MMA FanHouse

Former Mixed Martial Artist David Tyner Arrested in Multiple Homicide

Mike Chiappetta — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:35:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

David Allen Tyner, a 28-year-old former Marine who fought seven times professionally as a mixed martial artist, has surrendered himself to police in Oklahoma City, Okla., in connection with a multiple homicide on Nov. 9.

Oklahoma City police had issued a warrant for his arrest on Monday related to six murder complaints. According to the warrant obtained by FanHouse, fire investigators arrived to the grisly scene on Nov. 9 after being notified of a house fire. Upon arrival, fire personnel quickly encountered one deceased person. Upon extinguishing the fire, the other victims were discovered.

While four bodies were found at the scene, authorities say two of the victims were pregnant. All four victims were shot, and the crime scene had been intentionally set ablaze, authorities determined.

Police believe Tyner did not act alone, and he has not yet been formally charged in the case.

Oklahoma City police master sergeant Gary Knight told Fox News that they have established a relationship between Tyner and at least one of the victims, but had not yet established a motive for the crime. They also told the media that an eyewitness and the sole survivor, Jose Fernando Fierro, had identified Tyner -- known by his nickname "Hooligan" -- as a suspect.

Tyner was a two-time state wrestling champion in high school who later compiled a 6-1 record in mixed martial arts, fighting primarily in regional shows. Tyner's most high-profile match was against former UFC fighter Patrick Smith in 2007. Tyner lost by second-round TKO. According to one report, Tyner had been training to return to action soon.

The case has attracted some national attention because one pregnant victim, 22-year-old Brooke Phillips was a prostitute who appeared on HBO's "Cathouse" series.

According to reports, the other victims were Millie Barrera, 22, Jennifer Lynn Ermey, 25, and Casey M. Barrientos, 32.

Former Mixed Martial Artist David Tyner Arrested in Multiple Homicide originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Manny Tapia, Nam Phan Sign With Tachi Palace Fights

Ray Hui — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:56:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

Former WEC bantamweight title challenger Manny Tapia and recent Sengoku featherweight Nam Phan have signed with Tachi Palace Fights, the promotion has announced.

Tapia (10-3-1) and Phan (15-6) will compete on Feb. 4 at the promotion's Champions Collide card in Lemoore, Calif. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Phan will take on Isaac De Jesus (8-1) of Team Buhawe, while the stand-up fighter Tapia will face an opponent to be determined.

Tapia fought last month for the WEC in a decision loss to Eddie Wineland. The loss was his third straight since falling short against Miguel Torres at WEC 37 in December 2008. Prior to his loss to Torres, Tapia was unbeaten with 10 wins and one draw.

Phan joined Sengoku in 2009, beating former Shooto champion Hideki Kadowaki in May before losing to Sengoku GP runner-up Michihiro Omigawa in May. His deal with Tachi Palace Fights is for three fights.

Manny Tapia, Nam Phan Sign With Tachi Palace Fights originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Bellator Champ Hector Lombard Set for CFC Title Defense on Nov. 20

Ray Hui — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:40:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting, Bellator

Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard, recovering from a concussion that led to the postponement of the entire Oct. 9 Cage Fighting Championship 11 card in Queensland, Australia, will meet UFC veteran Kalib Starnes in the rescheduled date and location of Nov. 20 in Sydney.

It will be Lombard (22-2-1)'s first trip back into the cage since he was crowned the Bellator champion in June by stopping previously undefeated Jared Hess. Video of the fight is above.

Lombard, a Cuban with citizenship in Australia, is a former Olympic judoka and fights out of the American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla. The 31-year-old has spent the majority of his career fighting in Australia and has already competed six times for the Cage Fighting Championship. His two career losses, both decisions, came in 2006 against Akihiro Gono and Gegard Mousasi in PRIDE Bushido events.

Lombard will look to defend his CFC belt for a sixth time when he meets Starnes, a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 3 and a five-time UFC competitor. Starnes holds wins over Chris Leben and Jason MacDonald.

Bellator Champ Hector Lombard Set for CFC Title Defense on Nov. 20 originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Vale Tudo Japan '09 Results: Takanori Gomi, Rumina Sato Victorious

Ray Hui — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:50:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

If Vale Tudo Japan '09 was indeed Takanori Gomi's send-off event from Japan, and while his performance put forth wasn't ideal, the former PRIDE champion can take solace in the fact that he will leave on back-to-back wins.

Gomi defeated King of the Cage lightweight titleholder Tony Hervey Friday in Tokyo in the main event of the rebirth of the venerable Vale Tudo Japan series, which returned after a 10-year absence.

Gomi, who improved to 31-5, was awarded the unanimous decision after five rounds with final scores of 47-45, 46-45, 46-44. Gomi's plan is to continue his fight career in the US after this fight.

Shooto 143-pound champion Takeshi "Lion" Inoue (17-3) beat former champ Alexandre Franca Nogueira (13-6-2) in a non-title affair with punches 2:58 into the fourth round.

Rumina Sato (25-14-2), who competed at the previous four Vale Tudo Japan events, ended a four-fight losing streak by stopping Corey Grant with punches at 3:20 of the opening round. Grant, now 3-1, was replacing Team Quest teammate Joe Warren.

Shooto South America champion Willamy Chiquerim added the Shooto 154-pound title to his waist with a first-round TKO over Kenichiro Togashi. Takashi Nakakura vacated the title in September due to an eye injury suffered against Gomi in May.

Featherweight Tito Jones (7-3) unanimously outpointed Tenkei "Fujimiya" Oda (7-5-2) after three rounds.

The Vale Tudo Japan series were annual events connected to Shooto from 1994 to 1999 and featured early pro fights from Rickson Gracie, Randy Couture and Hayato "Mach" Sakurai.

Results from sportsnavi were used in this report.

Vale Tudo Japan '09 Results: Takanori Gomi, Rumina Sato Victorious originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

MMA One Step From Massachusetts Sanctioning, UFC Event in Boston

Mike Chiappetta — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:14:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

Sanctioned mixed martial arts fights are one short step from becoming legal in Massachusetts after a bill on the sport sailed through the state's House of Representatives in a 144-10 vote Wednesday afternoon.

The state senate passed the bill 34-1 in July, leaving a signature from Gov. Deval Patrick as the only roadblock from passing it in to law. That is expected to be a formality.

The UFC has all but promised to bring an event to the Bay State -- specifically Boston -- shortly after sanctioning; UFC President Dana White lived in the city for much of his youth and has spoken enthusiastically about staging an event there, even mentioning the possibility of using the fabled Fenway Park as a venue.

Massachusetts boasts a thriving MMA scene and is home to fighters including Kenny Florian, Gabriel Gonzaga, and the Lauzon brothers, Joe and Dan. Several promotions run events in the state, but have not been subject to any athletic commission regulation since 2005.

Interestingly, Massachusetts briefly sanctioned MMA in the early 2000s until a reintrepration of laws surrounding combat sports caused the state boxing commission to stop.

According to one local newspaper, the Massachusetts legislation differs from other states due to an amendment that gives cities and towns the authority to vote on whether to allow mixed martial arts events.

MMA One Step From Massachusetts Sanctioning, UFC Event in Boston originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Josh Barnett's License Appeal Delayed Until December

Ray Hui — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:23:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

Josh Barnett is scheduled to present his appeal in front of the California state athletic commission on Dec. 8 to clear his name from a positive drug test earlier this summer.

Barnett, who was the first fighter subjected to a random testing in California, was scheduled to meet with the commission Monday, but the former UFC champ's attorney requested that his hearing be postponed to allow additional time for Barnett to receive unspecified documents related to his results from the World Anti-doping Agency test facility at UCLA in Los Angeles.

Barnett was tested in June and results were revealed late July to be positive for 2a-methyl-5a-androstan-3a-ol-17-one, an anabolic steroid. The commission promptly denied Barnett a license to fight Fedor Emelianenko, which not only led to the cancellation of the Aug. 1 Affliction 3 event, but the demise of Affliction as a fight promoter.

Barnett, who is denying intentionally ingesting any banned substances, awaited the results of his "B" sample, but that also came back positive a week after.

Josh Barnett's License Appeal Delayed Until December originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Trevor Prangley on MFC Release: 'Legally I Did Nothing Wrong'

Ray Hui — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:14:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting, FanHouse Exclusive

Light-heavyweight veteran Trevor Prangley believes he did not breach his contract with the Maximum Fighting Championship that led to his release from the Canadian promotion.

The MFC stated Monday that former UFC and Strikeforce competitor has been stripped of his 205-pound title and waived for accepting two outside fights, violating the exclusivity clause in his contract.

"I will not allow my organization and my title belts to be disrespected this way," MFC president Mark Pavelich said. "Trevor was treated with the utmost respect when he came to fight in the MFC, and in turn for him and his management to treat the MFC this way simply will not be tolerated."

When reached for comment, Prangley (21-5) claims he had informed the promotion of his intentions to fight and that he was allowed to do so because of an earlier contract.

"I really don't have much to say about it other than we tried getting a fight date from MFC and also tried getting permission to fight," Prangley told FanHouse. "This is my job, I have a family to feed and I got a fight assigned from a pre-existing contract so legally I did nothing wrong."

