He return in 2008, but no date has been set.
Evan said:

"It has been said that I am done, that I will never fight again. It has been said that I have no chance of ever being a champion again. I refuse to accept that. I challenge you to believe in yourself. I challenge you to do what they say can not be done. Join this army of unconquerable souls."

He is great fighter.His MMA record is 32 wins and 6 loss but I don´t think he can be champion again.Anderson Silva is to powerfull.I’d like to see him make a comeback.But that will be very difficult.

On Feb. 2 at "UFC 81" in Las Vegas, huge wrestler Brock Lesnar(120 kg) will fight with sometime heavyweight champion Frank Mir.Frank has horrible motorcycle accident.After 2 years he return.In last match , he won by submission over Antoni Hardonk.
It’ll be interesting match.

Frank Mir comment about fight :

"As you can see or have heard I have signed to fight Brock Lesnar on Feb 2nd for the UFC," he writes. "I am really looking forward to this fight and would like to first thank Joe Silva and Dana White and Lorenzo Fertita for offering me this fight and making it happen. I have fought for the UFC for years and consider it my home. They provide me with opportunities of a lifetime over and over again."

"I would also like to thank Brock Lesnar for signing on for the fight," he continues. "My roots are in Karate then Wrestling then Brazilian Jiu Jitsu so I have huge respect for wrestlers. Top wrestlers have a work ethic that is second to none. Brock is an excellent athlete and had an unbelievable collegiate career where he simply dominated. I am looking forward to the challenge."

"I was hoping that I would be offered a fight on the Super Bowl Card since it is a huge event and takes place in Las Vegas. I love fighting at home in front of the people that I know and in front of the fans in Las Vegas. The electricity in the event center is outrageous at the UFC fights where ever they are in the world and especially wild in Las Vegas. There is something about this town that makes people go nuts. I will be working on my ground game, stand up, and conditioning for this fight. My opponent is an outstanding athlete so I will have to be prepared for anything and everything. It's MMA. Anything can happen and often times things happen fast so proper preparation is a must."

UFC 80 will take place in in Newcastle, England.I think that the best match on this card is match between BJ Penn and Joe Stevenson. Sherk is expected to face the winner of the interim title match to unify the titles.Sherk's appeal of his one-year suspension for testing positive for steroids was postponed on Oct. 31 and moved to Nov. 13. However, the Nov. 13 date is in question because, according to Meltzer, there is not a proper facility available on that day to address crowd demands.Another good match is Gonzaga VS Werdum.They are both Jiu Jitsu experts.Werdum has better jiu jitsu technique but Gonzaga has better striker ability.We all see highkick against Cro Cop.

With two world title bouts, a highly-anticipated light heavyweight showdown and the UFC debut of one of the game’s premier heavyweights, July 7th’s UFC 73 card lives up to its name: STACKED. Today, the rest of this star-studded card - which will be held at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California - has been made official.

Here’s what’s on tap in addition to the UFC Middleweight Title bout between Anderson Silva and Nate Marquardt, the UFC Lightweight Championship match between Sean Sherk and Hermes Franca, the 205-pound battle between Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans, and the heavyweight fight between Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minotauro’
Nogueira and Heath Herring.

* Former world title challenger Kenny Florian returns to action to face UFC newcomer Alvin Robinson in a lightweight swing bout.

* The Ultimate Fighter 1 finalist Stephan Bonnar is also back in a light heavyweight contest, as he takes on season three’s Mike Nickels.

* Brazilian lightweights will fight it out for local bragging rights when Jorge Gurgel squares off against Diego Saraiva.

* Welterweight veterans Chris Lytle and Drew Fickett meet at the 170-pound crossroads in a three rounder.

* Unbeaten Frank Edgar hopes to carry the momentum from his big win over Tyson Griffin in February into his lightweight bout with fellow unbeaten Mark Bocek.

LAS VEGAS – Quinton "Rampage" Jackson thought he had hit the big time a few months ago when he walked outside of a Los Angeles nightclub in the wee hours and saw an oversized image of himself on a billboard promoting his UFC debut.



After beating the biggest star in mixed martial arts in resounding fashion Saturday in just his second UFC bout, Jackson can count on seeing his face in a lot more places.

That's a good thing for the sport and for the UFC, as Jackson is as good a personality as he is a fighter.

Jackson knocked out Chuck Liddell with a pulverizing right hand in the first round this weekend at the MGM Grand Garden, lifting the light heavyweight title from the man who UFC president Dana White says "is not just a superstar in MMA but is a superstar in the sports world, period."

It's not going to take long for Jackson to hit that level, either, considering his wit, his accessibility and his entertaining style in the cage.
A few days before the fight, Jackson insisted he didn't care about having the belt around his waist. It was, he said, all about the money.

"Paper. Cheddar. That's it. First and last," Jackson insisted.

He got his share of the cheddar for walloping Liddell, earning $450,000.

As good as banking that money sounded to him – "I want to get me a Bentley," he said, beaming – he clearly was falling in love with the gaudy gold belt he had strapped around his waist.

"The well-dressed black man always needs his share of gold to finish his ensemble," Jackson said while gently stroking his belt, using a faux gentrified accent. Then, kissing it, he said, "It's my baby. I think I'm going to sleep with this thing."

The win was no fluke, though the outcome was clearly unexpected by the vocal pro-Liddell crowd of 14,728 inside the arena.

This was Liddell's show, his shot at redeeming a 2003 loss to Jackson, and these were his people.

Every time Jackson's face was shown on the giant video screens inside the arena, the sellout crowd booed lustily.

And as Jackson spoke to Joe Rogan after the stunningly quick knockout, the boos reached an ear-splitting crescendo.

This, though, is a guy to be cheered. And, I suspect, he's going to hear plenty of raves over the next few months.

"We acquired the WFA so we could get this guy under contract," White said Monday. "I knew what kind of a guy we were getting. I knew he could fight, but I also knew a lot of people here didn't know a lot about him. I really felt that after we do what we do and let people hear him and get to know him, they'd love him.

"The kid's got a great personality. You can't help but have fun and laugh when you're around him. And he knows how to sell himself. We're going to give him the platform and the vehicle to do that."

The bout Saturday was billed as Liddell's shot at redemption. He had only three defeats coming in – to Jeremy Horn, Randy Couture and Jackson – but had already avenged the losses to Horn and Couture.

Jackson would be his final hurdle and was the fight that would finally put Liddell atop of all others.

Jackson, though, never bought into that. And he insisted that he would repeat his 2003 victory, though he always came off as humorous, never boastful or arrogant.

Asked by a television reporter prior to the bout what improvements he had seen in Liddell in the three-plus years since they had fought, Jackson furrowed his brow, put his hand on his chin and pretended to think.

"I see he's got a little bit more," Jackson began, before halting and making another funny facial expression.

"You know, he's the same damn guy," he said. "His haircut's the same. He looks the same. Everything looks the same to me."

The television reporter then asked Jackson if the result would be the same.

"Hell if I know," he said. "I'm not psychic. I hope it will be worse."

It was.

Now, White suspects the UFC has another ticket-selling superstar on its hands. The booing fans, White said, simply were expressing their passion for Liddell and aren't really anti-Jackson.

"Did you hear that crowd when Chuck walked out?" White asked. "It was insane. I've never heard an arena that noisy. The people were there for Chuck. They didn't like Rampage that night because they were there to see Chuck beat him. But I'm willing to bet the next time out, you'll see a lot different reaction to Rampage."

Perhaps. And maybe a new personal grooming trend is about to be unleashed.

"I like it when the referees raise my hand," Jackson said. "That's why I always shave my armpits. Got to look good, you know."

With the ascent of mixed martial arts into the mainstream sports world, came the inevitable friction with boxing. Even though both sides will throw the occasional verbal jab at the other, renowned boxing promoter Lou DiBella told Newsday he feels boxing has to fight its own battles. "I haven't been happy with boxing in years and anyone who's happy is a moron," he said. "But that doesn't mean that we're done. That doesn't mean that we can't come back. And I don't believe that UFC has anything to do with whether we come back or not."



Even though the 2.15 million pay-per-view buys for the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight set a new PPV record for a boxing match, UFC president Dana White, who once managed boxers, still thinks that the future of boxing is in peril.


"Boxing is in trouble for one reason and one reason only - greed," White said in a conference call. "Everybody in it is greedy. Bob Arum and Don King have absolutely destroyed that sport. Stuck their hand in, ripped the life out of it and shoved it in their pocket. That's the reason boxing is in trouble."

Even the fighters are now getting into it. With Mayweather bashing MMA fighters, then later rescinding his comments, they have countered.

"I had a chance to fight James Waring," said MMA fighter and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Renzo Gracie. "Back then, he was like 230 pounds and I was like 168. And I choked him [out] in 50 seconds. If you just compare arts, I think MMA is much more complete."

When asked in a conference call before his title match against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 71 in Las Vegas last night if he'd be excited to fight a boxer, UFC light heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell said: "Not really. Beating up a guy that can't stop a takedown, that has no ground and can't stop a takedown, it doesn't really excite me too much. It's not much of a fight."

By Thomas Gerbasi

LAS VEGAS, May 26 – Chuck Liddell’s right hand had extracted revenge for him on many occasions, leading him on a reign of terror at 205 pounds that saw him win seven fights in a row, all by KO or TKO. But tonight, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the streak came to an end at the hands of the last man to beat him, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, who earned the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship with a stunning first round TKO.

PLAY VIDEO //Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell VS Quinton “Rampage” Jackson //


And it all started with a right hand to the jaw.

“That’s how I saw it in my head,” said Jackson, who stopped Liddell in the second round of their PRIDE bout in Japan on November 9, 2003.

“I made a mistake and got caught,” said the 37-year old Liddell.

The tension was thick early on as camera flashes were seen throughout the arena. The action didn’t match the atmosphere in the opening minute though, bringing a look of disdain and a wave in from Jackson to engage. Liddell obliged, but after Jackson absorbed a left hook from ‘The Iceman’, he came back immediately with a right hook that dropped Liddell to the canvas hard. ‘Rampage’ immediately pounced on the soon to be ex-champion, and after four unanswered blows, referee John McCarthy halted the bout at the 1:53 mark, and a new king was crowned at 205 pounds.

With the win, Jackson improves to 27-6. Liddell falls to 20-4.

Welterweight contender Karo Parisyan moved one step closer to his long-awaited title shot, outpointing fellow 170-pound standout Josh Burkman via unanimous decision in a hard-fought three rounder.

Scores were 30-27 twice, and 29-28 for Parisyan, who improves to 25-4. Burkman falls to 19-4.

After a memorable forehead to forehead staredown, Parisyan and Burkman got down to hostilities for real, swinging for the fences with each shot. And though most of the haymakers missed their mark, it didn’t matter to the packed house. As the round progressed, Parisyan countered well with big right hands to the head, but it was Burkman who scored the first significant takedown midway through the round. The fight quickly went back to the feet though, and after a fierce exchange won by Parisyan, ‘The Heat’ scored with one of his trademark judo throws, scoring more points and earning the round.

Parisyan’s speed and anticipation continued to pay dividends in round two as he repeatedly scored with his right hand flush. Burkman took the shots well and though he stunned Parisyan briefly with a couple of counters, his work rate was being doubled by the Armenia native and it was losing rounds for ‘The People’s Warrior’.

With the fight slipping away, Burkman went on the offensive in the final frame, scoring well with his fists and then slamming Parisyan to the mat. Parisyan worked his way back to his feet, and almost scored with a submission / takedown on his opponent that got a rise from the crowd, but Burkman escaped and rose to resume the standup battle. It was too little too late for the Utah native though, as he suffered his second Octagon defeat.

Hard-hitting Terry Martin made it 2-0 in the middleweight division as he followed up his 14 second stoppage of Jorge Rivera in February with a first round finish of returning UFC vet Ivan Salaverry.

Salaverry (12-5-1) worked his kicks from long range in the early going, but it was Martin (18-2) who landed the first big shot, jarring the 36-year old with a right to the jaw. The two subsequently locked up, and though Martin’s first two slam attempts were rebuffed, the third time was the charm, and as the two hit the mat, Salaverry was knocked out by the impact, with a follow up flurry by the Chicagoan merely a formality until referee Mario Yamasaki called a halt to the bout at 2:04 of the first round.

“I’m willing to stand with Anderson Silva,” said Martin of the UFC middleweight king. “Is he willing to stand with me? I’m ready for anybody.”

UFC newcomer Houston Alexander made quite an impression in his debut, stunning 205-pound contender Keith Jardine via a devastating first round knockout.

“I wasn’t nervous coming into this fight,” said Alexander. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m a seasoned vet at this point. I’m just new to the UFC.”

The bout was fought at a hellacious pace from the opening bell, with Jardine apparently hurting Alexander with a quick left hook that put the Nebraskan on the canvas briefly. Alexander quickly recovered though, and once the two clinched, he opened up with overhand rights that stunned the ‘Dean of Mean’. Moments later, after a barrage of heavy shots, Jardine hit the canvas from a right uppercut. Another follow-up right uppercut put Jardine down face first, drawing the stoppage from referee Steve Mazzagatti, and just like that, the crowded light heavyweight division has a new face.

Alexander improves to 7-1 with the win. Jardine falls to 12-4-1.

In an entertaining pay-per-view opener, Kalib Starnes and Chris Leben left it all the Octagon, but in the end, it was Starnes who took the close three round decision in a battle between middleweight alumni from The Ultimate Fighter reality series.

Scores were 29-28 twice, and 30-27 for season three’s Starnes, who moves to 10-2-1. Season one’s Leben, who has now dropped three of his last four fights, falls to 16-4.

“I have nothing but respect for Chris,” said Starnes. “I would have gave him the nod in the fight myself.”

Both fighters had their moments in the fast-paced opening round, Leben scoring with brief flurries and looping shots while Starnes landed the harder and crisper shots with counters straight down the middle to the head and body.

Starnes upped the pressure in the second, stunning Leben with a straight right to the jaw and immediately following up with a hard takedown, and the Canadian continued to score well, but Leben, true to form, would not go away quietly, and he finished the round strong as he aggressively pursued a tiring Starnes and landed with a wide array of punches, kicks, and knees.

Leben kept pursuing a backpedaling Starnes as the final round got underway, and a left to the body by Leben hurt his foe, allowing the fight to go to the mat. There, Leben worked his ground and pound effectively as the exhausted Starnes simply tried to survive. With a little over two minutes left in the fight, Starnes reversed his position and worked into Leben’s guard, but even there, it was ‘The Crippler’ outworking his foe with peppering punches and kicks from the bottom position. And though Starnes was able to land some final shots before the bell, it appeared that Leben’s previous work proved to be enough to earn him the nod. The judges disagreed though, giving the razor-thin decision to Starnes.

In preliminary action…

The expected standup war between Chute Boxe newcomer Thiago Silva and James ‘The Sandman’ Irvin fizzled out early when a partial ACL tear caused Irvin to retire at 1:06 of the first round.

As the two grappled, Silva (10-0) went for a takedown and Irvin (12-4) planted his right foot. As the two hit the canvas, Irvin’s foot remained planted and he twisted his knee. In visible pain, Irvin tapped, causing the injury-induced stoppage by referee Herb Dean.

“I did not want my fight to end this way,” said Silva. “But a fight is a fight and I am happy with my win regardless of how it happened.”

Alan Belcher came in on just two weeks notice to replace the injured Eric Schafer against Sean Salmon, but stamina wasn’t an issue for ‘The Talent’ as he submitted Salmon just 53 seconds into the opening round.

Salmon, a former Ohio State wrestler, looked for the takedown early, but as soon as he shot in, Belcher sunk in a guillotine choke that just got tighter as the seconds ticked away. After a slam was unable to break the lock, Salmon was forced to tap out and he fell to 0-2 in the Octagon and 9-3 overall. Belcher ups his record in his UFC light heavyweight debut to 10-3.

Lightweight contender Din Thomas spoiled the Octagon debut of Jeremy Stephens, submitting the newcomer in the second round of a scheduled three.

30 seconds in, Thomas (23-7) welcomed Stephens (13-2) to the UFC with a takedown and actively worked to finish, moving to side control and then to Stephens’ back where he sunk in a rear naked choke. ‘Lil’ Heathen’ escaped Thomas’ submission attempt, but the veteran refused to give up his position. By the end of the round though, the gutsy Stephens reversed his fortunes and opened up on his opponent with punches to the delight of the crowd.

Buyoed by his strong late first round surge, Stephens stood and traded with Thomas in the early stages of round two and scored well, but once the fight went down to the mat, Thomas’ experience paid off and he sunk in an armbar. Stephens tried to slam his way out of trouble, but to no avail, as referee John McCarthy wisely halted the bout at the 2:44 mark just before it appeared Thomas would have snapped his game opponent’s arm, drawing protests from the fighter and scattered boos from the fans in attendance.

“He probably didn’t tap, but I was gonna break his arm and take it home with me,” said Thomas.

Wilson Gouveia continued to show improvement in his game as he notched his third straight Octagon win by submitting Carmelo Marrero in the first round.

After two minutes of cat and mouse between the two light heavyweights, Gouveia struck gold with devastating kicks to the leg that dropped Marrero. Once on the mat, Marrero had no answers for the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt who earned the submission victory at the 3:06 mark via guillotine choke.

“I expected him to take me down so I practiced my guillotine,” said Gouveia, who made sure practice made perfect as he improved to 9-4. Marrero falls to 6-2.

copy by www.ufc.com

By Ant Evans

Although he has ‘iced’ 13 of the 18 men he has fought thus far in his 20-3 mixed martial arts career, Chuck Liddell was originally dubbed ‘the Iceman’ not because of his chilling striking power but because of his unchanging ice-cool demeanour.

Long-time trainer and friend John Hackleman explained: “I named him the Iceman because the guy is so cool all the time, nothing affects or bothers him. Even years ago, before the title and the UFC and the rest of it, he was exactly the same. He’s just got that kind of personality. Chuck is just that type of guy.”



Usually, the only time UFC fans see Liddell’s glacial temperament thaw is after his last KO win in the Octagon, when the Iceman’s emotions explode in the now iconic, arms-wide, celebration pose.

Pre-fight nerves? Not Liddell. In his mind, he has trained hard and come fight time he will put his gloves on someone and they will fall over.

But this frosted veneer has melted, at least a little, ahead of this Saturday’s career crucial clash with Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Rampage is, readers will know, the last man to have defeated the dominant 205lbs champion as well as the only man to have a win over Liddell go unavenged.

Former PRIDE FC superstar Jackson is also the one man who seemed to be able to walk through Liddell‘s power. As Rampage pointed out: “That’s gotta play on a dude’s mind, that he hit me with his best stuff and I kept on coming.”

Whether or not that is actually playing on Liddell’s mind, only he really knows. Word out of his training camp at the Pit is that Liddell has barely mentioned the first Jackson bout, but, of course, that could be read either way.

But what the Iceman does admit is the prospect of being able to say he has defeated every single man he’s ever faced in his MMA career has him animated.

“I’m just excited about this fight,” Liddell said. “I’ve waited a long time for this, I wanted to fight him right after our last fight but I had to wait a long while instead. Now it’s here, after a long training camp, and I just want to put my hands on him. I am ready to go.”

Fans will remember that Team Liddell made much of the fact that they were “inside the head” of Tito Ortiz before the Iceman’s last UFC 205lbs title defence last December. Liddell and Hackleman believed – and probably rightly so – that Ortiz went into the UFC 66 bout with the memory of his previous loss to Liddell looming large in his mind’s eye.

However, Team Liddell rejects any notion that the Iceman is suffering similar confidence sapping flashbacks about of his UFC 71 rematch with Rampage.

Liddell said: “As far as the mental side of it goes, everyone says it might be (worrying for me) or something. I don’t think so at all. I never had that confidence problem when someone’s beaten me. Both the other guys who beat me (Randy Couture and Jeremy Horn) I went back and avenged the loss. I just think ‘I should have beat them the first time’, so afterwards all I think is ‘I messed up in the first fight and so I should go out there and beat them this time.’”

