DEF LEPPARD: New Audio Interview With JOE ELLIOTT APRIL 1 2008 !

A new audio interview with DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott conducted last month by radio station KDKB FM in Phoenix, Arizona is available for download in three parts down below.
DEF LEPPARD's new studio album, "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge", is scheduled for release on April 29 via Bludgeon Riffola/Island/UMe.

The 11-track "Songs From The Sparkle Lounge" is DEF LEPPARD's first album of brand new material since 2002's "X" and begins yet another remarkable new chapter in the band's 30-year recording career. Recorded last year during month-long stints at lead singer Joe Elliott's Dublin studio, the album's title refers to a backstage area called The Sparkle Lounge on DEF LEPPARD's 2006 tour where the band would go to write songs.

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

KID ROCK & TOMMY LEE IN THE UFC , IS THIS A CIRCUS SHOW NOW ????

Tommy Lee and Kid Rock To Settle Their Beef In The Octagon
posted Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 09:51:46 AM by deathbringer.

In an obvious move to draw viewers to the rising sport, UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) owner and president Dana White has announced that Tommy Lee and Kid Rock will settle their beef once and for all in the Octagon in a free televised event on Spike TV. The fight is to take place this Wednesday, April 2 in Broomfield, CO as part of Spike TV's UFC Fight night, which preceeds the kick-off of a new season of the MMA reality show, The Ultimate Fighter.

Kid Rock and Tommy Lee weren't too interested when Las Vegas entertainment maven Jeff Beacher offered them $1 million to settle their feud with a winner-take-all boxing match. They didn't even bite when he upped the pot to $5 million. But Spike TV and the UFC have reportedly offered the rockers 10 million dollars each for the one-off bout. The event is expected to garner massive ratings for Spike TV and introduce even more people to the world of MMA and UFC, and has been promoted to the main event of the evening.

UFC President Dana White commented: "You don't know how happy I am to finally get a public fight between these two on the air. We may not see any martial arts, but I think we will see a good old fashion down and dirty brawl, with both guys having so much pent up anger at each other. The sport has been growing, and is on the verge of an explosion, and this may just be the catalyst it needs."

The "fighters" (we use the term loosely) were given two week's notice for the fight, and the entire UFC organization has remained tight-lipped about the event until now.

Rock and Lee got into fisticuffs during the VMAs in Vegas last September, fighting over their mutual ex, Pamela Anderson.

HOLY COW!! FEDOR WANTS 2 MILLION TO FIGHT!!!! PER FIGHT !!!!

EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw on as a guest. One of the topics broached was the reported availability of former PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko.

MMAjunkie has the following quote from Shaw available on its website:

“[Fedor] wants $2 million per fight,” Shaw said. “We keep going back and forth, but he has to fight soon. It’s been almost two years.”

So while a lot of people got excited by a report on Nokaut.com last week claiming Fedor had received an offer from EliteXC that would have offered a base pay of between $300,000-$500,000 for his first two fights of a four fight deal, it doesn’t look like Fedor will be signing with the promotion any time soon.

But with a reported asking price of $2 million per fight, I don’t think think he’ll be fighting anywhere anytime soon unless his camp suddenly drop their financial demands.From Sam Caplan Five Ounces of Pain.

WHATS BEEN GOING ON WITH "EL GUAPO" BAS RUTTEN

Myspace.com,Lots of stuff going on in the crazy world from El Guapo, I have been
traveling a lot.
Last weekend I was in Vegas for the IFL, back and the
next day to NY for a meeting, next day back and I shot the Inside MMA
show, now I am in the plane to Mexico for a wedding of one of my
friends, some breathing time in the home of El Guapo.
When I come back I shoot another episode of Inside MMA, the next day a
whole day filming for the new infomercial that I am coming out with, day
later to Tulsa to attend an HD Net MMA show and do a seminar at Dale
Cook's school (great guy), from there to Boston to shoot an opening
scene for Kevin James's new movie, I play a drill instructor, small
part, couldn't take a bigger one due to my schedule.
Back from Boston
and another episode of Inside MMA and so it goes on and on in my life.
I am blessed lately with everything so although I am busy, you won't
hear me complaining.
How many people have their hobby as profession,
good stuff.
Concentrating on my Bas Rutten MMA system courses that I teach.
Thank
God for my head instructor Oneness Fish who helps me out tremendously
with this.
If you are interested to become an instructor, please find
his contact on my website.
The course is tough, I am not "selling" my system.
We did not have many
people pass the first time but when everybody saw that I meant business
they stepped up and the next test was way better and only a few didn't
make it.
Meaning, everybody can do it! If you are a blue belt with me,
you are already going to be really good, and I mean, REALLY good!
I will teach you everything that has to do with MMA, even how to tread
cuts, wrap hands, you name it.
Apparently the NatGeo episode was seen by a lot of people, I had great
feedback.
The kick to the dummy was great to measure the impact, I
wished I could have trained for it because I think I can do way better,
it was all technique now and less power.
I didn't kick for a long time
because of my knees.
Again, if you want to know exactly how to kick like that, or hit, I go
in dept about that in my courses.
Kimbo is getting better and better, for the people who think that he
doesn't train ground, HELLO, you are talking to me.
You think I let him
make the same mistakes that I did? Of course not.
So he trains ground
too and I am sure it will be shown once one of his next fights goes to
the ground.

The IFL is looking great, new teams coming in, individual matches, live
on TV, let's shoot for a great year.
If you never checked out "Inside MMA" on HD Net, please do so on Friday
nights.
It’s a great show and a lot of fun to do, we have great guests
on top of that.
If you don't have a high def TV, get one, I don't know if you ever
watched HD, it’s a whole new world and I believe soon everybody will go
over to HD, why? Because it’s the future.
You can see the individual
hairs on people's head, it’s that sharp!
OK, just checked into my hotel, like El Guapo always says; Godspeed and
party on!

Bas

1.6 MILLION DOLLARS FOR FEDOR, but he sued for 1.55 B(EE)ILLION!

South Korean prosecutors indicted the local chief of a Russian martial arts agency for fraud Monday after he allegedly used the publicity rights of Fedor Emelianenko,
the famed Russian mixed martial arts fighter, without consent.

Emelianenko filed the suit early this month over a "shoddy" honey commercial that went on air on Korean cable television featuring his image. The world heavyweight champion sought 1.55 billion won ($1.6 million) in compensation from the president of Korea Sambo Federation and the head of a local apiculture agency whose honey product the commercial promoted.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office charged that the local Sambo chief, whose name could not be identified because he is on trial, received 22 million won from the advertisers in 2006, claiming that he owned the exclusive right to locally use Emelianenko's identity for commercial promotion. He was only entitled to a one-year negotiation right with Emelianenko and was yet to sign the real contract granting him the fighter's publicity, prosecutors said. The man was indicted without physical detention, said Lee Tae-gwan, a prosecutor in charge of the case.

The beekeeper agency chief was not indicted.



The 19-second commercial starts with a victorious scene of Emelianenko in a wrestling ring, followed by footage of a bee landing on a yellow rape flower. Then the image of a plain, expressionless Emelianenko returns, as he drinks a bottle of the honey and says " Seonyu Honey is good."

In the complaint, his representative said, "Fedor is the sports star who commands the image of being the strongest fighter in the world... The defendants damaged Fedor's image by producing commercials that do not fit his powerful image and were made with shoddy footage."

