“Celebrity Apprentice” Star and Former WWE Diva Maria Kanellis to Join HDNet’s MMA Broadcast Team

DALLAS (March 15, 2010) – Last week on HDNet’s Inside MMA, we broke the news that Maria Kanellis will become the newest member of the network’s MMA broadcast team. Kanellis was WWE’s 2009 “Diva of the Year,” a Playboy Cover Girl, recording artist and a contestant on this season’s  “Celebrity Apprentice.” She will debut as the backstage correspondent on HDNet’s LIVE broadcast of “Mark Burnett Presents: King of the Cage: Legacy” on March 26 from the Silver Legacy Casino in Reno, Nev.

“Maria is an amazing talent with a devoted fan base and we are excited to have her as part of our MMA broadcast team,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “Maria loves MMA and is a superstar on LIVE television – the MMA community will welcome the passion she will bring to covering the sport.”

“My mantra is ‘passion is my motivation’ and I am definitely passionate about MMA!” said Kanellis.  “I am excited for the opportunity to be part of the HDNet family.  I love their commitment to the sport.”
Kanellis began her career in 2004 as a WWE Diva and appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine in April 2008. Her television credits include appearances on “Family Feud,” “Project Runway,” ” VH1’s Top 20 Video Countdown,” “The Insider,” “Best Damn Sports Show Period,” “Red Eye” and “The Today Show.”

She will be featured as a contestant on this season’s  “The Celebrity Apprentice” which premiered on March 14 on NBC. Her debut album “Seven Sins” will be available on iTunes on April 13 and a preview of the first single can be heard at http://mariakanellis.net.

About HDNet
HDNet (www.hd.net) is the independent network with unique and provocative content that appeals to men of all ages and is delivered in true high definition.

Can the UFC succeed on Versus?

Can UFC build up Versus like WWE helped launch Spike TV? It’s a question we will get answered this upcoming weekend when UFC runs their March 21st event in Broomfield, Colorado on Versus. It will be UFC’s first show on the network and, given the NBC/Comcast merger coming up, could be the biggest success story for UFC on cable if they are able to pull big ratings.

History says the Versus brand isn’t strong enough to help UFC out and that the UFC brand may not be strong enough to help Versus out. So far, nothing on Versus has pulled big ratings except for Urijah Faber fights. WEC shows without Faber on Versus pull lousy ratings. The NHL does not draw very good ratings anywhere, even on Versus. Bull riding and hunting shows populate Versus all the time. The network really doesn’t have a true identity. Can UFC help bring an identity to the station?

The promotion will try its best with their March 21st show. They have an interesting main event featuring Brandon Vera, who desperately needs a win, against Jon “Bones” Jones who is the exciting young prodigy that wants to slam all of his opponents at various angles. The semi-main heavyweight features an important heavyweight match between Junior Dos Santos and Gabriel Gonzaga. If Dos Santos wins, we are talking about him being solidified in the lower part of the upper tier of UFC’s Heavyweight division. If Gonzaga wins, he is suddenly back in the mix as a contender again. It’s a fight in which both men can make a big name for themselves on cable television. As we’ve seen with Cain Velasquez who has been put mainly on PPV, not getting that exposure on cable television can be a mistake in terms of creating fan recognition.

“This fight is really important for me, so we’re going to be there to win the fight,” exclaimed Gonzaga in a UFC media interview. “I’m going to bring all my knowledge and my training to win this fight. I was training a lot in every single way and I always try to push forward to finish the fight. I don’t want to go to the fight and be like three rounds, five minutes, win by points in a split decision. He has really good boxing skills. This is the concern right now and we train around that definitely. He has good hands; explosion. But I’m not afraid to keep the fight standing up with him because he doesn’t have too many kicks and I believe that kicks make the difference to the stand-up game. I believe it’s going to be a contact fight. Junior proves he always bring the best and I’m going to bring my best, too, and win the fight.”

Dos Santos, who has had some violent knockout wins, wouldn’t mind a ground battle but at the same time is preparing for a stand-up only fight.

“I started my camp for this fight in my hometown,” JDS noted in an official UFC media interview. “I just came out to California to train in San Diego under Nogueira’s camp, they got a lot of great guys out there. Prior to UFC 108, I already had been creating a game plan based on Gabriel Gonzaga. I’m very excited to get back into the Octagon and put on a show. I think that Gonzaga’s a great fighter, he’s a tough fighter, he’s great on the ground, he’s a jiu-jitsu champion, he’s also great on his feet but I do feel I have the advantage on our feet. My strategy is to stand up and exchange with him, it’s not going to be any different but I think it’s going to be a great fight.

“I’m very confident on my ground skills. I train with the Nogueira Brothers, who I consider to be two of the best jiu-jitsu practitioners in MMA. I’m very comfortable with my ground work and if it does go to the ground I’m going to put on a great show and put on a great fight. It might be this fight, it might be another fight, but someday you guys will see my jiu-jitsu skills.

“I’m going to go into this fight to do my job and I want to do my job well. I’ve heard that Gonzaga wants to stand up and exchange with me, so I don’t know, if he wants to do that, if that’s his game plan, then maybe it will end in the first round.”

Can the main event match the same excitement and intensity as the semi-main event? It’s all up to which Brandon Vera we get.

If we get the Brandon Vera that has shown up in his last several fights, we’re going to likely go the distance and see someone win on points. If it’s the Brandon Vera that we first saw coming into the UFC, then he will either finish off Jones in the first round or Jones will take him out with elbows quickly.

“Don’t worry, I’m still cocky. I’m still that guy,” Vera recently said in a UFC interview in an attempt to reassure the fans not to turn on him. “Some of you are going to love me, some of you are going to hate me. Either way, it’s still me and I’m not going to put on a front for anybody. That’s me. That’s me.”

