Rua to face Machida at UFC 76

According to several outlets (I didn't actually see it) Dana White in an interview on ESPN News confirmed that Mauricio "Shogun" Rua will make his UFC debut at UFC 76 against Lyoto Machida on September 22.

More later or something.

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Mauricio Rua against Lyoto Machida at UFC 76?

According to Dana White in an article written by John Patton of the Gainesville Sun, Machida is under consideration for the fight. You can read the thorough article about all things UFC by clicking here

Among those quoted are: Dana White, Dave Meltzer, Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin.

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MMA News and Notes for 06/27

All the MMA News I could stand to gather for the moment is behind the cut.



Ken Shamrock says he got his formal release from the UFC on Fight Network Radio.

Nick Diaz calls out Frank Shamrock.

Travis Lutter to fight at UFC 74 I'm sure that Euan, Art and myself will not make any weight jokes during our UFC 74 roundtable. Actually, I'm pretty sure we're all going to start brainstorming them...mmmm....mmmm....mmmm....now.

I guess IFL Battleground has another new direction has it really been 3 weeks already?

The TUF Five Finale ratings are in and all things considered are pretty good.

Matt Hughes says he'll fight in December

Jason Probst breaks down Franca Vs. Sherk

Cro Cop Vs. Kongo is official for UFC 75.

UFC finally got around to announcing UFC 74 I was beginning to think they'd wait until the day after it was over.

Entrepreneur magazine wants us to meet Dana White

Is Drew Fickett out of UFC 73? and his scheduled bout with Chris "Lights Out" Lytle.

Jamal Patterson, New York Pitbulls Light Heavyweight Blog is here

Tokyo Saber Heavyweight Wayne Cole wants a shot at redemption Get a load of his injury story and try not to laugh...I failed.

The best of the best in IFL 2007 is here and while I've not looked at the list, Battleground had better only be mentioned in passing. Well, the first episode which was so great they apologized for it should be on the list as best fuck up.

Phil Baroni is out for 6 or 7 months

Salaries and attendance for Shamrock Vs. Baroni are here

The Smashing Machine Mark Kerr will fight for the Global Fighting Championships in August. Some other known names are on the card, and Sean O'Haire is listed as well...so I guess he's gotten out of jail after the last time he got his ass kicked.

Some guy named Jorge Ortiz tested positive for steriods However, Tito Santiago was clean. Ric may be the only one that laughs at that, if anyone does.

A Q&A with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua is here

Wayne McCullough talks MMA here and get a load of his nickname...it is the new best ever.

A Notes from Brazil column here

That's enough for now.

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MMA News and Notes for 05/30

Take a quick glance around the MMA world with me.

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua Interview

Much more behind the cut.



Marlon Sims Vs. Noah Thomas, the 2 men who brought such shame to Dana White and his house will open the TUF 5 Finale.

The IFL has averaged a 0.7 through the first 10 episodes. The ratings in men 18-34 are more than triple the MyNetwork TV average for that demo. The article compares this to the start of TUF on SpikeTV but neglects the fact that TUF benefited from something Battleground did not which is that it followed WWE Raw, the highest rated program on cable TV.

Kazushi Sakuraba has been cleared to fight on Saturday's Dynamite USA card. Great, 1 down like 15 more fighters to go!

Today's observer update had the following note on IFL stock.

--IFL stock collapsed today. At the moment of this writing, it was down from its $3.30 per share close yesterday to $1.28. There was a major sell-off of
1.6 million shares of stock as some institutional investors were not allowed to sell until today, and sensing a collapse, they wanted to at least recover
some money before the stock goes down farther. Another reason is the company is likely to issue new shares in an attempt of a second round of financing,
which would also dilute the value of the stock. This actually should have been a good time as MyNetwork TV announced yesterday the IFL keeping its Monday
and Saturday night at 8 p.m. time slot for the fall season. This was expected as in their upfront presentation weeks ago they had already told advertisers
IFL was staying.

TUF 5's Joe Lauzon is profiled by UFC.com

Get to know Tokyo Sabre's fighter Savant Young

Brock Larson Destiny Delayed, not Denied

Urijah Faber calm in the eye of the hurricane

Max Kellerman interviews Urijah Faber.

Brian Stann faces Craig Zellner on versus

David Loiseau is off July 7's Steel Cage Promotions card but Wes Sims has been added and will face Chris Guillen in a rematch of their bout on Art of War 2, May 11 in Austin.

I'll probably be back with more later.

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More MMA Newsbits for 5/25

Yeah, there are some that don't involve the UFC.

The matchup next week between Tokyo's Savant Young and Portland's Ryan Schultz goes beyond the wrestling Vs. Striking debate

That's only one of the matches on the card for next week. Others can be found here

More behind the cut.



Chuck Liddell says Now, its my turn

An update on the Strikeforce PPV including a preview of Duane Ludwig Vs. Paul Daley is right here
The Strikeforce website is StrikeForceUsa.net

Sam Caplan of CBS Sportsline has a preview of UFC 71 here

The FoxSports.com preview of the main event is here
and the undercard is here

Is Mirko Cro Cop set to retire when his current UFC contract expires?

I'm linking this Caplan piece on the mystery fighter who will challenge the winner of tomorrow night's main event so you strictly MMA fans can read that first line.

Charles McCarthy and Cole Miller train the masses in MMA technique.

Here is a Q&A with Elite XC's Jake Shields. Shields is currently the #9 ranked Welterweight in the world according to MMAWeekly.com

Tim Kennedy is earning a reputation with IFL Fighters. The Chicago Red Bears Middleweight is a sparring partner of some guy named Chuck Liddell of whom you may or may not have heard.

I also predict that Euan will be a big fan of Mr. Kennedy. The reason? I quote...

"My game plan was pretty much to kick him in his head and knock him out," Kennedy said after the fight.

This man is Senshi!

Steve Sievert looks at the fact that Diego Sanchez nearly retired before his UFC 69 loss to Josh Koscheck.

Dana White is already talking Rua-Liddell.

Eric Schafer who was originally to fight Sean Salmon on this show but pulled out with a rib injury offered his predictions to the Baltimore Sun.

I think you've gotten enough tonight.

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Mauricio Rua signs with UFC

This was on Chute Boxe-USA.com yesterday.

- Mauricio "Shogun" Rua has signed a contract with the UFC and may participate in UFC 72.

According to WWW.UFCJunkie.com Dana White confirmed the signing but not the debut earlier today. Rua would immediately be a top contender for whomever is the Light Heavyweight Champion after Liddell-Jackson this weekend. Rua is my pick for the fighter most able to beat Chuck Liddell.

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Super Massive Update: Mixed Martial Arts News and Notes

First I am sad to report that Wander Braga has been pulled from his 4/5 fight against Kurt Pellegrino and I'm sad because I had so many jokes about him in mind for the roundtable and now they'll have to wait.

Oh well, lets move on to more stuff.



NBC Sports notes that Mike Swick is a born fighter

UFC.com has this piece Kendall Grove - Cry him a river
He definitely mentions the things his UFC 69 opponent Alan Belcher said about him in his Q&A

The Sporting Life asks if Mark Ratner Boxing Clever?

Euan will be happy that we get more Michael Bisping

Serene Thio writes that UFC's Welterweights are really giving us something to talk about

Speaking of Welterweight fighters, it seems that Diego Sanchez and Nick Diaz have something in common afterall

A sneak peak at Ultimate Fighter 5
Michael Coughlin - F4WOnline.com

Steve Sievert of the Houston Chronicle looks at the WEC's Eddie Wineland

Speaking of the WEC, here is the card for tomorrow night's event.

World Extreme Cagefighting
The Joint (Hard Rock Hotel & Casino)
Las Vegas, Nevada
Saturday, February 24
6 PM PT

Vacant Welterweight title: John Alessio vs. Carlos Condit
Featherweight title: Urijah Faber vs. Dominic Cruz
Bantamweight title: Eddie Wineland vs. Chase Beebe
Middleweights: Joe Riggs vs. Hiromitsu Miura
Welterweights: Brock Larson vs. Eric Apple
Welterweights: Dave Terrel vs. Tiki Ghosn
Featherweights: Cub Swanson vs. Tommy Lee
Bantamweights: Charlie Valencia vs. Antonio Banuelos
Featherweights: Micah Miller vs. Jesse Moreng
Welterweights: Alex Serdyukov vs. Scott Norton
Light Heavyweights: Brian Stann vs. Steve Cantwell

Note: Bouts are in order of last-to-first.

WEC.tv

Dave Doyle of Fox Sports writes about how WEC gives the little guys their chance

John Alessio looks to join GSP as Canadian Welterweight Champion

Meanwhile, Carlos Condit is looking for a Knockout

MMAWeekly has a Preview of tomorrow night's WEC show

MMAWeekly also looks at Alex Serdyukov

MMAWeekly also looks at K-1/Hero's upcoming press conference this Tuesday 3/27 where it is expected to announce a June 2, 2007 date at the L.A. Coliseum which will feature the MMA debut of former WWE champion Brock Lesnar Vs. Hong-man Choi also appearing will be Royce Gracie and former NFL Star Johnny Morton.

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua has signed a new deal with Pride.

Pat Miletich did an Interview with Sam Caplan of CBSSportsline and noted that Sam Hoger has left the UFC for the International Fight League

IFL.TV looks at The other side of the ropes

The best thing the IFL does has made its return as we get another column from Don Frye and he's still the man.

The IFL's website also looks at Bas Rutten's stepping down as coach of Los Angeles

Stars of Sports and Screen will go to IFL shows if you comp them tickets.

Tonight's IFL show on FSN features Matt Lindland's Portland Wolfpack Vs. Carlos Newton's Toronto Dragons

Wrestling Observer.com has this note about this coming Monday's Battleground

IFL Battleground on Monday will be built around the New York Pitbulls, feature nine fights and built around a fan balloting on which is better, Gracie
Jiu Jitsu or Miletich Fighting Systems. plus two matches announced are Delson Heleno vs. Dennis Hallman and Robbie Lawler vs. Eduardo Pamplona.

The Boston Herald has this piece: Modern Arts: Scaling back violence of MMA leads to booming business

In Canada, it looks like Bodog will go head-to-head with UFC 70. Taken from today's WO.com news update

--Viewers Choice Canada isn't airing the Bodog PPV until a week delay on 4/21, putting it head-to-head with the UFC show from England on Spike (thanks to
Dan Cruickshank)

Pride announces 2 Bouts for Prid 34 'Kamikaze'

Here is the current fightcard

PRIDE 34 'KAMIKAZE'

PPV Premiere Date: SUNDAY,
APRIL 8TH, 2007

Premiere Time:
3:00 AM ET , MIDNIGHT PT

Ricardo Arona Vs. Sokoudjou
Shinya Aoki Vs. Brian Lo-A-Njoe
Makoto Takimoto Vs. Zelg "Benkei" Galesic
Zuluzinho Vs. Eric "Butterbean" Esch
Gilbert "The Hurricane" Yvel Vs. Bazigit "Volk" Atajev

*There is a good chance I will have live coverage of this show here on the Old Country Times early Sunday Morning April 8.

Yoshida Dojo says "Viva Judo"

Preaching what he practices: Aoki starts teaching at Impact

I think we'll call an end to the Madness for now.

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