You are hereStandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
The Bad Left Hook Pick'em Game: Season 17 - Week 1
Badlefthook.com - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 22:00
**** Please Note: For the first time, we're going to allow 1/2 picks. For example, if you don't feel fully comfortable risking 11 points on Carl Froch, but don't mind risking 5.5, please put (1/2) instead of (1). Your selection would read A. (1/2) - 1 - Froch to win. You can do this for any selection.****
Before we get started, congratulations to our season 16 champion, MmaJunki. Great work and good luck in the quest to repeat!
Topping the bill this week is the much anticipated 168lb rematch between Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler. Along with the pick-the-winner and method-of-victory options, we've also added an Over/Under for this one. The show from London also gives us a couple of undercard bouts, with Tony Bellew taking on Issac Chilemba in a 175lb rematch, and George Groves looking to extend his unbeaten record against Argentinean Noe Gonzalez Alcoba.
A couple of top rated fighters from the lower weight classes are also in action this weekend, with junior-bantamweight Omar Narvaez taking on hard hitting Felipe Orucuta and junior flyweight Roman Gonzalez taking a stay-busy fight with Ronald Barrera.
Rounding out the line-up is this week's FNF main-event featuring veteran junior-middleweights Delvin Rodriguez and Freddy Hernandez.
For those that haven't played before, welcome to the best pick'em game going. Please join right in and start playing (just make sure to check out the rules - we promise they are very simple).
An explanation of how to fill out your selections appears at the bottom of this post - please follow these instructions as it makes it easier for us to tabulate the results quickly each week.
You can check out last season's final standings here.
Let’s get to the week 1 line-up…
**** Remember you do not need to make a selection on every fight. If you are unfamiliar with any of the fighters, and don't want to risk points, you are free to PASS on any pick. You must make at least one selection to receive the 10 point participation bonus****
A. Pick the winner - Carl Froch vs Mikkel Kessler (Saturday, May 18)
1. Froch to win – risk 11 points to win 5
2. Kessler to win – risk 5 points to win 11.
B. Pick the winner / Method of victory - Carl Froch vs Mikkel Kessler (technical decision counts as decision, DQ counts as stoppage - Saturday, May 18)
1. Froch by stoppage – risk 3 to win 8.
2. Froch by decision – risk 4.5 to win 6.5.
3. Kessler by stoppage – risk 1.5 to win 9.5.
4. Kessler by decision – risk 2 to win 9.
C. *Over/Under - Carl Froch vs Mikkel Kessler (Saturday, April 18)
1. Over 8 1/2 – risk 7 points to win 3.
2. Over 11 1/2 – risk 5.5 points to win 4.5.
3. Under 8 1/2 – risk 3 points to win 7.
4. Under 11 1/2 – risk 4.5 points to win 5.5.
*Over 8 1/2 = 8 full rounds completed, plus 1/2 round - fight must go past the 1:30 mark of Round 9.
D. Pick the winner - Tony Bellew vs Isaac Chilemba (Saturday, May 18)
1. Bellew to win – risk 7.5 points to win 4.5.
2. Chilemba to win – risk 4.5 points to win 7.5.
E. Pick the winner / Method of victory - George Groves vs Noe Gonzalez Alcoba (technical decision counts as decision, DQ counts as stoppage - Saturday, May 25)
1. Groves to win – risk 9.5 to win 0.5.
2. Groves to win by stoppage – risk 6.5 to win 3.5.
3. Groves by decision – risk 3 to win 7.
4. Alcoba (any method) – risk 0.5 to win 9.5.
F. Pick the winner / Method of victory - Omar Narvaez vs Felipe Orucuta (technical decision counts as decision, DQ counts as stoppage - Saturday, May 25)
1. Narvaez to win – risk 9.5 to win 2.5.
2. Narvaez to win by stoppage – risk 2.5 to win 9.5.
3. Narvaez by decision – risk 7 to win 5.
4. Orucuta (any method) – risk 2.5 to win 9.5.
G. *Over/Under - Roman Gonzalez vs Ronald Barrera (Saturday, May 25)
1. Over 4 1/2 – risk 4.5 points to win 4.5.
2. Over 6 1/2 – risk 3 points to win 6.
3. Under 4 1/2 – risk 4.5 points to win 4.5.
4. Under 6 1/2 – risk 6 points to win 3.
*Over 4 1/2 = 5 full rounds completed, plus 1/2 round - fight must go past the 1:30 mark of Round 5.
