MMA Hot Stuff

Strikeforce: Fedor VS Rogers Predictions

Here we are, only a few days until MMA returns to primetime television on CBS and Fedor makes his debut with Strikeforce! We're also treated to a title fight for the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship, vacated by Cung Le, between Jake Shields and the always colorful Jason "Mayhem" Miller. We also get to see Gegard Mousasi and Fabricio Werdum return to the cage in action against Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva respectively.

So you know the drill... my predicted winners in GREEN! 

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers

Does Rogers have a chance? Yes, just like all 31 of Fedor's previous opponents had a chance, and only one of them came away with a win (by TKO / Cut, hardly a win). You don't pick against a 97% winning percentage, and I'm not picking against Fedor.

Fedor is technically superior everywhere. Even though some say his striking isn't very technical (which it may not be by boxing or muay thai standards), he puts it all together so well that for MMA it is technical when you give consideration to takedown defense and set up. Rogers has power, and in a sport of 4 ounce gloves and multiple ways to finish a fight he certainly has a shot. As Mark DellaGrotte said in Kevin Iole's article on Yahoo! Sports "A perfectly placed punch can knock anyone out. Anyone". The problem is that Rogers has to land a perfect or near perfectly placed punch, which will be tough to do on Fedor given his footwork and agility. Ultimately I think this fight will go to the ground where the experience gap will shine through. Fedor wins by TKO / Referee Stoppage on the ground.

Disclaimer: Now if we're talking about betting the spread with my new shoe money, I'd bet on Rogers. I like the long-shots for the big payout! According to betus.com the current spread is Fedor -550 and Rogers +375! OH and because I AM a girl, I count my chickens before they're hatched/shoes before they're purchased: Here's what I want to get. Aren't they gor(geous)?LOVE!

Jason "Mayhem" Miller vs. Jake Shields (for vacant Strikeforce middleweight title)

Miller is a funny guy, the problem is Shields isn't laughing. Miller has proven that he can go the distance avoiding submissions against some of the best (see Jacare fight in DREAM), but Shields' isn't your typical Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He's all about pressure, passing guard, and making your life miserable if you're under him. The knock on Shields has always been his lack of ability on his feet, but in his fight against Robbie Lawler he showed he's not afraid to be there. Miller could use his reach and striking to avoid the takedown, but he will only be able to keep Shields at bay for so long. Look for Shields to secure the takedown, pass the guard, and finish Miller via submission.

Champ Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (non-title match)

Mousasi will dominate. Did you see Babalu? Out cold. Mousasi is a stud (at multiple weight classes). Technically sound. I see this one ending by TKO. Look for Mousasi to hurt Sokoudjou on his feet and finish him on the mat.

Antonio Silva vs. Fabricio Werdum

Even though Silva has a chin the size of a Rhode Island, look for Werdum to finish this one on the ground. His Jiu Jitsu is just too good. 

So gents, there's no need to leave your girls at home to hit the bar to watch this event on PayPerView. Since it's on CBS, throw a Strikeforce party at your house and get your girl engaged. Show her the shoes above and I promise she'll be hooked. On my site and the sport. Tell her more shoes with next week's predictions for UFC 105. 

While Roger's win against Fedor would allow those shoes to come home with me, I also have a bet consisting of bragging rights with Franklin McNeil! If you're not following him on twitter you should be. Did you see who he picked to win this weekend? If not, check out his picks on today's ESPN MMALive!

Friendly reminder, follow me on Twitter!

 

Strikeforce: Inside the training camps of Fedor & Rogers

Are you ready for this weekend? Free MMA on CBS! Fedor's Strikeforce debut! Brett Rogers' biggest challenge yet! It's going to be great.

Catch a glimpse of their journey to Chicago tonight on Showtime!

Strikeforce Media Call: FEDOR EMELIANENKO & BRETT ROGERS

Here we go! The week of Fedor's debut on US Prime Time television has arrived. Here are some tib-bits from todays Strikeforce Media Call with Fedor and Brett Rogers. This is going to be a very interesting fight, and I can't wait to see this event on FREE TV!

• Don't forget, the fight takes place this coming Saturday at the Sears Center outside Chicago!
• Strikeforce CEO, Scott Coker, with some welcoming comments.
• This is a co-promotion with M1 Global and is the Strikeforce debut on CBS

Here come the questions!

Q: Does Brett think Fedor's recent marriage is taking his mind off the fight and taking him lightly?
A: Rogers says no way. He's a professional. And as far as he knows this isn't Fedor's first marriage, so he's "been there done that". Rogers is sure he's set aside the time he needed for training.

Q: Has Brett been studying tape on Fedor? Because in the past he has not studied his opponents.

A: Absolutely. He wants every advantage he can get so he's been studying tapes of Fedor's previous fights.

Strikeforce - FIGHT CAMP 360°: Fedor vs. Rogers

FIGHT CAMP 360°: Fedor vs. Rogers

Premieres Tuesday, Nov. 3, 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME®;

For The First Time Ever, Film Crew Captures The Athlete, The Family Man and The Mystique of MMA's # 1 Fighter, Fedor, in Russian Training Camp.

NEW YORK (Oct. 22, 2009)-In the wake of the critically acclaimed debut of FIGHT CAMP 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic, SHOWTIME Sports® turns the spotlight to mixed martial arts with FIGHT CAMP 360°: Fedor vs. Rogers.

FIGHT CAMP 360°: Fedor vs. Rogers will feature unrestricted access to one of the most enigmatic professional athletes of today, Fedor Emelianenko and his next opponent, the undefeated Brett Rogers, as they prepare to headline "STRIKEFORCE/M-1 Global Saturday Night Fights" to be broadcast LIVE on Saturday, Nov. 7 (9:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.

FIGHT CAMP 360°: Fedor vs. Rogers will premiere on SHOWTIME® on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.  The CBS Television Network will also make the show available to its 203 affiliated stations for broadcast in advance of the fight.

From director Ron Yassen, who is embedded in Fedor's training camp in Stary Oskol, Russia: "Fedor is beyond captivating as a fighter, and more so, as a man.  It's a pure joy to film him so intimately as he strives for perfection in life and sport with grace and charm.  While training for this most important match, he kindly opened up his life to us in and out of the ring, without the ego that often comes with being the very best at one's craft."

Produced in conjunction with Roadside Entertainment, FIGHT CAMP 360°: Fedor vs. Rogers will showcase both fighters as they prepare for this historic fight.  Nov. 7 marks the first time Fedor, widely considered the sport's No. 1 fighter, will appear in front of a national broadcast television audience.  Despite his iconic status within the sport, Fedor (30-1) remains shrouded in mystery, living and training in seclusion in a remote mining village in Russia far away from the spotlight afforded the sports' very best.

Rogers lives and trains in Minneapolis, and enters the fight with an impressive 10-0 record after most recently dismantling former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. Rogers, a quiet, soft-spoken giant outside the cage, who earlier this year quit his job as a tire technician at Sam's Club, has the opportunity of a lifetime to dethrone the sport's greatest in front of a national television audience.

"The response to our inaugural episode of Fight Camp 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic chronicling the boxing tournament has been overwhelming," said SHOWTIME Sports General Manager Ken Hershman, who commissioned the project. "Because of the subjects involved-the mysterious world champion set to fight a man living the American dream-we had to turn our lens in this direction. Special thanks to M-1 Global and STRIKEFORCE for affording us a level of access to both men that has been unparalleled in their respective careers."

Scott Coker, president of STRIKEFORCE, added, "This is a one of a kind opportunity for fans to go behind the scenes and take a close look at the extraordinary, number one fighter in the world - Fedor - and his opponent who has become a symbol of The American Dream."

Below are the air dates and times for FIGHT CAMP 360°: Fedor vs. Rogers on SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME 2®.

Tuesday, Nov. 3          9:30p (premiere)         SHO

Tuesday, Nov. 3          10:00p                         SHO2

Wednesday, Nov. 4    11p                              SHO2

Thursday, Nov. 5         10p                              SHO2

Friday, Nov. 6  10p                              SHO2

Saturday, Nov. 7         4:30p                           SHO

Note: all times ET/PT

  

  
 
 

Nominations for 2009 World MMA Awards closes on Wednesday

Who do you think was the BreakThrough Fighter of the Year? Best MMA Promotion? 

As a reminder, the nomination stage for the 2009 World MMA Awards closes this Wednesday (tomorrow), Sept. 30. 

The World MMA Awards, which is operated by Fighters Only magazine, is viewed as one of the most prestigious awards for the sport, awarding in 18 different MMA related categories

Nominees will be announced on Oct. 5, and final voting will then run until Dec. 5. Winners will be announced at a Dec. 30 "Oscars-style" black-tie ceremony, which streams live on Versus.com (and throughout January on Versus) from The Joint at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. 

"Response to the World MMA Awards has been huge this year with thousands of fans worldwide taking part," Fighters Only CEO Rob Hewitt recently stated. "Nominations have been very diverse, and ... most of the categories are still wide open." 

The categories range from Fight of the Year to KO and Submission of the Year to Best MMA Brand and best MMA Media Source. MMA equipment manufactures also vie for a variety of categories. 

But before you place your vote I encourage you to take a minute and think about things. What makes someone the Best Fighter of the Year? Is it the number of wins? Is it the most vicious KnockOut? The biggest upset? Or is it because of heart and dedication?

Another category is Best MMA Journalist. I've thought a lot about this one (for obvious reasons). Always keep in mind the best Journalist may not be the one that breaks every 'story'... Sadly, fact checking has taken a back seat more often than not over being the first to the party. And then there are times the stories are known weeks before the story actually gets out but can't be discussed for confidential reasons. I personally take pride in the fact that while I consider many Fighters (UFC, WEC & Strikeforce) my personal friends, a lot of the information I hear I keep to myself. I'm so proud of what my friends have accomplished and there are times I know the information is just best left unsaid or unwritten. I want them to have time to train in private for a fight before it's publicly announced who their next opponent is. Who do you consider to be a Journalist that writes funny or interesting stories? Gives a different perspective than the 12 other sites that covered the same thing the day before.

So now that I've given you something to think about, please hurry and vote. 

Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/MMAHotStuff

Strikeforce to air Fedor VS Rogers on CBS

MMA RETURNS TO PRIMETIME ON CBS WITH

"STRIKEFORCE: FEDOR VS. ROGERS"

LIVE ON SATURDAY, NOV. 7

Fedor, the #1 Ranked MMA Heavyweight in the World, To Be Seen for the First Time by Broadcast Television Audience

The CBS Television Network will return to the mixed martial arts (MMA) cage with STRIKEFORCE: FEDOR VS. ROGERS, to be broadcast Saturday, Nov. 7 (9:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT).  SHOWTIME Sports® will produce the four-fight event with host Gus Johnson calling the action and MMA legend Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo serving as color analysts.

In 2008, CBS aired the first live MMA fights on network television, with three successful events earning time period-winning ratings in all key young adult and young men demographics.  CBS's most recent broadcast in October 2008 ranked as the night's highest-rated program on both broadcast and cable in adults 18-34 and men 18-34, topping all other sports programming in those demographics, including the Major League Baseball playoffs and college football.

On Nov. 7, the world's Number One-ranked MMA heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko of Russia, will face undefeated American Brett Rogers of Minnesota in the marquee match up. The fight marks the first bout for the highly coveted Emelianenko since his promotional company M-1 Global signed an agreement with STRIKEFORCE to co-promote major events.

"There's no question this is a sport that is fast becoming a force in popularity and as a business," said Kelly Kahl, Senior Executive Vice President, Prime Time, CBS Television.  "We're excited to be the platform that will enable millions more to see the athlete regarded as the very best in his sport.  The Number One heavyweight on the most-watched network has a very nice ring to it."

Simply referred to as "Fedor" by fans around the world, the 6-foot, 235-pound Russian is one of the most dominant fighters in the sport.  He is a master of the Russian military combat system Sambo and boasts a record of 30 wins, one loss, no draws with 16 wins by submission, seven knockouts and seven decisions.  The 28-year-old Rogers (10-0) is a massive physical specimen standing 6-feet, 5-inches tall and weighing 265 pounds.  He possesses two of the heaviest hands in the sport of MMA, an attribute that has helped him knock out all 10 of his professional opponents.

"It is an honor to have the opportunity to bring the STRIKEFORCE brand to CBS," said Scott Coker, Founder and CEO of STRIKEFORCE.  "We are looking forward to bringing MMA back to the network and to having the world's No. 1 heavyweight-Fedor-compete for the first time on live network television against one of America's most promising young, undefeated stars-Brett Rogers."

Fedor To Fight In Strikeforce / M-1 Global Co-Promoted Events

World's No. 1 MMA Heavyweight To Fight

In STRIKEFORCE / M-1 Global Co-Promoted Events

NEW YORK (August 3, 2009)--After a week of intense negotiations and speculation, the hottest topic of discussion in the professional fight world has come to a head as the world's number one heavyweight and most sought after mixed martial arts (MMA) champion Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko has signed a historic, multi-fight agreement that will see him headline mega-events co-promoted by world championship promotions STRIKEFORCE and M-1 Global.



Emelianenko, known globally as Fedor, will make his premium television debut this Fall when his first fight under the new agreement airs live on SHOWTIME®.  Up until now, Emelianenko's live fights have aired exclusively on pay-per-view in the United States.



"I am looking forward to going back to work and fighting at the highest level," said the 33-year-old Emelianenko.  During his nine year professional fight career, which included a four and a half year stay with the world's former top MMA promotion, the now defunct PRIDE Fighting Championship, the Russian native has faced and defeated all comers.



In his last effort, the 6-foot, 235-pound Emelianenko decimated the number two ranked heavyweight at the time Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski with a single punch in the first round (3:14) of the main event of Affliction:  "Day of Reckoning" at Anaheim, California's Honda Center on January 24.



"STRIKEFORCE is a top fight promotion that houses some of the greatest fighters in the world," continued Emelianenko.  "I am prepared to fight any of them."



"We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to work with M-1 Global and Fedor," said STRIKEFORCE Founder and CEO Scott Coker, a martial arts fight promoter of over 25 years.  "Fedor has been the reigning king of MMA's heavyweight division for quite some time now so being able to work with M-1 and Fedor will substantially increase the level of competition amongst the athletes in this weight class."



"With the addition of Fedor and STRIKEFORCE's new relationship with M-1 Global, SHOWTIME is now the home of the best pound-for-pound male and female fighters in the world," said Ken Hershman, Senior VP and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports®.  "The Aug. 15 Carano-Cyborg matchup on SHOWTIME will clearly determine the best female mixed martial artist on the planet.  Then, come this Fall, our subscribers again will witness history when the universally recognized best male fighter-Fedor Emelianenko-joins the already long list of world-class athletes on the STRIKEFORCE roster, and for the first time ever plies his skills live on SHOWTIME."



Hershman continued: "We are better positioned now than ever before to deliver on our promise to televise the top fighters in mixed martial arts today."



"I am very happy and excited about the upcoming collaboration with Strikeforce," said Vadim Finkelchtein, President of M-1 Global. "We are very pleased that we found a reliable partner and I feel that Strikeforce and M-1 can support each other on many things. This will create big opportunities for both parties to test their fighters against worthy opponents."



Though his official professional record is 30-1, Emelianenko is considered undefeated.  The only blemish on his record is a December 22, 2000 fight that was stopped after 17 seconds and declared a TKO in favor of his opponent, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, due to a cut Emelianenko sustained in the opening seconds of the matchup in Osaka, Japan.



Amongst those on Emelianenko's list of impressive conquests are former PRIDE Heavyweight Champions Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mark "The Hammer" Coleman, and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic as well as former UFC Heavyweight Champions Kevin "The Monster" Randleman and Tim Sylvia, whom Emelianenko submitted with a rear naked choke only 36 seconds into their main event showdown at Affliction:  "Banned" on July 19, 2008.



Despite his extensive experience, Emelianenko's debut under the new STRIKEFORCE-M-1 venture will, interestingly enough, mark his first start in a cage.  To date, all of his bouts have taken place in a ring.



After co-promoting two events live on SHOWTIME in 2007 and 2008, STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network.

UFC Media Call Updates - Dana White talks Tito, Fedor and more!

Here are some updates from Dana White today about the UFC!

1. No deal with Fedor.

"We offered this guy an amazing deal, we were open to everything but a co-promotion".

"We tried everything to make this happen. We didn't hold back anything. To turn down a deal like this, you don't care about proving your the best in the world, you don't care about competing against the best talent, you don't care about money. Why in the world would I let these guys come in and promote wtih us?"

"Also the Fretita brothers have a gaming license, you don't just come in and jump right into it. You have to go through background checks and all kinds of sh*t, it just doens't happen."

"I went out and tried to make this happen, I did everything we could possibly do, and they didn't want to do it. They just don't want to sign with the UFC... I garauntee you he will not be offered a better deal in MMA."

"It's not about competition for this guy. The heavyweight class in the UFC is stronger than it's ever been before with Brock Lesnar, Cain Velasquez, Randy Couture, Shane Carwin..."

What does co-promote mean?

Dana essentially said that M-1 had nothing to offer. What were they going to co-promote? What would they bring to the table? Nothing. "Maybe that shit works in Russia, but it doesn't work here".

Is Dana done trying to sign Fedor?

"I want to make a deal! I wanted this thing so bad and I was so confident this was gonna happen. If they want to make a deal they can call me right now and we'll make a deal."

If co-promotion was off the table would you have a deal with Fedor?

"We'd be done. We'd be announcing a fight for him right now".

Dana reiterated MULTIPLE times, Fedor's people can call him RIGHT NOW and they can do a deal. He was miserable that this deal didn't get done. But the UFC is still open to a deal (other than co-promotion obviously).

This is great... Dana states, "I wasn't a dick at all in these negotiations. I was the nicest Dana White ever in these negotiations... we went in there to make this deal. I went down to Huntington Beach and walked into Tito's front door to make a deal. There were a lot of emotional and financial sh*t to work through. When I tell you we caved on EVERYTHING with Fedor to make this deal, I mean we caved on everything to make this deal. I can tell you that this deal didn't fall through because of me and Lorenzo."

"We have a standing offer out to Fedor. We have not pulled anything back. I'm ready to roll. The fans want to see this fight, it's my job, it's my job to make this happen."

"For anyone to call this guy the best fighter in the world is insanity. He got offered an assload of money, he can go fight in Sambo every Thursday night if he wants to. We held nothing back. The guy doesn't want to fight the best in the world".

"We have 300 guys that want to fight the best in the world 3 times a year, a guy that doesn't, f*ck him, I don't even want to talk about him anymore".

2. Vitor Belfort signs with the UFC, will headline UFC 103

"When we announced Franklin VS Henderson for Dallas, fans were pissed."

Rich Franklin VS Vitor Belfort headlines Dallas show, UFC 103

Dan Henderson is still next in line for a shot at Anderson Silva

3. UFC 101 will be free for English and Irish fans via ESPN

UFC signs a 3 year deal with ESPN for England and Ireland

Is there a bigger deal with ESPN in the US in the works?

"Once we get the right offer, we will be on network television. We haven't gotten the right offer yet."

"If we get a network deal, we're putting serious fights on TV. That's what's wrong with the boxing model. If we get a network deal, it's gonna be good for the fans, good for network, and good for the UFC."

4. Tito Ortiz joins the Conference Call and is back in the UFC!

"Tito is a guy fans still want to see fight..."

"One way or another people give a shit about him, so he's back... "

"Tito Ortiz will retire in the UFC."

Tito says:

"For me personally it was about competition. My fans deserve the best Tito Ortiz. It's not about the money, I'm fine there... Competition was my biggest factor."

"I'm healthy, I'm 100%. I'm very excited. The hell with all the money, it's about competition. I look at the past UFC champions. Forrest Griffin, I beat. Rashad Evans, they called it a draw but I felt I beat him. Machida, I gave him the best fight of anyone out there."

"The best fighters are in the UFC, it's the best promotion, and that's why I'm here."

"Dana and I are like boyfriend / girlfriend, Dana being the girlfriend."

"I just started working last week, I'm looking towards November / December. I want to fight before end of the year. It's up to Dana. I'm excited to be back in the UFC, and I know my fans are."

"You will never hear anything about money out of my mouth again." (WHAT???? Someone please file this quote away for future use)

How far away from title contention is Tito?

"Tito's not getting an easy road. We're talking about him fighting Mark Coleman for his first fight."

"Ring rust is real, and Tito's gonna have it..."

Will Tito and Chuck possibly fight again?

Dana says "I don't know, I just don't know. Chuck hasn't asked me for it". Tito says "I asked Dana about that when I first signed and he said "no way", so since he's now saying "I don't know" that's huge for me. Thank you!"

Does Tito have any interest in moving up to heavyweight?

"If I dominate the light heavyweight class like I once did, and have run through everyone in that weight class, then I'd consider it".

Tito wants another 4 to 5 years of competition, so he's not going to rush into a comeback. He'd love to fight in his hometown of LA, but he's not going to rush back before he's ready and risk injury that might cots him his career. He's willing to hold off another month or two if it means gaining another 4 to 5 years of competition for his career.

Does Dana think Tito is still only interested in being a movie star, and that he's not a fighter? "The best in the world to me are the guys that compete 3 times a year against the best in the world. These guys challenge themselves 3 times a year against the best in the world. Tito Ortiz, no matter what I've said about him over the years, he's got his surgery done, he's gonna come back and fight the best in the world. Tito's gonna come back right now and he's gonna go for it. He's coming into the UFC and he's gonna fight the best 205 pounders in the world. PERIOD".

Tito says... "I'm gonna get that belt back. People forget I was the longest reigning champ in UFC history."

5. Affliction Fighters

Dana mentions quite a few names of Affliction fighters that are now with Zuffa and will be going to the UFC and WEC. They are still working with 8 or 9 fighters.

Dana has no interest in Arlovski or Tim Sylvia.

6. Dan Henderson

Where does this leave the winner of Nate Marquardt and Damien Maia?

Hendo is definitely next in line for a shot at Anderson Silva, and Marquardt and Maia are in the mix. This is a good problem to have according to Dana, Silva has been so dominant for so long that it's good to have a group of guys lined up that pose a threat.

How soon will Henderson and Silva fight?

According to Dana it depends in what happens between Silva and Griffin next week. If he doesn't get too busted up, it should be fairly soon.

Affliction Trilogy Press Release

This is the press release I received:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Affliction Trilogy Cancelled

Seal Beach, California (July 24, 2009) – The highly anticipated fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Josh Barnett at the Affliction Trilogy MMA show has been cancelled. The mega fight was scheduled to take place at the Honda Center in Anaheim on August 1^st.  The unforeseen license denial of Josh Barnett gave Affliction limited time to find a replacement and adequately promote the new main event.

“Finding an opponent for the number one ranked MMA heavy weight champion in such a short period of time was a huge endeavor and I’m thrilled at the amount of fighters willing to take on this challenge,” said Tom Atencio, vice president of Affliction Entertainment. “But in the end, we just didn’t have enough time to promote a new fight to our standards.”

Affliction is deeply disappointed that the under card is also cancelled through no fault of its own. Affliction stands behind the company’s brands and delivers premium products to the most passionate and loyal customers. Affliction’s first priority is to ensure that all future events live up to the company’s high standards.

Ticket holders for the canceled event should contact Ticketmaster or ticketmaster.com for a refund.

Affliction Cancels Trilogy Card

In the wake of Josh Barnett failing his drug test for the Affliction "Trilogy" card, Affliction Entertainment vice president Tom Atencio started notifying the media that the event is now canceled.

Again, this is the second time Josh Barnett has failed a drug test, the first time was when he was fighting for the UFC in 2002.