Latest Fanhouse Exclusive Stories
Posted: Nov 20th 2009 1:03 PM ET by Ariel Helwani (RSS feed)
Filed Under: MMA Videos, UFC, FanHouse Exclusive
LAS VEGAS --
Fabricio Camoes has long been considered one of the best kept secrets in mixed martial arts, but come Saturday night, that all might change. The former middleweight Brazilian fighter who now competes as a lightweight will face veteran
Caol Uno in his Octagon debut at
UFC 106.
When FanHouse spoke to Camoes, who's nicknamed "Morango," which means strawberry in Portuguese, due to his love of strawberry yogurt, at the Wand Fight Team Gym in Las Vegas on Tuesday, he said that while Uno already had a run in the UFC, his time is now. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Royler Gracie and Vini Aieta also talked about what it means to finally get a shot in the UFC after competing in the sport for nine years. The video interview is below.
Posted: Nov 20th 2009 9:00 AM ET by Ariel Helwani (RSS feed)
Filed Under: MMA Videos, UFC, FanHouse Exclusive
LAS VEGAS --
Kendall Grove says that one of the main reasons he lost to Ricardo Almeida at UFC 101 in August was because he respected the veteran too much. And while he believes his opponent at
UFC 106,
Jake Rosholt, presents a great challenge, he won't make the same mistake twice.
FanHouse spoke to Grove about getting his career back on track, being a new father, and how he spends the days before a fight in a constant state of hunger. The full video interview is below.
Posted: Nov 19th 2009 7:15 PM ET by Ariel Helwani (RSS feed)
Filed Under: MMA Videos, UFC, FanHouse Exclusive
LAS VEGAS --
Josh Koscheck's nickname is "Kos," but he could also go with "Mr. Dependable" as it seems like the American Kickboxing Academy product is always ready to fight for the UFC on short notice if need be. And after defeating Frank Trigg at UFC 103 in September, Koscheck will return to action this Saturday night against
Anthony Johnson at
UFC 106.
FanHouse spoke to the 31-year-old, who will be competing for the seventh time since March 2008, about taking this fight on short notice and Johnson's inability to make weight at UFC 104. The video interview is below.
Posted: Nov 19th 2009 2:18 PM ET by Mike Chiappetta (RSS feed)
Filed Under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive
In 2007, Jake Rosholt entered the world of MMA as a bona fide blue-chip recruit. A four-time collegiate wrestling All-American and three-time NCAA champion, Rosholt was signed by a major promotion (the WEC) just over a year after his debut, and joined the UFC in February.
After dropping a submission loss in his UFC debut, he rebounded impressively with a submission of his own over gritty veteran Chris Leben in his most recent matchup. That victory propelled him to the opportunity to fight Kendall Grove at Saturday night's UFC 106.
Rosholt recently took a few moments from his pre-fight preparation to discuss his fight with Grove, suffering growing pains in front of a worldwide audience, his thoughts on the Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin main event, and more.
Posted: Nov 19th 2009 12:21 PM ET by Ariel Helwani (RSS feed)
Filed Under: MMA Videos, UFC, FanHouse Exclusive
LAS VEGAS -- When
Anthony Johnson met with the media on Wednesday, he told them right away that he currently weighed 180 pounds and would have no problems making the 171-pound weight limit on Friday prior to his
UFC 106 fight against
Josh Koscheck.
And when FanHouse spoke to "Rumble," we asked the same question one more time for good measure. Guess what? He sounded very confident (once again) that there will be no replay of his weight cutting issues at UFC 104. Johnson also talked about getting a shot to fight in Saturday's co-main event, the time he spent training with Koshceck in the past, and looking to prove that he is a force to be reckoned in the UFC's crowded welterweight division. The video interview is below.
Posted: Nov 19th 2009 10:46 AM ET by Mike Chiappetta (RSS feed)
Filed Under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive
With heavyweight kingpin Brock Lesnar on the shelf for the forseeable future, the UFC is likely moving towards an interim heavyweight title future, but who exactly that future involves is anyone's guess.
FanHouse spoke to several sources in the last 48 hours, and it seems that the organization is no closer to having any type of clarity in the title picture as they continue to deal with illnesses, injuries and other issues that have suddenly crept into scheduling.
According to two sources close to the situation, the UFC's preference is an interim title bout between Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez to be held at UFC 110 on Feb. 21 in Sydney, Australia. But the UFC will have to wade through several difficulties in putting together such a matchup, which seems increasingly less likely to happen.
Posted: Nov 19th 2009 7:25 AM ET by Ariel Helwani (RSS feed)
Filed Under: MMA Videos, UFC, FanHouse Exclusive
LAS VEGAS -- Come Saturday night,
Forrest Griffin will have an opportunity to answer a lot of questions: can he rebound mentally and physically from his recent loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 101? Is he still a major player in the UFC's light heavyweight division? And three and a half years later, can he prove that he deserved to be declared the winner when he fought
Tito Ortiz in their first meeting in April 2006.
FanHouse spoke to Griffin at Wednesday's
UFC 106 media workouts about all these questions and more. The video interview is below.
Posted: Nov 19th 2009 12:26 AM ET by Ariel Helwani (RSS feed)
Filed Under: MMA Videos, UFC, FanHouse Exclusive
LAS VEGAS -- Eighteen months after he last competed in a professional MMA match and following extensive back surgery,
Tito Ortiz will finally return to the Octagon this Saturday night at
UFC 106 against
Forrest Griffin. "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" defeated Griffin via split decision in April 2006, but when he spoke to FanHouse at Wednesday's media workout, Ortiz said he will look to win decisively in his UFC return on Saturday.
Ortiz also talked about squashing his beef with the organization, being listed as an underdog in this upcoming fight, and making one final run at the light heavyweight title. The video interview is below.
Posted: Nov 18th 2009 11:30 AM ET by Ariel Helwani (RSS feed)
Filed Under: MMA Videos, Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive, Heavyweights
LAS VEGAS -- The long-rumored Strikeforce bout between
Mike Whitehead and "King"
Muhammed Lawal has yet to be made official, but all signs are pointing to it happening on the Dec. 19 card. In fact, Lawal has already begun trash-talking, as he recently compared Whitehead to a
pimple.
FanHouse spoke to Whitehead at the Wand Fight Team Gym in Las Vegas on Tuesday about the potential match-up, why it will be contested at heavyweight, and his thoughts on Lawal's eccentric persona. The video interview is below.
Posted: Nov 18th 2009 7:47 AM ET by Ariel Helwani (RSS feed)
Filed Under: MMA Videos, Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive
LAS VEGAS --
Kim Couture says that if you are expecting to see the same kind of fighter who fought Lina Kvokov in November 2008 in her Strikeforce Challengers fight against
Kerry Vera on Friday night, you're in for a big surprise.
FanHouse spoke to Couture, the ex-wife of UFC legend Randy Couture, on Monday night before she left to Kansas City, Mo. She talked about proving her doubters wrong, her difficult year outside the gym, the proximity of this fight to the UFC 105 version of Couture vs. Vera, and her recent appearance on a TNA Wrestling show. The video interview is below.
