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Bloody Elbow
Strikeforce Medical Suspensions: Cormier, Barnett, Thomson Out For A While
The California State Athletic Commission released the list of medical suspensions on the heels of Saturday's Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier card, and a lot of guys got hurt. Some of the injuries were either known already or had been long suspected though. Both Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix finalists suffered broken hands in their bout, and Strikeforce lightweight title challenger Josh Thomson had been dealing with rumors of a knee injury going into the bout. Here's the full list of suspensions via MMA Weekly (preliminary card fighters after the jump):
Related: Photo: Daniel Cormier And Josh Barnett Both Broke Their Hands During Strikeforce Bout | Strikeforce's Josh Thomson Voices Frustration With MMA Media
Daniel Cormier was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible right second finger fracture and 60 days unless cleared by a physician for left eyelid laceration.
Josh Barnett was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left hand fracture and 60 days unless cleared by a physician for multiple facial lacerations.
Josh Thomson was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left knee fracture and possible right hand fracture.
SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier
Isaac Valle-Flagg was suspended for 60 days unless cleared by a physician for a one-inch laceration for right south orbital area.
Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left shoulder ligament injury.
Virgil Zwicker was suspended 30 days for a hard bout and 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left middle finger fracture.
Yuri Villefort was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible right knee ligament injury.
Bobby Green was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible third finger fracture on left hand.
James Terry was suspended for 60 days unless cleared by a physician for possible nasal fracture and laceration.
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The California State Athletic Commission released the list of medical suspensions on the heels of Saturday's Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier card, and a lot of guys got hurt. Some of the injuries were either known already or had been long suspected though. Both Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix finalists suffered broken hands in their bout, and Strikeforce lightweight title challenger Josh Thomson had been dealing with rumors of a knee injury going into the bout. Here's the full list of suspensions via MMA Weekly (preliminary card fighters after the jump):
Related: Photo: Daniel Cormier And Josh Barnett Both Broke Their Hands During Strikeforce Bout | Strikeforce's Josh Thomson Voices Frustration With MMA Media
Daniel Cormier was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible right second finger fracture and 60 days unless cleared by a physician for left eyelid laceration.
Josh Barnett was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left hand fracture and 60 days unless cleared by a physician for multiple facial lacerations.
Josh Thomson was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left knee fracture and possible right hand fracture.
SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier
Isaac Valle-Flagg was suspended for 60 days unless cleared by a physician for a one-inch laceration for right south orbital area.
Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left shoulder ligament injury.
Virgil Zwicker was suspended 30 days for a hard bout and 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left middle finger fracture.
Yuri Villefort was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible right knee ligament injury.
Bobby Green was suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible third finger fracture on left hand.
James Terry was suspended for 60 days unless cleared by a physician for possible nasal fracture and laceration.
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MMA Gear Review: Bad Boy Pro Series Boxing Gloves
When starting off in training, one of the most daunting tasks can be shopping for gear. No matter what discipline you are going into, having good gear is a must, but knowing what gear is actually good is easier said than done. Add in hefty price tags, and it becomes an even bigger challenge. When I started my training, I didn't know what to get and went for mostly basic items (you can read my review of those items here). Now, over a year later, I've been upgrading, and am ready to pass along my experiences. We'll start with the gloves.
After beginning training with a pair of basic Everlast gloves, I upgraded to the Bad Boy Pro Series Leather Sparring Boxing Gloves. Bad Boy has long been one of the industry leaders for MMA gear, and for good reason - their equipment is always excellent quality with a real focus on durability and practicality. These gloves are a new product in their pro series, and are only available in 16 oz.
Putting them on, I immediately felt the difference from my old Everlast gloves. The Bad Boy gloves are a tight fit, but that's a decidedly good thing. With my old gloves, I was often tweaking my wrist, as they were too loose in the wrist. These new gloves have a much tighter fit, with a velcro strap that grips firmly across the wrists.
The other big difference is in the padding. Here, the padding is very concentrated in the knuckle area, where it should be. With my old gloves, there was more padding on the back of the hand, which doesn't actually do much for you. As a result, while I stayed with 16 oz gloves, my hands feel much more protected now on my punches. These are little details that you don't even notice until you get a better pair of gloves, but between that extra padding and the grip on my wrists, I feel much more confident throwing punches, which is great.
I've had these for about a month now, and they have shown no wear and tear yet. That includes the insides, which remain odor-free. I should note that I have used them for bag and pad work and sparring, all in Muay Thai.
Overall, I love these gloves. They are a big step-up from my old ones, and provide the needed protection while also being comfortable. At a retail price of $99.99 they are a step up in price as well, so if you are just getting started and want to begin with something more basic, go for it. But once you are ready to get serious, these Bad Boy gloves are the way to go - particularly if you are having any troubles with wrist control during training.
An enthusiastic thumbs up from me on the Bad Boy Pro Series Leather Sparring Boxing Glove. Check back down next week for more reviews.
Finally - I'm curious to hear your opinion. What do you look for in a good glove? And any other glove feedback to contribute?
And now - the legal fine print. I received these gloves for review purposes and did not pay for them. This does not affect my review in any way.
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When starting off in training, one of the most daunting tasks can be shopping for gear. No matter what discipline you are going into, having good gear is a must, but knowing what gear is actually good is easier said than done. Add in hefty price tags, and it becomes an even bigger challenge. When I started my training, I didn't know what to get and went for mostly basic items (you can read my review of those items here). Now, over a year later, I've been upgrading, and am ready to pass along my experiences. We'll start with the gloves.
After beginning training with a pair of basic Everlast gloves, I upgraded to the Bad Boy Pro Series Leather Sparring Boxing Gloves. Bad Boy has long been one of the industry leaders for MMA gear, and for good reason - their equipment is always excellent quality with a real focus on durability and practicality. These gloves are a new product in their pro series, and are only available in 16 oz.
Putting them on, I immediately felt the difference from my old Everlast gloves. The Bad Boy gloves are a tight fit, but that's a decidedly good thing. With my old gloves, I was often tweaking my wrist, as they were too loose in the wrist. These new gloves have a much tighter fit, with a velcro strap that grips firmly across the wrists.
The other big difference is in the padding. Here, the padding is very concentrated in the knuckle area, where it should be. With my old gloves, there was more padding on the back of the hand, which doesn't actually do much for you. As a result, while I stayed with 16 oz gloves, my hands feel much more protected now on my punches. These are little details that you don't even notice until you get a better pair of gloves, but between that extra padding and the grip on my wrists, I feel much more confident throwing punches, which is great.
I've had these for about a month now, and they have shown no wear and tear yet. That includes the insides, which remain odor-free. I should note that I have used them for bag and pad work and sparring, all in Muay Thai.
Overall, I love these gloves. They are a big step-up from my old ones, and provide the needed protection while also being comfortable. At a retail price of $99.99 they are a step up in price as well, so if you are just getting started and want to begin with something more basic, go for it. But once you are ready to get serious, these Bad Boy gloves are the way to go - particularly if you are having any troubles with wrist control during training.
An enthusiastic thumbs up from me on the Bad Boy Pro Series Leather Sparring Boxing Glove. Check back down next week for more reviews.
Finally - I'm curious to hear your opinion. What do you look for in a good glove? And any other glove feedback to contribute?
And now - the legal fine print. I received these gloves for review purposes and did not pay for them. This does not affect my review in any way.
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Strikeforce: Barnett Vs. Cormier Salaries - Barnett, Melendez Lead The Way
A lot of people don't understand why a guy like Gilbert Melendez would have ever re-signed with Strikeforce. Well, $175,000 a fight goes a long way I guess. The Strikeforce lightweight champion was second on the $748,500 total payroll for last Saturday's Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier card, with only Josh Barnett ($200,000) making more. Daniel Cormier picked up a tidy 100k for his victory in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Finals, and Josh Thomson got 90k for almost dethroning Melendez in the co-main event. All info came from the California State Athletic Commission.
Here are the numbers for the main card guys, and you can catch the preliminary card fighters after the jump.
