Click here to view the embedded video.

Update: Video of Paulo Filho’s fight with the 255 pound Daniel Gabriel. Fight starts at 2:35, and just a warning you’ll want to turn your speakers down.

For Paulo Filho (20-1), the last man to hold the WEC middleweight title, trouble and controversy have followed the fighter for some time now.

The fighter has had to withdraw from several fights in the past year due to various reasons such as visa problems and contract negotiations.

He was scheduled to face Yoon Dong-Sik on October 25, 2009 at DREAM.12 but failed to show up for that fight. He failed to show up for the weigh-ins against Yuki Sasaki in the main event of a Bitetti Combat MMA 6 event on February 25, 2010. And then backed out of a scheduled fight with Bellator Fighting Championships middleweight champ Hector Lombard in a non-title bout on May 13, 2010 at Bellator 18 due to visa issues, according to Filho.

So it was with some relief and trepidation that we learned the Brazilian would be competing on Friday night at a “Memorial Fight Qualifying” event in São Paulo, Brazil against a giant of an opponent from Chile, who weighed 255 pounds.

“I gotta fight. Time is going by and I can’t get stuck. This opportunity came at the right time. I don’t know anything about my opponent, all I want to do is fight,” Filho was quoted on the events official website.

Well would he or wouldn’t he? That was the question facing many Filho fans.

As it turns out, Filho did take the fight earning a first round submission victory over his heavyweight opponent. Filho brought Gabriel to the ground, passed his guard into mount position, and worked his ground-and-pound forcing his opponent to tap.

This is definitely a step in the right direction for the former WEC champ, with a record of 20-1, that loss being to Chael Sonnen at WEC 36 in 2008, mma fans should want to see a fighter of his skill in the ring.

Filho is scheduled to fight twice in July, both bouts will be in Australia as part of the Impact Fighting Championships upcoming events.

This will be the marker for fans to take note of, if he does show for these fights it could very well be the sign that he’s put his troubles behind him and is ready to move on with his mixed martial arts career, and only a short step from the octagon.

On July 10th Filho will face Keith Johnson (5-2) at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre and just eight days later he’ll take on former PRIDE and UFC middleweight fighter Denis Kang (32-12-1) at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

HT: Tatame.com

Press Release

For the second time in a week, the Maximum Fighting Championship has added a first-class talent from Brazil to its growing stable of impressive fighters.

Light heavyweight Glover Teixeira (9-2) has joined the MFC talent pool and is expected to make his organizational debut at the soon-to-be-announced MFC 26 event. The native of Sobralia, Brazil, has scored seven of his nine victories by way of KO/TKO and came highly recommended by several sources, not the least of which was his friend, MFC middleweight title contender Thales Leites.

“When you hear things like ‘He can beat anyone in the division’ and those kinds of statements are coming from well-respected people, you have to take notice,” said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich. “I believe that Glover can make an immediate and serious impact in the grand scheme of our light heavyweight picture.

“The MFC is becoming more of a global product and international fighters are stepping up to become part of the action. It is an important aspect of our growth to be adding fighters like Glover Teixeira, Thales Leites, Tom Watson, and Luciano Azevedo.”

The Teixeira signing comes on the heels of the MFC adding Azevedo (16-8) to its contingent of lightweights. The Rio de Janeiro product is the lone fighter to hold a victory over world-ranked standout Jose Aldo, earning a submission victory in 2005. Azevedo, whose career victory list is also highlighted by a decision win over veteran Din Thomas, is also expected to make his organizational and North American debut at the forthcoming MFC 26.

Teixeira has fought somewhat sparingly throughout his career, no more than twice a year since turning pro, but he is expected to become significantly busier under the MFC banner. The 30-year-old has fought twice already in 2010 in his native Brazil, coming away with a pair of convincing victories. Notable wins have come at various points for Teixeira beginning with the lone decision outcome of his career, taking the judges’ verdict over veteran Matt Horwich. Teixeira scored a stunning five-second knockout win over Jorge Oliveira and earned the biggest win to date in his career by handing “The African Assassin” Sokoudjou the first loss of his career with a stellar first-round knockout only 1:41 into their 2006 encounter.

While clearly well-versed in the stand-up game, Teixeira has showcased a multitude of skills on the ground as well. He captured the 2009 title in the under-99 kg class at the Brazilian ADCC championship which qualified him for the world competition alongside such well-known names as Dean Lister, Vinny Magalhaes, and Ricco Rodriguez. Teixeira had previously competed against Jeff Monson and Brandon Vera in grappling events, and he was featured in Season 2 of the “TapouT” reality TV series.

