Monday, October 15, 2007
TIM SYLVIA IS JUST READY TO GO ...HAPPY TO BE HEALTHY
After a seven-month absence from competition, successful back surgery, and a small fall into relative obscurity, former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia (23-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) makes his return to the octagon next weekend at UFC 77. There, he’ll take on undefeated heavyweight contender Brandon Vera.However, the 31-year-old Miletich fighter — whose obsession with the heavyweight belt became one of MMA’s biggest inside jokes — now says the title is something he’s not necessarily worried about. Sylvia says he just wants to compete.“I want to get get another fight as soon as possible,” Sylvia told MMAjunkie.com during last week’s UFC 77 media conference call. “Win or lose, as long as I come out healthy, I want to fight as early (as possible) in 2008.“So, if he posts a victory over Vera next weekend, he won’t ask for a title shot?“No, I mean, that’s in the UFC’s cards,” Sylvia said, just hours before current champ Randy Couture announced his resignation from the UFC.Sylvia assumed the earliest he — or anyone else — could fight the champ for the title would be in February. Couture, who scored a unanimous-decision victory over Sylvia to win the belt at UFC 68, broke his arm back in August during a victory over Gabriel Gonzaga and was expected to headline a Feb. 2 event on SuperBowl weekend.However, after the 44-year-old UFC Hall of Famer complained of the UFC’s inability to sign Fedor Emelianenko and claimed the organization lied to him about what other fighters were being paid, Couture quit — and threw the entire heavyweight title picture into disarray.Regardless of what the UFC decides to do with the now-vacant title, Sylvia will surely be a part of the plans. Love him or hate him, the fighter is one of the most-accomplished heavyweights in the sport today. In an eight-year career with 26 professional fights, Sylvia has never been knocked out. In fact, he’s been stopped just twice — once by an Achilles lock in a fight with Andrei Arlovski (a fight which went only 47 seconds), once by armbar in a fight with Frank Mir. And while fans criticize his sometimes-safe and calculated game plans, the fact of the matter is that Sylvia has only gone to decision in five of his 23 career victories.After his loss to Couture in March, Sylvia underwent extensive back surgery. He now says he’s completely healthy — and that the procedure had nothing short of spectacular results. Feeling good, he’s now ready to compete, whether it’s for the title or not.“Surgery obviously went well, or I wouldn’t have taken this fight because Brandon’s a tough guy,” Sylvia said. “Surgery went awesome. As soon as I came out of anesthesia, I jumped out of bed. The nurse told me to settle down, but I couldn’t because the pain was all gone… I’m now just ready to get back in there and fight again.“
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
HOORAY FOR EVAN TANNER ...I ALWAYS LIKED THAT GUY ....
I am setting a date.
I am setting a date, and on that day I will stop drinking. That will be the day I begin to be a better man. That will be the day I begin to find the best of me. That will be the day I begin to find the best of what life can be. I want to find the magic. Join me. If you want to make a change in your life, join me. If any of you want to find the best of yourself, join me. If you want to find your own magic, join me. I am going to quit drinking, get back into training, and step into the Octagon again, and when I do, it will be dedicated to all of you who have the courage to believe in the best of what you can be, all of you who have the courage to stand up with me and face your fears and weaknesses. We will stand shoulder to shoulder, an unconquerable army. BELIEVE in what you can do, and it will happen.
I am setting a date.
It has been said that I am done, that I will never fight again. It has been said that I have no chance of ever being a champion again. I refuse to accept that. I challenge you to believe in yourself. I challenge you to do what they say can not be done. Join this army of unconquerable souls.
It’s not about fighting inside of the Octagon anymore for Tanner. Although that may be his ultimate goal and the light at the end of the tunnel that keeps him on the correct path, battling alcoholism is Evan’s biggest issue at the moment. Tanner has given us some great moments inside the Octagon.
Being the middleweight champion of the UFC and only knowing MMA techniques through instructional DVDs is a pretty impressive feat. If Tanner can kick his drinking habit and make a return to the Octagon, then that will be his most impressive feat of all. Should he return, win or lose, he will be able to hang his head high.
We’re all rooting for you, Evan. Hope to see you back in the Octagon
I am setting a date, and on that day I will stop drinking. That will be the day I begin to be a better man. That will be the day I begin to find the best of me. That will be the day I begin to find the best of what life can be. I want to find the magic. Join me. If you want to make a change in your life, join me. If any of you want to find the best of yourself, join me. If you want to find your own magic, join me. I am going to quit drinking, get back into training, and step into the Octagon again, and when I do, it will be dedicated to all of you who have the courage to believe in the best of what you can be, all of you who have the courage to stand up with me and face your fears and weaknesses. We will stand shoulder to shoulder, an unconquerable army. BELIEVE in what you can do, and it will happen.
I am setting a date.
It has been said that I am done, that I will never fight again. It has been said that I have no chance of ever being a champion again. I refuse to accept that. I challenge you to believe in yourself. I challenge you to do what they say can not be done. Join this army of unconquerable souls.
It’s not about fighting inside of the Octagon anymore for Tanner. Although that may be his ultimate goal and the light at the end of the tunnel that keeps him on the correct path, battling alcoholism is Evan’s biggest issue at the moment. Tanner has given us some great moments inside the Octagon.
Being the middleweight champion of the UFC and only knowing MMA techniques through instructional DVDs is a pretty impressive feat. If Tanner can kick his drinking habit and make a return to the Octagon, then that will be his most impressive feat of all. Should he return, win or lose, he will be able to hang his head high.
We’re all rooting for you, Evan. Hope to see you back in the Octagon
STRIKEFORCE AT THE PLAYBOY MANSION
Strikeforce at the Playboy mansion looked pretty successful, and got a shit load of pulicity..good for MMA !
The Sept. 29 show took place on Hugh Hefner’s world-famous estate and was streamed live on Yahoo! Sports. The invitation-only event drew nearly 1,000 spectators who paid $1,000 per ticket. It was the first-ever MMA event held at the Playboy Mansion.
The total official payout for the event’s 24 fighters was $229,183.50.
Full payouts includes:
Gilbert Melendez ($30,000) def. Tetsuji Kato ($6,000)
Joe Riggs ($29,500)* def. Eugene Jackson ($15,000)
Josh Thomson ($24,500)# bonus def. Adam Lynn ($6,000)
Billy Evangelista ($6,000)^ def. Clint Coronel ($3,000)
Jorge Masvidal ($18,182.50) def. Matt Lee ($1,000)
Bobby Southworth ($20,000)# def. Bill Mahood ($1,000)
Falaniko Vitale ($20,000) def. Ron Fields ($7,000)
Daniel Puder ($20,000) def. Richard Dalton ($3,000)
Dewey Cooper ($500) def. Adam Smith ($500)
Daniel McWilliams ($1,000) def. Eddy Millis ($4,000)
Luke Stewart ($7,500)+ def. Sam Liera ($3,000)
Anthony Figueroa ($2,000) def. Miguel Linares ($1,500)* — $15,000 win bonus, # — $10,000 win bonus, + — $4,000 win bonus, ^ — $3,000 win bonus
As with other fight organizations, a disclaimer should be issued. The above figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, which can oftentimes be a substantial portion of a fighter’s income — nor do they include other special bonuses paid by Strikeforce.
The Sept. 29 show took place on Hugh Hefner’s world-famous estate and was streamed live on Yahoo! Sports. The invitation-only event drew nearly 1,000 spectators who paid $1,000 per ticket. It was the first-ever MMA event held at the Playboy Mansion.
The total official payout for the event’s 24 fighters was $229,183.50.
Full payouts includes:
Gilbert Melendez ($30,000) def. Tetsuji Kato ($6,000)
Joe Riggs ($29,500)* def. Eugene Jackson ($15,000)
Josh Thomson ($24,500)# bonus def. Adam Lynn ($6,000)
Billy Evangelista ($6,000)^ def. Clint Coronel ($3,000)
Jorge Masvidal ($18,182.50) def. Matt Lee ($1,000)
Bobby Southworth ($20,000)# def. Bill Mahood ($1,000)
Falaniko Vitale ($20,000) def. Ron Fields ($7,000)
Daniel Puder ($20,000) def. Richard Dalton ($3,000)
Dewey Cooper ($500) def. Adam Smith ($500)
Daniel McWilliams ($1,000) def. Eddy Millis ($4,000)
Luke Stewart ($7,500)+ def. Sam Liera ($3,000)
Anthony Figueroa ($2,000) def. Miguel Linares ($1,500)* — $15,000 win bonus, # — $10,000 win bonus, + — $4,000 win bonus, ^ — $3,000 win bonus
As with other fight organizations, a disclaimer should be issued. The above figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, which can oftentimes be a substantial portion of a fighter’s income — nor do they include other special bonuses paid by Strikeforce.
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