MMA News and Notes

[MCx2]

MMA WEEKLY - Your #1 Source for Daily MMA News, Interviews, Multimedia, and More

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]- KURT ANGLE MAY BE IFL BOUND[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - by Damon Martin - MMAWeekly.com

[/FONT]

Former Olympian and current professional wrestler Kurt Angle has been a subject of interest for many mixed martial arts promotions of late including the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but it looks as if the Pittsburgh native will likely call the International Fight League home in the near future.

Angle, who currently wrestles in the Total Nonstop Action promotion, has toyed with the idea of transitioning to MMA for the past couple of years. It seems that a deal is in the works that would fit his schedule in terms of balancing fighting with his professional wrestling career.

IFL commissioner Kurt Otto likes the idea of Angle coming into the league. He confirmed to MMAWeekly that contract negotiations are under way.

???I???m psyched. He???s pretty open about it, which is good. We???re in talks. We???re excited about the opportunity.???

While Angle has flirted with a number of organizations, Otto feels confident as to why he may land in the IFL.

???Kurt Angle really wants to come on board. He wants to learn MMA and he wants to come to the IFL specifically because of the team format because he???s used to that.???

"God willing, the IFL and myself can make a deal," Angle told Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com recently. "The best fit for me right now as a pro wrestler who [works] about 120 times a year is the IFL."

If Angle does sign with the team oriented league, both sides have committed to giving him the time needed to be sure he is truly prepared for his fighting debut.

No deal has been made official, but it looks like both sides are ready and willing to iron out a workable contract. If Kurt Angle is ready to be an MMA fighter, it only seems a matter of time that it will be with the IFL.

 

[MCx2]

MMA Madness??? - MMA Insight??? News - MMA Madness Q&A: Din Thomas discusses UFN 11 loss and more

MMA Madness Q&A: Din Thomas discusses UFN 11 loss and more

Din Thomas lost a highly-anticipated main event fight recently against Kenny Florian at UFC Fight Night 11. Thomas also suffered what appeared to be a major knee injury during that fight. MMA Madness??? Ben Zeidler conducted a phone interview with Thomas this past weekend to catch up with the lightweight fighter. Here are the highlights of that interview.


MMA Madness: Can you tell us a little bit about your recent loss to Kenny Florian? Was he different than what you had trained for?
Thomas: No, Kenny was actually exactly doing what I expected him to do. Kenny is a technician and he fought a technical fight. I???m still pissed that I wasn't able to continue the fight. I tore my meniscus in two, among other structural damage to the inside of my knee during that first round and had to lay down and take a beating. I think it was shaping up to be a really terrific fight.


MMA Madness: What was your game plan going into the fight?
Thomas: My game plan was to keep him going backwards and put pressure on him. I felt I was doing that. I was taking my lumps trying to penetrate, but I felt it was just a matter of time before I get inside and take advantage.

MMA Madness: Was the Florian fight the toughest fight that you have ever had?
Thomas: Not at all. I didn't really think that either of us got to get going like we wanted to in that fight. I've been in plenty of wars in my career. Unfortunately, that fight wasn't really one of them.


MMA Madness: Do you think you could beat him if ever given another opportunity?
Thomas: Of course, I still think that I can beat him. But I had the opportunity to prove it and I didn???t. Life goes on. Maybe he will give me a rematch. Maybe he won???t. If he doesn't, rest assured I will go to Boston to have a friendly settling of differences.


MMA Madness: Would you change your training in any way for a second fight with him?
Thomas: No, I was very pleased with my training for him. I will do the same exact thing.


MMA Madness: Prior to your Florian loss, you had three straight UFC wins. How do you plan to get back to those winning ways?
Thomas: If you count the Matt Serra fight, I had four straight wins...but who's counting? I don't feel like a total loser by losing to Kenny. The way for me to get back to my winning ways is just to fight again.


MMA Madness: Who do you want to fight next in the UFC?
Thomas: The 155 [lb.] division is easily the most stacked division. There???s so many guys that can give each other hell on any given day. There???s not really one guy that stands head and shoulders over any other guy. I just want to fight anybody that can bring out the best in me and make me look like a rock star.

MMA Madness: Can you tell us a little bit about what it's like to train with American Top Team and some of the best fighters in the world?
Thomas: It???s a privilege and an honor to be around such talented guys. You gain so much from [those] guys daily, not just physically but mentally. When you watch a guy like JZ Calvalcante train, it???s no wonder that I think he's the best 155-pounder in the world today.