Press Release

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – For nearly four years, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has ruled the 185-pound weight class with an iron fist. On August 7th, at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, he will look to add to his record six title defenses when he takes on the one man brash enough to call him out, number one contender Chael Sonnen. This championship bout, which is the main event of UFC 117: SILVA vs. SONNEN presented by Tequila Cazadores, headlines the first UFC® event in Oakland.

UFC 117 also features former Ultimate Fighting Championship® welterweight champion and recent inductee into the UFC® Hall of Fame Matt Hughes against 170-pound contender Ricardo “Big Dog” Almeida, and an explosive lightweight bout pitting Clay “The Carpenter” Guida against Rafael dos Anjos.

“When we offered Chael Sonnen this shot at the title, he promised us one thing: that he was going to make this a fight,” said UFC President Dana White. “I know he means it, and after beating three legit contenders in Nate Marquardt, Yushin Okami, and Dan Miller, he’s definitely going to bring the best out of Anderson Silva on August 7th. And as far as Anderson is concerned, he wants to remind everybody why he’s considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.”

“We are very excited about this event coming to Oakland and have been receiving many inquiries about the match,” said Mark Kaufman, SMG’s GM at Oracle Arena. “We anticipate seeing many more fights in years to come.”

Tickets for UFC 117 will go on sale Friday, June 11 at 10am PT and will be priced at $400, $300, $200, $150, $100 and $50. Tickets are available either online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, by visiting the Oracle Arena Box Office or at any Ticketmaster outlet. The Oracle Arena Box Office is open Monday thru Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-2pm. Prices do not include service charges.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, June 9 starting at 10am PT via UFCFightClub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Thursday, June 10 starting at 10am PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

UFC 117 will be available live on Pay-Per-View on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

Undefeated in the UFC and one of the most dominant champions to ever grace the Octagon™, Anderson “The Spider” Silva (fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil / professional record – 26-4) made his sixth successful title defense against Demian Maia at UFC 112, a streak that dates back to July of 2007. Known for his striking abilities, Silva is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under the world-renowned Nogueira brothers and a dynamic fighter who can do it all in the Octagon. His length often causes problems for his opponents, as only two of his last 11 victories have gone to the scorecards. But the champion now faces a fighter that believes he has figured out a way to stop The Spider.

“Chael is a very good fighter,” Silva said. “I am training very hard with my team, and Minotauro Nogueira and Lyoto Machida, and I will be ready. This is a title fight and I expect him to be ready because I know I will be. If the guy wants to talk that’s fine. It’s a lot different inside the Octagon.”

Unbeaten in his last three UFC fights over top-level competition, Chael Sonnen (fighting out of West Linn, Ore. / 26-10-1) is an experienced fighter, with a high pedigree in wrestling. Sonnen is a former U.S. Olympic team alternate, as well as a two-time National Champion in Greco-Roman wrestling at the University of Oregon. Sonnen, who is known for putting constant pressure on his opponents, is coming off impressive wins over Dan Miller, Yushin Okami, and Nate Marquardt, and he wants to make it four in a row by adding the name of Anderson Silva to that list.

“He’s been ducking me for four years,” Sonnen said of the UFC middleweight champion. “This fight is a large part about the title and a large part about him. We’re not going to be friends. He’s not my kind of guy. But this fight is also to prove a point to the rest of the guys in the division. One guy has challenged him in four years and it’s been me.”

Matt Hughes (fighting out of Hillsboro, Ill. / 45-7) is perhaps the greatest welterweight the UFC® has ever seen, having defended the UFC® welterweight title an unprecedented seven times over two reigns. Hughes has beaten some of the biggest names in MMA, such as Georges St. Pierre, BJ Penn and Royce Gracie, and is riding a two-fight winning streak with victories over Matt Serra and Renzo Gracie. One of Hughes’ strengths is his wrestling ability, stemming from his college career where he was a four-time collegiate wrestling All-American, and he will bring that talent to the Octagon to face Almeida in August.

After winning his debut fight in the welterweight division at UFC® 111 against Matt Brown, Ricardo “Big Dog” Almeida (fighting out of Hamilton, N.J. / 12-3) looks to further prove he is a contender at his new weight. Almeida looked impressive with his submission of Brown, which is no surprise since he takes pride in his ground game. Along with that, Almeida is a third degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a four-time Brazilian national champion. Almeida has been victorious in his last three fights, but his match against Hughes will have added meaning given the fact that the former welterweight champion defeated his jiu-jitsu professor, Renzo Gracie, in April.

