Takashi Sugiura is about to lose badly
By Zach Arnold | September 3, 2008
NOAH pro-wrestler Takashi Sugiura has been booked against Xande Ribeiro on September 28th for Sengoku’s Tokyo event at Yoyogi National Stadium Gym I. The bout will take place at 205 pounds.
Sengoku 9/28 Tokyo card line-up:
- Middleweight GP series; Logan Clark vs. Jorge Santiago (ATT)
- Middleweight GP series: Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Paul Cahoon (Golden Glory UK)
- Middleweight GP Series: Yuki Kondo vs. Yuki Sasaki
- Middleweight GP series: Evangelista Cyborg vs. Siyar Bahadurzada
- Lightweights: Ryan Schultz vs. Jorge Masvidal
Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, Sengoku, Zach Arnold | 8 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Quote of the Day – Dave Meltzer
By Zach Arnold | September 3, 2008
From the latest edition of The Wrestling Observer:
It is very possible, and possibly even likely, that in the not too distant future, Elite, Affliction and DREAM will be gone, and UFC will be able to pick up any top fighter they want, and to do so without changing their current pay scale.
Topics: Affliction, DREAM, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
About the EXC show in South Florida…
By Zach Arnold | September 3, 2008
The Miami Hurricanes play Florida State at Dolphins Stadium that same night.
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
DREAM 9/23 Saitama Super Arena card line-up
By Zach Arnold | September 3, 2008
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Alistair Overeem
Sergey Kharitonov vs. Mighty Mo
Yoon Dong-Sik vs. Andrews Nakahara
Ronaldo Jacare Souza vs. Zelg Galesic
Melvin Manhoef vs. Gegard Mousasi
Hideo Tokoro vs. Atsushi Yamamoto
I made the mistake in the past of saying this show would take place at Yokohama Arena. I’m starting to think the promoters wish it was happening there, too, instead of SSA. đ
Topics: DREAM, Japan, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 8 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Affliction signs long-term deal with HDNet Fights
By Zach Arnold | September 3, 2008
Partnership solidifies HDNet as THE Home for Mixed Martial Arts on television
DALLAS (September 3, 2008) – HDNet Fights today announced a long-term partnership with Affliction Entertainment to air live MMA events exclusively in North America on HDNet. These live events, featuring the top Mixed Martial Arts fighters from around the world, will be broadcast on HDNet as a lead-in to Affliction’s Pay Per View Events.
“This is the beginning of a long-term partnership with Affliction that encompasses live MMA, co-marketing and top fighters for the top weekly show in MMA – Inside MMA on HDNet,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “Affliction has quickly become one of the top organizations in MMA which means it is a must have for HDNet.”
As part of the agreement, HDNet will feature the first ninety minutes of live bouts that are part of each Affliction MMA event. Affliction joins the deep HDNet Fights lineup, which already features more LIVE events than any other network on television today.
HDNet will kick off the coverage with Affliction’s upcoming “Day of Reckoning” event, to be broadcast LIVE from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on October 11th. HDNet’s coverage of the first three preliminary bouts will include a match-up between Jason High vs. Mike Pyle (welterweight) followed by Paul Buentello vs. Roy Nelson (heavyweight).
Kenny Rice, Bas Rutten, and Ron Kruck will be on hand to call the action live on the HDNet broadcast, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
About HDNet Fights
HDNet Fights (www.hdnetfights.com) is one of the leading Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations in the country. Founded by Mark Cuban, HDNet Fights promotes, produces and airs over 24 live MMA events annually for broadcast on HDNet. HDNet Fights is a unique and unifying force in the MMA industry, partnering with leading promoters, including M-1, SportFight, Ring of Combat, Adrenaline, DREAM and others to offer the quality match-ups and productions that MMA fans demand.
Founded in 2007, HDNet Fights is led by CEO Andrew Simon while company operations are handled by Dallas MMA legend and former UFC champion, Guy Mezger.
HDNet (www.hd.net) is the home for HDNet Fights and is the leader in offering live MMA broadcasts and the best news and information show for MMA fans, “Inside MMA”.
In addition, HDNet provides viewers with the best in original news, sports, music and entertainment programming. From “Dan Rather Reports”, to championship sports coverage from NASCAR and Major League Soccer to “Guys Night In” every Friday and the HDNet Concert Series every Sunday, HDNet offers great programming with the world’s best picture quality.
Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager and COO Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Bright House Networks, Charter Communications, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliate companies. For more information visit www.hd.net.
If you don’t already have HDNet, call your local cable, satellite or video provider and order it today!
Topics: Affliction, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
One month to go until EXC show in South Florida
By Zach Arnold | September 2, 2008
They desperately need to get the card for this show finalized by the end of this week and start pumping out PR for it immediately if they want any chance of being successful here. They have no time to waste at all.
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
MMA Opinion free shirt give-away contest
By Zach Arnold | September 2, 2008
Head on over to MMA Opinion and participate in their new t-shirt giveaway contest, sponsored by The Pain Factory.
Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
We’re never going to see Couture vs. Fedor, ever?
By Zach Arnold | September 2, 2008
Can anyone read this with a straight face?
Complicating a potential Emelianenko match is that the Russian is signed to two contracts. His primary promoter is M-1, led by his manager, Vadim Finkelstein. But he has two more fights on a contract with Affliction Entertainment for any bout in the United States.
Affliction Entertainment vice president Tom Atencio said Tuesday he is finalizing an extension that would bind Emelianenko to Affliction through 2012.
White suggested on the conference call that Affliction is on the verge of collapse and intimated that there might be a way that a Couture-Emelianenko fight could be made in the UFC. Atencio hotly denied that and said he expects to turn a profit, or at the worst break even, after two more fight cards.
Topics: Affliction, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Quote of the Week – Bryan Alvarez
By Zach Arnold | September 2, 2008
From the land of F4W Online… Bryan opines on what would happen if UFC was the only major player in MMA:
Obviously, such a scenario would be a disaster for anyone outside the top fighters in this country. MMA, like pro-wrestling, needs a strong number-two group. There are a finite number of spots in UFC, and unless you inhabit one of those spots there wouldn’t be anywhere else in this country where you could make a living as a pro fighter. Many of the secondary names in the sport today have been able to quit their jobs and devote themselves full-time to training thanks to sweet deals from various start-ups. Without those deals, many of those fighters would have to get full-time jobs again, which limits the amount of time that can be spent training and would likely result in a lowering in quality of non-UFC fighters. With new talent being the lifeblood of UFC, a depressed independent MMA scene could lead to slim pickings a few years down the road.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Couture admits to main reason as to why he settled with UFC
By Zach Arnold | September 2, 2008
“The biggest part of my decision was communicating with Lorenzo [Fertitta] and Dana [White] and clearing up things I was feeling,” Couture said. “The second part was getting tired of the legal sytem, throwing money at the legal system and lawyers with no resolution in sight. The best place where I fight is a cage, not a courtroom.â
Remember — Thursday was supposed to be a day in court to determine whether or not Couture would be able to get a jury trial against Zuffa LLC. After that ruling, a trial would have been set for May 26th, 2009. Was Couture lacking that much confidence in winning in court against UFC? It’s strange — he spent a year fighting UFC in court and could have defended himself with one more year out of competition. Impatience, panicking, call it what you want, but it’s certainly curious.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 13 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
UFC 91: Couture vs. Lesnar on 11/15 in Las Vegas
By Zach Arnold | September 2, 2008
ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPÂŽ ANNOUNCES UFC 91: COUTURE vs. LESNAR
RANDY “THE NATURAL” COUTURE vs. BROCK LESNAR
UFCÂŽ WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
SATURDAY, NOV. 15, 2008
LIVE FROM MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA
Las Vegas, NV (USA) â On November 15th, the champ is back.
Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White today announced that after a year away from the game, UFCÂŽ heavyweight champion Randy “The Natural” Couture will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon to defend his title against rising star Brock Lesnar in a clash of titans destined to shake the foundations of the sport. This championship bout, the biggest heavyweight title fight in years, will headline UFC 91: COUTURE vs. LESNAR, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008.
“I am happy to announce that UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture will be returning to action in the Octagon,” said Dana White, UFC President. “He’s a legend in the UFC, and one of the fighters that helped build this sport. I have always said that wrestling is one of the best bases you can have in MMA and not only is Randy a top level wrestler but his opponent is as well. Brock Lesnar showed the MMA world that he is for real in his last fight, dismantling the far more experienced Heath Herring. His combination of speed and power was absolutely devastating. It is a fascinating matchup: the crafty, multiple-time heavyweight champion versus the younger, bigger, and stronger challenger. This is one that will go down in the history books.”