MMA Madness: The PRIDE guys really seem to be having a hard time with the UFC guys. Is that due to PRIDE being weaker than people thought, UFC guys being better, or something else entirely?
Thomas: Maybe they just aren't used to the stage. The UFC is a whole different stage to fight on than in Japan. It???s very different. Also, the rules for PRIDE (knees and kicks to a [downed] opponent, etc.) allow a guy to look much more violent than what we are use to watching. And sometimes as a fan, we can equate violence with "being better.??? That???s a barroom mentality that even knowledgeable fans can get caught up in and it???s simply not true. Truth is, PRIDE fighters are good [and] UFC fighters are good. UFC fighters right now just have the hometown advantage.


MMA Madness: You defeated Matt Serra in 2003. If you went back to 170 lbs., how do you feel that you would match up with him now?
Thomas: It???s hard to say. I???ve always thought the world of Matt and I think he is a terrific champion. He has one of the best attitudes I???ve ever seen when it comes to a fight. Right now is his time. I think he has figured out what his strengths are as a fighter and he knows how to use them. A hungry Matt Serra is dangerous.

MMA Madness: Do you think you are a better fighter at 155 lbs. or at 170 lbs.?
Thomas: I???m the same at both weights. The guys at 170 are just taller.

MMA Madness: Lately, more and more people (such as Sean Sherk) have been getting caught for using steroids. Why are these guys using them if they know that they are probably going to get caught?
Thomas: Well it???s like any other crime. A bank robber doesn't really think that he's going to get caught. He knows there???s a risk but he???s willing to take that risk in order to get the reward.


MMA Madness: You play "The Fight Kid" in the film Loren Cass. Can you explain your role in the movie? Also, how did it feel to be involved in the movie business?
Thomas: I was basically the high school rival to the main character. We had so much beef in the film. I really wanted to knock his block off. The movie industry is very much like the fight biz. I would never want to be a movie star but I love to act.

 

[MCx2]

Kimbo vs Tank on again??

I'm happy to see other organizations showing interest in Kimbo. I have a feeling he'll really make some noise somewhere.

Palace FC to Make Formal Offer on Kimbo-Tank

Palace FC to Make Formal Offer on Kimbo-Tank Options:

An offer to resurrect the heavyweight spectacle between celebrated street brawlers David "Tank" Abbott and Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson (Pictures) is expected to be presented Wednesday morning to both parties on behalf of the Palace Fighting Championship, Sherdog.com learned Tuesday.

"I have spoken to both sides' management," said PFC's Christian Printup via e-mail. "I am submitting a formal offer (Wednesday) morning. If it satisfies their financial needs the fight will happen on Oct. 18 in the PFC. If it doesn't, I can take comfort in knowing we made a very substantial offer nonetheless."

Based out of Lemoore, Calif., the PFC rose out of the Central California valley floor after the departure of World Extreme Cagefighting -- which populated the Palace Indian Gaming Center from 2001 until Zuffa purchased the company in 2006 -- and has promoted three events this year.

In Abbott-Ferguson, the upstart promotion, which uses a five-roped ring rather than a cage for its fights, is attempting to salvage a bout that was intended for the Cage Fury Fighting Championships on Oct. 6 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The card was cancelled on Oct. 5, when CFFC president Felix Martinez issued a statement on the promotion's Web site announcing an investor pulled out at the last moment, thus costing the event, which billed itself as the largest on the East Coast, an opportunity at pay-per-view.

The hyped heavyweight bout could join a PFC card that features four championship fights.

At middleweight, Kenny Ento (Pictures) fights Justin Levens (Pictures). A lightweight clash will see Shad Smith (Pictures), who was stopped just 71 seconds into his fight against Nam Phan (Pictures) on Oct. 6, face local star Poppies Martinez (Pictures). "The Ultimate Fighter 1" veteran Lodune Sincaid (Pictures) fights Jeromy Freitag for the PFC light heavyweight strap. And a welterweight battle pits Chris Botelho (Pictures) against Morris Aldaco (Pictures).

Printup also told Sherdog.com that a day following its next card the PFC is expected to sew up a television deal, though no details were released.

"I am in general very excited right now," Printup said.

EliteXC has also shown an interest in Slice, a source in the company confirmed to Sherdog.com. Canada' Hardcore Championship Fighting, which is offering a card Oct. 19 in Calgary, has also shown interest in making the bout.