Rampage seems to have rediscovered his smack-talking voice just in time for his first UFC title shot. Cocky, brash and funny in equal measure, Jackson may or may not have been playing mind games when he said that Liddlell’s legendary punch power is over-stated and over-hyped.
ad
/>
“Out of 25, I’d give him a 5 as a puncher,” Jackson said. “He didn’t hurt me at all. Not once.”

And the challenger seemed keen to make the point that, for all Liddell’s achievements in the last four years, for all the appearances on TV, radio and magazine covers and the like, the fact is that it was Rampage, not the Iceman, who did the butt-kicking last time out. No matter that Liddell has gone undefeated since that night while Jackson hasn’t, Rampage is the better fighter over the Iceman until Liddell proves otherwise on the battlefield.

Jackson barked: “What’s going on TV or being in magazines got to do with his fighting skills? What he do, I mean the photo shoots, the interviews that he have, that don’t bother me, they don’t got nothing to do with how good he can throw a punch. It don’t bother me at all. I don’t give a damn. It means nothin’ to me. I beat him. That‘s all.”

The Iceman shrugs the jibes off and notes that far from taking offense to Rampage’s taunts, he actually finds them kinda funny.

“He’s a funny guy, one of my favourites,” Liddell smiled. “I like him and respect him a lot. He’s very entertaining, man. One of my favourite things he did was when we were watching a fight (at a previous UFC) and everyone else was yelling the ref to stand the
fighters up, Quinton was yelling at the ref “Put them on the ground! Put them on the ground!” It made me laugh pretty good.”

Joking aside, though, surely Liddell - perhaps during a hard run or before he shuts his eyes at night – must have considered Jackson’s claims that the Iceman’s punches never hurt him in their infamous PRIDE FC fight.

“He can say that,” Liddell said. “But I know I hurt him in the last fight. He’s a better striker than Tito or Randy, sure, and I think he can stand with me and he hits hard. I’ve got to hit him and not get hit a little. I’m going to try and make him adjust to what I want him to do. When I go out there I’m going to try to make them fight my fight. And, you know, I’m not afraid to stand there and exchange with anybody.

“So, if he really (believes I can’t punch hard) and wants to exchange with me it will be at least fast, exciting and short night for him. I am just ready for this.”

Real ready, by the sound of it. Hackleman, a no-nonsense ex-boxer who doesn’t go in for hyperbole, insists: “This is the best camp we’ve ever had, Chuck and I. We’ve not done anything any different and we always work very, very hard in camp, but something has just clicked perfectly for this fight.”

OK, like what?

“Some of it was luck,” the Pit master said. “Chuck hasn’t picked up a single injury, not one pull or strain, which is pretty unique for us. Chuck especially seems to pick up injuries here and there but he’s 100% healthy for this one.

“But Chuck's hitting harder now than he ever has and his timing and accuracy right now better than ever. Really. He is punching harder from every angle, moving away or moving in towards the target. This could be the best Chuck you’ll ever see. This could be the performance and fight of his life.”

The rising interest in mixed martial arts is tied to Ultimate Fighting, which changed its ways to gain acceptance. Now its success is changing the sports landscape



FULL STORY

By Stash Capar

UK light heavyweight standout Michael “The Count” Bisping has confirmed that he will be fighting on September 8 at UFC 75 against an unnamed opponent. The wildly popular local fighter earned a second round TKO at April 21's UFC 70 against Elvis Sinosic in Manchester, just miles down the road from his Clithoroe township.



The Las Vegas-based promotion’s third UK event is rumoured to be taking place at the renovated O2 arena on the famed Thames River, which could hold upwards of 20,000 spectators depending on configuration.

Bisping made the announcement this weekend during the SENI07 Combat Show in London, a two-day event that drew a myriad of martial arts enthusiasts, both young and old, and hosted dozens of Martial Arts, Combat Sports and Extreme Fitness booths that filled the Excel convention centre.

Mixed martial arts fans swarmed the UFC stall to chat with “The Ultimate Fighter 4” winner Bisping, along with Rashad Evans and Josh Koscheck, also veterans of the reality TV show currently airing on Bravo in the UK.

Although there was a significant MMA presence with the UFC, Cage Rage and Pro Elite all drawing huge crowds, the event was dominated by traditionalists representing everything from Shotokan Karate to Fudebakudo (the way of the exploding pen!).

Other notables from the SENI event:

Cage Rage promoter Andy Geer has announced that a “Cage Rage movie” will go into production next month. According to Geer, the project will involve “a talented Hollywood director and a couple of big Hollywood names."

UFC fighter Jess Liaudin has confirmed that he will be fighting on September 8 at UFC 75 as well, against a yet-to-be-named opponent. Laudin captured the British crowd’s fancy at April 21’s UFC 70, earning a flashy first round submission over Denis Siver.



Despite rumours of a clause in his contract, both a Cage Rage and UFC spokesperson have confirmed that Anderson “The Spider” Silva will not be defending his Cage Rage World Middleweight title in the near future. Whether or not the Cage Rage World Middleweight title (and the Cage Rage British Middleweight title held by PRIDE fighter Zelg Galesic) will be up for grabs remains a mystery.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson makes his way to the ring howling like a werewolf with a thick junkyard chain wrapped around his neck.



He might have one of the most intimidating staredowns in all of sports.

His style was cultivated on the streets of Memphis, combining wrestling with raw aggression and natural brawling instincts that could have destroyed him but, instead, led him toward the top of his growing sport.

He doesn't just take down his opponents, he lifts them high into the air and body slams them.

He can throw fists and knees with the best of them, and he has vicious ground-and-pound skills when the fight goes to the canvas.

Win or lose, Jackson's fights always end in dramatic fashion.

The former "Thug Warrior" turned "God's Soldier" built his reputation as one of the top 205-pound fighters in mixed martial arts while fighting in Japan's PRIDE Fighting Championships.

Now, Jackson, who lives in Irvine, is ready to take on the best the Ultimate Fighting Championships has to offer. Jackson challenges UFC light-heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell in the main event of UFC 71 on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.



"I've been that way my whole life," Jackson said of his over-the-top personality which has made him a fan favorite. "Everything about me, I've been that way before I started fighting.

"I've been howling since I was a little kid. I've been wearing a chain ever since I started wrestling in high school. Why not be myself? I'm already stupid, make fun of everybody, laugh and joke around. I just brought it with me. Be myself. This is what I do. When I fight, my main objective is to excite the fans. If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have this sport."

Jackson grew up in South Memphis, which is considered to be one of the economically poorest parts of the city. Abandoned businesses and burned-out homes litter the neighborhood. Many gangsta rappers have glorified South Memphis in their music. The Vice Lords and Gangster Disciples and some Grape Street Watts Crips and Hoover Crips call that area of Memphis home.

Jackson's parents divorced when he was 10 and he gravitated toward his older cousins, who were prone to trouble. Jackson got caught up in the street life, getting into fights and selling drugs.

