One Short Right Good Night: April 2013

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Jon Jones ?would love to fight? Alexander Gustafsson next

Though the timetable on UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones? return to the Octagon is uncertain, the 25-year old already has an opponent in mind for his next title-defense. Specifically, Jones is looking for action against Alexander Gustafsson, expressing interest in the streaking Swede over other options like former title-holder Lyoto Machida when asked about [...]

The post Jon Jones ?would love to fight? Alexander Gustafsson next appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.

Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2013/04/29/jon-jones-would-love-to-fight-alexander-gustafsson-next/

James Toney BJ Penn Shane Carwin Shane Moseley

Oscar De La Hoya "Floyd Mayweather is the best trainer" - Videos

For more log onto http://www.fighthubtv.com Like us:http://on.fb.me/xWRC1f follow us:http://bit.ly/wACkIv videos uploaded daily! Subscribe: http://goo.gl/vnzIb Oscar De La Hoya explains why he feels Floyd Mayweather Sr is the best boxing trainer in the world.

Source: http://mmalice.com/videos/oscar-de-la-hoya-floyd-mayweather-is-the-best-trainer-video_dmkznt0d.html

Oscar de la Hoya Matt Hughes Mirko Cro Cop Rashad Evans

Nonito Donaire Vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux Undercard Results

NEW YORK CITY -- (Jeff Pryor is live at Radio City Music Hall for Nonito Donaire vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux. Here are undercard results Saturday for bouts featuring Glen Tapia, Felix Verdejo and others.)

Erik DeLeon improved to 3-0 with a dominating four round decision in his lightweight bout against unheralded Diamond Baier. DeLeon snapped the Arizonian's head back throughout en route to the clean sweep. Punctuating a punishing exhibition with a flurry of bombs to greet the final bell.

Welterweight Mikael Zewski improved to 19-0 as he overwhelmed an ultra defensive Daniel Sostre, now 11-8-2. The speedy KO came in round 2 as Sostre was put to the mat twice before the referee had seen enough. Zewski's aggressive style will likely garner a bit of attention if he remains undefeated.

A very game but crude slugger Tyler Canning (1-1) won an action packed 154-pound match over undefeated (2-0) Dario Soccia. Though both men were active and Soccia seemed to score the more head-jarring blows, the judges awarded the bout after four stanzas to Canning. The slowly filling Radio City Music Hall greeted the decision with boos and catcalls.

Undefeated junior middleweight Glen Tapia showed good patience in a performance at turns both measured and aggressive at the chagrin of visiting Puerto Rican Joseph Del Los Santos. By scores of 80-72 by all three judges Tapia, a New Jersey native with strong support in the Hall, ran his record to 18-0.

Super middleweight Jesse Hart scored a vicious 3rd round KO, sending Marlan Farr's eyes rolling up into his head and his body flailing through the ropes out onto the ring apron. Farr had been down moments before in a stiff legged free fall to the canvas, bouncing his head off the mat and setting the table for the dramatic finish. The intriguing Philadelphian, Hart, improved to 7-0 with the victory.

The vicious knockouts continued as Felix Verdejo made short explosive work of Steve Gutierrez. In just under two minutes of the 130 lb. bout, Gutierrez stumbled to the mat from a balance altering right that bent him over and down. Rising slowly and deemed fit to continue, Gutierrez lasted just moments longer as Verdejo froze him standing, with a left uppercut reminiscent of Bernard Hopkins devastating KO of Joe Lipsey. Standing but out, a final chopping right by Verdejo put the hapless Missouri man out if his misery. The former Puerto Rican Olympian Verdejo improves to 5-0.

Light heavyweight Sean Monaghan got the memo: knockouts preferred. He dispatched Rex Stanley in round 1 with a series of shotgun left, right, straight salvos and then a sledgehammer right hook that wrecked Rex, dropping him to the canvas like a sack of potatoes. Though he managed to beat the count, Stanley came up lame with a limp to add injury to his knockdown. Seeing the hobbled fighter, the referee immediately waved off the bout. The Long Beach, N.Y. contingent turned out to see there "Irish Boy" rack up win 18 and remain undefeated.

Three knockdowns in round 1 stamped Toka Kahn Clary's, now 5-0, as the most eye opening performance of the undercards. Fast handed and fleet footed, Hr. Lightweight Clary made Gadiel Andaluz little more than a twisting, pinwheeling, piñata for the brief time they danced in the ring. It started when Andaluz walked into a right cross that blasted him straight to the canvas, further battering sent him sprawling every which way and while Clary scaled the ring ropes to celebrate his shiny new Radio City victory.

Source: http://www.queensberry-rules.com/2013-articles/april/nonito-donaire-vs-guillermo-rigondeaux-undercard-results.html

Shane Moseley Brock Lesnar Frank Mir Mirko Cro Cop

Josh Thomson, Matt Brown and Myles Jury headline UFC on Fox 7?s Three Stars

UFC on Fox 7 had knockouts, more knockouts, and even a proposal. But whose performance stood above the rest? With so many great performances, it was hard to pick just three.

No. 1 star -- Josh Thomson: After years in Strikeforce, Thomson was eager to prove that he belonged in the elite of the UFC's stacked lightweight division. He did that by TKOing Nate Diaz, which is the first time Diaz was knocked out in his career.

No. 2 star -- Matt Brown: If Dante Alighieri was alive and an MMA fan, he would add a 10th circle of hell -- facing Matt Brown. He was aggressive and relentless in his win over Jordan Mein. Even after body shots appeared to weaken him, Brown came back to win with a TKO in the second round. Brown is now hoping for a title shot. After five overwhelming wins, who can say he shouldn't get one?

No. 3 star -- Myles Jury: In his third UFC bout, Jury pasted Ramsey Nijem in the second round. He's yet to lose, and of his 12 wins, only one has gone to the judges. At just 24 years old, it's likely we're going to hear more from Jury. His next fight should be a considerable step up in competition in the UFC's lightweight division.

Who were your Three Stars? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Related UFC video on Yahoo! Sports

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/josh-thomson-matt-brown-myles-jury-headline-ufc-134801496--mma.html

Shane Moseley Brock Lesnar Frank Mir Mirko Cro Cop

Josh Thomson, Matt Brown and Myles Jury headline UFC on Fox 7?s Three Stars

UFC on Fox 7 had knockouts, more knockouts, and even a proposal. But whose performance stood above the rest? With so many great performances, it was hard to pick just three.

