Information General: May 2014

Tuesday 20 May 2014

Pat Curran vs. Patricio Pitbull Featherweight Championship Kicks Off Bellator Summer Series

http://www.mmaweekly.com/pat-curran-vs-patricio-pitbull-featherweight-championship-kicks-off-bellator-summer-series

The Bellator Summer Series will start with a bang as Bellator Featherweight...

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82787-Pat-Curran-vs-Patricio-Pitbull-Featherweight-Championship-Kicks-Off-Bellator-Summer-Series&goto=newpost

Forrest Griffin Tyson Griffin Karn Grigorian Karen Grigoryan Kendall Grove

Team Canada Casting Call ? UFC Ultimate Insider Video

An all-access pass to the Canadian open casting session. Witness top talent north of the border try to make an impression and gain entry into the upcoming season.

Source: http://www.mmatko.com/team-canada-casting-call-ufc-ultimate-insider-video/

Marvin Eastman Stav Crazy Bear Economou Yves Edwards Justin Eilers Jon Olav Einemo

OH MY GOD THE SHAME (Crunchie)

Check this low point in history out crunch

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=451668

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82891-OH-MY-GOD-THE-SHAME-(Crunchie)&goto=newpost

Jermaine Andrè Yoji Anjo Ao Hailin Shinya Aoki Andrei Arlovski

Enson five days after the Igor beating

Image: http://i62.tinypic.com/18jh5j.jpg

Dayum.

HEEEEEEY YOOOOUU GUUUUUUYS!!!

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82816-Enson-five-days-after-the-Igor-beating&goto=newpost

Yves Edwards Justin Eilers Jon Olav Einemo Per Eklund Jason Ellis

Rampage Says Rematch, King Mo Goes Off

Three rounds, 15 minutes and three judges didn’t solve anything for Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal Saturday night at Bellator 120. While Lawal felt he was the winner, it was Jackson who got his hand raised, as all three judges scored it for him. An irate Lawal could be heard shouting and […]

The post Rampage Says Rematch, King Mo Goes Off appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/05/18/rampage-says-rematch-king-mo-goes-off/

Manvel Gamburyan Sean Gannon Edgar Garcia Leonard Garcia Andrew Gardner

Monday 19 May 2014

Bellator 120 post-fight show

Source: http://mmasportsreport.com/5119/bellator-120-post-fight-show

Royler Gracie Ryan Gracie Peter Graham Forrest Griffin Tyson Griffin

UFC releases Jake Shields

http://www.mmafighting.com/2014/4/7/5589824/ufc-releases-jake-shields

After a little over three years, Jake Shields' UFC run has come to an end.

The former welterweight contender has been...

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82732-UFC-releases-Jake-Shields&goto=newpost

David Heath Delson Heleno Dan Henderson Josh Hendricks Ed Herman

Freudian slip

I used subzero's crystal ball and could see wedding bells in someone's near future.

PS- *merry

Image: http://i58.tinypic.com/2mxnciw.jpg

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82951-Freudian-slip&goto=newpost

Mark The Hammer Coleman Wes Soldier Combs Ray Cooper Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira

Is anybody here

a member of the nofap community?

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82753-Is-anybody-here&goto=newpost

David Heath Delson Heleno Dan Henderson Josh Hendricks Ed Herman

Bellator 120 post-fight press conference

Source: http://mmasportsreport.com/5123/bellator-120-post-fight-press-conference

Josh Burkman Mikey Burnett Murilo Bustamante Grant Campbell Gesias JZ Calvancante

Rick Hawn looks to bring it in Bellator title bout

Bellator fighter Rick Hawn became a seasoned competitor long ago. The Judo player has competed on national and international levels since he was a child.

That's probably why the fighter is able to be so fiery in the ring but cool as chilled steel just a few days before fighting for a major championship. Cagewriter is visiting with Hawn as he heads into an April 18 fight against Douglas Lima for the vacant Bellator welterweight title, and he's calm and unhurried as we pester him with technical questions about the differences between Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Hawn is also relaxed as he talks about taking on Lima but admits that winning the Bellator title would be a major accomplishment. "It would mean a lot," he says.

Hawn is well-acquainted with desire. His dad had studied Judo before Rick was born and got his son into class early on.

By the time Hawn was 12, he had a specific goal in Judo - make the U.S. Olympic team. It was an unusual amount of certainty and commitment for a 12 year-old.

