UFC Announces "Ultimate Auction" To Benefit The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund

The ufc is already off to a great start in 2011, with the recent New Year?s Day UFC 125 ?Resolution? event featuring several great fights and a stellar main event that seems to be a lock for Fight of the Year contention. One of the UFC?s most important early-2011 efforts is also fast-approaching: the second [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/01/05/ufc-announces-ultimate-auction-to-benefit-the-intrepid-fallen-heroes-fund

Mostapha Al Turk Ryuki Ueyama Caol Uno Alexander Ustinov Umer W Chheena

OTHER NEWS: Tim Sylvia replaces Todd Duffee against Abe Wagner at Titan Fighting Championship 16 on HDNet

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Tim_Sylvia_120.jpg

With Todd Duffee stepping up to face Alistair Overeem in Japan on New Year's Eve, Titan Fighting Championship has replaced him in a scheduled bout against Abe Wagner on Friday, January 28.

The organization today announced that former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia has been tapped as that replacement, and he'll meet Wagner in the main event of the fight card in Kansas City, which will air live on HDNet.

This event is the debut for TFC on HDNet, and takes place from the historic Memorial Hall in Kansas City. While Titan wanted Duffee for the card, the promotion's CEO Joe Kelly stated they understood the importance of the Overeem fight to the 25 year old heavyweight.

"Titan is a fighter-friendly organization. We treat the athletes that work with us like people and not commodities," Kelly stated. "While we were excited to have Todd be a part of our HDNet debut, we also realize how important the Overeem fight was for him at this stage of his career. I have a long-standing friendship with Todd's manager, Monte Cox, and Titan's burgeoning relationship with HDNet is also very important. We didn't want to stand in the way of this great fight happening on New Year's Eve with everyone in the States also being able to watch on HDNet."

Tim Sylvia continues his recent nomadic run of fighting, appearing in his seventh different fight promotion in eight fights. He's found success recently, however, winning four straight fights entering this event.

"Tim is a two-time former UFC heavyweight champion and has headlined some of the biggest MMA shows in the history of the sport," said Kelly. "We're very fortunate to be able to add him to Titan FC 16 on such short notice. By letting Todd take the fight vs. Overeem, we are allowing ourselves to get to work with Tim on our Jan. 28 show and then still get to book Todd on a future show."

Wagner, an 8-2 professional who appeared on the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter, picked up his first win since the show in November when he scored a first round TKO win over Vinny Pallone.

Penick's Analysis: This is another fight Sylvia should win outside of the major organization's, and with it airing live on HDNet, Sylvia could work his way back to a major organization for the first time since losing to Fedor Emelianenko on the first Affliction show in 2008. The former champion has been toiling in relative obscurity on these smaller shows, but in winning four straight, and if he moves it to five straight, he'd be a good addition to Strikeforce or the UFC, as he can still be a challenge to prospective heavyweight talent.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Other_News_4/article_7982.shtml

Paulo Filho Mirko Cro Cop Filipović Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher Jon Fitch

STRIKEFORCE NEWS: Lavar Johnson vs. Shane Del Rosario booked as heavyweight tournament alternate bout

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

LogoStrikeforce2010_105_53.png

A reserve bout for the Strikeforce heavyweight tournament is set for the February 12 event in New Jersey, as Lavar Johnson and Shane Del Rosario will meet, according to multiple published reports.

Johnson and Del Rosario have both been featured on the Strikeforce Challengers series of cards, each of them coincidentally enough having their sole headlining bouts against Lolohea Mahe. Both fighters defeated Mahe by TKO.

Del Rosario has finished all ten of his career fights, with only one making it out of the first round. His Strikeforce career has seen him knock out the aforementioned Mahe after making his debut by submitting Brandon Cash by Omoplata.

Johnson's had a rockier road to this bout. After making his Strikeforce debut on the very first Challengers card, knocking out Carl Seumanutafa in 18 seconds, Johnson was the victim of a violent attack while at a family gathering in the summer of 2009. Suffering multiple gunshot wounds, it would be a year out of action for Johnson before he returned to take out Mahe in the second round of their bout in May of 2010. He followed that return win up with a victory over Virgil Zwicker in October.

The winner of this fight will be called upon as a replacement if an injury is suffered during the eight man heavyweight tournament that was announced on Tuesday.

Penick's Analysis: This is a good fight to determine a replacement. I actually wouldn't have minded seeing Del Rosario get the spot in the field that Sergei Kharitonov has taken, as Del Rosario is an exciting up and coming prospect that could have made a name for himself on that side of the bracket. He could still get that opportunity, especially if Strikeforce finds they have more difficulties than they can deal with in Josh Barnett's licensing. But if an injury happens, the winner of this fight is going to get a very big opportunity in the organization against some very tough talent.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Affliction2/article_8051.shtml

Antoni Hardonk Dan Hardy Lee Hasdell Musse Hasselvall Daiki DJ taiki Hata

Japan's Christmas gift for MMA fans: 'The Reem' vs. Duffee

If the fight stinks, at least the postfight posedown will thrill the fans at Dynamite!! 2010. Japanese promoters have delivered an opponent for Alistair Overeem on their year-end MMA card, it's fellow muscleman Todd Duffee. What a holiday gift to close out the year.

Duffee has been in limbo since his mysterious axing from the UFC back in September. The 6-foot-3, 252-pounder was considered one of the UFC's best heavyweight prospects. After putting a first-round beatdown on Mike Russow, Duffee gassed and was shocked via knockout in the third. Four months later, he was cut by the UFC with a 1-1 record.

FanHouse confirmed Thursday morning that the 25-year-old will face Overeem on Jan. 31 in Saitama, Japan (HDNet).

HeadKickLegend reports that Duffee will be paid $60,000 to show and an additional bonus if he pulls the upset. HKL also says Bobby Lashley turned down an Overeem fight over financial concerns.

Overeem, the Strikeforce heavyweight champ, is riding an eight-fight win streak that dates to 2007. His last MMA fight was a walkover in May against Brett Rogers in St. Louis.

On New Year's Eve, he'll be just 20 days removed from fighting three times in one night at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010.

This is MMA fight No. 45 for Overeem and only Duffee's eighth. Is it too soon?

The youngster has everything to gain. Hopefully, he's corrected some of his gas-tank issues because Overeem can go hard for 15 minutes and has huge knockout power.

Duffee will also have to deal with a long trip to Japan. Let's hope he has only good things to say about DREAM's promoters on the way to the fight.  

Tip via Bloody Elbow

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Japan-s-Christmas-gift-for-MMA-fans-The-Reem-?urn=mma-299903

Scott Morris Johnnie Morton Ben Mortimer Curtis Mostat Gegard Mousasi

Gary Goodridge Finally Gets (Mostly) Paid for K-1 Dynamite!! 2009


(Somehow, screwing this guy over in a business deal would never cross our minds. PicProps: Top MMA News)

A couple years ago I interviewed UFC and Pride vet and all-around good guy Gary Goodridge as part of a project I was working on for another publication. At the beginning of our conversation I think I asked something innocuous like, “Hey Gary, how you doing?” to which Goodridge responded with an audible sigh and said: “Man, I’m broke as a joke and looking for a job.” I laughed. Nervously. During the course of our talk it became clear that “Big Daddy” wasn’t kidding. After  nearly 50 MMA fights and 40 kickboxing bouts, the 15-year fight vet was pretty much at loose ends. He'd morphed into a cautionary tale – and a particularly heartbreaking one because he is such a nice dude – for all the young fighters out there who are living like they think those paychecks are just going to keep coming forever.

For obvious reasons, it was not at all surprising when Goodridge agreed to take on Gegard Mousasi at K-1’s New Year’s Eve Dynamite!! 2009 show on kind of ridiculously short notice, was further depressingly predictable that he lost that fight by ugly TKO inside of two minutes and unbelievably ridiculous that FEG took more than a year to send Gary his paycheck. Since this was so clearly an example of an aging fighter taking a fight he had no business taking simply because he needed a payday, the whole “getting paid” stage was a pretty important part of the equation. So, it warms even the blackest heart to report that Goodridge finally got his bread this week. Well, most of it.

read more

Source: http://www.cagepotato.com/gary-goodridge-finally-gets-mostly-paid-k-1-dynamite-2009

Karo Parisyan Sherman Pendergarst B J Penn Anthony Perosh Seth Petruzelli

Adieu Varner and Horodecki: Lightweight heads roll after final WEC

Not exactly the parting shot Varner was hoping for.

Jamie Varner and Chris Horodecki are the latest victims of one of the few downsides of the UFC/WEC merger: The promotion can only have so many fighters on a roster at once. The merger means the traditional post-fight cuts will be brutal, particularly in the lightweight division, which was supported by both the UFC and WEC.

Varner lost the WEC lightweight to Ben Henderson at the beginning of the year via a third-round submission that Varner mocked. The rest of 2010 was just as tough, as he fought to a draw with Kamal Shalorus, lost a grudge match to bitter rival Donald Cerrone and then was submitted by Shane Roller. Still, it's shocking to see a fighter go from the champ to unemployed in a year's time. From PunchDrunkGamer.com on Tuesday:

Jamie stated, “I am ready for 2011, there will be some changes in my game. It has been a nice ride with the WEC but its time for a change. Perhaps UFC will be in my future down the road...We shall see!”

Less shocking is Horodecki's cut. Though he was 2-2 in the WEC, his losses were spectacular. "The Polish Hammer's" debut in the WEC was wrecked by Anthony Njokuani's highlight-reel kick to the face. Horodecki won his next two, but then was submitted by a Cerrone triangle choke at WEC 53.

This is the reality of the post-merger UFC. In the past, a fighter would only be concerned about being cut if he lost two in a row, but now, every performance counts. Adieu, Polish Hammer and Varner. Horodecki, we'll miss that Goonies-esque face, and Varner, what will MMA be without you and Cerrone calling each other unsavory names? 

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Adieu-Varner-and-Horodecki-Lightweight-heads-ro?urn=mma-301180

Alexandre Franca Nogueira Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira Antônio Rogério Nogueira Karl James Noons Jan Nortje

With guilty plea in mortgage fraud case, Sonnen should get probation and $10,000 fine

UFC fighter Chael Sonnen is currently serving the last few months of a steroid suspension in California. He's expected to return to active fighting sometime in the spring or is he? 

According to the Lake Oswego Review, his battle versus the federal government has ended with a guilty plea to money laundering:

A licensed Realtor from West Linn, Sonnen admitted before a judge Monday that he conducted a financial transaction designed to hide or disguise the ownership and control of proceeds of mortgage fraud, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release.

Update: According to the Oregonian, as part of his guilty plea, Sonnen agreed to give up his realtor's license and pay a $10,000 fine. The government is recommending two years probation.

Update II - Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reports (Audio - 1:40 mark) that Sonnen is turning state's evidence. He's also scheduled to fight Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128 in New Jersey on March 19. 

The IRS issued a public statement:

"West Linn residents, and other residents throughout the Portland-Vancouver area, can rest assured knowing that federal law enforcement agencies take mortgage fraud very seriously because it played a major role in almost crippling this nation’s banking system just a few years ago," said Marcus Williams, a special agent in charge of IRS criminal investigations for the Pacific Northwest.

Money laundering carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

Sonnen's sentencing is scheduled for March 28.

Update III - Here is the full release from the U.S. Attorney's Office on Oregon. Sonnen's conspired with a mortgage broker to falsify repair work.

Sonnen, a licensed realtor in the State of Oregon, admitted that a financial transaction he conducted was designed to conceal or disguise the ownership and control of the proceeds of wire fraud. The scheme involved Joel Rosabal and Chadwick Amsden, employees of Crown Point Enterprises, dba Lighthouse Financial Group (Lighthouse), a mortgage brokerage service based principally in Vancouver, Washington, with operations in Oregon and elsewhere. Rosabal and Amsden submitted a materially false loan application on the buyer’s behalf to Decision One Mortgage, a subprime lending institution that is now defunct, for the purchase of residential property located at 11249 SE Rolling Hills Lane, Portland, Oregon. Sonnen acted as the realtor for the transaction. Sonnen submitted a false letter and Sales Agreement Addendum instructing the title company to pay loan proceeds to a plumbing company for repairs to the home. In fact, Sonnen knew and had negotiated with Rosabal that no repairs would be performed on the home and the funds designated to the plumbing company would instead be paid to the buyer as a cash incentive to purchase the home. This agreement was not disclosed to Decision One Mortgage. Once the loan was funded, the title company paid over $69,000 to the plumbing company and the plumbing company, in turn and at Sonnen’s direction, paid $65,000 to the buyer of the home.

Sonnen referenced a battle vs. the federal government during a recent interview with HDNet's Mike Straka (0:43 mark), but made no mention of this specific case.

Newspaper report tip via MMAScraps

U.S. Attorney's release via Bloody Elbow

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/With-guilty-plea-in-mortgage-fraud-case-Sonnen-?urn=mma-303049

Norifumi Kid Yamamoto Ryushi Yanagisawa Yoshiaki Yatsu Hirotaka Yokoi Hidehiko Yoshida

Tito Ortiz confirms fight with lil nog; speaks on Dana White's comments on UFC cut - Tito Ortiz

Fight Hub TV's cameras caught up with former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz as we asked him how he felt with Dana White's recent comments on Ortiz being possibly cut if he loses his next UFC match. Ortiz counters that even if he is cut, he will continue to fight and addresses that he will fight little Nog.

Source: http://mmalice.com/tito-ortiz/tito-ortiz-confirms-fight-with-lil-nog-speaks-on-dana-whites-comments-on-ufc-cut-video_e823cdac0.html

Pete Sell Andrei Semenov Ivan Serati Matt Serra Nick Serra