Dana White confirms Robbie Lawler-Johny Hendricks trilogy fight

Rory MacDonald was supposed to get the next welterweight title shot, but the UFC officially confirmed today they opted for the third fight between Hendricks & Lawler: UFC president Dana White confirmed the news Thursday with reporters at the MGM Grand. "We just feel like the trilogy makes sense," White said. "Do the third fight between these two." Montreal's Rory MacDonald had been initially promised the next shot at the welterweight title, but between the razor-thin margin in the two Lawler-Hendricks fights and the fact Lawler and MacDonald have already fought, White feels the trilogy fight was the best way to go at this time. "Robbie and Rory just fought," White said of a UFC 181 won by Lawler via split decision.

All fighters make weight for UFC 165

Weigh-ins for UFC 165 took place on Friday at 4:00 p.m. ET. Catch the reply below of the live stream from Toronto, Canada.
Main Card (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
Jon Jones (204.5) vs. Alexander Gustafsson (204.5) - for light-heavyweight title
Renan Barao (135) vs. Eddie Wineland (135) - for interim bantamweight title
Brendan Schaub (237) vs. Matt Mitrione (260.5)
Costa Philippou (186) vs. Francis Carmont (186)
Pat Healy (155.75) vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov (156)
Prelim Card (FOX Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET)
Mike Ricci (155.5) vs. Myles Jury (156)
Ivan Menjivar (136) vs. Wilson Reis (135)
Chris Clements (169.5) vs. Stephen Thompson (170.5)
Mitch Gagnon (136) vs. Dustin Kimura (136)
Prelim Card (Facebook, 6 p.m. ET)
John Makdessi (155) vs. Renee Forte (155.5)
Jesse Ronson (155.5) vs. Michel Prazeres (155)
Roland Delorme (136) vs. Alex Caceres (136)
Nandor Guelmino (230) vs. Daniel Omielanczuk (245.5)

WTF????!!!!

Jones: My haters come across as the dumbest people ever

In a recent interview, UFC president Dana White said light heavyweight champion Jon Jones should go on to be the greatest UFC fighter in history, and that, like Floyd Mayweather, he gets a bad rap. However, White conceded that for hard to pin down reasons, people often don't like Jon Jones.
“Fighters are what they are," said White. "Jon Jones
comes off as a heel because people don’t like him. For whatever reason people don't like him, you know….”
Jones is learning to embrace the hate, and has a reply to critics who charge he is fake.
"I am fake," Jones told MMAJunkie's John Morgan. "I think everyone is fake, to an extent. I have many different sides to me. I can be rude. I can be funny. I can be goofy. I can be cocky at times. I swear I have split personalities. So no one is going to understand me. I'm not meant to be understood.
"You can show up to an arena in a terrible mood, and then when you get the camera and the lights and the fans there, you've got to wake up. You've got to smile. Even if you're not in the mood to be happy or whatnot, you've just got to put it on. So that's what I mean when I say I am fake."
"At the end of the day, I know that I love Christ. I love my family. I know I love mixed martial arts. I know I love my friends, and they're going to see different sides of me on different days."
"To be honest with you - and I know this might be controversial and it may get me a lot of backlash - my haters come across as the dumbest people ever. None of them have a real reason not to like me. 'Oh, you're too tall.' 'I don't like you.' Or, 'You're t

Paul Taylor retires following years of injuries

Paul "Relentless" Taylor has not fought early in 2011, when took he took Gabe Ruediger out with a head kick at UFC 126. Four times since then he was scheduled to fight and each time injuries took him out of the game.
Eventually it was too much, and following another withdrawal-forcing injury, the lightweight has retired, at age 33.
Taylor had been scheduled to fight Anthony Njokuani at UFC Fight Night 30 in Manchester, England on Oct. 26. Taylor was replaced by Al Iaquinta.
“All his old injuries flared up in training,” a source told Fighters Only. “He’s very disappointed not to be fighting on the Manchester card but there’s nothing he can do, these injuries just won’t go away.”

Gustafsson: I’m going to shock the world Saturday

The odds for Saturday's world title fight between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson range from 9-1 to 20-1 for 'Bones.'
However, you don't know what is going to happen in mixed martial arts, which is why you have the fight. And Gustafsson isn't taking any of the doubters personally.
“Not at all. I don’t takes anything personally," said 'The Mauler. "I don’t read too much. I don’t think too much. I’m going to go in there and shock the world on Saturday."
“I’m more than prepared. I can’t wait to get in there. I’m just living the dream right now. I’ve got a one in a lifetime shot and I’m going to do the best of it.”
Jones thinks Gustafsson's best is not good enough.
“I think I have a lot more tools in this fight to win the fight,” said Jones.
“I’m going to do all kinds of unpredictable spinning elbows, flying knees, shots, fake shots, all types of stuff. He really needs to be on his game.”
“I’m fighting a guy who throws punches. Alexander’s boxing defence, I’ve said it a lot of times now, is not that good … He’s a good puncher, he has pretty good footwork. Not a great boxer."
Jones famously has Phillippians 4:13 tatooed on his chest - “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
By contrast, Gustafsson adds a shark tooth every time he wins.
What do you think guys? Does "The Mauler" add another shark tooth, or will Jones win again through him who gives Bones strength?

UFC Macao: Franklin vs. Le Official For November 10th

CHINA – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® today officially unveiled the highly anticipated fight card ahead of the organization’s first-ever event in greater China. UFC® MACAO: FRANKLIN VS LE, headlined by an epic middleweight fight pitting former UFC champion Rich Franklin against former Strikeforce champion Cung Le, is set to take place at the CotaiArena™, the 15,000 seat venue at The Venetian® Macao-Resort-Hotel in Macao, on Saturday, November 10. Tickets for UFC® MACAO: FRANKLIN VS LE go on-sale to the general public at 10AM, September 7 (September 6 10PM ET/7PM PT in the US), at various Sands China box offices and are priced at HKD/MOP 6880 (Gold), 3880 (Silver), 2280 (Bronze), 1280 (A Reserve), 980 (B Reserve), 880 (C Reserve), 680 (D Reserve) and 380 (E Reserve). Tickets can be booked online at www.CotaiTicketing.com, or by phone at +853 2882 8818 (Macao) / +852 6333 6660 (HK), and are also available at Tom Lee Outlets and through Hong Kong Ticketing (customer service fee applies) online at www.HKTicketing.com or by phone at +852 3128 8288 . Vietnam-born American Cung Le has become a superstar in Asia – especially in China – due to his mastery of Sanshou and his skyrocketing film career, which inclues famous Hong Kong kung fu movies “Bodyguards and Assassins” and the yet-to-be-released movie “Grandmasters,” directed by Wong Kar Wai. Le will take on Rich “Ace” Franklin, a former high school teacher who has faced the best talent of the UFC over the course of his 13-year career, notching wins against Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva, Matt Hamill and Yushin Okami. Yet Franklin has never faced a striker like Le, whose dynamic attack and flashy kicks dazzle fans and devastate opponents. UFC® Macao will also feature South Korean MMA pioneer “Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim, in a pivotal welterweight bout against Brazil’s Paulo Thiago as well as a light heavyweight battle pitting unbeaten Bulgarian Stanislav Nedkov against Brazilian knockout artist Thiago Silva. Befitting the occasion, the first UFC event in China will feature the first Chinese fighter ever to compete in the Octagon™, Tiequan Zhang. Known as “The Wolf” for his ferocious style, Zhang has already won in the Octagon against Jason Reinhardt in a fight that received more than 100 million online hits in China. Le, Franklin, Kim and Zhang all appeared at a press conference today at the newly-launched Epic MMA Club in Hong Kong. UFC Asia Managing Director Mark Fischer unveiled the complete card and discussed the upcoming event to be held at the CotaiArena™. “Our debut into Greater China is a huge milestone in the UFC history and demonstrates the immense popularity and acceptance of the sport on a global stage,” said Fischer. “This is certainly one of the single biggest sporting events to ever hit the Hong Kong and Macao area and the global attention this event will receive pays tribute to the birthplace of martial arts. We are honored to hold our first event in China at the world-class CotaiArena in Macau.” “Sands China is proud to bring UFC to greater China for the very first time,” says Edward Tracy, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sands China Ltd. “It’s another big step toward making Macao a world centre of tourism and leisure. Our CotaiArena is the top venue of its kind in southern China and is the ideal place for UFC. Ranked by Pollstar, it has hosted the world’s and Asia’s biggest names in music, sports and awards shows. We welcome the world’s most elite athletes to Macao to demonstrate the ultimate in sportsmanship at CotaiArena and Sands China continues its commitment – making Macao the number-one destination in Asia for world-class entertainment.” UFC® MACAO: FRANKLIN VS LE will air live on numerous UFC broadcast partners in Asia and globally, as well as FUEL TV.

‘The Ultimate Fighter’ Forrest Griffin Video Promo

The video promo for the 90 minute special featuring the first ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ winner Forrest Griffin, which aired Wednesday night on FUEL TV. Sorry Canadian readers, this video is blocked for your neck of the woods.

With Curran Injured, Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Wants To Avenge Loss Versus Joe Warren

          Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire (L)

Brazilian featherweight Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire (17-1) was to have fought for his first world title on August 24, 2012 versus Bellator champ Pat Curran, but an injury has forced Curran to withdraw from their Bellator 73 headlining bout in Tunica, Mississippi. Without a title to fight for, Freire wants to face the only man to defeat him inside the cage in former Bellator champ Joe Warren.
‘Pitbull’ spoke to Tatame.com about who he’d like to face recently with the withdrawal of Curran.

“I was going to train when I got a call and they said Pat had broken a bone on his face and that Bellator would be trying to arrange another match for me”, explained.
Still with no opponent, Patricio revealed having asked the organization to fight the former featherweight champion Joe Warren, only fighter ever to defeat him.
“I asked them for Joe Warren. This is a rematch I’m willing to do because my loss to him was very controversy, but I guess I won. Since there was this problem, it’s a great chance to really find out who the best one is”, said the Brazilian, who holds a professional record with 17 wins and one loss.