Daniel Cormier: $100,000 (includes $50,000 win bonus)
Josh Barnett: $200,000Gilbert Melendez: $175,000 (no win bonus)
Josh Thomson: $90,000Rafael Cavalcante: $66,000 ($33,000 bonus)
Mike Kyle: $25,000Chris Spang: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
Nah-Shon Burrell: $7,000
SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier
Isaac Vallie-Flagg: $6,000 ($3,000 win bonus)
Gesias Cavalcante: $18,000Guto Inocente: $4,000 ($2,000 win bonus)
Virgil Zwicker: $3,000Gian Villante: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)
Derrick Mehmen: $3,000Quinn Mulhern: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
Yuri Villefort: $2,500Bobby Green: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
James Terry: $9,000
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A lot of people don't understand why a guy like Gilbert Melendez would have ever re-signed with Strikeforce. Well, $175,000 a fight goes a long way I guess. The Strikeforce lightweight champion was second on the $748,500 total payroll for last Saturday's Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier card, with only Josh Barnett ($200,000) making more. Daniel Cormier picked up a tidy 100k for his victory in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Finals, and Josh Thomson got 90k for almost dethroning Melendez in the co-main event. All info came from the California State Athletic Commission.
Here are the numbers for the main card guys, and you can catch the preliminary card fighters after the jump.
Daniel Cormier: $100,000 (includes $50,000 win bonus)
Josh Barnett: $200,000Gilbert Melendez: $175,000 (no win bonus)
Josh Thomson: $90,000Rafael Cavalcante: $66,000 ($33,000 bonus)
Mike Kyle: $25,000Chris Spang: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
Nah-Shon Burrell: $7,000SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier
Isaac Vallie-Flagg: $6,000 ($3,000 win bonus)
Gesias Cavalcante: $18,000Guto Inocente: $4,000 ($2,000 win bonus)
Virgil Zwicker: $3,000Gian Villante: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)
Derrick Mehmen: $3,000Quinn Mulhern: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
Yuri Villefort: $2,500Bobby Green: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
James Terry: $9,000
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UFC's Nick Diaz' Year Suspension Upheld By Nevada State Athletic Commission
The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) voted unanimously to uphold the 12 month suspension they gave UFC Welterweight Nick Diaz after a very long hearing today in Las Vegas, Nevada. Diaz failed a post-fight urine test following his UFC 143 interim title fight loss to Carlos Condit. His urine showed marijuana metabolites.
He was also fined 30% of his purse and bonus from the fight. The suspension runs from the date of the bout, ie. until February 4, 2013.
Diaz appeared before the NSAC with his attorney Ross Goodman. Goodman argued that the appearance of marijuana metabolites in no way indicated that Diaz was impaired during the fight and that the NSAC's rules only prohibit marijuana use at fight time, much like it allows fighters to drink alcohol between fights but prohibits them from fighting drunk.
The argument Goodman presented was very similar to the argument originally presented by Jonathan Tweedale, Commissioner with the Vancouver Athletic Commission here at Bloody Elbow back in February.
Notes from the hearing after the jump...
Goodman attempted to make the claim that the NSAC had no evidence that Diaz was impaired during the bout. The Commissioners do not seem overly sympathetic to that argument.
Nick Diaz was then sworn in. Commissioner Pat Lundvall immediately raised the issue of Nick Diaz' previous suspension in Nevada after his bout with Takanori Gomi at Pride 33 in 2007. Diaz promised the Commission it would not happen again. Lundvall then asked him when he next smoked cannibas and Diaz admitted he smoked immediately on returning home from his hearing.
There followed extensive questioning about Diaz' history of medical marijuana usage, his diagnosis with ADHD and use of prescription stimulants to combat that condition before switching to medical marijuana. The commissioners then zeroed in on Diaz' use of marijuana before receiving his medical marijuana card.
Extensive questioning on Diaz' mode of using marijuana to train followed. Diaz denied that being high while training allowed him to "take more hits." He did admit that sometimes he could attain a certain "zone" of performance but didn't ascribe that directly to his marijuana usage.
An extensive attempt to get Diaz to admit that he had to have a "serious medical condition" to receive a medical marijuana card. Diaz never would admit that was his understanding although the commissioners seemed to think that was a prerequisite of obtaining a California cannabis card.
The Commission then called a Dr. Sample who answered questions about the testing protocol and what the test results could tell us about the timing of Diaz' marijuana use.
At this point the hearing had to adjourn and move to another conference room.
Diaz' team then called in their own doctor (a former employee of Quest Labs) who testifed that "In this case, a sample with 25 ng/ml is consistent with a regular user who stopped 8 days before test sample collection."
The doctor than stated that "It's my conclusion [Diaz] wasn't on THC at the time of the fight."
The doctor stated that he was actually surprised Diaz' metabolite levels weren't higher given his smoking habits and an 8 day period without smoking.
The questioning then focused on Diaz' weight cut and whether there was an inconsistency between what Diaz told his doctor and what he put on his paperwork submitted to the NSAC as regards the size of his weight cut.
After closing statements from Diaz' attorneys, the commissioners spoke. Pat Lundvall expressed her wish that Diaz had applied for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) before the fight.
Another commissioner said it was unlikely that the NSAC would change their testing apparatus. Lundvall then moved for a 12 month suspension.
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The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) voted unanimously to uphold the 12 month suspension they gave UFC Welterweight Nick Diaz after a very long hearing today in Las Vegas, Nevada. Diaz failed a post-fight urine test following his UFC 143 interim title fight loss to Carlos Condit. His urine showed marijuana metabolites.
He was also fined 30% of his purse and bonus from the fight. The suspension runs from the date of the bout, ie. until February 4, 2013.
Diaz appeared before the NSAC with his attorney Ross Goodman. Goodman argued that the appearance of marijuana metabolites in no way indicated that Diaz was impaired during the fight and that the NSAC's rules only prohibit marijuana use at fight time, much like it allows fighters to drink alcohol between fights but prohibits them from fighting drunk.
The argument Goodman presented was very similar to the argument originally presented by Jonathan Tweedale, Commissioner with the Vancouver Athletic Commission here at Bloody Elbow back in February.
Notes from the hearing after the jump...
Goodman attempted to make the claim that the NSAC had no evidence that Diaz was impaired during the bout. The Commissioners do not seem overly sympathetic to that argument.
Nick Diaz was then sworn in. Commissioner Pat Lundvall immediately raised the issue of Nick Diaz' previous suspension in Nevada after his bout with Takanori Gomi at Pride 33 in 2007. Diaz promised the Commission it would not happen again. Lundvall then asked him when he next smoked cannibas and Diaz admitted he smoked immediately on returning home from his hearing.
There followed extensive questioning about Diaz' history of medical marijuana usage, his diagnosis with ADHD and use of prescription stimulants to combat that condition before switching to medical marijuana. The commissioners then zeroed in on Diaz' use of marijuana before receiving his medical marijuana card.
Extensive questioning on Diaz' mode of using marijuana to train followed. Diaz denied that being high while training allowed him to "take more hits." He did admit that sometimes he could attain a certain "zone" of performance but didn't ascribe that directly to his marijuana usage.
An extensive attempt to get Diaz to admit that he had to have a "serious medical condition" to receive a medical marijuana card. Diaz never would admit that was his understanding although the commissioners seemed to think that was a prerequisite of obtaining a California cannabis card.
The Commission then called a Dr. Sample who answered questions about the testing protocol and what the test results could tell us about the timing of Diaz' marijuana use.
At this point the hearing had to adjourn and move to another conference room.
Diaz' team then called in their own doctor (a former employee of Quest Labs) who testifed that "In this case, a sample with 25 ng/ml is consistent with a regular user who stopped 8 days before test sample collection."
The doctor than stated that "It's my conclusion [Diaz] wasn't on THC at the time of the fight."
The doctor stated that he was actually surprised Diaz' metabolite levels weren't higher given his smoking habits and an 8 day period without smoking.
The questioning then focused on Diaz' weight cut and whether there was an inconsistency between what Diaz told his doctor and what he put on his paperwork submitted to the NSAC as regards the size of his weight cut.
After closing statements from Diaz' attorneys, the commissioners spoke. Pat Lundvall expressed her wish that Diaz had applied for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) before the fight.
Another commissioner said it was unlikely that the NSAC would change their testing apparatus. Lundvall then moved for a 12 month suspension.
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NSAC Commission Meeting Live Video: Nick Diaz's Punishment And Chael Sonnen's TUE Request
The Nevada State Athletic Commission will be meeting today at 12 p.m. ET for a a commission meeting that will see a pair of items with significant impact to the UFC. A 28 item agenda will conclude with two items featuring some of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts as Chael Sonnen and Nick Diaz have their fates determined in different ways.
First up, Sonnen will be requesting a therapeutic use exemption for testosterone replacement therapy. After having been busted after his first meeting with Anderson Silva for elevated testosterone levels, Sonnen is trying to get everything in order prior to their UFC 148 rematch.
Nick Diaz's punishment should also finally be sorted out as he is finally on the agenda after a lengthy (and kind of stupid) process that saw his team as well as the NSAC seem to go to painstaking lengths to ensure nothing happened quickly or was done in anything resembling an orderly fashion.
Having covered a ton of these meetings previously, sometimes they run quickly, other times an agenda item or two take forever and, as such, those final two items may come up quickly, or after a lengthy discussion and then maybe a bathroom break.
We'll have a live video stream after the jump, so make sure you hang out here and talk about what happens.
Live video, via MMA Junkie:
Broadcasting live with Ustream
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The Nevada State Athletic Commission will be meeting today at 12 p.m. ET for a a commission meeting that will see a pair of items with significant impact to the UFC. A 28 item agenda will conclude with two items featuring some of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts as Chael Sonnen and Nick Diaz have their fates determined in different ways.
First up, Sonnen will be requesting a therapeutic use exemption for testosterone replacement therapy. After having been busted after his first meeting with Anderson Silva for elevated testosterone levels, Sonnen is trying to get everything in order prior to their UFC 148 rematch.
Nick Diaz's punishment should also finally be sorted out as he is finally on the agenda after a lengthy (and kind of stupid) process that saw his team as well as the NSAC seem to go to painstaking lengths to ensure nothing happened quickly or was done in anything resembling an orderly fashion.
Having covered a ton of these meetings previously, sometimes they run quickly, other times an agenda item or two take forever and, as such, those final two items may come up quickly, or after a lengthy discussion and then maybe a bathroom break.
We'll have a live video stream after the jump, so make sure you hang out here and talk about what happens.
Live video, via MMA Junkie:
Broadcasting live with Ustream
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Video: Shabe Kafo Lands Twister Submission During CFC 21 Bout In Australia
You probably heard about Australia's CFC 21 this past weekend because of that embarrassing performance from Bob Sapp, where he rolled over and tapped to strikes in 12 seconds. What you probably didn't know, is that there was a rare submission that was executed on that card.
Somewhere, Eddie Bravo is smiling as Australian flyweight Shabe Kafo (6-2) landed one of his trademark moves during the second round of his bout against Kian Pham. Check out as Kafo finished the fight with 'The Twister':
Related: Judo Chop Breakdown: How 'Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung Landed Eddie Bravo's Twister | Gracie Breakdown: Alan Belcher Almost Catches Rousimar Palhares With A Twister
The submission was originally a wrestling move called the guillotine, which was then popularized by Eddie Bravo in JiuJitsu circles. A handful of people have landed the slick submission in MMA, with the first twister finish in the UFC coming from 'The Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung back in March of last year.
HT: BE Reader DamnSevern
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You probably heard about Australia's CFC 21 this past weekend because of that embarrassing performance from Bob Sapp, where he rolled over and tapped to strikes in 12 seconds. What you probably didn't know, is that there was a rare submission that was executed on that card.
Somewhere, Eddie Bravo is smiling as Australian flyweight Shabe Kafo (6-2) landed one of his trademark moves during the second round of his bout against Kian Pham. Check out as Kafo finished the fight with 'The Twister':
Related: Judo Chop Breakdown: How 'Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung Landed Eddie Bravo's Twister | Gracie Breakdown: Alan Belcher Almost Catches Rousimar Palhares With A Twister
The submission was originally a wrestling move called the guillotine, which was then popularized by Eddie Bravo in JiuJitsu circles. A handful of people have landed the slick submission in MMA, with the first twister finish in the UFC coming from 'The Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung back in March of last year.
HT: BE Reader DamnSevern
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Dana White Made Urijah Faber Believe He Was Fighting Ivan Menjivar
If you watched TUF Live last week, you know by now that Urijah Faber will be meeting Renan Barao for the UFC interim bantamweight title at UFC 148 on July 7th. But even right up until the announcement, Faber was all sorts of confused about who he'd actually be facing. Faber told Pro MMA Radio that Dana White 'basically lied to him' and that he was given the distinct impression that he'd be rematching Ivan Menjivar (the two met in a 2006 bout in the TKO promotion, where Menjivar lost by disqualification due to an illegal kick). Here's what he had to say (transcribed by MMA Mania):
"I had first assumed it was going to be Barao, or McDonald or Menjivar and Barao was my first prediction. I started getting tape on him as soon as I found out about Dominick. This was a couple of weeks ago. Then, when Dana came in to do the announcement, I asked him if there were any hints or insights on who it would be and he was saying 'Oh, you wouldn't believe what all had gone down, how McDonald broke his hand and Barao didn't want to leave Brazil, to leave Aldo's side, because Aldo was training' and all this crazy stuff, so I didn't know for awhile.
Then like two days before the thing, I had text Dana and he was basically lying to me, saying it was gonna be Menjivar. For like two days I thought I might be fighting Menjivar. Then the day of the announcement, I was like 'Are you sure it's not Barao?' And he was like, 'Yeah.' But I had a feeling that it was. Then Dana apologized right before he announced it, for basically lying, which is kinda weird, I thought, because Barao was there. I don't care who I fight, I told Dana I wouldn't say anything anyway, if he was thinking I might spoil the surprise, or what the deal was."
The whole thing sounds really odd. Faber's a company man and it seems pretty obvious that he wouldn't tell anyone who his opponent was going to be if he found out a little while before everyone else. Was Dana really lying to him? Or was it just crossed wires? Either way, Menjivar is now meeting Mike Easton on the card and Faber has a date with Barao.
SBN coverage of UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II
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If you watched TUF Live last week, you know by now that Urijah Faber will be meeting Renan Barao for the UFC interim bantamweight title at UFC 148 on July 7th. But even right up until the announcement, Faber was all sorts of confused about who he'd actually be facing. Faber told Pro MMA Radio that Dana White 'basically lied to him' and that he was given the distinct impression that he'd be rematching Ivan Menjivar (the two met in a 2006 bout in the TKO promotion, where Menjivar lost by disqualification due to an illegal kick). Here's what he had to say (transcribed by MMA Mania):
"I had first assumed it was going to be Barao, or McDonald or Menjivar and Barao was my first prediction. I started getting tape on him as soon as I found out about Dominick. This was a couple of weeks ago. Then, when Dana came in to do the announcement, I asked him if there were any hints or insights on who it would be and he was saying 'Oh, you wouldn't believe what all had gone down, how McDonald broke his hand and Barao didn't want to leave Brazil, to leave Aldo's side, because Aldo was training' and all this crazy stuff, so I didn't know for awhile.
Then like two days before the thing, I had text Dana and he was basically lying to me, saying it was gonna be Menjivar. For like two days I thought I might be fighting Menjivar. Then the day of the announcement, I was like 'Are you sure it's not Barao?' And he was like, 'Yeah.' But I had a feeling that it was. Then Dana apologized right before he announced it, for basically lying, which is kinda weird, I thought, because Barao was there. I don't care who I fight, I told Dana I wouldn't say anything anyway, if he was thinking I might spoil the surprise, or what the deal was."
The whole thing sounds really odd. Faber's a company man and it seems pretty obvious that he wouldn't tell anyone who his opponent was going to be if he found out a little while before everyone else. Was Dana really lying to him? Or was it just crossed wires? Either way, Menjivar is now meeting Mike Easton on the card and Faber has a date with Barao.