Judo wasn't huge in Hawn's small Oregon town so after high school he moved to Colorado to train at Team USA's Olympic Training Center. Hawn says he saw his family only once a year or so while training in Colorado.

When he moved to Boston to train with Judo legend Jimmy Pedro a few years later, Hawn worked as many side jobs as he needed to pay the bills while training full-time. Now on opposite coasts and mostly self-funded, Hawn saw his family only once perhaps every other year.

"Every day, you wake up thinking of that goal," Hawn remembers of his mindset as a kid and young man pursuing Olympic glory.

All this was what was needed to make his Judo dream come true, in Hawn's mind. It might sound excessive to thouse unfamiliar with high-level athletics but you can't say he was wrong.

Hawn's sacrifice eventually paid off, and he made the 2004 Olympic team. He placed 9th overall at the Athens Summer Games.

When he couldn't do it a second time in 2008, Hawn decided to retire from Judo and began his MMA career. The Judo fighter jumped in with both feet, training with the best and taking fights almost immediately.

Hawn had always felt like he knew a secret watching MMA competition as a kid while also training Judo. "We watched the first UFC events with Royce Gracie," he remembers.

"Back then, no one really had any idea what he was doing except for Jiu Jitsu and Judo people. He'd go for something and the announcers would say, 'what is he doing?' and we'd be sitting there like, 'that's an arm bar!'"

Hawn knew he would give fighting a chance one day. His elite Judo pedigree and skills would certainly help him, he felt.

However, he suspected he had something else needed to transition from grappling to full fighting. The MMA world has seen many top athletes from other fight sports, like wrestling, Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, dabble but flame out in the cage and ring.

Some guys got smashed, sure. Fighting is a cruel hobby.

However, other grapplers found success early but, for whatever reason, decided that fighting wasn't for them. American Olympic wrestler Rulon Gardner is one such example.

The giant won a fight in Pride but said he had no interest in continuing to hit and be hit.

We ask Hawn, is there something inside certain people, in addition to athleticism and skill, that makes them a fighter? Why can some make the transition while other, perhaps even more accomplished grapplers, not?

"Yeah, you know, I think there is," he says.

"Not everyone has 'it.'I've seen guys who were even better than me in Judo and they don't fight and I wonder what it is. I wish I could say what 'it' is, but I don?t know. I've always just been able to take the same approach I had in Judo, in MMA. Even in Judo, I had a killer instinct."

Maybe "killer instinct" is it. Maybe 'it,' is something else. Hawn has fought over twenty times in the last four years, losing just twice.

Tonight, he heads into his biggest fight ever. He's confident and calm.

Perhaps it is because, whatever 'it,' is, Rick Hawn definitely has it.

Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/rick-hawn-looks-to-bring-it-in-bellator-title-bout-182309229.html

Mikhail Avetisyan Luiz Azeredo Luciano Azevedo Ba Te er Ryan Bader

BAMMA Strikes Agreement With ESPN3 (USA) Ahead Of BAMMA 15

http://bamma.com/news/2014/04/03/bamma-strikes-agreement-with-espn3-usa-ahead-of-bamma-15

April 3rd, 2014 - Europe's flagship Mixed Martial Arts promotion, BAMMA, is proud to announce a newly...

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82718-BAMMA-Strikes-Agreement-With-ESPN3-(USA)-Ahead-Of-BAMMA-15&goto=newpost

Vagam Bodjukyan Kotetsu Boku Tony Bonello Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo

UFC's Lorenz Larkin on crowd and self-control

Lorenz Larkin is days away from the biggest fight of his MMA career. On Saturday, the Southern California fighter will take on Costas Philippou in the co-main event of the UFC Fight Night card in Cincinnati, OH. Larkin says that you never truly ?get used to? the big lights, but he has learned how to deal with them quite well over the course of his Strikeforce and UFC career.

?The big difference between Strikeforce and the UFC is the crowd, really,? Larkin details.

?The UFC crowd is more lively and more into the event than the Strikeforce crowds were. There?s more people at the venue. If I could give any advice to new UFC fighters, it?s to try and prepare for everything that comes with that. The pressure doesn?t really come from the fight ? we all know how to do that. It?s when the cameras are in your face and there are thousands of people in the crowd, shouting at you. It can jump your nerves.

?I don?t think anyone gets used to it, but I certainly know how to deal with it. I still get nervous when I fight but the more you fight the better you feel with it. You don?t get so crazy and jumpy.?

