Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The highly anticipated card "Caged Fury 9," held by the North American Allied Fight Series (NAAFS) on February 20, saw two new champions crowned in the Pro Series. The mixed amateur and professional MMA event took place at the Gray’s Armory in Cleveland, Ohio. In the co-main event, Daniel Straus notched a fifth round technical knockout victory over Bellator veteran Frank Caraballo to capture the interim lightweight championship belt and earn a match-up with four-time UFC veteran Jason "Dynamite" Dent at "Fight Night In The Flats VI" in June. In the main event, “Big” John Hawk edged out defending Champion Joe McCall of Matt Hughes’ H.I.T. Squad to become the NAAFS heavyweight champion.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Saturday's "MMA Big Show: Triple Threat" took place in the Belterra Casino in Florence, Indiana, and turned in a great night full of exciting fights. With three professional fights, ten amateur tilts, and the welterweight championship bout, fans were treated to great fights and big finishes from the Indiana based promotion.

Madison Square Garden has formed a co-promotional agreement with Bellator Fighting Championships to bring a total of four nationally televised Bellator events to two of the most historic and prestigious theaters in the United States, the Chicago Theatre and the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre in Boston. The events, to be broadcast on FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo, will be staged at the same grand and majestic venues that, over the years, have hosted a collection of the world’s top entertainers.

A second 185-pound fight for former Pride Middleweight Champion Wanderlei Silva is currently in the works. The hopeful combatant is likely to be the man Silva was originally rumored to face in Sydney at UFC 110, Yoshihiro Akiyama. Akiyama has been waiting in the wings after defeating Alan Belcher last July at UFC 100. Silva claimed his first victory at 185 in his debut against Michael Bisping defeating the British star by unanimous decision.

Three men at UFC 110 solidified themselves as top contenders in their respective divisions. George Sotiropoulos, Ryan Bader, and Cain Velasquez all put on impressive performances helping make the UFC's first trip to Australia a huge success. With his victory over Michael Bisping, Wanderlei Silva emphatically declared that the other UFC middleweights had better take notice, though he still needs two or three more victories at middleweight before he can be considered a legitimate contender.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

The UFC's pilgrimage into the land down under is in the books and the card was action packed from the opening to the closing bell. Additionally, four "Fight of the Night" bonuses valued at $50,000 a piece were handed out following the event. Kicking the night off was a heavyweight clash between Anthony Perosh and Mirko "Cro Cop" Flipovic. Perosh was backpedaling and attempting failed takedown after failed takedown as CroCop's sprawl was on display more than his legendary striking. Late in the second round, Cro Cop landed a vicious elbow that opened cut over Perosh's eye that ended the fight after the second round concluded.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

As with past UFC events, MMA Spot will be bringing our readers round-by-round coverage and post-fight press conferences for tonight's pay-per-view broadcast of "UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez". The event will be taking place from the Acer Arena in Sydney, and features a heavyweight bout between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cain Velasquez. Also on the card, popular middleweights Wanderlei Silva and Michael Bisping will face off. Catch all the live blow-by-blow action as we bring you live coverage of the main broadcast card round-by-round.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Bellator Fighting Championships put the finishing touches on its much-anticipated season two featherweight tournament today with the signing of 17-2 submission specialist Eric Marriott.  Marriott is the eighth and final confirmed participant in the tournament, which also features the likes of Georgi Karakhanyan, Sean Pierson, Patricio Pitbull, Bao Quach, Wilson Reis, William Romero and Joe Warren. All told, the group boasts a combined professional record of 83-18-2. First-round matchups will be announced next week.

The UFC will make its first appearance in the "land down under" this Saturday when it brings "UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Valasquez" to Sydney's Acer Arena. The MMA Spot staff have once again sat down and made our predictions for the card.

In the heavyweight main event Cain Valasquez will be taking on Anotonio Rodrigo "Minitaro" Nogueira in what could potentially be for a number one contender spot. Valasquez (7-0) has been nothing short of impressive since making his UFC debut back at "UFC 83: St Pierre vs. Serra II." With only one fight in his career going to a decision, fans are sure to be in for a good show come Saturday.

The UFC has once again suffered losses in the form of injury and illness on the eve of UFC 110. Both Ben Rothwell and Elvis Sinosic have been forced off the card a mere 24 hours before the event.  Rothwell, set to battle heavyweight legend Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, has dropped out due to an undisclosed illness. While Sinosic, inactive since December of 2007, was set to rematch Chris Haseman but has been forced off of the card due to shoulder injury.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

In every fighter's career an opportunity comes along to make a name for themselves by defeating an opponent with a well-known name. This Saturday, heavyweight fighter Dave Hess will get that opportunity as he faces off against UFC veteran "Irish" Jake O'Brien in the main event of "MMA Big Show: Triple Threat." MMASpot recently sat down with Dave to discuss his origins and his thoughts on the fight.

Bellator Fighting Championships put yet another piece in place for its upcoming season two featherweight tournament today with the signing of 5-2 Shad Lierley, a former International Fight League (IFL) standout and elite-level college wrestler. The 29-year-old Lierley—who was a top college wrestler while earning his bachelor’s degree in economics and political science at New York University—is perhaps best-known for his legendary 2007 fight against one-time IFL poster boy Chris Horodecki.