SBN coverage of UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II
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UFC's Shane Del Rosario Hopes To Be A Title Contender After Three Fights
Good things come to those who wait. The timeless proverb especially holds true for fans of Team Oyama member, Shane Del Rosario, who have waited well over a year to see him in the cage again. After a fantastic, first round submission victory over Lavar Johnson last February, Shane was involved in a car accident in which a female drunk driver hit his car from behind. He suffered a serious back injury that kept him sidelined for the rest of 2011. Now signed with the UFC, Shane's first fight back since his injury is against super tough Croation, Stipe Miocic at UFC 146. In a recent TapouT Radio interview, Shane discussed the impact he hopes to make in the UFC, training with Giva Santana and future plans for his career.
UFC Debut
This is the biggest fight of my career. I'm finally in the UFC, and since it's been 14 months since I last fought, I've been really training my ass off. They took over my Strikeforce contract in December, but I was still working through my injury from the car accident. They told me to let them know when I was recovered, and it just worked out well for the May 26th card.
I was originally signed to fight Gabriel Gonzaga, but the thing with Overeem happened, and they switched me around to fight Miocic. It's probably a blessing that the fight got switched, because now Gonzaga is injured too. It's a bummer that he can't fight.
Training For Miocic
I'm doing all my normal training; my pads, mitts and sparring. Originally, when I thought I was fighting Gonzaga, I was training for a big heavyweight, and a black belt in jiu-jitsu. Now I've got a guy that's more my size, who is more of a boxer and wrestler type. Not to underestimate his ground game, but I don't think he'll be the same level as Gonzaga. I think it's going to be more of a boxing fight. I know he likes to throw because he was a Golden Gloves boxer.
From what I've seen from his fights, he's an athletic guy, and he has great cardio. When we get in there, I think we're going to go hard for all 15 minutes. I don't see him going straight to the ground. He's a boxer, and us stand up guys take pride in our striking, so we want to showcase that. I think the fans want to see that as well. Two big heavyweights throwing with each other.
I think we're both athletic guys, and we're both fast. I mean, if he does take me down, I'm fine with that. I've been training really hard with Giva Santana, my jiu-jitsu coach, and I feel real comfortable on the ground. I think if it goes there, my jiu-jitsu skills will be better than his.
Training With Giva Santana
It's great training with Giva. He's obviously a lot lighter than me, but we've been teammates and he's been my coach for four years now. Before, when it was stand up and muay thai, I was in there all day long, but when it was time to roll, I was the first one making a break for the door [laughs].
Over the past two or three years, I've seen the importance of having a good ground game and wrestling technique, so I really focused myself on that, and I've accomplished three submissions because of it. He;s a really great guy all around. He;s been like a father figure to me, and has pretty much taught me most of what I know in jiu-jitsu.
He's 40 years old and still fights. He;s the kind of guy that I wish we could have seen him fight years ago, because I know he could have done a lot of things. He's the reason I train hard, and hopefully I can get either a knockout or a submission for him.
I started out as primarily a muay thai guy, and all I wanted to do was try to look for that knockout, but my last few fights, I've gotten submissions. It's nice to know that I've improved my jiu-jitsu game to that level. I don't mind going to the ground, and looking for that submission. I feel very comfortable both off my back or in top control.
Thoughts On Heavyweight Division
I think it's finally a full division now. Before it was always, 'The UFC guys are the best' or 'The Strikeforce guys are the best', but now, everyone is pooled in the same place. Now everyone is fighting each other. There are so many great guys. I think Dos Santos is a great champion. There's Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir, who is not only a great fighter, but is a seasoned veteran. I think with all of us being in the same place, it's going to make for some great fights over the next couple years.
Plans For The Future
I've sparred with the likes of Junior dos Santos, Brock Lesnar and Pat Barry, and I was able to hold my own with those guys. I think my game is up there, and obviously, with some more fights to get back into the swing of things, I think I'm definitely going to be a force in the UFC. I think after three fights, I'll definitely be looking to be a contender. I think I've paid my dues, and now it's my time to shine. I'm looking forward to showing everyone that I'm the real deal.
Follow Shane via his Twitter, @DelRosarioMMA
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Good things come to those who wait. The timeless proverb especially holds true for fans of Team Oyama member, Shane Del Rosario, who have waited well over a year to see him in the cage again. After a fantastic, first round submission victory over Lavar Johnson last February, Shane was involved in a car accident in which a female drunk driver hit his car from behind. He suffered a serious back injury that kept him sidelined for the rest of 2011. Now signed with the UFC, Shane's first fight back since his injury is against super tough Croation, Stipe Miocic at UFC 146. In a recent TapouT Radio interview, Shane discussed the impact he hopes to make in the UFC, training with Giva Santana and future plans for his career.
UFC Debut
This is the biggest fight of my career. I'm finally in the UFC, and since it's been 14 months since I last fought, I've been really training my ass off. They took over my Strikeforce contract in December, but I was still working through my injury from the car accident. They told me to let them know when I was recovered, and it just worked out well for the May 26th card.
I was originally signed to fight Gabriel Gonzaga, but the thing with Overeem happened, and they switched me around to fight Miocic. It's probably a blessing that the fight got switched, because now Gonzaga is injured too. It's a bummer that he can't fight.
Training For Miocic
I'm doing all my normal training; my pads, mitts and sparring. Originally, when I thought I was fighting Gonzaga, I was training for a big heavyweight, and a black belt in jiu-jitsu. Now I've got a guy that's more my size, who is more of a boxer and wrestler type. Not to underestimate his ground game, but I don't think he'll be the same level as Gonzaga. I think it's going to be more of a boxing fight. I know he likes to throw because he was a Golden Gloves boxer.
From what I've seen from his fights, he's an athletic guy, and he has great cardio. When we get in there, I think we're going to go hard for all 15 minutes. I don't see him going straight to the ground. He's a boxer, and us stand up guys take pride in our striking, so we want to showcase that. I think the fans want to see that as well. Two big heavyweights throwing with each other.
I think we're both athletic guys, and we're both fast. I mean, if he does take me down, I'm fine with that. I've been training really hard with Giva Santana, my jiu-jitsu coach, and I feel real comfortable on the ground. I think if it goes there, my jiu-jitsu skills will be better than his.
Training With Giva Santana
It's great training with Giva. He's obviously a lot lighter than me, but we've been teammates and he's been my coach for four years now. Before, when it was stand up and muay thai, I was in there all day long, but when it was time to roll, I was the first one making a break for the door [laughs].
Over the past two or three years, I've seen the importance of having a good ground game and wrestling technique, so I really focused myself on that, and I've accomplished three submissions because of it. He;s a really great guy all around. He;s been like a father figure to me, and has pretty much taught me most of what I know in jiu-jitsu.
He's 40 years old and still fights. He;s the kind of guy that I wish we could have seen him fight years ago, because I know he could have done a lot of things. He's the reason I train hard, and hopefully I can get either a knockout or a submission for him.
I started out as primarily a muay thai guy, and all I wanted to do was try to look for that knockout, but my last few fights, I've gotten submissions. It's nice to know that I've improved my jiu-jitsu game to that level. I don't mind going to the ground, and looking for that submission. I feel very comfortable both off my back or in top control.
Thoughts On Heavyweight Division
I think it's finally a full division now. Before it was always, 'The UFC guys are the best' or 'The Strikeforce guys are the best', but now, everyone is pooled in the same place. Now everyone is fighting each other. There are so many great guys. I think Dos Santos is a great champion. There's Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir, who is not only a great fighter, but is a seasoned veteran. I think with all of us being in the same place, it's going to make for some great fights over the next couple years.
Plans For The Future
I've sparred with the likes of Junior dos Santos, Brock Lesnar and Pat Barry, and I was able to hold my own with those guys. I think my game is up there, and obviously, with some more fights to get back into the swing of things, I think I'm definitely going to be a force in the UFC. I think after three fights, I'll definitely be looking to be a contender. I think I've paid my dues, and now it's my time to shine. I'm looking forward to showing everyone that I'm the real deal.
Follow Shane via his Twitter, @DelRosarioMMA
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