Weekly Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing News – 02/16/2013
By PDG Staff
Cris Cyborg Done with the UFC, Signs with Invicta FC
Pound-for-pound great and devastating featherweight KO artist Cris Cyborg of Curitiba, Brazil has signed a multi-fight agreement with women’s world championship Mixed Martial Arts promotion Invicta Fighting Championships, it was announced Friday night on “Inside MMA” on AXS TV.
Cyborg will make her Invicta FC debut against streaking submission ace and Unified Women’s Professional MMA Rankings world No. 2 featherweight Ediane “India” Gomes of Coconut Creek, Fla. via Sao Paulo, Brazil at the promotion’s highly-anticipated, world championship doubleheader event at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City on Friday, April 5.
The winner of the matchup between Cyborg and Gomes will square off with world No. 1 ranked featherweight superstar Marloes Coenen at Invicta FC 6, on a date to be announced.
Gomes’ original Invicta FC 5 opponent, Julia “The Jewel” Budd (4-2) of Port Moody BC, Canada, will now face rising star Fiona Muxlow (6-2) of Townsville, Queensland Australia on the April 5 card.
“We are thrilled to welcome Cris Cyborg, arguably the top pound-for-pound female fighter in the world, to our rapidly growing roster of world-class athletes,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp. “Cris’ incredible performances in front of national TV audiences over the last few years have helped put women’s MMA on the radar of the masses and paved the way for others to establish themselves in the sport.”
UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Silva II – Fight Card Update
It’s official: With a first-round TKO over previously undefeated Travis Browne and a knockout win over top contender Alistair Overeem, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva has earned a title shot against UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. That heavyweight championship bout will anchor UFC 160, to be held Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas. Plus, two of the top heavyweights in the world will settle their differences at the event as former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair “The Reem” Overeem will take on former UFC heavyweight champion Junior “Cigano” Dos Santos. Farther down in the weight divisions, fans will see a fantastic stylistic matchup as welterweights Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and TUF season 7 winner Amir Sadollah do battle. Verbal agreements are in for all three matchups.
Bellator Returns To The University of South Florida March 28th With Two Tournament Finals Plus the Return of World’s #1 Ranked & Florida’s Own Jessica Aguilar
Bellator MMA will once again head to the Sunshine State as the promotion will host two Bellator Tournament Finals from The University of South Florida’s Sun Dome in Tampa on March 28th LIVE on Spike TV. The night will see two $100,000 Tournament Finals fights as the Featherweight and Lightweight Tournaments will be decided, as well as the return of fan favorite, World’s #1 ranked 115 pound and South Florida native Jessica “Jag” Aguilar.
For Aguilar, the 14-4 submission ace brings an impressive resume into the Sun Dome with victories over Megumi Fujii, Carla Esparza and Lisa Ellis. With a five fight win streak in place, the veteran Aguilar is looking to keep the momentum going with a victory on March 28th.
“Bellator is my home and I can’t wait to get back into the cage in front of all my friends, family and fans and continue to show the world I’m the best female fighter on the planet,” Aguilar said.
With an explosive Featherweight Quarterfinal round in the books, four of the best featherweights in the world in Popo Bezerra, Mike Richman, Marlon Sandro and Frodo Khasbulaev are gunning for a coveted spot in the finals, and will meet March 28th from Tampa’s Sun Dome.
The Season 8 Lightweight field is also down to the final four as David Rickels, Jason Fischer, Saad Awad and Will Brooks all earned their respective places in the semifinal round, and on March 28th a tournament champion will be crowned.
“We had an outstanding night of fights in our first visit to The Sun Dome, and expect nothing less March 28th live on Spike,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “With two Tournament Final fights, as well as the return of Jessica Aguilar, our Florida faithful are in for a huge night of fights.”
The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale – Fight Card Update
TUF Finales always mark the crowning of a new Ultimate Fighter but at this season’s capper, set for April 13, there will be real UFC gold on the line as well: UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will defend his title against John Moraga. Johnson continues to impress and rise up the pound-for-pound ranks with each bout; while Moraga, looking for his ninth straight victory, has been stellar inside the Octagon so far with impressive stoppages in his last two outings.
The UFC’s nascent women’s division will have its sophomore scrap between two of its top athletes as former Strikeforce champion Miesha Tate takes on rising star Cat Zingano. The big guys will also be represented on the fight card, with heavyweights Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga and Travis “Hapa” Browne slated to clash. At featherweight, Cole Miller and Bart Palaszewski will go head to head; also at 145 pounds, striking specialist Justin Lawrence will face well-rounded veteran Daniel Pineda.
The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen
April 13, 2012
The Joint at the Hard Rock
Las Vegas, Nevada
Demetrious Johnson (17-2-1) vs. John Moraga (13-1) – UFC flyweight title bout
Travis Brown (13-1) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (14-6)
Miesha Tate (13-3) vs. Cat Zingano (7-0)
Bart Palaszewski (36-16) vs. Cole Miller (18-7)
Daniel Pineda (17-9) vs. Justin Lawrence (4-1)
Maximo Blanco (8-4-1-1) vs. Sam Sicilia (11-2)
Muaythai Journal Episode Six: Rob Cox
In episode six of Muaythai Journal we head back to Kiatphotip Gym to talk with muaythai journalist and foremost foreign authority on the sport of muaythai, Rob Cox. Rob Cox talks about the current state of muaythai in Thailand, the Golden Era of the 90s, and how corruption and gambling in muaythai have contributed to the steady decline in support from the general Thai people. Rob Cox breaks down what he believes it will take to make the sport popular again, and he finishes up with a message to Thai people regarding the importance of muaythai in their culture.
Eddie Ng versus Arnaud Lepont Added to ONE FC: Kings & Champions
Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship has announced that hard-hitting Hong Kong native Eddie “The Magician” Ng will square off against ferocious slugger Arnaud “The Game” Lepont at ONE FC: Kings & Champions which takes place live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 5 April 2013.
CEO of ONE Fighting Championship Victor Cui stated, ” ONE FC: Kings & Champions will be the biggest in ONE FC history and features the top names in Asian MMA. Eddie Ng and Arnaud Lepont will be a slug fest that fans don’t want to miss. Both fighters are at the top of their game and have a lot to prove and they are well-known brawlers who have never backed down from a fight. Get ready for a knockout of the night!”
Eddie Ng is one of the top MMA fighters to emerge from Hong Kong. He is a BJJ expert who showed that he also has excellent stand up skills when he knocked out his opponent at ONE FC: War of the Lions in just 43 seconds of round 1. On 5 April, he will be looking to do the same when he battles the brash French MMA champion Arnaud Lepont. Ng will hold nothing back from securing another resounding win on Asia’s largest MMA stage.
Arnaud Lepont is legendary for his charisma and crazy entrances and always goes looking for the KO right from the start of the fight. Lepont has outstanding striking skills and keeps moving forward during his fights. Although he lost his last fight, he has been working tirelessly to improve his ground game and promises to bring his best at ONE FC: Kings & Champions.
ONE FC: Kings & Champions is headlined by a ONE FC Lightweight World Championship bout between reigning champion Kotetsu “No Face” Boku against number one contender Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki.
Fischer Replaces Injured Sarnavskiy in Bellator Lightweight Tournament
After suffering a hand injury in his Bellator Lightweight Quarterfinal victory, Tiger Sarnavskiy will be replaced in the Season 8 Lightweight Tournament by Michigan native Jason “The Finisher” Fischer. The Lightweight Tournament continues February 28th from New Mexico’s Santa Ana Star Center.
If getting a chance to fight for a $100,000 Tournament prize wasn’t enough, Fischer will now have the chance to avenge the only loss of his young career as the submission ace will meet David “The Caveman” Rickels in semifinal action. The two met in November of 2012, with Rickels escaping with a unanimous decision win.
“This is a huge opportunity for me,” Fischer said. “I feel like I’ve put in a ton of hard work and this is the time for all that work to pay off. You never like to see any fighter go down with an injury, but when the phone call came in, I jumped at the opportunity. My loss to Rickels still bothers me, and I’m looking to wipe the slate clean with a big win on February 28th.”
The night will also feature the undefeated Will Brooks taking on the explosive Saad Awad for a spot in the Bellator Lightweight Tournament Finals, while reigning Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Christian M’Pumbu battles Attila Vegh for the title.
UFC on FUEL TV 9: Gustafsson vs. Mousasi – Fight Card Update
It’s Europe’s best against the world — With tickets for UFC Stockholm 2013 nearly sold out, intriguing bouts continue to be announced for the early April event. England’s Phil De Fries will face the super-athletic Matt Mitrione in a heavyweight matchup, while Rhode Island’s “Filthy” Tom Lawlor meets Holland’s 12-1 Michael Kuiper at middleweight.
At 170 pounds, Sweden’s Chris “The Kiss” Spang will make his UFC debut against the Russin-born, Albuquerque-trained Adlan “The Wolf” Amagov. Plus, undefeated Ryan LaFlare will represent for Long Island in his UFC debut against TUF Smashes’ Aussie standout Benny “Blanco” Alloway, who is on a six-fight win streak In lightweight matchups, 6-1 Ryan Couture will make his Octagon debut against Ultimate Fighter 9 winner and TUF Smashes coach Ross Pearson. Plus, Sweden’s Reza “Mad Dog” Madadi will meet TUF 12 runner-up Michael “The Menace” Johnson.
Irish featherweight phenom and knockout artist Conor McGregor is finally making his way into the UFC ranks; welcoming him will be Marcus Brimage, who has gone undefeated in his first three bouts inside the packed division. And the U.K.’s best bantamweight, Brad Pickett, recently listed at number four in the weight class in the UFC Fighter Rankings, takes on the number-nine entry, powerful Mike “The Hulk” Easton.
UFC on Fuel TV 9: UFC Sweden 2 – Gustafsson vs. Mousasi
April 6, 2013
Ericsson Globe Arena
Stockholm, Sweden
Alexander Gustafsson (15-1) vs. Gegard Mousasi (33-3-2)
Akira Corassani (10-3-1) vs. Robbie Peralta (16-3-1)
Philip De Fries (9-2) vs. Matt Mitrione (5-2)
Papy Abedi (8-2) vs. Besam Yousef (6-1)
Brad Pickett (22-7) vs. Mike Easton (13-2)
Marcus Brimage (6-1) vs. Conor McGregor (12-2)
Ryan Couture (6-1) vs. Ross Pearson (14-6)
Ben Alloway (13-3) vs. Ryan LaFlare (7-0)
Michael Johnson (12-7) vs. Reza Madadi (12-3)
Adlan Amagov (11-2) vs. Chris Spang (5-1)
World Series of Fighting: Arlovski vs. Johnson – Fight Card Announced
World Series of Fighting has announced that it will deliver a stacked, world-class Mixed Martial Arts fight card, headlined by a heavyweight showdown between superstars Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (19-9) of Minsk, Belarus and Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (15-3) of Boca Raton, Fla., at Ovation Hall at Revel in Atlantic City, N.J. on Saturday, March 23, live on NBC Sports Network.
In the bantamweight co-main event, red-hot 29-year-old star Tyson Nam (12-4) of Portland, Ore. will face off with two-time national Muay Thai champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Marlon Moraes (9-4) of Jupiter, Fla. via Nova Friburgo, Brazil.
“We are excited to bring the World Series of Fighting brand of MMA to Atlantic City, where some of the greatest fights in history have taken place,” said World Series of Fighting President and six-time world kickboxing champion and two-time Hall of Famer, Ray Sefo. “Andrei Arlovski, Anthony Johnson and Marlon Moraes are all coming off superb performances on our inaugural fight card, and Tyson Nam has been on fire of late, so we felt that it was essential to showcase these stars at the top of our first card on the East Coast.”
Also slated for action on the five-bout TV card are welterweight sensation Josh Burkman (24-9) of Salt Lake City, Utah, who will collide with former UFC star Aaron “A-Train” Simpson (12-4) of Phoenix, Ariz., and former PRIDE Fighting Championships superstar and WEC champion Paulo Filho (23-4) of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who will face off with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt David Branch (11-3) of Brooklyn, N.Y. in a middleweight bout.
Explosive finisher J.Z. Cavalcante (16-6) of Deerfield Beach, Fla. via Brazil will take on unbeaten, emerging star Justin Gaethje (7-0) of Greeley, Colo. at lightweight.
Coming off his second consecutive victory, a unanimous decision over Mike “300” Hayes on Dec. 16, Arlovski, a 33-year-old, 6-foot-4, former UFC heavyweight champion, shined in the main event of the inaugural World Series of Fighting card on Nov. 3, crumbling fellow power puncher Devin Cole with a barrage of punches in the first round (2:37) of action.
Likewise, the 28-year-old, 6-foot-2 Johnson dominated D.J. “Da Protégé” Linderman in the first-ever World Series of Fighting co-main event, scoring a first round (3:58) KO on Linderman with a punch. The victory was Johnson’s fourth straight.
Nam made waves on Aug. 25 when he pulled off a stunning upset on reigning Bellator Bantamweight Champion Eduardo Dantas, scoring a first round (1:36) KO (punch) on Dantas in a non-title bout in Brazil. Nam will put a four-fight win streak on the line in his World Series of Fighting debut.
The 24-year-old Moraes shocked the world on the first World Series of Fighting card, beating former WEC champion Miguel Torres to the punch repeatedly for the majority of three rounds before being awarded a split decision victory. The win was Moraes’ third straight.
A six-bout preliminary card will be topped by a featherweight collision between streaking Duke Roufus protégé Rick “The Gladiator” Glenn (12-2) of Milwaukee, Wisc. and undefeated submission specialist Alexandre “Pulga” Pimentel (12-0) of Rio de Janeiro. Waylon Lowe (13-4) of Philadelphia, Pa. will square off with Cameron Dollar (11-4) of Colorado Springs, Colo. in a featherweight tilt.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and welterweight upstart Igor Gracie (5-3) of Rio de Janeiro will face an opponent to be announced as will welterweight Ozzy Dugulubgov (3-1) of Hackensack, N.J. Battle-tested Danillo “Indio” Villefort (13-4) of Coconut Creek, Fla. will square off with a middleweight opponent to be announced.
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