Prangley, who only fought once for the MFC in his championship win in May, says he plans to move on without contesting the MFC's actions.

"I have no hard feeling towards the MFC who like me were just protecting their best interests," Prangley said.

Prangley will fight next at a Shark Fight event in Texas for the local promotion's light heavyweight title.

Trevor Prangley on MFC Release: 'Legally I Did Nothing Wrong' originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Dean Lister to Face Thales Leites in Main Event of MFC 23

Ray Hui — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:57:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

Former UFC middleweight Dean Lister has signed a multi-fight deal with Maximum Fighting Championship and his first opponent for the Canadian promotion will be former UFC title challenger Thales Leites in the main event of MFC 23 on Dec. 4 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Lister (11-6), the 2003 ADCC submission wrestling absolute champion (see above video for his kimura submission over Nate Marquardt), has won eight of his fights by submission. His last five fights were for the UFC, defeating Yuki Sasaki, Jordan Radev and Jeremy Horn and losing to Marquardt and Yushin Okami.

The most recent challenger to Anderson Silva's UFC middleweight belt, Leites (14-3), was cut from the UFC in August following a close loss to Alessio Sakara. Prior to his unsuccessful duel against Silva, Leites recorded five straight Octagon wins from April 2007 through October 2008.

WEC veteran Bryan Baker (10-1) was initially approached to fight Leites but talks apparently fell through.

Dean Lister to Face Thales Leites in Main Event of MFC 23 originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

John Rallo: From Celebrity Bodyguard to MMA Pioneer for Maryland

Lem Satterfield — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting, FanHouse Exclusive

John Rallo pursued MMA's sanctioning in Maryland until he got a submission. That came in May of 2008, when governor, Martin O'Malley, made the state the country's 35th to legalize MMA.

In an exclusive interview with FanHouse, Rallo, owner of three training facilities called Ground Control, discusses what it took for him to get MMA sanctioned, his past as an MMA fighter and celebrity bodyguard for Tommy Lee and others, and "Shogun Fights," Maryland's first ever MMA event this Saturday night at Baltimore's First Mariner Arena.

Check it out below.

More Coverage: Two Fighters Savor MMA Debuts

FanHouse: Can you summarize what it took to gain acceptance for MMA in Maryland?

Rallo: Politics and common sense don't always go together. I waited until I had some friends and family who are in local government now. I waited until my people got in place.

Then I went to the state athletic commission and asked what the process was. I found out what they needed from me to make them feel comfortable that you could regulate this event.
I am fortunate that MMA found me, and I am grateful for the life that it has given me so far.
-- John Rallo
[State commission director] Pat Pannella is the man I met with, and he told me the things that he would like to see in order for them to feel comfortable. I went and got those things together. Then I gathered a lot of experts around town.

Nick Lembo, of the New Jersey State Athletic Commission, this would not have happened without him. He's a wealth of knowledge and the gentleman that wrote the unified rules that the UFC uses. There were so many others -- Ron Dejuliis. Dr. Frank Reid, Ed Hitchcock and Timothy Perry from Gordon Feinblatt, who are lobbyists.

State Senators Joan Carter Conway was the first to jump on the bill, Kirill Reznik, of Montgomery County, sponsored the bill on the delegate side. Both bills passed overwhelmingly.

Others who helped me were delegate Nathaniel Oakes, ringside physician, Mike Kelly, of New Jersey. My business attorney, Ira Rainess, and Bruce Spizler, with the state commission.

Marc Ratner of regulatory affairs and attorney Michael Mersh came in to testify for me. I was given a platform to educate people by Mickey Cucchiella and Ed Norris.

FH: Any advice for someone looking to do in their state what you've done in Maryland?

Rallo: My advice is to anybody out there trying to get this legalized is to educate your politicians before you go in front of them and speak. What I did was that we had a study here from Johns Hopkins which showed the safety of mixed martial arts versus boxing and football and other contact sports, so you can't argue with the facts, which were coming from one of the best hospitals in the world.

Dr. Ed Hsu was one of the doctors was on that study. I put the facts into their hands, and answered questions on a personal basis. So when I came to testify, I didn't have a lot of opposition.

FH: What is your athletic background?

Rallo: I played football and baseball and I wrestled. I made All-Metro in football during my junior and senior year, and I was an honorable-mention in baseball as a junior. I played amateur baseball for The Yankee Rebels, which finished second in the country.

In wrestling, I was third in a tournament with no practice, pinning the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in the tournament.

I graduated from McDonogh School in 1986, and attended Widener University before transferring to Towson State. I never finished college, but I went into business for myself as a teenager.

FH: When and where did you first begin competing in mixed martial arts?

Rallo: That started in 1998. My first tournament ever, I had 16 guys in my weight class. I entered with no formal training and won the division despite having to wear a gi. I met my first teacher, Mark Finley, there.

FH: What other occupations have you had?

Rallo: I was a former bodyguard for people like Tommy Lee, Pam Anderson, Sylvester Stallone and Dave Navarro.

I worked the most for Tommy Lee. I've worked for Pam a few times, I've worked for Stallone. Navarro I was on tour with, so I've worked for him a few times. Everybody's different. But all of them were really cool.

I've got pictures of me and Tommy and Pam, and me and Stallone.

FH: Any interesting stories about any of the stars you worked for?

Rallo: Tommy's awesome. I've worked with him for extended periods and months at a time. The guy is super cool, very nice guy, and like a big kid.

Here's a good one, my baptism into the system. My first thing I did for him was a New Year's Eve weekend. I get there, we do rehearsals, New Year's Day comes, and we go downtown to Old Las Vegas, and they perform live.

We're on Carson Daly's New Year's show. And my mom calls me and says, "I just saw you on TV." We get done there, and we go to a concert down there for Direct TV's music channel.

They get done doing the concert there, and we drive from there back to the Hard Rock, where they're the count-down band for New Year's Eve at The Hard Rock. So they play at the Hard Rock, and Tommy goes up straight to his room and has his entire DJ equipment set up in his suite.

Now he's been going all day, and this is the third performance now. He's upstairs in his room until six in the morning DJing with people. Before we came, we told hotel security, 'This is what's happening, and if you don't like it, we're staying someplace else.' And they said, 'Nah, it's New Year's Eve, you guys do what you want.'

The Hard Rock comped, like 150 rooms that night for noise complaints to accommodate Tommy's party. They didn't come and say nothing to us. Their security were like the door men for Tommy's party. We would tell them who could come in and who couldn't, and they would watch the door for us.

FH: Good money, bodyguarding?

Rallo: I could be out doing that full-time, but I've turned tours down because I'm trying to grow the school and because of this show. I'm missing opportunities to see the world and to make good money because the pay is good.

The last two summers, the two of the largest grossing tours were Motley Crue-Fests. I turned both tours down because I was too busy. This year, it was Godsmack, Motley Crue, Theory Of A Deadman and Hinder.

Last summer, it was Papa Roach, Buckcherry and Motley Crue. Any time you're on tour, it's a networking opportunity, besides the fact that you're getting paid. You're meeting other celebrities, and if they like you, they call you for things.

That's a sacrifice that I've made to do what I love, which is this sport. The bigger picture is to bring mixed martial arts to Baltimore.

FH: What are your personal accomplishments in MMA?

Rallo: I was 6-0 as a pro. I was third in the Abu Dhabi trials. I won numerous grappling titles in many grappling associations, including NAGA and Grapplers Quest. I was able to coached several champions in grappling.

One of the amateurs that I coached is Ryan Mackin, who was a Combat in the Cage 145-pound champ. Dave Daniecki was a Combat in the Cage 185-pound champ. And in professional MMA, Binky Jones was a Ring of Combat champion.

All three of them will be fighting on Saturday night.

FH: What is the itinerary for Saturday night?

Rallo: The doors open to the public at 6 p.m., and there will be some cars set up on the arena floor all evening for appearance only. One of the sponsors -- No Limit Inc. -- customized these vehicles.

There's a VIP dinner catered by Ruth's Chris Steak House, and an open bar and buffet style dinner from 5-7. Fights start at 7, and should go until 10.

Immediately following the show is the official after party at Sonar, with free admission given to those holding a Shogun Fights ticket.

FH: Any qualms about hosting this on the same night as UFC 104?

Rallo: Well I did this because it's the bye week for the Ravens, and I have season tickets.

UFC 104 will be on the TV's at the after party at Sonar. One room -- which holds about 400 people -- will be dedicated to the fights. There will be no music played on because the fights will be turned up.

The other room will have a DJ, dancing. That room holds over 1000. Fights will be on these televisions, also, but music will be playing.

FH: Will any of the sport's celebrities be on hand at the event?

Rallo: Renzo Gracie and Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, who just fought for WEC 155-pound title.

There's Leonard Garcia, a top contender in WEC at 145. And there's UFC veteran Kurt Pellegrino, who will be fighting Frankie Edgar for the right to fight B.J. Penn.

Nick Lembo and Renzo, I want to give them awards and present them with something for their service.

FH: What are your hopes for this inaugural show?

Rallo: We have already accomplished the goals that the arena set for us financially and attendance-wise. My wish is for the fights to be exciting and for the fans to have a great experience.

I'm donating about 130 tickets to state wrestling programs and the wrestling community. We've got a bunch of college wrestlers and stuff like that, kids who weren't going to be able to come that will be there.

