Jorge Gurgel Jumps From UFC to Strikeforce, Vows to Never Go to the Ground Again

TUF 2 veteran Jorge Gurgel, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and grappling instructor for former champ Rich Franklin, was cut from the UFC's roster this week but immediately signed with Strikeforce. Gurgel lost four of his seven bouts in the Octagon, with his last outing - a three-round "Fight of the Night" war against Aaron Riley - garnering the lightweight submission master both praise and criticism for his dogged desire to engage in a pure stand-up battle. "I may be a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, but I swear you will never see an ounce of grappling from me ever again," said Gurgel, who wields at best only mediocre kickboxing skills. "Fans don't want to see me win with fancy armlocks and chokes. They want to see me get my head pounded in - and that's what I'll give them." Gurgel joins a talent-rich Strikeforce roster that includes Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez, both of whom will be more than happy to punch him in the face.

Major Staff Changes at WEC

According to inside sources, the WEC has undergone some major staffing changes in the past few days. The long-running promotion, which went from a regional, California-based affair to an international Zuffa-owned organization showcasing the best of the lighter weight classes, suffered dismal ratings on its last "Versus" channel event. Included on the list of those who got the axe are janitor John "Broomy" Legumet, who purportedly left a dirty mop head too close to Urijah Faber's hamster cage (Faber subsequently ate it), street team member Spence Feinstein, who failed to put flyers under the windshield wipers of every car in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino parking lot, and Geraldine "Easy" Ryder, an intern who is allegedly "getting back together with her ex-boyfriend". No word yet if these key employees will be replaced.

Faber and Pulver to Rematch... Because I Guess Their First Bout was Inconclusive or Something

According to an http://www.MMAWeekly.com report, former WEC champ Urijah Faber will rematch with former UFC champ Jens Pulver at WEC 38 on January 25th. The two had met in June at WEC 34, with Faber earning a unanimous decision after winning each round of the five-round championship contest. But despite the decisive victory, questions remained - questions such as, "Is Pulver capable of taking more punishment like that?" and "Can we milk this bout again for more ratings?" On January 25th those questions will be answered.

Update on Shane Ott

Courtesy of Anthony "The Duke": "Shane is awake and talking now, though he is heavily sedated and still in the ICU. His condition is still critical but stable. Doctors are worrying about infection, that is why Shane is still in the ICU. Shane's speech is improving, probably slurred by the drugs they have him on. Shane lifted his arms, despite his injuries. He talked with his family and even watched a little TV. Shane is making excellent progress in his recovery and he has a very positive attitude towards his situation right now.

There is a benefit concert for him in Reading, PA. Link to my site for flyer and information (http://anthill1.blogspot.com)"

A Piece of MMA History: Laura D'Auguste

If the sport was in its infancy in 2002, then the concept of women competing in MMA was barely clearing the birth canal. But Laura D'Auguste was ahead of her time, and in events like New Jersey's Ring of Combat and Reality Fighting and Japan's Smackgirl, she was racking up wins against top lady warriors such as Amanda Buckner, Roxanne Modefferi and Megumi Yabushita, putting the world on notice that a bout featuring two females waging war was every bit as exciting as seeing a clash between two men. What made D'Auguste special? The truth is, D'Auguste could really grapple - so much so that she'd compete in men's divisions at NAGA tournaments. Her skills on the mat (honed to a razor's edge at Tiger Schulmann fight team sessions) translated into an undefeated MMA record and a berth at the prestigious 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships, and by July of that year she was widely seen as the best 135-pound female fighter on the planet. Sadly, it's been a two years since D'Auguste last saw action. A split from Team Tiger Schulmann prompted her to join Romulo Bittencourt's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy in Newark, while an injury had her bow out of a potential BodogFIGHT match-up against Tara LaRosa. Add to that a new marriage, and the full-time cardiovascular nurse no longer seemed to hold MMA competition as a priority. Which is a shame, because thanks to her, the East Coast was at one time the center of the female mixed martial arts universe.

Help Wanted: Reporter Near Buffalo

Will you be near Buffalo, New York on December 13th? Do you have a digital camera capable of taking about three pics? Can you tell the difference between an armbar and a leglock? If so, then MMA Journalist wants you to cover a pro/am show by Knockout Productions called "There Will Be Blood". New Jersey superstars Kevin Roddy and Steve DeAngelis are fighting, as is Lance Evans (TUF star Rashad Evans' brother). How much does the job pay? Zero! But you do get the writing and photography credit, plus, thanks to your all-access press pass, you get to keep whatever you can steal from the fighters' locker rooms (note: they will kill you if you get caught). If interested, send an email to mma_journalist@yahoo.com.

The East Coast's Big Ticket Sellers

Two promotions are coming to Atlantic City in the first quarter of 2009 to stake their claim in the Garden State's MMA fan-rich soil - the World Cagefighting Alliance (headed by Derek Panza, Keith Evans and Gary Marino), and a Monte Cox event (it could be an Extreme Challenge or it could be an Adrenaline show, we just don't know yet) that will be headlined by Eddie Alvarez. Both Marino and Cox should have a pretty decent handle on which fighters put asses in seats, but to help them out, MMA Journalist has put together the following list of the East Coast's big ticket sellers (a local big ticket seller is the cornerstone of the "Strikforce business model" these promotions aspire to):

1. Lyman Good, an exciting welterweight/middleweight and star player for the Tiger Schulmann Mixed Martial Arts clan.
2. Really, almost any other Team Tiger Schulmann fighter. TSMMA students turn out in droves to see their instructors fight.
3. Dom Stanco, a heavy-handed lightweight from Bellmore Kickboxing who always has a decent-sized cheering section.
4. Chris Schlesinger, a frenetic grappler from Bellmore Kickboxing. Schlesinger used to pack Reality Fighting shows with legions of fans.
5. Al Buck, a lightweight scrapper. Tons of fans.
6. Carlos Moreno, a heavyweight slugger who's been known to bring a crowd of supporters.
7. Chris Liguori, a top New Jersey lightweight and ROC champ.
8. Dante Rivera, a top New Jersey middleweight.
9. Doug Gordon, a well-rounded welterweight who always seems to have people going nuts for him in the bleachers.
10. Greg Soto, a welterweight grappler whose Combat in the Cage championship win nearly brought down the house.
11. Jon Murphy, a heavyweight EliteXC veteran. When he knocked out Sherman Pendergarst at Extreme Challenge 75, women were unabashedly throwing their panties into the cage.
12. Jose Rodriguez, a welterweight brawler and long-time New Jersey competitor.
13. Steve DeAngelis, a featherweight BCX champ. Big cheering section.
14. Kevin Roddy, a featherweight/lightweight grappling stud who is to the Jersey Shore what Barack Obama is to Illinois.
15. Justin Garcia, a welterweight/middleweight jiu-jitsu beast who, if you can lure him back into MMA competition, brings tons of rabid fans.

For his January 13th show at the Tropicana Casino & Resort, Cox already has the aforementioned Alvarez headliner and popular welterweight Tom Gallicchio taking on Phil Baroni (maybe). It will be interesting to see who else ends up on that card and who winds up on the February 6th WCA show.

Secret Washington, DC Show on December 13th

Apparently there's some sort of secret MMA show in Washington, DC on December 13th, and by "secret", I mean "What the hell? Why don't you people advertise? Good Lord, you have to be clairvoyant to find out about these things!" The event is called "Battle at the Nation's Capital", and the card features ROC champs James "Binky" Jones and Paul Bradley, Dave Branch (who trains with TUF 8 stud Phillipe Nover in Brooklyn), some Team Quest fighters and some local guys, and a mean-looking Brazilian - and the only reason I know all this is because I stumbled across their website (http://districtcombatproductions.com/battleatthecapitalI/) . So, yeah, if you're anywhere near the DC Armory on that day, knock on the front door three times and tell the security guard "Mr. X" sent you. Let me know how it goes.

With Impressive Win Over Tough Lina Kvokov at Strikeforce: "Destruction", Kim Couture Now Ready For Top-Ranked Tara LaRosa

Ha. Not.

After a Wealth of Success in the UFC, Frankie Edgar Finally Awarded Purple Belt

After a wealth of success in the UFC, lightweight contender Frankie Edgar was finally awarded his purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu this past Saturday. At an elaborate ceremony at the Hamiliton, New Jersey, YMCA gymnasium, Edgar - who dominated the East Coast MMA circuit and who's defeated black belts Hermes Franca and Mark Bocek in the Octagon - was given his rank by trainer Ricardo Almeida, an accomplished grappling champ who's produced a multitude of top-level competitors. The order of the colored belt ranks, from lowest to highest, is white, blue, purple, brown and black. Said a source within the Almeida camp, "Frankie deserved it. He's come a long way in jiu-jitsu and earned his purple belt for sure." To achieve the rank of brown belt, Edgar is expected to be able to levitate, raise the dead, and manipulate fire with his mind.