Saturday, February 13, 2010

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Liveblog: NY Showdown Part 3

Robert Zatarain from Mohawk Muay Thai steps into the ring to face Sitan's Greg Lachaga. Lachaga's had about a million fights, but he starts out looking outgunned by the California-based fighter, Zatarain appearing to land about four strikes for every one of Lachaga's. However, "The Tank" is made out of steel, and here and there he lands an artillery shell of a left hook that knocks his opponent's head back and wobbles him. Ultimately, Zatarain takes the decision, but it's a competitive one. Next: Canadian Gary Gilchrist of OAMA against 5 Borough Fight House rep Jesse Jimenez. Jimenez starts strong, looking mean and hungry and bullying his opponent around, but Gilchrist has got a decent neck clinch, and more than a few times he uses it to lock Jimenez up and feed him a prix fixe dinner of knees. Rinse and repeat for Rounds 2 and 3, and you have Gilchrist taking the decision. Now it's intermission time.

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Liveblog: NY Showdown Part 2

First up is David Miqui of Sitan Gym against Tamaz Jorjoliani of 5 Points Academy. Miqui seems to be one tough hombre, as evidenced by the broken glass he's eating in his corner before the bout. Round 1 sees Miqui coming forward and a lot of clinch-work, while Round 2 has Jorjoliani consistently allowing his foe to back him into a corner before firing back. Miqui has more in his gas tank in the third, which makes his strikes seem less desperate, and the Sitan rep takes the decision when time runs out. Next up is a female bout featuring Min Goodspeed of CT Combat vs. Sitan's Peelo Deonarain. Goodspeed is aggressive and constantly in motion, but the taller Deonarain's reach enables the Sitan fighter to use her head as a punching bag. It's a genetic disadvantage that Goodspeed cannot overcome, and midway through the third round the ref has seen enough. Deonarain wins via TKO. Another ladies' bout follows, with CT Combat's Janet Pacitto taking on Sitan's Stacy Hughes. Pacitto comes out on fire and about a minute in has completely shot her wad, her subsequent exhaustion allowing Hughes to pick her apart. This time the ref calls it in Round 2, notching another victory for the Queens gym.

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Liveblog: NY Showdown Part 1

MMA Journalist is here in Chinatown in Flushing, Queens for New York Showdown, a Muay Thai show featuring competitors from as far away as Holland and as close as Astoria. There should be about ten fights on tap, and some of the more notable names (ie, names I recognize) include Rami Ibrahim, who fought Tiger Schulmann ace kickboxer Shennen Maceo at a Ring of Combat, and Greg Lachaga, who actually fought at New Jersey's first amateur MMA show ever back in 1979. According to the event flyer, traditional Thai boxing rules will be used, which means that competitors will be dipping their hands in resin then broken glass before bouts. Should be fun.

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Friday, February 12, 2010


February 2010 Independent World MMA Rankings

The February 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 http://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); Jonathan Snowden (Heavy.com); Joshua Stein (MMA Opinion); Ivan Trembow (Freelance); and Dave Walsh (Head Kick Legend).

January 2010 Independent World MMA Rankings
Ballots collected on January 12, 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. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1, 1 No Contest)
5. Shane Carwin (11-0)
6. Brett Rogers (10-1)
7. Junior dos Santos (10-1)
8. Alistair Overeem (32-11, 1 No Contest)
9. Cain Velasquez (7-0)
10. Fabricio Werdum (13-4-1)

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. Quinton Jackson (30-7)
5. Anderson Silva (25-4)
6. Gegard Mousasi (27-2-1)
7. Forrest Griffin (17-6)
8. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (18-3)
9. Dan Henderson (25-7)
10. Thiago Silva (14-2)

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. Yushin Okami (23-5)
9. Robbie Lawler (17-5, 1 No Contest)
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. Joachim Hansen (19-8-1)
10. Gilbert Melendez (17-2)

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. Raphael Assuncao (14-2)
7. "Lion" Takeshi Inoue (18-3)
8. Manny Gamburyan (10-4)
9. Marlon Sandro (15-1)
10. Michihiro Omigawa (9-8-1)

Bantamweight Rankings (126 to 135 lbs.)
1. Brian Bowles (8-0)
2. Miguel Torres (37-2)
3. Masakatsu Ueda (10-0-2)
4. Dominick Cruz (14-1)
5. Joseph Benavidez (11-1)
6. Takeya Mizugaki (12-4-2)
7. Damacio Page (12-4)
8. Scott Jorgensen (8-3)
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 fantasy match-ups.

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.

Thursday, February 11, 2010


Aspiring Matchmaker Ed Soares Details What Chael Sonnen Must Do Before Facing Anderson Silva

Despite Chael Sonnen’s impressive defeat of top contender Nate Marquardt at UFC 109, manager, translator and aspiring matchmaker Ed Soares – the English-speaking front man for UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva – doesn’t feel the American deserves a shot at his ward’s belt.  Consequently, Soares has released a list of Herculean tasks he believes Sonnen must accomplish before such a match-up occurs.  The list includes:

    1. A rematch with Demian Maia, who previously submitted the wrestler at UFC 95.
    2. Fight Paulo Filho again, then Jeremy Horn, Renato “Babalu” Sobral, Terry Martin, Jeremy Horn two more times, Keiichiro Yamamiya, Forrest Griffin and Trevor Prangley.  Basically, Sonnen needs to go back and avenge every loss.
    3. He must also confront that bully that gave him a wedgie in fifth grade.
    4. The Ark of the Covenant, the Spear of Destiny and the Holy Grail – find them!
    5. Sonnen must present to Soares Brock Lesnar’s jock strap.  Which he stole from Lesnar.  While Lesnar was wearing it.
    6. Prepare for Silva an exquisite meal of seared duck breast with shallot-Merlot reduction, roasted potatoes and steamed Brussel sprouts.  The accompanying wine must be impeccably chosen.
    7. Face Demian Maia yet again.
    8. Lastly, Sonnen must swear he won’t take Silva down and pound on him.  Swear it!


Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Bag of Ice Fined and Suspended by Nevada State Athletic Commission for UFC 109 Debacle

The Nevada State Athletic Commission has fined and suspended the infamous UFC 109 bag of ice, which broke open and spilled its contents in-between rounds during the Melvin Guillard/Ronnys Torres bout – an act that delayed the resumption of the bout and required swift action by commission officials to clean up the resulting mess.  Citing provision NAC 467.7962, which lists as a foul “Interference by the corner”, NSAC Chief Heat Miser Keith Kizer stated that “if a bag of ice can’t hold itself together, and it instead gets in the way of the execution of an official bout, then it shouldn’t be licensed by the Commission.  End of story.”  Calls to the bag of ice for its reaction to the fine and suspension have gone unanswered.  Stay tuned for more as this story develops.