 

[Pedigree]

Fedor to M-1

Report: Fedor Emelianenko to M-1

To be quite honest, I don't think he wanted his legacy tarnished by getting his a$s kicked by a 44 year old man.

 

[MCx2]

Report: Fedor Emelianenko to M-1

To be quite honest, I don't think he wanted his legacy tarnished by getting his a$s kicked by a 44 year old man.

My thoughts exactly.

Me from another board:

I wouldn't go as far as to say Fedor is scared, but at this point one can't help to think that there is some sort of anxiety on his part. Typically to be the best, you have to beat the best, unless you are Fedor. His legacy is so rock solid that he hasn't fought top opposition in years and he's still considered the top fighter in the world, a title that would be in serious jeopardy if he chose to sign with the UFC. I really don't know how much longer we can sit here and make excuses for Fedor. At this point, in my mind, he is flat out ducking top opposition in an effort to keep his "aura of invincibility" in tact. If he hasn't fought a top fighter by year's end, I can no longer consider him the top fighter in the world (which I've had my doubts about for a long while anyway).

 

[MCx2]

An interview with Kevin Randleman

punchdrunkgamer

Inside the Cage:​

Return of the Monster: Part II {Oct 10, 2007}
By Dave Carpinello​

​

PDG: You were arrested a couple of months back for DUI. With a pending court date upcoming what can you say about that night?
Kevin: It is turning out that was the best thing that could have happened to me that night. I haven???t had a drink since and I am beyond walking a fair line. I have got a blessed life and I almost flushed it down the toilet. I could have killed myself or someone else. The thought of that makes me sick.​

PDG: There have been many different reports and rumors regarding what happened that night. Do you have a statement that you can give to your fans?
Kevin: I want to tell my fans and everyone else that I am truly sorry for disappointing them. I would like to say that I was an idiot for driving that night. It has really changed a lot of things in my life. I would rather go to the gym and get my ass kicked by Forrest Griffin or any of the other fighters in that gym than go to a bar and drink. Being successful and in the limelight sometimes you can lose sight of your goals. I love my job, I love the sport and I want to be a champion again. That night could have cost me everything that I hold dear to me. I have not read any of the stories that have been circulating. I did not assault an officer that night. I want to apologize to him and I will do whatever the judge wants. The job of a police officer is hard enough than to have to deal with some f**king asshole who doesn???t have all his faculties about him. I respect everyone even the bum on the corner. I apologize to all my fans that had to hear about that. I do know though that if you do the crime, you have to do the time. I have been changing, not in the sense that I am going to church now but it has changed the way I approach life. I have learned that nothing good can happen after midnight. If that night didn???t happen though, I would not have the outlook on life that I have now. My priorities have changed and I don???t want to just be a fighter. I want to be a role model and I have been around a lot of them lately and I know that I can still accomplish that in my life. I will show people that I went through life with reckless abandonment and that is no way to live your life. That is not how grown men act. I gave away too many opportunities in my life because I just didn???t care before now. I care about the fan that lost faith in me because of that night. My fans are my family. The organizations in mixed martial arts are a part of my family also. I represent all those people and all my family. I didn???t realize at the time what I was about to throw away. I made a mistake and I AM SO SORRY!!!!!! I will apologize personally to every fan that I come in contact with. I promise that you will never hear my name on a police blotter again.​

PDG: You also have your hearing with the NSAC coming up. Are you ready for that?
Kevin: I am not really worried about that. I have done everything that they have wanted me to. I feel real comfortable with how that will go. Whatever hoop they want me to jump through I will do it. They are going to want another blood test to make sure that the infection is gone. I will also have to take a full physical so they can make sure that I am healthy. The doctors have said they are protecting me from myself. I needed this time for myself so that I could grow up. If gave me a chance to get healthy and I needed that year off because I probably would have continued to fight. I was still sick up until about six months ago. The whole experience has allowed me to slow down my life. My health means more to now than ever because if I am not healthy. The athletic commission is not going to let me fight. I am healthy now and I can???t wait to come back and fight.​

PDG: Will your arrest have any bearing on the hearing with the NSAC?
Kevin: I am not thinking about that right now. I haven???t fought in almost a year and I am enjoying all the learning right now. I used to be a guy who didn???t want to learn jiu-jitsu. Now I know jiu-jitsu. I have had a year to learn it with some of the best trainers available. I have been training at Randy Couture???s gym and there are gladiators that workout there. I would put my money on any fighter that comes out of there. I don???t know if one will affect the other but if it does I will deal with it. It will give me more time to train and think about what I did that put me in this situation.​

​

PDG: Lets move on to fighting. You have been over in Japan with Mark Coleman and Josh Barnett doing pro-wrestling shows. Is it a good time going to the smaller cities and performing?
Kevin: They are exciting because for one Japan is a very beautiful country and the people that live there have great morals. Those little shows are so much fun because you get the chance to interact with the fans more. Working with Josh Barnett is a great time; he is one hell of a performer. Mark Coleman is a great performer also but Barnett is a character.​

PDG: Alright, I am going to ask you about 3 fighters who have been in the Octagon since our last interview and I want you to give me your assessment.​

Mauricio ???Shogun??? Rua:
Kevin: I like the guy. I made a bad statement once about him that was taken out of context. Shogun Rua is a great person and a nice guy. I have the utmost respect for him and his family.​

PDG: What did you think about his fight with Forrest Griffin?
Kevin: I called that. Forrest is a very smart man and the one thing that he had going into the fight with Shogun was that??????.Forrest is a country strong mofo. He will tire you out before he gasses. That is my favorite fight of the year so far.

Mirko ???Cro Cop??? Filipovic:
Kevin: I???ll tell you what. I said that Cro Cop was going to lose 2 or 3 times in the UFC until he figures out that damn cage. I would love to train with CC. He can be a very dangerous fighter in the cage if changes up his style and technique. You can???t be a kicker in the cage the whole time because good wrestlers will just take you down. The way he is fighting right now he would lose to Randy every time.​

Chuck ???Iceman??? Liddell:
Kevin: I lost 7 out of 10 fights at one time in my career. I fought the cream of the crop of fighters. If fans think that you are over the hill because you lose 2 fights????????? Chuck Liddell is the same fighter that beat up Randy Couture twice. He beat a lot of people and then he lost to Quinton Jackson and Keith Jardine. For anyone to take away from Chuck???s ability to win a fight would be disrespectful to the guys who beat him. Chuck???s skills haven???t diminished. This sport is like a growing being and it great to see the fighters maturing and getting even better.​

PDG: So what do you say about the people that are jumping from the Iceman bandwagon?
Kevin: I AM DRIVING CHUCK???S F**CKING WAGON!!!!!! Chuck Liddell is still the man that knocked out all of the fighters in his way to the top. It is hard to be the champ and win, win, win, win, win, win, win. You can get a little complacent in life. He will come back with a vengeance.​

PDG: I want to get your take on some rumors that you may be signing with Strikeforce and possibly fighting Renato ???Babalu??? Sobral.
Kevin: It is all speculation. I am not talking to anybody about anything until I get cleared by the athletic commission. If I did fight Babalu do you think anything will change just because I am taking a new approach to my life since my DUI. I am (growls) still the MONSTER. There is not one 205 lb fighter that I am scared of.​

PDG: Thanks for taking the time Kevin. Anything else to add this time?
Kevin: The last thing that I want to say is I am sorry from the bottom of my heart. I embarrassed myself, my family, my friends and my fans. Forgiveness is a hard thing to ask for but I want everyone to know that I am human. I made a mistake and would like over time for my fans to forgive me. When I come back I will earn back the respect that I lost. I want to thank my fans for their support during my career.​

???Never let the door of opportunity shut on you and God Bless???​

 

[Richie1888]

Originally Posted by FatCatMC
I wouldn't go as far as to say Fedor is scared, but at this point one can't help to think that there is some sort of anxiety on his part. Typically to be the best, you have to beat the best, unless you are Fedor. His legacy is so rock solid that he hasn't fought top opposition in years and he's still considered the top fighter in the world, a title that would be in serious jeopardy if he chose to sign with the UFC. I really don't know how much longer we can sit here and make excuses for Fedor. At this point, in my mind, he is flat out ducking top opposition in an effort to keep his "aura of invincibility" in tact. If he hasn't fought a top fighter by year's end, I can no longer consider him the top fighter in the world (which I've had my doubts about for a long while anyway).

harsh words

 

[MCx2]

MMA Madness Q&A with Josh Barnett

MMA Madness??? - MMA Insight??? News - MMA Madness Q&A: One-on-one with Josh Barnett

MMA Madness Q&A: One-on-one with Josh Barnett

Josh Barnett is a UFC veteran and a PRIDE veteran. He is also considered one of the world???s top heavyweights. However, ???The Babyface Assassin??? currently has no home and hasn???t fought in close to a year. MMA Madness??? Ben Zeidler spoke to Barnett by phone last week to find out about his fighting status, his beef with Dana White, and more. Here are highlights of that interview.