“What Mr. Jones has done what the people that he’s been given, yeah, he’s been blowing through people. So, yeah, he’s the man, he’s for sure dangerous and he’s for real. But he hasn’t fought anybody like me yet. My job is to go in there and show why Jon Jones is not ready to be fighting Brandon Vera yet. Jon Jones hasn’t been hit yet. It’s real easy to be the hammer but it’s hard to be the nail. We’ll find out what he’s made of when I hit him. I’m going on worst case scenario, we’re just going to get in the best shape and be ready to go through a dogfight for three rounds. I fight on my feet. If you end up taking me down, then I just submit you . That’s the train of thought that we’re bringing to this camp man and I think that’s going to bring my stand-up back to where it was before, to where I’m really trying to knock people out, where I just don’t give a damn if you take me down. If you take me down, that’s cool, I’m cool with it. I’m going to get back to old school. I’m done playing games.”

No one questions Vera’s potential. Unfortunately, that is what Vera has mostly lived off of — his image of being a guy with a lot of potential, but the results aren’t there to show for it. Whenever you see someone hawk the fact that they have a lot of potential, it means you found someone who has talent but has no results to show for it in reality. Vera always delivers in the smack talk and in hyping up a fight, but rarely has he delivered performances lately that you would call enthralling.

Which is something you can’t say about Bones Jones. Despite getting disqualified for using illegal elbows against Matt Hamill, he absolutely destroyed the young man when they fought a few months ago. The combinations of lethal slams and violent elbows makes Jones a man to watch out for.

“The reason why I think that I’m, you know, talked about a lot is just my style, you know it’s really exciting. I know that it’s a spectator sport, I give them what they want to see and you know keep the crowd wild. My style is definitely really wild and random at times but it’s a planned attack, you know, these moves have been trained several times.

With Brandon being a striker, I’m excited you know, we’re both good strikers. Me and Brandon, you know, we’re both known to have dynamic styles. The biggest differences between me and Brandon, you know I’m not going to win my first UFC fight and go out calling out Chuck Liddell, you know, I’m very humble and I realize that there’s a lot that I need to work on. I don’t feel inferior to anyone when it comes to Mixed Martial Arts. If Brandon Vera wants a striking war, that’s what I’m going to give him. You’re going to see fireworks, you’re going to see two guys go out there … and you know it’s going to be blood, sweat, and tears.”

Jones vs. Vera is a great fight on Spike, on PPV, or on Versus. The question is whether or not UFC will be able to make a ratings dent on a cable channel that has struggled to find their niche with sports fans in North America. If Dana White can pull it off, then it will give UFC much-needed leverage in future contract re-negotiations with Spike.

World Victory Road: Sengoku Raiden Championship 12 Review and Thoughts

By Ernest Johann Helwig

World Victory Road can breathe a collective sigh of relief since Sengoku Raiden Championships 12 is now in the books and delivered a fairly good show when all was said and done. Personally, when I read the lineup for this show I had predicted a very lackluster show with no real incentive to watch other than the highly anticipated rematch between Jorge Santiago and Mamed Khalidov but I will admit I was wrong and this show definitely far exceeded my expectations. SRC 12 took a huge blow after J-Rock president Kokuho announced that ASTRA would be hosting Yoshida’s retirement, which meant that most of the Yoshida Dojo names would not be able to participate in this show. Without those major names it would logically affect the attendance which, according to Michael Schiavello, was 8,000 but don’t hold your breath for any confirmation on that figure. This show kicks off the Japanese MMA “season” in a very entertaining and hopefully can set the tone for things to come.

One thing that undeniably came out looking great for the foreseeable future was SRC’s Featherweight division. This division has been the heart and soul of SRC along with the Lightweights. For the most part the guys in the division rarely ever have a dull fight and ever since the GP have been stealing the show in almost all the cards. One such Featherweight with an incredibly bright future is Shigeki Osawa who dominated Korean Kyung Ho Kang. Osawa at this pace seems poised to be an elite fighter. The Yoshida Dojo wrestler just exudes a sort of cocky confidence on his face and his demeanor. Similar to what Norifumi KID Yamamoto was like in his prime but with a fighting style more similar to Tatsuya CRUSHER Kawajiri. Incredible submission defense, improved ground and pound, decent striking and obvious impressive takedown ability make Osawa a huge prospect to follow for the near future.

My only doubt is that SRC for lack of matchmaking savvy might rush him into a fight with someone who might impede his growth. Osawa is still a green fighter with only 6 fights and less than 2 years fighting MMA. Osawa has been brought along well by WVR thus far. He won the Sengoku Gold Rush Project for his weight class and did stumble against Ronnie Mann but he kept up with the crafty veteran in a decision loss, which will definitely help make him into a better fighter. Needless to say, SRC is sitting on a potential superstar and they will be solely responsible for his rise or demise.

It was apparent from the beginning of the fight that Osawa would have the strength advantage and he made complete use of this tool. Incredibly in the 3rd round he showed everyone this gift. After going 10 minutes strong with Kang he managed take his back and preceded to German Suplex him a whopping 3 times! A mind blowing feat of strength to say the very least and definitely deserves a spot in the MMA Suplex Hall of Fame. Osawa’s biggest weakness is in his hands though. He should’ve bulldozed through Kang fairly easily but just couldn’t find a way to put him away. His ground and pound is overwhelming but underachieving and on the feet he seems incredibly susceptible. Also, his aforementioned submission defense helped him out a lot especially midway in the fight when Kang had a back body triangle and almost pulled off the rear naked choke and also in the 1st round when he got caught in a triangle. He always seems to find a way to muscle his way out of trouble though. Impressive showing by Osawa but also expected. Osawa’s wrestling prowess clinched him a Unanimous decision win over Kang.

Yuji Hoshino, another great Featherweight, is already primed and tested against top competition and could sooner or later find himself fighting tougher competition. He actually got on the microphone and challenged Hatsu Hioki to a bout. Hoshino has had a great journey to Sengoku as he actually won the Cage Force Featherweight GP taking out fighters like Antonio” Pato” Carvalho and WICKY Akiyo Nishiura in the process. He had a decent performance against Nick “The Ninja of Love” Denis winning by Guillotine choke in the 2nd round. It was one of the more competitive bouts on the card but I think kind of exposed Hoshino as more of a pretender than a contender. He looked unable to impose his will on Denis and other than an early takedown, got tenderized on the feet by body blows and knees to the thighs. Even though he did manage to submit Denis, I do not see a way Hoshino could handle someone like Hioki. Hioki is more durable and well rounded than Hoshino and just isn’t at the level of Denis. Also, this would be a step down in competition for Hioki, who I believe is the de facto Featherweight champ.

Finally, the last impressive Featherweight of the night was Marlon Sandro. He dished out his 3rd brutal KO in his Sengoku career. This one only lasting: 09 seconds actually cutting his old record by half! He had previously demolished Nick Denis in :19 seconds but this time Tomonari Kanomata suffered a brutal uppercut knockout in :09 seconds that actually saw him taken out of the ring in a stretcher and transported to a local hospital for emergency examination. Sandro is a monster to say the very least and is looking more and more like his Nova Uniao teammate Jose Aldo in every fight. You look at his KOs in Sengoku and just the speed and brute strength in which he knocks his opponents out is just incomparable. We see knockout artists all the time in MMA but the way Sandro leaves his knocked out opponents is borderline savage. It’s just impressive to see how much potential he has and just how much of a juggernaut he is in his weight class. Sandro is finally going to get his shot at the champion Masanori Kanehara after he publicly accepted Kanehara’s challenge during the intermission.

The most anticipated fight on the show definitely didn’t disappoint as Jorge Santiago wins by the most razor thin margin against Mamed Khalidov. Santiago dictated the pace early on scoring on the feet but more importantly scoring key takedowns to take close rounds while Khalidov chose to be flashier with his strikes but didn’t do much damage. Watching the match it seemed like Santiago would breeze into a decision win but Khalidov seemed poised to strike back taking the next 2 rounds and leaving the 5th and final round. Khalidov poured it on and picked up the pace in the 3rd but by doing so completely drained himself in the process. In the 4th he was miraculously able to sweep and score some points of his own and squeaked out the round. Going into the 5th it was very apparent that both men weren’t necessarily worried about their opponent as much as they were of their own bodies as the grueling 4 rounds strangely hindered both men equally. Santiago since the 2nd was almost a non factor and Khalidov after the 3rd was taking breaks during the fight. Both men’s cardio, or lack thereof, really mired what I thought could’ve been one of the early contenders for fight of the year. The 5 round was really hard to watch since both men were mostly competing against their own bodies and while Santiago did slightly more, Khalidov’s inability to attempt anything was more apparent. It felt like it wasn’t really Santiago who won that round as much as Khalidov let it slip through his fingers. Jorge Santiago becomes the 1st fighter in Sengoku to retain his title by Unanimous Decision.

In the other bouts of the night Akihiro Gono completely underachieves and gets a Unanimous Decision win over Diego Gonzalez in a dreadfully boring contest. Remember that Gono we saw at Dynamite!! against Sakurai? Well he was nowhere to be found. Maybe it was because he didn’t have a flashy entrance as we’ve become accustomed with him. The lunatic styling of Maximo Blanco earned him a brutal head kick knockout over Chang Hyun “Armbar” Kim. Kim had to be taken out on a stretcher but during the telecast an update on his health was given and everything ended up being alright with him. Yoshihiro KISS Nakao bested SENTORYU Henry Miller after Nakao managed to just brutalize him from the crucifix earning a TKO victory. Nova Uniao’s Leonard Santos submitted Kiuma Kunioku via rear naked choke in the 2nd to get back on the winning track.

Full Results:

Featherweight: Shigeki Osawa def. Kyung Ho Kang via Unanimous Decision

Lightweight: Leonardo Santos def. Kiuma Kunioku via Rear Naked Choke (Round 2)

Featherweight: Yuji Hoshino def. Nick Denis via Guillotine Choke (Round 2)

Heavyweight: Yoshihiro Nakao def. Henry Miller via TKO (Round 2)

Featherweight: Marlon Sandro def. Tomonari Kanomata via KO (Round 1)

Lightweight: Maximo Blanco def. Chang Hyun Kim via KO (Round 1)

Welterweight: Akihiro Gono def. Diego Gonzaliez via Unanimous Decision

Middleweight Title Fight: Jorge Santiago def. Mamed Khalidov via Unanimous Decision

A couple of things to quickly note are that Mizuto Hirota vacated his Lightweight title and plans to make his return in September. FEG President Sadaharu Tanikawa was in attendance at the event. Could this mean a possible co-promotion again? Hopefully, since Dynamite!! was an incredible show with the DREAM vs. SRC match-ups. Also, Referee/Judge Ryogoku Wada is Keiji Mutoh aka the Great Muta’s long lost brother. Sengoku goes on quick hiatus until June 20th when the 13th show takes place with Kanehara vs Sandro leading as potential main event but DREAM 12 & 13 and ASTRA will fill the void for the time being.

Renzo Gracie talks about what motivates him in MMA and UFC

Four years ago, Matt Hughes faced Royce Gracie in a mega-profile fight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The UFC 60 PPV drew over 600,000 PPV buys and made Hughes into a mega-star. It was the old guard versus the new guard and the new guard won. Ironically, Hughes would soon become the old-guard when he got whipped by Georges St. Pierre.

In April, Hughes will be taking a trip back in the time machine when he faces another Gracie, this time the “flamboyant” and gregarious Renzo Gracie. Hughes is still ranked in the Top 15 of most MMA rankings lists in the Welterweight division. Renzo is more or less an ambassador of the sport all around the world and is paid handsomely for it. If Hughes plays it safe in terms of winning the fight, we could have a boring fight. If Hughes adopts the same attitude as Renzo has, we will see two legends go balls-to-the-wall for three rounds and provide fireworks in Abu Dhabi.

On paper, the fight is intriguing for several reasons. First, Hughes has been out of action for a while and needs to rebound in a strong way. Since losing to Thiago Alves in London (who was overweight at the time of the fight), Hughes has become somewhat of an afterthought in media circles. The media’s behavior became so abhorrent that certain writers suggested that Hughes should retire after losing to Alves.

Whatever.

For hardcore MMA fans, watching Renzo vs. Hughes will be entertaining to watch. I always have enjoyed Renzo as both a fighter and an ambassador to the sport. In life, there are certain types of people you can hang around with. There are the types that are constantly depressed and agitated losers. Hanging around those people only makes you miserable and makes you a loser as well. On the other hand, there are the kind of people who not only enjoy life but truly enjoy what they are doing in life and manage to cultivate their passion into an infectious momentum that not only breeds success but also breeds success for those who are around them. Renzo Gracie falls in the latter category.

During a recent interview with HDNet, Renzo talked a bit about why he is back in active competition and what currently is motivating him to be the best.

“When I fight Matt Hughes, I’ll actually be 43 and I can’t wait.

“That’s my middle-age crisis, I go back to fighting. My wife say that, ‘Buy a motorcycle, buy a sports car. Why you going to fight?’ My middle-age crisis, I’m in the ring, you know.”

The big storyline heading into the Renzo/Hughes fight in April is that it will take place in Abu Dhabi. UFC recently sold 10% of their company to Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, an avid MMA fan and entertainment mogul in the Middle East. Who is the Shiekh friends with? Renzo Gracie. It may be easy to claim that UFC is giving Renzo a fight in Abu Dhabi as a thanks to the Shiekh, but I also think that viewpoint is selling Renzo short. He has a chance of winning his fight against Matt Hughes.

More importantly, Abu Dhabi will be Renzo’s home turf. Renzo has split time between Abu Dhabi and New York City. In a sense, Renzo will be cheered as a hometown favorite when he fights Hughes. Hughes relishes being a natural heel, so the dynamic is perfect for the fight. Renzo explained in the HDNet interview how the fight was booked.

“I was actually we were sitting at the table right next to our friend the Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and they extended an invitation, ‘What about you? Are you thinking about going back?’ I said, ‘Yeah, we can sign up right now with a handshake,’ and that’s how it’s done, you know. and I shook hands with Lorenzo, Frank, and Dana, and I was back in action and I said, ‘Look, if I’m diving, I’m diving head first. So put up six-fight deal with the right that you can fire me at any time.’

“The last time that I fought I did three fights in six months. You know, like once I get in shape I go in a row, I don’t want to stop. And let’s see how my body reacts, let me see how I do against Hughes and let me see how the fans like it. All of this will depend on how fast the second fight will come about, you know.

“The Sheikh one time came to visit me here 14 years ago when I moved to America. And he came to my school, my school used to be at 27th street, a small place, and he came over and he didn’t tell me who he was and he trained at the academy. He invited me over to dinner and at the dinner he told me he was the sheikh from Abu Dhabi and he would like to invite me over to see his country. So, I’ve been coming to his country for 14 years.

“I have a home field advantage anywhere I fight. When I went to fight Pat Miletich in Iowa, on his home town, I remember when I walk in I heard everybody screaming like this, USA! USA! USA! As I’m walking I look up and look at the guy who writes the Gracie Magazine, and they go to him, ‘How do they find out?’ He goes, ‘Find out what?’ ‘That I became a citizen last week!’ Like actually a week before I became an American citizen. So in my head they were chanting for me!”

How much of a role did Renzo play in setting up the Sheikh with Zuffa management to make the minority ownership sale of UFC happen?

“To be honest, I think it was much more than anybody could realize. I think I was one of the guys who actually kept the passion alive for the rulers of the country. All the dreams that I had to do it in Brazil, it ended up happening in Abu Dhabi.

“I know Dana for a long time, a long long time, I think when he was a personal trainer. So, and he was always a great fan of the sport. I do believe people perceive him very wrongly. He’s a great guy.”

Win or lose in April, Renzo has a few more fights that he would like to make happen before his career is over.

“I would love to fight Frank Shamrock. We didn’t finish our (first) fight, so I would love to fight him again. Sakuraba, I would love to lay my hands on Sakuraba, it would be a great match. Maybe the UFC comes to Japan and maybe we can dance once again together, you know.”

MMA Worldwide Expands to ESPN Radio in So Cal

MMA WORLDWIDE EXPANDS TO ESPN RADIO IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

March 12, 2010 – MMA WORLDWIDE, CYPRESS, CA – The multi-media company today announced the addition of MMA Worldwide Live, a mixed martial arts (MMA) radio show on 710 ESPN, set to go live on March 18.

The one hour show will be hosted by MMA Worldwide Editor-in-Chief RJ Clifford from 10:00PM to 11:00PM on Thursday or Friday nights. The show (call letters: KSPN AM) will cover all facets of the MMA industry from upcoming fights to the personalities that make it happen. The show will also be available via pod cast on www.espnlosangeles.com.

MMA Worldwide Live will reach listeners throughout the Southern California counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and San Diego, in addition to being streamed online worldwide.

“MMA Worldwide Live will be a unique MMA show from a unique perspective,” said host RJ Clifford. “As editor for both TapouT and MMA Worldwide, along with my experience in radio and being a professional fighter, I will share my insight on the sport that delves into subjects the fans care about. I was born and raised in Southern California and this place is the Mecca of MMA!”

The show will tie into the monthly magazines and cross over to other platforms the company (www.mmaworldwide.com) is currently developing. “All the great stuff you read in our publications can now be heard over the Los Angeles airwaves,” said Clifford.

“This prestigious network will now feature our brand of MMA and it doesn’t get any better than 710 ESPN,” said Robert Pittman Sr., Chairman of MMA Worldwide. “This isn’t internet or satellite; this is the real deal. I am very proud of our team and what we have accomplished in such a short time. With the professional way we conduct business, we intend on making 710 ESPN proud of MMA.”