"Growing up in Memphis, it was a tough journey, man," Jackson said. "Some of my friends that I grew up with … they didn't make it. I'm blessed to even make it.

"It was kind of like a war when you really think about it. What's going to happen next? Which one of your friends is going to disappear now? Who is going to jail for this?"

Jackson was heading down a dead end before his mother, Lucille, remarried and moved the family to Raleigh, a suburb of Memphis.

"My mom had remarried and she saw the neighborhood was bad," Jackson said. "One of my friends had just went to jail for murder.

"She just looked for a house far away and it was probably the best thing that happened to me in my life. The school I went to had wrestling. The rest is history."

Nobody knew about Jackson's past when he started attending Raleigh-Egypt High. He had a clean slate. He said he quit smoking marijuana and cigarettes and stopped drinking alcohol when he started wrestling. His grades improved. He finally had goals.

"He says he was new at that school and that was one reason he wanted to change," his mother said. "He said don't nobody know him there.

"He was always getting in trouble, getting suspended for something or fighting. He decided to change. I thought it was good that he found something he liked."

Jackson has had his nickname "Rampage" since he was 8 years old. His cousin, Tyrone, dubbed him that because of his epic tantrums and because he had "the worst temper on planet Earth." He started wearing the chain to his high school wrestling matches as a good-luck charm.

"I lost my first five matches in a row," Jackson said. "Then my brother gave me the chain and I started wearing the chain as a good-luck thing. And it kind of intimidated my opponents. From then on I went undefeated until the regional finals."

Jackson continued to wrestle in junior college before being introduced to MMA by one of his friends, David Roberts. He quickly built a 10-1 record before being invited to compete in PRIDE.

He put together some highlight victories over Kevin Randleman and Igor Vovchanchyn. His power-bomb slam that knocked out Brazilian Top Team's Ricardo Arona was another highlight.

But Jackson never got to celebrate his greatest victory, a second-round stoppage of Liddell in the semifinals of PRIDE's 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix. Jackson had to fight PRIDE middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva later the same night in the tournament finals and was knocked out in the first round by a series of vicious knees.

"I fought two fights that day," said Jackson, who is 7-2 since that night, including a second loss to Silva. "It was crazy to fight two of the best fighters in the world in one day. If I would have won that tournament, I would have gone down in history as the best fighter in the world.

"It was a big disappointment. I even forget that I fought Chuck. I got my (butt) kicked later on that night. I forgot all about Chuck. People were like, 'Man, you beat Chuck Liddell.' It didn't mean nothing to me."

It will mean more if Jackson is able to beat Liddell this time. Liddell is on a seven-fight winning streak since losing to Jackson, establishing himself as the face of MMA in North America with each victory.

Some critics say Jackson doesn't have the same fire since he became a born-again Christian. Some say Jackson isn't the same fighter since his KO losses to Silva.

"Let them say what they gonna say," Jackson said. "I'm gonna do my talking in the ring, in the cage. I'm gonna see what they have to say after this fight."

The waited return of the paranaense fighter Wanderlei Silva to ringues of the Pride (or to octagon of the Ultimate Fighting Championship) can not happen in this year. For the first time in the year, Wandeco - as it is called by the friends - admitted that its return can happen only in 2008. Amongst the some reasons raised for the athlete of the Academy Boxe Kick it would be its contractual situation and the period of rest and improvement.

“I am without contract with the Pride, and for the time being not yet I know where I go to fight”, it affirmed Silva to the Gazette of the Online People. Still according to fighter, until the moment nobody of the Zuffa, company organizer of the UFC, and that recently he acquired the Pride, contacted it. “I found with Dana (White, president of the UFC) in a fair of a sponsor mine, but we do not talk on nothing relative to my contract, it was a very fast colloquy”, completed.
In such a way, for the first time in 11 years of career in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), the “Mr. Pride” trains without the pressure of fights or a contract. “I am training without commitment for the first time in the life, therefore trainings calm, and I am using to advantage this period to reafinar and to improve some things in my style of fight”, explained Silva. E between lighter and detailed treinos, and some trips to follow the friends of the Boxe Kick, or still to participate of the spreading of its sponsors, it waits the definition of its future. Without haste.


“In the truth I am closed with the Pride, I must they very, and I am faithful to my values. I received new a proposal from them before venda the event, but now many things are indefinite, do not know if I come back to fight this year. Therefore I go to wait, I was in a very arduous routine, but I am training, while we do not define everything. I go to use to advantage this period to rest a little, to tan my family”, assured.

UFC x Pride - Super event can change the situation

Silva more than showed a little interest when questioned regarding the super event that still can be promoted by the Zuffa in this year. In this competition, the idea of president Dana White is to place, front-the-front, the best athletes of the UFC against tops of the Pride. A competition of this transport can come to recolocar the paranaense to still fight in this year.

“This event Would be excellent to still roll this year, is thinking about this, fatally they go to make, and I would very like to participate. Independent of this, daqui for front, I want to make good fights, only with the best ones, in search of the cinturões”, analyzed Silva. E the fighter used to advantage to answer some adversaries whom that has said they want to face it again, as the North Americans had declared recently Tim Sylvia and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. “They are calm that it has pra everybody, all will have its time”, ironizou.

Without fighting since day 24 of February, when Henderson was nocauteado by Dan, the fighter of the Boxe Kick sample that, after three months since the fight who took off of it the cinturão of Half-Medium of the Pride, the fruits harvested after a defeat are being useful. “No matter how hard I have been defeated, always he serves of learning, and I go to make I eat I made before being champion, I go to run behind who I will be with cinturão”.

Treinos with Sakuraba

Exactly being the executioner of the reign of Kazushi Sakuraba in the Pride, seven years behind, Wanderlei Silva today it demonstrates to friendship and affection for the Japanese fighter, who came the Curitiba to participate of three weeks of treinos with the master Rudimar Fedrigo, of the Kick Boxe, and the fighters of the academy, as Maurício Shogun and Murilo Ninja, beyond proper Silva. The series of treinos of Sakuraba has a reason: historical revanche between it and Royce Gracie, foreseen to roll in day 2 of June, in Los Angeles, where the K-1 Heroes the USA will happen.

“It (Sakuraba) passed positions pra we, it knows ones manhas legal. What he surprises is the calm of the face, calm, training all day. The face is professional, in contrast of what they say for ai, it does not smoke, it does not drink, and I find that it goes to be a very interesting fight”, disclosed. Although to recognize and to respect Gracie, Silva believes in the victory of the Japanese, as well as in the first meeting between the two.

Possibly, the paranaense fighter folloies the combat to the living creature. This because, at the same time, it it will be in the United States, inaugurating the new academy of the North American legend of the MMA Randy Couture, current champion of the weighed one of the UFC. “It is sponsored by the same mark of supplement that I, and in the last time that I was to U.S.A. had supper with it. For the first contact, vi that much complete good people are one face and. Perhaps until let us place an instructor ours there”, said, for after that contradicting the rumors of that the Boxe Kick could leave. “It does not have nothing of this, I find that what more I nail is loyalty to these colors, it is impossible to find professors better. Rafael (Lamb) and the Rudimar master are my mentors”.

