Cheick Kongo on the premature UFC departure of Mirko Cro Cop to DREAM in Japan via PunchDrunkGamer.com:
“Cro Cop needs some juices and there he can use them without getting in trouble.”
Mirko Cro Cop on those comments via his personal blog at MMA-ID.com:
“I have a message for Kongo. Listen, I though that you are a sportsman, a professional like everyone else in this sport. You were lucky enough to fight against me during the deepest crisis of my career. You probably ate a lot of vegetables and potatoes to look like that? I’ll be back in the cage and I hope you will be in the opposite corner. Then we’ll see for how long you’ll be able to talk.”
Kongo defeated Filipovic via unanimous decision at UFC 75: “Champion vs. Champion” in September 2007, signaling the departure of the talented Croatian from the organization after just three fights. Will we see a rematch? Perhaps … just not anytime soon. In other news, Cro Cop is adamant that he will return to the Octagon (perhaps before 2008 expires) and UFC President Dana White is in agreement provided he can get back on the winning track. Both Cro Cop and White describe the split as amicable.
If you haven’t been watching The Celebrity Apprentice…well, you’re not missing much. But our boy Tito is still in the game, and on Thursday’s episode he was part of a challenge where he and three teammates had to run a successful carriage-ride operation in New York’s Central Park. Jenna Jameson shows up with a wad of hot money she just got from God-knows-where, and they ride off. And she calls him “pumpkin.” And it’s really gross.
During Wednesday’s WEC “Condit vs. Prater” televised fight card, it was confirmed during the broadcast that two title bouts would headline the next event on March 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
WEC 33 will feature the much anticipated rematch between undefeated middleweight kingpin, Paulo Filho (16-0), and Team Quest’s Chael Sonnen (19-9-1). The other championship match up has “The Rhino” Doug Marshall (7-2) putting his WEC light heavyweight title on the line against undefeated Brian Stann (5-0).
The immediate rematch between Pride FC vet Filho and collegiate wrestling powerhouse Sonnen should be a dandy. Sonnen pressed the action in the first bout against a lethargic–looking Filho before being caught in an armbar at the end of the second round.
Sonnen claims he never submitted but the ref stopped the bout based on a loud scream when Filho twisted his arm like a pretzel. Sonnen was visibly upset after the bout. And with the controversy over that stoppage, the WEC quickly scheduled the rematch.
Filho will look to redeem himself from his bad performance while Sonnen will have even more confidence coming into the second bout. This bout is certainly worthy of the headlining slot.
Don’t blink during the WEC 205-pound title match between champ Doug Marshall and challenger Brian Stann.
This one could end in a hurry as both fighters are known for their punching power and look to get their opponents out of the cage as soon as possible. In fact, Stann has yet to have a fight reach the second round as he’s finished all of his opponents in the first stanzas via knockout.
However, Marshall showed a more well-rounded game in his last title defense. The Rhino submitted Ariel Gandulla with an armbar in his first round victory. We’ll see if Marshall continues his evolution into a multi-faceted fighter or if he’ll fall victim to the punching power of Stann.
WEC 33 will be broadcast live on Versus Network at 9 p.m. ET. Look for more details concerning the preliminary bouts in the weeks to come.
The 22 fighters competing on the EliteXC: “Street Certified” card tomorrow (February 16) at the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami in Miami, Fla., all tipped the scales today for the official weigh-in at the Holiday Inn at Coral Gables.
Here are the official results:
Main card fights (Broadcast live on Showtime):
265 lbs.: Kimbo Slice (234) vs. Tank Abbott (263)
265 lbs.: Antonio Silva (259.75) vs. Ricco Rodriguez (262.75)
185 lbs.: Scott Smith (184) vs. Kyle Noke (184.75)*
160 lbs.: Yves Edwards (160) vs. Edson Berto (158.25)
265 lbs.: James Thompson (253) vs. Brett Rogers (264)
Prelim fights (streamed live on ProElite.com FREE):
205 lbs.: Rafael Feijao (204.5) vs. John Doyle (203.25)
185 lbs.: Jon Kirk (183) vs. Yosmany Cabezas (184.25)
265 lbs.: Mario “The Big Hurt” Rinaldi (260.5) vs. Dave “Pee Wee” Herman (242.5)
170 lbs.: Eric Bradley (169.75) vs. Mikey Gomez (170)*
170 lbs.: Lorenzo Borgameo (170) vs. Mike Bernhard (169. 5)
210 lbs.: Moyses Gabin (203.75) vs. Jirka Hlavaty (210)
*Made weight on second attempt
The main card action will begin at 10 p.m. ET on the Showtime premium cable channel. Prior to that — at about 7:30 p.m. ET — the under card action will get underway. Feel free to watch the six prelim fights for free via streaming video live on ProElite.com at this time.
MMAmania.com will be in attendance and provide live results coverage throughout the evening and immediately following the “Street Certified” event.
Come check us out … should be an entertaining evening in the “305″ to say the least.
— Akiro Gono wants to find a girl who’s attractive, respectful, and good with happy endings. (By the way, there’s an awesome update to that story here.)
Toughman contestant dies
By: Lori Dunn - Texarkana Gazette - Published: 02/15/2008
A man who was hospitalized after competing in a local Toughman Contest last weekend has died.
Brandon Twitchell, 23, of Elkhart, Texas, died Thursday at CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System in Texarkana, hospital spokesman Francine Francis said.
Twitchell fought Friday night and Saturday night in the annual Toughman Contest at the Four States Fairgrounds. His family said they believe he sustained brain injuries during the competition.
After the fights on Saturday, Twitchell was taken from the fairgrounds by LifeNet ambulance to the hospital, where it was discovered he had brain injuries.
Twitchell’s parents said he had been in critical condition and on life support since being hospitalized.
“He died today around 11 a.m. on his own without the assistance of machines,” Brandon’s father, Mike Twitchell, said Thursday.
Hundreds of contestants sign up for the Toughman fights every year in 44 states and abroad. The fighters are separated into several weight classes and by experience, according to www.toughmancontest.com.
All fighters must be 18 and in good physical condition, according to the Website.
Also, fighters submit to drug testing and Breathalyzer testing prior to the fights.
In a previous interview, Lydia Robertson, spokesman for the Toughman Contest, said the dangers of boxing are explained to contestants in detail and they must sign a release from responsibility with the understanding they are participating in a dangerous event.
Mike Twitchell said funeral arrangements for his son were pending.
“He will be buried … in his hometown of Elkhart,” he said.
Inside MMA is promising a must-see show tonight with “HUGE breaking news” (according to their press release) and a panel that includes Randy Couture, Kim Couture, and Gina Carano. They’ve also released a clip of tonight’s show where Kim Couture discusses training for her first MMA match and the sparring session in which Gina Carano broke her nose. We gotta say, Randy’s wife is lookin’ good — she kinda has a Speed-era Sandra Bullock thing going on. Meanwhile, Gina kinda has a tough-but-warmhearted-lesbian-who-rides-in-an-otherwise-all-male-motorcycle-club-on-the-weekends thing going on. And that’s why we love her.
Inside MMA’s breaking news will most likely involve Couture’s escalating legal battle with Zuffa. This could be unrelated, but MMAPayout’s Adam Swift has an article on Sherdog today about HDNet Fights’ new suit against the UFC parent company, which seeks “a declaratory judgment concerning the contractual status of Couture under his Zuffa promotional contract. In an ironic twist, Zuffa’s co-defendant in the suit is technically none other than Couture himself.” Inside MMA airs on HDNet tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET.
“I hope so, that would be an ideal scenario [he said about the possibility of unifying the WEC and UFC titles]. I definitely want to fight some of their (fighters). They have the top welterweights in the world, and that’s where I want to be, so I’ve got to fight those guys, right? Hopefully that happens, and I’m doing my job one fight at a time and see what’s on the horizon.”
WEC Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit — fresh off a big submission win over Carlo Prater earlier this week — has his sights set on the top of the talent-laden UFC welterweight division. “The Natural Born Killer” is not overly excited about fighting the same fighters like Brock Larson and John Alessio going forward. With Zuffa owning the UFC and WEC perhaps Condit will get his wish sometime in the future, but probably not anytime soon.
On the suggestion of reader “rheindog,” here’s Phil Baroni’s 18-second destruction of Dave Menne at UFC 39 (9/27/02). Baroni’s jackhammer-beatdown is memorable enough, but what makes this one classic is his Super-Guido celebration at the end: “I’m the best eva! I’m the man! I’m the man! I’m the man!” Unfortunately, he wasn’t — Baroni’s next four fights would result in losses at the hands of Matt Lindland, Evan Tanner (twice), and Pete Sell.
Cheick Kongo on the premature UFC departure of Mirko Cro Cop to DREAM in Japan via PunchDrunkGamer.com:
