December « 2011 « The Fight Nerd

December 31, 2011

Charles Hackmann goes the distance with Kimbo Slice in boxing match

Filed under: News — Tags: boxing, charles hackmann, kimbo slice — The Fight Nerd @ 2:31 PM

Follwing up on our earlier report, Charles Hackmann met Kimbo Slice last night in a pro-boxing match at the Buffalo Run Casino in Oklahoma. Taking the fight on short notice, the Missouri native and instructor at PEAK Physique went the distance with Slice going four non-stop rounds with the UFC veteran, and had him against the ropes in the second round.

Hackmann is the first boxer to take Kimbo past the first round, let alone take him to a decision, which is even more amazing when you learn that Hackmann took this fight on extremely short notice, and only had his first pro-boxing bout last weekend (a fight which also went the distance, losing by decision). While his record may be 0-2 in boxing right now, the dude has serious heart, and it’s only a matter of time before those numbers turn in his favor.

On his facebook page, Charles wrote, “I have only been boxing three weeks and gave up over twenty pounds and took a fight with kimbo and went the distance with him and shocked all of oklahoma in the second when he broke my ribs. I wanted to take a knee but I thought of all of you and fought two more rounds thanks again you all mean a lot.” Charles also said Kimbo hit “like a truck,” but he pushed onwards to survive.

Check out the videos of round one and two after the jump!
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December 30, 2011

Bellator to hold Open Tryouts on January 28 in Philadelphia

Filed under: News — Tags: bellator, daddis, open tryouts — The Fight Nerd @ 1:00 PM

Bellator Fighting Championships announced today that it will host an open tryout on Saturday, January 28th that will provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an undiscovered professional fighter to possibly earn a spot in one of the organization’s upcoming events.

The tryout will take place at Daddis Fight Camps in Philadelphia on January 28th, with registration starting at 1 p.m. EST and tryouts beginning promptly at 2 p.m. EST. Tryouts are completely open to media.

“We’ve had tremendous success with our open tryouts in the past, and I expect the same type of talent to come out on January 28th,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “This is an organization that rewards fighters that have earned their spot, and that’s what these tryouts are all about.”

Earlier this year, Ailton Barbosa realized a dream when he was discovered at Bellator’s open tryouts in Florida. Shortly after his impressive showing at tryouts, Barbosa was inside the Bellator cage, collecting a submission victory at Bellator 50 in Florida.

Daddis Fight Camps is located at 1719 Washington Ave Philadelphia, PA 19146. The tryouts are open to any fighters and they must be prepared to present their MixedMartialArts.com ID. Fighters must also be unrestricted free agents and cannot have any contractual obligations to another mixed martial arts promotion.

In addition to ID, fighters must also bring MMA gloves, boxing gloves, a cup and a mouth piece. The tryout will consist of a grappling session followed by a striking session. Pad holders will be provided but fighters are encouraged to bring their own pad holders for optimum performance.

Bellator’s open tryouts have produced a number of fighters that have appeared at Bellator events, including Kenny Foster, Bryan Goldsby, Giedrius Karavackas, Jeremy Spoon, Ailton Barbosa, Gregory Milliard, Tyler Stinson, James Krause, and many others.

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Kryzstof Soszynski is not retired after all… maybe

Filed under: News — Tags: Kryzstof Soszynski, ufc — The Fight Nerd @ 10:30 AM

As it turns out, rumors of Kryzstof Soszynski’s retirement were greatly exaggerated.

Following up on a previous article we wrote, Soszynski has now gone on record about his comments after his UFC 141 bout against Igor Pokrajic, where he claimed he was retired after his last fight. While most of us were led to believe K-Sos was lucid while being questioned by the doctors post-fight, it turns out he his body was awake, but the rest of him was not.

“The truth is, I don’t remember,” Soszynski told MMA Junkie. “The last thing I remember before the knockout was going into the cage, setting up across from Igor, and then shaking hands. The next thing I remember is I’m woken up in the back, fully dressed, and (UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva came up to me, sort of gave me a hug and told me to keep my head up.”

Sosyznski states that he would like to have one more chance in the cage, but all of that depends on what his body says he can do. “I have to go see my doctor again this week. I have to see if I need any more surgeries, and it’s just been really rough, mentally. I’ve trained 15 weeks for my camps, and I’ve pushed my body to the limit, but there’s no security. It’s myself, too. I started in the sport really late. I don’t have those kind of skills that the top fighters do where I can make it in the top-five, top-10, and start making $50,000, $60,000 and $70,000 per fight. I’m in the lower echelon when it comes to the money the UFC gives out to the fighters, and it’s tough to survive with that kind of money. I have to supplement my income. I have to work other jobs. So moving on from MMA is something that’s been on my mind for the last little bit.”
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MMA Link Party – December 30, 2011 Edition

Filed under: Uncategorized — The Fight Nerd @ 6:04 AM

UFC 141 weigh in photos gallery for ‘Lesnar vs Overeem’ in Las Vegas from MMA Mania

Cagepotato has the 25 best photos from 2011, which do you think is the best?

Middle Easy says If you’re a fan of Batman and Alistair Overeem, ‘The Reem Rises’ will make your heart accelerate

Gabriel Gonzaga spoke with Five Ounces of Pain about his pending return to the UFC

Jon Fitch Doesn’t Think MMA Should Be ‘Dumbed Down’ To Make Fans Happy on MMA Convert

Fight Opinion ruminates on Who Retires First After a Loss, Fedor or Lesnar?

Ben Fowlkes and Ariel Helwani break down UFC 141 on MMA Fighting

Vladimir Matyushenko tells Lowkick that this is the best point in his MMA career ever

Lesnar’s Camp Had Issues With Overeem Training At Xtreme Couture on FightLine

Nate Diaz Denies October Run-In With Donald Cerrone on The 5th Round

Fuel TV Planning UFC Marathon On New Years, Spike Eager to Monetize UFC Library on MMA Payout

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December 29, 2011

2011 North Eastern Regional MMA Awards

Filed under: Features — Tags: al iaquinta, andre gusmao, bradley desir, cffc, Gabriel Miglioli, Giedrius Karavackas, jessica eye, john cholish, joshua key, Marianna Kheyfets, pete sell, ring of combat, tim williams — Peter Lampasona @ 4:30 PM

Photo: Iaquinta versus Miglioli (Keith Mills/Sherdog.com)

Regional level professional mixed martial arts is the crucible where all future Pay Per View headliners are forged. Before the top talent in MMA today fought under the UFC banner, they were champions of organizations like Ring of Combat, Valley Fight League, and Shogun Fights.

As 2011 comes to a close, TheFightNerd.com proudly presents the Year-End awards for regional level MMA promotions in the North Eastern United States.

Fight of the Year

Al Iaquinta versus Gabriel Miglioli 1 (Ring of Combat 36)

The Ring of Combat 36 card had more than its fair share of entertaining bouts. But, as a long evening came to a close there was a definite air of anticipation for the main event: the comeback fight of UFC veteran Pete Sell. The final set of title fights seemed like so much pomp and circumstance before the long-awaited return, until two lesser known fighters stole the show.

The first clash between Al Iaquinta and Gabriel Miglioli was the co-main event of Ring of Combat 36 and the highlight of New Jersey’s MMA scene in 2011. The fight was a perfect stylistic clash that spread over all aspects of the sport. The majority of the first two rounds were spent in the outside striking range, with Iaquinta putting together beautiful combinations and Miglioli hunting for that one fight ending shot.

No matter how often Iaquinta landed on his opponent, Miglioli would land the more meaningful strikes in a display of raw power. Though both men were hurt, neither would back down and the pace got faster and faster as the fight went on. Ultimately, Iaquinta was able to rest control of the score cards with takedowns in the final round, winning a tight split decision. But, no matter where the fight went, these two athletes’ first meeting is a perfect example of opponents bringing out the best in one another.

Honorable Mention: Dan Cion versus Epifano Diaz (CFFC 10: Black Eye)- This back and forth bout was the very definition of a nail-biter. (more…)

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Dana White does not deny throwing Alistair Overeem to the wolves, former trainer expects tough fight

Filed under: News — Tags: alistair overeem, brock lesnar, dana white, donald cerrone, Nate Diaz, ufc 141 — Hiroko @ 3:30 PM

At UFC 141′s press conference yesterday, MMAHEAT.com reporter, Karyn Bryant confronted UFC President Dana White about previous comments he had made about Former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Alistair Overeem. Karyn questioned the validity of claims that White wanting to “embarrass” Overeem and throw him to the wolves, by welcoming him with former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar. Dana was quick to point out that Overeem is the favorite going into the fight, but never refuted Karyn’s of the statement.

The UFC President may not be the only one with serious doubts about Overereem’s chances of success over the former WWE star. The 2010 K1 World GP’s former trainer, Martijn De Jong of the Golden Glory Team had some things to say in a Fighters Only article: (more…)

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Did you know Kimbo Slice is fighting this weekend? You do now!

Filed under: News — Tags: boxing, charles hackmann, kimbo slice — The Fight Nerd @ 11:30 AM

Flying seemingly under the radar, Kimbo Slice will be back in action this weekend, fighting Charles Hackmann at the Buffalo Run Casino in Oklahoma.

On Friday, December 30, Kimbo will meet Hackmann in a professional boxing match in the main event of the evening. According to Sherdog, Hackmann is 3-4 and is new to the boxing world, having fought his first pro bout last weekend, which he lost by decision. Slice had his last MMA fight back in May 2010, and has since entered the world of boxing, which he has had relative success in thus far, including some big knockouts.

When I asked Hackmann if he had any comments regarding the fight, the Missouri native said, “My strength is indomitable. I took this [fight] last-second, but you can’t pass up opportunities.” Tickets are still available for the event on the Buffalo Run Casino site, stay tuned here for an update on the outcome.

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Donald Cerrone wants payback from Diaz for knocking his hat off

Filed under: News — Tags: donald cerrone, Nate Diaz, ufc 141 — The Fight Nerd @ 9:15 AM

The press conference for UFC 141 went down yesterday, which was nothing monumental overall, but did feature one preemptive act of violence from one fighter to another. By batting Donald Cerrone’s $1000 hat off his head, Nate Diaz signaled his bad intentions for their UFC 141 co-main event at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, this Friday night.

“He was trying to tip his hat into my face and I’m no punk who will take that,” Diaz said afterwards. “He was mumbling some stupid crap about me needing to bring it. He don’t even believe what he’s saying. He’s trying to find confidence from somewhere. I will knock something else off his head Friday.”

“I’m not getting paid to fight today,” Cerrone said about the incident, “I get paid on Friday when it counts. Let’s see if he’s brave enough to swat my hat off on Friday. Let’s see if he even comes close. Today, I acted like a professional. Friday, I’m gonna make him pay.”

Not sure where to place your money on this weekend’s show? Why not try our UFC 141 betting guide to help you out!

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December 28, 2011

A Fight Nerd’s Betting Guide: UFC 141

Filed under: Features — Tags: Alexander Gustafsson, alistair overeem, betting guide, brock lesnar, donald cerrone, jimy hettes, johny hendricks, jon fitch, nam phan, Nate Diaz, ufc 141, vladimir matyushenko — Peter Lampasona @ 2:30 PM

This Friday, the UFC will close out the year with a clash of their biggest and baddest as Alistair Overeem fights against Brock Lesnar for the number one contender spot in the heavyweight division. And with a big event comes a chance to win big money by callously tearing down the hard work of others.

Below is a bettor’s analysis of the main card of UFC 141, evaluating the risks and rewards of the individual fights as well recommendations for spreading wagers over the card as a whole. All money lines referenced are aggregate numbers and may vary slightly between books.

Brock Lesnar (+115) vs Alistair Overeem (-145)- When looking at each fighters’ strengths and how they have played into their opponents’ games in the past, the bout between Lesnar and Overeem should be an even money affair. Lesnar has shown that his game plan and composure break down when he is hit with a solid combination to the face. Meanwhile, as evidenced in his bout with Fabricio Werdum, Overeem has shown that when he is too wary of a possible takedown that his machinations tend to get seriously gummed up.

Those factors make this matchup a race between two quick starters to see who gets his game going first, which is essentially a coin flip. Reports of Lesnar’s persistent health problems and the possibility that they may effect his performance rightly account for his slight underdog status.

Normally when the money lines perfectly reflect the realities of a fight, the smart gambler will stay away from them. Money is made on bets when some miscalculation creates a discrepancy between the money line and what the real chances are. That being said, while taking the average odds available as of now is a bad idea, slight variations between sports books or any changes in the odds as fight time approaches can be golden. (more…)

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Chael Sonnen returns to “Off The Record”

Filed under: News — Tags: chael sonnen, mark munoz, michael landsberg, ufc on fox 2 — Hiroko @ 12:26 PM

This past week, UFC Middleweight fighter, Chael Sonnen surprisingly returned to visit with the Canadian sports show Off the Record, to finish the interview he famously walked off of last month. The tone was surprisingly more cordial, with Chael seemingly not willing to give in to host Michael Landsberg’s pointed questions. The segment couldn’t have started out any better than an opening shot of Chael eating his lunch with a bib on.

The self-proclaimed “217 pounds of muscle steel, and sex appeal,” Sonnen did have some interesting things to say about his upcoming bout with Mark Munoz. Chael also did finally concede to Landsberg aka “The ghost of Hasselhoff” that Canada is not a socialist nation.

“We have the same management company, but we were friends back then. It’s a small world, the wrestling world is very small, much like the fight world. You know theres a comradery between guys, and you know everybody’s friends or at least friendly with one another, but yeah I like Mark. We competed before and we’ll compete again. That’s what it is, it’s just competition.”

The 13 minute interview is full of some gems, including Chael calling UFC Middleweight Champion, Anderson Silva a “moot point”, and instead called out Heavyweight Champion, Jr Dos Santos and Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones. Although Chael definitely displayed some reserve and control, he really summed it up best at the end of the interview.

“[The people who told you I was a nice guy] told you wrong. It’s just a disguise. I am candy-coated poison my friend. Trust me. And you’re the one that showed up with mascara running down your face, holding a box of chocolates and a DVD wanting to make up. You shouldn’t feel bad about it because one day, sooner or later, they all come to the champ and they all kiss the ring.”

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