MMA Madness: When can we expect to see you fighting again?
Barnett: The nearest I can think of is the Imagination TV show Pancrase: Legends of MMA. You can catch some of my matches there on November 7th for 15 weeks. But for some live in-the-ring action, I'm talking to some companies right now and we've got some things on the table. But there's nothing that's absolute, nothing to say that I'll be definitely fighting at a certain time.


MMA Madness: Can you tell us any of those organizations that you're currently looking at?
Barnett: Umm???all of them. [Laughs]


MMA Madness: Is there any chance that you could wind up back in UFC someday?
Barnett: There's always a chance. It's just about the right offer, that's all.

MMA Madness: How soon?
Barnett: The UFC? I don't know, maybe you should call Dana [White] up and ask him. [Laughs]


MMA Madness: Why is there such a big conflict between you and Dana?
Barnett: When I think somebody says something that's B.S., or if I think that something isn't being done up to par, then I say something. That's probably why. I've been in this business longer then he has, and there's just a certain amount of respect that I expect, and I don't necessarily feel like I get that from him all of the time. He says some things and that's fine. He's allowed to make any statements he wants; I'm going to make a rebuttal. It's up to him if he wants to get real torqued off about it, not me.


MMA Madness: What do you think about your friend Renato Sobral being kicked out of UFC?
Barnett: I think it was totally lame. I think it was a totally B.S. deal. I think it was unnecessary to the level at what they did. I don't think it follows any of the protocol that is standard for other situations like this. And I think that there was other motivation behind it.


MMA Madness: People have done worse things in the cage than Sobral???s choke. I know that B.J. Penn's choke on Jens Pulver was longer than Sobral's choke on Heath, and Penn didn't get punished at all.
Barnett: No he didn't, and the only difference being Jens didn't go out. That's the only thing that I can see, but beyond that all I've heard is that they hugged after word. But David Heath on his way out said he respected Babalu -- he had a lot of respect for him. So what's the difference there?


MMA Madness: What punishment do you think Sobral should've gotten?
Barnett: They had to punish him? Some sort of a fine if they had to, but not to that extent.


MMA Madness: You've been known to speak Japanese and even use a Japanese theme as your entrance. Can you talk a little about the connection you have with your Japanese fans?
Barnett: Um???a psychic link???


MMA Madness: Can you elaborate?
Barnett: Yeah, I just really enjoy the culture. I really enjoy other cultures all around the world. And I think that knowing more than one language is a really rich thing to have in someone's life. I think that we've just clicked. Being on the level of nerddom that I'm on, it really talks to them. I love fighting over there, and I love the great positive vibes that I get from the Japanese fans.


MMA Madness: In the first issue of FIGHT! Magazine, you were listed as one of the five people who could possibly beat Fedor. Why do you think your paths have never crossed?
Barnett: At this point, it's the same reason why I haven't gotten into the ring yet, just politics and contract stuff. But right now it's not my fight. My management is out there doing stuff -- not me -- but we'll get it done.


MMA Madness: If given the opportunity, how do you feel you would match up?
Barnett: I think that I'd match up pretty well with him. I'd be surprised if anybody else could do much going against Fedor. But there's an X-factor in that we're friends and that we respect each other so much, which will bring better fighting spirit out of both of us.


MMA Madness: You've beaten everyone from Randy Couture to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. What's the biggest win of your career?
Barnett: Yuki Kondo. I won the King of Pancrase with that win; it was in Ryogoku, and I had all my teammates from New Japan Pro Wrestling there. It was just an awesome thing.


MMA Madness: Do you think that you could defeat current UFC Heavyweight Champion Couture?
Barnett: Absolutely. Absolutely. I think I could finish him in two rounds more or less, but not because he won't be out there doing his thing. It'll be a big fight, but I think our styles favor me. But he's doing really well for himself, and it's fun to watch him out there and to cheer for him. And if it does ever happen, then I'll have to put the fan in me aside and just go out there and take care of business.


