Overeem Comments On Hand Injury and Future

Press release from Alistair Overeem

My preparations for my fight in Strikeforce August 15th against Fabricio Werdum were not going as planned.

As many people know there was an incident, were I injured my hand just before I should have fought in the June Strikeforce event! Therefore I was advised to take some rest and this was not easy for me.

When I signed the deal with Strikeforce, I was happy and motivated and this motivation drove me to pick up my training too soon after my hand injury, I thought there may be a chance to still fight in the June Strikeforce event. Now I have to pay the price for that decision and am not able to fight August 15th. This is a decision that has not been easy to make, I am a professional and I want to fight for my living, honour and because I love it!

In 2008 I felt really strong in the heavyweight division and I feel I have brought my fighting to a higher level!

I know I can continue to develop my skills and become a better fighter!

I feel very disappointed that I can not work towards this goal yet because of an injury!

First I want to get my level back from my "demolition period of 2008." This will take a few months, I hope to be ready at the end of September, or the beginning of October, then we can see a vicious and hungry Alistair Overeem, more aggressive then ever!

For sure I will fight in October, maybe in Dream or Strikeforce. I definitely do not want to miss fighting for Golden Glory's 10 year anniversary on October 17th at the PTA Hallen in Amsterdam.

I do not really care against who or where I fight, but I want to be fit and ready!

When I am ready I am more than willing to fight Werdrum for the heavyweight title in Strikeforce!

Sincerely Alistair Overeem

Amir Sadollah Training for UFC 101

Check out Amir Sadollah as he hits mitts in the gym and works to get back on his feet and back in the Octagon. Sadollah faces off against Johny Hendricks for UFC 101: Declaration on Aug. 8 in Philadelphia.

Strikeforce Rising Stars: Tyrone Woodley

Two time All-American wrestler, and rising Strikeforce star, Tyron Woodley battles Sal Woods. After a mix of striking and ground work, Woodley chokes out Woods.

Dana White: "The mafia is keeping us out of Japan"

Ever since UFC president Dana White and his business partners, the Fertitta brothers, purchased Pride and subsequently closed its doors, the scorn has rained down on them. The MMA hardcores have been particularly forgiving.

"Our goal was to keep Pride alive and running (in Japan)," relayed White as part of a fundraising radio-thon on ESPN 1100 radio in Las Vegas on Friday. The event was held to raise funds for The Caring Place cancer support center.

"I’ve talked about the corruption over there and, basically, the mafia over there is keeping us out of Japan," he explained. "It’s a whole 'nother world over there. It’s a tough place to navigate.

"We’re gonna get to Japan. We just did another television deal over there and we’re gonna figure it out."

Zuffa -- the UFC's parent company -- has kept the brand on life support, even featuring it as part of the UFC Fan Expo that was a large part of the promotion's recent UFC 100 weekend.

But despite their commitment, it hasn't been easy.

"It’s rough though, its’ rough doing business over there," said the brash leader of the UFC.

Rory Markham Participates in "The Experiment"

UFC welterweight Rory Markham is ready to get back into the gym after a quad injury forced him to bow out of a meeting with TJ Grant at the season nine finale of "The Ultimate Fighter" last month.

But unlike other times he's returned from injury, he'll use Hollywood to start him up.

Markham is currently in Des Moines, Iowa, shooting a role in "The Experiment," a psychological thriller starring Forest Whitaker and Adrian Brody. Markham plays a guard and will also help out in the stunt department.

He's taken acting lessons in the past and oft stated he'd like to segue into the movie business after his fighting career is over.

Sitting in his trailer he's not.

"I'm training as much as we can on set," he told MMAInsider. "I have a friend, Brandon Adamson here who's our Muay Thai coaches and a fighter himself. So he really helps me out. We'll start buckling down and making this a training experience as well as a filming experience."

Markham says he doesn't have a fight booked yet, but anticipates a November return to action.

Miguel Torres Tosses First Pitch of White Sox Perfect Game

PRESS RELEASE:

WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Angel Torres threw out the first pitch at Thursday's Chicago White Sox game. Torres, honored by the team for his MMA accomplishments, set the tone for White Sox star Mark Buehrle to throw a perfect game against Tampa Bay.

"I left a cup of lion's blood and some cobra venom for him (Buehrle) at the mound to throw a no-hitter," Torres said with a laugh. "That's how I roll. It was an awesome experience."

Congrats to Torres and Buehrle on this amazing accomplishment.

(Photo Credit: Matt Erickson, The Times of Northwest Indiana)

MMA Live Talks Barnett's Drug Test, Kimo, and more...

MMA Live talks about Josh Barnett's failed drug test, Kimo Leopoldo's whirlwind week, the possibility of Tito Ortiz and Fedor to the UFC, and a look back at DREAM.10. King Mo Lawal joins the program to discuss his feud with Quinton Jackson

Wild Bill's Fight Night Streaming Live on the Net

PRESS RELEASE:

"Wild Bill's Fight Night 21 to be Streamed LIVE via Satellite to the Internet"

Atlanta GA -- On Friday, July 24, 2009, professional mixed martial arts is returning to Wild Bill's Night Club, the largest club in the Southeast, as Undisputed Productions and Full Throttle MMA present "Wild Bill's Fight Night 21."

This exciting card will be streamed live via satellite to the Internet and offered on a Pay-per-view basis at www.wildbillsfighnight.com

An action-packed lineup of bouts will feature (7) Professional MMA and (5) amateur MMA bouts with action beginning about 8:30 EDT. The main event will be in the ring by about 11:00 EDT.

Fight Clubs and sponsors represented include: The HardCore Gym; Kimura Fight Gear-High Performance; Alpha Fighting Systems; Columbia Submission Fight Team; Genesis MMA; Valdosta Martial Arts; TUF Martial Arts; Trammell Fitness & Martial Arts; Legacy Fight Club; Wand Fight Team and LA Boxing.

The cost of the Pay-per view is $14.95. Most major credit cards are accepted.

Satellite streaming and content distribution is being provided by Satlogic Networks, LLC, powered by Todocast.

Wild Bill's Night Club has presented 21 MMA fights to date; however, this is the first widely promoted fight that will be streamed live to Net. With growing interest in MMA by the 18-35 year old age group and the active use of the Internet as a primary entertainment source by the same group, Wild Bill's Fight Night offers a way to see great fights live as they happen with no commercial interruptions.

For additional information contact: info@satogicnetworks.com or call 770.993.9054

Don Frye Volunteers To Fight Fedor

MMA legend Don Frye will return to action on Aug. 28 to face Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal at M-1 Global's first major U.S. show in Los Angeles.

But he'd happily step in to face Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction "Trilogy"... if promoter Tom Atencio will let him.

"If Tom was smart, he'd have me fighting Fedor instead of whoever he's hiring on a one week notice," Frye told MMAInsider. "My phone works if he wants a real fight with someone who sell a fight in four days, somebody who will beat that bald-headed commie too."

In fact, Frye said the only reason he was fighting Lawal was to get an eventual shot at Emelianenko.

"He ain't seen anything I have to offer," continued Frye. "He built his whole reputation (as a) waffle house chef. They've been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes. I'll bring it. And if he can bring it, you'll have the best fight you've ever seen on the planet."

Rampage Stars in "Bad Guys"

PRESS RELEASE:

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands -- MMA promoters-turned-movie-producers Frederico Lapenda and Bas Boon have scored big and gone theatrical with a rumored seven-figure deal for their award winning crime drama "Bad Guys."

Pioneering founders of the wildly popular sport of ultimate fighting, Lapenda and Boon shifted gears and won three awards (Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Producer) at the Beverly Hills Film Festival for "Bad Guys" and were rewarded with a U.S. theatrical deal. Media reviewers such as Gladiator Magazine's Todd Hester have already pronounced the movie "...an instant cult classic."

The producers actually shot the film in 2005 and finished it in 2006, but waited three years to release the film in 2009. During this time, several key events happened which were instrumental in bringing "Bad Guys" to the big screen.

In 2008 the lead female star, Kate Del Castillo, hit it big with the Weinstein Company's "La Misma Luna," the highest grossing Latin movie ever which set a three-day opening weekend record for a Spanish-language film. Made for under two million US dollars, the film has earned over US$22 million worldwide.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, an unknown cagefighter when the move was made, won the UFC championship and became known around the world for his colorful personality and savage fighting style. This fits perfectly with his role of chief bad guy in the film.

A Latin focus distribution company was created in conjunction with Blockbuster, called Maya Entertainment. Starting next week on July 17 and running throughout the summer to Sept. 10, eight Latino-themed films will have limited theatrical showings in Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Miami, San Francisco; San Diego; Dallas; and New York, where the screenings will run in conjunction with the New York Latino Film Festival.

In addition to their movie production activities Lapenda and Boon are also currently developing the Combat Channel, a 24 hour fight network (http://www.combatchannel.net).

Video Trailer for UFC 101

The video trailer for the showdown between UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn and challenger Kenny Florian. The fight takes place at UFC 101 on Aug. 8 in Philadelphia.

"Alive!" Reports of Kimo Leopoldo's Death a Troll Job

Despite several reports -- basically all of them incestuously citing each other -- UFC and Pride veteran Kimo Leopoldo is not dead.

Following repeated communiques with one of his P.R. reps, Bob Trieger, the final message came in from Trieger to MMAWeekly.com simply stating, "Alive."

Yahoo! Sports boxing and MMA writer Kevin Iole also confirmed Kimo's non-death with the former fighter's attorney, Victor E. Hobbs, who simply said, "Kimo has surfaced and that's all that I know right now."

The false reports, which were picked up by the N.Y. Daily News, OC Register, and several smaller websites, and even had TMZ.com relaying that they had "confirmed" Leopoldo's death, appear to have stemmed from a "troll" post on popular MMA message board The Underground started by a poster under the screen name of Reggie Warren Sr.

MMA.tv, which operates The Underground forum, froze several threads about Kimo when questions started to arise about the validity of the reports.

Kimo, on Monday, was sentenced to 10 days of community service and required to take part in a drug diversion program in connection with charges stemming from a February arrest in which he was eventually charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, and for possessing and wearing an old police jumpsuit.

Massachusetts MMA Bill Heads To House

The Massachusetts State Senate on Tuesday passed a bill aimed at regulating mixed martial arts to the House of Representatives, the final step before the bill goes to the Governor's desk.

"An Act To Regulate The Sport of Mixed Martial Arts," authored by senator James E. Timilty, passed by a 34-1 vote, with no arguments raised on the floor during session. Senator Timilty, who represents the counties of Bristol and Norfolk, told MMAInsider he was very encouraged by the bill's progress.

"I'll take that vote any day," he said.

The bill will now undergo the House "engrossment" process, wherein the legislation will be read three separate times by different committees in the chamber. The House Ways and Means Committee, which examines bills with fiscal implications, will review the bill first.

Senator Timilty hoped the bill would clear the house in the next month to pave way for a major promoter, presumably the UFC, to put Massachusetts on its schedule.

The UFC has released an economic study naming Boston and Worcester as potential destinations for the promotion.

"Maybe they’d entertain a winter show in a large city in the Commonwealth," he said.

Final Gate Numbers for UFC 100

Keith Kizer, Executive Director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, on Tuesday released the "provisional" numbers for the live gate and closed circuit revenue generated by UFC 100 last Saturday, July 11.

The promotion's centennial event sold 9,793 tickets with 1,078 issued as "comps" for $5,128,490 in revenue. Closed circuit broadcasts at the Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand hotels sold 6,256 tickets with 575 issued as "comps" for $312,800 in revenue.

As it stands, UFC 100 is Nevada's second highest grossing MMA show, and with preliminary PPV buyrate estimates of over one million, the card may go down as the most lucrative endeavor in the company's history.

At the pre-fight press conference for 100, president Dana White promised to base jump off the Mandalay Bay if PPV buyrates hit 1.5 million.

You may soon see White strapping on his chute.

Dana White Rails on Fedor's Pound-for-Pound Status

Steve Cofield and the boys at ESPN 1100 once again get UFC president Dana White to rail on Fedor Emelianenko and Affliction, but at least this time they use a new tact and bait Dana into an argument over whether or not Fedor is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world.

An obvious ploy to get Dana's blood pressure to rise... but, hey, it worked...

Strikeforce "Carano vs. Cyborg" Latest Video Trailer

The latest trailer for the Gina Carano vs. Cris Cyborg main event on the Strikeforce Aug. 15 fight card on Showtime.

Latest Affliction Trilogy Trailer

Who is Eric Marriott?

Despite a 12-1-1 professional record (30-4-1 overall), wins over WEC veterans Joe Benoit and Chris Mickle, current Midwest Combat Challenge 145-pound champion Eric Marriott is still in search of some much deserved respect.

As he told MMAInsider, "I've never had the big connections. I've never had anyone just hand it to me, but now I've got a 12-1 record, and somebody's got to look at that and think, ‘This kid's got something.'

"One of the things they were questioning about me was not finishing fights. The bottom line is: whether I'm finishing them in the first, second or even fifth round, I'm winning. I don't think I can be denied anymore."

A member of Team K2L and Grindhouse with UFC veteran Rob Kimmons and recent WEC addition James Krause, Marriott has had to work for everything he has, and he's confident his workman output will pay off soon.

"Me, my manager, our camp and everything started from nothing, and we've created what we have on our own," he said. "I feel good about the way I'm going, it's a longer road, but somebody's going to recognize me soon."

Using teammate Krause as an example, Marriott says he's willing to step right in against the best to prove himself.

"If you go in there against the best, they're not expecting you to win, but if you can put on a good show, and show you belong there, you can get a contract," he stated. "I'll play it just like that.

"I'll fight the top contenders at any weight. Just give me a shot and I'll prove I belong on a big show."

Having achieved some recent media attention to his cause, Eric Marriott may just find himself on the doorsteps of a major promotion's 145-pound division sooner than later.

"I want to thank Joe Wooster and Executive Pressure Washing, Midwest Kings Management and Larry Reyes, Brian Davidson, Team K2L and Grindhouse," he concluded.

"No one has ever been disappointed in my performances. Even if I've lost, I gave it my all. I come to bang, come to fight, and no matter what, you'll get your money's worth."