Projects for the future

It are of ringues, Silva has arquitetado diverse projects. Beyond negotiating the possibility of events of valley-everything of the exterior to be shown in television channels opened in Brazil, “the Master Series” keeps the dream to create an event there, congregating of tip foreign fighters, but also giving space for great Brazilian names. “I want to mount this event, to launch something in the molds them better and bigger events that exist currently. I know the systems to mount this, already I am studying, and I intend to give this joy for the fans of the sport, and to use much good people”, it commented.

Still in accordance with it, proposals do not lack to take the handle the idea. “Already I received some proposals from great entrepreneurs of the world, Japanese, Europeans, even though when it stows in Las Vegas in February some people had come to speak with me regarding this. But I go to study, I cannot also tie me with any, and want to make an event with my face, that values the warlike fighters”, concluded Silva.

In Curitiba, the fighter will go to soon launch a dedicated space to its career, with photos, trophies, news articles and a store with its products. Without date still foreseen for inauguration, the space must be ready until the way of this year.

It was the definitive James Irvin moment.After spending most of the prevous five minutes getting banged and cuffed around by Hector Ramirez during the opening round of their bout at UFC 65, Irvin had survived a lengthy rear-naked choke attempt, been mauled against the cage, and looked on the edge of defeat as Ramirez, a skilled wrestler, kept giving him the business.

But as the seconds wound down in that opening round, he worked himself off the ground, torso grinding against the cage, inch-by-inch, pummeling, pinching, pushing and pulling himself back to his feet, taking shots from behind the whole time, and finally, he unloaded a massive spinning back fist.

It missed.

The round ended.

But “Sandman” walked back to his corner, seemingly invigorated by the fact that he was still in it, and had a chance to keep swinging.

In the second, the two continued to wage what would later be awarded the “Fight of the Night” on the November card, tossing wild haymakers with back and forth tie-ups and grappling. Irvin finally ended the bout with a powerful right jab that floored Ramirez and ended the bout, scuttling the implications of the bad fortune that seemed imminent just moments earlier in that near-disaster of an opening round.

As long as he can still bang, Irvin feels he’s got a chance against anybody. And with his powerful strikes and willingness to take risks – such as the savage, highlight-reel flying knee that stopped Terry Martin after another similar slow opening-round start -- he’s going to keep throwing, always looking for the opening that can win the fight.

Facing Chute Boxe’s Thiago Silva next Saturday at UFC 71, Irvin, 12-3 overall, and 2-2 in the UFC, knows exactly what he’s got in front of him in the unbeaten Brazilian, who carries a reputation as the prototypical banger with nine victories under his belt.

“He’s a Chute Boxe guy who comes out real hot and heavy,” Irvin said. “(UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva put me in with this guy for a reason – it’s gonna be a bloodbath. I think he has the attitude. I’ve watched his fights on YouTube. He’s not real technical, but everything (he throws) has bad intentions in there.”

Mike Roberts manages the Capital City Fighting Alliance, whose biggest names include Irvin, UFC vet Scott Smith, and Urijah Faber, World Extreme Cagefighting 145-lb. champ. He believes Silva-Irvin should be exciting given the style matchup. This is not going to be a poor man’s version of the Abu Dhabi tournament, where grappling matches can go up to twenty minutes as competitors vie for the slightest advantages that can earn a win on points.

“I think it's gonna be a great fight,” Roberts said. “Both guys bring it. People can say whatever they want to about James, but they can’t say he's ever been in a boring fight.”

Indeed, an online scouting report on Silva jibes with that. He is aggressive, no-nonsense, and throws a lot of leather, often times ditching a cautionary approach and tossing out two-fisted combinations. Unbeaten and with a top-notch camp behind him in Chute Boxe, it might be a bad style matchup for some guys, until you look at Irvin’s career and realize that most of his off-nights have stemmed from people forcing a ground fight instead of trading with him.

In the past, Irvin has trained with a who’s-who of fighters, including Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, Brandon Vera, and Quinton Jackson, among others. Based out of Sacramento, Irvin, Smith and Faber recently opened a mixed marital arts gym which allows them to teach classes and offer private lessons, something Irvin believes could be a career for him when his fighting days are done.

But for all that increased stability compared to a few years ago when he was just getting by, he’s still always on the lookout for places to train.

If you’re a name fighter with an upside, the paydays are better than just a few years ago, Irvin says, who left a well-paying construction job early in his career to train full-time, with a decidedly uncertain outcome that only recently has become financially viable. Now, if you’re training full-time with a couple wins in the big show, you can afford to drive a new car, eat where you want. But the bottom line is you still have to hustle to get training time in that will keep you afloat in a sport where the talent level is constantly rising.

For this fight, he’s ventured to Big Bear to train with Jackson (who challenges Chuck Liddell for the light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 71), and spent sixteen days in Thailand working at the Fairtex Academy. Now back in Sacramento for the final days of training, he spends a couple days a week sparring with middleweight boxer Eric Regan – a former kickboxing champ as well.

And while the altitude of Big Bear has been an attraction for many fighters looking to improve their cardio, Irvin said that Thailand is even tougher to the unacclimated.

“This training camp has gone so perfect, it’s scary. I’ve got no injuries, and I started 13 weeks out. In Thailand it’s 100 percent humidity. I’ve trained at Big Bear and it didn’t compare to the humidity. It was ten times harder to breathe there,” he said.

No doubt, the diminutive-but-durable Thais enjoyed running the big American through their paces, in that brutal local fashion that explains all the dented tree trunks surrounding local gyms.

“Even after two weeks I couldn’t do rounds the way they wanted me to. They train at a different level. They would start out rounds with ten kicks with each leg, then at the minute rest you gotta do pushups. Then at the second round it’s twenty kicks and twenty pushups,” he recalled. “You know how Thai guys are. It’s 100 miles per hour. Thai guys kick everything. Cars. Desks. My kicks have gone through the roof.”

A recent addition to the Capital City Fighting Alliance has been Mark Munoz, who was a two-time All-American wrestler at collegiate powerhouse Oklahoma State, winning the NCAA 197-lb. title in 2001. Munoz makes his MMA debut in July, and he and Irvin are complimenting each other nicely working out in Sacramento.

Irvin’s striking is a great introduction for Munoz to prepare for MMA, while Munoz’ numbing ground skills keep Irvin constantly working on his grappling – the weak point in his game he knows he has to shore up. And during his week in Big Bear training with Jackson, he focused on working off the cage, which is where opponents of late feel they can neutralize him before taking him down. Stephan Bonnar used that tactic before taking Irvin down and submitting him in their January 2006 bout, and Irvin still admits it’s frustrating to lose that way without a single meaningful exchange on the feet.

“That's almost all I did, keeping them from getting me on the fence,” Irvin said. “I’ve worked extensively on that for this fight. Munoz showed me some tricks. Before it was more survival not to get taken down.”

So what’s it like wrestling with a former NCAA champion in Munoz?

“In terms of just wrestling, he's technically the most frustrating guy I’ve rolled with. It's like your dad whipping your ass when you're 8 or 9 years old,” Irvin said. “He'll grab you and rag doll you. It's kinda discouraging, someone your same size and same age, and he just makes you feel helpless. As soon as we have more MMA tools it’s a different fight, but he’s so smothering and strong. (When competing) he has attitude, and he’s grumpy, and I love the guy. It’s
ad
the perfect trade. We’ll do 30-45 minutes of wrestling and then kickbox.”

Having worked out with Couture, Ortiz and Jackson, that’s high praise. And that’s indicative of Irvin, who’s never let his shortcomings prevent him from seeking out those who could help him improve. He offered some assessments of the top fighters and what’s he’s taken from training with them, as well as where he thinks he stacks up in the 205-pound mix.

“Quinton is by far the strongest. He is a freak. He will bend down, all back and no leg muscles, and he can high-crotch you from anywhere. Tito's size, I dunno how he makes 205. He's big and powerful, with stick legs, Randy's kinda all of these. He’s so well-rounded,” Irvin said. “Brandon Vera is probably the only person I’ve ever really see go after Randy (wrestling) in training.

There were going at it once, each one of them was getting airborne. They were just crashing into each other.”

Size has been another battle for Irvin, who used to be a solid 230-pound heavyweight before dropping to 205 in August 2005, where he knocked out Martin with the flying knee. Like every fighter that cuts weight, he’s found himself caught having the find the balance between getting as big as possible before taking off pounds, and not having to take off too much.

A week before the Ramirez match, he stepped on the scale and was 233. It was too much.
Over the course of the three days before the weigh-in, he took off the pounds, and it wasn’t pretty -- so painful, in fact, that he’s coming in lighter this time, before cutting maybe ten pounds to make the 205 limit.

“The last three days I cut ten, ten and almost ten pounds. This is something I hear a lot of, but guys are not cutting 20 pounds in a day, or they aren't cutting weight the way they say they are. It wasn't good. I still haven't got it down,” he recalled. “Since I came down to 205, I haven't had fight where I felt I hit as a heavyweight and my muscles weren't a little burnt out. I 'm walking now at 215, I plan on being 210 when I get to Vegas. I feel really strong right now, and this is how I wanna feel on fight night. I don't want to (be overweight) and risk cutting 20 pounds.”

But despite the pain and hazy visions of endless time on the stationary bike, wearing a rubber suit, or trying to escape the withering hell of a sauna door only to have your teammate keep it closed, every fighter wants that extra advantage of a little more size in the scrap.

“In the Ramirez fight it paid off big. Hector told me he couldn’t believe how strong I was. I fought at 226, and I gained ten pounds in the first hour after weigh-ins,” Irvin said. “I was 223 when I went to bed that night. It gets to the point where it just sucks you dry. I could barely think of my damn last name. I put so much weight on I almost gassed myself. I remember thinking as soon as we hit the ground I was tired.”

While his fighting career has meant a better living thanks to improved purses and sponsorships, he’s also found a new love teaching MMA. In fact, he enjoys it so much that he’s pretty sure it’ll play a significant role in his life after his fighting days are behind him.

“I really do enjoy it. Classes are packed. We have 30-35 people in my classes and are gonna have to start turning people away,” he said of his time at Ultimate Fitness, which opened a few months ago in downtown Sacramento. “I think it's the way I teach my classes. I take all the things I like, and I’ve had some of best coaches on the West Coast, and put it all together in my own way. I don't hold back. Lots of coaches teach watered down stuff. They save it for privates where they make their money. I teach stuff I might've learned that morning. People are pouring into our classes, and then they see us going to fight, and we’re teaching what we’re preaching. People are eating it up. That's something I'm looking forward to falling back on. I have to turn down privates right now. It's something I'm so passionate about. In this sport, if you lose two fights in a row, you’re on a part-time job.”

Irvin and Smith hope to open similar gyms in the Sacramento area later this year to meet the demand for MMA training that’s grown as the sport explodes on the national scene.

In a 205-lb. division stacked with talent, Irvin is the first to assess his own place in the rankings as a work in progress. But that’s fine with him. He’d like a couple more big knockout wins before talking about fighting the bigger names like Tito Ortiz, or for the title, whoever’s holding it. There’s also rising star Rashad Evans, who faces Ortiz July 7. In short, there are plenty of targets right now.

“That should be a good fight,” Irvin said of Ortiz-Evans. “I would think Tito would win because he's a gigantic version of Rashad, but I heard through the grapevine that Rashad is growing leaps and bounds in his MMA training. He’s doing this and that. He’s not sitting back and doing the same thing. But we’ll see.”

What he wants is someone to stand and bang with him. Somebody that will be on the feet long enough to be on the receiving end of the bombs he tossed at Ramirez. The bombs that led Jackson to tell this writer a couple years ago that, after sparring with him, led “Rampage” to assert that Irvin hit as hard as anybody in the 205-lb. division.

“I think it has to do with the way I win,” Irvin said of his future prospects. “The flying knee knockout, those highlight-reel KO’s get a lot of attention, instead of holding people down. To tell the truth, I know I’m not quite there yet. Chuck Liddell has ten years of experience I can’t make up. I need at least a few more years. I’m humble enough to say I can't beat those guys. Sure, I could catch ‘em with a hot one. But there's plenty of guys I want to fight right now. I'd love to fight Forrest (Griffin). I'd love to rematch Bonnar. There’s a few guys around to smash.”

at 4 pm PST (7 p.m. EST), ESPNEWS, the nation’s only 24-hour sports news television network, will present live coverage of the weigh-ins for UFC 71: LIDDELL vs. JACKSON featuring UFC World Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. This will mark the first time a major national sports television network will feature live event coverage of the UFC weigh-ins. ESPNEWS anchor David Lloyd will host the network’s coverage from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. studios.

The next day, in what will be the mega-fight of the summer, Liddell will meet Jackson for the second time in an attempt to avenge his loss to the last man who defeated him. Liddell will face his greatest challenge to date when The Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization presents UFC 71: LIDDELL vs. JACKSON live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, May 26.

“I am pleased that ESPNEWS is going to broadcast our UFC 71 weigh-ins,” said Dana White, UFC President. “I am most excited for our fans and for their loyalty to our sport. “ESPNEWS’ live coverage of the UFC 71 weigh-ins reflects the incredible popularity of the UFC and our great athletes.”

ESPNEWS viewers will see each fighter on the UFC 71 main card step on the scale, including Josh Burkman vs. Karo Parisyan; Terry Martin vs. Ivan Salaverry; Keith Jardine vs. Houston Alexander; and Chris Leben vs. Kalib Starnes. Additionally, the 24-hour sports news network will feature an exclusive one on one interview with both “The Iceman” and “Rampage” right after they step on the scale.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship organization is regularly holding events throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. The last three UFC events have broken venue records and overwhelmed sell-out crowds with spectacular fights and surprising upsets. There are five live UFC events lined up now through July, with a dozen more planned before the end of 2007, and full lineup of fights around the globe, including Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, Japan, Australia and Mexico in 2008.

UFC 71: LIDDELL vs. JACKSON, featuring the mixed martial arts superstar and seemingly unstoppable UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson takes place May 26th at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Liddell will attempt his seventh successful title defense and complete his mission to avenge all of his previous losses.

UFC 72: VICTORY, featuring the middleweight main event fight Rich “Ace” Franklin vs. Yushin Okami and the light heavyweight special feature Forrest Griffin vs. Hector Ramirez takes place June 16th from the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

UFC
ad
73: STACKED, featuring UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva in his first title defense vs. Nate “The Great” Marquardt. UFC Lightweight Champion Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk puts his newly-won belt on the line vs. Brazil’s Hermes Franca. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira steps into the Octagon™ for the first time for a heavyweight war with Heath Herring – and Tito Ortiz intends to put a painful end to Rashad Evans’ perfect 15-0 record. Let the fireworks begin. UFC 73, loaded with UFC superstars, takes place LIVE from ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif. Saturday, July 7, 2007.

The Ultimate Fighter® 5 Finale, featuring Jens Pulver vs. BJ Penn - who matched wits for six weeks as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter® Season 5 - square off June 23rd in a long-awaited rematch live from The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas.

SCOTT FROM MMANEWS.COM REPORTING ...

Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski is a top contender in Heavyweight mixed-martial arts right now with a pro record of 11 wins, 5 losses and a run as UFC Heavyweight champion from February of 2005 until April of 2006.

He lost the title to the same guy he got it from, a former two-time champion himself, Tim Sylvia. Since those back-to-back losses, Arlovski has gone undefeated in two fights, defeating submission specialists Marcio "Pe De Pano" Cruz and top Heavyweight contender coming over from PRIDE, Fabricio Werdum.

Many thought the winner of the Arlovski-Werdum fight would be next in line for the Heavyweight title following the Randy Couture-Gabriel Gonzaga match in August. UFC president Dana White recently said that wouldn't be the case, pointing to the "lackluster" victory over Werdum as the reason.

In the following exclusive MMANews.com interview, our own Scott from the forums spoke with Arlovski to discuss where he think he stands in the Heavyweight title picture, his thoughts on the Werdum fight, possibly fighting a guy he was once scheduled to fight - current champion Couture, how he stacks up against PRIDE kingpin Fedor Emelianenko, his Sambo background, and some general questions to find out more about "The Pitbull" outside the cage.

ANDREI ARLOVSKI INTERVIEW

Scott of MMANews.com: I'm here today with former UFC Heavyweight champion and current top contender "The Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski. Andrei, how are you doing today?

Andrei Arlovski: Good, and you?

MMANews.com: Great. I wanted to start off by asking you your thoughts on your performance against [Fabricio] Werdum at UFC 70. I thought it was a good fight.

Andrei Arlovski: Thank you. I have the same opinion about the fight. Seriously, I was in great shape and followed instruction of my trainers. I am very glad I won.

MMANews.com: Where do you see yourself in the title picture?

Andrei Arlovski: It's up to UFC. I am ready when they are. Right now I am a contender and can wait in line like everyone else.

MMANews.com: How has your training changed in the last year?

Andrei Arlovski: I started training with a new cardio instructor and two trainers in freestyle wrestling. Tim Allegretti from West Loop Gym for cardio and Sean and John from Overtime Wrestling.

MMANews.com: How do you feel you match up with Fedor [Emelianenko], the Pride Heavyweight champion?

Andrei Arlovski: I was ready for a match up against Fedor two years ago, but I lost two of my fights against Tim Sylvia. Because of those losses, I don't think that I will be a contender to fight him soon.

MMANews.com: Also how do you feel about a fight with Mirko CroCop and/or Brandon Vera.

Andrei Arlovski: Both will be exciting fights.

MMANews.com: This is probably the most talked about thing you with, what exactly are your Sambo credentials?



Andrei Arlovski: I became world Junior Heavyweight Sambo champion when I was 19. After that I became silver medalist for the men's European championship. After that I earned a bronze medal for the World Sambo Championship. I am "Master Sport" in the international class. A very special rank to receive.

MMANews.com: How did you feel about Randy [Couture] winning the Heavyweight championship, and do you see a future match between you two?

Andrei Arlovski: I am very happy he won and I have a lot of respect for Randy. I was supposed to fight Randy about three or four years ago, but broke my hand. If it happens it will be a very interesting and difficult match for me.

MMANews.com: Seeing that you come from a Sambo background, have you ever faced the Pride Heavyweight champion Fedor or his Brother Aleksander in Sambo?

Andrei Arlovski: Never.

MMANews.com: I hear a lot of talk about Chuck Liddell wanting to fight the best fighters in the world and that means stepping up to Heavyweight. Would you like to fight him?

Andrei Arlovski: I have a lot of respect for Chuck, he is tough fighter. Anything can happen in this world. I like to fight the best fighters too.

MMANews.com: This is a question a lot of people also wanted your thoughts on. How do you feel about people criticizing you about taking a punch? I have always thought you took punches well and after the Werdum fight, I think people would change their minds.



Andrei Arlovski: If people are talking about you good or bad, it means you are interesting for the crowd. I know and all my trainers know it's not true about me not being able to take a punch. When you fight aggressive, sometimes you can get caught. In the Heavyweight class, especially if somebody is bigger than you, it doesn't matter if you have an iron jaw, you will feel it.

MMANews.com: Here are some general questions so we can know what the real Andrei is like. What is your favorite pizza place in Chicago? What¹s your favorite movies? Also in your spare time do you do anything with charities?

Andrei Arlovski: Pizza - I don't eat pizza, I have a strict diet. Movies - my favorite movies are Gladiator, Braveheart, The Beach with Leonardo and King Arthur to name a few. I like movies of old wars. Charities - I do a lot of work with charities. I have worked with the Children's Memorial Hospital as well as I do work with a lot of fans that send me requests. I sometimes want money to go right to the person in need.

MMANews.com: Again I would like to thank you for taking your time out to do this interview. Can’t wait to see you back fighting again and wish you luck against your next opponent, and waiting for the day to see you with the title again. Thanks and have a great day.

Andrei Arlovski: Thank you, Scott.


copy by http://www.mmanews.com/