LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 24, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships concluded its hugely successful second season with two more thrilling upsets on Thursday as middleweight Alexander Shlemenko scored a stunning TKO and featherweight Joe Warren won a hard-fought split decision to emerge as the Season 2 Tournament Champions in their respective divisions.

The sold-out event at Louisville’s Fourth Street Live downtown entertainment district tied a ribbon on Bellator Season 2 in fitting fashion as fans were once again treated to a full card of electrifying fights that also included shocking upsets at bantamweight and in a Women’s Feature Fight.

But the night undoubtedly belonged to Warren and Shlemenko, whose victories earned them $100,000 in prize money and the chance to fight reigning Bellator World Champions Joe Soto and Hector Lombard, respectively, in world title fights this fall.

Shlemenko, a 26-year-old army combat fighter known for his reliance on spinning back-fists and leg kicks, came out swinging in his typical style from the opening bell. But it was a far-more-conventional right hook to the jaw that eventually finished the heavily favored Bryan “The Beast” Baker roughly mid-way through Round 1.

The devastating punch left Baker (13-2) dazed and slowly crumpled him to the canvas before Shlemenko moved in for the finish with a flurry of punches. Referee Jason Herzog stopped the fight due to unanswered blows at 2:45 into Round 1.

It was just the second time that Baker had suffered a loss as a pro with the other coming at the hands of UFC star Chael Sonnen more than two years ago.

“We had heard that Alexander Shlemenko was one of the best middleweights in Europe and he definitely proved that here tonight,” Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney said afterward. “He beat a very, very talented fighter in Bryan Baker and he’s more than earned the right to face our champion Hector Lombard later this year.”

Shlemenko, for his part, said the win was also a statement on behalf of all pure strikers in MMA today.

“This victory means that strikers soon will be all over MMA and that Bellator Fighting Championships will be owned by the strikers,” he said through his translator.

Warren, meanwhile, took a far-more-circuitous route to his title. The 33-year-old former NCAA all-American and Greco-Roman wrestling world champion, appeared to be all but finished near the end of Round 1 when his opponent, the previously undefeated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Patricio Pitbull, dropped him to the canvas with a right cross and then began a vicious ground-and-pound before Warren was saved by the bell.

But Warren rebounded in remarkable fashion during Rounds 2 and 3, digging deep and using his world-class wrestling skills to score points with a series of takedowns that were each followed by relentless ground-and-pound attacks punctuated with sharp elbows and stiff forearms to Pitbull’s head.

The split decision victory was even more impressive given that Warren spent much of the day battling a stomach virus that left him unable to keep food down or maintain his balance.

“I feel tired but I’m very happy now,” he said after the fight. “I fought a great fighter in Pitbull and now I’m the champion. I’m the baddest man on the planet!”

Rebney agreed, saluting Warren’s resilience and his will to win even in spite of his illness.

“He showed up tonight with a sickness that would have put a lot of people in the hospital and beat a world-class fighter and put on the kind of performance that you just can’t script,” he said. “What he did tonight was just epic and very, very impressive.”

Earlier, in the first televised fight of the night, Fresno, Calif.-based striker Zoila “The Warrior Princess” Frausto scored a huge upset with a first round knockout of the world’s top-ranked 125-pound female fighter, England’s Rosi Sexton.

At just two minutes into Round 1, Frausto (7-1) landed a left knee to Sexton’s chin, knocking her unconscious and dropping her to the canvas before finishing her with three straight right hands to the jaw. It was just the second career loss for Sexton in 12 pro MMA fights.

“I saw the opening and I just threw the knee up,” Frausto said afterward, adding that she thinks she now deserves to be ranked No. 1 in the world at 125. “I’ve been shooting for No. 1 since I got into the sport. This is exactly why I got into MMA.”

Also Thursday, in what was billed as an “Eliminator Bout” to determine the latest entrant into Bellator’s forthcoming Season 3 Bantamweight Tournament, two-time Wyoming state high school wrestling champion Nik “Garfield” Mamalis scored his second consecutive Bellator victory to improve his pro MMA record to 10-4 and punch his ticket into the tournament’s eight-man field. The soft-spoken Mamalis used an aggressive attack to neutralize L.A.-based rising star Albert Rios (12-5) via TKO at 4:40 into Round 1.

Afterward, Rebney said that Mamalis had more than earned his place in the Bantamweight Tournament draw.

“That’s what Bellator’s all about,” Rebney said. “it’s about giving a guy like Nik who hasn’t had a chance on the big stage the opportunity to that and then he takes that opportunity by the throat.”

The evening also played host to four non-televised “Local Feature Fights” showcasing top rising stars from Louisville, Cincinnati and Southern Indiana. The results of those fights are as follows:

- Brent Weedman def. John Troyer via armbar submission – Round 1, 4:55
- Daniel Straus def. Chad Hinton via unanimous decision
- Stoney Hale def. Mike Fleniken via rear-naked choke – Round 2, 4:20
- Kurt Kinser def. David Overfield via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:30

Bellator returns to TV in August for its much-anticipated third season, which will feature eight-man tournaments at bantamweight and heavyweight as well as a first-of-its-kind Women’s Tournament showcasing eight female fighters ranked among the top 10 in their respective weight classes.

