Bellator 43's Ratings A Positive Step Forward, Despite A Small Decline

Since making its debut on the MTV2 network, the weekly ratings of Bellator?s events have, at times, fluctuated wildly. Shows that have been rather underwhelming ended up doing great in the ratings, while under-appreciated ?sleeper hits? seem to have flopped with the MTV2 audience. So, how did the recent Bellator 43 event perform? Has Bellator?s [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/05/11/bellator-43s-ratings-a-positive-step-forward-despite-a-small-decline

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Former NHL Enforcer Donald Brashear Readies for MMA Debut

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During an 18-year career in the National Hockey League, Donald Brashear earned a reputation as one of the sport's top enforcers due to his willingness to rip off his gloves and throw down. Now, though, he is getting to strap on some gloves and change his fighting arena from a rink to a cage when he makes his mixed martial arts debut at Ringside MMA 11 on June 4.

The 39-year-old will face an opponent yet to be determined in his adopted hometown of Quebec City, Quebec, and his first prizefight will come on very short notice. During a recent edition of The MMA Hour, Brashear said that he decided to take the fight after being approached by the event's promoter just around one month ago, and with no previous MMA experience. If that sounds like a rash decision, Brashear can't exactly argue.

"The most I know is from the people I see fighting," he said. "The only knowledge of fighting I have is boxing and playing in the NHL, so I've got a lot of stuff to learn."

Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/05/14/former-nhl-enforcer-donald-brashear-readies-for-mma-debut/

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Dan Severn vs. Forrest Griffin Fight Video RSF 5 ? New Blood Conflict

RSF 5 – New Blood Conflict MMA fight videos of Dan Severn (48-6-2) vs. Forrest Griffin (0-0). This was Griffin’s first pro MMA bout and he choose to take on a man who was already a legend in the sport. Get the Adobe Flash Player to see this video. Get the Adobe Flash Player to see this [...]

Source: http://www.mmatko.com/dan-severn-vs-forrest-griffin-fight-video-rsf-5-new-blood-conflict/

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Cain Velasquez could meet Brock Lesnar-Junior Dos Santos winner at UFC 136 in October

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez is being targeted for a return to action this October, as UFC President Dana White said on Saturday night he could return at the October 8 pay-per-view event in Houston, Texas.

The event, tentatively scheduled to be UFC 136, will be the UFC's first return to the Toyota Center since UFC 69 in 2007. That card saw Matt Serra upset Georges St. Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Championship.

Velasquez has been out of action since capturing the title from Brock Lesnar last October, suffering a shoulder injury in the fight that has required surgery and extensive rehab. He'll face the winner of the Brock Lesnar vs. Junior Dos Santos fight at UFC 131 in Vancouver this June in his first title defense.

Dos Santos was of course scheduled to meet Velasquez this spring, but took the bout with Lesnar when Velasquez was forced to undergo surgery. Velasquez will either still get that matchup, or he will rematch Lesnar nearly a year after defeating him to capture the belt.

Penick's Analysis: The UFC is doing a great job this year of building consistently strong and entertaining fight cards. They've yet to book the one major fight to draw a million+ pay-per-view buys, but they are keeping strong with big fights. Velasquez's return fight could be huge if it's the rematch with Lesnar, but the Velasquez fight in October wouldn't be nearly as big as it could have been this spring. Velasquez hasn't had a chance to follow up on the Lesnar win, and with it being out of mind for most by the time his return comes around the buyrate could suffer. Still, they could build up to his return in some capacity as the fight draws nearer to offset some of that, but again it's going to hinge on the June 11 event.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_9216.shtml

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Aldo defends belt in UFC 129 five-round war

Jose Aldo and Mark Hominick had a lot to live up to after the excellent fights that made up UFC 129. They delivered in a five-round decision that ended with Aldo keeping the UFC featherweight belt, with him winning 48-45, 48-46 and 49-46. (The score read after the fight of 50-43, 48-46, 49-46 was a miscalculation.)

Aldo started with his trademark leg kicks early, landing several before the first minute of the fight was up. Hominick returned a few strikes, but had a hard time getting close enough to land anything of consequence. Aldo then used a takedown that Hominick tried to turn into an armbar. Aldo got out of it easily and then used the close proximity to land short strikes. The repeated elbows opened a cut under Hominick's eye. They were stood up by referee John McCarthy with 30 seconds left in the round, only for Aldo to get another takedown.

By the second round, Hominick had a lump on his forehead and a cut under his eye, but still came out with several body shots. Hominick had an easier time landing strikes and avoiding Aldo's. He tagged Aldo with several jabs before Aldo got a takedown. Hominick grabbed onto Aldo's arms to try to force a stand-up, and it worked. Back on their feet, Hominick landed a leg kick but again, Aldo got the takedown.

Between rounds, Hominick's corner told him that Aldo was fading. As the two came out in the third, Aldo was able to land leg kicks, but Hominick was getting the better of striking. He stopped Aldo's takedown attempt and was able to land jabs. A cut underneath Aldo's eye opened as Hominick found his rhythm on his feet.

But that's when Aldo took back the momentum. He tagged Hominick, knocking him to the ground with a right hook followed by a left hook, then followed up with several punches on the ground. Aldo was unable to finish Hominick off, but the damage for the round was done.

