UFC 146 is this Saturday, Saturday, Saturday! Check out the retro promo the UFC cut for this weekend's all-heavyweight main card, and give us your picks with reasons why you're picking each fight at the Cagewriter Facebook page. Also note that the video above was cut before Mark Hunt pulled out of his bout and was replaced by Lavar Johnson.
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/don-t-forget-us-ufc-146-picks-125659335.html
Dean Amasinger Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen Alex Andrade Jermaine Andrè
Several contenders distinguished themselves at UFC on FX 2 in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night.
Erick Silva continued his path of domination through the welterweight division with another first round win. This time, the victim was Charlie Brenneman.
Though Brenneman held off early submission attempts, he couldn't stay out of Silva's clutches for long. After getting the fight to the ground, Silva easily stretched out Brenneman and sunk in a rear naked choke to stop the bout at 4:33 in the first round. With that tapout, Silva won a $40,000 Submission of the Night bonus.
Silva now has two wins in the UFC, and his loss came by a weird disqualification. He's taken a step up in competition with every bout, and should continue to move up the crowded welterweight class.
Eddie Wineland sustained a large cut early in his fight with Scott Jorgensen, but that didn't slow either man. With blood gushing from his face, Wineland matched up with Jorgensen's wrestling for a tight first round. Wineland blew the bout open with a right cross in the second round. Jorgensen immediately dropped and the bout was stopped at 4:10 in the second round to give Wineland his first UFC win. For their exciting bout, Jorgensen and Wineland were rewarded an extra $40,000 each for Fight of the Night.
Josh Neer started strong against Mike Pyle, wobbling him several times in the first round, but Pyle got his revenge with a huge right hand. Neer was moving forward when Pyle caught him with a short right hook that sent Neer to the ground. The fight was stopped at 4:56 of the fight round. Like the other main card fighters, Pyle won $40,000, but for Knockout of the Night.
Andre Amade Dean Amasinger Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen Alex Andrade
Steve Mocco won two NCAA wrestling titles and competed in the Olympics as a heavyweight. Now, he has his eyes set on dominating a new sport: MMA.
Mocco, who competed in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, has had MMA on his mind for years. After training with Antonio Silva to prepare him for his bout with Cain Velasquez, Mocco decided to make the jump. He'll train at American Top Team in Florida. Mocco told Sammy Perez of Joe Show Radio:
"This decision was a whirlwind. I was down there training and all the guys were great. Once they discovered I was interested in fighting, everything fell into place."
He didn't want to wait any longer because he knows his prime athletic years are numbered. He's hoping to get a fight before the end of the year.
The decision also was made easier by Mocco not making this year's Olympic team. He finished third at the Olympic Trials in April.
Mocco was a collegiate star and a controversial figure. He started his career and won a national title with Iowa, then after redshirting, transferred to Oklahoma State. With that move, Mocco competed for the top two wrestling programs in the country.
While wrestling in college, Mocco had several battles with future Bellator heavyweight champ Cole Konrad. They met twice in the national championship. Mocco also faced off with future UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, and was an Olympic teammate of Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix champ Daniel Cormier.
Mocco is following in the footsteps of several other wrestlers with elite, international experience to jump to MMA. Dan Henderson, Randy Couture, Joe Warren, Mo Lawal, Ben Askren and Cormier, among others, found success as fighters after wrestling at the highest levels.
Andre Amade Dean Amasinger Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen Alex Andrade
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/er_zAekhsWs/kc-skate-montage-2.html
Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah Terrance Aflague
Strikeforce bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey will defend her title against Sarah Kaufman August 18 live from San Diego, California.
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/28948/ronda-rousey-vs-sarah-kaufman-set-for-august-18/
Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen Alex Andrade Jermaine Andrè Yoji Anjo
The UFC's game of musical chairs continues, as Jose Aldo's bout with Erik Koch for the main event of UFC 149 has been scrapped because of an injury to Aldo. Urijah Faber's bout with Renan Barao was moved to the main event at 149 from being the co-main event at UFC 148.
This is the second change to Faber's bout this summer. After coaching against bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz on "The Ultimate Fighter," the two were slated to face off at UFC 148 in Las Vegas. Now, it's Faber vs. Barao for the interim belt at UFC 149 in Calgary.
It's also the latest in a string of main event changes to UFC events. This summer, the main event at UFC 146 was supposed to feature Alistair Overeem vs. Junior dos Santos, but Overeem's inability to get a license in Nevada gave Frank Mir a chance. UFC 147 was supposed to be at a soccer stadium in Rio de Janeiro for Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva's rematch. After the UFC couldn't get a venue, the bout was moved to UFC 148.
The bad luck continued for UFC 147 as main eventer Vitor Belfort was injured and Rich Franklin had to fill in. UFC on Fox 4 was also hit as Brian Stann's shoulder injury forced him out of the main event against Hector Lombard. Maurico "Shogun" Rua, who was free because of an injury to his UFC 149 opponent Thiago Silva, will now fight Brandon Vera in the main event of the UFC's fourth Fox show.
Even for a sport as dangerous as MMA, that's a crazy run of bad luck. Can the UFC do anything to prevent injuries? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Gilbert Aldana José Aldo John Alessio Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida
Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron was out promoting "Prometheus" and "Snow White and the Huntsman" when she took a chance to discuss her love for the UFC. She told Conan O'Brien that a friend introduced her to fights and she hasn't looked back.
"I wonder what it says about me that I like sweaty, hot men bleeding all over each other and bashing each other in the face, but I can live with that," Theron said.
Oh, Charlize. You're not truly an MMA fan until you have that conversation with yourself. Welcome to the fold.
Yoji Anjo Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi Daniel Acacio