Cris Cyborg talks about the what's she's been up to in her layoff, the lack of competition in her division, and how she feels about the things that Ronda Rousey has said about her. She takes is as far as calling her out in the parking lot after Strikeforce August 18th, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Invicta FC Announces Full 13 Bout Line-up for Third Event on Oct 6
SUPERSTARS JESSICA PENNE AND NAHO SUGIYAMA TO BATTLE FOR FIRST-EVER INVICTA FC WORLD TITLE
IN ATOMWEIGHT MAIN EVENT IN KANSAS CITY, OCT 6
TICKETS ON SALE SOON FOR STACKED,
13 BOUT CARD FEATURING:
SHAYNA BASZLER VS. SARAH D’ALELIO
BARB HONCHAK VS. AISLING DALY
TARA LAROSA VS. VANESSA PORTO
LESLIE SMITH VS. CAT ZINGANO
MICHELLE WATERSON VS. LACEY SCHUCKMAN
JULIA BUDD VS. ELAINA MAXWELL
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Aug. 15, 2012) – American phenom Jessica Penne (9-1) of Laguna Hills, Calif. will square off with undefeated Naho “Sugi Rock” Sugiyama (8-0) of Kyoto, Japan in the first-ever Invicta Fighting Championships title fight and atomweight (105 pounds) main event of the promotion’s third all-women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Sat., Oct. 6.The ticket on-sale date for the much-anticipated Invicta FC 3: Penne vs. Sugiyama event, featuring 13 professional bouts, will be announced soon.
After bringing fans to their feet in a hard-fought main event battle against Olympic Wrestling Silver Medalist Sara McMann, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler of Sioux Falls, S.D. will return to action in the bantamweight (135 pounds) co-main event and take on Invicta FC 2 winner Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio (6-2) of San Jose, Calif.
Another Invicta FC 2 victor, Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak (6-2) of Bettendorf, Iowa will face off with rising star and furious finisher Aisling “Ais The Bash” Daly (13-3) of Dublin, Ireland in a super flyweight (125 pounds) contest.
Invicta FC will welcome one of the original pioneers of women’s MMA, submission expert Tara LaRosa (21-2) of Woodstown, N.J., who will lock horns at super flyweight with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Vanessa Porto (14-5) of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Undefeated Cat “Alpha” Zingano (6-0) of Broomfield, Colo. will make her long-awaited Invicta FC debut against Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (3-2-1) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. in a bantamweight matchup and Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson (9-3) of Albuquerque, N.M. will also make her first start under the Invicta FC banner against Lacey “The Ladie” Schuckman (7-5) of Lakewood, Colo. in an atomweight scrap.
In the leadoff main card bout, Julia “The Jewel” Budd (3-2) of Port Moody, Canada will meet Elaina “Beef” Maxwell (7-4) of San Jose, Calif.
Jessica Penne vs. Naho Sugiyama
The 29-year-old Penne will move to headlining status after a spectacular co-main event showing on Invicta FC’s inaugural card on April 28 when she stopped Lisa Ellis-Ward with an onslaught of punches in the third round (2:48) of their matchup shortly after breaking Ellis-Ward’s nose with a knee strike. A lifelong athlete, Penne was a competitive swimmer before stumbling upon a pair of boxing gloves and deciding to try her hand at MMA.
Sugiyama will put her perfect record on the line in The United States for the first time since she began tearing through the ranks of professional competitors in Japan three years ago. On Dec. 17, 2011, the 34-year-old was crowned a champion in Japanese all-women’s promotion JEWELS after defeating two opponents – Kikuyo Ishikawa and Misaki Takimoto – in one night of action.
Shayna Baszler vs. Sarah D’Alelio
The charismatic, 32-year-old Baszler helped create an electric atmosphere at Memorial Hall on July 28 by engaging McMann in an all-out war for three rounds before losing a heartbreaking decision. A fearsome grappler, Baszler has earned the respect of the fight world by earning 13 of her 14 victories with submissions, including her patented hold that she dubbed the “shwing.”
D’Alelio, 31, pulled off a stunning upset at the Invicta FC event on July 28, tapping out Porto, a far more advanced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu player with a beautifully executed reverse triangle armbar in the first round (3:16) of their meeting. To date, D’Alelio has notched five of her six wins by way of submission.
Barb Honchak vs. Aisling Daly
Honchak turned in a dominant performance at Invicta FC 2, scoring a second round (1:22) TKO on Bethany Marshall with a barrage of punches to notch her sixth career win. A protégé of UFC veteran Steve Berger who recently relocated to Quad Cities, Iowa to train at Miletich Fighting Systems, the 32-year-old Honchak will look to secure her sixth consecutive victory.
The 24-year-old Daly is ranked amongst the top five competitors in the super flyweight division. She holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has earned 6 of her 13 career victories by way of submission and 5 by way of KO.
Tara LaRosa vs. Vanessa Porto
LaRosa has been nearly unstoppable throughout her decade long professional MMA career, defeating a host of fellow superstars, including Baszler, Kelly Kobold and Alexis Davis. Between 2004 and 2009, the 34-year-old went unbeaten in 15 consecutive starts. LaRosa will seek her fourth straight win in her Invicta FC debut
Following her upset defeat at the hands of D’Alelio, which snapped a four-fight win streak, the 28-year-old Porto will look to regain her stride in the women’s super flyweight division. Trained by her husband, Pedro Iglesias, whom Porto met after walking into Iglesias’ gym for the first time in 2004, Porto has shown off her mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by earning 10 of her 14 career wins via submission.
Leslie Smith vs. Cat Zingano
Smith will return to the Invicta FC cage after a fractured wrist kept her on the sidelines from competing on the promotion’s second card on July 28. At the inaugural Invicta FC event on April 28, the 29-year-old Smith earned “Fight of the Night” honors for her brutal, toe-to-toe war with Kaitlin Young that was declared a draw after a three-round see-saw battle.
Zingano, a brilliant finisher who has earned four of her six career wins by way of either KO or submission, will enter the cage for the first time this year and look to extend her perfect record that she has been building since 2008. Trained by her husband, Professor Mauricio Zingano, the 30-year-old is a former collegiate wrestler who went on to win the 2007 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships before
Michelle Waterson vs. Lacey Schuckman
Waterson is a 26-year-old student of famed MMA trainer Greg Jackson. A martial arts student since the age of 10, she holds a black belt in American Freestyle Karate and was a contestant on the Muay Thai-themed Fight Girls reality series on the Oxygen television network. On Jan. 21, Waterson ended a near two-year hiatus from competition, submitting Diana Rael with a rear-naked choke in the first round (2:12) of their matchup in Albuquerque.
Also a former Muay Thai fighter, the 24-year-old Schuckman showed the world that she is always game by accepting an Invicta FC 2 fight with undefeated JEWELS champion Ayaka Hamasaki on less than two weeks’ notice. Despite the short window of time that she had to prepare for the task, Schuckman, who has earned four of her seven career wins by way of submission, nearly pushed Hamasaki the distance of their bout before succumbing to a Hamasaki armbar with just 15 seconds remaining in the third and final round of their bout.
Julia Budd vs. Elaina Maxwell
The chiseled Budd, a 29-year-old lifelong athlete and budding fitness trainer, began her prize fighting career in the sport of Muay Thai where she chalked up several a number of notable wins, including one over superstar Gina Carano, before transitioning to MMA. She is a student of former UFC competitor and world-ranked Shooto fighter, Lance Gibson. Budd scored a first-round (3:49) TKO on Elina Nilsson with a combination of punches and elbow strikes at the Invicta FC 2 event on July 28.
Like Budd, the 33-year-old Maxwell boasts a stellar kickboxing resume. A three-time champion in San Shou rules kickboxing, she won the first American gold medal at the world Wushu (San Shou) Games in Macau, China in 2003. Maxwell reeled off her third straight MMA win on March 30, earning a unanimous decision over Ashley Sanchez in Kearney, Neb.
The six-bout preliminary card will be topped by a matchup between Carla Esparza (7-2) of Redondo Beach, Calif. and Lynn Alvarez (5-2) of Las Vegas, Nev.
Two undefeated prospects, Ashley Cummins (3-0) of St. Louis, MO. and Joanne Calderwood (3-0) of Glasgow, Scottland will collide at super flyweight.
Amy Davis (3-3) of Idaho Falls, Idaho will face Stephanie Frausto (3-4) of Middletown, Ohio in an atomweight affair.
Fresh off her professional debut win at Invicta FC 2, highly-touted Jessamyn Duke (1-0) of Richmond, Ky. will face unbeaten Marciea Allen (1-0) of Watertown, S.D. in a bantamweight battle.
Tecia Torres (0-0) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Kaiyana Rain (0-0) of Los Angeles, Calif. will make their respective professional debuts against each other at flyweight.
Unbeaten Katalina Malungahu (2-0) of Las Vegas, Nev. will tangle with Taylor Stratford (0-0) of Woodland, Calif. in a featherweight (145 pounds) fight.
About Invicta Fighting Championships:
Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.
Contact:
Mike Afromowitz (917) 566-8754, mikea@yourwitzend.com
Woman's MMA Today: “All Access: Ronda Rousey” Part 2 Preview
“All Access: Ronda Rousey” Part 2 Aires August 15th at 9:30pm ET
Go inside the intense training routines of Ronda Rousey and Sarah Kaufman as the two MMA fighters prepare for their epic championship battle. Don’t miss the second episode of “All Access: Ronda Rousey” on Wednesday, August 15, 9:30pm ET/PT only on SHOWTIME.“All Access: Ronda Rousey” – Part 2 Preview
**To stay up-to-date on all things related to women’s MMA, follow us on Facebook (click here).
New mindset: Strikeforce bantamweight Miesha Tate interview exclusive with MMAmania.com (Part two)
Sometimes, after going through great adversity, one comes back even stronger
than ever.
That's what former Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate is hoping to do.
Tate had her title forcefully ripped out of her clutches by current division kingpin Ronda Rousey earlier this year in Columbus, Ohio when she was caught in an armbar from the Judo Olympian and waited too long to tap, suffering major soft tissue damage.
She's made some big changes, going back to her original gym in Washington state, changing her nickname from "Takedown" to "Cupcake" and more importantly, she's vowed to never again be emotionally compromised heading into a fight like she did against Rousey the last time.
Tate will be taking on Julie Kedzie this Saturday night (August 18, 2012) on the preliminary card of Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman and in part one of her interview posted yesterday, she discussed training at elevation and having less attention focused on her. Today, she talks about Kedzie, her biggest fears and why visualization is so important to her in the final chapter of our exclusive interview.
Check it out:
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): In my preparation for this interview, I listened to and read a wide range of prior interviews and I think at one point in every single one, someone asked about your arm and the armbar. How tired are you of talking about your arm?
Miesha Tate: It gets tedious, I'm not gonna lie. A lot of people, that's one of the main two questions I get asked: "How's your arm and when's your next fight? How's your arm? When's your next fight? How's your arm? When's your next fight?" It's like, that's what Google's for, you know?
Seriously though, it's expected and I know that a lot of people want to know. It's nice to know that people care enough to ask so I guess I can't complain. One of my biggest pet peeves is being asked the same question over and over again. It's not anyone's fault, but it does kind of annoy me to be honest.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Let's talk about your upcoming fight. You're facing Julie Kedzie, who's been around a little longer than than you and she's faced a laundry list of the best female fighters out there. You've said that you think you're better than her in just about everything. What does that make you want to do when you get in the cage? Do you want to utilize something new you've been working on or would you rather respond to the flow of the fight?
Miesha Tate: I just want to come back with a vengeance. My ideal is just to make a statement and get people talking, "Not only is she back, but she's back powerfully. She's stronger than ever. This wasn't a setback for her, this was a comeback." That's what I really want. I don't really have a strong gameplan where in order to win the fight, I have to do "this" or "that." I kind of think I can win the fight in every area.
We studied and I know where my strengths and weaknesses match up with her and like I said, I feel pretty confident and pretty strong in every area. I would like to end the fight with strikes. However that may be, I'd like that. that's what I'm going for in regards to making an impression. But if the submission or anything else is there, I won't hesitate to take that.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I don't think she's ever been stopped by strikes, even though she's stepped in there against some pretty devastating strikers like Gina Carano and Kaitlin Young. That would be a pretty big feather in your cap if you could pull it off.
Miesha Tate: I kind of see the fight, I envision myself winning via TKO. That's what I would like to do the most. The thing about Julie is, she's a really hard girl to finish. She's been doing this long enough and she's been training really long and fighting longer than I have. Win, lose, or draw, she makes it to the end of the third round. She's got a lot of decision wins and some decision losses. She's got a reputation for that. She's like the Energizer bunny or a juggernaut. She knows how to hang in there. Being able to finish Julie I think would make a statement in itself.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Also with her having several decision wins, that makes her not quite as dangerous in terms of a threat of a finish against you. Do you think that opens the door for you to take a few more risks?
Miesha Tate: I do. When I think about Julie Kedzie, I don't feel threatened that she'll be able to finish me. Anything can happen, but I don't see it happening. I don't see Julie being able to come out there and knock me out. I don't see her outgrappling me and I don't see her having better wrestling than I do. I don't think she's even going to want to take me down.
I think she's gonna try to point farm me like a lot of the Jackson's guys having been doing lately. Especially with our style match-up, it's probably what she's gonna do, stick and move, stick and move and look for the decision win. I have to be prepared for anything, but I'm prepared to push the pace. I don't want to win a decision. I'm looking for a finish.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Do you have any concerns that that because you're on the undercard, that even if you have an exciting finish, it would not get as much exposure to get that title shot again?
Miesha Tate: Well, I think fortunately with the fanpower that I have to this point, and the honest assessment is I won't get as much exposure as I would on Showtime but the people that matter will be watching. I know that Dana White will be watching and I know that Sean Shelby, the matchmaker, will be watching and I know that my fans will be watching.
I have a lot of fans and I have a lot of people that really support me and no matter what happens, the footage will be on YouTube, it's gonna get out there and it's gonna be talked about because my goal is to go out there and steal the show. I want to have a better fight than Ronda and Sarah do. That's my goal. I'm gonna do the best that I can with the following and the viewership that I have.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): There's been some rumblings that Cyborg Santos could get the next title shot since she's potentially allowed to come back in December. Would that bum you out if they chose her over you if you go out there and do a good job.
Miesha Tate: Yeah, I think so. It would probably bother me because I think that in our first fight, call me crazy, but if you follow the sport of mixed martial arts, the techniques that were happening when me and Ronda were fighting, it was very back-and-forth. It was very competitive and I think I'm the only person to have ever escaped an armbar attempt of hers. I obviously have the skills to hang with her on the ground and I have the advantage on the feet so it wasn't a one-sided match by any means in my opinion.
I got caught in an armbar and I lost, but up until that point, it was really competitive and had I not got armbarred at the end of that round, it may have been a debate about who won the round and we'd have gone on to the next round. It wasn't like she just went out there and creamed me. For the future, I think a rematch would be warrented.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I've got a few last questions about getting to know you better. Being a fighter brings a reputation of being very tough, but is there anything that frightens you?
Miesha Tate: I'm definitely scared of needles, although I've made huge progress on my fear of them. I used to be very, very, very, very afraid of needles. I couldn't be near them, couldn't stand them, they used to freak me out, but getting my bloodwork done all the time has helped me start to get over that. Perhaps it was a "face my fears" kind of thing.
Another thing I'd be freaked out about a bit is bees. I can't stand bees. If bees come around me, I'm just out of there. I'm like, "Hell no, either the bee or me is going down." I don't like bees at all.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): So what helped you get over the fear of needles? Was it a meditation technique or someone supporting you?
Miesha Tate: I really had to talk to myself and tell myself how stupid it was. It's funny. The mind is a very powerful thing and I think that's what's determined a lot of my success, a strong mentality. I think I'm pretty strong-headed and I try to always keep a positive outlook and whatnot so I basically self-helped myself over my fear of needles. It's not that bad. Every time I get a shot or get bloodwork done, it never hurts as bad as I'm picturing it in my mind. I had to realize, what is it that was so scary? I convinced myself that it's not that bad and I've done it before.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Speaking of that mentality, I know you're a very big fan of visualization. When you're vizualizing success against Julie Kedzie, what do you see?
Miesha Tate: Oh yeah, I'm a huge advocate of visualization. I think it's very important. Every time I fight, I feel like I've already been in that situation hundreds to even thousands of times in my mind. It helps to be even more familiar when you're walking out to the cage and you get in the cage and you see them across from the cage, it's not like it's the first time you've been there or experienced it.
I visualize it so vividly in my mind that it helps me cope with any pre-fight anxiety. It helps me get over that. I envision just me being the aggressor and maybe getting punched but just walking through it, stepping forward, pushing the pace and forcing her to feel uncomfortable, hitting her with really hard shots, getting her to cover up, taking her down and a ground and pound finish or a rear naked choke. I see getting my hand raised and the feeling of success and joy and how good that feeling is in itself, working for that. That's what I picture in my mind over and over again.
Miesha would like to thank her home gym Yakima Mixed Martial Arts, Rich Guerin and Julie Guerin. She'd like to thank Bryan Caraway, her family, her friends, her fans. She'd also like to thank Toyo Tires, VSGInc.org and Training Mask. You can follow Miesha on Twitter @MieshaTate.
So what do you think, Maniacs?
Will Tate make the statement she desires this Saturday night against Julie Kedzie? Is there any way she can earn a title shot with an impressive performance?
Sound off!
That's what former Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate is hoping to do.
Tate had her title forcefully ripped out of her clutches by current division kingpin Ronda Rousey earlier this year in Columbus, Ohio when she was caught in an armbar from the Judo Olympian and waited too long to tap, suffering major soft tissue damage.
She's made some big changes, going back to her original gym in Washington state, changing her nickname from "Takedown" to "Cupcake" and more importantly, she's vowed to never again be emotionally compromised heading into a fight like she did against Rousey the last time.
Tate will be taking on Julie Kedzie this Saturday night (August 18, 2012) on the preliminary card of Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman and in part one of her interview posted yesterday, she discussed training at elevation and having less attention focused on her. Today, she talks about Kedzie, her biggest fears and why visualization is so important to her in the final chapter of our exclusive interview.
Check it out:
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): In my preparation for this interview, I listened to and read a wide range of prior interviews and I think at one point in every single one, someone asked about your arm and the armbar. How tired are you of talking about your arm?
Miesha Tate: It gets tedious, I'm not gonna lie. A lot of people, that's one of the main two questions I get asked: "How's your arm and when's your next fight? How's your arm? When's your next fight? How's your arm? When's your next fight?" It's like, that's what Google's for, you know?
Seriously though, it's expected and I know that a lot of people want to know. It's nice to know that people care enough to ask so I guess I can't complain. One of my biggest pet peeves is being asked the same question over and over again. It's not anyone's fault, but it does kind of annoy me to be honest.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Let's talk about your upcoming fight. You're facing Julie Kedzie, who's been around a little longer than than you and she's faced a laundry list of the best female fighters out there. You've said that you think you're better than her in just about everything. What does that make you want to do when you get in the cage? Do you want to utilize something new you've been working on or would you rather respond to the flow of the fight?
Miesha Tate: I just want to come back with a vengeance. My ideal is just to make a statement and get people talking, "Not only is she back, but she's back powerfully. She's stronger than ever. This wasn't a setback for her, this was a comeback." That's what I really want. I don't really have a strong gameplan where in order to win the fight, I have to do "this" or "that." I kind of think I can win the fight in every area.
We studied and I know where my strengths and weaknesses match up with her and like I said, I feel pretty confident and pretty strong in every area. I would like to end the fight with strikes. However that may be, I'd like that. that's what I'm going for in regards to making an impression. But if the submission or anything else is there, I won't hesitate to take that.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I don't think she's ever been stopped by strikes, even though she's stepped in there against some pretty devastating strikers like Gina Carano and Kaitlin Young. That would be a pretty big feather in your cap if you could pull it off.
Miesha Tate: I kind of see the fight, I envision myself winning via TKO. That's what I would like to do the most. The thing about Julie is, she's a really hard girl to finish. She's been doing this long enough and she's been training really long and fighting longer than I have. Win, lose, or draw, she makes it to the end of the third round. She's got a lot of decision wins and some decision losses. She's got a reputation for that. She's like the Energizer bunny or a juggernaut. She knows how to hang in there. Being able to finish Julie I think would make a statement in itself.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Also with her having several decision wins, that makes her not quite as dangerous in terms of a threat of a finish against you. Do you think that opens the door for you to take a few more risks?
Miesha Tate: I do. When I think about Julie Kedzie, I don't feel threatened that she'll be able to finish me. Anything can happen, but I don't see it happening. I don't see Julie being able to come out there and knock me out. I don't see her outgrappling me and I don't see her having better wrestling than I do. I don't think she's even going to want to take me down.
I think she's gonna try to point farm me like a lot of the Jackson's guys having been doing lately. Especially with our style match-up, it's probably what she's gonna do, stick and move, stick and move and look for the decision win. I have to be prepared for anything, but I'm prepared to push the pace. I don't want to win a decision. I'm looking for a finish.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Do you have any concerns that that because you're on the undercard, that even if you have an exciting finish, it would not get as much exposure to get that title shot again?
Miesha Tate: Well, I think fortunately with the fanpower that I have to this point, and the honest assessment is I won't get as much exposure as I would on Showtime but the people that matter will be watching. I know that Dana White will be watching and I know that Sean Shelby, the matchmaker, will be watching and I know that my fans will be watching.
I have a lot of fans and I have a lot of people that really support me and no matter what happens, the footage will be on YouTube, it's gonna get out there and it's gonna be talked about because my goal is to go out there and steal the show. I want to have a better fight than Ronda and Sarah do. That's my goal. I'm gonna do the best that I can with the following and the viewership that I have.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): There's been some rumblings that Cyborg Santos could get the next title shot since she's potentially allowed to come back in December. Would that bum you out if they chose her over you if you go out there and do a good job.
Miesha Tate: Yeah, I think so. It would probably bother me because I think that in our first fight, call me crazy, but if you follow the sport of mixed martial arts, the techniques that were happening when me and Ronda were fighting, it was very back-and-forth. It was very competitive and I think I'm the only person to have ever escaped an armbar attempt of hers. I obviously have the skills to hang with her on the ground and I have the advantage on the feet so it wasn't a one-sided match by any means in my opinion.
I got caught in an armbar and I lost, but up until that point, it was really competitive and had I not got armbarred at the end of that round, it may have been a debate about who won the round and we'd have gone on to the next round. It wasn't like she just went out there and creamed me. For the future, I think a rematch would be warrented.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I've got a few last questions about getting to know you better. Being a fighter brings a reputation of being very tough, but is there anything that frightens you?
Miesha Tate: I'm definitely scared of needles, although I've made huge progress on my fear of them. I used to be very, very, very, very afraid of needles. I couldn't be near them, couldn't stand them, they used to freak me out, but getting my bloodwork done all the time has helped me start to get over that. Perhaps it was a "face my fears" kind of thing.
Another thing I'd be freaked out about a bit is bees. I can't stand bees. If bees come around me, I'm just out of there. I'm like, "Hell no, either the bee or me is going down." I don't like bees at all.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): So what helped you get over the fear of needles? Was it a meditation technique or someone supporting you?
Miesha Tate: I really had to talk to myself and tell myself how stupid it was. It's funny. The mind is a very powerful thing and I think that's what's determined a lot of my success, a strong mentality. I think I'm pretty strong-headed and I try to always keep a positive outlook and whatnot so I basically self-helped myself over my fear of needles. It's not that bad. Every time I get a shot or get bloodwork done, it never hurts as bad as I'm picturing it in my mind. I had to realize, what is it that was so scary? I convinced myself that it's not that bad and I've done it before.
Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Speaking of that mentality, I know you're a very big fan of visualization. When you're vizualizing success against Julie Kedzie, what do you see?
Miesha Tate: Oh yeah, I'm a huge advocate of visualization. I think it's very important. Every time I fight, I feel like I've already been in that situation hundreds to even thousands of times in my mind. It helps to be even more familiar when you're walking out to the cage and you get in the cage and you see them across from the cage, it's not like it's the first time you've been there or experienced it.
I visualize it so vividly in my mind that it helps me cope with any pre-fight anxiety. It helps me get over that. I envision just me being the aggressor and maybe getting punched but just walking through it, stepping forward, pushing the pace and forcing her to feel uncomfortable, hitting her with really hard shots, getting her to cover up, taking her down and a ground and pound finish or a rear naked choke. I see getting my hand raised and the feeling of success and joy and how good that feeling is in itself, working for that. That's what I picture in my mind over and over again.
Miesha would like to thank her home gym Yakima Mixed Martial Arts, Rich Guerin and Julie Guerin. She'd like to thank Bryan Caraway, her family, her friends, her fans. She'd also like to thank Toyo Tires, VSGInc.org and Training Mask. You can follow Miesha on Twitter @MieshaTate.
So what do you think, Maniacs?
Will Tate make the statement she desires this Saturday night against Julie Kedzie? Is there any way she can earn a title shot with an impressive performance?
Sound off!
MMAWeekly Radio Tuesday: Miesha Tate, Ryan Madigan and the Best Debate in MMA
MMAWeekly Radio is back for Tuesday’s show with former Strikeforce women’s champion Miesha Tate as well as Muay Thai world champ Ryan ‘The Lion’ Madigan.
Tate stops by to discuss her upcoming fight with Julie Kedzie as well as her pick in the title fight between Ronda Rousey and Sarah Kaufman. Tate will also give us her thoughts on a potential rematch with Rousey down the line.
Ryan Madigan is a multi-time world Muay Thai champion and he’ll discuss with us today his upcoming bout, and also why his passion fell more for the striking arts than it did for MMA.
The debate heats up on today’s show as well with all new topics:
- Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller arrested after vandalizing a church in California. Reaction to the arrest?
- Dana White says Ronda Rousey is the one woman he could see fighting in the UFC. Do you believe the women’s division will eventually land in the UFC or just Rousey?
- With all the talk about GSP vs. Silva and Rousey vs. Cyborg, who has been more disrespected heading into their fights – Carlos Condit or Sarah Kaufman?
- Do you believe we will ever see a GSP vs. Anderson Silva super fight?
This is MMAWeekly Radio for Tuesday, Aug 14
Miesha
Tate, Ryan Madigan and the Best Debate in MMA [
1:08:28 ] Hide Player | Play in Popup | DownloadSubscribe via iTunes
Damon Martin: MMA Manager Ed Soares Takes Over as President of Resurrection Fighting Alliance
Ed Soares, best known to most MMA fans as the manager of top fighters like Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida, has taken on a new job as president of Resurrection Fighting Alliance.
A mainstay of the MMA scene for many years, Soares has worked with many of the top fighters in the worldwide market, most notably numerous competitors out of Brazil.
Now the manager will look to apply his business acumen to the Nebraska based fight promotion Resurrection Fighting Alliance starting immediately.
Speaking to MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday, Soares was excited about starting a new chapter in his MMA life, but stressed that nothing changes in regards to his work with the fighters he represents.
Soares and his partner Jorge Guimaraes will still be working with all of the fighters on their roster, as well as “creating a new infrastructure” to help all of the athletes on their client list. Soares will still be active in negotiations and other parts of the business, but now adds on a new job to his increasing resume in the MMA industry.
The next Resurrection Fighting Alliance show will take place in October according to Soares, and he says the remainder of the promotion’s schedule has already been laid out for 2012, but over the “next 8 to 12 months” is when his role will become more important as they look to land a television deal and expand their footprint in the fight world.
Several former UFC fighters have fought under the Resurrection Fighting Alliance banner in the past including Jens Pulver, Gilbert Yvel, and Joe Stevenson as well as top prospectsc currently signed there like Team Alpha Male featherweight Lance Palmer.
The news of Soares’ new role with the promotion was initially reported by MMAFighting.com.
Follow @DamonMartin on
Twitter or e-mail Damon
Martin.
For more UFC News and UFC Rumors, follow MMAWeekly.com on Twitter and Facebook.
For more UFC News and UFC Rumors, follow MMAWeekly.com on Twitter and Facebook.
Mick Hammond: Jessica ‘Evil’ Eye Heads Rock-N-Rumble 6, Then Heads Back to Bellator
Following a start to her career that saw her win eight combined fights as an amateur and a professional, women’s 125-pound up-and-comer Jessica “Evil” Eye suffered the first loss of her career, losing to Aisling Daly just over a year ago.
The loss made Eye reassess her training and game as a whole. And since then she’s rebounded with a four-fight winning streak.
“Obviously, the loss to Aisling was a huge devastation to me, so I wanted to change everything and come back with a lot of power and skillsets so that I could show people that one loss doesn’t say anything about who I am,” said Eye.
“I feel like I’ve grown up in the cage and grown up as a person. Now I’m going to take everything I’ve learned in life and take it into the cage and eventually use it. It’s one thing going into a fight knowing how to do something, but to do it under pressure and when you actually need it, that’s hard, but I’ve learned how to do it.”
As happy as she is with the changes she’s made, Eye told MMAWeekly.com that there’s still one area where she’d like to make more improvement.
“I’d like to see more finishes than what I’ve had,” she said. “I think that going to decision, a lot people don’t give you quite the respect, because they look at it as if you’re points-winning, you’re not really fighting because you’re not knocking people out or submitting them.”
