Kennedy-Rockwell card takes shape; women’s champ Rousey may fight too
May 22nd, 2012 | Army Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Ronda Rousey used this nasty armbar to beat Miesha Tate at the Strikeforce Grand Prix final in March. (Greg Bartram-US PRESSWIRE)
When Army Staff Sgt. Tim Kennedy fights Luke Rockhold for the Strikeforce middleweight title July 14, it’s possible their battle will be the headliner on a card that features three championship bouts. While this is good news for fight fans, it isn’t necessarily a good sign for health of Strikeforce (now owned by Zuffa, the UFC’s parent company).
Rockhold vs. Kennedy will feature number of big-name MMA fighters, including a couple of UFC vets looking to rejuvenate their careers. Strikeforce has officially added a welterweight title matchup between Tyron Woodley and Nate Marquardt to the lineup, and now it appears women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey may defend her belt against Sarah Kaufman that night too, according to MMAJunkie.com.
Rousey, a two-time Olympian in Judo who took bronze in the 2008 Beijing games, is the big name in women’s MMA at the moment. She won her first five pro fights via first-round armbars, including her championship matchup with Miesha Tate in March. Kaufman is currently on a three-fight winning streak, including a decision win over former Marine Liz Carmouche in July 2011.
Strikeforce’s welterweight belt is currently vacant, and has been since Nick Diaz left the promotion in 2011 to compete in the UFC. Woodley, who is 10-0 as a pro, including eight wins in Strikeforce, will be the likely favorite to fill that spot. His last fight came in January, when he won a split decision against Jordan Mein.
Marquardt, a UFC vet making his Strikeforce debut, presents a somewhat odd choice for a title opponent. Marquardt hasn’t fought since a March 2011 win in the UFC. He was pulled from the card of his next UFC fight after a failed drug test and was subsequently released from the promotion by an irate Dana White. Since then he’s done a fightless stint in Britain’s BAMMA promotion before being brought back to the Zuffa/UFC/Strikeforce family in February.
If the “fight for a vacant Strikeforce title” scenario sounds familiar to Kennedy fans, it’s because Kennedy fought Jacare Souza for the vacant Strikeforce middleweight title in 2010 after Jake Shields left for the UFC. It’s a pattern that doesn’t bode well for the long-term prospects of Strikeforce, which has been losing fighters to the UFC at a faster clip since being bought out last year. This exodus has led Strikeforce to rely on using ex-UFC fighters on the downside of their careers, such as Keith Jardine and Marquardt, to fight for championships — rather than using talent developed within the promotion.
Jardine (16-11-2), a popular veteran from his days in the UFC’s light heavyweight division, will be making his third Strikeforce appearance at Rockhold vs. Kennedy. He’ll look to bounce back from a KO loss to Rockhold in January when he takes on Roger Gracie (4-1), a member of the legendary Gracie family.
Middleweights Lorenz Larkin and Robbie Lawler — who lost a 2011 decision to Kennedy — will square off in the other officially announced fight on the Rockhold vs. Kennedy card.
Kennedy to fight for the title
May 11th, 2012 | Army Combatives Mixed martial arts | Posted by Michelle Tan
It’s official – Army Staff Sgt. Tim Kennedy will step back into the mixed-martial arts ring for another shot at the Strikeforce middleweight title.
Kennedy will fight reigning champ Luke Rockhold July 14 in Portland, Ore.
Kennedy, a decorated Special Forces soldier who is now serving in the Texas Army National Guard, has a 14-3 record. During his last fight, in July, Kennedy defeated Robbie Lawler by unanimous decision.
Rockhold holds a 9-1 record, and according to MMAjunkie.com, he is looking for his second successful title defense since narrowly winning the belt from Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and then defending it with a January knockout of Keith Jardine.
Kennedy fought for the vacant Strikeforce title in August 2010, according to MMAjunkie.com, but suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Souza. Since then, Kennedy returned to title contention with a submission victory against Melvin Manhoef and his most recent win against Lawler.
On his Facebook page, Kennedy wrote: “At last, I will be fighting Luke Rockhold July 14 in Portland. Super excited!”
The fights will air July 14 on Showtime.
Until then, check out the Kennedy-Lawler fight from last summer:
Brian Stann’s next UFC opponent announced
April 29th, 2012 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Well that didn’t take long. Fresh off of knocking out Alessio Sakara on April 14 at UFC on FUEL TV 2 in Sweden, UFC boss Dana White tweeted Sunday that Stann’s next opponent will be Hector Lombard.
Lombard may not be a household name for casual MMA fans, but he does present a formidable opponent for Stann. Although Lombard will be making his UFC debut, he’s a seasoned fighter who is currently riding a 20-fight winning steak (dating back to 2007). Like Stann, Lombard has a reputation for heavy hands. You can see that for yourself below, as he knocks out UFC vet Jay Silva in SIX seconds in 2010.
The best news about this fight: It will be broadcast for free on network TV as part of UFC on FOX 4, according to MMAJunkie.com.
Airman flips out (literally) after UFC 145 victory
April 22nd, 2012 | Air Force Mixed martial arts UFC | Posted by Phil Creed
Marcus Brimage took a split decision against Maximo Blanco on Saturday night at UFC 145 in Atlanta. It’s the fifth pro victory overall for the Alabama National Guard tech sergeant, and his second win in the UFC.
Brimage’s featherweight bout led off the night in Atlanta, and while the action in the octagon may not have been exciting enough for some fans, the gymnastics battle between the two fighters after the bell ensured that everyone watching will remember Brimage for a long time.
Read a good explanation for why the flip fest occurred here. Click below to see Brimage’s skills in action.
“Bama Beast” guardsman ready for the bright lights of UFC 145
April 20th, 2012 | Air Force Mixed martial arts UFC | Posted by Phil Creed
When Marcus Brimage fights at UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans on Saturday, he’ll be the greenest of all the fighters entering the octagon that night. A security forces airman in the Alabama National Guard, Brimage has only five pro fights under his belt. But thanks to a strong performance on last year’s season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality TV show, the airman finds himself on the undercard of maybe the most hyped MMA event of the last few years.
“The Bama Beast” is an underdog heading into his featherweight scrap against the more experienced Maximo Blanco (8-3-1). The fight, Brimage’s second in the UFC, won’t be broadcast live during the pay-per-view portion of the card, but you can catch it on Facebook. And if the two strikers put on a crowd-pleasing show, there’s always a chance the bout could be replayed in between fights on the main card on on FX, which will air other prelim bouts.
“I’m gonna go ahead and just be on the attack,” Brimage told After Action on Thursday, reiterating an earlier guarantee that “somebody’s going to sleep.”
Blanco, much like Brimage, comes out swinging, with five of his last six wins coming via knockout or TKO. None of those fights made it to the third round.
Brimage, who trained for this fight in Florida with American Top Team, says he’s in the best shape in his life.
“[Camp] was rough the whole time, until about a week ago. It was not fun at all,” Brimage said. “I’m all chiseled like a chocolate Greek god.”
One clear advantage that Brimage will have on Saturday will be the crowd. A native of Birmingham, Ala., Brimage said he has family, friends, old training partners — “the whole shebang” — coming to see him fight at Phillips Arena in Atlanta. He’ll also literally have family in his corner, as his brother, Army Capt. Michael Brimage, will serve as one of his three cornermen.
The main event at UFC 145 pits light heavyweight champion Jon Jones against former champ Rashad Evans. The fighters, who once trained together, don’t much like each other. Jones, who’s only loss came via disqualification in a bout where he was destroying his opponent, is the favorite, but Brimage thinks Evans can win.
“I’m going for Rashad Evans,” Brimage said. “I think that’s the closest person who can beat Jon Jones. They used to train together, so he knows Jon’s weaknesses. … If Rashad can’t beat him, Jon Jones isn’t going to lose that belt anytime soon.”
9 things you need to know about Brian Stann’s UFC fight on Saturday
April 13th, 2012 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Former Marine officer and Silver Star recipient Brian Stann is back in action in the UFC on Saturday night afternoon, where he’s set to fight Alessio Sakara at UFC on FUEL TV 2 in Stockholm, Sweden. Stann is looking to bounce back from loss to Chael Sonnen at UFC 136 in October, which ended a three-fight winning streak the Naval Academy grad. Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about this fight, and other things that aren’t as important.
1.You don’t need to pay to watch this fight.
This is a rare opportunity to see Stann and other high-level UFC fighters in action without ponying up big bucks or heading to the local sports bar. As the name implies, UFC on FUEL TV 2 isn’t a pay-per-view event. It’s on regular cable — if your regular cable includes FUEL TV. Check here to see if your provider carries the channel.
Big thing to remember: Because of the time change, the fight takes place during the afternoon here in the CONUS. Tune into FUEL at 2 p.m. Eastern for the pre-fight show, with the action scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
2. This is the UFC’s first event in Sweden.
It’s also the first time Stann has fought professionally outside the U.S. He said in this interview that he doesn’t worry much about fighting in a strange land after a long flight. Which would make sense, because he did a fair amount of that during his time in the Corps.
3. Don’t expect a repeat of the Stann-Sonnen fight.
Not a big fan of watching two guys roll around and battle for position on the ground? Then this is the fight for you.
Unlike Sonnen, who relentlessly attached himself to Stann en route to a second-round submission victory, Sakara is not a world-class wrestler. He comes from a boxing background, and much like Stann, Sakara prefers to duke it out rather than grapple. Seven of Sakara’s last nine fights have ended in either a KO or TKO — including three TKOs losses, which has caused some to question Sakara’s chin. That brings us to …
4. The oddsmakers see Stann winning, and they don’t expect it to be a long fight.
Stann’s a 4-1 favorite on one gambling website, which also gives almost even odds that Stann wins via knockout. But betting on sports is a bad habit, so use this information purely to enhance your viewing experience.
5. Sakara is coming off a major injury.
Another reason the odds are stacked against Sakara: He tore his ACL in July 2011 and hasn’t fought since a loss to Chris Weidman in March of that year. The knee injury was enough to make him consider quitting the sport before friends and family talked him back into it. Sakara says his knee is now 100 percent, of course, but it’ll be worth paying attention to how much confidence he has in that leg.
6. Stann’s pre-fight preparation was affected by a family tragedy.
For the first time in since 2008, Stann did not travel to New Mexico to do his pre-fight camp at world-famous trainer Greg Jackson’s gym.
After his brother-in-law died in December, Stann chose to train in Atlanta in order to be with his wife. It’s exactly they type of move you’d expect from Stann, who knows a little something about maintaining perspective. But it does mark a significant break from the pre-fight preparation he’s used to.
7. Stann REALLY needs to win this fight.
Yea, it’s cliche and you could say this about every fight, but in order to stay in the conversation as a possible title contender in the UFC’s middleweight division, Stann must beat Sakara.
Prior to the Sonnen fight, Stann had won three straight as a middleweight, working his way onto main PPV cards and climbing the ranks of the 185-pound division. But Sonnen’s lopsided win knocked Stann down a peg, and it will be a while before Stann gets a shot at either middleweight champion Anderson Silva or a rematch with Sonnen, who will try to dethrone Silva at UFC 147 in Brazil.
If Stann loses to Sakara, it will likely send him tumbling far out of 185-pound division’s top 10 and put him on the outside looking in as other middleweights get high-profile fights.
8. Sakara REALLY REALLY needs to win this fight.
While a loss would be a major setback for Stann, Sakara’s UFC career could be in jeopardy if he loses, especially by knockout. It’d be Sakara’s second straight loss to a top-tier 185-pound opponent, and the UFC is an unforgiving place for fighters who can’t get over the hump.
On the other hand, a win against a well-regarded middleweight like Stann could revitalize his career.
9. Sakara has a great beard.
Sure, he may be the underdog and he may be coming off of injury, but that thing has to increase his punching power and overall toughness.
On the flip side, Sakara is one of the most over-tattooed fighters in the UFC, which is saying something. Time spent getting (and recovering from) tattoos is time not spent in the gym. Advantage: Stann.
“The Marine” scores a first-round KO in Bellator debut
April 7th, 2012 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Mike “The Marine” Richman’s first Bellator fight could not have been more impressive. Richman, a former Marine infantryman, appeared to barely break a sweat as he pounded veteran fighter Chris Horodecki into the canvas in round 1 at Bellator 64 in Windsor, Ontario.
After a crushing straight right hand 32 seconds into the fight, the Iraq War vet began picking apart a hurt Horodecki before putting him out of his misery at the 1:23 mark. Total domination:
Former Marine making Bellator debut on Friday
April 4th, 2012 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Iraq War veteran Mike “The Marine” Richman fights Friday at Bellator 64 in Windsor, Ontario. It’s Richman’s first fight in the promotion, and he’ll be taking on Chris Horodecki (18-3) in the lightweight matchup.
Richman (11-1), gained attention in 2010 when he vied for a spot on The Ultimate Fighter 12 reality TV show. He fell short of making the house, but since then he’s 4-1 (with his only loss coming via split decision) and he signed a contract with Bellator earlier this year.
Richman, who left the service as a sergeant in 2008, deployed to Iraq three times between 2005 and 2007, according to the Marine Corps. He served as a rifleman with the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, and 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines.
The four fights on the main card of Bellator 64 will be broadcast live on MTV2, but you can watch Richman’s scrap with Horodecki and the rest of the undercard live on Spike.com.
Stann: I’ll go toe-to-toe with Sakara
April 4th, 2012 | Marine Corps Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
We’re 10 days out from Brian Stann’s fight with Alessio Sakara at UFC on FUEL TV 2 in Stockholm. The former Marine officer sat down for interview with folks at FUEL, and he had some interesting things to say about how he’ll a approach this fight given Sakara’s pro boxing background, as well as who he thinks will win when fellow middleweights Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva face off again at UFC 147.
Air guardsman promises a slugfest at UFC 145
March 8th, 2012 | Air Force Mixed martial arts | Posted by Phil Creed
Marcus Brimage, left, catches Stephen Bass with a right hand during The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale last December in Las Vegas. (Josh Hedges / Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Don’t expect a cautious, tactical three-round affair when Marcus Brimage enters the octagon at UFC 145. The rising featherweight loathes anything less than flooring his opponent, and he guarantees a brawl when he meets fellow featherweight Maximo Blanco on April 21 in Atlanta.
“I don’t have boring fights,” Brimage says. “That’s the main thing about me: Never a boring fight.”
Brimage, a staff sergeant in the Alabama National Guard, is set to take part in his first UFC pay-per-view event after his first UFC victory in December at the The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale. The Birmingham native will have an audience full of family and friends who’ll make the drive to Georgia, and Brimage is confident that one way or another, he and Blanco will put on a show.
“You’re going to see the fight of the night and/or the knockout of the night,” Brimage said. “Somebody’s going to go to sleep.”
Standing and banging has been Brimage’s trademark style as he’s moved up the MMA ranks. He broke into the UFC in 2011 after a stint on “The Ultimate Fighter” TV show. Despite losing in the quarterfinals on the show, Brimage earned a spot in the nationally broadcast finale. There he scored the biggest victory of his career, taking a unanimous decision against TUF castmate Stephen Bass.
If it’s up to Brimage, however, it won’t go to the judges in Atlanta.
“I hate winning by decision,” said Brimage. “You need to fight to win. You need to show complete and utter dominance of your opponent. Every time it goes to the judges, in my eyes, I feel like I lost.”