Known for his solid chin and relentless endurance, Clay “The Carpenter” Guida (fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill./26-8) has helped create some memorable fights for the UFC, garnering ‘Fight of the Night’ honors three times, most recently versus Diego Sanchez at The Ultimate Fighter®: US vs. UK finale. Every time Guida steps into the Octagon, he is almost guaranteed to be in one of the most exciting fights of the evening. The Illinois native has won four of his last six fights, with his submission victory over Shannon Gugerty being his most recent victory.

Rafael dos Anjos (fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/14-4) is riding a wave of momentum, having won his last three fights. The experienced Brazilian has fought five times in the UFC and has proven to be a worthy contender in the lightweight division, most recently defeating Rob Emerson, Kyle Bradley, and Terry Etim.

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com, UK.UFC.com, Germany.UFC.com, UFCJapan.jp or UFCEspanol.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight Clint Godfrey (11-2) has withdrawn from the upcoming WEC 49 event due to an undisclosed injury according to sources close to the promotion.

WEC 49 is set to take place on June 20 in the promotions Canadian debut event at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The event features a lightweight bout between Jamie Varner vs. Kamal Shalorus.

Godfrey had been scheduled to meet Renan Barao (20-1) on the preliminary card of the event. Now Barao, who will make his WEC debut at the event, will have to be given a new opponent with only weeks to go.

No timetable was given on a possible return for Godfrey.

Godfrey had an eight fight win streak stopped by Wagnney Fabiano in his WEC debut in January at WEC 46. Eight of his 11 wins have come via stoppage (six by submission).

Barao has run an unbelievable 20-fight win streak since losing his first professional bout in 2005. He’ll be fighting for the fist time outside of his Native Brazil. In total, 14 of Barao’s win have come by stoppage with five via knockout and nine by submission.

Click here to view the embedded video.

UFC light-heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua talks to PortaldovtTV about his victory over Lyoto Machida, Brazil, his brother and more.

The audio is in Portuguese but PortaldovtTV has added English transcripts at the bottom.

UFC heavyweight fighter Junior dos Santos (11-1) is set to face former IFL heavyweight champ and “The Ultimate Fighter 10″ winner Roy “Big Country” Nelson in August at UFC 117. “Cigano” is hoping that a win will help propel him into a title fight for the UFC belt.

A win over Nelson could very well do it, looking at “Big Country’s” achievements. Dos Santos has the power to do it having won his past six fights with five T(KO)’s and one verbal submission win.

“Each fight is different, we never know what can happen, my strong point is the trade of punches, that’s my comfort zone. I’m going to go for it early in the fight, but, independently of what happens there, I have conditions to surprise him anywhere the fight goes to.

“What has been happening to me is the result of a very hard work… I’m not the best in anything, but I try to be good in everything. This is an excellent moment for us and this fight will be the confirmation that we are here to become champions. Everyone is hoping for a great fight, I’ll stay alert and focused. He is dangerous, very tough, brave, comes forward, but I have the potential to beat him”, said, hoping to fight for the belt still on this year. “I’d be very good… If it’s not on the end of this year, it can be on the beginning of next year.”

The Brazilian is currently training with fellow UFC heavyweight Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira in San Diego until the middle of this month before returning to Brazil to finish his preparations.

HT: Tatame.com

Press Release

Brazilian lightweight only man to beat World Champion Jose Aldo

The Maximum Fighting Championship has added a fighter with impressive credentials to its talent roster in the lightweight ranks.

Brazilian star Luciano Azevedo (16-8) boasts a strong resume and the native of Rio de Janeiro is expected to make his organization – and North American – debut at MFC 26. Details on the show and its lineup will be announced shortly. Azevedo has signed an exclusive four fight deal with The Maximum
Fighting Championship.

The 26-year-old, who has won six of his last eight encounters, holds the distinction of being the only fighter to best world-renown featherweight Jose Aldo, capturing a submission victory via rear-naked choke when the two met in 2005 in Brazil. One of Azevedo’s other career highlights is a decision win over veteran Din Thomas – a verdict that came just four months after his victory over Aldo.

“I’m very excited to have Luciano in our organization and I’m expecting big things from him. I believe he can deliver in a big way,” said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich. “Obviously he has a great resume particularly with his win over Aldo – the only man in the world that has that distinction. Luciano has all the tools to be a champion so I’m hopeful he will live up to the expectations.”

Azevedo has yet to fight in North America, predominantly fighting in his native Brazil but also making five trips to England, two to Japan, and a single matchup in France. The five-foot-eight jiu-jitsu practitioner and wrestler has won 12 of his fights by submission – five each by triangle choke and armbar along with two via rear-naked choke.

LAS VEGAS - While the famed Black House MMA squad has long held a
selection of the world's best fighters, the team hasn't always been the
most close-knit group.

With hectic schedules scattering the likes of Anderson Silva, Lyoto
Machida, Antonio Rodrgio Nogueira, Junior Dos Santos and Jose Aldo
across the U.S. and Brazil, the team hasn't always made it a point to
work together in preparation for the multitude of contests each has
endured.

But following Machida's UFC 113 loss and Silva's UFC 112 debacle, that's
all changed.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts Tatiana Garcia and Emily Kwok.

Last week on our show we highlighted elite female grapplers Leticia Ribeiro and Beatriz Mesquita, of Gracie Humaita. This week on our show we continue our coverage of the women’s jiu-jitsu scene with Tatiana Garcia and Emily Kwok. In a contribution from our east coast correspondent Christian Simamora, we learn more about what it takes to overcome obstacles to achieve the difficult dream of becoming a black belt in jiu-jitsu. Consider this excerpt from the conversation:

The FightWorks Podcast: Did you find that in your circle of family of friends that there was opposition to you doing jiu-jitsu?

Tatiana Garcia: My parents never watched any of my matches. I don’t think they even know what [jiu-jitsu] is. I had to train two years without telling them. And when they found out they took my car so I couldn’t drive. I had to take the bus. It was a challenge. Now, they accept it because they have no other choice. But it was hard. I used to do classical ballet before I got into jiu-jitsu so for them it was like a shock. I was in college in the U.S. as a freshman. I came to the U.S. to study and then I went back to Brazil for a couple of months for vacation and I started jiu-jitsu. So I quit school. I didn’t want to come back, and I wanted to do jiu-jitsu. So that was even worse. But you know what? Today I can say I’m so happy with what I do. I do what I love to do. No matter what other choice I could wdo with my life, I did what I wanted and I’m so happy about it.

Lots of good lessons for all jiu-jitsu practitioners about fighting hard on the mats and in life. For more on Tatiana check out MGinAction.com (yes, she is Marcelo Garcia’s wife) and Emily would be mad if we didn’t send you to WomensGrappling.org: jiu-jitsu camps just for the ladies.

We will also speak with Antonio “Nino” Schembri, who has been away from jiu-jitsu for a while but is now back in action. Schembri was the 1996 absolute black belt champion at the Brazilian National Championship, and now has a school in Manhattan Beach. We were able to speak with him at the Fabio Santos Open in San Diego last week (check him out in this video from the event if you haven’t seen it yet).

Finally we will speak with Rener Gracie about a very promising opportunity for jiu-jitsu! With enough votes, the Gracies of Torrance (Rorion, Ryron, Rener, Ralek, Reylan, and others!) will be bringing jiu-jitsu into homes across the nation on a reality show based on making kids safer from bullying by showing them jiu-jitsu techniques. Rener will bring us up to speed on that, but in the meantime, make sure you go vote! Multiple votes are allowed.

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Reila Gracie’s book, Carlos Gracie, the Creator of a Dynasty.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu fans all over the world like to do one thing when they are not on the mats training jiu-jitsu: they like to talk about and learn more about BJJ. In 2008, jiu-jitsu practitioners received a just what they need to feed that hunger, in the form of Reila Gracie’s book Carlos Gracie, the Creator of a Dynasty. Two years later we bring you this interview with Reila Gracie, with new information about the book’s availability to those outside Brazil.

The FightWorks Podcast: You wrote a book about your father’s life. Tell us about the book.

Reila Gracie: The story is too long and complex to be summed up in a few words. But I can put forth that I did not make a book just for jiu-jitsu practitioners, although this group may identify most with the story. The book could be of interest to any person for the unusual stories and for tackling subjects that go beyond the martial art. There’s an interlacing of various lives that came together in the life of my father, be it from jiu-jitsu or the mystical influence he exerted inside and outside our family. And the book also discusses the diet that he created based on the chemical combination of foods and their use, complemented by medicinal herbs, and the treatment of many illnesses.


The FightWorks Podcast: The Gracie family is not only is the family internationally known for spreading jiu-jitsu around the world, but it is a particularly large family. What was that like for you personally as you were growing up?

Reila Gracie: Growing up among many brothers was not easy at all, mostly because the family’s professional project was directed exclusively for men. On top of being immense, my family also possessed particular characteristics and was structured like a clan. But, despite the difficulties, I feel privileged for having been able to coexist so closely with such people and having a rich diversity of experiences and feelings. Thanks to the support I always received from my father I learned to observe events from a certain distance and this made it possible for me to find my own path and later write this book.