Freire earned his title shot by winning the Season 4 featherweight tournament in May of last year. He suffered his only pro-loss to Warren in the Season 2 tournament back in June 2010, losing a split decision. Warren would go on to win the Bellator title, eventually losing it to Curran earlier this year.

Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman Weigh-in Live @ 6:45 PM EST

The Strikeforce promotion visits the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California for today’s official weigh-ins for the Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman event beginning at 6:45pm EST (3:45 pm PST). The live event goes down this Saturday, August 18, 2012 with the main card airing on SHOWTIME and the prelim card airing on Showtime EXTREME.
The nine bout card is headlined by a women’s bantamweight title bout between defending champion Ronda Rousey and former title holder Sarah Kaufman. The co-main event sees former middleweight champ Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza face off against Derek Brunson.
You can watch the video live at the SHOSports UStream page or you can try the video below at weigh-in time.
Main card (Showtime)
Women’s Bantamweight Championship bout: (c) Ronda Rousey () vs. Sarah Kaufman ()
Middleweight bout: Ronaldo Souza () vs. Derek Brunson ()
Welterweight bout: Tarec Saffiedine () vs. Roger Bowling ()
Middleweight bout: Lumumba Sayers () vs. Anthony Smith ()
Light Heavyweight bout: Ovince St. Preux () vs. T.J. Cook ()
Preliminary card (Showtime Extreme)
Bantamweight bout: Miesha Tate () vs. Julie Kedzie ()
Lightweight bout: Bobby Green () vs. Matt Ricehouse ()
Middleweight bout: Adlan Amagov () vs. Keith Berry ()
Bantamweight bout: Hiroko Yamanaka () vs. Germaine de Randamie ()

Video streaming by Ustream

Behind The Scenes Of UFC on FOX 4 With Alliance MMA

Gina Carano & Dwayne Johnson On The Set Of Fast 6 (Photo)

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson (L) & Gina 'Conviction' Carano (R)

The former face of women’s mixed martial arts, Gina Carano, is busy on the set of the next Fast & Furious movie (Fast 6) and took a moment to pose with fellow co-star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Johnson posted this photo on Twitter (@dwaynejohnson) earlier today.
- “Beast & the Beauty”.. Me & my FAST 6 partner in ass kickins (and fun) @ginacarano #BadAssChick

Ronda Rousey Focused On Kaufman, But Willing To Beat ‘Cyborg’ In The Parking Lot

Strikeforce MMA champ Ronda Rousey responds to Cris Cyborg’s challenge to fight the winner of the August 18th event between Rousey and Sarah Kaufman.

BAMMA 10 Event Adds lightweights Tommy Maguire vs. Mark Glover To Sept. 15 Event

Europe’s leading Mixed Martial Arts promotion, BAMMA, is proud to announce a Lightweight battle between Tommy Maguire and Mark Glover to the BAMMA 10 card at London Wembley on 15th September. The event is to be live televised on 5*, with the highlights to be broadcast on Channel 5. Internationally, BAMMA 10 will be broadcast live on HDNet (AXS TV) in the US, The Fight Network in Canada, Esporta in Brazil, Red Media in Russia, Setanta in Africa and TDN in Latin America. The same month his brother John Maguire brings ‘Gypsy jiu jitsu’ to Nottingham for the UFC, Tommy ‘2 Gunz’ Maguire will be entering the BAMMA cage at London Wembley. 2009 saw Tommy feature in the entry round of The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom, in the show that broke fellow brits Ross Pearson and Andre Winner onto the world stage. Now with a further three years professional experience under his belt and an 11-4 record, the Tsunami fighter has developed a strong, technical all-round game and has become well reputed for his dominant submission wrestling skills.
Mark Glover enters the fight with just one decision loss on his 6-1-1 record to Michael Pastou. Fighting out of Kaobon, Glover is a young up and comer who’s scored the majority of his wins via submission and who is set to have his skills put to a tough test by Maguire.
Glover said: “It’s a good fight and I’m excited to be fighting in an arena on the biggest show in the UK. You can’t trust a ginger but I’ve seen him fight before so I know what he’s all about. I’m definitely stopping him by Submission or TKO and he’s not going to make it to the third round.”
BAMMA’s Head of Talent Relations, Jude Samuel, said: “I expect sparks to fly in this match up between two highly talented UK fighters. Tommy has been in the shadow of his older brother for a while but is an exciting fighter in his own right who deserves his own stage. Although Glover has clocked up an impressive record and has the skill set to challenge Maguire in his strongest area, this fight marks a big step up in experience for the upcomer. Does he have what it takes to compete at the next level? Or will he meet his match in Tommy Maguire? Either way this fight is set to be compelling.”
Follow @2GunzMaguire on Twitter
Buy tickets here: http://bit.ly/NgTpvN

Randy Couture On Filming Expendables 2

Former MMA fighter and actor Randy Couture takes over the AOTS studios for his new action movie, The Expendables 2 where he co-stars with Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean Claude Van Damme and other iconic heroes.