Each fight will once again be broadcast LIVE in primetime on Fox Sports Net and during special taped highlight shows every Saturday night on NBC, Telemundo and the cable network mun2.

For more information, visit www.Bellator.com follow us on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Bellator.

New York, NY, June 24, 2010 – Spike TV will showcase two of the Boston area’s finest mixed martial arts fighters in live undercard bouts from “UFC 118: Edgar vs. Penn II” on Saturday, August 28 at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT. Live from the TD Garden in Boston, Joe Lauzon (“The Ultimate Fighter 5” alum) of Bridgewater, Mass. takes on Terry Etim in a lightweight battle and Milford, Mass native Jorge Rivera (“The Ultimate Fighter 4” alum) meets Alessio Sakara in a middleweight clash.

Lauzon (17-5) burst onto the mixed martial arts scene with a shocking knockout of former lightweight champ Jens Pulver at UFC 63 in September 2006. A cast member of “The Ultimate Fighter 5,” Lauzon won his first three UFC bouts before losing to fellow New Englander Kenny Florian via TKO in April 2008. After winning two of his last three fights, Lauzon needs a win in front of his hometown fans to ascend to the top reaches of the lightweight division.

Fighting out of Liverpool, England, lightweight contender Terry Etim (14-3) has won four of his last five bouts in the Octagon® and is unquestionably one of the UK’s finest prospects. But to take that step to the next level, he must get past Lauzon on August 28th. This marks the sixth time Etim has fought live on Spike TV
Veteran fighter Rivera (18-7) has won a career-best three straight UFC fights including most recently a second-round TKO over Nate Quarry (“The Ultimate Fighter 1”) in March. The 38-year-old will fulfill a life-long dream as he will step into the Octagon for the first time live in front of his partisan hometown Boston crowd.

Fighting with American Top Team in Miami, Sakara (19-7, 1 NC) switched to fighting middleweight 2 ½ years ago, and after dropping his first fight to Chris Leben at 185 lbs, he has won his last three bouts. The veteran slugger is coming off an impressive 1st round TKO over James Irvin this past March.

Other bouts on the card might air on Spike TV, to be determined by the length of the fights.

Spike TV is available in 98.6 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at www.spike.com/press.

by Jon Broster

Manchester, in north west England is famous for many things: Manchester United (the world’s most famous football team), Oasis (leading exponents of Brit-Pop music), it is home to a number of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academies and is also the location of the British Amateur Wrestling Association’s headquarters, as well as being only a short distance from Wigan, the home of Billy Riley’s Snake Pit the legendary catch wrestling gym. As such, it is perhaps surprising that it has not held a BJJ competition over the last few years. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that this competition was organised by Gus Oliveira of Grab & Pull who is based in Brighton on England’s south coast, some 200 miles away. Gus has been running the Grab & Pull Brighton Open for some time now, so I was expecting a well run event.

Sugden Sports Centre is part of the University of Manchester and is a very pleasant venue – it was clean, airy and spacious enough for the number of competitors involved. The competition was run over six mats and started pretty much on schedule. Right from the start it became clear that although there were six mats, there were not six referees in attendance. In fact, anyone used to attending competitions held further south would have been surprised to see no black belts refereeing at all – the highest ranking referee was Oli Geddes who is a brown belt under Roger Gracie. The standard of refereeing was, however, good, with very few complaints about bad decisions. The lack of referees did mean that the event progressed a little more slowly than was expected and meant that there were no absolute divisions contested. The event was well organised, with relatively clear announcements and divisions running when the organisers said they would.

As is becoming the norm at UK competitions, the standard of competition was high, with some excellent displays of skill in all divisions. It was good too to see a large number of academies represented on the results table.

One thing that must be mentioned is the excellent medals, specifically designed and cast for the event – truly worth competing for. Overall, I had a thoroughly enjoyable day and will almost certainly compete again next year.

- Caleb

When an arena clears at the end of a Mixed Martial Arts event it’s often assumed the men (and/or women) whose blood and sweat still stain the canvas have finished fighting as it relates to that particular show. They typically pack up their gear, take care of on-site media obligations, and head to a hotel room to either lick their wounds or get dressed for an after-party where an entirely different sort of tongue-wagging may eventually come into play. Regardless of extra-curricular choices or the evening’s earlier result, those who entertain in the ring exit the venue with the closure of knowing they can move forward in life and onto the next opponent; that the work they’ve done will be rewarded with adulation from supporters, the personal satisfaction brought on by competition, and of course some level of financial gain.

Or so it’s assumed.

On May 15th, 2010 a show promoted by an organization known as the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts took place in Birmingham, England. The card featured a number of recognizable names, including those with Octagon experience on their resume like Seth Petruzelli, Matt Horwich, and War Machine. Petruzelli and the man once known as John Koppenhaver fared better in result than Horwich but all three spent weeks preparing in the gym with the mutual understanding BAMMA 3 would be like any other event.

On June 8th, 2010 all three men are still awaiting payment for the commitment each fulfilled. Apparently, BP isn’t the only dealer of dismay from across the pond with an element of slime involved. Money depended on for training costs, mortgages, general bills, food, family, and any other imaginable want or need remains a promise unkept, and thoughts originally turned towards a future competitor now look at an opponent possibly looming in a ring far different from any used in combat sports – a court of law.

News of the situation first came to light a week ago when Petruzelli and War Machine took to different realms of cyberspace to plead their cases. Said Petruzelli on popular MMA forum The Underground, “This is B.S! We feed our families with this money.” Meanwhile, the Ultimate Fighter Season 6 alumnus went the route of Twitter and addressed the topic in standard form, writing “Sure would be nice if BAMMA decided to FINALLY f*cking PAY US! Or maybe that’s too much to ask? WTF!? Really getting PISSED now! Contract said 72 hours…lol That’s 3 days right? Just wondering because it’s been 3 WEEKS!” He even went as far as to send a message to BAMMA’s account questioning whether or not they were going to pay or if the promotion felt they didn’t deserve their money.

In Horwich’s case, the woman he married a day after an IFL title defense (Kelly) spoke up to elaborate on the situation. “The promoter…had the balls to tell me he didn’t know we needed to be paid so urgently. People think fighters are rich and famous…they are normal people that need their money to eat too. We’re starving over here peoplel!!!!!” She also, understandably angry about things, made it clear she was thankful she and her husband hadn’t purchased a new house as they’d been considering, or else “WE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO (HAVE) PAID THE GOD DAMN RENT!!!!!”

Fast-forward to this past Wednesday when Petruzelli stated he’d received half of his expected winnings with the remainder promised for payment later in the day while management for War Machine and Horwich, by proxy of his wife, claimed neither camp had received a dime of their purses. Hours later BAMMA apparently made good on their word to Petruzelli and War Machine, yet Horwich was left in the cold. As of Saturday, June 12th – nearly a month after the actual event – the same remains true. (UPDATE: Horwich was FINALLY paid today, a month to the day after the card’s completion.)

Unfortunately, circumstances like the above are not as uncommon as fans (and fighters) might hope nor are they limited to small shows. Far too often the men and women who sacrifice their bodies for our entertainment are victims in an industry where expectations often exceed ticket-sales and PPV buys. Quinton Jackson, among others, has spoken in the past about PRIDE shorting him and delaying payment during the promotion’s heyday. DREAM has been associated with with similar activities, most notably with current Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz after he defeated Katsuya Inoue at DREAM 3 in May 2008. The same was essentially true in the case of the mid-card fighters set to square off at Affliction III before Tom Atencio folded up shop ten days out from the event. In reality, considering the rarity of a promoter not being associated on some level with questionable financial practices, it’s really no wonder the UFC is the cream of MMA’s crop.

It’s common knowledge we live in a money-driven society where characters ranging from legitimate to downright shady will attempt to capitalize on a trend in hopes of striking it rich. As such, we have to accept the business of Mixed Martial Arts is no different, and the practice of exploiting others in hopes of turning a profit is anything but a newly invented concept. However, that’s not to say people should stand idle while athletes we respect or are personally invested in as fans pay the price after already sacrificing so much for our mere enjoyment. We need to stop focusing so much on the figures and turn our attention to whether or not a contractual agreement was actually fulfilled. When a promotion, like BAMMA, shafts a fighter you need to let your opinion be known both in written/verbal form as well as when it comes to buying future shows/tickets. Likewise, when fighters are paid on time you need to support those companies for living up to their word. Mixed Martial Artists fight for us. Now it’s our turn to fight for them.

Rarely are fans privileged enough to see a pair of UFC icons and former promotional champions step into the Octagon and duke it out. June 12th will mark such an occasion, as Chuck Liddell and Rich Franklin are squared away to tap gloves and make history at the GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Also set to face off are affable heavyweight Pat Barry and PRIDE legend Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in a bout that is certain to leave viewers’ knees and shinbones aching from the multitude of kicks destined to be thrown. Additionally, the card features Paulo Thiago attempting to lockdown a top contendership spot in the welterweight division against Martin Kampmann and a number of other match-ups with a great deal of entertainment potential like Tyson Griffin vs. Evan Dunham, Carlos Condit vs. Rory MacDonald, and Ben Rothwell vs. Gilbert Yvel.

Before I get into the actual “pick em” part of this article let me preclude the breakdown of bouts by saying one of the things about Mixed Martial Arts I’ve always loved is its unpredictable nature. I’ll do my best to steer you in the right direction with a little insight/opinion included in the deal, but readers would be wise to avoid laying down money on my attempts to glimpse into the future. Beyond that, please don’t hesitate to share your own thoughts on any or all of the scheduled fights in the “Comments” section below, and let’s get this show on the road…

PRELIMINARY CARD

Mike Pyle vs. Jesse Lennox

This fight has a “loser leaves town” feel to it, especially in the case of Pyle, so I expect both men to leave it all in the cage on Saturday night and open up the show properly in the process. Pyle is a better grappler with Lennox being the superior striker so the winner should ultimately come down to which of the two will be able to dictate where the fight takes place. I favor Pyle in that equation based on his experience and training partners at Xtreme Couture. He should be well-prepared for anything Lennox brings and have little problem taking him down, if for no other reason to grind out a decision.

Winner – Mike Pyle via Decision

Claude Patrick vs. Ricardo Funch

Patrick should have a ton of support from his fellow Canadians in his UFC debut and will likely send them home happy when things are said and done against Funch. He’s on a ten-fight winning streak with eight of his dubyas coming in the first frame. Funch has been relatively inactive for the last few years, competing only three times since the start of 2008, and will have to rely on Patrick to keep things standing in order to have a decent shot at emerging victor. While Patrick may be known for his submissions he’s also gone three full rounds with the hard-hitting Drew McFedries and has two first-round TKOs on his record as well. I think he’ll be able to go toe-to-toe with Funch if necessary while having a significant advantage on the ground (not to mention a stout guillotine he can use if Funch attempts to shoot in).

Winner – Claude Patrick via Submission Round 1

James Wilks vs. Peter Sobotta

This match-up clearly caters to the international audience brought on by the show’s location as Wilks is originally from England and Sobotta from Germany. Wilks is obviously the bigger name based on winning his division on the ninth season of the Ultimate Fighter but fans shouldn’t discount Sobotta simply because they’ve never heard of him. The 23-year old has a fairly balanced attack and was able to go a full fifteen minutes against respectable veteran Paul Taylor in his UFC debut last June. I’m a bit wary of his year-long hiatus from competition but then again Wilks hasn’t stepped foot in the Octagon since November 2009 so it’s not as if he’s in a much better position where activity is concerned. All that being said, I think Wilks’ stand-up is good enough to bang with Sobotta and his submissions are somewhat slicker so I expect him to get back on the winning track this Saturday.

Winner – James Wilks via Submission Round 2

David Loiseau vs. Mario Miranda

I doubt I’m alone in my excitement regarding Loiseau’s return to the UFC. Though he may not have panned out to be quite the fighter people felt he was 4-5 years ago, “The Crow” is still entertaining to watch and one of the sport’s classier characters. He’s shown an ability to hang with any opponent regardless of their specialty and should be more motivated than ever to get his first win in the Octagon since the late, great Evan Tanner in October 2005. Miranda has solid striking but I don’t think it’s as powerful or diverse as Loiseau’s and he definitely doesn’t have the jiujitsu to finish things on the ground.

Winner – David Loiseau via TKO Round 2

Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman

I have high hopes for this bout in terms of entertainment value. Danzig and Wiman can both bring it in the ring, are experienced competitors, and should be enticed by the proposition of stringing together consecutive wins after each losing a few in a row. I think Danzig’s grappling is better, as is his boxing, but Wiman is more of a threat in terms of kicks and knees. However, I also believe they’re comparable enough that a finishing performance is unlikely. Look for them to constantly engage, even drawing a few “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd, but don’t expect a knockout or submission. In the end I believe Danzig’s overall technique is better and as such he’ll be able to defend on his feet, then take Wiman down and control him long enough in each round to earn the decision win.

Winner – Mac Danzig via Decision

Tyson Griffin vs. Evan Dunham

In this week’s Grappling with Issues I listed this bout as having potential for the biggest upset of the evening for a few reasons. My reasoning is as follows:

“Griffin has struggled to finish opponents in the Octagon, so he leaves a lot of time for his foes to slip in and steal bouts (Sean Sherk and Frank Edgar clearly being the best examples based on their actual success against the Xtreme Couture OG). Dunham is a solid grappler with nice hands and reminds me a bit of a 5′10, stronger, paler version of the 5′6 Griffin. It was hard not to be impressed by his submission of Efrain Escudero at Fight Night 20 last January, and he’s undefeated ten fights into his career, so I won’t be surprised if he walks away with a decision win against Griffin. However, I think a lot of fans will be and I don’t just mean the Zuffa Zombies out there.”

I’m not 100% positive Dunham will win, but there is one thing I am certain of – if either man finishes the other I will be utterly shocked. They’re fairly familiar with each other based on their shared choice of training center and even if they weren’t flying Xtreme Couture’s flag both are relatively skilled in every facet of the game.

Winner – Evan Dunham via Decision

MAIN CARD

Carlos Condit vs. Rory MacDonald

This is by far the most important fight of Condit’s career and that includes his title run in World Extreme Cagefighting. He entered the UFC 14-months ago with a ton of hype behind him, much of it deserved in my opinion, but has been disappointing for the most part since. He’s 1-1 with two split decisions against respectable fighters but hasn’t been close to the same dominating force he was in WEC. A second loss in the Octagon won’t destroy his reputation, especially to an undefeated opponent like the 20-year old MacDonald, but it will definitely bump him a number of spots down the world’s collective rankings and have people questioning whether or not Condit will ever live up to the potential most saw in him. MacDonald, a Canadian, will want to please the crowd in Vancouver, and is facing the biggest “name” in his career, so I suspect he’ll have trained his ass off and won’t be afraid to let it all hang out in the cage. Condit is also fearless in his approach to Mixed Martial Arts, so don’t be surprised if this ends up being a “Fight of the Night” contender. MacDonald can strike and grapple, as can Condit (with an edge in both categories), so I expect there to be a number of evenly matched flurries on their feet and on the mat with the former WEC Welterweight Champion getting the best of his less-experienced adversary enough times to win the judges’ favor.

Winner – Carlos Condit via Decision

Ben Rothwell vs. Gilbert Yvel

Without a doubt Rothwell will attempt to take Yvel down from the opening bell and work his mat-based attacks in hopes of either ground-and-pounding him or procuring a choke hold. “The Hurricane” has 31 TKOs in 36 career wins, and Rothwell has been rocked a few times over the years, so obviously Yvel’s best bet is to throw strikes while fending off takedown attempts. However, Rothwell is a solid wrestler who can also strike in addition to having above-average submissions for a heavyweight. He should be able to control most of the match’s positions, so unless the Dutchman lands a big shot early in the fight I don’t think “Big Ben” will have a hard time coming away victorious and possibly even end Yvel’s recent run in the UFC as a result.

Winner – Ben Rothwell via TKO Round 3

Paulo Thiago vs. Martin Kampmann

I don’t think people are giving Kampmann enough credit in this bout where he chances of success are concerned. Keep in mind his only losses have been by way of knockout while the only strike-based TKO of Thiago’s career came in his shocking upset of Josh Koscheck. Additionally, the Brazilian special forces operative owes eight of his thirteen wins to submissions while the “Hitman” has yet to tap out in nineteen professional fights. Kampmann is well-versed on the ground and is a legitimate striker as well. Both men faced Jacob Volkmann in the last year and where Thiago won a decision the Dane submitted Volkmann in the first round. I’m not a fan of “MMAth” but there’s definitely something to be said when the bouts being compared came in such close proximity to each other (less than 2 months apart). Thiago vs. Kampmann should be a hotly contested fight and is one of the many match-ups on the card worthy of a proverbial coin-flip when it comes to picking a winner. However, the more I think about it the more I feel Kampmann will open some eyes on Saturday night so I’m going to simply put my money where my keyboard-stroking fingers are and say…

Winner – Martin Kampmann via Decision

Pat Barry vs. Mirko Filipovic

I know I’m supposed to be unbiased as a journalist but in full disclosure I have to say Barry is one of my favorite fighters based on both in-ring style and overall character. Fortunately, objectivity won’t need to be shelved in this instance, as I think “Cro Cop” is also an outstanding individual with a list of accomplishments worth respecting and a terrific personality rarely associated with him based on the seriousness with which he approaches fighting. It’s a tough match-up to pick based on their in-ring similarities and knockout power each produces. One kick to the head or a series of shots to the thigh/midsection could end the night for either man, while jiujitsu and wrestling are almost certainly going to be thrown out of the cage-door before it closes and the action begins. I believe Barry will win based on age/athleticism as long as he doesn’t become too emotionally involved in the fight, and thereby distracted, based on his admiration of Filipovic. He’s faster and fresher than “Cro Cop”, and in that regard I think he’ll be first to the punch and ultimately shed a few tears in front of the camera before heading home to his momma.

Winner – Pat Barry via TKO Round 1

Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin

I can see this fight going a number of ways though of course none of them involve submissions. Neither fighter will have to worry about clinching or getting taken down and worked on unless deciding to sneak in a shot or two with hopes of winning a particular round in the mind of a ringside judge. Both men appear to have questionable chins and have made their living with strikes so expect that to be the target of choice for each. However, Franklin mixes in kicks with a great deal of success and would be wise to do so against the “Iceman”. If he stays active, opting for more lateral than forward movement, he has a good chance of taking home a decision or eventually catching Chuck on the button. However, if he spends more than a few seconds exchanging blows at any point or makes the mistake of rushing in there’s a good chance he’ll be put to sleep.

Winner – Chuck Liddell via TKO Round 2

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.

Is Michael Bisping destined for a title shot? What side of the love/hate debate are you on in regards to Rashad Evans‘ performance against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson? Should fans write off Joachim Hansen on the heels of three straight losses? Was Diego Sanchez’s return to welterweight a mistake?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

If you’re reading these lines you’ve made it through another work-week and are back in the friendly digital confines of “Grappling with Issues”, our site’s resident Friday feature highlighting insight and opinion from Adam Tool and myself on six subjects plucked from the Mixed Martial Arts landscape. However, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column…

After picking up his third consecutive loss is it safe to say the ship has sailed on Joachim Hansen as a lightweight/featherweight star?

Adam Tool: Absolutely. Hansen has been on a fairly steady decline since 2005, as almost all of his best wins came prior to that. He had only regained status in the lightweight top 10 after his win over Shinya Aoki, but that was followed by his second loss to Aoki. We also now have the added hindsight to realize that Aoki isn’t quite as good as everybody thought he was, so Hansen’s victory loses even more luster.

Hansen hasn’t won since that upset over Aoki in the DREAM Lightweight GP Finals, and unless he can turn the tide quickly and string together a few wins his days of being ranked are essentially over. He’s still a dangerous veteran of the sport that can provide a stern challenge for up-and-coming fighters, but I’d be surprised to see him holding gold in a major organization ever again.

