FanHouse

Strikeforce Middleweight Title Fight Breakdown: Jason Miller vs. Jake Shields

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-11-07T08:46:00 00:00

When Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Jake Shields step into the cage on Saturday, it will match up one of MMA's best known personalities with one of its most underrated fighters.

For all his verbosity and bluster, Miller is highly skilled and well rounded, and presents the surging Shields with a stern challenge in all facets of the fight game.

So how will the Stikeforee middleweight championship fight go down? Let's take a look.

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Strikeforce Main Event Breakdown: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-11-06T10:17:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: Strikeforce

In August of 1995, Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci penned a feature about pitcher Greg Maddux entitled "Once in a Lifetime." Wearing an Atlanta Braves uniform, Maddux also graced the cover of SI in that issue. The photo showed a focused Maddux a nanosecond after delivering a pitch. The caption read "The Greatest Pitcher You'll Ever See."

One line in the story has stuck with me for all these years: "Did you see van Gogh paint? No, you could respond, but I saw Greg Maddux pitch." Maddux, of course, has nothing to do with MMA (although he has attended at least one UFC event), but the premise of the story has everything to do with Saturday night.

Fedor Emelianenko is MMA's van Gogh, its immeasurably gifted genius, and Saturday, he will be fighting Brett Rogers in front of the largest American audience ever to witness him.

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Georges St. Pierre Signs Endorsement Deal With Under Armour

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-11-05T11:28:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC

Barriers are not always smashed with a sledgehammer. Sometimes they're chiseled away a little at a time.

A case in point is MMA's move to mainstream acceptance, which has occurred in bits and pieces. The latest step forward comes courtesy of welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, who has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with top-selling athletic brand Under Armour.

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Fight Camp 360: Fedor vs. Rogers Video

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-11-04T10:47:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, Strikeforce

CBS' most recent attempt to hype Saturday's Strikeforce debut is "Fight Camp 360: Fedor vs. Rogers," which is airing on Showtime and on select CBS affiliates.

The full video was also just released on online. As Michael David Smith wrote here, the video shows Fedor Emelianenko as the quiet, humble champion MMA fans have gotten to know over the years, and Brett Rogers as a soft-spoken, hard worker who rose from humble beginnings and is now intent on finding glory. One of the best moments comes when we see Rogers and his wife entering the home they bought through his work and determination. It is an "American Dream" moment that encapsulates everything he's been working towards.

If you haven't gotten a look at it, it's worth a view. The full video is below.

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After Move and Medication, Jens Pulver To Return To WEC Cage in 2010

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-30T10:02:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: WEC, FanHouse Exclusive

Jens Pulver is planning to bring a little evil back to the WEC cage one more time.

The former UFC lightweight champion and MMA legend, who has not been heard from since losing to Josh Grispi in June and was assumed to be finished as an active fighter, plans to return to featherweight action in early 2010, he told FanHouse.

"I'm going to fight again," he said. "And I'm about as confident as I possibly can be."

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MMA One Step From Massachusetts Sanctioning, UFC Event in Boston

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-28T18:14:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: Fighting

Sanctioned mixed martial arts fights are one short step from becoming legal in Massachusetts after a bill on the sport sailed through the state's House of Representatives in a 144-10 vote Wednesday afternoon.

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Defending The Champ: Sickness, Not Scandal, Behind Lesnar Postponement

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-28T12:23:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC

Brock Lesnar says he has the flu, and has been too ill to train effectively and prepare for the biggest challenger of his title reign: 6-foot-2, 260-pound Shane Carwin. Because of an extended illness, he's pulled out of their scheduled UFC 106 fight, leading to a postponement that will probably place the bout in the early part of the new year.

That seems perfectly rational and logical. But apparently it's not enough for some, all because of a video of Lesnar appearing at an Oct. 18 Minnesota Vikings game. The cynics believe that video is proof positive that Lesnar is healthy and that something else is afoot in regards to the date change.

What is with the MMA world lately that makes them want to turn every story into a soap opera?

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Outrage in Shogun-Machida Decision Unwarranted in Razor-Close Fight

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-25T09:01:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC

The final horn sounded and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua raised his hands towards the roof of the Staples Center, sure he'd just won the UFC light-heavyweight championship. The building's 16,000 fans cheered him, ready to shower him with glory to match his new gold.

The judges' decision, they decided, was a formality, but still they'd wait for it. And then it was read. Rua and the fans, it seemed were wrong. At least in the eyes of the three judges who mattered. Lyoto Machida was declared the winner, with 48-47 scores across the board.

The reaction was instantaneous. It was a "robbery," a "farce," and "ridiculous." The audience hurled venom at Machida, the same man they'd adored a few minutes earlier, as the belt was re-strapped around his waist.

UFC 104:
Interviews: Stevenson on 'Slippery' Fisher | Cain Ready for Title Shot | More
Machida Decision Brings Boos | Results | Full Coverage

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UFC 104 Live Blog: Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua Updates

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-25T00:01:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC

This is the UFC 104 live blog for Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, the main event of tonight's pay-per-view in Los Angeles, Calif.

Machida, coming off a title win by knockout over Rashad Evans in May, makes his first light heavyweight belt defense against the 2005 PRIDE GP champion Rua.

The live blog begins below.

More Coverage: UFC 104 Results | MDS on Twitter | UFC 104 Coverage

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UFC 104 Live Blog: Gleison Tibau vs. Josh Neer Round-by-Round Updates

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-24T23:08:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC

This is the UFC 104 live blog for Gleison Tibau vs. Josh Neer, a lightweight bout on tonight's pay-per-view card.

Both fighters are looking to avoid back-to-back losses. Neer dropped a unanimous decision at UFC 101 to Kurt Pellegrino, while Tibau lost a controversial split decision to Melvin Guillard on the undercard of The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale in June.

The live blog begins below.

More Coverage: UFC 104 Results | MDS on Twitter | UFC 104 Coverage

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UFC 104 Live Blog: Ryan Bader vs. Eric Schafer Round-by-Round Updates

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-24T21:36:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC

This is the UFC 104 live blog for Ryan Bader vs. Eric Schafer, a light heavyweight bout on the Spike TV card.

The Ultimate Fighter 8 winner Bader will look to wrestle his way towards 11 straight wins when he takes on Schafer, the dangerous grappler out of Duke Roufus' gym.

The live blog begins below.

More Coverage: UFC 104 Results | MDS on Twitter | UFC 104 Coverage

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UFC 104 Fight Breakdown: Cain Velasquez vs. Ben Rothwell

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-24T08:08:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC

Amazing but true: Cain Velasquez and Ben Rothwell are separated by just one year in age, yet the former is considered a rising prospect while the latter is thought of as a grizzled veteran.

Their paths cross in a co-main event, heavyweight clash at UFC 104 this weekend, with much at stake for both men. So how will the fight go? Let's take a look at how it will likely play out.

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UFC 104 Fight Breakdown: Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-23T08:04:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC

In short order, Lyoto Machida has become MMA's golden child, captivating fans around the world with his inimitable style and perfect record. But it wasn't too long ago that Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was MMA's flavor of the month.

So will Machida continue his unbeaten run at UFC 104, or will Shogun rediscover the glory that made him one of the sport's rising stars just a few years ago?

Let's take a look at how Machida-Rua will play out.

UFC 104:
Cain Velasquez vs. Ben Rothwell Breakdown
Exclusive Interviews | Workout Video | Weigh-In Results
Full UFC 104 Coverage

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MMA Roundtable: Will Lyoto Machida, Cain Velasquez Be Upset at UFC 104?

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-22T11:00:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC

UFC 104 and Dream.12 are both in the news with the events taking place on back-to-back days this weekend.

With an action-packed weekend ahead, SI.com's Ben Fowlkes and I discuss some of the key storylines, including the UFC light heavyweight title matchup, whether Cain Velasquez is a legitimate title contender, what Dream hopes to gain from introducing a cage and if Alistair Overeem has any idea where his career is headed.

Check it out below.

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Shane McMahon Resigns From WWE

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-16T10:29:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: MMA Gossip

Shane McMahon, son of WWE CEO Vince McMahon and himself the company's executive vice president of global media, has resigned from WWE effective Jan. 1, 2010.

McMahon, who helped launch the company into new international markets and headed its publications division, announced the move via a company press release.

While the direction of his future business career is uncertain, the world of mixed martial arts could be a possible landing spot.

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Shogun Rua Embraces Underdog Role In Chasing UFC Title Dreams

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-15T16:13:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC

It's been a long time since Mauricio "Shogun" Rua has walked into a fight as the underdog, with the odds stacked against him and the fans doubting his ability to win, but that's exactly what he'll face on Oct. 24 when he steps into the octagon at UFC 104 and stares across the cage at unbeaten champion Lyoto Machida.

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Mackens Semerzier on His MMA Upset of the Year: 'I Fully Expected to Win'

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-13T16:06:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: WEC, FanHouse Exclusive

Upon authoring perhaps the biggest upset of the year in mixed martial arts, Mackens Semerzier nonchanlantly rose from the canvas, whispered a thanks to his fallen opponent Wagnney Fabiano for the opportunity to compete against him, and simply smiled to the camera broadcasting the shocker to the world.

No one would have objected if Semerzier, who according to multiple MMA wagering sites entered the bout as the biggest underdog of the 10-card WEC event, pulled out a bottle of champagne and uncorked it right in the center of the cage. Instead, he illustrated the maturity that led to his win in the first place by controlling his emotions in a supercharged moment.

"I say this with total confidence: I fully expected to win," said the previously little-known Semerzier, who improbably submitted top three featherweight Fabiano with a triangle choke. "Not that I walk around saying I can beat anyone, but that's a thing for me in life: you can always win. You can always find a way. I always thought, 'I'm going to figure out a way to do it. So when I win, it doesn't surprise me."

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Henderson-Varner WEC Title Fight Will Be in Early 2010; Arizona Targeted

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-11T15:37:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: WEC, FanHouse Exclusive

Jamie Varner's comeback will have to wait a little longer.

While the WEC had hoped to stage a matchup between lightweight champion Varner and new interim champion Ben Henderson in December, such a scenario has essentially been ruled out by Henderson's camp after the five-round thriller that took place this weekend.

After the grueling 25-minute struggle, Henderson will need some time off before jumping back into a new training camp, and the title fight will take place in the early months of 2010, Henderson's manager Jason Genet told FanHouse.

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Forrest Griffin Replaces Mark Coleman, Will Fight Tito Ortiz at UFC 106

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-08T23:28:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC

Forrest Griffin has stepped into the UFC 106 slot vacated by Mark Coleman due to injury, and will take on the returning Tito Ortiz, according to a report from Yahoo Sports, citing confirmation from UFC President Dana White.

The fight is a rematch of an April 2006 contest, which Ortiz (15-6) won in a tight split-decision.

Coleman was forced to withdraw from the bout just days ago, leaving the UFC scrambling for a replacement. Griffin (16-6), like Ortiz a former light-heavyweight champion, should be considered by most a worthy choice.

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Cain Velasquez Chasing UFC Heavyweight Title ... And Perfection

Mike Chiappetta — 2009-10-07T08:01:00 00:00

by Mike Chiappetta

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive

In few sports is true perfection attainable. In baseball, a pitcher can retire 27 batters in a row (it's only been done 18 times in over 100 years). A bowler can reach perfection with strikes in 12 straight frames. In football, a quarterback can somewhat illogically boast of a perfect passer rating even in a game where he does not complete all his passes (and even in a game that his team loses).

So the concept of perfection in sports is difficult to quantify, explain and achieve. Nonetheless, it's what motivates rising heavyweight star Cain Velasquez, who faces Ben Rothwell (30-6) at UFC 104 on Oct. 24.

Despite his 6-0 record with five stoppages, Velasquez remains his own worst critic as he continues his ascent to what he hopes will soon be a date with the heavyweight championship on the line. The new father of 4 1/2 month old daughter Coral recently took some time to talk to FanHouse about his demanding personality, switching opponents from Shane Carwin to Rothwell, and his response to critics.

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