ABOUT MMA WORLDWIDE:

MMA Worldwide is the first MMA multi-media company with two nationally-distributed magazines, with state of the art digital versions (TapouT and MMA Worldwide), a tour bus and group, a TV series on HDNET, an interactive website and now a radio show. Sponsors and advertisers wishing to take advantage of this new platform can contact Doug Francis, MMA Worldwide VP of Sales, at doug@mmaworldwide.com or by phone at (714) 226-0585.

About 710 ESPN:

710 ESPN (KSPN) is the #1 Sports Talk station in Los Angeles.  Reaching nearly 1 million listeners weekly, KSPN is also the broadcast home of the Los Angeles Lakers and the USC Trojans.

March 2010 Independent World MMA Rankings

March 12, 2010: The March 2010 Independent World MMA Rankings have been released. These rankings are independent of any single MMA media outlet or sanctioning body, and are published on multiple web sites.

In addition to the numerous MMA web sites that publish the Independent World MMA Rankings, you can also access the rankings at any time by going to www.IndependentWorldMMARankings.com.

Some of the best and most knowledgeable MMA writers from across the MMA media landscape have come together to form one independent voting panel. These voting panel members are, in alphabetical order: Zach Arnold (Fight Opinion); Nicholas Bailey (MMA Ratings); Jared Barnes (Freelance); Jordan Breen (Sherdog); Jim Genia (Full Contact Fighter, MMA Memories, and MMA Journalist Blog); Jesse Holland (MMA Mania); Robert Joyner (Freelance); Todd Martin (CBS Sportsline); Jim Murphy (The Savage Science); Zac Robinson (Sports by the Numbers MMA); Leland Roling (Bloody Elbow); Michael David Smith (AOL Fanhouse); Joshua Stein (MMA Opinion); Ivan Trembow (Freelance); and Dave Walsh (Head Kick Legend).

Note: Shane Carwin and Quinton Jackson are temporarily ineligible to be ranked, due to the fact that they have been inactive for over 12 full months, and will regain their eligibility the next time they fight.

March 2010 Independent World MMA Rankings
Ballots collected on March 9, 2010

Heavyweight Rankings (206 to 265 lbs.)
1. Fedor Emelianenko (31-1, 1 No Contest)
2. Brock Lesnar (4-1)
3. Frank Mir (13-4)
4. Cain Velasquez (8-0)
5. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1, 1 No Contest)
6. Junior dos Santos (10-1)
7. Brett Rogers (10-1)
8. Alistair Overeem (32-11, 1 No Contest)
9. Fabricio Werdum (13-4-1)
10. Andrei Arlovski (15-7)

Light Heavyweight Rankings (186 to 205 lbs.)
1. Lyoto Machida (16-0)
2. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (18-4)
3. Rashad Evans (14-1-1)
4. Anderson Silva (25-4)
5. Gegard Mousasi (27-2-1)
6. Forrest Griffin (17-6)
7. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (18-3)
8. Dan Henderson (25-7)
9. Thiago Silva (14-2)
10. Vitor Belfort (19-8)

Middleweight Rankings (171 to 185 lbs.)
1. Anderson Silva (25-4)
2. Dan Henderson (25-7)
3. Chael Sonnen (24-10-1)
4. Vitor Belfort (19-8)
5. Nathan Marquardt (29-9-2)
6. Demian Maia (12-1)
7. Jake Shields (24-4-1)
8. Robbie Lawler (17-5, 1 No Contest)
9. Yushin Okami (23-5)
10. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (11-2, 1 No Contest)

Welterweight Rankings (156 to 170 lbs.)
1. Georges St. Pierre (19-2)
2. Jon Fitch (21-3, 1 No Contest)
3. Thiago Alves (16-6)
4. Josh Koscheck (14-4)
5. Paulo Thiago (13-1)
6. Dan Hardy (23-6)
7. Nick Diaz (21-7, 1 No Contest)
8. Matt Hughes (43-7)
9. Paul Daley (23-8-2)
10. Matt Serra (10-6)

Lightweight Rankings (146 to 155 lbs.)
1. B.J. Penn (15-5-1)
2. Shinya Aoki (23-4, 1 No Contest)
3. Eddie Alvarez (19-2)
4. Kenny Florian (12-4)
5. Tatsuya Kawajiri (26-5-2)
6. Gray Maynard (9-0, 1 No Contest)
7. Frankie Edgar (11-1)
8. Diego Sanchez (21-3)
9. Gilbert Melendez (17-2)
10. Joachim Hansen (19-8-1)

Featherweight Rankings (136 to 145 lbs.)
1. Jose Aldo (16-1)
2. Mike Brown (23-5)
3. Urijah Faber (23-3)
4. Hatsu Hioki (20-4-2)
5. Bibiano Fernandes (7-2)
6. Marlon Sandro (16-1)
7. “Lion” Takeshi Inoue (18-3)
8. Raphael Assuncao (14-2)
9. Manny Gamburyan (10-4)
10. Michihiro Omigawa (9-8-1)

Bantamweight Rankings (126 to 135 lbs.)
1. Dominick Cruz (15-1)
2. Brian Bowles (8-1)
3. Joseph Benavidez (12-1)
3. Miguel Torres (37-3)
5. Masakatsu Ueda (10-0-2)
6. Scott Jorgensen (9-3)
7. Takeya Mizugaki (12-4-2)
8. Damacio Page (15-4)
9. Wagnney Fabiano (13-2)
10. Akitoshi Tamura (14-8-2)

The Independent World MMA Rankings are tabulated on a monthly basis in each of the top seven weight classes of MMA, from heavyweight to bantamweight, with fighters receiving ten points for a first-place vote, nine points for a second-place vote, and so on.

The rankings are based purely on the votes of the members of the voting panel, with nobody’s vote counting more than anybody else’s vote, and no computerized voting.

The voters are instructed to vote primarily based on fighters’ actual accomplishments in the cage/ring (the quality of opposition that they’ve actually beaten), not based on a broad, subjective perception of which fighters would theoretically win hypothetical match-ups.

Inactivity: Fighters who have not fought in the past 12 months are not eligible to be ranked, and will regain their eligibility the next time they fight.

Disciplinary Suspensions: Fighters who are currently serving disciplinary suspensions, or who have been denied a license for drug test or disciplinary reasons, are not eligible to be ranked.

Changing Weight Classes: When a fighter announces that he is leaving one weight class in order to fight in another weight class, the fighter is not eligible to be ranked in the new weight class until he has his first fight in the new weight class.

Catch Weight Fights: When fights are contested at weights that are in between the limits of the various weight classes, they are considered to be in the higher weight class. The weight limits for each weight class are listed at the top of the rankings for each weight class.

Special thanks to Eric Kamander, Zach Arnold, and Joshua Stein for their invaluable help with this project, and special thanks to Garrett Bailey for designing our logo.

“The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell Vs Team Ortiz” Cast Is Announced

New York, NY, March 1, 2010 – The 11th season of Spike TV’s most popular original series ever, “The Ultimate Fighter,” for the first time will feature 28 of the best up and coming mixed martial artists in the world competing for 14 spots in “The Ultimate Fighter” house. The series boasts a new format, which will be introduced to viewers in the show’s premiere episode. The smash hit will also feature two coaches who need no introduction to mixed martial arts fans, UFC legends Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and Tito “The Huntington Beach Badboy.” The new season premieres Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 10:00 PM ET/PT featuring the following cast members:

RICH ATTONITO

Fighting out of: Deerfield Beach, FL / American Top Team

Record: 7-3

Age: 32

A 2001 graduate of Hofstra University in Long Island, Rich Attonito wrestled several different weight classes as a member of the Pride wrestling team including the 167lb. and 197lb. divisions. Attonito has been training with American Top Team since he moved to Florida in 2006. He is the strength and conditioning coach for UFC veteran Luigi Fioravanti.

SETH BACZYNSKI

Fighting out of: Canyon, AZ / Apex MMA

Record: 11-5

Age: 28

Training partner to TUF alums Santino DeFranco (season 9) and Efrain Escudero (season at Apex MMA in Arizona, Seth Baczynski is a full-time water inspector at Liberty Water.

CHARLES BLANCHARD

Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, FL / American Top Team

Record: 7-2

Age: 24

A 2-time All State wrester in high school, this single father is a jiu-jitsu brown belt and a published poet.

JOSH BRYANT

Fighting out of: Tulsa, OK / Absolute Combat Alliance

Record: 10-0

Age: 29

A member of the Absolute Combat Alliance camp in Tulsa, OK, Josh Bryant sports a perfect 10-0 professional mixed martial arts record. When not training, Bryant works as a manager for Mazzio’s Italian Eatery in Oklahoma.

CHRIS CAMOZZI

Fighting out of: Denver, CO / Gumm MMA

Record: 11-3

Age: 22

Camozzi is a freestyle fighter from Denver that works as a bouncer in his spare time. Two of his three losses are to TUF alums Jesse Forbes (season 3) and Jesse Taylor (season 7).

BRENT COOPER

Fighting out of: Long Beach, CA / Team Oyama

Record: 5-1

Age: 31

Of Sioux Indian descent, Cooper is a pipeliner by day for Shell Oil, and a devastating striker by night, with four of his five wins coming via TKO.

JACEN FLYNN

Fighting out of: Meridian, ID / No camp

Record: 8-2

Age: 31

Jacen Flynn possesses an 8-2 mixed martial arts record that includes wins over Dennis Kang and Dean Lister. Away from the Octagon™, he is a social worker.

JAMES HAMMORTREE

Fighting out of: Ocala, FL / USA Martial Arts

Record: 4-0

Age: 23

Following one season at Weber International, where he starred on the football team as a linebacker and on special teams, Hammortree left the program in order to become a full-time firefighter in Ocala, FL. The former high school wrestler owns a 4-0 professional record with all four of those bouts taking place in 2009.

JOSEPH HENLE

Fighting out of: Thousand Oaks, CA / Big John McCarthy’s MMA

Record: 3-0

Age: 26

Joseph Henle splits time training at Big John McCarthy’s MMA and working as a substitute teacher and wrestling coach in Thousand Oaks, CA. Henle earned his MBA in Financial Planning from California Lutheran University in ’06. He speaks fluent Japanese.

CHARLEY LYNCH

Fighting out of: Mound, MN / Northway MMA

Record: 6-0

Age: 25

The self-proclaimed baddest man in Minnesota, Charley Lynch owns a 6-0 professional record with zero of his bouts going to decision.

KRIS MCCRAY

Fighting out of: Dumfries, VA / Chute Boxe

Record: 5-0

Age: 28

Son of a military father, Kris McCray was raised in Germany, where he excelled on the soccer pitch and garnered All-Europe honors in high school. In 1999, McCray moved permanently to the United States, where he has served parts of 8 years (6 active, 2 inactive) as a member of the US Army Reserve, while also finding time to earn his Associates Degree in Social Studies from Northern Virginia Community College.

COURT MCGEE

Fighting out of: Orem, UT / Throwdown Elite Fight Team

Record: 9-1

Age: 24

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist out of Orem, UT, Court McGee beat “The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom” runner-up DaMarques Johnson in 2007 by submission

CLAYTON MCKINNEY

Fighting out of: Orlando, FL / Jungle MMA

Record: 4-2

Age: 27

A teammate of TUF (season alum Tom Lawlor at Jungle MMA, Clayton McKinney is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelt that supplements his training by working security at a local bar in Orlando.