Heading into the championship rounds, Hominick's left eye was swollen, and he had a cut under his right. Aldo returned to the leg kick and used it to set up knees and and punches to begin the fourth round. Finally, the leg kicks started to add up, as Hominick began to limp. Though Aldo's foot movement wasn't impressive, his head movement was.  Because of that, he was able to avoid Hominick's strikes.

He knocked Hominick down again, then followed up with another series of ground strikes. Hominick sustained a baseball-sized bump on his head. He struggled underneath Aldo, and was so beat up. Referee John McCarthy stopped the bout to call in a doctor to look at it, but the doctor let the fight continue.

With the short time left in the round, Aldo finished with another takedown. The doctor again checked Hominick between rounds, who gave him a more extensive exam. Again, the fight was allowed to continue.

In the fifth round, Aldo landed another leg strike before Hominick and his head hematoma got a takedown. As a cut on his cheek leaked onto Aldo's face, Hominick was able to land several short punches and elbows. Aldo looked exhausted, but held on until the bell rang.

When the bell rang, Hominick did his trademark push-ups. Aldo looked over and did the same. The two laughed and congratulated each other on the fight. Aldo was impressed by his opponent, calling him a tough fighter.

And that's exactly what Hominick proved himself to be. He didn't come away with the win, but he did earn the respect of every person who watched the bout.

UPDATE: This bout was awarded the Fight of the Night bonus, giving both Aldo and Hominick an extra $129,000.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Aldo-defends-belt-in-UFC-129-five-round-war?urn=mma-wp1851

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Mark Hominick Fighting at UFC 129 with Wife About to Give Birth - UFC 129

Mark Hominick talks about fighting while his wife is about to give birth, and what this fight means to him, his family, and his fight team. Get more MMA and UFC news at the World's top MMA News website http://www.mmaweekly.com.

Source: http://mmalice.com/ufc-129/mark-hominick-fighting-at-ufc-129-with-wife-about-to-give-birth-video_b0fc38ab7.html

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What’s wrong with “The Ultimate Fighter” this season?

This season of "The Ultimate Fighter" seemed to have the recipe for a perfect season: exciting fights, coaches with a planned clash for a contender's spot, and a random mix of fighters. Unfortunately, this season has just fallen flat, and the sagging ratings back that up.

What is it about this season?

Kinder, gentler Brock: In the past, Lesnar has been a ratings juggernaut. With his WWE-crafted persona and legions of fans, the man is expected to bring eyeballs to the television. Except, this is post-near-fatal-sickness-and-loss-to-Cain-Velasquez Brock. This isn't the same man who got into Frank Mir's face after beating him. He is a humbled fighter who is trying to act as a coach. Is it endearing? Yes. Does it draw big ratings? No.

Even the dramas have no drama: Lew Polley getting fired. Len Bentley standing up to Brock. Keon Caldwell leaving the show. Chris Cope possibly backstabbing his team. These are all moments that could have been memorable moments in the season, but they are only memorable for being so boring. Even at the house, someone being loud is the biggest problem that's come up. I'm not advocating making up drama, but the show has editors for this exact reason. Make it seem interesting. This is a television show, after all.

No fight-in show: One of the best changes in the show's format over the years was the addition of the "fight-in" bouts in the seventh season. Fighters had to win a fight to get a spot on the show. Those first two episodes featured tons of exciting moments and gave an idea of how a contestant was going to perform. They didn't have that this time. Instead of starting the show with a bang, it began with a whimper.

Little interplay between Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos: Rashad vs. Rampage. Koscheck vs. GSP. Henderson vs. Bisping. Every recent season has featured some conflict between the coaches that not only provided exciting television, but made fans more excited for their upcoming bout. Lesnar and dos Santos have said some veiled remarks when not in each other's company, but that's it.

Welterweights ... again: This is the fifth time the show featured welterweights. With heavyweight coaches of this caliber, why not feature heavyweights? They've only been on twice. Then we'd at least get the joy of pointing and laughing at their piss-poor conditioning.

Little knowledge about the fighters: In seasons past, there has been more of a focus on the fighters backgrounds. We see little glimpses of that, like Ryan McGillivray's discussion of his daughter, but they are few and far between. Without a connection to the fighters, there is no incentive to care what happens to them from week to week.

We're 13 seasons in: Anything that's been done for 13 seasons with few changes will get stale. Something needs to be done to shake the show up because the way this is heading, there is little reason to care about season 14.

With quarterfinal and semifinal fights left to go, perhaps the show will pick up and become what it could be. Do you think it will happen? Tell us in the comments or on Cagewriter's Facebook page.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/What-s-wrong-with-The-Ultimate-Fighter-this-se?urn=mma-wp2182

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"UFC Presents Rampage Jackson: In the Moment" to air on Spike TV on May 25

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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With the loss of UFC 130's original main event in Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard, Spike TV's planned "In the Moment" special for Edgar will no longer be put together, and the network will instead produce one focusing on the event's new headliner Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

"UFC Presents Rampage Jackson: In the Moment" will air on Spike TV on Wednesday, May 25, at 10PM ET/PT following that night's episode of The Ultimate Fighter 13.

Like the debut episode of the program in March following then UFC Light Heavyweight Title challenger Jon Jones, the half-hour program will follow Jackson in his family and training lives as he prepares for his fight with Matt Hamill in Las Vegas on May 28. Unlike other special programming for the UFC, the "In the Moment" series is told from the fighter's point of view with no narration outside of their own commentary, and this will be just the second iteration of the show.

[Rampage Jackson art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_9308.shtml

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