Brendhan Conlan: I disagree with Tool though acknowledge his argument is based on undeniable facts. Where my opinion parts ways with his lies in the interpretation of the word “star”. Hansen has done enough in MMA to have solidified his spot as a veteran worth watching regardless of card or opponent. His three-fight slide is cause for concern to an extent but it’s also important to maintain perspective.

Examine the losses in question for a second. “Hellboy” was knocked out by an opponent known to successfully throw leather (Hiroyuki Takaya), out-pointed in his featherweight debut by a guy whose only losses are to Urijah Faber and “Kid” Yamamoto (Bibiano Fernandes), and submitted at the last second by one of the sport’s top jiujitsu practitioners (Shinya Aoki). He wasn’t out-classed by vastly inferior competition; he hasn’t been victim to a striker’s submission or BJJer’s brawling. The Norwegian nightmare is freshly 31, so he’s not over the hill by any means, and remains a threat regardless of a fight’s action taking place while standing or on the mat. He’s beaten a number of top lightweights throughout his career, has a unique look separating him from the pack, and brings an exciting style into the ring with him on every occasion. While those characteristics may not serve as the definition of a someone destined for “holding gold in a major organization” they do work for me in terms of summing up Hansen as being a “star” in MMA.

True/False – Diego Sanchez needs to go back to lightweight and stay there.

Tool: I’ve got to go with True, although I hate trying to make judgments about what weight class a fighter should be at. Each person knows their own body better than anyone else. If Diego had troubles cutting in his three bouts at lightweight than maybe it is in his best interest to work on adding mass and sticking around at welterweight. Without knowing him personally there’s no way for me to give a definitive right/wrong answer to the question.

That being said, Sanchez looked positively tiny compared to John Hathaway. Granted, Hathaway is 6’1” but he’s still not the tallest guy in the division. The UFC’s welterweight division is defined by its powerhouse wrestlers, and is there any reason to think that Sanchez could hang with the top guys in the division? I don’t think so.

There are still plenty of intriguing match-ups for Sanchez at 155. First and foremost, Kenny Florian deserves a rematch. Florian is almost unrecognizable compared to the fighter that Sanchez steamrolled to win the first Ultimate Fighter title, and at this point in their careers it makes sense for them to hook up again. On top of that, at the moment BJ Penn is not the division’s champion. If Frank Edgar can successfully defend the UFC Lightweight Championship in a few months then the division will be wide open. A few solid wins in a row could easily land Diego back into the contender’s circle, especially given his name value with the fans.

Conlan: Tool hit the nail on the head with this one. True, Sanchez knows his body’s limitations better than anyone other than the originator of the “YES-cartwheel” ever could, but he looked small at UFC 114 and not just from a height standpoint. He also appeared to be a lot lighter in terms of body mass. If Diego wants to attempt a serious run at the division’s top fighters he’s going to need to bulk back up and that isn’t necessarily easier to do than cut back down to 155 pounds. He beat two solid lightweights en route to facing Penn for the title and, as Adam pointed out, has a ready-made match-up in the form of Florian which could easily be a PPV co-headliner or main event a Spike/Versus show. Meanwhile, at welterweight Sanchez hasn’t beaten anyone of real significance since Karo Parisyan in October 2006, and most recently served as the proverbial rung a relatively unknown young fighter used in lopsided fashion to ascend up the UFC’s internal rankings last weekend. Regardless of how much he may dislike the process, what I see as being best for Diego’s career is a return to 155 pounds and perhaps full-time immersion in one of MMA’s top camps.

Does Rashad Evans deserve to be criticized or praised for his performance against “Rampage” Jackson?

Tool: I’ll say this: if we’re going to criticize the way Evans won then we must also open the floor to criticism for Georges St. Pierre’s recent wins. Evans fought to win, just like GSP does, and while it may not always be exciting it is a smart way to win.

Did anybody really think that Evans was going to decide to stand and trade with Rampage? I’m sure that shot he landed in the first gave him some confidence in his hands, but the near-finish in the third just proved that Evans chose the right way to fight. You can’t get knocked out if you don’t get hit, so by closing the distance and pressuring Jackson in the clinch Evans stayed away from his opponent’s somewhat-legendary power.

The simple fact is this: wrestling will be the dominant avenue of mixed-martial arts until fighters figure out how to stop it. At the moment there’s a relatively small percentage of fighters with impeccable takedown defense, but as the sport goes on and the new guys get better we’ll see that percentage grow. It’s similar to how jiu-jitsu was practically unstoppable in the early days, but once everybody began training submission defense the number of tapout victories started to dwindle. I suspect we’ll see a similar effect towards wrestling, the only question is how long it will take.

Conlan: I think praised for his patience and grappling, though I totally get why a number of people who watched his win over “Rampage” have a desire to go Sugar-free in the future. The success of Mixed Martial Arts as a whole is as dependent on entertainment as it is on athletic endeavor. Without exciting finishes and colorful personalities the sport and its participants would not find themselves in the place they are today or where they hope to be tomorrow and beyond. If every fighter elected to compete as cautiously as possible in hopes of merely out-decisioning an opponent the public’s interest in the sport would take a significant nosedive. The butterfly effect of “Griffin vs. Bonnar” was not a result of the judges’ final influence but the warrior spirit each showed in respectfully slugging it out for fifteen minutes. The performances we remember in life are ones of righteous victory and heartbreaking loss, not of proverbial filibustering or monotone success. Slow and steady might win the race but fast and exciting win the war in an endeavor based on drawing human interest. Had Evans followed up on his success in the first round with a greater willingness to put his chin on the line, especially after weathering Jackson’s storm in the third, he would have come away looking brilliant instead of leaving the flavor of milquetoast on fans’ collective pallets.

However, as Rashad elected to play it safe for the bulk of the action instead of backing up the pre-event hype, he exited the Octagon to boos and will continue to hear them in arena’s for the foreseeable future. Then again, I don’t suspect Evans necessarily cares what people think neither do I fault him for that attitude if such is the case. After all, he’s in line to compete against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the UFC Lightweight Championship, is he not?

After everything that happened in their fight, who are you more excited to see fight again: Todd Duffee or Mike Russow?

Conlan: Let’s see…one is a hard-hitting, 24-year old physical specimen who isn’t afraid to speak his mind and the other is a 33-year old, fairly flabby wrestler who was getting hammered until landing a shocking knockout punch midway through the third round…who to pick, who to pick…

Sarcasm aside, obviously Duffee is the more exciting prospect in every way minus his recent stumble against Russow (not to mention he was dominating the bout prior to having his lights turned out). The time he spent in the Octagon against Russow was the first third round he’d ever seen and nearly equivalent to the total amount of time he’d spent in a ring when adding up his six fights preceding his only career loss. He’s relatively inexperienced and his skills are still raw in nature, but he’s exciting to watch and appears to have a bright future ahead of him as long as he keeps training at a high level. “Duff Man” remains a name to watch in the heavyweight division no matter where he fights while Russow’s star, even with nine straight wins, is more likely to fade simply based on age, style, and appearance. One surprise knockout does not a must-see-fighter make.

Tool: Looking at this question, I’m inclined to go the other way. I can agree with Brendhan’s points regarding Duffee, and he’s definitely a fighter to watch. Within a few years time we could be looking at the next big thing in the heavyweight division, but it’s clear now that he’s got some things to work on in the gym before he’s climbing up the ranks of contenders.

In terms of each man’s very next fight, I have to admit that I’m a bit more curious to see what Russow can do. Other than the Duffee fight he’s shown some solid skills, particularly in terms of his grappling. We now know he can take a punch, and if the situation arises he can land one two. I wouldn’t put him in there against the top guys in the division, but there’s some interesting match-ups to be made with the former Chicago cop. Until somebody in the UFC beats him we won’t have a real solid idea of just how far Russow can go, and I’m curious to see how his next few fights play out.

Do you think Michael Bisping will ever fight for the UFC Middleweight Championship?

Conlan: I think it’s definitely more likely than not. He’s lost three times in his career – Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, and Rashad Evans – and only been finished once in 22 professional bouts. He has middleweight wins over Chris Leben, Denis Kang, and most recently Dan Miller, and though they may not be as impressive in stature as the trio who have claimed victory over Bisping, all three are still solid 185-pounders with respectable accomplishments in the sport. In my mind, another comparable win (certainly two) would elevate “The Count” high enough from a statistical standpoint to merit a title-shot. If Vitor Belfort can earn one without a single fight in the UFC at middleweight then why shouldn’t Bisping get a go at the belt with a number of them over worthwhile competition?

Also, keep in mind contendership is not wholly established by numbers. Beyond being a high-quality Mixed Martial Artist, the Brit also possesses a polarizing personality and serves as the UFC’s poster-boy in the UK. Love him or hate him, the reality is he puts asses in the seats and opponents on the floor. The Ultimate Fighter Season 3 champion is somewhat of a celebrity in England, yet also has a large contingent of MMA followers who want nothing more than to see someone knock the accent off his tongue with a solid series of strikes. He’s finished sixteen of the nineteen foes he’s faced and sells a match-up to media/fans like few of his peers can.

All of the above things add up to a crack at the UFC middleweight strap as soon as an opportunity, even one that needs nudging, presents itself.

Tool: It’s clear that the UFC wants Bisping to be a contender, as they would have given him that shot if he had beaten Dan Henderson. As we all know though, Bisping did not even come close to accomplishing that task. Thus we arrive at the crux of the problem.

As Brendhan pointed out, all three of Bisping’s losses have come against some of the top names in the sport. Unfortunately there are no such names in Bisping’s win column. The man is clearly capable of beating the middle-tier of talent in the UFC, but he’s consistently come up short against the best competition. He has yet to put forth that kind of stand-out performance that makes the fans and front office stand up and demand that he get a title shot.

In this sport you can never say never, so maybe in the next year or two we’ll see “The Count” string together some quality wins over big-name opponents. The middleweight division will be opening up again soon once Chael Sonnen and Vitor Belfort get their shots, so now would be the time for a hungry young middleweight to make his cause.

Would you be in favor of a Jason Brilz/Antonio Rogerio Nogueira rematch with both fighters getting a full camp to prepare?