KYLE NOKE

Fighting out of: Albuquerque, NM / Jackson’s MMA

Record: 16-4-1

Age: 29

Kyle Noke, from Mooloolaba, Australia, is the former bodyguard of “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin. Currently training with Jackson’s MMA in New Mexico, Noke defeated TUF (season 6) alum George Sotiropoulos in June 2005 and current castmate Kyacey Uscola this past September.

VICTOR O’DONNELL

Fighting out of: Milford, OH / Vision MMA

Record: 8-1

Age: 27

Hailing from Milford, OH, O’Donnell suffered his first professional loss this past September against cast mate Costantinos Philippou. Before that, he had won eight contests, seven of which by submission.

NORMAN PARAISY

Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, FL / American Top Team

Record: 5-1

Age: 23

Norman Paraisy was born and raised Paris, France. The 5-1 Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist left France in order to pursue MMA in the states and is now a member of the American Top Team.

COSTANTINOS PHILIPPOU

Fighting out of: Merrick, NY / Serra-Longo

Record: 5-1

Age: 30

Costantinos Philippou is a former boxer with 3 professional and over 80 amateur fights on his record. The 30-year-old server from Merrick, NY was born and raised in Greece. He currently trains out of the Serra-Longo camp.

GREG REBELLO

Fighting out of: Buzzards Bay, MA / Sityodtong USA

Record: 9-2

Age: 27

Greg Rebello trains full-time at Sityodtong USA in Massachusetts under the watchful eye of Mark DellaGrotte. Currently in peak physical condition, Rebello at one time weighed in over 300lbs before dedicating himself to fitness at the age of 18.

NICK RING

Fighting out of: Calgary, Canada / B.D.P. Martial Arts

Record: 10-0

Age: 30

Nick Ring returned to MMA in May 2009 following a three year stint away from the sport after suffering a devastating knee injury. In that time, Ring boxed professionally to the tune of a 4-1 record with 3 knockouts.

JORDAN SMITH
Fighting out of: Clearfield, UT / Throwdown Elite Fight Team

Record: 10-0

Age: 24

A 7th grade teacher by day, Jordan Smith is a former professional boxer that trains with fellow cast member Court McGee at Throwdown Elite Fight Team.

BEN STARK

Fighting out of: Tamarac, FL / American Top Team

Record: 3-1

Age: 27

Born and raised a practitioner of the Orthodox Jewish religion until the age of 6, Ben Stark began training with American Top Team in Florida as a sophomore in college. When not at the gym, Stark picks up shifts at “The Original Fat Cats,” and also finds time to breed snakes.

LYLE STEFFENS

Fighting out of: Tucson, AZ / Apex MMA

Record: 5-2

Age: 26

Lyle Steffens is a firefighter and an EMT in Tucson, AZ. He trains with fellow cast member Seth Baczynski at Apex MMA.

BRAD TAVARES

Fighting out of: Las Vegas, NV / TapouT

Record: 4-0

Age: 21

At 21, Brad Tavares is the youngest of this season’s cast members. Originally from Hilo, HI, Tavares recently relocated to Las Vegas and trains full-time with TapouT

WARREN THOMPSON

Fighting out of: Marietta, GA / Team Khunpon / Roberto Traven BJJ

Record: 5-0

Age: 23

Warren Thompson, aka “The Kool-Aid Man,” is a muay-thai fighter from Marietta, GA. The volunteer firefighter splits his training in Atlanta between Team Khunpon and Roberto Traven BJJ.

KYACEY USCOLA

Fighting out of: Sacramento, CA / Team Alpha Male

Record: 18-15

Age: 28

Kyacey Uscola joins the cast with 33 professional MMA fights on his record. He trains with Team Alpha Male and Urijah Faber out of Sacramento.

CLEBURN WALKER

Fighting out of: Keller, TX / Team Lutter

Record: 9-3

Age: 26

Born and raised in Texas, Cleburn Walker is a full-time fighter and instructor at Team Lutter. He suffered a recent loss via submission to TUF (season 3) alum Jesse Forbes this past June.

WOODY WEATHERBY

Fighting out of: Hudson, NH / Renzo Gracie / Mickey Wards Boxing Gym & Xtreme MMA

Record: 7-3

Age: 27

The former US Navy officer currently works full-time as a corrections officer for the Hillsborough County jail in Manchester, NH. Weatherby rotates his training between 2 gyms: Renzo Gracie Academy in Derry, NH, and Mickey Wards Boxing Gym & Xtreme MMA.

JAMIE YAGER

Fighting out of: Los Angeles, CA / Kings MMA

Record: 2-1

Age: 25

A standout varsity letterman in baseball and football, Yager was the 2001 Athlete of the Year at South Pasadena High School in California. He picked up training MMA as a hobby, and went straight from training to the professional ranks in February 2008 as part of BET’s Iron Ring, where he defeated his opponent by TKO.

During the six-week taping of “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz,” the competitors endured a grueling regimen of jiu-jitsu, judo, Muay Thai, karate, boxing and wrestling. The intense competition among the fighters continues after they leave the gym – at the Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors must live together, knowing that any day they might be forced to fight each other in the famed UFC Octagon™.

The two finalists will square off in a live finale on Spike TV, where the winner will be declared “The Ultimate Fighter” and net the six-figure contract and a cash prize. UFC President Dana White will once again serve as host of the series.

After each show, Spike.com users will get exclusive extended footage from each episode and an exclusive video leak of the upcoming episode.

Craig Piligian of Pilgrim Films and Television, Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White of Zuffa, LLC, and Kevin Kay of Spike TV are the show’s executive producers. Brian J. Diamond, senior vice president, sports & specials, Spike TV is co-executive producer and Christopher Martello is executive in charge of production for Spike TV.

Spike TV is available in 98.6 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.

MMAPayout.com Blue Book

Blue Book - a term often referring to an almanac or other compilation of statistics and information. The term dates back to the 15th century, when large blue velvet-covered books were used for record-keeping by the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Today MMAPayout.com published the first entry in the MMAPayout.com Blue Book. The Blue Book is an unofficial database of MMA business statistics made available as a complimentary service to the MMA industry. Over the years many members of the MMA business community have expressed interest in such a database and MMAPayout.com hopes that it will prove to be a reliable, convenient one stop resource for all things in the business of MMA.