I'm hoping that some of these guys who don't have a career after college or after high school wrestling, maybe they'll become fans or maybe they'll come to Ground Control and want to compete.

I'm partial to the wrestlers because they come already wanting to train hard and not being shy from contact. That's why Brock Lesnar is able to compete at the level he's at, because he can kind of dictate where the fight's being fought.

The atmosphere, the appearance of the arena, the color guard, my ring card girls. The VIP party is catered by a top-notch restaurant like Ruth's Chris Steak House. I want this to be an event -- not just another fight.

FH: What is it about this sport that drives you?

Rallo: It is the greatest sport in the world, with the best conditioned athletes in the world. World and Olympic Champions from multiple disciplines compete in this sport. This sport taught me a lot about life and business.

It taught me about being in shape and not just looking in shape. It taught me about discipline and humility. I am fortunate that MMA found me, and I am grateful for the life that it has given me so far.

It is not often that you get to make a living doing something that you enjoy, and I am blessed that I am able to do that. God-willing, I will be able to keep it up for many years.

John Rallo: From Celebrity Bodyguard to MMA Pioneer for Maryland originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Andrei Arlovski Trains with Greg Jackson

Ray Hui — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:59:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski has begun training with renowned coach Greg Jackson at his academy in New Mexico as Arlovski looks to end a streak of back-to-back high-profile losses.

Arlovski of Chicago, Ill. flew out Friday to Albuquerque where he's been working out in the gym with UFC competitors the likes of Rashad Evans, Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida.

Arlovski won't be switching teams, as his week-long trip is simply for a change of pace to train with different talented partners and one of the most respected trainers in MMA.

In the video above shot with his manager Leo Khorlinsky, Arlovski works pads and footwork with Jackson and spars with Stevenson. Later in the hotel, Arlovski, laying on his hotel bed with ice packs on his foot and knee, reveals he tweaked his knee when he failed to tap against submission specialist Stevenson.

The 30-year-old free agent is coming off losses to Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers and is expected to return sometime in December or early 2010.

Andrei Arlovski Trains with Greg Jackson originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Brett Cooper Scores Buzzer-Beating KO At Jungle Fight 15

Ray Hui — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting, MMA Videos

California welterweight Brett Cooper stepped in on late notice in place of his trainer Antonio McKee and knocked out Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion Sergio Moraes at the buzzer in the main event of Jungle Fight 15 on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Moraes dominated the first round with a takedown and control of Cooper on the ground with attempts at a rear-naked choke and an armbar. But Cooper (10-5) in the second was able to keep the majority of the fight standing and finally made Moraes pay for keeping his hands low, digging a right uppercut for the knockout at exactly the end of round two.

Moraes was previously unbeaten in five fights and was victorious in June by triangle choke at a Bellator event in Hollywood, Fla. His biggest win, though, came in grappling when he pulled the upset over Kron Gracie at the 2008 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships.

The win was much-needed for Cooper, who was coming off a surprising TKO loss to Waachim Spiritwolf at Ultimate Chaos in June, which ended a six-fight win streak that included stops with Shooto, the IFL and Affliction.

Brett Cooper Scores Buzzer-Beating KO At Jungle Fight 15 originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

UFC Veteran Jordan Radev Knocks Out Alexander Shlemenko

Ray Hui — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting, MMA Videos

Former UFC middleweight and Olympic wrestler Jordan Radev knocked out highly regarded Russian Alexander "Storm" Shlemenko Saturday at Fight Festival 26 in Helsinki, Finland.

With less than 30 seconds left in the round, Radev counters with a left hook that flattens Shlemenko out cold on the mat. Video of the fight is above.

Radev improved his record to 21-4 and handed Shlemenko, now 24-4, his first loss in over three years.

Radev is a perfect example of a fighter who has been successful everywhere except for the UFC. Radev began his career in 2002 and recorded an 11-1 record fighting for events in Holland and Poland to earn himself a shot in 2007 with the UFC. However, Radev was quickly sent packing after losing both his fights in the Octagon to Dean Lister and Drew McFedries. In 2008, he returned to Europe and has since won 10 out of 11 fights.

Shlemenko is perhaps best known to North American audiences for two flashy knockouts (spinning backfist, head kick) at BodogFight events and an incredible flying knee TKO to win right at the sound of the first-round bell at an EliteXC card on Showtime.

In the main event of Fight Festival 26, The Ultimate Fighter 5 lightweight Brian Geraghty dropped a unanimous decision to Niko Puhakka.

UFC Veteran Jordan Radev Knocks Out Alexander Shlemenko originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Josh Burkman Set to Return on Nov. 20

Ray Hui — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

Former UFC welterweight Josh Burkman will fight for the first time in nearly 13 months when he headlines a local "Throwdown Showdown" card on Nov. 20 in Orem, Utah.

FanHouse confirmed with the promoter earlier this week that Burkman (18-8) has signed to face another former UFC competitor, The Ultimate Fighter 5's Brandon Melendez (22-14) in a catchweight bout at 180 pounds.

Beginning as a cast member on The Ultimate Fighter 2, Burkman went on to compete at 10 straight UFC events from November 2005 until October 2008, when he left on three straight losses to Mike Swick, Dustin Hazelett and Pete Sell. Despite the losing streak, Burkman maintains a .500 record inside the Octagon.

After the release, Burkman, 29, was intent on taking at least a year off to rehabilitate a back and neck injury that had played a part in his loss to Sell.

Burkman now trains at the Throwdown Elite Training Center in Utah and is hoping for a return to the UFC Octagon with a win over Melendez.

Josh Burkman Set to Return on Nov. 20 originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Bernard Hopkins Takes Shot at MMA

Ariel Helwani — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

Stop me if you've heard this one before: a legendary figure from the boxing world has decided to take a couple of shots at MMA. This time its Bernard Hopkins who has decided to join the MMA bashing party.

Speaking to BoxingScene.com, "The Executioner" took a page out of Bob Arum's handbook, comparing MMA to "entertainment porno."

"Everybody is different but I don't want to watch two grown men wrestling with panties on. I'm from the hood, we don't play that. To me, I'm not buying a ticket to watch two grown men with panties on, sweating, with nuts in their face. That's not me. To compare that to boxing is ludicrous. It's a porno - it's an entertainment porno. I'm not wrestling a guy with panties on and his nuts in my face."

Hopkins, who will be making his long-awaited return to the ring in December against Enrique Ornelas, has spoken pretty favorably about MMA in the past, so I'm not sure why he feels the need to put the sport down now. My only guess would be -- and this comes to mind any time someone from the boxing world decides to trash MMA -- is that, for one reason or another, he feels threatened by the sport. Remember, Hopkins now works as a promoter for Golden Boy, so much like the Arums of the world, he has a vested in the business of combat sports.

The boxing community can boast all they want about Floyd Mayweather's recent pay-per-view out-drawing UFC 103, but the fact of the matter is that boxing only puts out two or three mega-fights a year on pay-per-view, while the UFC produces closer to seven or eight major shows. The real shocker would have been if the rather weak UFC 103 card would have sold more pay-per-views than Mayweather's return to boxing, not vice versa.

But instead of spending his time insulting MMA and its fans, maybe Hopkins should ask himself why he is fighting a relatively unknown fighter with a 29-5 record before facing 40-year-old Roy Jones Jr. in a rematch few in the boxing world seem to care about. For someone who likes to comment on what constitutes as entertainment, he doesn't appear to know how to produce it any more.

Bernard Hopkins Takes Shot at MMA originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Rolles Gracie Jr. Eyes Fight in US Next

Ariel Helwani — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Rolles Gracie Jr. is the largest member of the Gracie family to ever compete in MMA. Thus far, the 31-year-old has recorded three victories in his first three professional fights, including a recent win over Peter Graham at Art of War 14 in China last month.

But Gracie is now a free agent, and after making his MMA debut Stateside in September 2007, he's looking to fight once again in the U.S. On a recent edition of The MMA Hour, Gracie said he has been in dialogue with all the major promotions, but is in no hurry to sign a long-term deal.

"We've already been flirting with them for a minute. So let's see what happens. Right now, I'm at the point of my career where I'm not in a rush. I'm not the kind of fighter that wants to fight 10 times in a year," he said.

"I want to fight three, four times the most in a year, and I know it's just a matter of time for me to be in a big organization here."

Gracie, a silver medalist in the over 99 kg division at the 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club World Championship, believes he will be fighting full-time in America "early next year." He seems open to competing for any organization, but doesn't hide the fact that he would love to someday fight in the UFC.

"I want to fight wherever they treat me good. That's my priority," he said.

"Obviously, UFC is the biggest one right now, so you always aim for the biggest show."

Prior to his recent Art of War bout, Gracie was offered a fight against fellow MMA newcomer, Bobby Lashley, for later this year. However, he said that both sides couldn't come to a financial agreement.

"I was really looking forward to this fight," he said.

"I still see Bobby Lashley as a very dangerous opponent. A guy that big, that fast with the wrestling background, he's got to be. You can not underestimate a guy like that."

Gracie, who splits his training time with the Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Holmdel, N.J. and Greg Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M., said he would love to someday fight Lashley, but isn't in discussions anymore to face the former WWE star soon.