The FightWorks Podcast: Was the book popular in Brazil? Did it sell many copies?



Reila Gracie: The book was very well received in Brazil. The first edition sold out in two months and and the second edition is coming to an end. As it’s a book of historical reference, and deals with basic human questions, I consider it timeless and as such will always attract an interested public.


The FightWorks Podcast: Carlos Gracie, the Creator of a Dynasty was already written for several years before it was published. What caused the delay?
 
Reila Gracie: There was no delay in getting it published, as the publisher was ready to go. It was I who took ten years to write it, because researching the life of one’s own father and of the whole family was not an easy task. To reach the necessary distance and avoid that my own emotions contaminate the book with my view and understanding of the facts, there were times I needed to stop working and that’s why it took so long.

The FightWorks Podcast: The book was critical of some members of the Gracie family. What type of feedback have you received about the book from family members?

 
Reila Gracie: The majority praised the book a lot and some did not want to give an opinion. But I know that even those who have benefited from the false of our history that has been spread in the last twenty years, enjoyed the book because I was very careful in telling the facts without resorting to sensationalism. I wrote a serious book, that places Carlos Gracie in the place that he earned, and no one can deny the facts when they are shown with documented proof. And all those who participated in my father’s life, including himself, are exposed as human beings who sometimes make mistakes and sometimes get things right, not like gods or supermen. “I understand that each person has their own time; it’s necessary to respect the moment of each.” I ended the book with that sentence.

Roger Gracie victorious again in jiu-jitsu competition.

The FightWorks Podcast: Your son Roger Gracie is the most dominant Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor today. When he was growing up, was there any sign he was going to be special? What is it like being the mother of a jiu-jitsu athlete in the Gracie family?


Reila Gracie: Roger always demonstrated a physical ability, but because I found him especially sensitive and devoid of aggression, I feared that the fight world would turn him into a brute. With the death of my brother Rolls, I became cynical about the future of jiu-jitsu and stopped going to tournaments. I felt that I should offer Roger more options so he would have the liberty to chose, and find his own options. I took him to swimming, soccer, visual arts courses, music, and also jiu-jitsu. At 13 he decided to participate in some jiu-jitsu tournaments and he didn’t perform well, lowering the expectations of him. There were others in that generation who showed more ability and possibilities. At 15 years old Roger got tired of losing, lost weight, and began to take training seriously. From 16 years old onward he began to win all the tournaments until he reached becoming the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner in the world.

The FightWorks Podcast: What is it like being the mother of an athlete in the Gracie family?

Reila Gracie: Being Roger’s mother always filled me with pride, and the fact that he allowed me to actively participate in the contruction of his career broke a taboo in the family: that a female Gracie does not have an opinion about fighting and does not participate actively in decisions related to jiu-jitsu. As his professional career took root at the same time as I was writing the book, I was able to feel like my father was sending him important philosophical lessons.

The FightWorks Podcast: Brazilian jiu-jitsu has spread outside Brazil to the rest of the world. What are your thoughts on the direction Brazilian jiu-jitsu has taken? And how do you think your father would view jiu-jitsu as it exists today?


Reila Gracie: I particularly feel like there should be greater investment by the academies in transmitting the philosophical aspects that my father instilled in this martial art. Because for him jiu-jitsu was more than a way to help a student overcome physical and psychological difficulties and to be able to integrate with the world in a way that is more safe and confident. A way of preserving health in all aspects and becoming a better and wiser human being.

The FightWorks Podcast: How do you think your father would view jiu-jitsu as it exists today?

Reila Gracie: My father was an optimist and he was always looked to focus on the positive aspects of life and of people, so, I’m sure that he would adore the amazing diffusion that jiu-jitsu has reached all over the world.

The FightWorks Podcast: Many people outside Brazil are interested in reading the book in English. Are there any plans to translate the book to English, and if so, when will it be available?

Reila Gracie: The book is being translated into English already and I believe that in September the translation work will be done. It will probably be available to Americans in this coming year, that is to say, in 2011.

The FightWorks Podcast: If your book has one message, what is it?

Reila Gracie: The reader will find various positive messages in the book, because above all it’s a book about life lessons. The trajectory of a man with few possibilities, who searched for direction in his life and when he found it, positioned himself ahead of his own destiny and made history. A collective story that transcends the Gracie clan and conquered the world, and that today belongs to everyone who wears a gi and practices Brazilian jiu-jitsu with honor.

Many thanks to Reila for the interview. For more background on the book, check out this FightWorks Podcast video!