Wednesday, December 19, 2007

BROKEN FACE : PAT MILETICH INTERVIEW, NEW!!



Bill Barnwell talks to the IFL head coach about Corey Hill, Matt Hughes, and how not to lose.

December 19, 2007 - If you were to try and find the greatest mixed martial arts gym in the brief history of MMA, chances are, you'd be going through Bettendorf, Iowa. Miletich Fighting Systems' gyms have spread across the country, but its original gym in Bettendorf is where you'll find Pat Miletich, former UFC Welterweight Champion and, arguably, the best coach in MMA history.

Now the coach of the IFL's Quad City Silverbacks, who will becoming a Miletich-specific team with the IFL's move to camp-based teams as opposed to cities, Miletich's protégés include former UFC champions Matt Hughes, Jens Pulver, and Tim Sylvia. Hughes recently left the camp to start his own gym closer to home, which has led to some speculation that the legendary Miletich gym, the only one to ever be featured with its own UFC pay-per-view, might cease to be the powerhouse it's been for a decade.

IGN spoke to Miletich and discussed December 29th's IFL World Grand Prix in Connecticut, the status of Corey Hill, and his thoughts on Hughes leaving his camp.

IGN: How do you feel about the IFL's switch to camp-based teams as opposed to city-based ones?

Pat: I think it's gonna work much better. I think [the IFL] giving themselves the opportunity to work with athletes from a lot of different camps is the most important thing. Being able to sign fighters from wherever they come from is much better.

IGN: Pound-for-pound, who do you think is the best fighter in the IFL at the moment?

Pat: You know, there's a lot of tough guys. I'm not gonna make any calls on that, there's a lot of guys. Nobody ever stands out to me in any organization, everyone's tough.

IGN: Any news on Ben Rothwell and the possibility that he might return to the IFL?

Pat: You know, I'm not sure what he's gonna do. Monte Cox is waiting for the end of the year for Ben's contract to run out. I'm out of the loop on that, I just train him.

IGN: Rory Markham and LC Davis are the Silverbacks fighting on the Grand Prix show December 29th. How are they looking, training and injury-wise?

Pat: In great shape, both of them are looking great in training. They're ready to go.

IGN: Markham's opponent, Brett Cooper, is making his debut on the IFL stage, and is a somewhat unheralded fighter. Is it difficult to prepare for those sort of fighters?

Pat: I think it can be tougher. We know a little about him, he's pretty well-rounded, pretty tough. Sometimes when I fought in the early days, I was glad I didn't see them on tape. There were guys who I'd watch on film after I fought them and I'd be scared! You've got really plan well and train for a guy who's good at everything. Obviously, you'd like to study for people, but in the case of Rory's opponent, we can't do that as much.

IGN: What do you think is the most important thing you instill in your fighters?

Pat: Just the work you do in the gym is what wins the fight. Fights are not won in the ring, they're won in the gym. It's an old Dan Gable saying. It's human tendency look for an easy way to do things, but nothing replaces hard work. The guys who understand that tend to become world champions.

IGN: Over the last decade, there have been periods where certain camps have seemed unbeatable, whether it be the Miletich camp, Greg Jackson's camp, or now, Xtreme Couture. Why do you think that is?

Pat: Things go in cycles. The intensity level that this sport demands can suck energy out of an entire group of guys. You go through ups and downs. When you get on a roll, that's contagious, and you do well, but when you have guys that start to lose, then people start to doubt themselves. You can see it happen if someone loses, those guys suck it up and train harder, and guys become stronger and better fast. For us, 2005 was not a great year by any means, and 2006 was a really good year, but then 2007 was a tougher year. 2004 and 2006 were the best years we had; 2005, everyone was saying my team was done, and 2006 we came back and won everything. It goes in cycles. It's tough to stay at the top.
IGN: Who do you think is the fighter in your camp that's off most MMA fans' radar screens, but has the most potential for future success?

Pat: Corey Hill.

IGN: Oh, from Ultimate Fighter…

Pat: Well, you know, he wasn't 100% truthful to get on the show, so he went in there absolutely knowing nothing about Jens Pulver or me or Jeremy Horn. It's funny because Corey Hill looks at me now and says "You were a World Champion?" And I say "Yeah, I held the title for three, three and a half years", and he says "No kidding." He doesn't know a lot about the sport, but his boxing, kicking, his submission stuff, his positional stuff, he's working on all that, and his wrestling ability and his ability to take people down when he wants to do is unreal. I don't know any 155-pounders out there who could take him down.

IGN: Really? Not even Sean Sherk?

Pat: Sean Sherk would have a lot of real trouble taking down Corey Hill, mark my words.

IGN: Wow.

Pat: There are wrestlers that are tough and ready for this sport, and he's one of the best. He's a rottweiler. No one else has that body type. He's got wide shoulders and a waist like my wife's.

Besides him, LC Davis is fighting for the 145-pound title, he's popping on the scene, everyone knows about Rockwell, Ryan McGivern is just coming into his own, Rory Markham's working a lot on his ground game, there's a lot of guys who have serious potential.

IGN: What were the circumstances that led to Matt Hughes, Robbie Lawler, and Matt Pena leaving to form their own camp?

Pat: Money. Money was one of the more motivating factors. They were offered money from a sports agent to start a facility down there using Matt's name. He's been commuting from Hillsborough, which is 3.5 hours away, and he's got kids and a family, so it's not been easy. I couldn't do it, I know that much. He decided that it was time for him and his family and his career to start up a new place closer to him to allow him to train for fights and see his family. I don't blame him.

IGN: Was it unexpected?

Pat: Not necessarily unexpected, they came to me, told me about it, told me they were working on it, and I said "Awesome, do what you gotta do."

In the end, look at Dan Gable. Growing up in Iowa, we all idolized him -- everyone who wrestled across the country idolized him.; but, probably the greatest tribute to Gable is the fact that he has so many guys that were under him who are wrestling coaches that are major colleges across the country. Iowa used to be a national power and now, there are teams that can compete with Iowa.

As I sit in the twilight of my career and I think about the guys I've trained and who have moved on to start coaching, the Matt Hughes' and Jeremy Horn's and Jens Pulver's, I'm sad to see all of them go, I'd love to see it be status quo forever, but nothing ever stays the same, and that's just the way it goes.

IGN: You visited Afghanistan in July, correct? What was that like?

Pat: We went to a couple different forward operating bases, spent some time with them, did some training, hung out with them, just thoroughly enjoyed it and saw what those guys are going through first hand and told them how all the people back home are thinking about them. Every one of them thanked us for coming, but as I was shaking their hand, they had no idea how much it meant to come over and spend time with them and how much we respect them. It's tough to think that they're spending 15 months at a time there, and I spent a week there, and I'll tell you what, to have to spend a year there… they are at the top of my shelf when it comes to respect.

IGN: Do you have any interest in having another fight, or is your neck precluding you from fighting again?

Pat: I've had some offers, but I haven't been able to make the time for it yet. The thing is, everything else in my life departs when I fight, and it'd have to be an offer that's a smart financial move for me. For example, the IFL said they would pay to get my neck fixed, and I haven't even had the chance to get it fixed yet.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

VITOR BELFORT WANTS BACK IN UFC & WANTS TITO!


Since last fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship almost three years ago, Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort has spent time in multiple promotions including Pride, Cage Rage and StrikeForce, but it looks like the Brazilian is hoping for a return to the UFC at some point in the near future.

Belfort recently came on Tagg Radio and confirmed a meeting he had with representatives from Zuffa and while no details were made available he sounded confident with its results and even mentioned who he’d like to fight if he returned to the Octagon.

“We had a meeting it was great,” said Belfort. “Actually what I want, everybody has pride and one thing I have unfinished business with Tito (Ortiz) being the last fight since I won the fight, most people feel I won the fight.”

The last fight between Belfort and Ortiz ended in a split decision win for “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” but the former UFC champion has a new idea for the fight if he and Ortiz meet again.

“Basically what I would like to do is I would like to fight him and I have a challenge for him,” Belfort stated emphatically. “The challenge would be winner take it all.”

Beyond the grudge match brewing with Ortiz, Belfort feels that his return to the UFC is necessary because of his long standing ties with the promotion and that the fighters there now are treading on his territory.

“The UFC’s my house,” Belfort said. “See a lot of guys there, they are at my house. The UFC’s my house, they come into my land. Even Tito, he came after, he came to my house.”

Fans have long clamored for Vitor Belfort’s return, but not the fighter who has struggled in many of his recent fights, they have long been begging for the warrior who blew through competition like Wanderlei Silva and Tank Abbot a few years ago.

“I know the fans want the old Vitor back,” stated Belfort. “I took care of my issues, took care of my problems so now I’m clean and ready to get back into the UFC.”

Belfort confirmed that he is no longer training at Black House in Brazil and now works only with a team of coaches and selective training partners.

Ultimately, Belfort understands the challenge in front of him, but he knows that to face the best fighters in the world he needs to be in the UFC.

“I want to fight with the best so you have to be around the best,” said Belfort.

Friday, December 14, 2007

WE NOW HOW WHO FEDOR WILL DESTROY ON NEW YEARS EVE!




But I still never heard of this guy,all I know is he's a big guy - gonna get beat down ,.,..Representatives of the Yarennoka mixed martial arts event scheduled for New Year’s Eve in Japan on Thursday officially announced that Fedor Emelianenko will indeed fight Korean fighter Hong Man Choi.

The bout had long been rumored, but was only recently finalized.

Yarennoka is a conglomeration of representatives from M-1 Global, K-1, DEEP, World Victory Road and former employees of Pride Fighting Championships.

The card has been slowly coming together and currently includes:

-Fedor Emelianenko vs. Hong Man Choi
-Kazuo Misaki vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
-Shinya Aoki vs. Gesias “JZ” Calvancante
-Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Luiz Azeredo
-Hayato “Mach” Sakurai vs. Hidehiko Hasegawa
-Mitsuhiro Ishida vs. Gilbert Melendez
-Ricardo Arona vs. TBA

Thursday, December 13, 2007

WEC FIGHT RESULTS TONIGHT


Tonights show was a good one very happy to see Pulver prevail at his favorite 145 class, and now it looks to be Faber vs Pulver very soon they had both talkedabout it earlier in the show ..and Faber won his match tonight too, so looks like that fight will be put together very soon ...what a match , Pulver vs Faber ...thats PPV shit !!!



1
Charlie Valencia def Ian McCall Submission (Guillotine choke) rd 1 3:19
2
Brian Bowles def Marcos Galvao TKO (Strikes) rd 2 2:09
3
Ed Ratcliff def Alex Karalexis TKO (Strikes) 2 1:26
4
Bryan Baker def Eric Schambari Decision (Split) 3 5:00
5
John Alessio def Todd Moore Decision (Unanimous) 3 5:00
6
Doug Marshall def Ariel Gandulla Submision (Armbar) 1 0:55
7
Paulo Filho def Chael Sonnen Submision (Armbar) 2 4:55
8
Jens Pulver def Cub Swanson Submission (Anaconda choke) 1 0:35
9
Urijah Faber def Jeff Curran Submission (Guillotine Choke) 2 4:34

Fighter links from sherdog.com ...heard his name mentioned tonight by commentator Frank Mir ...who is supposed to be getting ready for Brock Lesnar's intro into the UFC

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

YOU CAN'T BEAT THIS = BANDIT TRANS AM BRAND NEW!




Press ReleaseWithout a doubt, one of the most iconic cars of the '70s was a black and gold Pontiac Trans Am. Thanks to the release of Smokey and the Bandit in 1977, a whole generation of kids (and not just a few adults) had dreams of screaming down the highways wearing a cowboy hat and staying one step ahead of the law with his CB radio. To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Smokey and the Bandit, YearOne is teaming up with Burt Reynolds to build a limited run of the '77 and '79 Bandit Trans Am. Subtle cosmetic upgrades will bring fit and finish to modern standards, while three different packages offer performance The Bandit could only dream of.BAN1:BAN1 will be a restored hard top or T-top body, updated with flush mounted front and rear glass, flush-fitting fender flairs, projector headlights and LED taillights. Interior upgrades include performance bucket seats and door panels with custom Bandit inserts, a custom instrument cluster with race-inspired gauges, electronic rear view mirror, factory console and, of course, an optional CB radio with antenna. The suspension will employ bolt-on sub frame connectors, tubular upper control arms, upgraded bushings to firm up the body, and high performance coil and leaf springs. Powering the car will be a 450hp Pontiac 455, backed by a 5-speed manual or automatic overdrive trans, heavy duty 10-bolt rear with 3.42 gears, and a heavy duty aluminum radiator. Custom 18x9 "Snowflake" billet wheels wear 275/35/18 BFG tires, stopped by 4-wheel disc brakes with 12-inch rotors up front.BAN2:The BAN2 package builds on the basic platform. Interior appointments include race-inspired pedals, an upgraded console with integrated navigation system, upgraded stereo and a 4-point roll bar. Handling is improved with a tubular front subframe, tubular upper and lower control arms, integrated subframe connectors, front coil-over shocks, and larger 13-inch front rotors. The rear end is a stout 12-bolt, with 3.42 or 3.73 gearing, and mini tubs are added to clear the 18x11 rear wheels fitted with 335/35/18 BFG tires. Powering the BAN2 will be your choice of an aluminum head 455 putting out 550hp, or a fuel injected 550hp GM LS-based engine, again backed by either a 5-speed or automatic overdrive.BAN3:Building off of the BAN2, the BAN3 takes everything several steps further. The interior is fitted with a 6-point roll bar, optional 5-point racing harnesses and a rear seat storage area, while the body receives competition driving lights and special badging. Engine options are either a 496ci all aluminum Pontiac 455, or LS-based engine, both rated at 700hp, backed by a 5-speed manual trans only, coupled to the engine through a hydraulic clutch. Out back is a 12-bolt axle with 3.73 gears hung from a four link suspension with track bar. Coil over shocks are found at all four corners, with 6-piston calipers and 14-inch rotors up front. Rolling stock is likewise competition-inspired; 18x10 wheels with 285/35/18 Michelin Pilot Sports up front, while huge 19x12 rears fitted with 345/35/19 Michelin Pilot Sports. For information contact YearOne at http://www.yearone.com/, or (800) YEAR ONE.

Monday, December 10, 2007

KIMBO ON ESPN TV....


This Tuesday at 7pm ET, ESPN will air a new episode of its new documentary show called “E:60.” The show follows a number of different stories involving sports, usually 5 or more stories in one episode. In a previous episode, “E:60″ ran a story exploring Mixed Martial Arts as a sport, highlighting Pat Miletich’s gym in Iowa.
On Tuesday, December 11, “E:60″ will be run a segment featuring Kimbo Slice. From the looks of the preview, the story will explore his upbringing and road to becoming a mixed martial artist. Whether you support Kimbo Slice or not, this should be an interesting segment that is brought from an unbiased standpoint.
Again, “E:60″ is aired on ESPN, Tuesdays at 7pm ET.

WOW, THE UFC LOVES RICH FRANKLIN


Rich just signed a 6 fight deal with the UFC.Franklin, who's a remarkable 22-3 (including 9-2 in the UFC), last competed in October at Cincinnati's UFC 77 event, where he was unable to win back the middleweight title from current champ Anderson Silva. The famed Brazilian first took his title in October 2006.
So what's next for 33-year-old Franklin?
He's been offered a fight with veteran Travis Lutter at UFC 82, which takes place March 1 in Columbus. However, Franklin's currently filming the movie "Weapon," in which he has a starring role with Bruce Greenwood and Tiffani Amber Thiessen. Throw in the holidays, and he may not have enough time to properly train for the March UFC event. In fact, his return could come as late as June, according to his management.

Sunday, December 09, 2007

I TOLD EVERYONE ITS TRUE ,NOW READ THIS !


Confirming speculation running throughout the past week, UFC mainstay "Big" John McCarthy announced during a media conference Friday that he will be stepping down from officiating to focus on a new broadcast career with the Fight Network. McCarthy, a former Los Angeles Police Officer, was enlisted by Rorion Gracie to referee the second Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1994. Since then, he has overseen more than 500 mixed martial arts matches. His last appearance as a contracted employee of a state athletic commission will be Saturday's "Ultimate Fighter 6" finale. Speaking to journalists following the announcement, McCarthy said that his desire to play a more active role in the growth of MMA is what prompted his decision. "The biggest problem is, I can't do both," he said. "I can't referee and take a new step in the broadcast field … [it could be looked upon] as a conflict of interests, so I had to make a choice."

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

YESSS, THE SANDMAN IS BACK!!! GO JAMES!!!


The Ultimate Fighting Championship will finish the 2007 fight season with a bang — and a 10-bout fight card.
The UFC has officially booked and announced a UFC 79 light heavyweight bout between James Irvin (12-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC) and undefeated UFC newcomer Luis Cane (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC). A source close to Irvin told (mmajunkie.com) that the fight has been in the work for the past two months.
UFC 79, which takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, airs on pay-per-view. Former champs Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre meet in the night’s main event for the UFC’s interim welterweight title.
Irvin will return to action for the first time since a May UFC 71 event. There, the 29-year-old fighter suffered a significant injury when his knee buckled during a loss to Thiago Silva. The Nevada State Athletic Commision originally issued Irvin a medical suspension that ran through November pending clearance from an orthopedic doctor.
The defeat snapped Irvin’s three-fight streak, which included an entertaining second-round TKO of Hector Ramirez at UFC 65.
Cane, a 26-year-old Brazilian, is a perfect 7-0 in his two-year career. Although he’s well versed in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he’s finished six of his seven victories via knockout.