He's sort of gentle giant who does not like to talk trash about anyone but did not hold back when discussing the feud between Frank Shamrock and his uncle, Renzo Gracie.

"I want to see Frank Shamrock get his ass kicked again," he said.

"I don't like disrespectful people. I don't like the crap that he said. I don't admire the guy. Not even a tiny bit."

The Gracie-Shamrock feud, which ended inconsluviely in February 2007 when Gracie defeated "The Legend" via disqualification on the first EliteXC card, won't be settled in the future, but Gracie confirmed that his uncle is training hard for an upcoming fight. He stopped short at saying when or where it would take place, though.

"He's training already. He lost some weight, getting leaner. He's excited, man, and like he said, he's going to fight until he's crapping in his pants."

Check out the full Gracie interview on The MMA Hour here.

Rolles Gracie Jr. Eyes Fight in US Next originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Shawn Tompkins Resigns from Xtreme Couture, Joins TapouT Training Center

Ray Hui — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

Acclaimed kickboxing trainer Shawn Tompkins resigned Monday as head trainer of the Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas and will move to the recently opened TapouT Research and Development Training Center, just under two miles away.

"The [Xtreme Couture] gym and the direction it's going and the direction I want to go are two different things," Tompkins said Tuesday to Fighters Only in the video above. "A few years back I set up goals for myself and I'm at a point right now where I want to follow through with those goals."

Tompkins points to his desire to bring back the Team Tompkins brand that had been deemphasized when he joined Xtreme Couture in August 2007.

"I really want to bring back the Team Tompkins ideals and the way we had our systems put together," Tompkins said. "A big part of what my training system was based on was the Bas Rutten mixed martial arts systems and everything he kind of guided me through in my career as a coach and working with great fighters.

"There's a lot of great options and opportunities that I'm going to have with this and the Team Tompkins name allows me to really be proud of it and make it mine."

The bigger story out of the Tompkins move could be which fighters new and old that will be following him. Vitor Belfort began training at Xtreme Couture last year and his camps have been headed by Tompkins. Also, Sherdog reported last month that Yoshihiro Akiyama is planning on coming to Vegas to train with Tompkins and Xtreme Couture.

Chris Horodecki, Sam Stout and Mark Hominick are three fighters especially close and have longtime ties to Tompkins that represent or had represented Xtreme Couture. The three founded the Adrenaline Training Center a year ago in London, Ontario, Canada as a "continuation of the world famous Team Tompkins originated by head trainer and founder Shawn Tompkins," the gym's official website states.

Tompkins said what stood out with the TapouT Training Center was the family-oriented atmosphere that was geared more towards learning, having fun and getting in shape rather than just a fighter's gym.

"We're going to blend our ideals on training fighters and working on future prospects together and build a great team," Tompkins said. "I'm very excited about it."

Shawn Tompkins Resigns from Xtreme Couture, Joins TapouT Training Center originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Junie Browning Apologizes, Promises to Improve Himself

Ray Hui — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:35:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

Former UFC lightweight Junie Browning spoke publicly for the first time Tuesday, exactly one week after he reportedly consumed 16 pills of the anti-anxiety medication Klonopin in an attempt to overdose and allegedly assaulting three nurses when treated at the St. Rose Dominican Hospital in Henderson, Nev.

Browning spoke to the media at former Xtreme Couture trainer Shawn Tompkins' house to issue an apology to the nurses, his supporters and Tompkins, who drove Browning to the hospital and had taken the fighter under his wings.

"I'm going to continue working on the problems I have, but again I want to apologize to everyone that was involved," Browning told Raw Vegas in the video above. "It was a horrible thing that happened."

Browning was promptly released from his UFC contract the following day of the incident, which included an arrest for the hospital assault. Tompkins has said in interviews that Browning's fight career is most likely over, but Browning admits that fighting is the least of his worries for now.

"At this point I'm not just concerned with making myself a better fighter," Browning said. "I mean, that's the obvious. I have a lot more issues than that. I'm also trying to improve myself as a person. If I have to get help -- I'm going to do whatever I have to do to better myself as a person."

Junie Browning Apologizes, Promises to Improve Himself originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Takanori Gomi to Face King of the Cage Champ at Vale Tudo Japan 2009

Ray Hui — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:15:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

In what could be his last fight in Japan for the near future, former PRIDE lightweight champion Takanori Gomi has been booked to take on King of the Cage lightweight titleholder Tony Hervey at Vale Tudo Japan 2009 on Oct. 30 at the JCB Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Hervey (11-5) fights out of the Mash Gym in Redford, Mich. and is coming off a King of the Cage title win against Victor "Joe Boxer" Valenzuela in August and a 12-second knockout over UFC veteran Alberto Crane in June. Hervey is an aggressive fighter and all his wins have ended by either TKO or submission.

Gomi (30-5) ended a two-fight slide in May when he showed signs of his old self by knocking out Takashi Nakakura in his return to Shooto. Gomi prior had suffered disappointing losses to Sergey Golyaev by split decision and Satoru Kitaoka by ankle lock. After this fight, Gomi plans on crossing over to the US to continue his fight career.

The 2009 installment of Vale Tudo Japan is the return of the series after a 10-year absence. The series were annual events connected to Shooto from 1994 to 1999 and featured early pro fights from RIckson Gracie, Randy Couture and Hayato "Mach" Sakurai.

Fight Card:

Takanori Gomi vs. Tony Hervey
Takeshi "Lion" Inoue vs. Alexandre Franca Nogueira
Tenkei Fujimiya vs. Tito Jones
Willamy Chiquerim vs. Kenichiro Togashi
Mamoru Yamaguchi vs. Jesse Taitano
Rumina Sato vs. TBA

Takanori Gomi to Face King of the Cage Champ at Vale Tudo Japan 2009 originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Weekend Results: Carlos Newton Misses Weight, Outpoints Shonie Carter

Ray Hui — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

Former UFC welterweight champion Carlos Newton was victorious Saturday against fellow MMA veteran Shonie Carter at Warrior-1 in Quebec, Canada.

Newton won on the scorecards 29-28 for all three rounds, though the fight was originally scheduled as a five-round championship affair.

Newton improved to 2-0 this year for the Warrior-1 promotion but his win Saturday was tainted by weight issues. Newton missed weight for the 170 pound limit and failed to make weight again for the agreed upon catchweight of 175 pounds.

Bellator Champ Wins at Tachi Palace Fights

Bellator featherweight champion Joe Soto took a fight while Bellator season two remains on hiatus and submitted his opponent Mike Christensen with a gogoplata at the inaugural Tachi Palace Fights last Thursday.

On the same card, War Machine, formerly Jon Koppenhaver, suffered his first since exiting the UFC, losing a split decision to the undefeated David Mitchell. This was after he told FanHouse that he knew little about Mitchell because he "sucks." Video of round one is above and rounds two and three are here.

Palaszewski, Curran Earn Wins at XFO 32

WEC lightweight Bart Palaszewski picked up his first win of 2009 with a second-round TKO over Tyler Combs at XFO 32 in New Munster, Wis. Palaszewski lost both his WEC fights earlier this year to Anthony Njokuani and Ricardo Lama.

Meanwhile, Pat Curran, the cousin of WEC bantamweight and XFO promoter Jeff Curran, improved to 8-1 with a guillotine choke in under a minute against Jay Ellis.

Yves Edwards Goes Two-for-Two

UFC veteran Yves Edwards notched his second victory in just over a month by stopping Kyle Jensen at Raging Wolf "Mayhem in the Mist" in Niagara Falls, New York, handing the one-time WEC fighter his first loss in his last eleven fights.

For results of WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson, click here.

Weekend Results: Carlos Newton Misses Weight, Outpoints Shonie Carter originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Alistair Overeem to Fight Tony Sylvester at 'Ultimate Glory' on Oct. 17

Ray Hui — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:43:00 EST

Filed under: Fighting

Alistair Overeem's opponent for the 10th anniversary Glory card, "Ultimate Glory" on Oct. 17, will be Tony Sylvester and not Sam Hoger as rumored, promoters have announced.

The Strikeforce heavyweight champ Overeem will be fighting MMA for the first time in 2009, a year in which he has dedicated himself more towards K-1 kickboxing than MMA. He's been 1-1 against K-1 GP winners this year and he'll be aiming for the grand prize in December at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final.

Overeem's participation on the Golden Glory card has long been known and he's one of 13 Golden Glory fighters on the card. His teammates out of the Netherlands-based camp competing on the reunion card include Semmy Schilt, Siyar Bahadurzada, Dion Staring, Ruslan Karaev, Valentijin Overeem and Stefan Leko.

Overeem (29-11 MMA) is also expected to fight eight days later on the DREAM.12 card in Osaka, Japan. No opponent has been announced but Overeem has been included in all promotional materials thus far.

Overeem won the Strikeforce belt in November 2007 but has yet to defend the belt. He went 3-0 and one contest in 2008 for DREAM and Glory events.

Sylvester (11-2) has won eight of his last nine, with the one recent loss to UFC 102's Chris Tuchscherer at the notorious YAMMA Pit Fighting card in April 2008.

Alistair Overeem to Fight Tony Sylvester at 'Ultimate Glory' on Oct. 17 originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments