MMA Notes 2-18-08

TFK · Feb 19, 2008

A UFC 81 event that took place earlier this month and featured Brock Lesnarâ€™s highly marketed UFC debut has registered approximately 650,000 pay-per-view â€œbuys,â€ according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer.

UFC 81 took place Feb. 2 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Although the main event featured Antonio Rodrigo Nogueiraâ€™s victory over Tim Sylvia for the UFCâ€™s interim heavyweight title, Lesnar, a former World Wrestling Entertainment performer who took on Frank Mir, was expected to be the eventâ€™s biggest draw.

Lesnar dominated all but the last few seconds of his fight with former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir and ultimately suffered a submission loss (via kneebar) at 1:30 of the first round.

Just prior to UFC 81, the UFC increased the price of its stand-definition pay-per-view broadcasts from $39.95 to $44.95. Although a small number of additional buys will trickle in (cable systems have a taped version of the broadcast available for purchase), Meltzer reports that the event will be third-highest-grossing event in UFC history â€” behind only December 2006â€™s UFC 66 event (Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz II) and July 2006â€™s UFC 61 event (Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock II).

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) mentioned in a UFC 81 salaries report, despite just one professional MMA fight, Lesnar earned a base salary of $250,000 for the fight. He would have earned an additional $200,000 â€œwin bonusâ€ with a victory. The UFC doesnâ€™t comment on fightersâ€™ salaries, but Lesnarâ€™s deal in undoubtedly one of the most lucrative in the organizationâ€™s history. In addition to his base pay, Lesnar also likely earned a portion of the pay-per-view revenue.
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This weekâ€™s â€œMMA Insiderâ€ column for the Dayton Daily News focused primarily on this past Saturdayâ€™s EliteXC event, but before I jumped into my thoughts on that event, I figured I should give an update on the Keith Jardine vs. Wanderlei Silva rumors that have been discussed here in the MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) comments and also in the numerous emails weâ€™ve received.

While in Miami for the EliteXC show, I made a few calls and ran into some people with some information. While nothing is official, it appears a Jardine vs. Silva fight will not take place next month at UFC 82. â€œNo crap,â€ you say? Well, according to a few reliable sources, it sounds like the UFC actually considered adding the fight to the March 1 event.

A number of you guys noticed TV ads for UFC 82 (especially during last weekâ€™s WEC 32 broadcast on VERSUS) that included clips of Jardine. Itâ€™s still not clear if that was a simple editing mistake or the result of the UFC assuming Jardine vs. Silva would be a late addition to the fight card.
Anyway, there is some good news. While Jardine vs. Silva most likely wonâ€™t happen in March, the fight does sound as though itâ€™s in the works. Mayâ€™s UFC 84 event is a strong possibility. (And if so, kudos to the UFC for delivering yet another solid fight card. UFC 84 is tentatively scheduled to feature B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk, Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva, and possibly Lyoto Machida vs. Tito Ortiz.)

As it stands, Jardine hasnâ€™t fought since his September 2007 split-decision victory over Chuck Liddell, meaning it could be eight months between fights. Silva, meanwhile, hasnâ€™t fought since a December 2007 unanimous-decision loss to Liddell. And while it was Silvaâ€™s third-consecutive loss, Jardineâ€™s stock would rise even higher â€” possibly all the way to No. 1 contender â€” with a victory over the former PRIDE champion.
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The good folks at Showtime have released an interesting bit of video coming out of Saturdayâ€™s EliteXC main event between Kevin â€œKimbo Sliceâ€ Ferguson (2-0) and David â€œTankâ€ Abbott (9-14).

Reminiscent of the ever-popular PRIDE Fighting Championshipsâ€™ ref cams, Showtime has video from a camera won by referee Jorge Ortiz, who officiated Saturdayâ€™s headline fight. Slice, of course, posted a first-round, 43-second knockout victory in the fight.

A full rundown of that fight and the 10 others that were part of the undercard can be found in the MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) â€œEliteXC: Street Certifiedâ€ event recap.

The Slice-Abbott fight capped off Saturdayâ€™s event at the University of Miamiâ€™s sold-out BankUnited Center. A total of 6,187 spectators created a record live gate of more than $500,000, according to EliteXC officials.
Slice dropped Abbott a total of three times in the fight, the final one sending the early UFC fighter face-first into the canvas. The bout was stopped just seconds into the fight when Slice was warned about hitting his opponent in the head, and as you can see from the video, Abbott may have thought the fight was over right then.

Here's the link...

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid271552642/bctid1418509584 </EMBED>

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TFK

TFK · Feb 20, 2008

Denis Kang confirmed in a recent interview with The Fight Network, that Matt Lindland may be on the verge of signing with DREAMS; the new Japanese promotion created from a collaberation with FEG (K-1) and DSE (former PRIDE staff).

â€œI want to win the grand prix,â€ Kang said. â€œNow theyâ€™ve got Akiyama, [Melvin] Manhoef, [Zelg] Galesic, [Kazushi] Sakuraba, Dong Sik Yoon â€¦ and I heard that Matt Lindland is going to be signing with them. There are a lot of good fighters I want to fight right there.â€

Lindland is widely viewed as one of the top [COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif][COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif]middleweights[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] in the world. He fought briefly in the UFC before having a falling out with UFC president Dana White. White briefly entertained bringing a very willing Lindland back to the UFC recently, but apparently thought better of it according to Lindland and made it clear that the fighter would not be welcomed back. Kang will make his debut for Dream in a middleweight grand prix tournament on Tuesday, April 29 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
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Former UFC heavyweight contender, Paul Buentello, appeared on MMAWeekly Radio to issue a challenge to Kimbo Slice. Buentello has repeatedly called out Slice over the past year, even before Slice made the move to MMA.

â€œPeople want to see it," said Buentello to MMAWeekly. "I think everybody wants to see it. Me and Kimbo should lace up the gloves. Everybody wants to see it and I think itâ€™s time. Heâ€™s fighting all the guys Iâ€™ve already knocked out and Iâ€™ve already exposed. He needs to get off that buffet line I put out there and come over to my Paul Buentello taco shop and see if we can get to work.â€

Buentello was also very complementary of Kimbo's ascention from street fighter to MMA contender.

â€œI give him much respect. He stepped up. He went from street fighting to MMA and everybody thought he couldnâ€™t produce, but heâ€™s doing it,â€ said Buentello.
Buentello is slated to appear on the upcoming Stikeforce card on March 29, featuring a highly anticipated match up between Frank Shamrock and Cung Le. He reiterated that he'd love to be next in line for Kimbo after that fight.
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Boy did this story get around fast, the word coming out of the Wanderlei Silva camp is that he is considering dropping down to the UFCâ€™s [COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif][COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif]Middleweight[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] division. Silvaâ€™s trainer, Rafael Alejarra, told GracieMag.com that Silva spent the bulk of the holidays with his family. Alejarra went on to say, â€œwe canâ€™t confirm anything about the next fight, if just because there is the chance Wand will drop down in weight.â€

If Silva remains at Light Heavyweight, then his next opponent will most likely be Keith Jardine but thatâ€™s now becoming a BIG if.

Many experts were surprised at the size advantage that Chuck Liddell had over Silva in their highly anticipated meeting at UFC 79 back in December. Silva could also be feeling the same about that size advantage as well. You certainly canâ€™t doubt Silvaâ€™s heart as heâ€™s one of the most passionate and willing fighters in MMA history, but even he may now realize that a drop down in weight is the only way to extend his career.
Alejarra did warn us that we shouldnâ€™t jump to conclusions though as, â€œnothingâ€™s for sure yet, weâ€™ll wait and seeâ€. It seems like this rumor is starting to pickup some steam and weâ€™ll have to wait and see what happens.
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[COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif][COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif]Hulk [/FONT][COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif]Hogan's[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] nephew David Bollea is scheduled to make his MMA debut on Sunday, March 2 in St. Petersburg, Florida at the St. Petersburg Times Forum. He is scheduled to face Jesse Lawrence.

In a press release regarding his debut, Bollea said, "The Hogan family tradition of undeniable dominance is about to step away from the wrestling ring, and right inside the steel cages of MMA. This is my destiny, and anybody who even dreams they can beat me better wake up and apologize. In my family, either you're the world champion or you're a loser. I guarantee you, brother, 'King' David Bollea ainâ€™t a loser
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The Sun recently spoke with Michael Bisping about his move from Light Heavyweight to [COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif][COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif]Middleweight[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR]. The former Ultimate Fighter Season 3 champion always knew that he was a small Light Heavyweight, but wanted to stay at the weight until he lost. â€œI like fighting the bigger guys and I was beating them, and beating them soundly to be honestâ€, Bisping told The Sun. â€œThe Countâ€ is confident about how well heâ€™ll do in the Middleweight division because now he thinks he has the size advantage over other Middleweights.

Bisping went on to say, â€œI definitely feel Iâ€™m a contender alreadyâ€.
He could be right though, because if Silva can get passed Henderson and thatâ€™s a BIG if, then there isnâ€™t a long list of Middleweights waiting for him. Evan Tanner would be there if he beats Okami, but thatâ€™s basically it. In comes Bisping if he can string together a couple of wins, heâ€™ll most certainly propel himself into the title picture.
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Despite rumors to the contrary, fueled in large part by comments made in a recent interview by former UFC fighter Babalu Sobral (see comments here), Tito Ortiz will face Lyoto Machida at UFC 84.

Sources close to Machida have confirmed that Joe Silva has a contract signed by both fighters and that the fight is a "go" for May 24 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Big thanks to Tagg Radio's The Lights Out Show for breaking the information.

[COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif][COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif]Tito [/FONT][COLOR=#300! important][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif]Ortiz[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] is coming off of a controversial draw against Rashad Evens in which he was deducted a point for holding the fence. The point deduction likely cost him the victory.
Machida last fought at UFC 79; coming away with a huge victory against Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. He is undefeated in twelve professional contests including a notable list of wins over Stephan Bonnar, Rich Franklin, B.J. Penn, Kazuhiro Nakamura.
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TFK

jarhead · Feb 20, 2008

great stuff, TFK. Much appreciated:bears:

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MMA Notes 2-18-08

TFK WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

TFK WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

jarhead Undisputed Champion

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MMA Notes 2-18-08

TFK WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

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jarhead Undisputed Champion

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