H. Pick the winner / Method of victory - Delvin Rodriguez vs Freddy Hernandez (technical decision counts as decision, DQ counts as stoppage - Saturday, May 25)
1. Rodriguez to win – risk 8.5 to win 2.5.
2. Rodriguez to win by stoppage – risk 2.5 to win 8.5.
3. Rodriguez by decision – risk 6 to win 5.
4. Hernandez (any method) – risk 2.5 to win 8.5.
Please fill out your selections as follows:
Enter the LETTER of the fight first, then whether it’s a single (1), double (2) or triple (3) followed by the NUMBER of your pick and the NAME of the FIGHTER and METHOD of victory (where applicable).
**** You have 10 doubles and 5 triples to use over the 10 week season ****
For Selection A, if you want to use one of your doubles on Froch to win...
A. (2) – 1 – Froch to win
For Selection B, if you want to pick on Froch by decision without using a double or triple...
B. (1) – 2 - Froch by decision
For Selection C, if you want to use one of triples on the Over 11 1/2..
C. (3) – 2 - Over 11 1/2
For Selection D, if you wish to pass...
D. Pass
Good luck!
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
John Cholish Posts Messages Concerning Pay From UFC
FightLine.com MMA News - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 21:24
John Cholish Posts Messages Concerning Pay From UFC
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Mark Hunt Work Visa Issues Resolved, Appears to be Set for UFC 160
411 Mania MMA Feed - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 21:00
Looks like Hunt has the all clear now...
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Lucas Martins Speaks on Fight of the Night Performance at UFC on FX 8
411 Mania MMA Feed - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 21:00
Martins defeated Jeremy Larsen...
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
[VIDEO] UFC on FX 8 Post-Fight Press Conference
411 Mania MMA Feed - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 21:00
Vitor Belfort blows up about TRT...
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
UFC 160 Predictions Offered Up By UFC Tonight Hosts Chael Sonnen, Kenny Florian
FightLine.com MMA News - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 20:18
UFC 160 Predictions Offered Up By UFC Tonight Hosts Chael Sonnen, Kenny Florian
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Luke Rockhold Responds To Talk Of "Fix" In Vitor Belfort Fight
FightLine.com MMA News - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 19:12
Luke Rockhold Responds To Talk Of "Fix" In Vitor Belfort Fight
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Jacob Volkmann Upset About Poor UFC Healthcare Plan
FightLine.com MMA News - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 19:04
Jacob Volkmann Upset About Poor UFC Healthcare Plan
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Boxing: Froch vs. Kessler 2 live online full fight coverage, preview, discussion, results for May 25
Bloody Elbow - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 19:01
Join Bloody Elbow for full fight coverage of HBO Boxing Froch vs. Kessler II as Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler square off once again, live Saturday May 25. Here, get all the info including preview, fight time, fight card, results, videos, and more.
Saturday May 25, Bloody Elbow presents live fight coverage of Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler II, live on HBO. HBO World Championship Boxing: Froch vs. Kessler 2 airs this Saturday, May 25 live on HBO. As the fight takes places in London, it has a fight time of 6:00 p.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. PT, and will air on HBO live at that time. HBO will also show a replay that evening at 10:00 p.m. ET. Bloody Elbow will have live fight coverage, including results and discussion, for the live bout at 6, plus spoiler-free discussion for those of you watching at 10.
On April 24, 2010, these two first met inside a boxing ring. Froch was, at the time, undefeated, while Kessler was coming in off a loss to Andre Ward. That meeting resulted in a great battle, a clash that saw both men fight at the height of their abilities in a back and forth war. When the dust settled, it was Kessler walking away with a unanimous decision victory. The fight was too close to call the decision a robbery, though some of the scorecards seemed a bit Kessler-heavy - a fact that was compounded by the fight taking place in Kessler's homeland of Denmark. Now, they fight again, only this time, it's in front of Froch's hometown fans in England.
More Froch vs. Kessler coverage:
Bloody Elbow | Bad Left Hook
Since that first fight, the two men have seen their careers go in different directions. Froch has gone 4-1, with his lone loss coming against pound for pound great Andre Ward. He's also seen his star consistently on the rise. Meanwhile, Kessler found himself unable to capitalize on his win over Froch, as he sat out over a year due to an eye injury. He's fought only 3 times since that first fight, and while all 3 have been KO wins, none have come against a true contender.
So signs point to a Froch win then, right? Not so fast. These two men know each other well, and they are both coming in with something to prove. For Kessler, it's about justifying the first win and showing that he is still a contender. For Froch, it's to show that he truly is the better man and that he is ready for even bigger things.
Of course, only one man can make those dreams come true. Saturday, we'll find out which one it is.
Join us here at Bloody Elbow for HBO World Championship Boxing Froch vs. Kessler II results, discussion, and live fight coverage this Saturday May 25.
FROCH VS. KESSLER FIGHT CARD:
Carl Froch (30-2; 22 KOs) vs.
Mikkel Kessler (46-2; 35 KOs)
FROCH VS. KESSLER RESULTS:
Latest From Our Partners
- MMA Fighters on the Hot Seat (BR)
- 15 Worst Ways to Lose an MMA Fight (BR)
- 20 Fighters UFC Should Build Around (BR)
- Survival Guide for Facing UFC Champions (BR)
- Unknown Legendary MMA Fighters (BR)
- Best Chins by UFC Division (BR)
- 20 Dream Fights to Be Made (BR)
- Latest MMA Rumors (SI)
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Boxing: Froch vs. Kessler 2 preview, discussion, live fight coverage May 25
Bloody Elbow - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 19:00
Saturday May 25, Bloody Elbow presents live fight coverage of Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler II, live on HBO. HBO World Championship Boxing: Froch vs. Kessler 2 airs this Saturday, May 25 live on HBO. As the fight takes places in London, it has a fight time of 6:00 p.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. PT, and will air on HBO live at that time. HBO will also show a replay that evening at 10:00 p.m. ET. Bloody Elbow will have live fight coverage, including results and discussion, for the live bout at 6, plus spoiler-free discussion for those of you watching at 10.
On April 24, 2010, these two first met inside a boxing ring. Froch was, at the time, undefeated, while Kessler was coming in off a loss to Andre Ward. That meeting resulted in a great battle, a clash that saw both men fight at the height of their abilities in a back and forth war. When the dust settled, it was Kessler walking away with a unanimous decision victory. The fight was too close to call the decision a robbery, though some of the scorecards seemed a bit Kessler-heavy - a fact that was compounded by the fight taking place in Kessler's homeland of Denmark. Now, they fight again, only this time, it's in front of Froch's hometown fans in England.
More Froch vs. Kessler coverage:
Bloody Elbow | Bad Left Hook
Since that first fight, the two men have seen their careers go in different directions. Froch has gone 4-1, with his lone loss coming against pound for pound great Andre Ward. He's also seen his star consistently on the rise. Meanwhile, Kessler found himself unable to capitalize on his win over Froch, as he sat out over a year due to an eye injury. He's fought only 3 times since that first fight, and while all 3 have been KO wins, none have come against a true contender.
So signs point to a Froch win then, right? Not so fast. These two men know each other well, and they are both coming in with something to prove. For Kessler, it's about justifying the first win and showing that he is still a contender. For Froch, it's to show that he truly is the better man and that he is ready for even bigger things.
Of course, only one man can make those dreams come true. Saturday, we'll find out which one it is.
Join us here at Bloody Elbow for HBO World Championship Boxing Froch vs. Kessler II results, discussion, and live fight coverage this Saturday May 25.
FROCH VS. KESSLER FIGHT CARD:
Carl Froch (30-2; 22 KOs) vs.
Mikkel Kessler (46-2; 35 KOs)
FROCH VS. KESSLER RESULTS:
Latest From Our Partners
- MMA Fighters on the Hot Seat (BR)
- 15 Worst Ways to Lose an MMA Fight (BR)
- 20 Fighters UFC Should Build Around (BR)
- Survival Guide for Facing UFC Champions (BR)
- Unknown Legendary MMA Fighters (BR)
- Best Chins by UFC Division (BR)
- 20 Dream Fights to Be Made (BR)
- Latest MMA Rumors (SI)
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Bellator Signs Three New Fighters, Including Former UFC Name
FightLine.com MMA News - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 18:47
Bellator Signs Three New Fighters, Including Former UFC Name
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
IMMAF Working With WADA
FightLine.com MMA News - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 18:44
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Legacy FC 20 Finalized: Welterweight Action Headlines
FightLine.com MMA News - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 18:40
Legacy FC 20 Finalized: Welterweight Action Headlines
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Daily MMA 5/22: Countdown to UFC 160, Octagon girls UFC 360 bikini shoot,
Bloody Elbow - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 18:35
Kid Nate and Zombie Prophet present a round up of the best MMA and UFC videos on YouTube. Today's list features: Countdown to UFC 160, UFC Octagon girls sexy bikini bash, Mark Hunt, Cain Velasquez, Bigfoot Silva, Junior dos Santos and more.
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Dereck Chisora return, Gavin vs Vassell postponed until July 20
Badlefthook.com - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 18:02
Dereck Chisora won't make his return on June 15, and he certainly won't be facing Deontay Wilder, as the card has been pushed back until July 20 while promoter Frank Warren tries to find an opponent for the controversial heavyweight. That means that the British and Commonwealth welterweight title unification bout between Frankie Gavin and Denton Vassell has also been postponed.
Warren says in a statement that he had been assured by his matchmaker Dean Powell and Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez that Wilder was good to go for a Chisora fight, which is why he made the announcement in the first place. He says that Wilder's recent arrest in Las Vegas is the reason the fight isn't happening:
It was only after the press conference that we received an email from Mr Gomez saying: "I got a call from Deontay's attorney, there is [sic] some legal issues with travelling to the UK because of the arrest for battery. This is going to be a problem." We do not know when the attorney called Eric Gomez and, if before the press conference, why he did not tell us about this sooner.
I have therefore had to cancel the fight and postpone the show scheduled for 15 June. However, despite Mr Wilder's allegations, this is solely because Mr Wilder has been arrested and cannot now meet his commitment to fight Dereck Chisora.
There have been a number of websites which have reported Mr Wilder's comments and my lawyers will be raising complaints with them separately. However, I wish to make it clear at this stage, so that it is beyond doubt, that it was only after the announcement for the fight that Mr Wilder's representatives informed me that he could not travel to London to fight Dereck Chisora.
There were no indications publicly from Golden Boy that Chisora-Wilder was actually happening, and CEO Richard Schaefer outright denied that the fight would be taking place. This is a he-said, they-said situation for everyone except the handful of people who actually know: Warren, Powell, Gomez, Wilder's team, Schaefer, etc.
Terence Dooley reports that Warren has three names in mind to face Chisora on July 20: Tyson Fury, Manuel Charr, and Fres Oquendo, those names getting less interesting by the step. Fury beat Chisora soundly in 2010, but a rematch wouldn't be the worst thing for the big guy, and their press conferences now might be utter chaos. Actually, Chisora-Charr could have some remarkable trash talk, too. Oquendo is a veteran fighter who would be the major underdog, might actually wind up deserving a decision, and wouldn't get it, because he never does.
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Former UFC fighter Waylon Lowe sues sex shop after penis gel 'permanently disfigures' his genitals
Bloody Elbow - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 17:15
A few months ago we told you about former TUF fighter Ray Elbe's fractured penis in what was considered a "sex accident". I'm sure that many of you have been wondering "when is the next genital story" coming out? Well folks, today is your lucky day. Former UFC fighter and current WSOF lightweight Waylon Lowe (14-4) has sued a Philadelphia sex shop over a "penis gel" which burned, scarred, and permanently disfigured his genitals. Philly.com has the details:
But a famous fighter says the Kama Sutra Pleasure Balm Prolonging Gel was far from pleasurable, and instead burned and scarred his genitals so badly last fall that he remains permanently disfigured and dysfunctional.
Michael Waylon Lowe, 32, of Southwest Center City, a mixed-martial-artist who competes internationally, has sued the South Street sex shop where he says he bought the gel, and the product's California-based creator, seeking more than $50,000 in damages, according to a lawsuit filed in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.
