Strikeforce Weigh Ins Overeem Werdum Barnett Rogers Griggs Noons Masvidal - Strikeforce

SHOWTIME Sports presents the official weigh-in for the Strikeforce World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournment. Check out all ten fiighters on the super-sized June 18th fight card: Chad Griggs, Valentijn Overeem, Daniel Cormier, Jeff Monson, KJ Noons, and Jorge Masvidal. Plus headliners Brett Rogers, Josh Barnett, Alistair Overeem, and Fabricio Werdum.

Source: http://mmalice.com/strikeforce/strikeforce-weigh-ins-overeem-werdum-barnett-rogers-griggs-noons-masvidal-video_ef4f0192c.html

Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade 

Video: Double knockout as fighters crash through faulty cage door

MMA is a dangerous sport. The kicks, punches, chokes, armbars, kneebars, calf slicers and all the rest make it a sport not for the faint-hearted. But all the dangers and difficulties in MMA usually come from opponents, not the cage the two are fighting in.

In Kentucky this weekend, the cage got the win. Skip to the 1:27 point in the video.

Brandon Bishop and Braedon Ward crashed through a faulty cage door in the co-main event at Hardrock MMA 43 on Saturday. The fall appeared to knock both men out, but as the video shows, they both walked away on their own. A hinge in the cage door had been damage earlier in the evening, but the staff though it was fixed. The fight was called a no-contest, and according to the notes for the video, both fighters received their win bonuses.

The playing surface getting involved in the game is not unique to MMA, as it happens in every sport. Michael Irvin and Wendell Davis both suffered career-ending injuries in football thanks to the poorly-done AstroTurf at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Gus Frerotte's neck was injured after he celebrated a touchdown by headbutting a wall at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. Mickey Mantle's legendary career was almost stopped before it started because he tore his ACL when his foot was caught on a drainage ditch at Yankee Stadium during his rookie year.

It's even prevalent at the college levels, as Houston's Patrick Edwards suffered a nasty broken leg when he ran into a cart just past the end zone. At this year's Carrier Classic, Michigan State's Branden Dawson tweaked his ankle on the court's slippery logo. Two football coaches implied that University of Missouri's Faurot Field was to blame when two different players had season-ending knee injuries.

So even in the best circumstances, playing surfaces fail the players they are supposed to support. Luckily, both fighters were able to walk away from the fights.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/video-double-knockout-fighters-crash-faulty-cage-door-180818154.html

Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe

What to look for: UFC on Fuel TV 1

The UFC rolls out its first major card debut tonight on Fuel TV in Omaha, Ne. Jake Ellenberger has a chance to work his way into the welterweight title mix with a big win over Diego Sanchez, but the card features much more beyond the main event (Fuel TV 8 p.m. ET).

The heavyweights are definitely can't miss this evening. Stefan Struve faces the division's great anamoly in Dave Herman. A chiseled 235 pounder Herman seems to fight with little strategy, but he is dangerous. He's mocked jiu-jitsu in the past. He'd better take it seriously against Struve, who has 15 submission wins in his 21 victories.

The other thing to watch for with Herman is what sort of look he brings to the Octagon tonight. Yesterday, he looked like a Russian lumberjack.

Ellenberger returns home

Sanchez will be walking into a road spot against Omaha's Ellenberger. The city is fired up for the return of the rising UFC star.

Today Ellenberger ? born and bred in Omaha and the assistant coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha ? was presented with the Key to the City by David Dover, Deputy Chief of Staff to Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle. The former US Marine said: "I'm honored to be recognized by the city I grew up in and fight for. It's extra pressure to fight in your hometown with all your family and friends in the front row, but I know the support from the local fans will be awesome."

UFC looks to boost FUEL

The Fox deal was a no brainer for the promotion, but it does come with some early risks by using FUEL as its clearance house for programming.

Spike was in 100 million home. Fuel is still a work-in-progress with only 36 millions. That will get boosted into the mid-40's tonight due to a free preview this week. Unfortunately, like many young networks FUEL is fighting for clearance with cable companies. Comcast, the nation's biggest cable carrier, still doesn't offer the channel. That said, the Fox folks are enthused by the early uptick with the UFC partnership.

"We've had an 80 percent increase in the target demographic of men ages 18-49, and a near 230 percent increase in overall prime-time ratings from past ratings periods," Fuel TV vice president George Greenberg said. "To say I'm jacked would be putting it mildly."

Dillashaw needs a quick bounce back victory

The pre-show favorite for the 135-pound title on Season 14 of "The Ultimate Fighter," Dillashaw was surprised by the much smaller John Dodson in the final. He was finished on what he thought was a flash knockdown.

The powerful wrestler faces a challenge in the very rangy Walel Watson. He's not impressed.

"He's obviously going to be the tallest bantamweight I'll ever fight. He's got a long reach. Other than that, I don't find him too dangerous. Yeah, he's going to use his reach to his advantage, but he's not dangerous with it. He likes to stay on the outside obviously and use it to his advantage, but I'm not too impressed with his ground game or his [aggression]," Dillashaw told Sherdog.

The key phrase there is aggression. Watson's striking game can be dynamic, but he rarely sits down on his strikes. He is dangerous off his back which makes this fight really interesting since Dillashaw is probably going to look for the takedown and top control. He needs to be consistently active or he could get caught.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/look-ufc-fuel-tv-1-155155936.html

Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio

Heavy?s UFC 143 Fight Day starts at 6 p.m. ET

Fight Day Live is back today for another star-studded show from UFC 143 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Hosts Dave Farra and Megan Olivi will prepare you for all the fighting action and the expert panel of Matt Brown, John Morgan and Larry Pepe will break down the pay-per-view card and give their opinion on who'll take home the victory between Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz.

Also slated for Fight Day Live are two interviews. The first is with "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey, the number one contender for women's 135-pound belt. Rousey is a human soundbite, so you won't want to miss that one. Also on set is crowd favorite Clay "The Carpenter" Guida.

Main event fighter Carlos Condit will also be featured during an exclusive one-on-one interview. Be sure and tune into Fight Day Live at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT.

You can watch UFC 143 right here on Yahoo! Sports

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/heavy-ufc-143-fight-day-starts-6-p-173659753.html

Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade 

Thailand sport climbing: can you help?

Since an old friend told me about his climbing trips to Thailand it’s been one of my boxes-to-tick. Climbing by the beach and then relaxing in the blue seas sounds too good to be true. I’m about to find out - I’ve decided to do it later this year… Photo kindly shared by HalonaCoast on Flickr I’m [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rock-climbing-blog/~3/38U5UCpl448/philsheard

Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio 

UFC 143 picks, Vegas-style: Making the hard calls on three big fights

LAS VEGAS -- Cashing UFC tickets may not be an task this weekend. The top of the card at UFC 143 features some difficult calls.

The underdog price of plus-175 on Carlos Condit makes him an inviting play, but Nick Diaz is on a 11-fight win streak dating back to 2007. He's pretty much destroyed or broken every opponent along the way.

On paper, Josh Koscheck (minus-265) should be a bigger favorite over Mike Pierce. So why isn't he? Are the sports books and sharp bettors onto something?

Roy Nelson versus Fabricio Werdum features grappler vs. grappler. Does that mean we don't see any dangerous scenarios unfold on the ground? Can someone pull off a submission? Or do we see a plodding stand-up battle? Werdum is a small favorite at minus-155.

Listen here as Frank Trigg, Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole and myself made picks during our "MMA Insiders" show on ESPN1100/98.9 FM in Las Vegas.

UFC 143 betting odds:
Best plays in bold

Carlos Condit (+175) vs. Nick Diaz (-210) - Welterweight
Scott Jorgensen (+210) vs. Renan Barao (-250) Bantamweight
Josh Koscheck (-250) vs. Mike Pierce (+210) - Welterweight
Roy Nelson (+135) vs. Fabricio Werdum (-155) - Heavyweight
Matthew Riddle (-380) vs. Henry Martinez (+315) - Welterweight
Matt Brown (-340) vs. Chris Cope (+280) - Welterweight
Alex Caceres (Even) vs. Edwin Figueroa (-120) - Bantamweight
Dustin Poirier (-525) vs. Max Holloway (+415) - Featherweight
Ed Herman (-300) vs. Clifford Starks (+250) - Middleweight
Stephen Thompson (-300) vs. Dan Stittgen (+250) - Welterweight
Rafael Natal (-170) vs. Michael Kuiper (+150) - Middleweight

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-143-picks-vegas-style-making-hard-three-195536221.html

Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen