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.”
Stann wins: Now what?
April 16th, 2012 | Marine Corps UFC | Posted by Kevin Lilley
First, click below to see how former Marine Brian Stann put Alessio Sakara’s lights out after about 2 1/2 minutes of action Saturday in Stockholm, Sweden, as part of UFC on FUEL TV 2. Then, click through for four quick hits on the fight and Stann’s future:
Military MMA links: Brian Stann matchmaking, vet in XFC, Tim Kennedy as ‘Anchorman’
March 30th, 2012 | Combatives UFC | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Three quick hits to feed your Friday combatives needs.
1. He’s Ron Burgundy? If you’re under a rock, you may have missed this week’s bulletin that Will Ferrell will return to the newsdesk in a sequel to “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” (If you’re under a rock and don’t watch TBS, here’s the official announcement, complete with jazz flute). What’s this have to do with combatives, aside from the close-combat skills exhibited when Brick killed that guy? Allow champion MMA tweet-sender Army Staff Sgt. Tim Kennedy to explain:
I know everyone is talking about @_RonBurgund and ANCHORMAN 2. Wait till you see my version of Ron in @Ranger_Up video twitter.com/TimKennedyMMA/…
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) March 29, 2012
Further proof that when you need a video parody, go with a sniper/fighter in a fake mustache: 60 percent of the time, it works every time.
2. Stann vs. Shields? Former Marine Capt. Brian Stann is sent to face Alessio Sakara in a 185-pound bout at UFC on FUEL TV 2, which will air live from Sweden on April 14. Stann is a heavy favorite, but certainly won’t be looking past the 10-year pro.
Thankfully, fans can look past anybody. Who might be next for the Silver Star recipient? One idea: Jake Shields, who’s announced plans to move back to the 185-pound class after a .500 run (2-2) as a 170-pounder. A summary of the rationale presented by Sean Smith at Bleacher Report: Shields would have the chance to take down one of the UFC’s largest middleweights, while Stann could turn heads if his ground game could keep up with a top grappler.
3. Gotta love the XFC: Live from Jackson, Tenn., on April 13 comes XFC 17, the next card from a promotion a step or two below the big boys, but one that always seems to have a former service member somewhere in the lineup. XFC 16 featured a win by former Marine Dustin West and a loss by multiple-time Army combatives champ Staff Sgt. Brandon Sayles. The April 13 event, which will air on HDNet, features Air Force vet Ricco Ralston on the (likely untelevised) undercard.
FUEL TV posts profile of former Marine and UFC fighter Brian Stann
March 21st, 2012 | After Action Combatives UFC | Posted by militaryonline
From our friends at Battle Rattle:
FUEL TV has posted the Brian Stann profile that aired last night. In it, the former Marine officer turned pro MMA fighter recounts his time in Iraq, including a six-day battle for which he was awarded the Silver Star.
Kris “Savage” McCray back in action on big MMA military weekend
February 21st, 2012 | After Action Mixed martial arts UFC | Posted by Kevin Lilley
We’ve written about former Army reservist and current professional mixed martial artists Kris “Savage” McCray before. Don’t believe us?
Shortly after that feature appeared in the Military Times print publications, “Savage” finished second in The Ultimate Fighter 11, submitting to a Court McGee choke in the second round of the season’s final match. It was his first of three UFC losses in nine months. After dropping a decision to Josh Hathaway last March, McCray was out of the top-tier fighting league. He’s won two fights since, via decision, in lower-level promotions.
But a report from Sherdog.com has McCray heading back to the (sort of) big time, signing with Bellator to fight Ailton Barbosa in a welterweight bout April 13 in Atlantic City, N.J.
Bellator’s official fight card doesn’t include McCray yet. “Savage” or no, the fight night will air live on MTV2 and in high definition on EPIX.
While you’re searching the triple digits of your cable programming for those stations, be sure to find FUEL TV — you’ll need it the next day, when former Marine captain and Silver Star recipient Brian Stann fights Alessio Sakara in a middleweight matchup in Stockholm.
Now, if we can just find former Army sniper Tim Kennedy a fight that weekend, so he’ll stop demolishing sparring partners in taped pieces for local news stations …
Brian Stann part of UFC on FUEL TV broadcast
February 14th, 2012 | Combatives Marine Corps Mixed martial arts UFC | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Former Marine Capt. Brian Stann won’t re-enter the octagon until April 14, but the Silver Star recipient will participate in the UFC’s next big television event.
Stann tweeted that he was heading to Omaha, Neb., to be a part of FUEL TV’s inaugural live UFC card, which airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern. His duties include sharing the post-fight set with “NFL on Fox” regular Jay Glazer and mixed martial arts journalist Ariel Helwani.
The former Marine will be back on FUEL TV for his April middleweight fight against Alessio Sakara in Stockholm, one of four fights slated for the cable station’s second live UFC card, according to our good friends at MMAJunkie.com.
(Speaking of our friends, check out their recap of XFC 16 from last weekend, which included the first pro loss for superheavyweight Army Staff Sgt. Brandon Sayles and an 83-second knockout win for former Marine Dustin West.)
UFC on FUEL TV 1 has six fights slated for broadcast, with a welterweight main event pitting Jake Ellenberger against Diego Sanchez. Never heard of FUEL TV? Check here to see whether the channel is available in your area, or whether you’re eligible for a weeklong free preview that will cover fight night.
Military MMA links: Brandon Sayles video, Herschel Walker visit, Marine boxers win
February 10th, 2012 | Army Boxing Combatives Football Marine Corps Mixed martial arts UFC | Posted by Kevin Lilley
For those of you sick of the latest service academy basketball news (either here or here), try these combatives links:
Army (Superheavyweight) Strong: Staff Sgt. Brandon Sayles gets a nice video treatment from the folks at HDNet before his fight tonight at XFC 16:
Sayles, a three-time Army Combatives Championship winner, will face Chase Gormley live on HDNet; the fights start at 10 p.m. ET. Also on the card is former Marine Dustin West — check out an XFC news release on his work with the Wounded Warrior Project here. Not sure if you get HDNet? Click the “subscribe” tab here.
Football legend stops by: Herschel Walker is known for many things — a college football career that ranks among the best ever, his time as the face of the now-defunct USFL, the famous trade that sent him to Minnesota and helped create a Dallas dynasty (How famous? This famous), and a 2-0 record as a Strikeforce heavyweight as he rushes head-on toward age 50.
He’s also known for going public with his battle against Dissociative Identity Disorder. Multiple personalities may not be at the top of the priority list for military medicine, but mental health issues are. That’s why Walker’s message during his recent visit with soldiers and families at Fort Bliss, Texas, is so important. Staff Sgt Casey J. McGeorge, who wrote this release about the visit, put it best: “There is no shame in seeking help.”
Walker, who turns 50 in March, may have one more fight left in him, according to an SB Nation report citing a recent interview in a magazine After Action only reads for the articles.
Marines take gold: OK, the arts aren’t exactly “mixed,” but it’s big news anyway — the Marine Corps ended Army’s two-decade win streak at the Armed Forces Boxing Championship at Camp Pendleton, Calif., earlier this month. Click the previous link to read about Marine Sgt. DeJesus Gardner’s gutty performance in the 201-pound weight class to clinch the overall win, and get the Army write-up here.
Friday military MMA links
January 27th, 2012 | Mixed martial arts UFC | Posted by Kevin Lilley
UFC middleweight and former soldier Jorge Rivera wrapped up his MMA career last week with a victory at UFC on FX. (Getty Image photo by Ryan Pierse)
A few military-themed (and almost-military-themed) notes before Saturday’s prime-time UFC card.
A word from an ‘El Conquistador’ sponsor: Former soldier Jorge Rivera retired last week after stopping Eric Shafer in the second round at the inaugural UFC on FX event. The win wrapped up a mixed martial arts career that began in 2001 and ended with a 20-9 record, according to Sherdog.
We could try to recap his time in the cage, but instead, read this from Rivera’s longtime friend and sponsor Nick Palmisciano, the founder of the Ranger Up apparel line. Military Times EDGE has profiled Palmisciano before — his success story may not involve quite as many bruises as Rivera’s, but it’s worth a look regardless. A fan of both the fighter and the gear? Palmisciano has the perfect way to celebrate.
Battle of bad guys? About a year before his retirement, Rivera lost at UFC 127 in Australia via a controversial second-round stoppage at the hands of Michael “The Count” Bisping. Bisping hit Rivera with an illegal knee in the first round and was docked a point, but the bout was allowed to continue; since then, Rivera has said the blow was intentional, and that it may have hurt him more than he let on at the time.
So, that’s one middleweight former soldier out of The Count’s corner. And you can probably add Tim Kennedy to that list, as we outlined earlier this month. Still, Bisping will have his share of fans Saturday night when he faces off with Chael Sonnen on Fox (also on AFN xtra, according to the American Forces Network website). Sonnen beat former Marine Brian Stann in October at UFC 136 via second-round submission and has been a polarizing figure in the UFC for years, especially after failing a drug test following his 2010 loss to middleweight champ Anderson Silva at UFC 117. The Bisping-Sonnen winner will get a chance at Silva down the line, and the winner of Saturday’s light-heavyweight main event between Phil Davis and Rashad Evans earns a shot at champion Jon “Bones” Jones.
More military in XFC: We told you about former Army combatives champ Brandon Sayles participating in XFC 16: High Stakes next month. The Feb. 10 card will give a number of young fighters national exposure via HDNet, and Sayles won’t be the only vet taking part. Read the XFC release on former Marine Dustin West’s bout here, and check out a feel-good 2010 story on West’s charity efforts here.
MMA notes: Main event for Stann card, Bisping on Kennedy
January 11th, 2012 | Combatives Mixed martial arts UFC | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Before we bring you a few notes on military-related mixed martial arts, a brief foreign policy discussion from Strikeforce middleweight contender and Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Tim Kennedy:
@dominicanlou84 @brianstann they are dumb.
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) January 4, 2012
You want to argue with him?
1. ‘The Count’ strikes back: In addition to foreign policy, Kennedy also weighed in on fiscal responsibility recently, saying last month that UFC middleweight Michael “The Count” Bisping was overpaid for his Dec. 3 knockout over Jason “Mayhem” Miller at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale. Bisping reportedly pocketed more than $400,000 for dispatching Miller, who reportedly got $45,000.
Asked about Kennedy’s comments about three minutes into this video, the UFC fighter in 60 seconds manages to (a) pretend he doesn’t know who Kennedy is, (b) remind viewers that Miller defeated Kennedy in 2007, and (c) tell the former Special Forces soldier to “go out there, win some fights, and people might give a damn about what he says.”
Bisping fights Demian Maia on Jan. 28 as part of UFC on Fox 2. Kennedy’s dance card is clear at the moment.
2. Stann in semi-main spot: Our good friends at MMAJunkie.com report that UFC on FUEL TV 2, which will feature former Marine Brian Stann, has a main event: Alexander Gustafsson (15-1) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (20-5). The main draw isn’t a surprise: Gustafsson is a rising Swedish star, and the April 14 card takes place in Stockholm. Stann (11-4) appears set for semi-main status in his fight against Alessio Sakara (15-8).
3. Big up-and-comer Three-time Army Combatives Champion Brandon Sayles is due for some national exposure Feb. 16 when he fights Chase Gormley in a superheavyweight bout on HDNet as part of XFC 16: High Stakes. Sayles won the Army event in 2009 as a staff sergeant with 3rd Infantry Division; he also took top honors in 2008 and 2006. The 6-foot-5 Hawaiian, 2-0 at the pro MMA level, tips the scales at 300-plus pounds, meaning a future in the UFC could be contingent on cutting enough weight to make the 265-pound heavyweight limit.