Besides the compensation, his representative asked the advertisers to run an apology in mass-circulation newspapers in South Korea. (Yonhap)

CUNG LE NEW CHAMPION OVER FRANK SHAMROCK

Silicon Valley waited nearly 10 years for Frank Shamrock to face off against Cung Le.

When the two fought finally Saturday night in a battle for the Strikeforce middleweight championship, nobody was disappointed.

Le used his kicks to keep Shamrock out of good punching range, and wrestled to stay away from Shamrock’s submission skills for three rounds. The fight was stopped before Round 4 after Shamrock suffered a broken right forearm.

With the win, Le took his former training partner’s title and became the first person to defeat Shamrock by stoppage under modern MMA rules.

THE VID....

QUINTON JACKSON SPEAKS HIS MIND , AIN'T SKEERD OF NO CHUMP MURDERER

UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was a guest on the Opie and Anthony show today. Quinton has been on the show before and has good chemistry with the boys.

I did my best to transcribe some of the interview. It’s paraphrased, but not exaggerated. Quinton discussed the following topics with the boys: “The Ultimate Fighter: 8” , Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva, Brock Lesnar, Kimbo Slice, getting into fighting shape, and the shady operations of now defunct Pride organization.

Quinton mentioned he was out of shape, probably because he has been filming “The Ultimate Fighter 8” show . He mentioned that if he had to get into fighting shape, he could do it in 8 weeks flat while training around five and a half hours a day.

On being a fan friendly fighter:


After the fight where I knocked Chuck out, I got booed. I was devastated. I am a fan friendly fighter. I noticed after that fight [the Liddell fight] I wasn’t that fan friendly to American fans anymore. I’ve always been an international fighter because I fought in Japan and have been more friend family over there

Jim Norton brings up the topic of fighter styles, and how Rampage lost to Wanderlei Silva two times in Pride.
Rampage made some interesting comments about Pride. He starts of by stating that “he doesn’t know” how much he can say, but he makes suggestions about referees favoring fighters to induce desirable outcomes.


I think that if I fought Wanderlei Silva in the UFC I would have beat him. Wanderlei was the chuck Liddell of Pride. If you were beating Wanderlei on the ground, the referee’s would stand you right up. It happened to me. It happened to other fighters that fought him.

Interesting note. I’d like to go back to some of Wanderlei’s fights to watch for this.

Rampage goes on about potential shady goings on during his stint in Pride:


It’s tougher to fight in Pride . The UFC is ran by regular people… Pride wasn’t. I don’t know how much I can say. The UFC is real. The referee can kind of alter the fight in Pride.

He also mentions how the Japanese government, or “other” powerful organizations, might have favored certain fighters. The Yakuza? Who knows.

More on Wanderlei Silva:


Me and Silva don’t even talk to each other. Silva is the type of guy that thinks everyone should be afraid of him. The way I react around him is different. I am not afraid of Wanderlei Silva. They call him “The Axe Murder” because he destroys people in his fights. They threw him chumps and he murdered them. Look at his record of guys he fought. This guy is “The Chump Murderer”. I speak my mind around him and he looks at me all crazy like I shouldn’t be saying that. I think some of the referees took payoffs in Pride. In Japan, I promise you something was up.

On Kimbo Slice:


I heard Kimbo Slice is calling me out. Hold on dawg, you aren’t even in my weight class! You don’t even fight in my organization! Why don’t you call out the heavyweight champion?

On pro wrestlers and Brock Lesnar:


I think that it’s good that pro wrestlers can come over and do some real stuff. Brock Lesnar came and didn’t bring and WWE with him. He didn’t act a fool or nothing like that. He did a good job, he almost finished Mir.

Interesting side notes: – Says to look out for the “purple nurple” in his next fight, a title defense against Forrest Griffin – Was not the slightest bit phased by the infamous video “Two girls one cup” – Rampage thinks the video is fake.

WOW WTF??????

The Affliction Clothing people have spared no expense in their latest ad. The who's who of the fight world are featured in the 2 1/2-minute spot, including Canada's own Georges St. Pierre. The ad also features Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Couture, Fedor Emelianenko, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and others rocking out to a Suicidal Tendencies tune. To view the full ad, check out the scrapyard blog at canoe.ca.

FEDOR'S A WANTED MAN

It's official: Fedor is a free agent again. The bidding has already begun for Fedor Emelianenko as his deal with M-1 came to an abrupt end. Ever-growing fight club EliteXC is talking to the Russian heavyweight. No doubt the UFC is also whispering in his ear again.

NINJA GOES PRIME TIME

The lineup is coming together for EliteXC's fight card May 31 on CBS. The first-ever MMA event to be aired on prime-time network TV will feature Phil Baroni taking on Murilo "Ninja" Rua. Female fighters Gina Carano and Kaitlin Young will also square off. The main event will feature Kimbo Slice taking on a to-be-determined opponent.

FIGHT'S GONE TO POT

Nick Diaz has pulled out of tonight's Strikeforce/EliteXC event. Sherdog.com is reporting the California State Athletic Commission refused to allow Diaz to fight, citing his medical reports weren't filed on time. Diaz management says the commission has a problem with the fighter's prescription marijuana use to treat his Attention Deficit Disorder. The main event features Frank Shamrock taking on Cung Le. It is available on The Fight Network.

DEF LEPPARD KICKS IT OFF IN GREENSBORO,NC

DEF LEPPARD kicked off its North American tour last night (Thursday, March 27) at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina,A.K.A the above photo....

The group's setlist was as follows:

01. Rocket
02. Animal
03. Let's Get Rocked
04. Foolin'
05. Mirror Mirror
06. Nine Lives
07. Love Bites
08. (Bass Solo)
09. Rock On
10. Two Steps Behind
11. Bringin' on the Heartbreak
12. Switch 625
13. Hysteria
14. Armageddon It
15. Photograph
16. Pour Some Sugar on Me
Encore:
17. Rock of Ages

I was supreised only one "new song" made it in ...they were right when Joe said they have to bring inthe new songs slowly ,,especially since the album isn't due out for five weeks ..even though some of us have a " real copy " not a radio rip of " Nine Lives " itsa awesome ...good song to pick to break em in....I heard all the rest of the songs on Rockline..sounded pretty good but its hard to jam out to songs you've only heard once,,, as for Nine Lives ...I hear it everyday cuz it grows on me ....later...

UMMM ,..OK WHO DID'NT SEE DON KING COMING ?

Well it was just a matter of time until more news on this huge story broke and here it is. Seems world famous boxing promoter Don King has stepped forward and offered to promote a boxing match between Roy Jones Jr. and Anderson Silva. It seems like Don King has contacted the UFC and made the offer rather then approaching Silva himself, which is probably a good idea because Dana White is bound to be fairly strict on how and where this fight will go down.

With the worlds biggest boxing promoter trying to get this fight to happen it seems like it’s only a matter of time now. There are really only two things that stand in the way of this fight happening. One, Roy backing out due to a pay cut in his match, boxers are paid a amazing amount of money for their fights especially when they are of Jones Calibre. It’s doubtful this would be an issue though because everyone is predicting this to be the biggest PPV event of all time. The other thing potentially standing in the way of the fight happening is Dana White and the UFC, he may be a bit wary of co promoting and dealing with all the problems that come with it, considering the headache that was the pride buyout. More information on this story as it develops.

URIJAH FABER VS JENS PULVER OFFICIAL! OOOOHHH YEAH!!!

World Extreme Cagefighting officially announced Wednesday morning that WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber (20-1) will defend his title against former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver (22-8-1) on Sunday, June 1st at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif.

The event will be available on VERSUS, starting at 9 p.m. ET. The announcement means that speculation that the fight would possibly be shown on pay-per-view is incorrect.

Also officially announced is WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres’ first title defense, to take place in a bout against Manny Tapia, 10-0-1. Torres, 33-1, won the title from Chase Beebe following a guillotine choke submission in the first round at WEC 32 on February 13.

Former NCAA amateur wrestling champion Mark Munoz, 3-0, will also make his WEC debut on the card, according to the press release issued by the promotion. The highly-touted Munoz will be moving from light heavyweight to middleweight for his bout. An opponent has yet to be named.

MORE FEDOR RUMORS - GOOD SOURCES THOUGH

Elite Xtreme Combat has offered Fedor Emelianenko a four-fight, 18-month contract, according to a report by the website Nokaut.com.

According to the report, under terms of the proposed deal, Emelianenko's first two fights would take place on CBS with the final two fights taking place on pay-per-view. Financial terms have not been revealed, but it is believed that Fedor is being offered a portion of PPV revenue.

Officials from EliteXC have yet to comment on the report.

Fedor's true contractual status at this time is uncertain. It was announced in October that he had signed with M-1 Global as its signature star. However, according to a report by Sherdog.com, Fedor never signed a formal contract with the promotion and only signed a letter of intent. M-1 Global vice president Brian Patton was reported to have denied the Sherdog story, claiming that he watched the contract being signed.

It is interesting to note that according to the Nokaut report, Fedor would have to be announced as being from M-1 Global under terms of the EliteXC proposal.

While there is still much uncertainty, it is widely known within the MMA industry that Emelianenko's management has been soliciting proposals from various promotions over the course of the past several months. In addition to EliteXC, the UFC and Golden Boy Promotions/Affliction have reportedly expressed an interest.

We'll have more details as they become available.

Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

JOE ELLIOTT INTERVIEW NEW 3-21-08 CRASHED RADIO STATIONS WEBSITE

Here's what was posted on defleppard.com

WMMR INTERVIEWS JOE (posted 03.23)

Markus Goldman of Pennsylvania's 93.3 WMMR wrote in to tell us about an interview he did with Joe Elliott last week that is now available on WMMR's web site. The interview, lasting almost an hour, can be downloaded from this page

Well the demand was so high it crashed thier servers , so if you want to hear Joe tak you gotta new place to get it ...rapidshare its free , but it makes you wait a little ...


clickity click here!!!

FEDOR EMELIANENKO INTERVIEW

Complex: You shot a commercial for Affliction clothing last Friday with Randy Couture. Did you two discuss a possible fight between takes?
Fedor Emelianenko: We just took photos and did the commercial. We talked about different stuff - about our families, we invited each other to our homes. Randy talked about how he visited Russia to train one time. That’s about it.

C: Randy’s made it clear that you’re the one person left that he wants to fight. If it never happened, at the end of your career would you feel like you missed out on something special?
Fedor Emelianenko: If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. That’s it. But I think it’s going to take place because I think that everyone wants it.

C: Who do you think wants it more: You, Randy or the fans?
Fedor Emelianenko: The fans want it more.

C: Do you hear it directly from fans?
Fedor Emelianenko: I don’t hear it in person from the fans, but I know it from the questions that the media ask me and from the Internet, so I feel they want me to fight Randy.

C: What would a fight like that mean to you? What would you gain from it?
Fedor Emelianenko: If I win, I would be considered one of the strongest fighters ever.



C: Beside Couture, what other heavyweights you’d like to meet in the ring?
Fedor Emelianenko: (laughs) I don’t know who else would agree to fight me.

C: Would you ever consider dropping down to light heavyweight in order to find a good fight?
Fedor Emelianenko: I would never consider that because I feel comfortable where I am right now. Also, I’d have to diet a lot, and I don’t like that. (laughs)

C: On New Year’s Eve you fought Hong-Man Choi, one of the largest competitors (7′ 2″ and 350 lbs.) in MMA. What adjustments did you have to make to fight someone of his size?
Fedor Emelianenko: I didn’t have any adjustments or anything. Me and my trainer set up a strategy when we saw his fights on television. Then me and my team trained together, and they would try and copy some of his movements and actions.

C: What draws you to this? What got you involved in fighting?
Fedor Emelianenko: When I was little, my mom said, ‘Why don’t you and try (martial arts),’ and I did and I liked it. I fanatically started training and really got into it. It grew and grew each year. That’s how I got into sambo and judo first and then I decided to do MMA after that.

C: What made that decision for you, to go from practicing strict martial arts to actually getting in the ring?
Fedor Emelianenko: I needed money. (laughs)

C: If not MMA, where would you be?
Fedor Emelianenko: Probably I would be still doing sambo and judo. Maybe training younger fighters.

C: Vladimir Putin shows up to your fights on occasion, and the idea of our president showing up to support a fighter seems strange here in America. Have you talked with Putin?
Fedor Emelianenko: Putin once visited me after a fight. Our president is very athletic. He develops and tried to give more attention to sports in Russia right now, which is nice. We did talk.

C: So, would he take out President Bush in a fight?
Fedor Emelianenko: Our president is a black belt in judo and he is also a master in sambo. So if they did that … (laughs) But I think that our leaders should decide their issues in a different way.

C: In between fights, what else are you doing besides preparing for that next match?
Fedor Emelianenko: I have two sambo tournaments including the President’s Championship. The rest of the time, I’m just planning to be with family.

–Interview by Robert Spuhler Complex.com

DON FRYE OUT , PATRICK SMITH IN !

Don “The Predator’ Frye will not be competing in the March 21st MMA event, promoted by Yamma. Here’s the press release:
Don “The Predator” Frye withdraws Due to Injury; Will Provide Commentary for the Fight

New York, March 21, 2008 - Today YAMMA Pit Fighting (YPF), a new mixed martial arts (MMA) organization created by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) founder Bob Meyrowitz, announced that “Masters Superfight” participant Don “The Predator” Frye has withdrawn from the organization’s debut due to surgery on his shoulder. Frye injured his shoulder while training for the YAMMA Pit Fighting April 11 pay-per-view event, in which he was scheduled to face MMA legend Oleg “The Russian Bear” Taktarov. Frye will still attend the fight and will provide commentary.

Frye will be replaced by legendary MMA fighter Patrick Smith, an American mixed martial artist and professional kick boxer. Smith gained notoriety in the early days of the UFC with his commanding wins in several memorable fights, including his defeat of Ninjitsu practitioner Scott Morris in UFC 2. The Denver, Colorado native stands 6 ft 2 in tall and weighs 230lbs., and has won five of his last six MMA fights.

Smith had been scheduled to face Taktarov in the UFC 6 tournament, but had to pull out of the match due to injuries suffered in an earlier tournament fight. Taktarov went on to win the tournament and capture the UFC 6 championship. MMA enthusiasts that have wondered what the outcome would have been had Smith not suffered the injury just may get their answer. On April 11th in Atlantic City, Oleg Taktarov and Patrick Smith will finally meet in a fight 10 years in the making.

“We regret to announce that Don Frye has suffered an injury and will be unable to compete,” said Bob Meyrowitz, Rope Partners. “However, I am happy to say that Don will be joining us on April 11 and will provide expert commentary for the Masters Superfight between Oleg Taktarov and Patrick Smith. We look forward to Don competing in YAMMA Pit Fighting in the future.”