Ticket information for UFC 91: COUTURE vs. LESNAR will be announced shortly.
UFC 91: COUTURE vs. LESNAR will be available live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewerâs Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).
A UFC Hall of Famer whose name is synonymous with mixed martial arts, Randy âThe Naturalâ Couture (16-8) is the only fighter in history to win the UFC world heavyweight title three times, and thatâs not even mentioning his two UFC light heavyweight titles. Owner of heavyweight wins over the likes of Maurice Smith, Vitor Belfort, Kevin Randleman, and Pedro Rizzo (twice), the 45-year old Las Vegas resident turned back the clock in 2007 with a stirring win over Tim Sylvia at UFC 68 that netted him his third heavyweight crown. Couture defended his title for the first time at UFC 74 with a third round TKO of number one contender Gabriel Gonzaga, and now the man often referred to as âCaptain Americaâ will look to prove once again that he should never be counted out in a fight when he takes on Brock Lesnar.
âI have a lot of respect for Brock as an athlete and a collegiate wrestler, but I know exactly where heâs at, heâs trying to make the transition from a wrestler to mixed martial arts,â said Couture. âIâve been there, done that, and I know what the pitfalls are. This will be an interesting matchup, and it will be very nice to be home in the Octagon for this fight.â
A physically gifted athlete with the size, speed, and power to impose his will on any opponent, Brock Lesnar (2-1) made an immediate impact in the UFC when he debuted here in February of 2008, and he has his sights set on shocking the world on November 15th. A four-time All-American, two-time Big Ten Champion, and 2000 NCAA Division I National Champion in wrestling, Lesnar made a name for himself internationally after college as a professional wrestler, but he soon found his true love in mixed martial arts in 2006. After a 69 second win in his pro debut a year later, Lesnar entered the UFC and made a positive impression in a loss to former heavyweight champion Frank Mir at UFC 81, but at UFC 87 in August, the Minneapolis-St. Paul resident showed why he is rapidly becoming one of the most feared fighters in the sport today and an immediate threat to the heavyweight throne.
“It’s an honor to fight Randy Couture, he’s a legend in this sport, and to get the chance to test myself against him is a gift,” said Lesnar. “A lot guys would love to have this opportunity, Randy is the UFC heavyweight champion. There is one goal that I’ve had since I started training in MMA and that is to capture the title. Now that I’m getting the chance, nothing is going to stop me. I’m walking out of the Octagon with the belt around my waist.”
About The Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the worldâs leading professional mixed martial arts organization and offers the premier series of MMA sports events. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC produces over twelve live pay-per-view events annually that are distributed residentially through North American cable and satellite providers including iNDEMAND Networks, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN Entertainment, Shaw Pay-Per-View, Bell ExpressVU, Viewers Choice, SaskTel Max⢠and via the Internet worldwide on Yahoo! Sports, and commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada. In addition to its North American distribution, UFC programming is distributed in over 100 countries and territories throughout the world. For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit ufc.com or uk.ufc.com or ufcespanol.com.
Ultimate Fighting Championship, Ultimate Fighting, UFC, The Ultimate FighterÂŽ, SubmissionÂŽ, As Real As It GetsÂŽ, Zuffaâ˘, The Octagon⢠and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC or other respective owners.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Dana White at his best
By Zach Arnold | September 2, 2008
“I will be f—ing horrified if Affliction is still in business in January,” White said, referring to the fledgling MMA organization that has tried to position itself as a competitor to the UFC.
We won’t be seeing Randy Couture in Affliction, that’s for sure. Furthermore, Randy thinks that at 225 pounds, he can beat Brock Lesnar at 265+ pounds.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Quote of the Day – Chuck Champion
By Zach Arnold | September 1, 2008
The hits keep on coming:
New CEO Champion, who Shaw helped bring aboard, says that the promoter is still a valuable asset to ProElite. Members of the board and big-block shareholders, he says, thought it would be wise to enlist managers most comfortable in transitioning from startup company mode into the next phase. Shaw didn’t go ballistic when apprised of the plan, to move from startup to next phase. He considered his health and the potential toll on his marriage, and agreed with the shift. “Tim Russert had just died,” Champion says.
Shaw has jumped back into his boxing business with both feet; he has a hand in two promotions that run on Sept. 13, one on HBO, one on Showtime.
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |