Chael Sonnen Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering

by Michael David SmithChael Sonnen, the UFC middleweight currently serving a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, has pleaded guilty to money laundering related to mortgage fraud.

According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Oregon, Sonnen pleaded guilty Monday and will be sentenced on March 28. Sonnen could face up to 20 years in prison, but he is expected to cooperate as a witness against others involved in the mortgage fraud investigation, and so his sentence is likely to be considerably lighter.

Michelle Holman Kerin, the assistant U.S. attorney handling the case, told the Oregonian that Sonnen agreed to give up his Realtor's license and pay a $10,000 fine. The government is recommending Sonnen be sentenced to two years of probation.

"This office will continue to aggressively prosecute real estate professionals who committed the mortgage fraud that contributed to this country's economic downturn and wreaked havoc on our community's housing market," US Attorney Dwight Holton said in a statement. "We entrusted these professionals to honestly broker real estate transactions and instead, they defrauded lending institutions throughout the country and left financial ruin in their wake."

 

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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/01/03/chael-sonnen-pleads-guilty-to-money-laundering/

Kiyoshi Tamura Evan Tanner Peni Taufa ao Thiago Tavares Paul Taylor

Humbled Vera learned you can't trash talk in the Octagon

Brandon Vera has never lacked for confidence. In fact, when the media and fans would question his lack of aggression is some fights, Vera would fire back defiantly. But it was clear, he wasn't the same fighter who shot up the charts in 2005 and 2006. It took a major wake-up call to finally shake up Vera.

The 33-year-old quickly rose to the top of the heavyweight division with wins at Ultimate Fight Night 2 and UFC 57, 60 and 65. He eventually met his match against the massive Tim Sylvia and Fabricio Werdum at heavyweight. Then two years later he took hotshot Jon Jones too lightly.

"I for sure, did not give Mr. Jones the respect he deserved and that's my fault," Vera during the UFC 125 prefight press conference (24:50 mark).

Vera (11-5) lost his concentration at the worst time. 

"When I was underneath him, I'm remember being off in my own world while he was throwing elbows and missing. I was holding his wrist and thinking 'geez man, all the hype was about you ... this is what you have to offer on the ground, really?' I remember I said 'you f'n suck,' but before I said the word suck, the elbow came down on my face and smashed my face."

The Jones' elbow broke Vera's cheekbone. MMA can be incredibly dangerous if you don't defend yourself properly. The Filipino-American paid the price and was sidelined for seven months. 

"That's when I realized right then and there, 'That's what you get you bastard. That's what you get for thinking you're so ahead of the game.'"

For Vera, who is just 3-3 since dropping to light heavyweight, the success in his late-20's came too fast. 

"Honestly [it was] my arrogance. The fights seemed easy. I was in there training hard, training hard [then] I go in there and knock someone out real quick. Train hard, train hard then knock somebody else out real quick," said Vera [20:58 mark]. "My arrogance caught up to me. My head got real big and somebody needed to pop it. Too bad they had to pop my face for it to pop, but it's popped. I'm back. My head's level and I'm ready to go."

Vera better be right-minded. He's got a tough test at UFC 125 in aggressive striker Thiago Silva and frankly his job may be on thin ice if he loses a third straight fight.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Humbled-Vera-learned-you-can-t-trash-talk-in-the?urn=mma-301908

Jeremy Jackson Quinton Rampage Jackson Jaime Jara Keith Jardine Antoine Jaoude

UFC On Versus 3, Thursday, March 3

UFC on Versus 3
Thursday, March 3
KFC Yum! Center
Louisville, KY
Airing on Versus

* Martin Kampmann (#8 Ranked Welterweight) vs. Diego Sanchez
* Brian Bowles (#2 Ranked Bantamweight) vs. Damacio Page (#10 Ranked Bantamweight)
* CB Dollaway vs. Mark Munoz
* Alessio Sakara vs. Maiquel Falcao
* Rousimar Palhares vs. Alexandre Ferreira
* Shane Roller vs. Thiago Tavares
* Erik Koch vs. Cub Swanson
* Takeya Mizugaki vs. Francisco Rivera
* Steve Cantwell vs. Cyrille Diabate
* Matt Brown vs. Mark Scanlon

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Upcoming_Events_42/article_7768.shtml

Wagnney Fabiano Kevin Kimbo Slice Ferguson Paulo Filho Mirko Cro Cop Filipović Luiz Buscapé Firmino

Michael Bisping?s Training Camp for UFC 127

Catch Michael Bisping training at the Wolfslair MMA Academy for his upcoming middleweight fight against Jorge Rivera at UFC 127 on Feb 27th in Sydney, Australia. Michael Bisping’s Training Camp for UFC 127 is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News

Michael Bisping’s Training Camp for UFC 127 is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News

Source: http://www.mmainterplay.com/ufc-news/michael-bispings-training-camp-for-ufc-127-52973/

Evangelista Santos Rey Phillip Santos Bob Sapp Rumina Sato Kerry Schall