MMA Madness: You're a well-known critic of the 10-point system, and lately, we've been seeing that come under fire with some questionable decisions or rounds that would be scored 10-8. Can you talk a little about that?
Barnett: Part of the biggest problem in MMA right now is that the submission isn't given a lot of weight in the United States. That's a huge detriment to me. I think that MMA fights should be judged on not so much control, but who comes closest to finishing a fight. If you are scoring knockdowns, mounted positions, raining sizeable punches that are causing damage, or near submissions, that should count a lot more than just taking down someone a lot. Not to mention just going for a submission means you're trying to finish the fight. People that are just on top picking away [aren???t] trying to finish a fight. They should be rewarded as such. I think that the PRIDE system was really the best system. And, off course the human error factor comes into it as well. Sometimes people make mistakes when they're judging. People are going to disagree with the judges, and that's something that people are going to have to deal with. But those criteria that I mentioned before are the most important.


MMA Madness: Did you find competition in PRIDE or UFC to be tougher?
Barnett: When I fought there, definitely PRIDE.


MMA Madness: Why is that?
Barnett: I don't know, at the time they were just better fighters, they were better athletes, and they were better fights. Whether they're having success outside of PRIDE is another thing, but at the time they were the cream of the crop.


MMA Madness: Well, the PRIDE fighters aren't doing very well in the UFC. Why do you think this is?
Barnett: I don't know, maybe all of that money that they're making now is allowing them to party all the time. I've been really surprised with some of these fights that I've seen. I have no idea.

 

[MCx2]

harsh words

I was just trying to stir shit up in a thread I posted about the Fedor signing, but it's defintely how I feel.

 

[MCx2]

Kimbo Slice Signs with EliteXC; Nick Diaz Signs Extension -- UFC news at MMAjunkie.com

Kimbo Slice Signs with EliteXC; Nick Diaz Signs Extension

Posted by MMA Junkie on October 11, 2007 at 2:35 pm ET


ProElite.com, the parent company of the Elite Xtreme Combat organization, has signed famed Internet brawler Kimbo Slice to fight on the organization???s upcoming Nov. 10 event in Corpus Christi, Texas.


Earlier today ProElite.com broke the news, which was confirmed by Sam Caplan at Five Ounces of Pain | An MMA Blog.


The 33-year-old Slice was slated to headline an Oct. 12 Cage Fury Fighting Championships event against UFC veteran David ???Tank??? Abbott, but last week, event organizers pulled the plug on the show, citing the loss of a key investor.


Numerous MMA promotions were vying for the bout after CFFC???s cancellation. And while Slice has been signed, EliteXC made no mention of Abbott, though the California-based promotion says more news about the signing will be available later today.


Slice rose to fame as an underground brawler when his fights were marketed on the Internet. The former football player and bodyguard for pornography companies made his MMA debut at CFFC 5 in an exhibition bout with boxer Ray Mercer. Slice needed just 72 seconds to earn the victory via guillotine choke.


The Nov. 10 EliteXC event airs on Showtime at 10 p.m.

• In addition to Slice, EliteXC today announced that former UFC fighter Nick Diaz has signed a long-term contract extension with the organization. The new deal adds an additional two years to the remaining two fights on his current contract. With the new deal, Diaz will fight exclusively in the U.S. for EliteXC. Diaz next fights on the organization???s Nov. 10 event for EliteXC???s new and vacant 160-pound title.

• EliteXC will next host a ???ShowXC??? program, which features up-and-coming fighters, Oct. 26 on Showtime. The fight card includes J.C. Pennington vs. Javier Vazquez, Jared Hamman vs. Aaron Rosa, and female fighters Shayna Baszler vs. Jennifer Tate. ???ShowXC??? is the MMA version of Showtime???s popular boxing program, ???ShowBox.???

* * * *

​

We???re a little late in sending our well-wishes, but the MMAjunkie.com team would like to congratulate Sam Caplan on his new gig with ProElite.com. Sam was hired as the company???s lead writer and editor and will work for the promotion in a full-time capacity.


Unfortunately, because of his new position, Sam will no longer have the time to contribute to MMAjunkie.com (though we remain colleagues and friends) in a regular capacity.


We wish Sam the best of luck with his new endeavor.

 

[MCx2]

The Fight Network :: ALL FIGHTS ALL THE TIME :: Get it on!

COUTURE QUITS UFC

MMA Icon Walks Away From Promotion In Stunning Move

By Brian Knapp

At the height of its power and popularity, the Ultimate Fighting Championship today lost the man many recognize as the face of mixed martial arts. UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture announced his resignation from the Las Vegas-based promotion, leaving two contracted fights, his job as an on-air analyst and his heavyweight crown on the table.

In South Africa shooting scenes for his lead role in the upcoming feature film ???The Scorpion King ??? Rise of the Akkadian,??? Couture made the announcement official in a letter to UFC president Dana White. The UFC???s inability to land PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko played a prominent role in the decision to walk away, according to Couture.

???I appreciate this opportunity the sport of MMA and the UFC has given me,??? the UFC Hall-of-Famer said. ???However, I???m tired of swimming upstream at this stage with the management of the UFC. It only makes sense at this point in my career to fight Fedor Emelianenko, and since he???s now signed with another organization, I feel like it???s time to resign and focus on my other endeavors.???

His abrupt departure deals a significant blow to the world???s most visible MMA organization. Couture was not only a beloved competitor ??? White once called him ???the greatest fighter in UFC history??? ??? but also a revered spokesman for a company that had long struggled to gain mainstream acceptance.

???Randy???s contract was on a fight-by-fight basis, and that???s the way he said he was always going to take it ??? fight by fight,??? said Matt Walker, Couture???s agent at The Gersh Agency. ???His acting career is accelerating at an astronomical rate, and without the support he felt some of his peers were receiving in the fight business, this was the logical choice.???

A three-time All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, Couture won four national championships in Greco-Roman wrestling and made four attempts at qualifying for the Olympics. He made his MMA debut at UFC 13 on May 13, 1997, where, at age 33, he won a heavyweight tournament, defeating Tony Halme and Steven Graham on the same night. Just seven months later, he toppled famed kickboxer Maurice Smith in Yokohama, Japan to win the UFC heavyweight crown for the first time.

Over the course of the next decade, Couture emerged as one of the most decorated mixed martial artists in history. The UFC???s only six-time champion, he captured the heavyweight belt three times, the light heavyweight title twice and an interim light heavyweight title, as well. Couture remains the only man to win UFC championships in two weight classes.

His run through the promotion included a memorable trilogy with light heavyweight rival Chuck Liddell, the only opponent to beat Couture twice. Following his third bout with Liddell in February 2006, Couture announced his first retirement.

As 2007 dawned, his desire to compete returned, and a four-fight contract with the UFC ??? which included the opportunity to fight Tim Sylvia for the heavyweight strap at UFC 68 in March ??? was presented to Couture. He accepted, and the wheels for an historic comeback were set in motion.

Couture floored Sylvia with an overhand right seconds into the bout and punished the 6-foot-8 giant over five rounds. Playing to chants of ???Randy!??? he regained the heavyweight title for an unprecedented third time in front of 19,049 fans at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Five months later, at the age of 44, he defeated rising contender Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 74, stopping the young Brazilian by third-round TKO despite suffering a broken left arm. It would be his final appearance in the Octagon.

Couture (16-8) leaves behind an unrivaled legacy in the sport. Fifteen of his 24 career bouts were title fights, and he bested six former UFC champions ??? Liddell, Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz and Sylvia among them. Always willing to meet a challenge, Couture consistently tested himself against the world???s premier fighters. The 19 men he fought (he squared off with Pedro Rizzo twice and Liddell and Belfort three times each) hold 357 victories between them.

Say it ain't so Randy!!!

 

[tucker01]

WOW.. I am shocked.

 

[A Black Guy]

I'm calling shenanigans.

 

[AKIRA]

This is depressing news, frankly.

 

[MCx2]

I have a feeling this is the real deal. The story is up everywhere now.

 

[A Black Guy]

Yeah, now that I'm looking at everything possible, it sounds like it's true and thinking about it, it's a sound decision IMO.

Randy rode it to the top, along with his earnings he got his name in people's heads, now he's got his chain of gyms/training centers and that's his new life. No point in fading away.

 

[MCx2]

I seriously doubt he's looking to sign with M-1 to fight Fedor, I just think this is the end of the road. Oh well.

 

[MCx2]

Defintely official....

Advertising at Sherdog.com

 

[Goodfella9783]

Fedor is afraid of the Natural.

 

[AKIRA]

What does it matter if theyre never going to face?

 

[A Black Guy]

What does it matter if theyre never going to face?

For Randy that's the only thing he has left to prove.

There's nobody else out there who would really make you think "man, I wonder what would happen if he fought Randy..."

Why stick around in the UFC?

Say he stays, he beats Kongo, he beats Vera, then Gonzaga gets another shot and beats him. Now Randy's not on top, he's not the buzz in every MMA story, and he fades out into oblivion like Dan Severn.