Both Larkin and Philippou are well-respected but are coming off losses. Certainly, then, each will feel extra pressure to pull out another UFC win. The calm Larkin says he?s been able to develop extends to his analysis of the matchup with Philippou.

?The Monsoon? is ready for an aggressive foe and plans to use technique and speed to counter. ?Costas is a powerhouse,? Larkin allows.

?He?s got KO power. He comes out hard. We know that he likes to dig his toes in the mat and throw hard. So, you know, we?ve been working on all the things I can do to take advantage of that. I plan to get in there and implement what we?ve been working on in camp and not wait pull the trigger.?

Overall, Larkin believes that being quicker to the draw will be a large part of what will make him successful Saturday night. ?I?ll say that my speed advantage [is the biggest difference between he and I],? he says.

?And, just my movement, cutting angles on him. If he makes a mistake, I?m going to make him pay for it.?

Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-s-lorenz-larkin-on-crowd-and-self-control-161532595.html

Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira Patrick The Predator Côté Randy The Natural Couture Dan Cramer

is anybody else just wondering why?

Why would hendo agree to fight black fedor? I mean for fucks sake he can't use the trt anymore and he can't compete against that guy. I love hendo for life but I shook subs 8 ball and it said outlook...

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82812-is-anybody-else-just-wondering-why&goto=newpost

Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen Alex Andrade Jermaine Andrè Yoji Anjo

Dana White UFC 173 vlog - Videos

Dana White's UFC 173 vlog is a look back at UFC on FS1: Brown vs. Silva. Looking forward to UFC 173: Barao vs. Dillashaw Saturday May 24, 2014 10pm/7pm ETPT

Source: http://mmalice.com/videos/dana-white-ufc-173-vlog-video_n1myesdm.html

Melvin Guillard Cody Guinn Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson

Glorious Leader! Video Game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8_X-9AIG-c

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82942-Glorious-Leader!-Video-Game&goto=newpost

Chris Brennan Marcelo Brito Rob Broughton Mike Brown Junie Browning

You were right neopops - Pictures That Prove That The Illuminati is real

http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/shocking-pictures-that-prove-the-illuminati-is-all-around

Wake up sheeple.

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82806-You-were-right-neopops-Pictures-That-Prove-That-The-Illuminati-is-real&goto=newpost

Branden Lee Hinkle Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi Daniel Acacio

Sunday 18 May 2014

Fabio Maldonado vs. Stipe Miocic headlines TUF: Brazil 3 Finale card

http://www.mmafighting.com/2014/5/6/5688600/fabio-maldonado-vs-stipe-miocic-headlines-tuf-brazil-3-finale-card

The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 Finale has a new main event.

UFC announced on...

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82880-Fabio-Maldonado-vs-Stipe-Miocic-headlines-TUF-Brazil-3-Finale-card&goto=newpost

Ricardo Arona Noboru Asahi Marcus Aurelio Mikhail Avetisyan Luiz Azeredo

Alexander Shlemenko & the confidence of 1,000 fights

When a man as young as 29 year-old Alexander Shlemenko has the leathered mug of a much-older man, there's a good chance he's been in a good amount of fights. The Russian "Storm" has 57 professional bouts in his ten-year career.

You fight that many times and you'll not only learn a great deal about yourself, you'll have the the dents to show for it all. His pro career is just the tip of the iceberg for Shlemenko, however, as the fighter tells Cagewriter that he had over one thousand amateur fights.

We asked him again, through his manager and interpreter Alexi, and Shlemenko confirmed the figure, saying that he fought almost every week. Over a thousand amateur fights.

Suffice to say, when Shlemenko tells us about how he "loves" MMA, we tend to believe him. As a matter of fact, Shlemenko's next opponent - Tito Ortiz - was a bit part of why the Bellator middleweight champion first fell in love with the sport.

"From the first time I watched video tape of MMA, I fell in love," he says.

"Back then, I wasn't even thinking that someday we would compete...I know Tito really well. I've been following him his whole career."

We were initially less convinced that Shlemenko fighting the former UFC light heavyweight champ was the Russian's idea, and not a convenient put-up by his Bellator bosses, however. Yet, Shlemenko insists that the novelty fight was his idea.

"No. it was my initiative, my desire," he maintains.

Shlemenko called Ortiz out on Twitter, Ortiz replied and Bellator quickly put the fight together for the promotion's first pay per view event, taking place May 17. Shlemenko will go up in weight to take on the MMA legend.

"I heard Tito wanted to fight on the pay per view, so I said 'why not? I can fight him.'

"I want to show everybody that I can do well, even at a heavier weight so I can potentially fight more at a heavier weight."

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney has often talked about how Shlemenko is a small middleweight and should fight at welterweight but the fighter himself pretty much denies it. "I don't think so," he says.

"I'd have to starve myself. More than anything, I don't see the reason for it."

Indeed, Shlemenko has dominated the middleweight Bellator ranks, undersized or not. He's now dead set on demonstrating that he can also be successful at light heavyweight.

Whether it is the language barrier, his confidence, or both, Shlemenko is - lastly - pretty succinct in breaking down the matchup between he and Ortiz. It is telling that the Russian won't reveal too much about how he thinks he'll beat Ortiz, but rather chooses to suggest that he's a bad matchup for everyone.

Ortiz has lost multiple bouts in recent years due to body shots. Shlemenko has a penchant for finishing opponents with body strikes.

Does the young champ see "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" as particularly succeptible to gut shots, and will he target the body? Well, not exactly.

"I think it's not just Tito who is vulnerable to body shots," he says.

"A lot of people are vulnerable to body shots. Tito will probably be expecting me to go to the body so, I'll have to do other things as well."

Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/alexander-shlemenko---the-confidence-of-1-000-fights-031315485.html

Michael Bisping Dan Bobish Vagam Bodjukyan Kotetsu Boku Tony Bonello

Royce Gracie tells us why he really dislikes Eddie Bravo "Drugs"

Royce spoke to us and told us why he really dislikes Eddie Bravo

"My issue with him is simple. I don't like because he endorses (drugs). It's nothing to do with (which) jiu jitsu he uses, gi (or)...

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82859-Royce-Gracie-tells-us-why-he-really-dislikes-Eddie-Bravo-quot-Drugs-quot&goto=newpost

Karn Grigorian Karen Grigoryan Kendall Grove Clay Guida Jason Guida

Ricardo Lamas takes lessons with him into next fight

The UFC announced yesterday that former featherweight title challenger Ricardo Lamas will jump back into the Octagon against Hacran Dias on the June 28 UFC Fight night card in San Antonio. The fight will be Lamas? first since losing a decision to champion Jose Aldo at UFC 169 last February.

That bout saw Lamas take Aldo?s big shots and keep coming forward, ultimately ending the fight with momentum, but also with time having run out on his championship hopes, at least for the time being. The Chicago-area native kept his normal post-fight routine after the loss to Aldo and was back in the gym just a couple days afterwards.

?I was back in the gym the Tuesday after the fight,? Lamas tells Cagewriter.

?Basically, there was no time off. I got back in there ? which is what I normally do, regardless of whether I win or lose.?

Lamas was frustrated with his performance against Aldo, and wanted to get right back into the cage and the featherweight mix ? which has led to his showdown with Dias in June.

?We asked for a couple guys that the UFC just straight out said ?no? to. They said they wanted to match me with someone who is on the same path. I don?t know what that means. Dias actually wasn?t on my radar before that but he was the only guy available,? Lamas admits.

?I didn?t want to wait around until the end of summer for ?Korean Zombie,? or someone like that so I just decided to get in there as soon as possible because I also want to try and get on that Mexico card in November.?

Lamas feels that he fought to cautiously against Aldo and is eager to never make that mistake again. ?I didn?t fight like myself,? he says.

?I was very tentative?I think I overanalyzed things a bit. I also think I expected him to come out more aggressively in the beginning so when he didn?t, I thought too much. I think it was a combination of all those things.?

Frustrations aside, Lamas says that the positive is that he learned a lot in his five round battle for the title with Aldo. ?I don?t look at a loss as a loss,? he says.

?I look at it as a learning experience. Basically, I learned not to fight like that ever again.?

Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ricardo-lamas-learns-lessons--looks-towards-future-214450175.html

Cody Guinn Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez

Ralek Gracie says he lost respect for Eddie Bravo as a man

http://fansided.com/2014/04/03/ralek-gracie-says-lost-respect-eddie-bravo-man/

This past weekend at Metamoris 3, Eddie Bravo and Royler Gracie rematched in an epic 20 minute jiu-jitsu battle...

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82720-Ralek-Gracie-says-he-lost-respect-for-Eddie-Bravo-as-a-man&goto=newpost

Daiki DJ taiki Hata He Peng David Heath Delson Heleno Dan Henderson

Japanese culture

Been reading a lot about Japanese culture and strategy. Honda, samurai, Judo etc. Have to say that the japanese culture and their basic principles are very impressive.

Image:...

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82841-Japanese-culture&goto=newpost

Bao Ligao Josh Barnett David Baron Phil Baroni Don Barr

About Ninjashoes MMA Forum and End of Days Radio

Ninjashoes Mixed Martial Arts

Ninjashoes MMA forum was an original concept created by an ex Sherdog poster named Ninjashoes who was banned and decided to create his own community where people...

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82920-About-Ninjashoes-MMA-Forum-and-End-of-Days-Radio&goto=newpost

Lee Hasdell Musse Hasselvall Daiki DJ taiki Hata He Peng David Heath

Rampage Jackson Calls King Mo Feud ?Best Grudge Match Going Today?

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson didn’t feel any added pressure when his bout with Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal was moved from co-main event to main event status for tonight’s Bellator 120 event. That’s because the former UFC light heavyweight champion always believes he was in the main event anyway. “To be honest, when I signed, I just […]

The post Rampage Jackson Calls King Mo Feud “Best Grudge Match Going Today” appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.

Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2014/05/17/rampage-jackson-calls-king-mo-feud-best-grudge-match-going-today/

Ebenezer Fontes Braga Chris Brennan Marcelo Brito Rob Broughton Mike Brown

Will Brooks on fighting Michael Chandler & Bellator

When Cagewriter spoke with Bellator lightweight tournament winner and number one division contender Will Brooks late last week, the American Top Team fighter was readying for a tune-up bout against May 17th. Later on that same pay per view card, lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez and former title-holder Michael Chandler were set to fight in a championship rubber match.

Brooks told us that, win or lose, he was contracted to face the winner of that title contest for the Bellator 155 pound belt at a later date. Now, most fighters are more than capable of analyzing prospective opponents and assessing how well they themselves would match up against them.

However, fighters also need the inner confidence to believe that, ultimately, it doesn?t matter who they face because they can take on anyone. Accordingly, it is rare to hear a top contender openly admit that they?d rather a specific fighter become champion because they?d rather fight that person.

So, when we asked Brooks if he had a preference in fighting Alvarez or Chandler, we were surprised at the Illinois native?s reply. ?I know that everyone always says that it doesn't matter who they fight, but the answer is, yes. I personally have nothing against the other guy but I would like to fight Chandler,? Brooks admitted.

Of course, soon after our conversation with Brooks, he got his wish, and sooner than he expected. Alvarez pulled out of the trilogy bout with Chandler because he suffered a concussion in training camp.

Now, Brooks will face Chandler in an interim title fight on Bellator?s first ever pay per view card Saturday night. Brooks explained to us that it wasn?t animosity towards Chandler or Alvarez that informed his preference.

Nor was it that he felt Chandler would be a more favorable matchup. In fact, a growing resentment at his promotion Bellator seemed to be the reason for Brooks wanting to fight Chandler.

?I think I have everything it takes to beat Chandler. I really want to create some change. Bellator does a good job of promoting a handful of guys, a handful of favorites,? Brooks began.

?Chandler has been a poster boy for them and one of the favorites. They also have Pat Curran and they bring in some Russians. I'm kind of fed up with it. I feel like when Alvarez won the belt, he wasn't pumped up like they pumped up Chandler. When [Daniel] Straus won [the Bellator featherweight title], they were kinda sketchy with him. I want to create change and to do that I have to beat up Chandler to show [Bellator] that they can't do this. They can't be sitting around promoting three or four or five guys. They've got to change their mindset.

?So, I'd like to beat up on their poster boy. I could fight Alvarez and nobody is going to make a big deal about it. We all saw it. When Alvarez beat Chandler, [Bellator CEO] Bjorn Rebney was shaking his head. It wasn't because he didn't agree with the decision. I mean, a lot of people didn't agree with the decision, but at same time, [Rebney] don't like Alvarez. Some things need to be shaken up.?

Brooks has good reason to believe that Bellator and its CEO Rebney may not be on the best of terms with Alvarez after a lengthy and ugly legal battle with the champion. It was also strange that Straus was immediately matched up against Curran again after soundly beating him, even as a discontented featherweight tournament winner impatiently sat and waited in the wings.

Given Brooks? examples of Bellator promotional favoritism, we asked the African-American challenger if he thought the organization was less than comfortable promoting black or brown fighters , or ones with Latin surnames over white stars like Curran or Chandler. Brooks believes that perceived race or color isn?t an issue with Bellator, but fighter complicity and passivity is.

?No, I wouldn?t say that,? Brooks responded when asked whether he felt Bellator took race, color or ethnicity into account when deciding who to promote more heavily.

?There's a certain look to those guys and those guys also don't say too much. When was the last time Chandler said anything? He hasn't even really promoted fight the fight with Alvarez. That goes for any organization - They like guys they can point in the right direction and tell, 'go do this.' I think Chandler is one of those guys. He's not going to go against the grain and say anything that might put him in a little bit of trouble. He's so focused on being this guy, Mr. Perfect. Same with Pat Curran. I've got nothing against either guy. Both are just quiet guys. And, everybody is good at working with the quiet guys...It's time for change. I'm over it. I think a lot of the fans are over it. It just doesn?t look good to me when you don't promote these guys the way they promoted others.?

It may have seemed a bit strange to hear Brooks go on about these matters before he was even in a title fight but now that he has a short-notice one coming up this week, his comments certainly add an interesting couple of angles to the prospect of him becoming Bellator champ. The fighter seems convinced that he won?t just be fighting Chandler in the cage Saturday night, but his own promoter as well, and for long after a possible win.

Chandler himself poses enough to think about in an opponent, given all his skill and ability. Will Brooks is confident he can beat the man, however.

And, after he does, he?s intent on making sure he gets proper recognition for having done so. ?When Chandler won, his face was on everything. When Straus won the belt, nobody even knew he had the belt. When Alvarez won, nobody said a word about Alvarez having a belt. I'm kinda just frustrated,? Brooks concluded.

?With this opportunity, I'm not going to allow them to short-change me. When I win the belt, I think I'll deserve to be promoted the way they promote other guys and I'm going to make sure they do.?

Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/will-brooks-on-fighting-michael-chandler---bellator-203420368.html

Melvin Guillard Cody Guinn Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson

Erick Silva confident heading into enemy territory

Erick Silva is recognized as one of the very best young welterweights in the UFC but has had mixed results in his past six fights, going 3-3. So, when he got the offer to face the surging Matt Brown, who has ridden a six-fight win streak to the top of the rankings, the Brazilian didn?t hesitate to accept.

?I accepted right away,? Silva tells Cagewriter.

?After my last fight [a KO win over Takenori Sato in February], it was one of the first times when I just kept training. I was already motivated to fight again when my manager called and told me about the offer to fight Brown.?

Brown was originally scheduled to fight former champion Carlos Condit in March before an injured back forced him out of the contest. Now, in his return bout, he?ll take on Silva. ?The Immortal? has admitted that someone like Silva ? who is as good as anyone in the world, but also doesn?t have name recognition yet ? wasn?t his top choice to fight next.

Brown isn?t in the habit of turning down fights, either, however, and so he too was happy to get back into the Octagon. Silva doesn?t act as if he?s insulted by Brown?s words.

The black belt likes the matchup for himself and believes he and Brown?s similar styles will make for an exciting fight. ?It?s ok that he?s disappointed to fight me,? Silva says.

?Every fighter expects to fight someone with a better ranking. It?s normal that he was disappointed but I?m really happy that he accepted it because it will be a great fight. We are both aggressive fighters and no matter the result, the audience will have a great time.?

?Indio? hopes to have a great time himself, of course. Should Silva managed to stop Brown?s momentum, he will deserve a top ten ranking.

Silva admits that beating Brown would be a boon to his career and ranking, but also clarifies that he fights for himself, not for titles. ?Of course, this is an idea in my head because if I beat a higher-ranked guy, it puts me in great position to for the title. But, I?m really calm right now,? he says.

?My main focus is the fight with Matt Brown. It doesn?t matter if I fight for a belt or not, I just have to win.?

Winning may be especially hard for Silva because he?ll be fighting on Brown?s home court, so to speak, in Ohio. Silva himself has fought for the UFC in his native Brazil against visitors so he understands the ins and outs of home field advantage.

That said, he knows that he?ll feel right at home inside the cage once the door closes, no matter what city or country he?s in. ?I?m cool with that,? Silva says of fighting near Brown?s home.

?The audience can influence things and I know people will be cheering for Matt Brown. But, when the door is closed, there will only be two fighters in there and everybody else doesn?t matter. ?

Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/erick-silva-confident-heading-into-enemy-territory-200159427.html

Jesse Forbes Xavier Foupa Pokam Hermes Franca Rich Franklin Ian Freeman