Conlan: Eventually, yes. Immediately, no. Like a lot of other people who watched the fight I felt Brilz did enough to emerge ahead on the judges’ scorecards, but I’ve also come to grips with the reality ringside officials don’t always see things as I do and know there’s an ever present risk a questionable decision might be rendered when a bout goes the distance. Also, though I personally felt Brilz won the first round, I recognized a little wiggle room at the time based on Nogueira’s defense and boxing. I may not have agreed with the bout’s result but I wasn’t infuriated by it either.

In terms of a rematch, the reason I favor the possibility of one taking place down the road as opposed to being the next stop on their professional paths is fairly simple. Brilz exceeded nearly everyone’s expectations by coming in on late notice to take on the toughest opponent he’s ever locked horns with while also competing on the biggest stage of his career. Throwing him back into the fire with the memory of his performance fresh in fans’ minds would create unnecessary and unfair pressure to perform at least as well as he did at UFC 114.

Rather, Zuffa should build on the momentum he created by giving him a few fairly winnable match-ups while utilizing Nogueira as originally intended. Establishing a positive streak in the W/L column for Brilz would make the rematch THAT much more interesting, as would putting Nogueira and the value of his name/record/skills against top 205-pounders like Forrest Griffin or Thiago Silva. Comparably, hot-shotting the bout would do little good for either man, especially when the actual decision wasn’t horribly controversial to begin with. Let them move forward in their careers and then remind fans of how close their first fight actually was.

Tool: I was leaning towards a yes answer, but I can’t argue with Brendhan’s…argument. Nogueira did get the win, so his career trajectory will likely continue unabated. It’s entirely possible that “Lil’ Nog” could rebound with an impressive win over a top-ranked opponent (Griffin or perhaps the winner of the upcoming Rich Franklin/Chuck Liddell bout) and work his way into title contention within the next year. Now that his good friend Lyoto Machida is no longer the champion the path is clear for Nogueira to make his run at the belt.

Meanwhile Jason Brilz scores a career-making loss, in a fight that nobody expected him to win. He had less than a month to prepare for the biggest fight of his life and he very nearly pulled it off. Count me amongst the fans that thought Brilz would have his hand raised after the scores were read, and I think the narrowness of the decision is the main factor that warrants a rematch. I wouldn’t make it immediately but I would make it within the next two years. In the meantime I think the UFC has found a new potential star within the light heavyweight division.

An upcoming UFC lightweight bout featuring Brit Paul Kelly (10-2) and Jacob Volkmann (10-2) which was supposed to happen at the UFC 116 event will now take place on the UFC on Versus: Jones vs. Matyushenko card instead.

The change came about due to travel visa issues for Kelly, who would be flying from the UK, and had been experiencing troubles making the UFC 116 event date, which takes place on July 3 in Las Vegas.

Now both men will meet at the UFC on Versus 2 event, which will take place on Aug. 1 at the Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. The event is headlined by light-heavyweights Jon Jones and Vladimir Matyushenko.

Kelly, who made the move to lightweight three fights ago, has gone 1-1 in his past two fights and 3-1 in since the drop in weight. He defeated Matt Veach by guillotine submission last April in Abu Dhabi at the UFC 112: Invincible event. In the UFC he’s put together a record of 4-2, the only two losses of his career.

Meanwhile, the NCAA Division I Wrester Volkmann is coming off his first UFC win, having dropped to lightweight for the fight. He defeated Ronnys Torres by split decision in March at the UFN: Florian vs. Gomi event. He dropped UFC bouts to Martin Kampmann and Paulo Thiago last year, which also marked the first losses of his career.

Their fight is expected to take place on the non-televised portion of the UFC on Versus 2 event.

A lightweight scrap between Paul Kelly and Jacob
Volkmann has been moved from July's UFC 116 event to
August's UFC on Versus 2 card.

Sources close to the event today informed MMAjunkie.com that the U.K.-based Kelly has encountered visa
issues which will prevent him from making UFC 116, which takes place on
July 3 in Las Vegas.

UFC on Versus 2 takes place Aug. 1 at the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt
Lake City. A light heavyweight bout between Jon Jones and Vladimir
Matyushenko headlines.

Lee Murray

“Lighting” Lee Murray was sentenced to ten years in a Moroccan prison for his role in the largest bank heist in British history where an astounding 29 million dollars (American) was taken from a Securitas Depot in February of 2006.

Murray was arrested in June of 2006 at a shopping center in the Souissi district. Murray was in Morocco to avoid capture from British authorities for his role in the robbery, and extradition from Morocco to the UK would take quite awhile due to there being no treaty between Morocco and the UK.

In 2009, Murray attempted to escape from prison by cutting the iron bars of his window with small saws. Murray had starved himself in-order to get through the bars, and the saw were only discovered after a fellow cellmate entered the cell to steal from Murray’s cell.

Murray had gone 9-2-1 in his career, with his most notable fight coming in 2004 when he fought and lost to future UFC middleweight champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva - a decision loss in the Cage Rage promotion.

Murray also fought once in the UFC, defeating Jorge Rivera by a triangle choke/armbar at UFC 46, along with allegedly knocking out Tito Ortiz in a street fight after UFC 38. A film about Murray was announced in 2008, but nothing has come of that announcement.