I would hardly describe Waylon Lowe as "famous", but he did compete four times in the UFC, defeating Steve Lopez and Willamy Freire and losing to Nik Lentz and Melvin Guillard. Lowe recently won his WSOF debut against Cameron Dollar by KO on March 23rd to extend his post-UFC win streak to 4.
The article later describes the recently filed lawsuit and details the night Lowe's use of the gel took a horribly painful turn for the worse. You can stop reading after this sentence if you're too squeamish:
In the complaint, filed May 14, Lowe claims he had used the desensitizing gel previously without problem. And when he applied it last Sept. 1, he and his fiancée began lovemaking without incident. But when their 3-year-old daughter awoke, the fiancée interrupted their intercourse to attend to her, according to the lawsuit.
Before she returned, Lowe "began to experience excruciating pain and pressure in his penis," the lawsuit states. "He removed the condom and his penis swelled significantly. He sought emergency medical treatment and follow-up care thereafter."
It claims that Lowe suffered "catastrophic and permanent damage," including penile scarring, loss of sensation and function; nerve and tissue damage; humiliation, embarrassment and mental anguish; lost wages and earning capacity; and loss of life's pleasures.
The sex shop has since taken the product off of their shelves. According to the Kama Sutra company president Marla Lee, this is the first time they've heard of such an incident with this particular gel, which they've sold for more than 40 years.
Latest From Our Partners- MMA Fighters on the Hot Seat (BR)
- 15 Worst Ways to Lose an MMA Fight (BR)
- 20 Fighters UFC Should Build Around (BR)
- Survival Guide for Facing UFC Champions (BR)
- Unknown Legendary MMA Fighters (BR)
- Best Chins by UFC Division (BR)
- 20 Dream Fights to Be Made (BR)
- Latest MMA Rumors (SI)
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
UFC 1: The fighter redux
Bloody Elbow - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 17:00
Recently I've been doing some work on the SBNation MMA Database. It's a rather cumbersome task that suits itself to my desire for neatness and order, and has the potential to turn into a great resource long term. At the moment I'm working on building profiles of old UFC and Pride events and their fighters. This has lead to a great deal of rummaging around through story backlogs, and forums and personal websites for little tidbits of information.
Many of us who came to MMA late, remember those early days and early fights as matches between overwhelmed Karate instructors, suddenly out of their depth in a real fight. And while there is, occasionally, some truth to that notion, there's also a lot more there than meets the eye. That said, as I make my journey through MMA history, I will do these articles on the fighters that graced the first events of MMA. Who were they, what got them there, what's happened to them?
And now, the fighters of UFC 1:
Gerard Gordeau - One of the first fighters to appear in the UFC, Gordeau was a world champion Savateur and multi-time black belt and champion Karateka (under Harry Couzijn Shihan) as well as Jiu Jitsu black belt from the Netherlands. Among his many claimed accomplishments are 1979 karate victories over Andy Hug and Dolf Lundgren, as well as the 1988 Savate World Championship. Despite his short MMA career (although he did have a largely unrecorded career in Shooto and Rings in Japan in the late 80s/early 90s) he is known for one particular incident, in which he ended up blinding Yuki Nakai in one eye, from a gouge, at Vale Tudo Japan in 1995. Gordeau was known as a somewhat "dirty" fighter, and many feel the gouge was intentional. Nakai went on to fight two more times that night, but retired from MMA competition after the event.
After his MMA career Gordeau has pursued a pro-wrestling career in Japan appearing for New Japan Pro Wrestling, as well as many smaller promotions. He is also the founder and head instructor of Dojo Kamakura in The Hauge, The Netherlands.
Teila Tuli - Born Taylor Wiley, Teila Tuli was one of the first sumo wrestlers to find tournament success in Japan. He won a championship in the makushida division (sumo's third highest) before retiring from the sport. Tuli competed under the name Takamishu out of the Azumazeki stable and was a mentor to legendary sumo wrestler Akebono Taro, helping Akebono adjust to life in Japan as both were from Hawaii. His MMA career only lasted one fight, in which he lost several teeth and his senses while on the receiving end of a Gordeau head kick.
After his fighting career ended Tuli went on to find success as an actor and currently plays the recurring character Kamekona on the Hawaii Five-0 reboot. Tuli is one of only two professional Sumo wrestler to ever appear in the UFC.