The database is a work in progress and will be updated and amended on an ongoing basis. It currently includes statistics from 2006-2009. All statistics are based on the best available information, however, MMAPayout.com does not certify the accuracy of any information provided.

The following MMAPayout.com Blue Book reference pages are now available:

• Pay-per-view – buy estimates for major MMA events
• Television – ratings for major MMA events
• Live Gate and Attendance – live gate information for major MMA events

Mark Levin Interviews UFC Chael Sonnen

Mark Levin interviews Chael Sonnen on The Mark Levin Radio Show. You can download Mark’s Podcast of his entire radio show for free at him website. The date of the interview is 2-11-2010 time of interview is around the 1:30:30 time mark. Chael Sonnen is a UFC Middleweight fighter who is in line for a title shot and is also a Republican running For Oregon State Representative‎.

If you are a fan of him and his fighting then show him support and visit his site. It’s still under construction but should be fully completed soon.

L.a.’s Original Mma Gym Turns 10 In 2010

In the Summer of the New Millennium, 2000, under the spire of Chevron’s shadows, a cabal of warrior-athletes built a palestra for collegiate, international, and Olympic wrestlers to re-purpose their craft for the new arena of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Behind a blood-red door off an industrial alley in El Segundo, CA; with no outward signs of commerce, the R1 Training Center quietly began what would prove to be a paradigm shift in skill-sets and expectations needed for success in the fastest growing sport in America. This fully equipped, no-nonsense facility was opened for business to serious men yearning to learn and perfect any martial skill required in their quest for excellence. Nearly a decade ago the pilgrimage commenced to what would become a Mecca for combat artists the world over.

Originally dubbed “R.A.W.” (Real American Wrestling), the vision was former World Cup Wrestling Champion, Rico Chiapparelli’s. It was Rico who in 1996 introduced the MMA world to then United States National team wrestlers and now: UFC Hall of Fame member, Randy Couture, Pride Light Heavyweight & Middleweight Champion, Dan Henderson, WFA Welterweight Champion Frank Trigg, MARS Absolute Champion, Tom Erikson, IFL Light Heavyweight Champion, Vladimir Matyushenko & Olympic Silver Medalist, Matt Lindland… they were to become known as: the R.A.W. Team. These were World Class athletes that had pretty much worn out their welcome at most martial arts gyms throughout Southern California. These nomads and ronin fighters went on a quest to find an “all disciplines under one roof” location to plant the R.A.W. banner.

Enter: Frank Shamrock, seems the younger Shamrock was searching for a spot in Los Angeles to hang his hat as well. During a conversation with Rico, Frank mentioned that he’d found just the right place, but alas, the deal had fallen through. He also mentioned that this it was the second time it had happened to the landlord at this very location… the R.A.W. boys decided: the time was right.

The South Bay area of Los Angeles has long been considered the birthplace and ground-zero for the infectious spread of MMA throughout the country – ne, the world. For it was here that Rorian Gracie began teaching his family’s brand of Jiu- Jitsu and developed a showcase that would eventually become the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Combat athletes from all corners of the globe began migrating to Torrance, CA; (once referred to as: Rio Norte) to learn BJJ’s secrets and set up shops of their own. Yet another South Bay city, known by the locals for its sewage treatment facility, (as well as oil refining), was poised to become home for the next generation of MMA’s evolution. With UFC’s success came a hunger for a training center that focused on, by returning to, the wellspring of all things martial… hence R1’s slogan-mantra: “All forms are fluent.”

Such was the genesis of this: Heritage Hall of the Martial Way, known as ‘the place where the pros train’. Where, to this day, members can wrestle on the mats where Dan Gable trained his legendary national championship teams; trade bumps in the ring that John Cena (and others) began developed his career; strike the heavy bags that Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini & Rob Kaman have tenderized; lift the weights that Mr Olympia, Jay Cutler has thrown about; receive the same training protocols that Randy Couture, Lyoto Machida and countless other combat legends have… And who knows, perhaps add a legendary chapter of your own to the ongoing saga that is: The R1 Training Center.

Holistic Violence

holistic [hō'listik]
adjective
characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately
interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.

Dryness of mouth… a tingle up the back of your neck… tightening of shoulders and chest… that lump in the stomach has moved to your throat and is replaced with queasy fear… quivering legs await fight-or-flight instructions from a mind mired in denial…

Such are the primal symptoms common to threat reaction – but they don’t have to be a victims epitaph. If you are able to reinterpret these signals as: a-call-to-action, they can be a prelude to appropriate assessments and effective survival reactions.

The R1 Training Center, in El Segundo, CA – L.A.’s original MMA training center – has joined Dr Michael Gervais (Pinnacle Performance) and Zone Ready’s Chris Gizzi in developing a comprehensive course to address women’s safety concerns. Their: Treat Management Solutions, is a synergy of science, art, intuitive response and common sense. Sports performance, stress psychology, martial arts, and law enforcement have combined disciplines to teach women avoidance and tactical responses to hostile intentions.

As part of the course, participants heart rates will be elevated, monitored and assessed so they may not only feel, but understand the physiology of fight-flight-freeze. Simulation exercises will be utilized to induce the startle response so attendees will understand the importance of the techniques, proper breathing and focus used to break the “this can’t be happening to me” spell. Hope and fear will be rationally examined as women are given permission to take maters of survival into their own hands and given the keys to mastering the only thing master-able… themselves.

Also, in order to reinforce R1’s commitment to a socially responsible approach in coping with violence and its aftermath, a law enforcement representative will be on hand to present the ladies with the consequences of their action(s) as well as inaction(s).

For more information please go to www.R1gym.com or call us at 310.322.5552.

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