Weekly Mixed Martial Arts & K-1 News Recap – 10/14/2011
By PDG Staff
M-1 Challenge XXVII: Magalhaes vs. Zayats Weigh In Results
All fighters on the M-1 Global Challenge XXVII event scheduled for today, October 14, 2011, at the Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix, Ariz., have successfully weighed in for their bouts. The weigh-ins took place at the Metro Sportz Bar in Phoenix. The event will air live on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT. M-1 Challenge XXVII: Magalhaes vs. Zayats will feature two title bouts from the new 5,500 seat Arena.
– Vinny Magalhaes 204 lbs vs. Mikhail Zayats 205 lbs (M-1 Challenge Light Heavyweight Championship)
– Kenny Garner 255 lbs vs. Maxim Grishin 220 lbs (M-1 Global Interim Heavyweight title)
– Arthur Guseinov 185 lbs vs. Eddie Arizmendi 186 lbs
– Tom Gallicchio 170 lbs vs. Daniel Madrid 165 lbs
– Yasubey Enomoto 168 lbs vs. Josh Thorpe 166 lbs
Anthony “Showtime” Pettis Talks UFC 136 Victory
This past Saturday, Sergio “Showtime” Pettis showcased perhaps his most complete all-around showing to date in a split-decision victory over experienced KO artist Jeremy Stephens. It was a tough, back-and-forth battle, but in the end, “Showtime” got his hand raised in victory.
“This win over Stephens was huge! I needed to get back on the right track, and evolve as a fighter,” said Pettis (14-2). “Losing to [Clay] Guida was a small setback in my journey to become the UFC Lightweight Champion.”
“Showtime” put his all into his preparation for this all-important bout with Stephens. Training back home with his team at Roufusport, Pettis was happy to have his training partners and teammates in-house to help him get ready.
“At Roufusport, we got a group of guys that are all getting ready for battle, and that always helps immensely when you’re getting ready for a fight. I also had a full camp with Ben Askren for the first time, and I think you could see the difference in my wrestling. And I worked with Jo-Z [Joao Zeferino] on my jiu-jitsu, which is only going to make me better on the ground.”
Going into the scrap, many were expecting a standup war between two fighters known for their striking. Instead, both combatants exhibited strong all-around games in this rousing affair.
“I felt that I dealt with Stephens’ takedowns very well. When he was able to take me down, I worked my guard real well. And I was able to get back to my feet really quickly. I feel like I surprised him with my offensive wrestling, too.”
So, what’s next for “Showtime?”
“I feel like I’m climbing the ladder to a title shot. I had a really good showing against Stephens, who was really close to getting a title shot, too. I probably need a few more solid wins, but I got to take it one fight at a time, and keep improving and evolving.”
Everyone knows that it takes a team to make a fighter. Pettis is no different, and he’s grateful for the group of guys behind him.
“I want to thank my coach and team with Duke Roufus and Roufusport, and I want to thank all the fans for sticking with me even after I lost to Guida. And I definitely want to thank the UFC for allowing me to perform on this level. Dana White, Joe Silva, and all the people behind the scenes that make the machine go…thank you.”
Pettis’ team, Roufusport, along with Alliance MMA, Xtreme Couture, Black House, and Jackson’s MMA, has been nominated for “Gym of the Year” by the World MMA Awards. All winners are determined by a fan vote, and ballots can be cast now through November 25th at http://www.worldmmaawards.com/.
For more information on Roufusport, please visit http://roufusport.com/.
Alvarez vs. Chandler – Bellator FC Lightweight World Title Fight
The Bellator Lightweight title will be on the line November 19th as Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez squares off against undefeated Michael Chandler from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino at Bellator 58 LIVE on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX2 at 9 p.m. ET. Tickets for the November 19th event are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. The night will also see reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard put his 24-fight unbeaten streak on the line against former UFC fighter Trevor Prangley in a non-title catch-weight fight at 195 pounds.
In the night’s main event, Alvarez brings a near perfect record into the fight. The Philadelphia native sports an incredible 22-2 professional record, with Bellator tournament wins over Greg Loughran, Eric Reynolds and Toby Imada during his Season 1 Lightweight Tournament Championship run. This won’t be Alvarez’s first title defense, as he successfully defended his title against current Featherweight Tournament finalist Pat Curran at Bellator 39. The two engaged in a five-round battle that eventually ended with Alvarez securing a unanimous decision victory.
After a spectacular run through the Bellator Season 4 Lightweight Tournament that included victories over Polish prodigy Marcin Held, submission specialist Lloyd Woodard and explosive Brazilian Patricky Pitbull, the undefeated Chandler is ready for the challenge Alvarez will bring.
While the heavy-handed Hector Lombard watches the Season 5 Middleweight Tournament with a close eye, his focus will shift to former UFC veteran Trevor Prangley, as the Cuban-born middleweight champion will battle near his Florida residence in a non-title affair LIVE on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX2.
For the second week in a row, Bellator will host a women’s feature fight as long time Bellator veteran and fan favorite Jessica “Jag” Aguilar will battle Lisa Ward, who will be looking to move to 2-0 against Aguilar with a victory at Bellator 58.
The night will also host the return of a few fan favorites as Top 10 ranked featherweight Marlon Sandro is back with Bellator after a Summer Series Featherweight Tournament Finals appearance. The impressive Brazilian takes on submission ace Rafael “The Law’ Dias in a 145-pound feature fight.
Kickboxing Legend Rick “The Jet” Roufus to Face Top K-1 Contender “Mighty Mo” for the WCK World Heavyweight Title – Oct. 22 Las Vegas, NV
For the third consecutive year, Dennis Warner and In Sync Productions, Inc. has partnered with Henan TV Network and the WulinFeng fight group to bring the best martial arts fighters from China to the U.S. to face the WCK fight team. The main event features a Heavyweight World Title bout between K-1 legend Rick “The Jet” Roufus and top K-1 contender Siala-Mou “Mighty Mo” Siliga.” The WCK event will take place on Saturday, October 22 at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Rick “The Jet” Roufus and ‘Mighty Mo” Siliga are both iconic world class fighters that are well-known and respected in the K-1 arena. Their dynamic and aggressive fight styles helped propel the K-1 USA fight shows to must see events. Although both legendary fighters are known for dominating the K-1 world, they have never faced each other, until now, making this one of the most highly anticipated K-1 fights in the U.S this year! …and this is just one of many exciting match-ups on the card!
Rick “The Jet” Roufus holds a K-1 record of 63-9-1 (42 wins by way of knockout) and is one of the most revered and feared kick boxer’s in the United States. The six time full contact kick-boxing world champion claimed two different weight class titles under the IKF, (International Kickboxing Federation.) Although Roufus is best known for his unrivaled skills in the K-1 arena, he has also competed in boxing and the mixed martial arts arena. As a boxer, Roufus clinched the WBC’s Continental Americas Cruiserweight title.
His opponent “Mighty Mo”, with a K-1 record of 16-5 (12 wins by way of knock out), is also well known and respected in the K-1 arena. ‘Mighty Mo’ became the K-1 World Grand Prix champion in 2004 at the Las Vegas II event and in 2001 claimed the K-1 World Grand Prix tournament championship title. Like Roufus, “Mighty Mo” has also competed in boxing and in the mixed martial arts arena. On Saturday, October 22, the two K-1 Legends will collide, and only one will emerge as the WCK World Heavyweight Champion. Fight fans will not want to miss this iconic K-1 battle!
*Click here for the full fight card*
The Ultimate Fighter Season 14: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller – Episode 4 Recap
– Michael Bisping doesn’t show up for the fight announcement and is replaced by punching dummy wearing a Team Bisping jersey.
– Team Miller’s John Dodson continues leaking injury and match-up information to Team Bisping.
Fight #3 (FW): Dennis Bermudez (Team Miller) vs. Stephan Bass (Team Bisping) via TKO (Strikes) RD. 2
– Bisping rips into Bass for not listening to his coaches and losing the fight.
– Mayhem Miller begins to suspect that a rat among his team.
– Stephan Bass approaches Bisping and blames Bisping for his loss because of what he considered over-training before his fight. The rest of Team Bisping disagrees and sides with the coach.
Fight #4 (BW): Dustin Pague (Team Miller) vs. Louis Gaudinot (Team Bisping) via Submission (RNC) RD. 2
– Mayhem Miller relishes in his team’s 4-0 start.
TEAM MILLER – 4
TEAM BISPING – 0
Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal Announced plus the return of Cris Cyborg
Strikeforce returns to the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego on Dec. 17th with a title clash pitting Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez against surging number one contender Jorge Masvidal. The organization announced that the upcoming Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal card will also feature the current Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, as well as San Diego’s own KJ Noons.
Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal
Valley View Casino Center
San Diego, California
Strikeforce Lightweight Championship:
Gilbert Melendez vs. Jorge Masvidal
Strikeforce Women’s Featherweight Championship:
Cristiane Santos vs. Hiroko Yamanaka
Gegard Mousasi vs. Ovince St. Preux
KJ Noons vs. Billy Evangelista
Keith Jardine vs. TBA
Gina Carano vs. TBA
Hayes out, Santos in for Semi-Finals of Bellator Heavyweight Tournament
Thiago Santos, on the heels of an impressive performance and first-round submission win last Saturday night, will step in for the injured Mike “300” Hayes and enter the semifinals of Bellator’s Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament. The red-hot Brazilian, who has won his last three fights, will take on Blagoi Ivanov at Bellator 56 on Saturday, Oct. 29 from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. The semifinals will kick off at 9 p.m. ET LIVE on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX2. The preliminary fights will air LIVE and FREE on Spike.com, beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Hayes, who bested veteran Neil Grove on October 1 in a three-round war of attrition during the Heavyweight Quarterfinals, was put on a 60-day medical suspension by the Louisiana State Commission for a fractured orbital bone.
Santos defeated Josh Burns via rear-naked choke this past Saturday in a tournament qualifier at Buffalo Run Casino, cementing his spot if Hayes was unable to continue.
Santos, who was originally slated for the Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament, encountered visa problems in his native Brazil and was unable to compete in the tournament quarterfinals. The visa issues are now behind the former Brazilian State Jiu-Jitsu Champion and “The Big Monster” is ready for his shot at the $100,000 tournament prize.
The Bellator Heavyweight Tournament Semifinals will take place at Bellator 56 from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas and will feature Eric Prindle taking on Ron Sparks, with Blagoi Ivanov facing Santos.