Eye’s next opportunity to showcase her growth will come on Friday night when she returns to the NAAFS to headline Rock-N-Rumble 6 in Cleveland against up-and-comer Angela Magana.
“She probably sees me as a striker and not much of a wrestler or a grappler and that excites me,” said Eye of Magana.
“In my past four fights, people have seen me as a striker, showing my Muay Thai, my kickboxing and cage control, but not a lot of my ground game. A lot of people are basing my ground game off my loss to Aisling and it’s unfair. I’ve taken my submission game (to a new level) and am really bringing it to this fight.”
Eye feels this fight has the potential to be explosive because she has something to prove.
“I think this time we’ll actually see a knockout,” she said. “I know I’ve been saying it, but at some point it’s going to happen and at some point I’m going to do it. I haven’t been a main event in the NAAFS since I lost, so I’m ready to go back there and redeem that from five fights ago.”
Having finally gained some national exposure in Bellator, Eye is eager to return to the promotion and be a big part of their launching on a new network in 2013.
“I’ve been extremely happy with Bellator and everything they’ve done for me and all the help they’ve given me,” said Eye. “I’ve decided to sign a two-year agreement with them and they’ve talked about having me back when they move to Spike in January.
“I would imagine that after this fight I’m really going to take some time to get ready for what Bellator has planned and the tournaments they have coming up.”
(Photo courtesy of Bellator.com)
Morning Report: Retired Cro Cop Considers Comeback; GSP Talks Silva Superfight
Esther Lin, MMA
Fighting
This isn't basketball or baseball, where, at worst, staying a bit past your time leads to an awkward lesson in humility courtesy of a young up-and-comer. Of course, our sport has those moments, but along with the embarrassment comes potentially catastrophic injury and life-altering damage to your mental faculties.
We've seen in countless times before. The end comes suddenly for fighters, and once it's gone, it ain't ever coming back. For Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, the end came right around the moment Brendan Schaub sandwiched the Croatian's face between his fist and the canvas.
Seven months later "Cro Cop" retired from MMA after another jarring TKO loss. At the time it seemed like a wise decision, if only to save his brain from another traumatic session of ground and pound. Only now, it seems like "Cro Cop" has that itch back.
"Concerning my retirement from the UFC, I said it was my last fight for the UFC and last fight on the present contract, but I did not say, 'I won't keep fighting," Filipovic explained to USA Today's John Morgan. "I never said that. I think the best thing to say is that I was born to fight.
"My motivation now is to prove to everyone that I'm still capable of being in the cage. I'm not old. I'm 37, but I can do things that fighters 10 years younger cannot. ... I will prove that, or I will die trying."
That last line is exactly what makes this news so ominous.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Cro Cop considering return to MMA. Retired heavyweight legend Mirko Cro Cop is apparently mulling a return to mixed martial arts, according to a report from USA Today.
GSP potentially open to Silva superfight. UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre discussed his renewed enthusiasm for mixed martial arts, future opponents, and a possible mega-fight with Anderson Silva.
Sonnen vs. Griffin. Chael Sonnen and Forrest Griffin will meet in a light heavyweight rematch on December 29, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Madadi saves drowning infant and father. Swedish lightweight Reza Madadi joined the recent wave of good samaritan MMA fighters by saving a drowning infant and his father when the toddler tumbled off a pier near Hornsberg, Sweden.
Tate still gunning for Rousey rematch. Former Strikeforce bantamweight champion Miesha Tate continued her campaign for a rematch against rival Ronda Rousey, saying if she defeated Julie Kedzie this Saturday, she'd deserve the next title shot.
MEDIA STEW
For someone with the YouTube username "F--kZuffa," this fella still manages to make a pretty sweet UFC 151 trailer.
(HT: CagePotato)
Apparently a cracked skull (yes, this is his actual x-ray) doesn't mean squat to J.P. Joubert. Unbelievable show of heart here.
(HT: MiddleEasy)
The folks over at Inside MMA asked both Ben Henderson and Nate Diaz to compare each other's game. Bendo, of course, talked about the infamous 209 attitude, while Diaz stuck with a more succinct (and rather apt) answer: "F--k the belt. I'm trying to beat the No. 1 guy in the world."
I've posted this up before, but for anyone who didn't catch that Sonnen-Griffin is a rematch, feel free to travel back to 2003 with me.
MMA'S TRT BOWL
RT @UFCTonight: #BREAKING: @sonnench says he will fight @ForrestGriffin at light heavyweight on December 29th. So now I know
NEVER STOP TALKING
THOUGHT SO
Yeah, we do. LolRT @sellers29: @GrayMaynard you think really great wrestlers fall in love with striking and forget their roots?
AND THE WINNER OF THE WORLD'S WORST TATTOO...
Awesome! :) RT @CARLOS__MACEDO: instagr.am/p/Mo4cmpk-w3/ @AriannyCeleste portrait done by @CARLOS__MACEDO
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Tuesday, August 14, 2012):
- UFC: Chael Sonnen (27-12-1) vs. Forrest Griffin (19-7) booked for December 29, 2012 in Las Vegas, NV
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day sees Dave Strummer pour on the honesty and say some things you may or may not agree with: Frankie Edgar and the Rocky Archetype
At any given moment in time, at least one team in the National Football League is required to employ at least one small, undersized, usually white wide receiver, who is known for his work ethic and grittiness and is loved far beyond any reasonable assessment of his abilities.Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's column.
At the moment, that guy would seem to be Wes Welker, who is kind of a crappy example, because he's actually pretty freaking good, but he meets the standard on all the other criteria, including the near-universal adulation that gets heaped on him by fans, commentators and journalists.
Perhaps a better example though, for folks whose memory goes back a little further, is longtime New York Jets slot receiver Wayne Chrebet. Chrebet was the ultimate underdog story: an undrafted walk-on who became a 10-year starter. He was known for his tireless work ethic and unbelievable courage, especially in relation to his size. He finished his career with a bunch of Jets receiving records, and the respect of the entire league.
I always hated that guy.
Maybe I'm a bad person, but I don't watch sports to see ordinary guys who make it to the big time through grit and determination. I watch sports to see trans-human ubermenschen doing things that don't seem physically possible and making them seem easy. To me, guys like Wayne Chrebet really spoil the theater of it all. In the midst of all these cyborg killing machines and gazelle-human super beings, you got little Wayne Chrebet, gutting it out. Always chapped my ass for some reason.
Anyway, I've been trying to put my finger on what I don't like about Frankie Edgar, and I think that's it. It may not be terribly rational, but he just does nothing to spur my imagination and awe. He's just like a guy at the gym, only when you go home, he stays and hits the bag for four more hours. And when you're waking up in the morning, he's doing roadwork and shadow boxing. He makes up for his physical limitations with raw grit.
As I write it, I realize that sounds pretty admirable, but I just don't care. I like my athletes bigger than life. I like Anderson Silva, slipping into the Matrix and making professional fighters look like children; I like Jon Jones stalking and eliminating elite fighters like some sort of genetically engineered panther; I like Rousimar Pahlares tearing dudes' legs off and Paul Daley hitting people so hard they forget their names.
I KNOW I'm not going to see that when I watch a Frankie Edgar fight, and I find that knowledge enervating.
Miesha Tate Still Gunning for 'Deserved' Rematch With Ronda Rousey
Ethan Miller,
Getty Images
"I think being main event of the undercard is lame," Tate bluntly said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "I'm not thrilled about it.
"To me that's really stupid, because [Showtime and Strikeforce] know as well as I know, that if I win this fight and if Ronda (Rousey) wins her fight, that puts us in each other's paths again. A potential rematch. The hype on that was so big before, I think it's the biggest fight in women's MMA. I still think that. And I think that a rematch would be the next biggest fight in women's MMA."
It goes without saying, but the smoldering build-up to Tate's title fight against Rousey lifted the profile of women's MMA to the highest level it'd seen since 2009. The pair appeared to develop a genuine dislike for one another, and for Tate, losing the belt via a grisly first-round armbar did little to settle the bad blood created by Rousey's brashness.
"I get annoyed by it, honestly," Tate acknowledged.
"To me, it's dumb. She needs to stop talking too much crap, especially about celebrities and people that aren't even fighters, and stuff like that. To me that is so childish, like calling out Kim Kardashian and talking crap about Michael Phelps. It's just like, grow up."
For what it's worth, Tate is still able to give credit where credit is due. After witnessing Rousey's barrage into pop culture, from a late-night appearance on Conan to a cover shoot for ESPN the Magazine's annual "Body Issue," Tate admits her rival has widened the spotlight for women's MMA to a remarkable degree.
Nonetheless, her desire for revenge burns deep, and after the breakthrough success of the first Rousey-Tate blockbuster, she may not be alone in her pursuit. According to the former champion, a powerful ally, UFC President Dana White, has already thrown his support behind a potential rematch.
"I think Dana, if I'm not mistaken, has said he'd like to see a rematch eventually," said Tate.
"He realizes that what Ronda and I bring, we play off of each other well. I think without me, Ronda would not be at the level that she's at. And somewhat vice versa ... we kind of ping-ponged off of each other up to here, and now she's surpassing me in followers and fame, and all that stuff. But it's not over until it's over. I know I'm still here."
As a top-three fighter in Strikeforce's shallow 135-pound women's division, Tate has reason to believe a rematch with Rousey isn't as far-fetched as it may initially seem. The fact that her comeback fight against Julie Kedzie is lined-up on the same card as Rousey's first title defense only further fuels her optimism.
To that end, Tate said she went straight to the top to figure out her chances.
"I asked (Strikeforce matchmaker) Sean (Shelby) as well, ‘what do I have to do?'," Tate divulged.
"He said, 'you know what, a lot of it is fan based. We want to feed the fans what they want to see; we want to give the fans the entertainment that they want.' So I think if I can stir up enough interest and maybe poke enough fun, and win a really good fight in a dominant fashion, then that sets me up perfectly for a rematch. I'm hoping that I can get it right after this one fight. I mean, we all saw how quick Ronda got her title shot."
Of course, Tate's appeal for a rematch hinges entirely on Rousey defeating Sarah Kaufman this Saturday. Kaufman, a menacing Canadian bruiser, is a tall order for any fighter in the division, but ultimately Tate believes Rousey will be too much for the challenger.
"It would be nice, I think, to see Ronda knocked off her pedestal," said Tate. "But again, part of me wants me to be the one to do it, so I don't want Sarah to be the first one to beat her. I want to be the first one to beat her. And I think that Ronda will beat [Kaufman], because her game plan is a little easier to implement over a 25-minute period of time than Sarah's is.
"But I want to steal the show from those ladies," she finished. "I want to have the better fight, and I want people to want to see that rematch, because I feel like I deserve it."
Henderson vs. Diaz, Rua vs. Gustafsson, Penn vs. MacDonald Added to UFC on FOX 5
Joe Camporeale,
US PRESSWIRE
Benson Henderson vs. Nathan Diaz for the lightweight title, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs Alexander Gustafsson and B.J. Penn vs. Rory MacDonald have all been added to UFC on FOX 5, which will take place on Dec. 8 at a yet to be announced venue. UFC president Dana White confirmed the news with USA Today on Wednesday.
This marks the first time a UFC title will be defended on network television since Cain Velasquez fought Junior dos Santos at UFC on FOX 1 in November.
Henderson (17-2) successfully defended the title on Saturday night when he defeated Frankie Edgar via split decision, while Diaz (16-7) most recently defeated Jim Miller via guillotine choke at UFC on FOX 3 in May.
Rua (21-6) picked up a much-needed TKO win over Brandon Vera two weeks ago at UFC on FOX 4, while Gustafsson (14-1), considered one of the rising stars in the 205-pound weight class, is coming off a win over Thiago Silva in April.
And then you have Penn vs. MacDonald, which was supposed to take place at UFC 152 in September until a cut suffered in training forced MacDonald to pull out of the fight. Penn (16-8-2) hasn't fought since October, when he lost to Nick Diaz via unanimous decision. Following the fight, Penn announced his retirement from the sport, but he returned earlier this year when MacDonald called him out on The MMA Hour. MacDonald (13-1) most recently defeated Che Mills via TKO at UFC 145.
The promotion is expected to announce a fourth main card fight in the following weeks.
Pat Curran Out of Bellator 73 Title Defense
Bellator
Lightweight champion Pat Curran has pulled out of his Aug. 24 title fight against Patricio Freire due to a fractured orbital bone. Curran confirmed the news on Twitter after ESPN.com first reported it.
According to the report, Curran suffered the injury in training Tuesday morning during the third round of sparring at his gym in a suburb outside of Chicago. No word just yet on whether Freire will remain on the Bellator 73 card at Harrah's Tunica Hotel and Casino in Mississippi.
Curran (17-4) is 4-0 since dropping down to featherweight in June 2011. He knocked Joe Warren in March to capture the promotion's 145-pound title.
Freire (17-1) won the Bellator Season 4 featherweight tournament in May 2011 to earn a shot at the title.
Daniel Straus (20-4) won the Season 6 featherweight tournament this past May, so he'll now have to wait a little longer to fight the winner of Curran vs. Freire.
The Bellator lightweight (Marcos Galvao vs. Luis Nogueira) and light heavyweight (Travis Wiuff vs. Attila Vegh) tournament final is scheduled to take place at Bellator 73.
Michael Johnson - Mortal Kombat in the Year of The Menace
"I’m just trying to stay focused and stay
on the right track – not let anything interfere with what I’ve got to do to get
the job done." - Michael Johnson
UFC lightweight Michael Johnson
By the time people
are once again making resolutions they’re not likely to keep and faking their
way through another bad rendition of Auld Lang Syne, Michael Johnson wants to be in the top 10
of the UFC’s lightweight
division.That was the goal he set out for himself at the start of 2012. No more backwards steps in his career. No more inconsistency in the cage. This was going to be his year; “The Year of The Menace.”
The former Ultimate Fighter finalist was realistic about the difficulty of the challenge he’d set out for himself. Entering the year off a first-round submission loss to British standout Paul Sass, Johnson knew he’d have to work his way up the rankings one step at a time. He likened the long, difficult road ahead of him to Mortal Kombat, the iconic video game that spawned a pair of classic, mediocre movies and countless console adaptations and sequels after introducing gamers to Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, and the rest of the cast of characters in the early ‘90s.
Just as your fighter of choice had to work their way through a gauntlet of opponents that became increasingly more difficult to defeat, so too would Johnson, starting with former WEC contender Shane Roller. Unlike Mortal Kombat, however, a loss for Johnson wouldn’t come with a 10-second countdown and the opportunity to continue from where you left off with the press of a button or by sliding another quarter into the coin slot before the clock reached zero.
Heading into his third fight of the year, Johnson is still progressing towards his goal on his very first quarter.
After hanging on to a decision win against Roller in January, the 26-year-old lightweight stepped in to face fellow TUF alum Tony Ferguson on short notice in May, and promptly delivered his most complete performance to date, pitching a shutout against “El Cucuy,” halting Ferguson’s three-fight winning streak while taking another step forward on his journey towards contention.
“It’s a good year for me so far; my confidence level is good,” laughs Johnson, happy to engaging in another interview as he prepares for his third fight of 2012. “I’m just trying to stay focused and stay on the right track – not let anything interfere with what I’ve got to do to get the job done.”
The charismatic member of “The Blackzilians” team based in Boca Raton, Florida garnered positive reviews for his strong showing against Ferguson, his performance surprising those who expected the Season 13 winner to continue rolling against Season 12’s runner-up. Despite his recent success, making headway in the lightweight division is a constant struggle, as each event seems to produce another memorable bout and potential contender to keep tabs on. As such, Johnson has learned to embrace the underdog role he’s been repeatedly cast in so far this year, using the minimized expectations to help push him further along on his journey towards the top 10.
“That underdog role is real difficult, but to me, I don’t think I’m the underdog in any fight I go into,” admits Johnson. “As far as the media and everybody else that pays attention to the sport, if they think I’m an underdog, that’s fine with me. I love that – I love people seeing me as the underdog going into my fights. I hope my opponent thinks of me as the underdog going into the fight. It takes all the pressure off of me; I don’t have to live up to everybody’s expectations of how they see me coming into the fight. I can just worry about my game plan, and focus on fighting the best fight I can. It’s good to be the underdog, and I hope it continues. I hope after this fight and going into every fight I’m the underdog.
“For me it’s easier when everybody doubts me. I want people to do that because they don’t know my true talents, and as long as my team and everybody here is on the same page, that’s great.
“For me to break from the underdog role, it’s going to take (me getting to) where I want to be – winning every fight so that people can no longer cast me as the underdog,” forecasts Johnson. “But in this division, man, everybody is so tough and fighting to make the top 10, so I might still be the underdog in every fight even when I am beating everybody I face. That drives me. That’s extra motivation for me – proving somebody wrong. The worst thing anybody can do is to doubt me.”
The more he continues to climb the ranks of the lightweight division, the less people are going to be able to overlook and underestimate Johnson, who is now 3-1 since losing being bested by Jonathan Brookins in December 2010. While his consecutive victories highlight the improvements “The Menace” had made since departing the Ultimate Fighter house, some of the elements that have played a key role in his development can’t be found in his highlight reel.
“It’s always about the minor adjustments – going back, watching my film from the fight, and noticing things. `How can I make myself better from this? How can I be different from this next time?’” explains Johnson, who gives a great deal of credit to the cast of veteran fighters and coaches he spends every day with in South Florida, as well as the team at Authentic Sports Management.
“My management team does a great job – and I think I’ve said this before – of taking all the stress off my back. The only thing I need to worry about is training and fighting. They do a great job of putting me in that position. It’s the same with our coaches. Everyone thinks it’s a one-on-one sport because we’re fighting one-on-one when we get in there, but my coaches are in there just as much as I am. They put in the time and the dedication, and if it wasn’t for them and my management team, I wouldn’t be at the level I’m at now. That stuff plays a huge factor in my success.”
Inside the cage, the most visible contributor to Johnson’s recent run of his success has been his ability to maximize the athleticism that made him Georges St-Pierre’s first pick on The Ultimate Fighter. Paired with improved conditioning, Johnson has used his natural athletic instincts and gifts to elevate his offense, his increased movement taking his striking to a new level, which in turn makes his wrestling a more dangerous weapon as well.
“I think my athleticism sets me apart from everybody else,” says Johnson. “Some people are great at jiu-jitsu or they’re great at standup; I just want to bring everything together, and use my athleticism to be the most well rounded fighter I can be. That’s my standout point, so as long as I stay on top of maximizing my athleticism – keep getting stronger and faster – you’re really going to see me break away from everybody in this division.”
Johnson’s next chance to showcase his athleticism and continue in his climb up the lightweight ladder comes on September 1st against Danny Castillo at UFC 151 in Las Vegas. Like Johnson, Castillo has quietly put together a nice little winning streak, stringing three victories together over the last 10 months, most recently getting the best of prospect John Cholish on the same night Johnson topped Ferguson.
“We’re both great fighters – both entertaining fighters,” said Johnson. “You won’t get a boring fight out of either one of us; I think we can both guarantee that.
“He’s on a three-fight winning streak, and that’s really tough to do in this division,” he added. “I think he’s kind of got a chip on his shoulder that he probably sets himself above where he is. We’re similar fighters coming from our wrestling backgrounds, so it’s going to be pretty interesting to see how this plays out.
“He’s a great wrestler, but I’ve faced great wrestlers before; I’m not worried about that. He has decent hands too, so I’m really looking forward to seeing if he’s going to stand with me. I personally don’t think he’s going to stand with me – I think that’s the worst thing for him to do is stand there and trade with me. I’m coming into this fight looking at him trying to take me down and do everything he can to not stand with me.”
Like every fighter, Johnson has a best-case scenario for how the fight with Castillo plays out, one that involves him duplicating the achievements of fellow lightweights Donald Cerrone and Joe Lauzon on the last two UFC events, allowing him to leave Las Vegas with a win and a pair of bonus checks to bring back to South Florida. More importantly than things going according to Hoyle, however, is for Johnson to defeat another opponent and move one step closer to reaching the goal he set out for himself at the start of the year.
If he keeps doing that, the man with the Mortal Kombat approach to his career knows he will eventually reach the point where he’s battling the likes of Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn, and their favorite four-armed henchman.
“For me to move up this ladder, I’ve just got to stay doing what I’m doing: working hard, staying focused, not letting any outside things get in the way. I’m fine with taking whatever fights (the UFC offers me) or stepping in on short notice. We’ll see how many it takes, but I have a feeling like I’m getting pretty close. I would say a couple more fights and I can see myself starting to break into the top 10 by the end of this year – just as I set out to do.
“I’m going into my third fight (of the year) – hopefully I can seal the deal, and get another one. You never know. I might be getting close to fighting Goro early next year or something like that.”
Thomas Gerbasi: Saffiedine Closing In On His Shot at 170-Pound Gold
“We are all on weight,” he laughs, referring to the sauna-like atmosphere in the gym, which was rendered as such thanks to no air conditioning and the usual Southern California heat. That’s the bad side. The other side is that in keeping with the old fight game adage that steel sharpens steel, Saffiedine and company are more than prepared for the short trip to San Diego for this weekend’s fights.
“It’s great,” he said. “Right now at the gym we’ve got Ovince St. Preux and Keith Berry, who are fighting on the same card, and of course Dan, and we have a lot of other guys training for fights this weekend as well, so the gym is packed, there are a lot of different styles coming from everywhere and we have a lot of sparring partners. Everybody’s motivated and ready to fight.”
Perhaps no one more than Saffiedine, who could be closing in on a shot at new Strikeforce welterweight boss Nate Marquardt if he can turn his two fight winning streak into three against the hard-hitting Bowling, whose wild-swinging style may just be the perfect match for the precision striking attack of the “Sponge.”
“I’m excited to fight somebody like Roger,” said Saffiedine. “I know he (Bowling) is not the most technical fighter, but he brings it every time and I know it’s gonna be a good fight. We put a good gameplan together with my coaches and everybody, so I’m feeling great and I’m looking forward to the fight.”
4-1 in Strikeforce since making his organizational debut with a decision win over James Terry in February of 2010, Saffiedine’s only loss in that stretch came via decision to Tyron Woodley in January of 2011, so with Marquardt beating Woodley for the title last month, it makes a possible bout with Saffiedine more sellable than a rematch with Woodley. The 25-year old was impressed with both 170-pounders in their recent war.
“Nate and Woodley both looked great in the last fight,” he said. “Woodley came out pretty strong but I think he gassed a little bit, and Nate looked good at the weight. I didn’t expect him to be in such good shape with the weight cut, but they both looked really good and that’s good for the division.”
And good for Saffiedine, who was impressive in his own right in his most recent win over Tyler Stinson in January, and not for reasons you would expect. Battered and bloodied in the first round, Saffiedine had to rally in the next two rounds to pull out the split decision victory. Was it a vintage performance? No, but it showed that he had the heart and resilience to gut out a tough win, something that will serve him well should he get a shot at the belt.
“I didn’t really like the way I fought that fight,” he admits. “I know I was able to come back from a tough first round, but I wasn’t in the best shape coming into that fight. I had only four weeks to get ready, and Tyler was a really tough opponent. It builds confidence a little bit because I was able to come back and I know I can do that, but between the fight with Scott Smith (in July of 2011) when I had an eight week camp and the fight with Tyler, when I only had four weeks, I think there is a big difference in how I came prepared to the fight. I like to have a good camp, and that’s what I had for this fight, so hopefully it will work out better.”
Fighting close to his adopted home in Southern California adds to his confidence coming into this week’s fight, as he gets to eliminate traveling from the equation while simply focusing on training. It’s his first fight in the state since the Terry bout over two years ago, and while he’s used to not competing at home, he does enjoy the rare times when it does happen.
“I’m from Belgium and everywhere I fight, it’s not my hometown,” he said. “But I would say that San Diego, even though I don’t go there often, is close to my hometown because I’m from Temecula, and a lot of people are able to drive down there. I have my brother coming from Europe to watch me fight for the first time, so I’m really excited, and I’ll have all the support from all the people from my team that are coming down for the fight, so it’s pretty exciting and I’m looking forward to it.”
The most exciting part is the fight though, or more accurately, what could happen should he win. Saffiedine knows the positive consequences that a big win could deliver, but after 15 pro MMA fights and over six years in the game, he’s also aware of the perils of peeking too far ahead.
“I never look past anybody and never underestimate anybody and Roger is a tough opponent and I’m really focused on him, but I don’t take my eyes off my goal,” he said. “I want that title shot down the line and that’s what motivates me for each and every fight because I want to get closer and closer.”
So how close is he?
“I think the way I win is gonna determine if I get the title shot or not, but of course I’m not the one who decides that,” said Saffiedine. “Hopefully after this fight I will be ready, and I want to make a statement. I want to show that I’m ready to (Strikeforce CEO) Mr. (Scott) Coker and all the fans that I’m ready to get that belt, so I’ve got to make a big statement and win in a good fashion.”
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Noemi Bosques: Rising Star in the World of Boxing
Women’s Boxing has been taking huge strides in the past few years. The increase in talent recently has made now the best time for the sport to make it’s mark. Noemi Bosques has had a long road to get where she’s at today and is looking forward to overtake the big challenges ahead. She is currently 1-0 after her Pro Debut win and is looking to up her wins total on August 24th. Find out about her beginnings in the sport, her training, her philosophies and thoughts on the developments of women’s boxing as she prepares for this next step.
- At what age did you start to take up the sport of boxing, and what was your inspiration for
starting up in the sport?
“I was 18 years old when I officially started, but I had my first pair boxing gloves At 13 and constantly boxed guys in the neighborhood kicking their butts. I was always good at every sport I played, always had a lot of heart and I knew that boxing was one of the toughest sports out there. The intensity and challenge of this sport made it intriguing, and I had to try it”
- What does a typical day of training consist of for you? -
“Running 4-8 miles or half mile sprints in less than 3 minutes with a minute break in between sets, 4 times. Strength and conditioning 3 times a week, boxing sparring 4-5 days a week. I will work harder than my opponent”
- What gym do you train out of and what’s one of the main philosophies you’ve taken from your training there? -
“Legends Boxing Club in Tampa, Fl and my coach is Sherman Henson. We have an awesome team there, constantly have visitors and I’m always learning something new from every single person. I’m proud of the family based team we have there. We don’t hold our tongue when we see mistakes and keep each other on point. Our philosophy is hard work pays off, we work hard and play hard!”
Were you excited to see Women’s Boxing finally having a place in the Olympics. Do you think this will greatly increase the viewers of the pro game?
“Seeing women finally make it to the Olympics and being a part of the whole eliminatory process was amazing. This is a huge stepping stone for women and the hard work we put in. Finally, it seems like the beginning of some sort of recognition is taking place, and I’m proud! I think it will take a while still, but women debuting in the Olympics will finally familiarize the public with names, and will bring more attention to the hard work, and skills displayed among these young women athletes!”
Finally, where do you see yourself in the next 5 years, and what advice would you have for someone just starting out in this sport?
“In 5 years I expect to have had and defended a couple titles already. Maybe starting my own gym by that time and traveling to different parts of the world sharing not only boxing/business knowledge, but life inspirational knowledge as well. I feel God has placed challenges in my life for a reason, and I’ve come out on top of every one. I feel if I have came out from the pits where I have been laid, anyone can! I can’t wait to share these stories with struggling young people, and hopefully serve as an inspiration. Maybe write some books, have big brother/big sister facilities, and so on. Whatever God has planned, I’m ready to attack by the toes!
Anyone starting in this sport: Being the best isn’t born, it’s practiced over And over. Choose what you want to do (whether it be boxing, mma, track, basketball) whatever it is, and practice it over and over until you are the best! It doesn’t happen over night, or in a week, or in a year… How bad do you want it? Are you willing to spend 10,000 hours creating perfection? Read – Slight Edge by: Jeff Olsen great book!”
Anyone starting in this sport: Being the best isn’t born, it’s practiced over And over. Choose what you want to do (whether it be boxing, mma, track, basketball) whatever it is, and practice it over and over until you are the best! It doesn’t happen over night, or in a week, or in a year… How bad do you want it? Are you willing to spend 10,000 hours creating perfection? Read – Slight Edge by: Jeff Olsen great book!”
Want to read more about Noemi’s journey and follow her career as it develops? There are many ways to do so:
- Check her website out at www.noemibosques.com
or
- Follow her at twitter.com/noemibosques
also be sure to:
- Like her page at facebook.com/noemibosquesfanpage
- Be sure to “Like” Cool Sports Guy at facebook.com/coolsportsguy as well for stories, stats, and opinions in the world of sports.
Woman's MMA Today: Valérie Létourneau vs Vanessa Mariscal Planned For October 27
Montréal native Valérie “Trouble” Létourneau looks to pick up one of her biggest wins to date at Freedom Fight: “Caged Combat” on October 27th in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. The talented striker is set to battle Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt Vanessa Mariscal in a featured bout on the main card.
Freedom Fight officials confirmed plans for the fight today. Létourneau has won three of her past four fights, but she is coming off of a narrow Split Decision loss to unbeaten prospect Claudia Gadelha in April. Mariscal also looks to get back on track after suffering her first defeat at Invicta FC 1.
To read the full article, (click here).
**To stay up-to-date on all things related to women’s MMA, follow us on Facebook (click here).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Strikeforce
