shows in Philippines and there were countless cards in Japan with Shooto, Pancrase, Deep and VTJ all going strong, while Dare returned to Thailand. In addition, the CTN broadcast network in Cambodia started hosting weekly events and the SFL put on another series of events in Mumbai, India.
The Asian MMA scene is growing so rapidly that it is increasingly difficult to keep track of, but as more promotion's start to stream their events online, it is possible to watch more fights than ever before. With that said, check out the "2013 Asian MMA Awards" below:
"Fighter of the Year:"
Hyun Gyu Lim introduced himself to UFC fans in devastating style with back-to-back knockout wins. He only fought twice, but both fights were brief and brutal with Marcelo Guimaraes dispatched with a brutal knee in the second round at UFC on Fuel TV 8 and Pascal Krauss taken out with a flurry of punches followed by a knee at UFC 164.
It has been well documented that Asian fighters have sometimes struggled to make the transition to UFC, but Lim --who wasn't even a particularly big name in Asia -- is taking the welterweight division by storm. And if he can beat Tarec Saffiedine in similar style on Jan. 4, 2014, a title shot could be on the agenda in 2015.
Other candidates include Takeya Mizugaki who went undefeated (3-0) for UFC, but only courtesy of a couple of split decisions, Dong Hyun Kim who was perfect (2-0), but not in quite the same emphatic style as fellow Korean welterweight Lim and Michinori Tanaka, who also went unscathed (3-0) fighting for PXC, winning and defending the 135 lbs belt in the process.
"Fight of the Year"
Doo Ho Choi vs Shoji Maruyama . Doo Ho Choi was expected to make short work of Shoji Maruyama in his Deep swan song, but there was nothing comfortable about this win with the Korean prodigy repeatedly rocked throughout the opening round.
Choi showed remarkable powers of recovery to repeatedly get back to his feet and return fire only to get dropped again early in the second round. It seemed the MMA upset of the year was on the card until the Korean (who subsequently signed with UFC) staggered the Japanese journeyman with an upkick and then put him away with a perfectly timed right hook.
Other contenders include the war between Wanderlei Silva and Brian Stann at UFC on Fuel TV 8, Joachim Hansen's second round arm triangle submission of Doo Won Seo at Road FC 11 (when the Norwegian was seconds away from tapping to a guillotine at the end of the first), Koji Oishi's come-from-behind stoppage win over Honorio Banario to win the ONE FC 145-pound title and Yui Chul Nam's controversial extra round decision win over Takasuke Kume in their Lightweight title fight at Road FC 12.
"Submission of the Year"
Caol Uno scored three submission wins in 2013, but he saved the most impressive for last, submitting Daniel Romero with an inverted triangle choke from side control in the second round at VTJ 3rd. The Japanese veteran had taken a beating in the opening round and had to come from behind to find the finish, his second in succession against a Team Alpha Male-trained opponent
Jang Yong Kim comes in a narrow second place after his leg scissor choke submission of Mark Striegl in the third round of their PXC title fight, while Kyoji Horiguchi and Shinya Aoki both warrant a mention for second round rear naked chokes, which won titles, the former against Hiromasa Ogikubo to claim the Shooto 132-pound strap and the latter against Kotetsu Boku for ONE FC 155-pound honors.
"Knockout of the Year"
Ikuhuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa celebrated his 100th fight in style with a one punch knockout of Hoon Kim at Road FC 13. In truth Minowaman is something of a journeyman these days and it is years since he beat an an opponent of note but this was the perfect way for the 37 year old to mark a major career milestone.
On any other year Kevin Belingon would probably have walked away with this award for his one punch KO of the previously undefeated David Santacana at ONE FC: "Moment of Truth," while the knee with which Hyun Gyu Lim finished Marcelo Guimaraes would also have been a worthy winner.
"Camp of the Year"
Evolve MMA boasts an impressive 87.5 percent win ratio over the course of the year with Shinya Aoki winning the ONE FC 155-pound belt, Irshaed Sayed winning the RUFF 135-pound belt and Rafael Dos Anjos moving closer and closer to a UFC title shot as Chatri Sityodtong's camp, which recently added Ben Askren to the fight team, cemented its status as the most dominant in Asia.
No other camp comes close in terms of the winning record, but Phuket Top Team has been one of the busiest with the Leone brothers doing well at Bellator and ONE FC and Rob Lisita edging ever closer to UFC contracts. Korean Top Team lost Chan Sung Jung, but still saw Hyun Gyu Lim star for UFC and Jang Yong Kim win the PXC 145-pound belt, while at Team Posse Yui Chul Nam won the Road FC 155-pound belt and signed with UFC, while teammate Bae Young Kwon beat a couple of Japanese veterans.