The YAMMA Pit Fighting event, comprised of an eight-man tournament for the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion and two ‘Masters Superfights,’ will air live from the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on April 11, 2008. The other ‘Masters Superfight’ will feature Eric “Butterbean” Esch versus Gary “Big Daddy” Goodridge. Tickets for the event went on sale March 8 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the Trump Taj Mahal Box Office. The live pay-per-view broadcast is available in the United States and Canada through In Demand Networks, TVN Entertainment, Bell ExpressVu, Viewer’s Choice Canada and Dish Network.

The April 11th event will unveil “The YAMMA,” an evolution of the traditional fighting structure that will change how the fight is fought and the strategy the fighters must use to win. This new “ring” has been specifically designed to keep the fighting more explosive and continuous.

For the first time in over a decade, MMA will return to its origins by reviving the hugely popular tournament format, in which fighters will participate in multiple fights on their way to claiming the ultimate victory, the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion. The format will test the endurance and skill of each fighter, as victory in each round is rewarded not with extended rest, but with another fight. Tournament fighting has long been a huge draw for dedicated MMA fans due to the non-stop action provided by fight-after-fight formatting.

WHEN MMA GOES MAINSTREAM ON CBS, ROBBIE LAWLER & KIMBO MAY BE THERE !

CBS and ProElite, Inc. on Thursday announced that the first live primetime mixed martial arts event will be telecast on Saturday, May 31 at 9 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET on the CBS Television Network. CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights will be telecast live from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

A number of top fighters are expected to be on the card including a main event featuring Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson against an as of yet unnamed opponent.

One fight that was officially announced for the card is “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler returning to action to defend his EliteXC middleweight title against Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting middleweight veteran Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith.

Additional fights will be announced at a later date.

“We’re excited to introduce broadcast television viewers to America’s fastest growing sport with this prime time event,” said Kelly Kahl, Senior Executive Vice President, CBS Primetime. “EliteXC is putting together a line-up card that showcases the unique personalities, world-class athleticism, and raw power and emotion that characterizes mixed martial arts.”

The announcement about EliteXC’s partnership with CBS came a few weeks back. ProElite Live Events President Gary Shaw has been vocal about his excitement for the opportunity to present mixed martial arts on network television.

“I am very happy for the highly trained fighters, who will finally get the kind of exposure they deserve, and, of course, the viewers, who will get the opportunity to learn that MMA is truly a sport that requires an abundance of skills, both mentally and physically,” said Shaw via a press release on Thursday.

Showtime Sports will handle the production on the CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights, which are currently slated at four events per year in the two-hour primetime slot.

More announcements are expected to follow about the show including the broadcast team that will handle the announcing duties for the show.

PAT MILETICH FACT

Pat Miletich. His inspiration was his own uncle Johnny Miletich a member of the US Boxing squad at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. Pat trained at the Davenport Boxing Club there in his hometown in Iowa his trainer was Alvino Pena.

DEF LEPPARDS NEW NINE LIVES _ HEAR THE FULL SONG NOW !!

LISTEN TO NINE LIVES NOW CLICK HERE!!!!

OFFICIAL DEF LEPPARD SPARKLE LOUNGE COVER ART!!

After previously presenting two "teaser" covers (one with just the band logo and album title font, and one with a closed theatre curtain), we can now finally reveal what is behind the curtain and show you the final artwork for Def Leppard's new album "SONGS FROM THE SPARKLE LOUNGE!"
As you can see, the band went for a cover in the style of The Beatles' "SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND", by using a collage of photos of various people who have a connection with the band in one way or another. Apart from a number of pictures of the band members themselves (throughout the years), you'll find their parents, crew members, friends, and some artwork characters from the past.

RASHAD EVANS vs CHUCK LIDDELL AT UFC 85

Rashad Evans will replace the injured Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to face Chuck Liddell at UFC 85, according to a report from MMAWeekly:

“‘Ultimate Fighter’ season 2 winner, Rashad Evans, has signed on to face Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell as the main event of the upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship show in London on June 7th as confirmed to MMAWeekly.

Evans has long been rumored to face Brazilian light heavyweight Thiago Silva as a part of the May 24 card featuring B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk as the main event. Now Evans will step in to face Liddell.”

“Sugar” Rashad Evans (11-0-1 MMA, 6-0-1 UFC) remains undefeated, yet untested according to many in the MMA universe, so this fight should definitely help determine if Evans indeed has a place near the top of the UFC’s light-heavyweight division.

Evans will be giving up a significant height, reach, and experience to Liddell, who will likely be a heavy favorite going into the fight, especially after his recent win over Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79. Rashad Evans last appeared inside the octagon at UFC 78, where he walked away with a very close split decision win over Michael Bisping.

MATTT LINDLAND.....

When Matt Lindland signed with Bodog Fight, he inked a three-fight, one-year deal. That deal expired with two of the three fights remaining.

He spoke with MMAWeekly.com recently about his tenure with BodogFight and his frustrations with the Calvin Ayre-owned promotion's business practices.

Lindland last competed in April of 2007 against Fedor Emelianenko in BodogFight: Clash of Nations in St. Petersburg, Russia. He has spent the last ten months expecting two more bouts and two more paydays. Neither came to fruition.

"I lived up to my end of the bargain," said the Greco-Roman wrestling Olympic silver-medalist. "I haven't fought since April, anticipating two more fights with Bodog.

"I was exclusive with them for that period of time. That's why I hadn't done any negotiations outside of that contract. I was upholding my end of the bargain and dealing with them with integrity and honesty. I was being forthright, but they weren't doing such. It was very difficult."

Explaining his contract situation with Bodog Fight, Lindland said, "My contract was with Sixth Row Productions. Bodog and Sixth Row intermingled funds. I mean, I could go after Bodog Fight, but they have no assets. They set up these shell companies and they're not paying their fighters. They don't honor their contracts. It was very disappointing."

Living up to his end of the contract, Lindland appeared frustrated with the situation. Realizing he wasn’t likely to get the fights promised him, he at least tried to come to some sort of settlement with Bodog Fight.

"Here I am asking them just to at least buy me out of this contract and they didn't offer me a single dollar. They owed me a lot of money. They owed me two more times in the ring too.” He continued, “I said, 'I don't want to just take your money, but if you're not going to put me in the ring could you guys pay me something for sitting out for twelve months?' That's ridiculous.”

Unfortunately, Lindland knows all too well that this sort of corporate behavior isn’t an anomaly.

"I run into that in this industry an awful lot … I used to be in the car business and there were a bunch of scumbags in that industry. I'm sure every industry has just these lying scumbags, but it seems like there's a lot in this business."

Regardless of what stipulations and fine print athletes have written into their contracts, Lindland doesn't believe a fighter can fully protect themselves against promoters.

"I don't think you can protect yourself entirely no matter what," said the Oregonian. "Dealing with the new company I'm signing with, we put in some upfront money and hopefully some guarantees, but I guess you can't (protect yourself). That's corporate America. You can't stop a company from going bankrupt and not having the funds, so it's just hard."

Lindland recently signed a three-fight, one-year contract with a start up promotion rumored to be a partnership between popular clothing company Affliction and Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Productions. The as yet unnamed promotion is expected to debut in June in Las Vegas.

UFC 84 FIGHTERS ANNOUNCED !

ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® ANNOUNCES

UFC 84: ILL WILL

UFC® WORLD LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

BJ PENN vs. SEAN SHERK

AND

TITO ORTIZ vs. LYOTO MACHIDA

WANDERLEI SILVA vs. KEITH JARDINE

SATURDAY, MAY 24, 2008

LIVE FROM MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA

Tickets Go on Sale Sunday, March 2 at 10am PST

Columbus, OH (USA) – The time for talking is over, and now UFC® Lightweight Champion BJ “The Prodigy” Penn and former champion Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk will have the chance to settle their score. On May 24, both men will step into the UFC Octagon™ to determine, once and for all, who is the undisputed king of the 155 pound division. Also, in back-to-back light heavyweight superfights, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy”, Tito Ortiz, will take on undefeated Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, and “The Axe Murderer”, Wanderlei Silva, will face “The Dean of Mean”, Keith Jardine. The Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization presents UFC 84: ILL WILL live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, May 24, 2008.

BJ Penn is a gifted athlete with great speed, flexibility and fantastic striking, and Sean Sherk is the best wrestler and likely the strongest fighter in the lightweight division,” said Dana White, UFC President. “Both believe they are the rightful 155 pound champion, and they’ve publicly traded insults about it – Penn has called Sherk a cheater and Sherk has stated he owns the belt – this should be a battle for the ages.”

HOW MUCH CASH WON IN UFC 82 ?? LET ME TELL YOU !

UFC 82: Pride of a Champion Fighter Payouts
Posted: 03 Mar 2008 03:57 PM CST MMA FEVER credits due....

Here are the results of the UFC 82 fighter payday...

Anderson Silva — $140,000 ($70,000 to show, $70,000 to win)
Dan Henderson — $100,000
Silva defeated Henderson via RNC - R2

Heath Herring — $140,000 ($70,000 to show, $70,000 to win)
Cheick Kongo — $30,000
Herring defeated Kongo via split decision

Chris Leben — $50,000 ( $25,000 to show, $25,000 to win)
Alessio Sakara — $17,000
Leben defeated Sakara via TKO - R1

Yushin Okami — $28,000 ($14,000 to show, $14,000 to win)
Evan Tanner — $25,000
Okami defeated Tanner via TKO - R2

Jon Fitch — $60,000 ($30,000 to show, $30,000 to win)
Chris Wilson — $12,000
Fitch defeated Wilson via unanimous decision

Andrei Arlovski — $170,000 ($105,000 to show, $65,000 to win)
Jake O’Brien — $11,000
Arlovski defeated O’Brien via TKO - R2

Luigi Fioravanti — $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win)
Luke Cummo — $16,000
Fioravanti defeated Cummo via unanimous decision

Josh Koscheck — $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)
Dustin Hazelett — $12,000
Koscheck defeated Hazelett via TKO - R2

Diego Sanchez — $60,000 ($30,000 to show, $30,000 to win)
David Bielkheden — $8,000
Sanchez defeated Bielkheden via submission (verbal bitch tapout) - R1

Jorge Gurgel — $14,000 ($7,000 to show, $7,000 to win)
John Halverson — $3,000
Gurgel defeated Halverson via unanimous decision

*** In addition to the base payouts, Anderson Silva was awarded bonus monies for "Fight of the Night" and "Submission of the Night" = $120,000

Dan Henderson also received $60,000 for "Fight of the Night"

Chris Leben was awarded the 60K bonus for "Knockout of the Night

UFC 82 RESULTS !!

Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson
Cheick Kongo vs. Heath Herring
Yushin Okami defeats Evan Tanner via TKO (Knee) Round 2
Chris Leben defeats Alessio Sakara via TKO (Strikes) in Round 1
Jon Fitch defeats Chris Wilson via unanimous decision
Andrei Arlovski defeats Jake O’Brien via technical (strikes) in round two
Luigi Fioravanti defeats Luke Cummo via unanimous decision
Josh Koscheck defeats Dustin Hazelett via technical knockout (strikes) in round two
Diego Sanchez defeats David Bielkheden via submission (verbal tapout because of strikes) in round one
Jorge Gurgel defeats John Halverson via unanimous decision

TONIGHTS IFL RESULTS

Match One: Middleweights
Leopoldo Serao (11-6) vs. Josh Haynes (8-9)
Winner: Josh Haynes, Unanimous Decision

Match Two: Heavyweights
Alexandre Ferreira (15-5) vs. Lew Polley (9-1)
Winner: Alexandre Perreira, submission (standing guillotine) at 0:20 of Round One

Match Three: Welterweights
Jake Ellenberger (16-3) vs. Pat Healy (18-12)
Winner: Jake Ellenberger, Unanimous Decision

Match Four: IFL Lightweight Championship
John Gunderson (15-5) vs. Ryan Schultz (18-9-1)
Winner: Ryan Schultz, Unanimous Decision

Match Five: IFL Heavyweight Championship
Fabiano Scherner (7-5) vs. Roy Nelson (11-2)
Winner: Roy Nelson, TKO at 3:20 of Round One

Match Six: IFL Middleweight Championship
Ryan McGivern (11-5) vs. Matt Horwich (21-9-1)
Winner: And NEW, IFL Middleweight Champion, Ryan McGivern, Unanimous Decision

RAY LEWIS IN THE UFC ? WOW ..MIGHT BE GOOD..

February 29, 2008. First Floyd Mayweather signs with the WWE, now MediaTakeOut.com is hearing whispers that NFL's Ray Lewis is close to signing on to the Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts league.

According to a person who works at U.F.C., the Baltimore Ravens star linebacker and the league have been negotiating for months and are close to closing the deal. The insider told MediaTakeOut.com, "Ray Lewis was an All-American wrestler in high school, and he's just an all around bad a**. He'll fit in perfectly here."

And the insider claims that the deal wouldn't interfere with Ray's NFL career. He explained to MediaTakeOut.con, "We're not looking to sign him on full-time, just a match or two a year - and he can handpick the opponent ... He has such a big name that it will do wonders for the sport."

BROCK LESNAR TO FIGHT IN AUGUST INSTEAD OF JUNE

It seems that Brock Lesnar will now fight for the second time inside the confines of the Ultimate Fighting Championship in August instead of an overseas event in June.

The news comes from Dave Meltzer in his latest Yahoo! Sports column, who grabbed the information from the mouth of Dana White at the pre-fight press conference for this weekend’s UFC 82: Pride of a Champion.

White also mentioned that Lesnar does not yet have an opponent. However Justin McCully remains the most likely candidate.

McCully, who served as one of three special guests on a recebt episode of HDNet’s Inside MMA, publicly stated that he is currently in discussions with UFC officials concerning a return fight from recent elbow surgery against the former professional wrestler.

“We’ve been talking about fighting this big huge guy that just crossed over from some wrestling promotion,” McCully told hosts Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten. “Thats in talks right now. We’ll see what happens. I hope it comes through. I really like the fight.”

McCully also mentioned that if the bout didn’t come to fruition for whatever reason, he would still be back in action this summer regardless.

Former heavyweight champion Frank Mir withered a barrage of punishment from Lesnar in their fight at UFC 81: Breaking Point earlier this month before submitting the genetic monster with a patented kneebar midway through the first round.

After missing a deadline to accept a fight against heavyweight contender Cheick Kongo, Team Punishment’s McCully opted to undergo surgery to remove a number of bone chips and spurs that gradually contributed to a nagging elbow injury. McCully last won a unanimous decision over Antoni Hardonk at UFC Fight Night 9

DEF LEPPARD ALBUM RELEASE NOW SET FOR APRIL 29TH

The release date for Def Leppard’s new album ‘Songs from the Sparkle Lounge‘ has been changed once again. The album is now set for an April 29th date instead of the previously announced May 6th date.

UFC 84 !!!! ILL WILL....SOUNDS GOOD!

THIS BUD'S FOR U,... ummm UFC !!!

It was supposedly the next boxing. But the sponsorships touted by the biggest brand in mixed martial arts, Ultimate Fighting Championship, didn't seem to suggest they were the next anything. The biggest names in the Octagon--Xyience energy drink and Amp'd Mobile--both filed for bankruptcy. But things are changing.

In January, UFC signed Harley Davidson Harley-Davidson IncHOG
39.67 -0.23 -0.58% NYSE

[HOG 39.67 -0.23 (-0.58%) to put its name in the Octagon and today, UFC announced a deal with Anheuser Busch Anheuser-Busch Companies IncBUD
48.43 0.92 +1.94% NYSE

[BUD 48.43 0.92 (+1.94%) ,as Bud Light will become the new exclusive sponsor for the UFC. The brand will be featured on the Octagon center mat and on the vertical bumpers beginning with UFC 84 in Las Vegas on May 24.

Now that is huge. First of all, they are the biggest advertiser in sports, spending 80 percent of their total national TV spending dollars ($141 million of $171 million) on sports from January to Sept. 2007, according to Nielsen. And some go as far as to call them the greatest advertiser in all of sports--if you believe the USA Today Ad Meter for the Super Bowl, which they won for the 10th straight time this year.
For all that UFC was--the pay-per-view dollars and the merchandising--it wasn't for blue chip brands. Well, that's not the case anymore. And for all its critics, the bottom line is that this is proof that the UFC got too big to ignore anymore. Especially for two stalwart brands that seem to be in the same boat. The bottom line is that when Harley reported in January U.S. sales were weak and growing beer share, especially of Bud and Bud Light, is a tremendous challenge as people have shifted to craft and international beers.
The bottom line is UFC fans are, at the very least, prospective Harley Davidson riders and Bud drinkers. And the reality is that the UFC provides more annual buzz than boxing does. So it's fitting that Bud Light will first appear in the Octagon in Las Vegas, where boxing has made its name. Mark this date down: May 24. Because of this deal, the UFC finally becomes the next boxing on that date.

Posted By:Darren Rovell 2008 CNBC,Inc.

NEW DEF LEPPARD ART WORK REVEALED!!!

http://www.deflepparduk.com busts out with the latest news from the Sparkle Lounge withthis new cover for " Nine Lives" w Tim Mcgraw

BOB SAPP GOT PUNISHED OR AS MMA FEVER PUTS IT "BOB SAPP IS A BITCH"

Full Results:

-Jan Nortje def. Bob Sapp by TKO at 0:55, R1
-Cory Devela def. Joe Riggs by Submission (Injury) at 1:22, R1
-Maurice Smith def. Rick Roufus by Submission (Kimura) at 1:53, R1
-Eddy Ellis def. Steve Berger by Unanimous Decision, R3
-Jorge Masvidal def. Ryan Healy by Unanimous Decision, R3
-Mychal Clark def. Josh Bennett by TKO (Doctor Stoppage Due to Cut) at 5:00, R2
-Lyle Beerbohm def. Ray Perales by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:19, R3
-Mike Hayes def. Matt Kovacs by Unanimous Decision, R3
-Zach Skinner def. Scott Shaffer by Unanimous Decision, R3
-Nathan Coy def. Dave Corshane by KO at 1:46, R1

UFC 82 CAN THE FORMER UFC CHAMP MAKE THE COMEBACK? I HOPE SO !

For a time, Evan Tanner (32-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) was perhaps the most popular fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

A clean-cut, intelligent and humble all-American who shattered every preconceived notion of an "ultimate fighter," it was easy to root for him. Even among UFC fighters, he was a role model — the big brother the younger guys wanted to emulate.


When he won the UFC's middleweight title in 2005 — his eighth victory in nine fights — the 37-year-old fighter reached the zenith of his success and popularity. However, he'd lose his title and two of his next three fights, and an unfortunate and all-too-public downhill slide began.

Tanner hasn't competed in the UFC (or anywhere for that matter) since an April 2006 fight with Justin Levens. A well-documented battle with alcohol — one that Tanner himself continually wrote about on his Web site — kept him too busy for any battles in the cage.

As the UFC's middleweight division was slowly depleted of talent, and as new champ Anderson Silva continued to separate himself from the pack, the rumblings began. The fans wanted Tanner back in the octagon.

Rumors of his possible return came and went. Rumored fights even heated up — only to be extinguished by the UFC or Tanner himself.

Then, in November, the Texan announced he had signed a four-fight deal. Now, his long-awaited return is set for the Saturday, March 1 UFC 82 event at Columbus' Nationwide Arena.

He could have competed sooner, but the UFC had a problem: no one wanted to fight him. "They approached four guys about a fight, and all four declined it," Tanner said.

For most fighters, it was a no-win situation. Despite Tanner being a former champ, a victory over him would do little to help a fighter's stock in the division. And a loss could be downright disastrous.

As it turns out, the only fighter willing to step in and take the bout was arguably its top contender: Yushin Okami (20-4 MMA, 5-1 UFC).

Although the fight didn't receive top billing, don't be surprised when Saturday's crowd treats Tanner's return like the night's main event.


Dann Stupp

UPDATE ON YAMMA PIT FIGHTING

Los Angeles, February 26, 2008 – Sam Caplan reports that today YAMMA Pit Fighting (YPF), a new mixed martial arts (MMA) organization created by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) founder Bob Meyrowitz, announced that their first matchup will pit Russia vs. U.S.A, as Oleg “The Russian Bear” Taktarov and Don “The Predator” Frye will go toe-to-toe in the organization’s first live pay-per-view event.
The event will air live from the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on April 11, 2008. Tickets for the event will go on sale March 8, and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.

This first matchup will witness two MMA legends battle in a totally new and unique arena. The veteran fighters will face off in one of the ‘Masters Superfights’, one-on-one matches that feature some of MMA’s most illustrious and legendary fighters. In addition to the Superfights, the April 11th event will showcase the skill and endurance of eight fearsome competitors in a tournament match for the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion. Tournament fighters include: Marcelo “Pato” Pereira, Sherman Pendergarst, Rex Richards, Tony Sylvester, Chris Tuscherer and Travis “The Diesel” Wiuff.

“Don Frye needs to do only two things: fly to Russia and stay there for ten years to study Sambo. Then, maybe he’ll be ready,” said Oleg Taktarov about his upcoming face off with Frye.

Jeff Blatnick will serve as a commentator for both the Heavyweight Tournament and “Masters Superfights.” Blatnick, a retired athlete and cancer survivor, has won ten national wrestling titles and various international awards. He was a member of both the 1980 and 1984 United States Olympic Teams, and is famous for his awe-inspiring underdog win at the 1984 Olympics, after having his spleen and appendix removed due to Hodgkin’s disease. This win made him only the second U. S. Greco-Roman wrestler in history to win a gold medal. Since retiring, Jeff has become a successful television sportscaster and has appeared as an expert analyst on NBC, ABC and ESPN.

Don "The Predator" Frye is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter, actor, and professional wrestler who has fought in UFC, PRIDE and K-1. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 2 tournaments. He is widely considered one of the first "cross trained" MMA fighters, having a background in multiple disciplines including: extensive collegiate wrestling, a 2nd degree black belt in Judo and a professional boxing record. Frye stands 6ft 1in and weighs 220lbs and has a MMA record of 19-6-1.

Sambo and Judo expert Oleg “The Russian Bear” Taktarov is a PRIDE, UFC and Bodog Fights veteran known for calmness during battle and acrobatic takedowns. Taktarov's MMA record is 13-5-2 and he has never been submitted in a MMA match. He stands 6ft tall and weighs 220lb and recently returned to the MMA ring, winning a decisive victory over challenger John Marsh in November 2007.

YAMMA Pit Fighting will return to the popular origins of MMA by reviving the tournament format, in which fighters will participate in multiple fights on their way to claiming the ultimate YAMMA victory, the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion. This format will push fighters to the limits of skill and endurance, as victory in each round is rewarded not with extended rest, but with another fight. Some of MMA’s newest and best emerging fighters will be featured in the Heavyweight Tournament fight card and will include:

· Marcelo “Pato” Pereira - a multiple world and Brazil BJJ champion known for this strong chin and very heavy hands with an MMA record of 5-0-0

· Sherman Pendergarst - a 6'1 230 pound former Collegiate wrestler and State High School wrestling champion with a background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing and Kick boxing with an MMA record of 10-8-0

· Rex Richards – a former lineman for the Indianapolis Colts and Machado BJJ brown belt. Richards is a veteran of Strike Force and Art of War with a professional mixed martial arts record of 4-1-0

· Tony Sylvester – a boxing/wrestling expert who is considered to be one of the top up-and-coming heavyweights in the nation with a MMA record of 10-1-0

· Travis “The Diesel” Wiuff - a UFC, Pride and IFL veteran, and current IFO World Champion with a Mixed Martial Arts record of 47-11-0. He is known for his well rounded fighting style with vicious elbows on the ground

The additional three tournament fighters will be announced in the coming weeks.

PAT MILETICH TALKS YAMMA AND UNIFICTION OF ALL MMA

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN: 

STREET CERTIFIED PAYOUTS - KIMBO GOT BREAD!!! FINALLY THOSE KIDS CAN EAT !!!

Kevin(KIMBO)Ferguson ($175,000) def. David Abbott ($126,000)
Antonio Silva ($80,000) def. Ricco Rodriguez ($20,000)
Scott Smith ($12,000) def. Kyle Noke ($3,000)
Yves Edwards ($6,000) def. Edson Berto ($6,000)
Brett Rogers ($4,000) def. James Thompson ($25,000)
Rafael Feijao ($6,000) def. John Doyle ($2,5O0)
Yosmany Cabezas ($2,000) def. Jon Kirk ($2,500)
Dave Herman ($1,500) def. Mario Rinaldi ($2,000)
Eric Bradley ($1,000) def. Mikey Gomez ($1,500)
Lorenzo Borgomeo ($1,000) def. Mike Bernhard ($1,500)
Moyses Gabin ($1)* def. Jirka Hlavati ($500)

Wait a minute ....A DOLLAR????!!!???? WTF?
Can anyone explain this??

MARK COLEMAN TO THE HALL OF FAME

MMAjunkie confirmed today that Mark "The Hammer" Coleman (15-8, 6-3UFC) will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame at March 1st's UFC 82 in Columbus OH.

Coleman, who first came onto the MMA scene at UFC 10, won the Heavyweight 8-Man tournament and would follow that up with another tournament win at UFC 11. His next fight would be with Dan "The Beast Severn at UFC 12 to decide the first ever UFC Heavyweight Champion. "The Hammer" would win the match via choke in the 1st round.

His next 3 fights would end in losses, decisions to Maurice Smith and Pedro Rizzo and a highlight reel head kick loss to Pete Williams.

Coleman would make the move to the Pride organization in Japan winning the Open Weight Grand Prix of the year 2000. He last fought at Pride 32 in Oct. of 2006, losing to The #1 ranked Heavyweight in the world Fedor Emelianenko.

QUINTON JACKSONS HAVIN A INTERVIEW SEIZURE, LOL!

Raw Vegas Video

BOSS OF BOSSES CAUGHT AFTER 20 YEARS ON THE LAMB

Pasquale Condello is led away by Italian police. Photograph: Antonio Taccone

A mafia crime boss has been captured in southern Italy after 20 years on the run, police said today.

Pasquale Condello, a syndicate head known to associates as "the supreme one", was arrested in the centre of the regional capital Reggio Calabria.

The 57-year-old was "one of the last bosses still on the loose", the Italian news agency ANSA quoted a prosecutor, Francesco Mollace, as saying.

Condello is accused of running an extortion network and is regarded as a key figure in trafficking cocaine between Columbia and Europe.

"It is the latest, extraordinary operation against organised crime," the interior minister, Giuliano Amato, said in a statement. "Pasquale Condello was the number one boss of the ndrangheta."

The ndrangheta [honoured society] is the Calabrian equivalent of the Sicilian Mafia and one of the most ruthless syndicates in Italy.

Organised crime agencies estimate the clan brings in around £25bn annually, about 3.5% of Italy's GDP.

The syndicate hit the headlines in August when it shot dead six people outside a restaurant in the German city of Duisburg.

Amato said investigators considered Condello the "Provenzano of Calabria", referring to the notorious mafia figure Bernardo Provenzano. The reputed "boss of bosses" of Sicily's Cosa Nostra was arrested in 2006 after some 40 years as a fugitive.

A prosecutor, Alberto Cisterna, told Sky TG24 television the Condello crime clan was one of the most "ferocious" of the ndrangheta.

Condello had been given several life prison terms for crimes including the killing of a former head of the Italian state railways in 1987.

NINE LIVES FULL PLAY ...NOW !!!

HERES THE WHOLE SONG!!!!

Thanks much to ...THE DEF LEPPARD E STREET TEAM CLICK HERE

PAT MILETICH, BAS RUTTEN, IGOR AND MORE ..ALL TURING TO RAP !!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

WATCH THIS VIDEO TITO AND DANA TELLING THIER SIDES

Click here for..TITO VS DANA ( SORT OF ) SOUND OFF.

UFC'S FASTEST SELLOUT IN HISTORY !

Las Vegas, NV (USA) FEB. 08 — “The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization today announced that the first UFC event in Canada UFC 83: SERRA vs. ST-PIERRE 2 taking place Saturday, April 19 live from Montreal’s Bell Centre is sold out, and that the event ranks as the fastest UFC sellout in history. “Most of the tickets for UFC 83 were sold in the first 24 hours of our UFC Fight Club presale, and the rest were gone within one minute of the public on-sale today,” said Dana White, UFC President. “I’m excited to say that this event is a sellout, and the fastest one in UFC history, so it’s safe to say we definitely will be back in Canada after this inaugural event.”

“We are pleased to host the first UFC event in Canada. We are convinced that the quality of the event will thrill Quebecers who will witness home-province fighters Georges St-Pierre and Patrick Côté showcasing their courage and skills at the Bell Centre,” said Pierre Boivin, President of Gillett Entertainment Group.

More than 21,000 fight fans will gather at UFC 83 to watch Quebec’s own Georges “Rush” St-Pierre, the Interim UFC Welterweight Champion, attempt to become the undisputed champion in a rematch with reigning titleholder Matt “The Terror” Serra.

URIJAH FABER - CLASS ACT - GOOD PEOPLE

Mixed martial arts has been the fastest growing sport in the world for the last two years now. The Ultimate Fighting Championship has been the most dominant and largest organization in the sport. Zuffa (the parent company of the UFC) purchased a smaller organization, World Extreme Cagefighting, back in December of 2006. When that transition went through, observers thought the WEC would serve as the minor leagues for the UFC.
To the casual fan, that might be the case. To true fight fans, there isn't anything further from the truth.
World Extreme Cagefighting has a ton of talent and superstars of their own, many of which can hang with the "so called big boys" of the UFC.

The best thing about the WEC is the fact that they have a 135 and 145 pound weight class and the UFC does not. The most exciting fights usually are the faster and smaller guys.

The biggest star in the WEC just happens to be the king of the featherweight division. He also is one of the most dominating fighters in all of the sport no matter what division or organization.

Urijah Faber fights at 145 pounds for the WEC and puts on one helluva show every time he steps into the cage. If you like action, fast pace, and exciting fights, then you need to watch a Urijah Faber match.

Faber is currently 20-1 in his mixed martial arts career. In his last fight, he dominated Jeff Curran to defend his WEC title yet again back in December. He is also easily one of my favorite fighters due to his fast paced style. He's always aggressive and likes to put on a show.

Urijah is currently training and awaiting the announcement for his next fight. One of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts, known as "The California Kid", found time to speak with me.

SS: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me Urijah, how is everything?

UF: Not a problem, I'm actually battling a cold and lost a little weight so I'm just trying to get that back on.

SS: You were a standout wrestler in both high school and college, what made you get into mixed martial arts?

UF: I was always a huge fan. I loved watching fighting and boxing and was really into contact sports. I watched every UFC. It was something I thought I'd be good at, the opportunity presented itself and I went for it.

SS: Who were some of the fighters you liked watching in the early UFC days?

UF: I liked the guys with great technique and the wrestlers, Vitor Belfort, Mark Coleman, Don Frye, Tito Ortiz, and Randy Couture.

SS: Who will we see you fighting next and when?

UF: The rumor right now is that it will be Jens Pulver in June. In might happen in Sacramento at Arco Arena. I hope that happens, I'd love to fight in my home town.

SS: What kind of game plan would you have with Jens, he's a true veteran.

UF: I would just train with some southpaws and go fight him.

SS: Is there anyone else out there you would like to fight?

UF: All the contenders at 145. There are a bunch of them that the general public is in the dark on. I honestly don't care who I fight, I'm just looking for good competition.

SS: Is there any aspect of your game you feel needs more work?

UF: I'm always working on my standup. You can never stop learning. I work in all areas and blend it all together. If you train right, you'll get better. Technique is the key and you can always work on that.

SS: Any idea of how long you plan on staying in the fight game?

UF: I'm not a big planner , if I was I'd probably be selling mortgages somewhere. No, I plan to do it until I stop enjoying it. I'll listen to my body and heart. As long as I'm still competitive, maybe until I'm 36 or 38, somewhere around there. I'll stack some chips and get out.

SS: I'm really looking forward to your fight with Jens. I really do appreciate your time, I'm a big fan and keep up the great work. Hopefully we can do it again soon.

UF: Not a problem and thank you · By Scott Swerbinsky

UFC 85 BIG PAYDAY FOR SOMEONE....MMAFEVER

UFC 85 event set for June 14 in London will instead feature a headline light-heavyweight bout between Chuck Liddell (21-5 MMA, 16-4 UFC) and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (16-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC).

HOW MUCH SCRATCH DID THEY MAKE IN UFC 81??

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira ($200,000) def. Tim Sylvia ($100,000)
Frank Mir ($80,000) def. Brock Lesnar ($250,000)
Nate Marquardt ($52,000) def. Jeremy Horn ($25,000)
Ricardo Almeida ($40,000) def. Rob Yundt ($5,000)
Tyson Griffin ($36,000) def. Gleison Tibau ($11,000)
Chris Lytle ($24,000) def. Kyle Bradley ($4,O00)
Tim Boetsch ($12,000) def. David Heath ($6,000)
Marvin Eastman ($14,000) def. Terry Martin ($12,000)
Rob Emerson ($16,000) def. Keita Nakamura ($5,000)

All the winning fighters received pay that awarded 50 percent “to show” and 50 percent as a “win bonus” — except for Lesnar, who would have earned a $200,000 win bonus.
UFC 81 salaries as reported originally by MMAJunkie

UFC 81 BIG LET DOWNS AND BIGGER WINS

UFC 81 "Breaking Point" From Las Vegas, Nevada
February 2nd, 2008 Results By Matt Boone


QUICK-MATCH RESULTS

Prelim Fights:

-Rob Emerson def. Keita Nakamura via Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) after 3 Rounds.

-Marvin Eastman def. Terry Martin via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) after 3 Rounds.

-Tim Boetsch def. David Heath via TKO (strikes) at 4:52 of Round 1.

-Chris Lytle def. Kyle Bradley via TKO (strikes) at 0:33 of Round 1.

PPV Fights:

-Tyson Griffin def. Gleison Tibau via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after 3 Rounds.

-Ricardo Almeida def. Rob Yundt via Submission (guillotine choke) at 1:08 of Round 1.
-Nate Marquardt def. Jeremy Horn via Submission (guillotine choke) at 1:37 of Round 2.
-Frank Mir def. Brock Lesnar via Submission (kneebar) at 1:30 of Round 1.

-Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Tim Sylvia via Submission (guillotine choke) at 1:28 of Round 3 to become interim UFC Heavyweight champion.

Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar

Round one: Lesnar scored a takedown within five seconds. Lesnar got into half guard and connected with hard punches and elbows, but in the midst of it, hit Mir in the back of the head. Steve Mazzagatti stopped the fight and took away a point for the illegal blow. Right after the break, Lesnar hammered him with a right and Mir went down. Lesnar hammered away and Mir nearly caught him with an arm bar. Lesnar tried to walk out of Mir's guard and Mir caught his leg and sunk in a knee bar. It was over as Lesnar tapped out at 1:30 of the first round.

Winner: Mir by knee bar sumbission



Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Tim Sylvia

Round one: Sylvia tagged Nogueira with a hard right early. Nogueira pulled guard within the first minute, but Sylvia slipped away and brought the fight back to a standing position. He scored again with a crisp left jab, but Nog answered back with a right. Sylvia hammered Nog with a left hook and Nog went down. Tim followed him to the ground to try to finish, but Nog hung on. Sylvia stepped away and went back to standing, but Nog managed to drag him back to the mat. Again, Sylvia pulled away. You could see their strategies emerging, with Sylvia realizing his edge standing and Nogueira wanting to take it to the canvas. Sylvia was very aggressive in the first round, so the fans had nothing to boo this round. Nog got a takedown as the round expired.

Round two: Nog tried an early takedown, which Sylvia stuffed. Minotauro is having a bit of trouble finding the range because of Sylvia's reach advantage, which is not an unexpected development. Sylvia is doing an excellent job avoiding the takedowns, and Nogueira must be credited for his granite chin. Nog tried to clinch but was denied, then tried a single leg takedown, driving Sylvia against the cage but was denied after 45 seconds of max effort. Sylvia caught Minotauro again with a right hook inside of a minute, and this is another round that should be scored for Sylvia.

Round three: Again, Nogueira started the round with a takedown try, but Sylvia held his ground. A few seconds later, he pulled guard. Sylvia tried to pull out, but Nogueira got a sweep into side control. As they scrambled for position, Nog got the guillotine and just like that, it was over.

Winner: Nogueira via guillotine submission

With the win, Nogueira becomes the first man ever to hold both the UFC and PRIDE heavyweight titles, though it must be noted he was one of only two men to hold the PRIDE belt. (Fedor Emelianenko held the belt from November 2001 until the company was sold to UFC in 2007.