Atencio Blasts Barnett, Blames Josh For Affliction “Folding”; Barnett Rebuts
Josh Barnett: Denies responsibility for Affliction's eventual foldingJosh Barnett recently made a guest appearance on HDNet’s Inside MMA, where the taboo topic of Affliction “card that never was” publically came up for first time since the drama unfolded to end July of last year.
For those who need the reminder, Affliction was scheduled to hold their 3rd event, Affliction: Trilogy, on August 1st of 2009. 10 days prior to his scheduled bout against the renowned number one heavyweight in the world, Russia’s Fedor Emelianenko, Barnett reportedly tested positive for 2a-methyl-5a-androstan-3a-ol-17-one, an anabolic steroid. This disqualified Barnett from the scheduled bout instantly, his license to compete revoked.
Barnett's bout with Fedor was anxiously awaited as the one fight in which we may actually see Fedor face an opponent with a viable shot at beating him. However, the MMA world was rattled by what would register as Barnett’s second positive stateside test for an anabolic substance recorded by a state athletic commission. Affliction’s third event was subsequently cancelled just days before the event was scheduled to take place.
Thiago Alves Out Of Surgery Following Successful Eight-Hour Procedure; Will Return To Competition Within 1-2 Months
Thiago Alves: Now recoveringThiago Alves has reportedly emerged from a New York City hospital surgical center today following a successful eight-hour surgical procedure, numerous news websites are reporting.
Alves had been originally scheduled to face Jon Fitch at UFC 111 in New Jersey, when during a routine CAT scan during his pre-fight medical exam, an irregularity in his brain was brought to his attention. Within mere days of his scheduled bout with Fitch, news like this must've taken Alves for a psychological ride he never expected to take.
Dana White apologized to fans, and scrambled to book Ben Saunders as a three-days-notice replacement for Fitch (huge kudos go to Saunders for stepping in against Fitch, of all fighters*). Alves described what he was staring down as a "minor procedure" that he'd return from within a couple of weeks. Exhibiting an admirable strength of mind and will, he showed no sway in his swagger, and within the line of sight of his fans, treated this news as though it were like any other injury.
Dana White Recants, Fertitta Comments: 'EA MMA'-Involved Fighters Will Not Be "Banned" From UFC
Dana White Says:: "Real UFC Fans Won't Buy EA's F***ing Game"Dana White’s most recent interview regarding the organization’s upcoming video game, UFC Undisputed 2010, yielded even more of an insight to his opinions regarding EA’s own effort, EA MMA.
With both games set to be released next year, the rivalry is as heated between Strikeforce and the UFC as it’s ever been. Even more pertinently, Dana White has it out for EA like never before.
As he revealed to “Kotaku dot com” on Tuesday, those fighters who’ve chosen to participate in EA’s forthcoming effort will not be banned from the UFC after all, a waffling of sorts from his initial declaration that the fighters snubbing the UFC’s video game effort in favor of EA’s would face perpetual penalty from the UFC for doing so.
NFL Coach Rex Ryan Fined $50k for Gesture at Strikeforce: Miami
Go Jets: We're Number One!Last Saturday’s Strikeforce event saw many familiar faces in attendance, including Dan Henderson, UFC Welterweight Champion Georges Rush St. Pierre, and NFL New York Jets head coach, Rex Ryan.
Rex grabbed attention as he sat in the crowd watching the fights Saturday night, which took place in Miami. At a point when a fan’s cell phone camera turned on him, Rex was caught giving the one-finger salute (as seen above) to a patron fan, most likely a guy who goaded him for being there to watch Strikeforce, not play in the Superbowl. As a result, Rex would return to the office come Monday to find himself less wealthy to the tune of $50,000.
The week prior Ryan’s New York Jets entered the playoff round as a wild card team, and defeated the favored San Diego Chargers convincingly. His team was a 7 point underdog to the favored Chargers, who prior to the game, looked to be headed to Indianapolis a week later with what should’ve been a win over the Jets.
Alistair Overeem: “When UFC Shows Me Terms I Like, I’ll Sign”
Alistair Overeem: Hasn't defended Strikeforce belt in 2 yearsThe last three years have been an up and down battle for Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem, who after losing five of his nine fights between 2006 and 2007, turned 2008 and 2009 into his years.
A Pride FC and 2 Hot 2 Handle veteran, Alistair Overeem has competed professionally 44 times by his own age of twenty-nine, an unprecedented feat for an athlete his age, and the sport he’s vested his time and effort in.
Alistair finished off 2007 in November with a Strikeforce debut, where in the second round of his fight with Paul Buentello, he rained thunderous knees down upon his grounded opponent’s body with the end result being a win by submission, and claim to the new Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship. Alistair became Strikeforce’s first crowned heavyweight that evening.
Yet, since his win over Buentello, it’s been more than two years since Alistair has appeared in the promotion to defend his title, instead taking fights in DREAM, Ultimate Glory (a Netherlands based promotion), and 2009’s year-end Dynamite show, where he dispatched headstrong veteran Kazuyuki Fujita by way of a first-round, knee-meets-face knockout.
72-Year-Old BJJ Purple Belt Larry Rundle to Compete at NAGA Southwest Grappling Championships
Larry Rundle: (right) with son Kelly (left)Newcomers surveying any given discussion on the famed Underground Forum, housed at Mixed Martial Arts dot com, need only know a couple of things about the community as a whole in order to truly grasp what it is that they’re reading.
A gathering of martial arts athletes and fans that’s spiraled into cult status over a decade’s time, the Underground Forum is legendary, and those setting the precedent for discussion there often fall into one of three classifications.
You have your Martial artists of varied sorts looking to reach out to like-minded fans/athletes, the incumbent embittered pessimists who do nothing but critique the fighters & fellow members, and of course, your average-going, sport-loving fans. The latter of the three types is a dwindling, dying breed.
On rare occasion, a random member offers an out-of-nowhere inspirational tidbit or two, something derived purely from the dynamic elements that initially fascinated many of us in the martial arts to begin with: stories of perseverance, tribulation, achievement, odds-beating, and just flat-out enjoying what you do while doing it well.
Those tales notwithstanding, occasionally the accomplishments alone of a martial artist in a unique position are enough to warrant the admiration and respect of the community. Though rare, when it happens, it’s worth the read.
Dan Hardy Talks Fight vs. St. Pierre at UFC 111
Dan Hardy: Faces St. Pierre on March 27th at UFC 111In a decade’s time, our sport’s flourished from its humble grassroots into modern pop-culture phenomenon. In this time, names have come and gone. The fighters we know fade into contention irrelevance, often by way of some newcomer making his own name by dispatching them.
With an unprecedented eighteen wins in his home country of England, British countryman Dan Hardy will look to make good on becoming the first English fighter to receive a title shot in the UFC’s welterweight division. Coming off a convincing win over Mike “Quick” Swick, an impressive back-and-forth war with Marcus Davis, and a violent knock-out win over Rory Markham, Hardy is now set to face welterweight champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre at UFC 111, in the event’s main bout.
So it goes. The more established fighting athletes of today fade as they age, while those a generation younger will develop under the same pretense. This is how it goes in every sport, not just fighting. Yet, I still find myself reminding myself that “hey, some of these guys are pushing 40 now.”
Be it through progression of age, or even effort, this is the pretense under which we will find ourselves introduced to new talent, new names and new faces within our sport.
Lesnar on Mir: “I don’t think I beat him as bad as I could”
Brock Lesnar: Offering Mir some more opinions following their UFC 100 boutThough only vague answers have been offered thus far on the imminent return of UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, UFC President Dana White has gone on record regarding the possibility of his return as early as the scheduled May 29th Las Vegas card, the card currently rumored as the night the Rashad Evans vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson fight will take place.
Lesnar expressed a sincere happiness to be healthy and back to training, and looks to the UFC heavyweight division now with a straightforward message: he is their champion.
Asked what he’ll do in preparation for whichever opponent he ends up fighting of the four he could potentially face, Lesnar smoothly answers "I'll just sit back, I'll sharpen my skills,” making no specific indications of his anticipations or expectations.
Title Dispute Imminent: Carwin vs. Mir For Interim Heavyweight Title, Winner Faces Lesnar
David Hojak: ... will pay good money to watch Carwin devastate MirOn ESPN SportsCenter Wednesday, Brock Lesnar appeared for the first time in front of public media to offer insights on his recovery process spanning the last several months, including addressing rumors that he’s staring down possibilities of never fighting again, and dispelling rumors that have somehow come to fruition since his mysterious disappearance in July of 2009.
As Brock confirmed for fans that he’d be returning as the formal UFC Heavyweight Champion around the middle of this year, attention quickly shifted to the debacle that’s come of his absence. Shane Carwin is winning fights convincingly despite no obvious timeline for a title shot. Frank Mir recently submitted Cheick Kongo at UFC 106, which puts him right back on the winning track. The two will fight at UFC 111 in March. However, one looming question that inevitably came up today addressed the status of the UFC heavyweight championship title, sitting dormant since July of 2009, when Brock last defended it against Frank Mir.
It’s Official: Brock Lesnar Recovering, Returning to UFC in 2010
Brock Lesnar: Returning to the UFC by SummerOn ESPN SportsCenter Wednesday, Brock Lesnar appeared for the first time in front of public media to offer an official explanation of where he’s been for the past six months, as mysteries and rumors regarding his health swirled around the MMA community.
As Lesnar told SportsCenter viewers this morning, he has battled back from a nearly-debilitating illness that could have cost him not only his competitive stake, but also vital organs as a result of the trauma done to his digestive system.
Months ago, when asked about the condition of his promotion’s newest heavyweight star and by far its biggest sensation in years by Yahoo Sports’ Dave Meltzer, White only had a brief and obscure quip to offer, and little more.
“It’s bad,” he indulged. “It’s real bad. I am worried about it. I can’t really talk about it right now, but [Brock] is in rough shape.”




