Category: Fighters (Page 31 of 58)

      Strikeforce Weigh-In Results

      June 17, 2011 /

      nullStrikeforce held its weigh ins for Saturday’s card and everyone hit their weight, including the fourth competitors that will be battling in the Heavyweight Grand Prix.

      In the main event, Strikeforce heavyweight champion, Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum both came in on point. Overeem weighed in at 256 pounds while Werdum tipped the scales at 246 pounds.

      In the other Grand Prix contest, Josh Barnett weighed in at 256 pounds for his Grand Prix showdown with Brett Rogers, who weighed in at 258 pounds.

      Both contests will air live on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday night.

      For full weigh-in results, check out the jump.

      Continue reading »

      Events, Fighters, News

      UFC targeting San Jose for Velasquez vs. dos Santos

      June 17, 2011 /

      nullLet’s not waste any time.

      Junior dos Santos just defeated Shane Carwin last week to earn a future UFC Heavyweight Title shot against Cain Velasquez, but the UFC already appears to have the date and location set for the upcoming bout.

      According to the L.A. Times, the two top heavyweights will meet on the champion’s stomping grounds of San Jose, California.

      The Ultimate Fighting Championship is pursuing Nov. 19 as the date that heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will make his first title defense against once-beaten Junior dos Santos at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, company chairman Lorenzo Fertitta told The Times Thursday.

      Velasquez (9-0, 8 KOs) is from Yuma, Ariz., but he trains in San Jose and was born in Salinas, the son of a migrant worker.

      Velasquez hasn’t fought since October, when he upset champion Brock Lesnar at Honda Center in Anaheim by first-round TKO. Velasquez underwent shoulder surgery after the fight, forcing the layoff.

      The Nov. 19 date is expected to be UFC 138, and it will be the first time San Jose has held a UFC PPV event.

      In fact, the promotion hasn’t been to California since Velasquez defeated Lesnar in Anaheim at UFC 121.

      Events, Fighters, News, UFC

      Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Preview: Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers

      June 16, 2011 /

      nullCan the under-appreciated beat the over-hyped?

      That’s the big question on Saturday when Josh Barnett faces Brett Rogers in the first round of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

      Barnett, who has an impressive list of wins in his lengthy career but is often not considered one of the top heavyweights, takes on Rogers, who was thrown into the spotlight by Strikeforce before he was ready and has since had to take a dose of reality.

      Here is a look at both fighters heading into their contest on Saturday.

      Josh Barnett (29-5) – A former UFC heavyweight champion, Barnett has won his last six fights. A wrestler at heart, Barnett also has good striking and submission skills. 17 wins in his career have come by submission and that will likely be where he looks to win on Saturday. Rogers is very unproven on the ground but has big punching power. It would be wise for Barnett to keep Rogers grounded and win with his jiu-jitsu.

      Brett Rogers (11-2) – Rogers started his career 10-0 and had a string of very impressive knockouts to his credit. But, then came fights against Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeen, who disposed of Rogers with some ease. Now, Rogers is an underdog in the Grand Prix, but he still has the one-punch KO power to be dangerous. Rogers will need to show improved ground skills and conditioning in order to compete with Barnett on Saturday.

      Who Will Win: Barnett simply has to survive the opening storm that Rogers will likely have. That should last about two minutes and will require Barnett to either, take a punch or two, or score a quick takedown. I don’t see Rogers as much of a threat in this contest and I will take Barnett to win this fight by submission early in the second round.

      Events, Fighters, Strikeforce

      Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Preview: Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum

      June 16, 2011 /

      nullSo just how far along has Alistair Overeem come over the last few years?

      The Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion looks to prove he deserves to be in the discussion for top heavyweight in the world on Saturday when he takes on Fabricio Werdum in the first round of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

      Werdum holds a submission win over Overeem back in 2006 as part of PRIDE. Since then, both men have had highs and lows, and both seem to be at a peak in their careers.

      Here is a look at both fighters and my pick for this contest.

      Alistair Overeem (34-11) – The Strikeforce kingpin has looked unbeatable in recent years due to his overwhelming kickboxing skills. Standing 6-foot-5 and beefed up to 253 pounds, Overeem brings thunderous power to every kick and punch he throws. He has won his last three fights by knockout, all coming in the first round. Prior to that, he scored three-straight submission victories, and he actually has 19 submission wins to his credit in his lengthy career. Overeem’s last loss came in 2007 to fellow Grand Prix fighter, Sergei Kharitonov. His biggest weakness in this bout will be his submission defense against a fighter with the skills of Werdum, but his striking will be far superior.

      Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1) – Werdum broke into the top heavyweight discussion after being the man to end Fedor Emelianenko’s lengthy winning streak last June. Now, Werdum looks to prove that his win was for real as he hopes to beat Overeem for a second time. Werdum is a grappling specialist with mediocre striking. In this fight, he will be facing a much larger Overeem than he faced years ago. Getting his opponent to the ground this time may be a great challenge. Werdum can’t possibly win this fight on his feet either, so pulling guard may have to be an option for him.

      Who Will Win: I think both men are different fighters than they were years ago, and Overeem has advanced further than Werdum. I look for Overeem to stay off his back on keep the fight standing, where he should be able to pick apart Werdum and earn a second round TKO.

      Events, Fighters, Strikeforce

      Top 10 Middleweight Rankings

      June 15, 2011 /

      nullThis week the rankings move back to the middleweight division.

      The 185-pound weight class had some interesting developments over the last few months as Chael Sonnen has had his return to the UFC pushed back and one of the top fighters, Nate Marquardt, is moving down to 170 pounds.

      Nonetheless, here is what the top 10 in this weight class looks like.

      1. Anderson Silva (28-4) – Silva is not only No. 1 on this list, but also on my pound-for-pound list. I think he has a tough test ahead of him in Yushin Okami at UFC 134, as Silva has shown a weakness against big wrestlers. Still, many of Silva’s opponents show him too much respect, which plays right into his hands.

      2. Yushin Okami (26-5) – I am moving Okami up to number two because Sonnen’s future is in question and he seems to be losing steam with each passing day. Okami has beaten many of the best in the UFC, but he now has a chance to face the very best in Silva. Okami is a grinder, and that is what will be the most dangerous opponent for Silva to face.

      3. Chael Sonnen (25-11-1) – Sonnen has a good skill set, but his mouth and his poor choices have caused him to have a questionable future. Despite the fact that he pushed Silva to his limit, Sonnen still was unable to come through with a win. Sonnen has a clear weakness against submission specialists, but he has easily handled some of the top fighters in this division.

      Continue reading »

      Events, Fighters, Rankings, Strikeforce, UFC

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 MMA Blitz

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