Zane Frazier - A WKF kickboxing champion, and fourth degree Karate black belt, Frazier had a reasonably long (considering that many early fighters fought only a small handful of times in their careers) and notably unsuccessful career, amassing a record of 4-11.
Legend has it (and a 1993 issue of Karate International Magazine) that Frazier secured his entry to the UFC by beating up Frank Dux at the Draka Martial Arts Trade Show in at the Century City Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Art Davie was reportedly on hand to witness the scuffle and was so impressed that he asked Frazier to compete at UFC 1.
Kevin Rosier - A former ISKA, WKKC, and WKA kickboxing champion and professional boxer, Rosier is known more for his late career failures than it's early successes. Despite a 2-6 MMA record, and a 7-17 pro boxing record, he claims a 66-8 record as a professional kick boxer, much of which may be attributed to his point Karate fighting days.
Royce Gracie - This was, of course, the first appearance of Royce Gracie to American audiences. As a blue belt Royce moved to California at the age of 17 along with his brothers to help his older brother Rorion run his quickly growing Jiu Jitsu academy. By the age of 18 Royce had earned his black belt, and by the early 90's, Royce, his brothers, and the Gracie Challenge had a growing reputation in California. Despite being the smallest of the Gracie clan, Royce was picked to be the "enforcer" for the first UFC tournament. It was hoped that his diminutive frame would further the schools reputation when he won the event.
However that was only the beginning. Royce would go on to win multiple UFC tournaments and compete for Pride and K-1. He notably failed a post fight screening for steroids following his last fight, a win over Kazushi Sakuraba, and while he has often talked of returning to MMA since, he has remained out of competition.
Art Jimmerson - Somewhat affectionately (or tauntingly, depending on your view) known as "One Glove," Jimmerson was a promising professional boxer when he entered into MMA. As an Amateur he was the national Gold Gloves middleweight champion. The biggest moment of his professional boxing career came in an upset over hometown favorite Lenny Lapaglia. By the time he entered the octagon, Jimmerson was a respectable journeyman with a 29-5 record.
He was brought in by Rorion Gracie to represent boxing's place in martial arts, and to truly validate the skill of Jiu Jitsu fighters. After agreeing to the competition Jimmerson tried to back out of the deal, but when Davies threatened to sue him, he re-entered negotiations. Rumors have been floated that Jimmerson made as much as $20,000 for his single MMA fight.
Jimmerson explained the one glove idea, saying that he knew the dangers of bare knuckle fighting to a boxers hands and wanted to protect his jab hand during the fight. He lasted a full 2 minutes against Royce Gracie in his debut before tapping out. After his foray into mixed martial arts, his career took a turn south. Over the next 8 years he would go 4-13.
Ken Shamrock - When Ken Shamrock entered UFC 1 he already had a history in MMA. In fact he was the only fighter at the event to have recorded professional MMA bouts prior to UFC 1. He played football and wrestled in high school, and would go on to a decent junior college football career, after a wrestling neck injury kept him from offers from larger schools. He played semi-pro football for the Sacramento Bulldogs, but by the time the San Diego Chargers offered him a tryout he was looking to pursue a pro wrestling career. Pro wrestling took him to the tutelage of Buzz Sawyer, but the lure of Japanese mixed martial arts/pro wrestling cross-promotions saw him move to Japan to train with Masakatsu Funaki under Karl Gotch.
The call of pro wrestling and of Japanese promotions has complicated Shamrock's legacy with mixed martial arts and the UFC. As one of the sport's earliest stars he was a UFC Superfight champion, and King of Pancrase, but much of his early success occurred overseas. And his latter day MMA career has been marred by a string of poor performances and a failed drug test for steroids in 2009. After retiring in 2010, Shamrock has recently announced his return to MMA and will face Ian Freeman at UCFC: The Legends, in July.
Patrick Smith - Pat Smith was one of MMA's early striking stars. A Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, Karate, and Tang Soo Do black belt with a kickboxing record of 66-8, he failed to find consistent success in his MMA career. But as time passed (and his level of competition decreased) he has managed to build a reasonable legacy as a journeyman fighter. After a quick exit at UFC 1 he made it to the finals of UFC 2 (a 16-man one night tournament) where he lost to Royce Gracie.
Smith was arrested in 2008, shortly before his Yamma fight, after leading police on a high speed chase. Despite the arrest he still fought for the promotion. His last fight was a decision loss to Kevin Jordan in 2009.
Jason DeLucia - Jason Delcuia was already familiar with the "Gracie Challenge" when he entered UFC 1 as an alternate. He had lost to Royce Gracie just one year prior to UFC 1 at the Gracie Academy in California. Following the loss he entered the tutelage of Ken Shamrock and the Lions Den to expand upon his 5-Animals Kung Fu background. He didn't make it into the UFC 1 tournament, but it was his first foray into professional mixed martial arts.
After competing for the UFC in it's first two events DeLucia would go on to a long and successful career in Pancrase in Japan. There he would gain victories over Matt Hume, Masakatsu Funaki, Ikuhisa Minowa, and Chris Lytle. He eventually retired from competition in 2006
Trent Jenkins - A Karateka, Jenkins competed sporadically in MMA between 1993 and 2000. Prior to his UFC debut he tried to keep his MMA plan a secret, telling his mother, who was planning to go to a family funeral, not to tell anyone. His mother ended up cancelling the trip out of fear that she would need to take him to the hospital after the event. He claims to have been one of the few fighters at the event who was unsurprised when informed that strikers would not be allowed hand wraps, which many felt unfairly swung the rules in Royce's favor.
Talking about his debut he gave the following quote on his expectations of fighting as an alternate, and the expectations the Gracies had for him and DeLucia:
They said, "You know what, you guys might not end up fighting. We might decrease your pay or whatever." The fights might go two hours, might go two minutes. If we went on, it was because someone got hurt or they needed to fill time. I thought we were going to go friendly because DeLucia said, "I’m not going to get my face messed up." I don’t know if it was a mind game on his part. (via Real Fighter Magazine)
Most recently he was reported to be working at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.
That's all there is to tell for the fighters of UFC 1 (or at least it's all that will fit comfortably in one article). Be sure to look out for the next installment UFC 2: Who are all these one-off fighters and why should I care, coming soon.
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Dennis Bermudez On Max Holloway - "In My Head, I Already Beat This Guy"
FightLine.com MMA News - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 16:51
Dennis Bermudez On Max Holloway - "In My Head, I Already Beat This Guy"
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
Alistair Overeem-Travis Browne Set For UFC On FS1 Debut
FightLine.com MMA News - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 16:45
Alistair Overeem-Travis Browne Set For UFC On FS1 Debut
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Silva 2 - Previews, predictions and analysis for the entire card
Bloody Elbow - Wed, 05/22/2013 - 16:35
UFC 160 takes place this Saturday night (May 25, 2013) with a rematch -- this time for the UFC heavyweight championship -- between Cain Velasquez and Antonio Silva atop the card. Bloody Elbow will gradually roll out previews, analysis and predictions for the main pay-per-view card as well as the FX Channel and Facebook preliminaries. The full UFC 160 lineup follows: Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva, Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt, James Te Huna vs. Glover Teixeira, T.J. Grant vs. Gray Maynard, Donald Cerrone vs. KJ Noons, Mike Pyle vs. Rick Story, Dennis Bermudez vs. Max Holloway, Colton Smith vs. Robert Whittaker, Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Abel Trujillo, Nah-Shon Burrell vs. Stephen Thompson, Brian Bowles vs. George Roop, Estevan Payan vs. Jeremy Stephens
UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2 at the MGM Grand Arena will end with the Heavyweight bang, but the pugilistic festivities will begin, as they usually do, with the lighter weights.
Stephen Thompson (6-1) vs. Nah-Shon Burrell (9-2) Welterweight
Not necessarily a lighter weight bout, but we're still a full wine-saturated Peter Dinklage away from the acromegalous heavyweights on the main card on the scales.
Stephen Thompson is a name you may or may not recognize. While he avoided comparisons to another World Combat League turned MMA washout in Raymond Daniels (who seemed to get an unfair shake insofar as unlike James Toney, may have had actual upside if he had been brought along slowly), he still disappeared like Daniels, and hasn't fought in over a year.
Dealing with a knee injury is never an easy thing to recover from, and with Thompson's style, you hope it's not serious. On the other side is Burrell, fresh off a victory at UFC 157; an unusual setting for both fighters since Thompson is coming off a loss. Not much is expect of both men other than fireworks, and we've got good reasons to believe they'll deliver.
The matchup: I expect this fight to be a sort of low-rent version of the Cruikshank/Makdessi bout, but likely a bit busier. Both guys are unorthodox strikers. Thompson loves to fight with his body angled for spinning attacks, which can leave him open, but pays dividends for anyone willing to stand in front of him.
Obviously, Thompson's signature move, just as it was in the WCL, is his instep roundhouse kick, which he knocked out Dan Stittgen with; a nifty kick that looks like a leg kick until it lands on the skull. Burrell would be wise to look out for it.
This doesn't feel like a good matchup for Burrell, who got pasted by Chris Spang, and has a tendency to leave himself wide open. But Burrell is active enough that leaving Thompson without time to set up might be enough. I don't mean "active" as in "hypnotoads his arms like Leonard Garcia". I mean, active as in, has a nice jab, which he uses, and throws efficient leg kicks. He especially does a good job of doubling, sometimes tripling up on the jab, which could end up being a big factor.
As we saw against Spang though, who is similar to Thompson in a lot of ways, his defense isn't great though at least he keeps his hands up (you listening Mr. Rockhold?), and had a good enough chin to deceive Pablo Escobar, I mean, Josh Rosenthal, into thinking both men were still fighting several minutes after Burrell's body had shut down (worst stoppage of 2012?). However, with Thompson's slick style, I'd expect him to win impressively again, though not without incident. This should be fairly competitive.
Prediction: Stephen Thompson by TKO, round 3.
Brian Bowles (10-2) vs. George Roop (13-9-1) Bantamweight
It's been two years since Brian Bowles entered the cage, which is hard to believe when you think about it. Seems like just the other day the ref was pulling him out of the knockout van he stuffed Miguel Torres in to win the coveted WEC gold. His last fight was a fairly dominant performance for Urijah Faber.
On the other end is Roop, a guy who seemed destined to be a ham and egger, but has turned into a quality, scrappy fighter. Still...this matchup feels too much like his bout with Cub Swanson.
For Bowles, the plan is to keep it on the feet, where his brutal power can be the great equalizer. The fact that he has an equally brutal guillotine choke leaves little outs for Roop to win this one.
What impresses me about Roop is that he seems to always improve on something in his game. A lot of "us" thought he'd get tooled by Hioki on the ground, and instead the fight was competitive until the end. On the feet, he continues to use his height to great effect. Against Duran, he seemed to shore up his wrestling deficiency.
However, Reuban Duran, who isn't as skilled a boxer as Bowles, landed with regularity, and seemed like he could have taken the victory in that one if he had just fought smarter which indicates to me that Roop's chin is still like a Waffle House; open 24/7.
Prediction: Brian Bowles by KO, round 2.
Jeremy Stephens (20-9) vs. Estevan Payan (14-3-NC) Featherweight
The man they call 'Lil Heathen' hasn't had a good last two years. He's 0-3 in his last three, and none of his performances have been impressive, especially given the competition in which the bouts favored him to have a chance (all have been strikers).
Perhaps that's why he's making his featherweight debut. Dropping down in weight is rarely the answer, but perhaps Stephens will benefit since the strength advantage may benefit his brawling style.
It'll certainly benefit him here. Payan is a solid fighter, but certainly not a spectacular one, and this just happens to be a terrible matchup. In his last bout against Mike Bravo, he showed a diligent style on the feet, landing numerous leg kicks, and throwing the odd bomb but this is precisely the kind of fight for Stephens, who will be the bigger, stronger, and faster man. Dana seems to like Stephens a lot, if his willingness to escape Alcatraz for him is any indication, so this bout is every bit the softball Dana likely intended.
Prediction: Jeremy Stephens by KO, round 1.
Latest From Our Partners
- MMA Fighters on the Hot Seat (BR)
- 15 Worst Ways to Lose an MMA Fight (BR)
- 20 Fighters UFC Should Build Around (BR)
- Survival Guide for Facing UFC Champions (BR)
- Unknown Legendary MMA Fighters (BR)
- Best Chins by UFC Division (BR)
- 20 Dream Fights to Be Made (BR)
- Latest MMA Rumors (SI)
Categories: StandThemUp.Org MMA Feed