"Promotion of the Year"
ONE FC is going to be winning this award for the forseeable future unless something dramatic changes in Asia. The Singapore-based promotion put on successful shows in Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia and demonstrated that it can go head-to-head with any organization in the world when it comes to signing fighters with the eye catching acquisition of undefeated former Bellator Welterweight champion Ben Askren.
In terms of Pan Asian promotions, the demise of Legend FC effectively ended any competi
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Dana White responded to rumors today that Brock Lesnar was returning to the UFC, but perhaps not in the way that people were hoping. The word spread on social media that Brock may be returning to the company, but when asked about the rumors that Lesnar was attending UFC 168 to talk business, White said he wasn't in the loop about it.
"Really?" White said. "I don't know. I honestly don't know...Honestly. I don't know."
Lesnar, of course, is currently signed to WWE and is reportedly being factored into the company's WrestleMania XXX plans.
Read more at 411mania-com: MMA - Dana White Comments on Rumors That Brock Lesnar is Returning to the UFC
"Really?" White said. "I don't know. I honestly don't know...Honestly. I don't know."
Lesnar, of course, is currently signed to WWE and is reportedly being factored into the company's WrestleMania XXX plans.
Read more at 411mania-com: MMA - Dana White Comments on Rumors That Brock Lesnar is Returning to the UFC
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Hunt, who has won four of his past five fights, will face Silva, who has lost three of his past five fights, in the main event.
Check out the UFC Fight Night 33 live blog below.
Round 1: The referee in charge of the action is Steve Perceval. Both fighters open orthodox. Now Bigfoot switching stances and throwing side kicks. Outside leg kick from Silva lands. Decent front kick, lead jab combo from Silva. Hunt is nailed with a right hook that floors him and Silva follows up. Hunt, however, seems ok and is back on his feet. Silva ducks under a punch and presses Hunt into the fence, but Hunt re-pummels and presses Silva in the cage. The separate after a failed foot sweep from Hunt.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Silva
Round 2: Hunt launches a combo, but they all miss. Outside leg kick from Silva. Silva tries to press Hunt into the cage for a takedown and can't get it. Hunt throws a right to the body and it scores. Hunt attacks and drives through a right hand. Hunt with his own inside leg kick and now a counter right hand. Hunt with a nice body kick. Silva landed an outside kick and it clearly hurts Hunt low on the calf.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Hunt
Round 3: Hunt tries to catch a kick and goes for a takedown, but Silva is able to stand, although he uses the fence a bit for help. Silva attempts a trip and nearly gets taken down himself. They separate off the clinch. Nice uppercut from Hunt and they clinch. Hunt with a nice right hand on the clinch break. And another down the middle when they separate, which puts Silva on his rear. Hunt digging elbows on top and now they're in half guard.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Hunt
Round 4: Silva lands an outside leg kick, but Hunt connects with a right. They clinch along the fence. As they break,Bigfoot cracks Hunt with another outside leg kick. Hunt manages to score a takedown off of a failed takedown. Bigfoot twists for an armbar, but can't get it. Bigfoot lands a right underhook and stands. They separate. Good standing elbow from Hunt and a right hand. They're exchanging strikes. Bigfoot has him hurt badly. In unreal action, they're exchanging over and over and over and over. I can barely describe this. Each guy is landing on the other. Silva manages to land on top in a tired exchange and is bombing on Hunt. Hunt is bleeding and hanging on.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Silva
Round 5: Hunt comes out storming and lands hard right hands. Silva is hanging in there but is wobbly. Hunt is exhausted, too. Two left hooks from Hunt. Silva attempts a takedown and can't get it. Hunt is landing a lot, but Bigfoot still there. Silva hanging on for dear life. The fight is temporarily halted to examine the cuts of Silva. The action resumes. Silva with a leg kick and another. Hunt with an elbow. Big right hand now from Silva. Silva just leaning on Hunt in the clinch. Silva and Hunt just killing each other against the fence. Now a huge knee from Bigfoot. Fight of the Year-type action here, albeit in very sloppy form. Silva lands two knees in the clinch. Unreal action. Unreal fight. Completely fun.
UFC Fight Night 33 live blog: Mark Hunt vs. Bigfoot Silva - MMA Fighting