Who were your Three Stars? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Related UFC video on Yahoo! Sports

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/josh-thomson-matt-brown-myles-jury-headline-ufc-134801496--mma.html

Mauricio Rua Anderson Silva Nate Marquardt Forrest Griffin

Rich Franklin retired? 'Ace' targets next fight for end of 2013, focused on business venture now

Source: http://www.mmamania.com/2013/4/29/4283868/rich-franklin-retired-next-fight-end-2013-business-venture-ufc

Manny Pacquiao Ricky Hatton Larry Holmes Chuck Liddell

Urijah Faber, Anthony Pettis and Ronda Rousey Q&A (FULL VIDEO)

The UFC held a full day of activities today in New York for the UFC Herald Square Takeover. Part of the days festivities included question and answer sessions between UFC personalities, demonstrations, and meet and greet sessions. Urijah Faber, Anthony Pettis and UFC Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey took part in a Q&A, and Rebellion Media…

The post Urijah Faber, Anthony Pettis and Ronda Rousey Q&A (FULL VIDEO) appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/04/24/urijah-faber-anthony-pettis-and-ronda-rousey-qa-full-video?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=urijah-faber-anthony-pettis-and-ronda-rousey-qa-full-video

Chuck Liddell Roy Jones Jr Junior Jones Gerrie Coetzee

Monday, April 29, 2013

Daniel Cormier and Luke Rockhold try soccer, mascot pays the price (Video)

UFC fighters Luke Rockhold and Daniel Cormier both have fights coming up, but they still had time to head to a San Jose Earthquakes game and hang out with their mascot, Q. And when I say hang out, I mean kick a soccer ball at a very sensitive area. The teammates from AKA worked together to create misdirection, and went 1-0 on their shootout.

They have slightly bigger challenges ahead of them off the pitch. After winning the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix championship, Cormier is making his UFC debut against Frank Mir at UFC on Fox 7 on April 20. Rockhold left Strikeforce as the middleweight champion. He'll make his UFC debut against Vitor Belfort at UFC on FX 8 in May.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/daniel-cormier-luke-rockhold-try-soccer-mascot-pays-144525135--mma.html

Michael Dokes Leon Spinks John Tate Mike Weaver

Signal to Noise: UFC 159's best and worst

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/4/29/4282338/signal-to-noise-ufc-159s-best-and-worst

Ryan Bader Thiago Alves Muhammed Ali Evander Holyfield

UFC 159: What Now? The Winners

All Photographs By�Brad Penner – USA Today Sports

MMAFrenzy.com

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/87756/ufc-159-what-now-for-the-winners/

Randy Couture James Toney BJ Penn Shane Carwin

Urijah Faber wins with submission at ?The Ultimate Fighter? finale, but what should he do next?

Former WEC champion and perennial fan favorite Urijah Faber pulled out another big win on Saturday night. In the fourth round of his main event bout with Scott Jorgensen at "The Ultimate Fighter" finale in Las Vegas, Faber used his signature rear naked choke to make Jorgensen tap. It was Faber's second straight win, and the 27th in his prolific career to push his record to 27-6.

But now comes the obvious, if difficult question with Faber: So what?

Five of Faber's six losses came in title fights. Since returning to the UFC in March of 2011, he has had two title chances at the UFC men's bantamweight belt. He lost a decision to current men's bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz at UFC 132, and to Renan Barao at UFC 149 in a bid for the interim belt.

He hovers near the top of the UFC's men's bantamweight division. He has UFC wins over Jorgensen, Ivan Menjivar, Brian Bowles and Eddie Wineland. He has more than 250,000 Twitter followers, which speaks to his immense popularity. For a comparison, Cruz, the division's champ, has around 81,000. But is that enough to give him more bites at the title shot apple?

[Also: Cat Zingano stuns Miesha Tate to set up title bout vs. Ronda Rousey]

Faber isn't pushing for any fights in particular. After beating Jorgensen, he said he would leave matchmaking to the UFC.

"I'm just having fun. That's why I do this sport. I'll be ready for anybody," Faber said.

With Barao holding the interim title and Cruz rehabbing from a serious knee injury, the top of the division is set. But do you want to see Faber get another title shot? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/urijah-faber-wins-submission-ultimate-fighter-finale-next-043147558--mma.html

James Toney BJ Penn Shane Carwin Shane Moseley

Michigan moves to regulate amateur MMA after death after amateur bout

In the wake of a death in an amateur bout, Michigan has moved forward with regulating MMA for amateurs. Felix Nchikwo, a 35-year-old Canadian, died after his amateur bout in Michigan on Saturday. The vote was planned before his death, but the death did bring a spotlight on the need for amateur regulation in the state.

Nchikwo died in the hospital after fighting in an amateur bout in Port Huron, Mich. The Michigan coroner found no evidence that the death was caused by trauma. After the fight, his cornerman said he was dizzy and a "little exhausted," but then he was brought to the hospital after he collapsed.

Even though trauma was not behind Nchikwo's death and we'll never know if amateur regulation could have prevented it, it is a good move for Michigan to address this hole in their laws. With regulation, protections will be put in place for fighters such as required pre-fight medical and blood screenings. Professionals who try to fight amateurs could be charged with a felony.

Professional MMA has been regulated in Michigan for years. The UFC has been to Michigan twice, but both events were marred by controversy. UFC 9 was the event that led to Sen. John McCain's crusade against the sport and its removal from several cable providers. At UFC 123, several years later, Maiquel Falcao filed a formal complaint with the state commission because of a timekeeping problem.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/michigan-moves-regulate-amateur-mma-death-amateur-bout-175941712--mma.html

Sugar Ray Leonard Sugar Ray Robinson Rocky Marciano Vitali Klitschko

Is Chael Sonnen the next Derek Zoolander?

Usually, it's retired UFC fighter Kenny Florian who draws comparisons to Derek Zoolander. But when I was looking for a picture of UFC light heavyweight contender Chael Sonnen next week, I noticed that he cannot take a normal picture. Almost all UFC fighters have some sort of picture on file that doesn't involve posing or hamming it up for the cameras. Not so much for Sonnen. Check it out:

Is he mean-mugging 50 Cent?

And of course:

It's good to know that Sonnen can fall back into the world of modeling if this fighting thing doesn't work out for him.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/chael-sonnen-next-derek-zoolander-184557089--mma.html

Shane Moseley Brock Lesnar Frank Mir Mirko Cro Cop

White Eyeing Cormier or Hunt for Nelson

UFC president Dana White has some plans for heavyweight Roy Nelson. The UFC president said at the post-fight press conference that he and UFC matchmaker Joe Silva are eyeing Daniel Cormier and possibly Mark Hunt (if he defeated Junior dos Santos at UFC 160) for “Big Country.” The discussion between White and Silva happened after�Nelson [...]

MMAFrenzy.com

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/87714/dana-white-eyeing-cormier-or-hunt-for-nelson/

Frankie Edgar Georges St-Pierre Mauricio Rua Anderson Silva

Bahodir Mamadjonov Stops Nascent Knockout Artist Angelo Santana On ShoBox

(Bahodir Mamadjonov drops Angelo Santana; credit: Tom Casino, Showtime)

Reminiscent of the classic LL Cool J song, Bahodir Mamadjonov indeed said “knock you out” with a resounding stoppage of the previously undefeated Angelo Santana in the 9th round of their lightweight bout. It was the kind of fight typical of Showtime’s outstanding ShoBox series, where many prospects’ 0s must go. Santana left his at the Treasure Island Casino in Las Vegas on Friday.

In the opening round, Santana backed fellow southpaw Mamadjonov about the ring, capitalizing off of the inactivity of “Baha.” A wide right by Mamadjonov (13-1, 9 KOs) was countered with a straighter jab from Santana that scored a flash knockdown. The apparent ease with which Santana was able to step inside Mamadjonov’s wheelhouse might have also caused “La Cobra” to be lulled into a false sense of security as the fight progressed.

The following two rounds were decidedly in favor of Mamadjonov, who began dictating the pace after loosening up from the knockdown. Santanta (14-1, 11 KOs), who was flat and still lobbing one punch at a time, was out-landed in the 4th round 19-5. Unable to set into a rhythm, Santana seemed dry and was forced to let his hands go more freely in the 5th and 6th to keep up with the pace of Mamadjonov. Halfway through the scheduled 12-round bout, the two were even with 40 landed power punches, but Mamadjonov held the advantage in total landed blows at 64-53.

Santana, still adjusting to the speed of the contest, seemed a beat behind the Uzbekistan fighter. At times, Mamadjonov landed at will, the Cuban fighter uncharacteristically out of position or failing to follow up on his jab. Though Santana was game, he oftentimes waited a fraction of a second too long to respond to Mamadjonov’s assault.

Double left hooks to the liver sent Santana to the canvas as he covered up on the ropes. The vicious shots landed with bad intentions, as if Mamadjonov smelled the kill of weakened prey. Though he beat the count, Santana’s body language was negative as it was obvious the belts to his midsection took their toll.

By the 9th, Mamadjonov had tired of sharpening his knife and went after his opponent’s liver with hungry ruthlessness, backing him into the corner with a barrage that sent Santana slithering downward. He beat yet another count, but it wasn’t long before Mamadjonov floored Santana again with a left hook upstairs. Bayless immediately waved off the fight as Santana simultaneously bounced up from his third knockdown. He protested accordingly, but he likely wouldn’t have made it to 10 anyway.

Mamadjonov landed more jabs (45-21), total punches (124-80) and power punches (79-59) than Santana.

Behind a textbook one-two, Amir Imam laid out Jeremy Bryan at 2:13 of the 2nd round in a junior welterweight co-feature. Bryan was out before his back slammed flat on the canvas, and referee Russell Mora didn’t bother to begin a count.

Never having broken the four-round threshold, Imam remained undefeated at 9-0 with 8 knockouts. But, as is often the case with protected new professionals, his statistics don’t tell his entire story.

To call Imam’s competition “soft” thus far would be an insult to powder puffs worldwide. Sporks have opened tougher tomato cans than his February and March opponents, who make the “Bum of the Month Club” of Joe Louis look like Canastota honorees with respective records 3-20-3 and 4-45-3. In all, Imam’s adversaries amassed 26 wins against 90 losses and 11 draws.

It also remains to be seen what kind of power Imam possesses — Bryan’s three losses have all come by knockout — but his punches get from point A to point B along a seam. The timer just ticked zero, and it’s time for Imam to take the logical next step up the rungs of the talent-laden 140-pound ladder.

Source: http://www.queensberry-rules.com/2013-articles/april/bahodir-mamadjonov-stops-nascent-knockout-artist-angelo-santana-on-shobox.html

Manny Pacquiao Ricky Hatton Larry Holmes Chuck Liddell

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Weekend results: Gegard Mousasi, Matt Mitrione, Ross Pearson pick up wins

Perhaps the last-minute opponent change was exactly what Gegard Mousasi needed. The former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion made his debut on Saturday and pulled out a decision over Ilir Latifi, a late replacement after Alexander Gustafsson was not cleared for the fight because of a cut. Mousasi pulled out the unanimous decision win, but shared afterwards that he was dealing with a knee injury.

"I don't want to talk a lot about my injury, but I can tell that this injury, I'm pretty sure 95 percent wouldn't fight, from other fighters," Mousasi said in the postfight press conference.

"You know, I stepped up, I didn't cancel the show, you know, I don't know, we go from here, you know."

In other action, Ross Pearson notched a second-round TKO over Ryan Couture. Matt Mitrione stopped his losing streak with a 19-second KO of Philip de Fries. Brad Pickett won a split decision over Mike Easton in a bout that won Fight of the Night honors. Diego Brandao submitted Pablo Garza in the third round with an arm-triangle choke.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/weekend-results-gegard-mousasi-matt-mitrione-ross-pearson-134443218--mma.html

Kimbo Slice Sugar Ray Leonard Sugar Ray Robinson Rocky Marciano

UFC Quick Quote: Dana White has no solution to eye poke issues in MMA

Source: http://www.mmamania.com/2013/4/28/4278878/ufc-quick-quote-dana-white-has-no-solution-to-eye-poke-issues-in-mma

Brock Lesnar Frank Mir Mirko Cro Cop Dana White

Pat Barry wants help making his sick mom laugh

UFC heavyweight Pat Barry has probably entertained you in some way. Whether it's in a knockout, like when he knocked out Shane del Rosario in December, or in one of his hilarious videos, the man knows how to keep you entertained. But now he needs your help entertaining someone important in his life.

Barry's mother is in the hospital and doctors can't quite figure out what's wrong. This is taking a toll on the family's spirits, so Barry has turned to his fans. He wants his fans to come up with a short video or photo impersonating his mother. It's not likely that you know Barry's mother, so he's hoping fans come up with what they think his mother is like.

He will make a compilation of the entries, and his mother will choose the best one. The winner will get tickets to a UFC event. Barry has a fight coming up against Shawn Jordan at UFC 161, but he says it doesn't have to be that fight. So, pull out your creative side, make a woman in the hospital laugh, and maybe win tickets to a fight. It's not a bad way to spend an evening.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/pat-barry-wants-help-making-sick-mom-laugh-125911021--mma.html

Nate Marquardt Forrest Griffin Ryan Bader Thiago Alves

FightMatrix Program: UFC on Fox (04-20-2013)

Lightweight Championship (155) [#1/#6DD] Ben Henderson (18-2-0, -281) vs. [#2] Gilbert Melendez (21-2-0, +227) Ben Henderson is the All-Time #6 ranked Lightweight fighter. Gilbert Melendez is the All-Time #4 ranked Lightweight and #17 ranked Absolute fighter. Last 3 Fights: Ben Henderson (3-0-0) 2012-12-08: W vs. [#6LW] Nate Diaz (16-8-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-43) 2012-08-11: [...]

Source: http://www.fightmatrix.com/2013/04/17/fightmatrix-program-ufc-on-fox-04-20-2013/

Leon Spinks John Tate Mike Weaver Randy Couture

Middleweight champ Luke Rockhold out of Jan. 12 Strikeforce event

For an event entitled "Champions," Strikeforce's Jan. 12 event is apparently running out of them very quickly.

According to a report by The MMA Corner, Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has suffered a wrist injury and has been forced to withdraw from the card.

Strikeforce and Showtime officials were unavailable for comment when contacted by MMAjunkie.com, and executives from both companies have yet to make an official announcement. However, sources close to the bout have indicated Rockhold is indeed a scratch.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/0aVJIXoMQtc/report-middleweight-champ-luke-rockhold-out-of-jan-12-strikeforce-event.mma

Gerrie Coetzee Michael Dokes Leon Spinks John Tate

Fallon Fox cleared of wrongdoing in obtaining license, clearing the way for a future fight

Fallon Fox, the postoperative trans fighter who is looking to continue her MMA career, has been cleared of any wrongdoing in getting a fighter's license in Florida.

The question asked by the Florida commission was whether Fox, who fought in Florida in March, had obtained a license fraudulently. She was given her license in Florida after saying she had a license in California. She was given a receipt for her application in California, and thought that was a license. Now, Florida has cleared her, opening the door for her to apply for another license there.

And it appears she will need one. Allanna Jones has agreed to a match-up with Fox for May 24 bout with Championship Fighting Alliance.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/fallon-fox-cleared-wrongdoing-obtaining-license-clearing-way-182721169--mma.html

Dana White Oscar de la Hoya Matt Hughes Mirko Cro Cop

Vinny Magalhaes: ?I?m a finisher.? (VIDEO)

Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Vinny Magalhaes is all set to fight Phil Davis this weekend at UFC 159 in Newark, New Jersey. The light heavyweights will fight on the main card, and both are looking to continue their winning ways. Magalhaes was recently asked to describe his fighting style, and although you may know him as a brazilian jiu…

The post Vinny Magalhaes: “I’m a finisher.” (VIDEO) appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/04/25/vinny-m?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=vinny-m

Rashad Evans Frankie Edgar Georges St-Pierre Mauricio Rua

UFC 159: Davis vs. Magalha�s Recap

MMAFrenzy’s coverage of UFC 159 continues with our recap of a light heavyweight battle between Phil Davis and Vinny Magalha�s. The two heated rivals engaged in a grinding fight that saw Davis come out on top with dominant victory. Be sure to stay tuned to MMAFrenzy for full coverage of�UFC 159. Davis Picks Magalha�s Apart [...]

MMAFrenzy.com

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/87665/ufc-159-davis-vs-magalhaes-recap/

Gerrie Coetzee Michael Dokes Leon Spinks John Tate

Saturday, April 27, 2013

?UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen? Takes Last-Second Hit

And then there were 11, as in only 11 fights that will now take place tonight at “UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen” after welterweight Nick Catone (pictured) was forced to withdraw from his scrap with James Head at the 11th hour due to dehydration. “Following a trip to the hospital for dehydration, Nick Catone has [...]

Source: http://www.5thRound.com/145213/ufc-159-jones-vs-sonnen-takes-last-second-hit/

Wladimir Klitscho David Haye Cornelius K9 Bundrage Miguel Cotto

Car Crash TV: Tyson Fury Spills His Guts Before Hooking Steve Cunningham Off Stage

(Tyson Fury, left, tries to connect on Steve Cunningham)

Steve “USS” Cunningham had chided Tyson Fury for being more like a one-man talk-show than a fighter before their NBC televised heavyweight clash at The Theatre in Madison Square Garden, New York, on Saturday. After an extreme yet strangely enthralling episode, Fury came across more Jerry Springer than Dick Cavett. Cunningham, a bulked up cruiserweight, pole-axed Fury in the 2nd and dipped his knees in the 4th with overhand rights; however, the charismatic leviathan turned the tables in round 7 with a monster right hook that put Cunningham down for the full count.

Fury, 21-0 (15), Manchester, England (but representing Ireland) had blathered up a storm all week. Nevertheless, there was a suspicion that something was amiss when it became apparent his trainer hadn’t accompanied him to the States (reportedly due to a visa issue) and that his chief second would be Derby’s answer to Steve Wilkos in ex-heavyweight Clifton Mitchell, who runs a security firm in the U.K. that chaperones boxers on their way into the ring. “Big Cliff,” as Mitchell is known, managed to get that part of his task right, at least.

Alternatively, Cunningham, 25-6 (12), of Philadelphia, had been swotting under ace Philadelphian coach Naazim Richardson. Disadvantaged by six inches and 44 lbs., Cunningham had his work cut out in even closing the distance between himself and Fury and he struggled with his range while being made to eat crow. That changed abruptly enough in round 2, when Cunningham, boxing a well-ordered fight, lanced his tormentor with a Hail Mary right that caught Fury squared-up with both hands dangling below his beltline. Fury fell like a sail on a windmill -- crashing onto his back -- and for a few spine-tingling moments it appeared he wouldn’t be coming back around again.

Up at six, Fury, 254, managed to ride out the round, yet he’d reverted back to the flat-footed brawler that had struggled against the likes of Nicolai Firtha and Neven Pajkic. With his Uncle Peter AWOL, Fury veered between improvisation and shambles. He draped himself over Cunningham, 210, repeatedly and was clipped again in round 4 with his defences awry. Referee Eddie Cotton, who’d already warned Tyson for shoving Cunningham after the bell, took a point from him in the next frame for butting. As his welcome party began to look like it might actually be a leaving do, Fury -- who is as gutsy as they come in spite of his technical shortcomings and repeated malfunctions -- took it to the cobbles and Cunningham began to wear out as a result.

Fury winded the American in the 7th with an uppercut. As Cunningham covered up against the ropes, Fury barged him into a corner. There, he propped Steve’s chin up with his left forearm before socking him with a crushing right hook. It looked like a jeep running into a bollard. Cunningham could not continue and Cotton stepped in at 2:55.

“I was dazed ya know?” Cunningham admitted post-fight. “And friggin’ couldn’t make the count, man. He caught me in the clinch. He pushed me up and he threw the punch. That’s illegal but he did what a big man’s supposed to do to a smaller guy.”

Quizzed in the ring about why his boasts of being the world’s greatest fighter had looked a little off the mark, Fury was forced to take stock. “It’s one of them things,” he lamented. “This is a fight. And a fight it was.” Indeed. But this oddball heavyweight, who serenaded the crowd afterwards with a croaky Ricky Van Shelton rendition (yes really), must apply himself far more seriously if he hopes to become anything other than a mid-afternoon circus act.

Source: http://www.queensberry-rules.com/2013-articles/april/car-crash-tv-tyson-fury-spills-his-guts-before-hooking-steve-cunningham-off-stage.html

Wladimir Klitscho David Haye Cornelius K9 Bundrage Miguel Cotto

UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione calls trans fighter Fallon Fox a ?sociopath? and ?freak?

Matt Mitrione is coming off a huge win. On Saturday, he won with a 19-second knockout of Philip de Fries. It was a hugely needed win after Mitrione suffered two losses in his last two fights. Now Mitrione is using the spotlight to talk about trans fighter Fallon Fox.

While on the MMA Hour, Mitrione repeatedly called the postoperative transgender female a "he." Mitrione also called Fox, who is scheduled to fight again in May, a sociopath and a freak.

"Because she's not a he. He's a he," he said. "He's chromosomally a man. He had a gender change, not a sex change. He's still a man. He was a man for 31 years. Thirty-one years. That's a couple years younger than I am. He's a man. Six years of taking performance de-hancing drugs, you think is going to change all that? That's ridiculous.

"That is a lying, sick, sociopathic, disgusting freak," he continued. "And I mean that. Because you lied on your license to beat up women. That's disgusting. You should be embarrassed yourself. And the fact that Florida licensed him because California licensed him or whoever the hell did it, it's an embarrassment to us as fighters, as a sport, and we all should protest that. The woman that's fighting him, props to you. I hope you beat his ass, and I hope he gets blackballed and never fights again, because that's disgusting and I'm appalled by that."

Mitrione earned a Bachelor's degree from Purdue in Law and Society, with minors in supervision and communications, and he doesn't have a medical degree. It's unlikely that he examined Fox, yet he speaks as if he is aware of the particulars of her anatomy.

If Mitrione doesn't think Fox should be allowed to fight, that's his opinion. State commissions don't agree with him, but he's not being forced to watch her fight. He is also not being forced to fight her, and the women who are walking into a fight with Fox know her history. They don't need to be saved by Mitrione.

For him to go off on such a hate-filled, uninformed tirade is just plain sad, particularly for someone who has been involved with anti-bullying initiatives in the past. Hopefully, Mitrione will keep bullied trans people in mind the next time he calls anyone a "freak."

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-heavyweight-matt-mitrione-calls-trans-fighter-fallon-200711664--mma.html

Mirko Cro Cop Dana White Oscar de la Hoya Matt Hughes

Former UFC champ Pat Miletich considering a run for Senate

Pat Miletich has a diverse resume. He was a fighter, earning the UFC welterweight championship in 1998. He is one of mixed martial arts' most prolific trainers, having trained fighters like Matt Hughes, Jens Pulver and Robbie Lawler at one time in their careers. He's a commentator, voicing MMA fights for Showtime and AXSTV with knowledge that makes him one of the best at the job. Now he's considering adding politician to that list.

A longtime Iowan, Miletich is considering running for the Senate seat opening in Iowa as Tom Harkin is planning to step down.

"A lot of people are fed up with a lot of things that are happening in the country,? he said to the Quad City Times. If he runs, it will be as a Republican or independent.

But winning the seat won't be easy. Several experienced politicians are interested in running for Senate. Fighters haven't done well in political races in the past. UFC light heavyweight contender Chael Sonnen withdrew from a congressional run in Oregon, and retired UFC fighter Chris Lytle lost his campaign for office in Indiana.

Thanks, MMA Junkie.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/former-ufc-champ-pat-miletich-considering-run-senate-195404276--mma.html

Leon Spinks John Tate Mike Weaver Randy Couture

Science, Jon Jones and Josh Rosenthal: See where they fall on Cagewriter?s Hot or Not List

It was a bizarre and sad week in the world, and the sad events are still going. My heart goes out to people dealing with the tragic events in Boston and West, Texas, and those who are cleaning up from the massive storm that hit Chicagoland.

In trying times, sports can give us something to talk about that doesn't involve bombs and explosions and death tolls. If you don't want a diversion, no one will blame you, but if you do, the hot or not list from the week in MMA.

Hot -- Science: UFC president Dana White has been battling with Meniere's Disease, a disorder of the inner-ear that has wreaked havoc on his health. A surgery that was supposed to help didn't, but White tried a new therapy that he says has made a huge difference. White went to Germany and received platement-rich plasma therapy, after New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez told him to, of course.

Not -- Fans who take swings at fighters: OK, it was just one fan, but it was one fan too many. Taking a swing at Chael Sonnen or anyone else is the kind of thing that could raise security levels hinder the access fans have to their favorite fighters.

Hot -- Jon Jones: Though he made a bad move when he accused, then withdrew his accusations, Sonnen of taking steroids, Jones is still having a good week. His Nike line is on sale, making him the first UFC fighter with his own shoe.

Not -- Josh Rosenthal: The well-respected MMA referee had a bad week that probably could have been worse. After he was busted for conspiracy charges because he owned a warehouse full of marijuana plants, Rosenthal plead guilty and faces 37 months in jail.

Still taking temperature -- Benson Henderson: The UFC lightweight champ will defend his belt against Gilbert Melendez on Saturday night at UFC on Fox 7. We will find out if he's still the hottest in his division.

Stick with Cagewriter on Twitter for more on Saturday night's fights.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/science-jon-jones-josh-rosenthal-see-where-fall-183336613--mma.html

Shane Moseley Brock Lesnar Frank Mir Mirko Cro Cop

VIDEO: Chael Sonnen responds to "race-baiting" accusations with Dan Le Batard

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Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/ufc/128154-video-chael-sonnen-responds-race-baiting-accusations-dan-le-batard.html

Junior Jones Gerrie Coetzee Michael Dokes Leon Spinks

Canelo Will Be Here For A Long Time: Saul Alvarez Outpoints Austin Trout

(Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, right, punches Austin Trout; photo credit: Showtime)

“Canelo will be here for a long time,” said junior middleweight Saul Alvarez after defeating Austin Trout in San Antonio on Showtime. It’s hard to disagree with him, despite the third person athlete's tic. Canelo by no means destroyed all the doubts over his superstar status on Saturday, but he answered a lot of questions.

In a performance that mixed fearsome power punching and ring control with periods of frustrating apathy, Canelo earned a unanimous decision by scores of 115-112, 116-111 and a perplexing 118-109. Trout, who was more active than Alvarez and won in the eyes of some observers, deserved better than a card like that.

After a tentative 1st round that Trout won with his machine gun jab, a pattern established itself in the 2nd. Trout would throw many more punches than Alvarez, who waited to land the harder, more eye catching shots.

The majority of the fight passed in just such a way, leaving judges and observers to scratch their heads as they tried to score.

In the 4th Canelo’s 1-2 combinations won the round, while in the 5th Trout peppered his man with jabs and the odd left hand. It wasn’t until the 6th frame that a fight truly broke out, as Canelo stood Trout up with two looping rights. Trout flurried back as Alvarez bore down on him, eventually getting the Mexican on the ropes, where he bobbed and bent in an attempted Pernell Whittaker impersonation.

Perhaps buoyed by his success, Trout came out a bit too relaxed at the next bell, eating a rocket right hand that had him doing the hokey-pokey and tasting the canvas for the first time in his career. When he said before the fight that “this fish can moonwalk in outer space,” I don’t think that was what he had in mind.

Canelo, ever patient, declined to recklessly jump on Trout, instead opting for a series of stalking combinations. Trout survived, though, and managed to make the remaining two and a half minutes of the round competitive -- a testament to his superb conditioning.

From there the fight reverted back to form, with each boxer trying to win with their right hand. Canelo took the odd round off, hands down and languishing with his back to the ropes but largely able to avoid what Trout was throwing. Trout won a lot of rounds in the second half of the fight because of Alvarez’s apathy and apparent lack of conditioning.

In the 11th round Canelo made his rope-a-dope work, finally deciding to fire back when he made Trout miss. A hellacious right uppercut might have been a fight-ender against a lesser boxer, but it hardly seemed to phase Trout.

With the suspense largely taken out of the final stanza by scoring that was open to the corners of both boxers, Canelo opted to coast. His snappy right hands and intelligent movement nevertheless won him the round.

Thanks to the semi-open scoring, there was no surprise as the official decision was announced.

In beating, albeit narrowly, a highly fancied, legitimate junior middleweight in Trout, Canelo will silence many of his doubters. The big surprise of the fight was his defence. The usually offensive minded red-head slipped, bobbed and weaved his way through the bout. While Trout mostly shut down his vaunted combination punching, the 22-year-old’s concussive power was on display throughout.

Questions remain. Why does Canelo take rounds off? Why was he breathing through his mouth and lowering his hands through the championship rounds? If he can avoid punches along the ropes, then why can’t he counter back?

That stuff can wait, though, as long as he doesn’t fight Floyd Mayweather, Jr. next -- because Mayweather will punish him for those bad habits. I don’t know if there’s anyone else who could, though.

A visibly emotional, but still classy Trout offered no excuses: “He boxed better than I thought, he moved better than I thought… he shocked us. He’s a complete fighter.”

But he’s not yet. That’s the scary bit.

Source: http://www.queensberry-rules.com/2013-articles/april/canelo-will-be-here-for-a-long-time-saul-alvarez-outpoints-austin-trout.html

Randy Couture James Toney BJ Penn Shane Carwin

Four questions that will be answered by UFC 159

UFC 159 is just over 48 hours from now. What questions will be answered by Saturday's fights?

Does Chael Sonnen have any real chance at beating UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones? Sonnen's moving up to 205 lbs. after spending his entire UFC career at middleweight. He is 2-3 in his last five fights, with both losses coming to Anderson Silva. Two of those wins were decisions, including a close one with Michael Bisping. Though Sonnen talks a good game, he just isn't on the same level as Jones. Every fighter has a puncher's chance in the cage. Will Sonnen find that one punch to get it done?

Will any punches be thrown in Phil Davis and Vinny Magalhaes' bout? When a Division I NCAA champion wrestler and a world champion jiu-jitsu player face off, will their ground game be neutralized? Watching their match will be like a chess match unfold.

Can Jim Miller change UFC president Dana White's mind about the next lightweight title shot? After Benson Henderson defended the UFC lightweight championship belt, White said the next title shot will go to the winner of Gray Maynard's May bout with T.J. Grant. Miller said this week that he wants to perform so well against Pat Healy that White will be forced to reconsider.

"It all comes down to timing and performances," he said. "I'm looking to make a statement on Saturday night. I'm hoping Dana forgets all the things he just said about the Maynard-Grant fight. It's happened before. Nothing's guaranteed about a No. 1 contender spot. I might (have to do some talking). But I plan on making some noise with my fists and my elbows and my knees."

Will Miller be able to get that title shot he's always wanted?

Can Sheila Gaff's finishing ability neutralize Sara McMann's wrestling? McMann is one of the most well-credentialed wrestlers to ever enter the octagon. She was an Olympic silver medalist in 2004, plus has three medals from world championships. Gaff's last three fights have ended in a first-round knockout, so will she be able to come up with another big finish against McMann's elite wrestling?

Don't forget to make your picks for UFC 159 on Cagewriter's Facebook page.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/four-questions-answered-ufc-159-160657311--mma.html

Matt Hughes Mirko Cro Cop Rashad Evans Frankie Edgar

Friday, April 26, 2013

UFC's Chael Sonnen and Molly Qerim again host World MMA Awards ceremony

For the second straight year, UFC fighter Chael Sonnen will serve as host of Fighters Only's World MMA Awards.

Sonnen has again has been paired up with CBS Sports Network/NFL Network anchor Molly Qerim.

The duo hosts the 2012 World MMA Awards official ceremony, which is a black-tie ceremony held Jan. 11 at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/fTNaNrGZOPs/ufcs-chael-sonnen-and-molly-qerim-again-host-world-mma-awards.mma

Chuck Liddell Roy Jones Jr Junior Jones Gerrie Coetzee

UFC 159 Jones vs Sonnen Weigh-In Video And Results Live At 4pm EST

See UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen weigh-ins live here on Friday, April 26th at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT. Main Card Jon Jones (205) vs. Chael Sonnen (205) Michael Bisping (186) vs. Alan Belcher (185) Roy Nelson (258) vs. Cheick Kongo (237) Phil Davis (205) vs. Vinny Magalhaes (205.5) Jim Miller (155) vs. Pat Healy [...]

Source: http://www.mmatko.com/ufc-159-jones-vs-sonnen-weigh-in-video-and-results-live-at-4pm-est/

Larry Holmes Chuck Liddell Roy Jones Jr Junior Jones

Gilbert Melendez: ?When I came forward, I thought landed the cleaner attacks.? (VIDEO)

As you can imagine, when a fight is as close as the main event was on Saturday at UFC On FOX 7: Henderson Vs Melendez, both fighters are going to say they think they won. Gilbert Melendez found himself on the south end of a unanimous decision loss against Benson Henderson, and when you ask…

The post Gilbert Melendez: “When I came forward, I thought landed the cleaner attacks.” (VIDEO) appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/04/22/gilbert-melendez-when-i-came-forward-i-landed-the-cleaner-attacks-video?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gilbert-melendez-when-i-came-forward-i-landed-the-cleaner-attacks-video

Roy Jones Jr Junior Jones Gerrie Coetzee Michael Dokes

Gray Maynard ?Fired Up? with Title-Fight on the Line at UFC 160

UFC lightweight Gray Maynard knows what it?s like to come close to winning a title only to suffer a disappointing result in the end. Maynard?s 2011 tilts with then-champion Frankie Edgar were both classics, as each featured ?The Bully? blasting Edgar early only to see his adversary weather the storm and ultimately avoid defeat as…

The post Gray Maynard ?Fired Up? with Title-Fight on the Line at UFC 160 appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/04/23/gray-maynard-fired-up-with-title-fight-on-the-line-at-ufc-160?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gray-maynard-fired-up-with-title-fight-on-the-line-at-ufc-160

Mike Tyson Kimbo Slice Sugar Ray Leonard Sugar Ray Robinson

Klitschko brothers issue challenge to David Haye

Perhaps someone pointed out that there is strength in numbers.
Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, who between them command the majority of world title belts in the heavyweight division, have started the latest round of tub-thumping with a view to one of them meeting David Haye in a boxing ring.
To read the full blog: http://boxing.bettor.com/klitschko-brothers-issue-challenge-to-david-haye/news/1337103

Source: http://www.boxing-blog.com/index.php/klitschko-brothers-issue-challenge-david-haye/

Mirko Cro Cop Dana White Oscar de la Hoya Matt Hughes

UFC 159: Jones Vs Sonnen Live Results and Play-By-Play (Saturday, 6:30 PM EST)

The match that could have saved UFC 151 is finally here, Defending Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will put his belt on the line against Chael Sonnen at UFC 159: Jones Vs Sonnen this weekend in New Jersey. Sonnen might have won all the prizes on this past season of The Ultimate Fighter, but there…

The post UFC 159: Jones Vs Sonnen Live Results and Play-By-Play (Saturday, 6:30 PM EST) appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/04/22/ufc-159-jones-vs-sonnen-live-results-and-play-by-play-saturday-630-pm-est?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ufc-159-jones-vs-sonnen-live-results-and-play-by-play-saturday-630-pm-est

BJ Penn Shane Carwin Shane Moseley Brock Lesnar

Michael Chiesa matched with Reza Madadi for July 27 tilt

Ultimate Fighter 15 winner Michael Chiesa will attempt to improve his record to 3-0 inside the Octagon on July 27 when he mixes it up with Reza Madadi at UFC on FOX 8. Though Chiesa?s grappling prowess has helped produce the bulk of his career wins, he should have a hard time putting Madadi away [...]

The post Michael Chiesa matched with Reza Madadi for July 27 tilt appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.

Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2013/04/24/michael-chiesa-matched-with-reza-madadi-for-july-27-tilt/

Roy Jones Jr Junior Jones Gerrie Coetzee Michael Dokes

Michael Bisping: UFC 159 Fighter Profile

British striker Michael “The Count” Bisping made his amateur debut at the age of 15-years old, competing in Britain’s first “no holds barred” event, Knock Down Sport Budo. The event was organized in large part by Paul Lloyd Davies, the man who had taught Bisping Yawara Ryu Jujutsu since the age of 8.� Bisping would…

The post Michael Bisping: UFC 159 Fighter Profile appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/04/25/michael-bisping-ufc-159-fighter-profile?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=michael-bisping-ufc-159-fighter-profile

Muhammed Ali Evander Holyfield Mike Tyson Kimbo Slice

Thursday, April 25, 2013

First quarter report cards: Which fighters rose above early in 2013?

Sunday will mark the end of the first quarter. It's been a busy three months in MMA, so it's a good time to look back at the past three months and see who rose above the rest.

Biggest upset: Did you expect to see Robbie Lawler walk away with the win over Josh Koscheck at UFC 157? What about Antonio Rogerio Nogueira beating former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans? But there's no question who scored the biggest upset of the first quarter of 2013. Antonio Silva's TKO of Alistair Overeem at UFC 156 left more than Overeem's jaw on the floor.

Best knockout: Vitor Belfort's knockout of Michael Bisping at the January UFC on FX was memorable, as was Tyron Woodley's 36-second dismantling of Jay Hieron at UFC 156. Wanderlei Silva, Robbie Lawler and a slew of Bellator fighters have posted impressive knockouts. But the one that had everyone talking was on "The Ultimate Fighter." Uriah Hall's knockout of Adam Cella* was perfectly executed, and had the rest of the TUF house worried about Hall's skills. For that, Hall wins knockout of the first quarter.

* The knockout actually occurred last year, but aired in the first quarter of 2013.

[Also: Video blog shows the other side of UFC's Dana White]

Best submission: For the best tapouts of the first three months of 2013, Bellator provided a nominee when Dave Vitkay choked out Jesse Peterson in just 18 seconds. Gabriel Gonzaga's guillotine of Ben Rothwell stands out, as is Ronda Rousey's arm bar of Liz Carmouche at UFC 157. The winner comes from the undercard of UFC 157 as Kenny Robertson managed a weird yet incredibly painful looking kneebar-esque submission of Brock Jardine. It was the kind of submission that left MMA fans wondering what had happened.

Best rising star: There were plenty of candidates for fighters who really made an impressive leap in the MMA world early in 2013. Jordan Mein's UFC debut at UFC 158 included rolling out of an arm bar with Dan Miller, and then knocking him out before the first round ended. Abel Trujillo's TKO win by knees to the body of Marcus Levesseur was pretty fantastic, too. But it's Trujillo's opponent at UFC 160, Khabib Nurmagomedov who is taking home the prize. His TKO of Thiago Tavares in Brazil showed he can fight well under any conditions.

Best fight: Johny Hendricks and Carlos Condit put on a great scrap at UFC 158. Brian Stann and Wanderlei Silva's bout was thrilling before Stann was knocked out. Demetrious Johnson and John Dodson's title fight at UFC on Fox 6 was memorable, as was Frankie Edgar and Jose Aldo's title bout at UFC 156. The one fight that stood out above the rest, though, was Dennis Bermudez and Matt Grice's fight from UFC 156. Throughout the bout, both fighters should have given up. Both fighters should have been knocked out. But neither man gave in. Bermudez won the decision, but both fighters will be remembered for this bout.

Do you agree? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

More news from the Yahoo! Sports Minute:

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/first-quarter-report-cards-fighters-rose-above-early-174635867--mma.html

Chuck Liddell Roy Jones Jr Junior Jones Gerrie Coetzee

UFC 159 fight card: Alan Belcher vs Michael Bisping preview

Source: http://www.mmamania.com/2013/4/25/4264980/ufc-159-fight-card-alan-belcher-vs-michael-bisping-preview

Ryan Bader Thiago Alves Muhammed Ali Evander Holyfield

Weekend Afterthoughts On How Good Mike Alvarado Vs. ...

So that’s his secret. (via)

The meat on the menu this past weekend for the fearsome middleweight puncher was Nobuhiro Ishida, and while Gennady Golovkin beating him was no more surprising than his choice of favorite meal, it was at least somewhat surprising that Golovkin was able to stop Ishida given how sturdy he’s been in the past. It was some shot, too.

We’ll have more on the card Golovkin headlined in this edition of Weekend Afterthoughts, but mostly we’ll be talking about the Mike Alvarado-Brandon Rios II awesomeness.

How good was Alvarado-Rios II? We all saw it with our own eyes, and Patrick Connor provided a sterling account here. It is, at minimum, a sure-fire Fight of the Year finalist, alongside Timothy Bradley-Ruslan Provodnikov. Round 2 is a Round of the Year candidate. Here’s where my not watching it live hurts its standing with me, a little: I lean toward liking Bradley-Provodnikov a bit more for 2013, and preferring Rios-Alvarado I last year, too. Rios-Alvarado I is as pure a toe-to-toe brawl as I can imagine, so whether you watched it live or not makes no difference. Bradley-Provodnikov and Alvarado-Rios II, by contrast, benefited from the ways they defied expectations. Nobody thought Bradley was going to take the action-packed tact he did against Provodnikov; nobody thought Alvarado could box as well as he did against Rios in the rematch, let alone hurt him along the way when he couldn’t dent him with flush power shots the first time. Watching those expectations be defied in real time, rather than knowing the outcome and watching the fight afterward, was bound to enhance the drama. That said, it was indisputably great stuff in any universe, and one of the best boxing sequels ever, especially given the tendency of installment "II" in a sequence to be a comedown.
Next for Alvarado and Rios. Golden Boy may have most of the talent at 140-147 pounds, but Top Rank has, with a handful of fighters, set up a number of enticing potential match-ups. Top Rank’s Bob Arum – in between offering some scathing yet amusing disses of his promotional rival – said at the post-fight news conference that Alvarado-Rios III wouldn’t be right away. Normally, I’d want it ASAP, but there are a number of good fights available to both men that make it so I am content to wait. This would be my preference: Manny Pacquiao-Mike Alvarado; Juan Manuel Marquez-Timothy Bradley; Rios-Provodnikov, with only Provdnikov not under the Top Rank banner right now.
Popularity of Alvarado-Rios II. TV numbers were up from last time, ticket sales were down. You can explain all this in a variety of possible ways. There’s often a disconnect between TV ratings and live gates, where some fights do really well on TV but not so well with tickets sold. The rematch was in Vegas rather than Southern California, Rios’ stomping grounds and home to a larger Hispanic population. And maybe people were less willing to shell out bucks to watch something live where they thought the outcome was a certainty – Rios was the pick of virtually everyone to beat Alvarado this time – whereas turning on a TV costs nothing. Also, apparently, it was an HBO free preview weekend for at least some cable/satellite providers. Either way, yes, Alvarado-Rios II was good for boxing, but that it sold fewer tickets than Andre Ward-Chad Dawson and equaled its TV ratings shows once more that there is no direct correlation between expected action and eyeballs; there’s more than one type of boxing fan, from those that like only one flavor (action, say) to those that only like some other kind of flavor to those who like all the flavors. And yes, I beat this horse to death a long time ago, but when there’s so much raw propaganda in the opposite direction, you’ve got to keep flaying it to the bone, apparently.
Terrence Crawford-Breidis Prescott. With so many people in Vegas for the main event's action flavor, it was inevitable that Crawford’s slippery defense and stick-and-move style was going to get him booed on the HBO undercard. Still, the lightweight moved up a division and handled the very large 140-pounder Prescott more easily than anyone ever had, and it was hard not to be impressed by the showing even with how limited Prescott is. Crawford’s for real, and he has the look of someone who’s going to be a force at 135-140 before long.
Light heavyweight ranks. There were some meaningful bouts at light heavyweight this past weekend, with our man Andrew Harrison covering the Tony Bellew-Isaac Chilemba draw. On the card headlined by Golovkin, Edwin Rodriguez beat Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna by unanimous decision, while Denis Grachev handed Zsolt Erdei his first ever defeat. Grachev’s win was controversial in some quarters, but I scored it a draw and thought it could’ve gone either way. Grachev-Rodriguez should be an interesting finale to this “Super Four” tournament, assuming it goes forward. It’s not anything that’s going to have any real impact on the division, though, like Showtime’s bantamweight and super middleweight tournaments did with those divisions, because Grachev is someone who only ought to be ranked near the bottom of the division even if he beats Rodriguez convincingly in their catchweight bout, and Rodriguez has indicated he plans to go back to super middleweight shortly. To see how all this affected the Transnational Boxing Rankings, go here. To read an ESPN article about the TBRB that features quotes from yours truly, go here.
The rest. Rios interrupting Alvarado’s post-fight interview with a bunch of incomprehensible yelling offended a number of people, but I say “whatever.” It ain’t the classiest thing to do, but nobody ever accused Rios of class. He gets a pass from me for most things as long as he’s in Fight of the Year candidates as often as he is… And yes, to those who don’t like Rios in my top 20 pound-for-pound standings, it’s safe to assume he’ll be gone in the next update… It looks like, in fact, Brian Vera might’ve fought his way out of a middleweight Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. showdown with his performance on Friday Night Fights – Chavez seems to be targeting Darren Barker, whose boxing ability probably makes him better prep for a Sergio Martinez rematch anyway… The aforementioned Mr. Connor has some more to say on Alvarado-Rios II that he’s offered in video form. Check out his magnificent beard, silky-smooth baritone and cogent thoughts below.

Source: http://www.queensberry-rules.com/2013-articles/april/weekend-afterthoughts-on-how-good-mike-alvarado-vs-brandon-rios-2-was-zsolt-erdei-s-first-loss-and-more.html

David Haye Cornelius K9 Bundrage Miguel Cotto Manny Pacquiao

Ronda Rousey 1-on-1 - Videos

UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey joins Showdown Joe Ferraro to talk about the legalization of MMA in New York City and her thoughts on The Ultimate Fighter series.

Source: http://mmalice.com/videos/ronda-rousey-1-on-1-video_4acychrk.html

Gerrie Coetzee Michael Dokes Leon Spinks John Tate

Matt Brown: Despite What the Media Say, The Title is in Reach

Source: http://mmasportsreport.com/2888/matt-brown-despite-what-the-media-say-the-title-is-in-reach

Ricky Hatton Larry Holmes Chuck Liddell Roy Jones Jr

Matt Hughes 1-on-1 - Videos

Matt Hughes joins Showdown Joe Ferraro to talk about getting MMA legalized in New York City and his thoughts on UFC 159.

Source: http://mmalice.com/videos/matt-hughes-1-on-1-video_mfulnko8.html

Forrest Griffin Ryan Bader Thiago Alves Muhammed Ali

Georges St-Pierre Would Rather Drop to Lightweight than Move to Middleweight

Fans hoping to eventually see UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre beef up to challenge middleweight king Anderson Silva got a dose of bad news this week after GSP revealed reservations about taking on a vastly larger opponent. Though St-Pierre has always been seen as a big welterweight, he actually feels a drop down to lightweight…

The post Georges St-Pierre Would Rather Drop to Lightweight than Move to Middleweight appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/04/24/georges-st-pierre-would-rather-drop-to-lightweight-than-move-to-middleweight?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=georges-st-pierre-would-rather-drop-to-lightweight-than-move-to-middleweight

Frank Mir Mirko Cro Cop Dana White Oscar de la Hoya