He's proven to the 50% of fans who aren't PRIDE nuthuggers that he's the best heavyweight of all time. The only other thing he could do, was put all of the benchracing to rest and fight Fedor and then it would be undisputed. Now that there's no chance of that, that the organization that he's stayed loyal to for all these years wasn't able to secure him the fight that "needed to happen," he has no use for the UFC or for fighting professionally.

 

[KickNit]

Might as well retire when you're on top. There's no better time. He's getting old, no one can beat him, I'm sure it's no longer a challenge for him, and he can go on to bigger and better things. Change is good.

 

[PreMier]

dana white is a dipshit.. sigh fedor, let him fight sambo, and set the bout. THATS ALL HE HAD TO DO! dumbass

 

[MCx2]

Dana White: ???Not Surprised??? by Randy Couture???s ???Retirement??? -- UFC news at MMAjunkie.com

Dana White: ???Not Surprised??? by Randy Couture???s ???Retirement???

Posted by MMA Junkie on October 11, 2007 at 5:48 pm ET


UFC President Dana White says he???s ???not surprised??? by Randy Couture???s decision to quit the UFC despite the 44-year-old champion having two fights remaining on his contract.


The UFC???s head honcho today issued a statement on the organization???s official website, UFC.com. In it, White hinted at no ill-will with the UFC Hall of Famer and even said that he???d be ready to promote Couture if he decides to come out of ???retirement.???
Said White:

???I???m not surprised at all by Randy???s decision. I talked to Randy several weeks ago and he said that if he couldn???t fight Fedor, then he has nothing left to prove in the sport of mixed martial arts.

He has been doing a lot of acting, and I know he is in South Africa right now filming a movie. I think it???s a great move for Randy???s acting career to retire from fighting while he is on top.

As we all know, Randy retired before. The landscape in MMA changes every day. So when he is ready to come out of retirement again, he is still under contract with me, and I???m ready to promote him.???
​

Couture came out of retirement in March to defeat then-champ Tim Sylvia for the UFC heavyweight title. He signed a four-fight deal as part of the return; however, back in February (before he even fought Sylvia), Couture said he wouldn???t necessarily fulfill the terms of the contract and would instead reevaluate his career on a fight-by-fight basis.


Although Couture told The Fight Network earlier today that the UFC???s inability to sign top-ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko played a part in his decision, money ??? or lack of it ??? may have played bigger role.


Earlier this year, officials from Zuffa LLC (the UFC???s parent company) purchased the Japanese-based PRIDE Fighting Championships, but the UFC had to re-sign many of the organization???s top fighters to new deals. The elite ??? such as Mauricio ???Shogun??? Rua ??? demanded significant salaries that rivaled those of fighters such as Couture.


Couture earned a base salary of $250,000 and a portion of pay-per-view revenue for a victory over Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 74 in August (In his UFC debut, Rua earned $150,000 in a UFC 76 loss to Forrest Griffin last month.)

 

[AKIRA]

Maybe this will invoke further action, who knows.

Sucks that he retires now that everyone has started to no longer doubt him.

I mean, I thought hed lose against Sylvia & Gonzaga.

 

[tucker01]

I bet this has more to do with money. Randy has done all he can do to stand a top the UFC as one of the Greatest Champions, yet he gets shitty pay days compared to some of the Competitors.

 

[A Black Guy]

I bet this has more to do with money. Randy has done all he can do to stand a top the UFC as one of the Greatest Champions, yet he gets shitty pay days compared to some of the Competitors.

I promise you that he made at least a mil each on the Sylvia and Gonzaga fights.

 

[AKIRA]

I promise you, you better be in high spirits this weekend.

And it still sucks that he wants to quit. Think hell be back? Meaning, you think this will get Fedor signed?

 

[TCAP28]

I promise you, you better be in high spirits this weekend.

And it still sucks that he wants to quit. Think hell be back? Meaning, you think this will get Fedor signed?

I really really hope so. I'm dying to see Randy take on Fedor and beat him. Fedor, IMO, is waaaaaaaaaay overrated.

 

[Richie1888]

I was just trying to stir shit up in a thread I posted about the Fedor signing, but it's defintely how I feel.

I dont know as much about the MMA as you but you seemed right in principle.

Shocked about Randy but ah well if he cant fight the best then the desire wont be there for everyone else and its a awaste to him memory if he fights some guy who beats him in a fight that doesnt even interest him.