A Gentleman's Round of Fisticuffs

UFC 85: Hughes vs. Alves

2008-04-25T22:17:00.000-07:00

Thiago Alves (left) catches Karo Parisyan (right) with a right hand during their fight at UFC Fight Night 13. Alves emerged victorious and is the latest addition to the UFC 85 card.

On Feb. 5, it broke that UFC 85 would be headlined by Chuck Liddell and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Since then, a ruptured ACL and a torn hamstring have forced both fighters off the card and a new main event has been set.

Former welterweight champion Matt Hughes confirmed on his web site that he will face off with Thiago Alves at UFC 85.

"June 7, in England, I fight Thiago Alves," Hughes wrote. "The fight is confirmed, (and) it will be the main event for the card. Dana (White) just called me with the news."

In addition, a proposed fight between Chris Leben and Michael Bisping has also been added to the card.

UFC 85 takes place on June 7 at the O2 Arena in London, England.

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James Irvin to replace Liddell at UFC 85

2008-04-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

James Irvin (right) drills Houston Alexander (left) with a Superman Punch in the opening seconds of their fight at UFC Fight Night 13. The punch would be all Irvin needed to secure the victory, tying a UFC record with an eight second KO.

The UFC has found a replacement for the injured Chuck Liddell at UFC 85.

Rising light heavyweight James Irvin will step forward on June 7 and fight the undefeated Rashad Evans in the card's main event.

While relatively unknown, Irvin gained recent acclaim for his record-tying eight-second knockout of Houston Alexander at UFC Fight Night 13 earlier this month.

In the wake of Liddell's injury, the UFC has promised to make several improvements to the card. Currently, a bout between middleweights Michael Bisping and Chris Leben is being discussed.

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Liddell tears hamstring, taken off UFC 85 card

2008-04-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell (center) emerges victorious over Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79. Liddell's next fight was scheduled for June 5 at UFC 85, but a hamstring injury has forced Liddell off the card.

The UFC 85 main event appears to be star-crossed.

According to a report from UFC.com, former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell has been scrapped from a main event bout with Rashad Evans after suffering a torn right hamstring. Liddell sustained the injury while training.

"Unfortunately, Chuck Liddell tore his right hamstring during training last week, and being the warrior that he is, he still wanted to fight, which is the reason why everyone in the world loves him," said Dana White, UFC President. "But I wouldn't let anyone fight with his leg looking that way. Let him heal and come back and fight when he is 100 percent."

This is the second alteration made to the UFC 85. Originally, Liddell was schedule to face Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, but Rua had to pull out of the fight due to a knee injury.

The UFC has not decided who will replace Liddell in the main event, but has added additional fights to the event’s undercard as a way to make up for Liddell’s absence.

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"TUF" luck for Paul Bradley

2008-04-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

Paul Bradley was the first of the 16 finalists to be eliminated from the "The Ultimate Fighter 7" this past Wednesday. Bradley broke out with a contagious neck rash, which inevitably led to his departure.

Hundreds of prospective fighters have been kicked off the UFC's reality show, The Ultimate Fighter, for reasons that range from losing a fight to failing to make weight, but every time, a fighter has been eliminated because of something they could control. That wasn't the case for two-time All American wrestler Paul Bradley.

On Wednesday's edition of the seventh season of the reality show, Bradley broke out in a small neck rash that once revealed could put the other fighters at risk, UFC President Dana White had no choice but to send Bradley home.

"Yeah, like I said, it was total shock," Bradley said. "I couldn't believe I went through so much and gave up a job I really loved and made all those sacrifices. I really put myself in a financial hole to get on the show."

Bradley contracted the herpes gladiatorum virus, a common condition in combat sports.
Since his departure, Bradley has signed a deal with EliteXC and may be featured on the undercard for the promotion's event on June 14 in Hawaii.

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UFC 83: St. Pierre reclaims his throne

2008-04-20T01:18:00.000-07:00

Georges St. Pierre (top) works Matt Serra (bottom) from side control during their title fight at UFC 83 Saturday night. St. Pierre's control from the ground would play a crucial role in earning him the TKO victory.

Lightning didn’t strike twice in Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday night.

Georges St. Pierre put on a clinic in front of his hometown, punishing Matt Serra with a series of knees to the ribs, en route to capturing the UFC welterweight title for the second time at 4:45 in the second round.

"That's how I won the fight -- I tired him out," said St. Pierre, who reclaimed the belt that Serra took from him a year ago.

With the victory, St. Pierre avenges one of only two blemishes on his record; he’s twice avenged his loss to former welterweight champion Matt Hughes.

While there is no scheduled date for St. Pierre’s first title defense, UFC President Dana White has stated that Jon Fitch will be the first to challenge the new champion. Fitch is currently riding a 15-fight winning streak and is undefeated in the UFC.

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Moment of truth

2008-04-18T18:35:00.000-07:00

UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra (right) lands a right hook on Georges St. Pierre (left) during their first encounter at UFC 69 in Feb. 2007. St. Pierre will have the chance to avenge his defeat to Serra Saturday night at UFC 83.

After amassing a record of 15-2, defeating some of the top welterweights in the world, being billed by fans as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world and one of the key players in the UFC's future, George St. Pierre's future comes down to one fight: his rematch with UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra.

St. Pierre will have the opportunity to rectify the most recent blemish on his record when he faces Serra at UFC 83, Saturday, in an attempt to regain the UFC welterweight championship.

"I trained to fight an army, not a single person,” St. Pierre said. “I’ve been sparring every week with very high-caliber fighters. If an army can’t break me, one person can’t do it. I’m very well prepared. I’ve never been so sharp in my life.”

This is Serra's first defense of the title since capturing the belt from St. Pierre at UFC 69 in Feb. 2007, in what the UFC billed as the greatest upset in the promotion's history.

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Unfinished business between "The Ultimate Fighter 5" finalists Diaz and Gamburyan

2008-04-14T00:24:00.000-07:00

Nate Diaz (right) moves in for the kill as Manny Gamburyan (left) suffers a dislocated shoulder during their fight at "The Ultimate Fighter 5" finale in June 2007. Diaz was crowned the Ultimate Fighter and awarded a six-figure contract with the UFC.

Nate Diaz has posted three consecutive submission victories since being crowned the winner of the fifth edition of the UFC's reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter."

Despite having the opportunity to fight many of the lightweight division's top competitors, Diaz has shown interest in settling an old score: that with "The Ultimate Fighter 5" runner-up, Manny Gamburyan.

Before meeting in June 2007 at the finale of "The Ultimate Fighter 5," there was notable animosity between Diaz and Gamburyan, as well as Gamburyan's cousin, welterweight contender Karo Parisyan.

"I don't like them," Diaz said bluntly. "I don't mean nothing bad to anyone else in the sport. Everybody's just trying to make their money and fight their fights and do their thing, just like I am. But those guys? F*** them."

The unfinished business stems from the outcome of their fight in June, where after winning the first round, Gamburyan dislocated his shoulder just 20 seconds into the second round, opening the door for Diaz to gain the victory.

The UFC has not said whether a rematch between the two is in the works.

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Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson to headline EliteXC debut on CBS

2008-04-12T19:26:00.000-07:00

Kimbo Slice (left) moves in for an onslaught on Bo Cantrell (right) that would last all of 19 seconds. Slice debuted in EliteXC in Nov. 2007 and on May 31, he will headline the promotion's first event on CBS.

A main event has been signed for the first MMA event on major network television.
EliteXC has announced that Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson and former PRIDE figher James Thompson will headline the promotion's debut show May 31 on CBS.
Thompson has been on a bit of a slump recently, dropping six of his last eight fights and holding an overall professional record of 14-8.
Slice is undefeated in the octagon at 2-0, recording victories over Bo Cantrell and David "Tank " Abbott - both fights lasted a combined 62 seconds.

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Fedor-Sylvia superfight scheduled for July

2008-04-12T10:37:00.000-07:00

For the first time since Dec. 2006, Fedor Emelianenko will fight a top 10 heavyweight.

Fedor Emelianenko will return to the ring this summer and face his greatest challenger in years.
A fight between top-ranked heavyweight Emelianenko and former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia has been agreed to in principle.
"[Sylvia] is a good fighter, a strong fighter, the former UFC heavyweight champion, which is important," Emelianenko said via telephone from Stary Oskol, Russia. "I am looking forward to fighting him and training hard for this fight."
Despite posting an MMA record of 27-1, with the lone loss due to a cut stoppage, Emelianenko has been criticized for his lack of fights with top-tier competition as of late. Three or Emelianenko's last four fights are against 43-year-old Mark Coleman, the inexperienced Hong Man Choi, and Matt Lindland, who was fighting two weight classes higher than his standard middleweight class.
If signed, the fight will take place on July 19th on a card promoted by Affliction, in partnership with HDNet Fights. The event will be held in the home base for Mark Cuban's HDNet Fights: Dallas, TX.

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MMA's influence shines on pro wrestling's grandest stage

2008-04-06T21:58:00.000-07:00

Bodyslams, powerbombs...Brazilian Jiu Jitsu submissions? The main event of WWE Wrestlemania 24 saw an unorthodox finish as The Undertaker (center) strayed from his trademark finishing combo of the Choke Slam and the Tombstone Piledriver, in favor of a gogoplata, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu submission. The hold netted the "Dead Man" the WWE World Championship.

A Gentleman's Round of Fisticuffs

UFC 85: Hughes vs. Alves

James Irvin to replace Liddell at UFC 85

Liddell tears hamstring, taken off UFC 85 card

"TUF" luck for Paul Bradley

UFC 83: St. Pierre reclaims his throne

Moment of truth

Unfinished business between "The Ultimate Fighter 5" finalists Diaz and Gamburyan

Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson to headline EliteXC debut on CBS

Fedor-Sylvia superfight scheduled for July

MMA's influence shines on pro wrestling's grandest stage

Florian sets his sights on Roger Huerta

UFC Fight Night 13: Florian on the rise

Kimbo Slice to headline EliteXC's CBS debut; opponent unknown

WEC 33: Stann stuns Marshall for WEC gold

Hawaiian hometown fighter Hose upsets Baroni for ICON gold

UFC in negotiations with Fedor Emelianenko

Liddell considering future move to heavyweight division

Fedor to enter the free agent market again

Injury forces "Shogun" off UFC 85 card, Evans to step in

World Victory Road debuts Wednesday with returns of Gomi, Barnett

UFC 82: Silva still the man

Bud Light announced as official beer sponsor of UFC

EliteXC reaches broadcast deal with CBS

Couture signs contract with HDNet Fights

Hometown hero Sapp dismantled at Strikeforce

"Rags to Riches" sees Ford submit UFC veteran Spratt

Condit retains, Varner and Torres capture gold at WEC 32

All fighters for "WEC 32: Condit Vs. Prater" make weight

War of words between White and Emelianenko escalates

UFC 83 fastest sellout in company history

UFC suing former PRIDE owners

Heavyweight comebacks highlight UFC 81

Former UFC Owner announces new MMA promotion

Liddell looks ahead; wants rematch with Jardine

Swick successful in welterweight debut