Rumor: Carwin vs. Velasquez at UFC 104

Props: MMAJunkie

A heavyweight contest between top undefeated prospects Shane Carwin (11-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Cain Velasquez (6-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) is currently in the works for UFC 104.

If finalized, the bout would likely feature on the main card of the Oct. 24 pay-per-view event, which will take place at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Sources close to the bout, which was first reported by MMAMadness.com, have confirmed to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Carwin has verbally accepted the contest, while Velasquez is expected to follow suit.

Carwin also confirmed his participation in the contest with a post on his Twitter account.

“Looks like I’ll be fighting Oct. 24 in Los Angeles,” Carwin stated. “Excited to know.”

I think most of us speculated that Cain and Carwin would meet relatively soon after UFC 99, where we saw Velasquez dominate Cheick Kongo for three rounds (minus the few times Kongo dropped and almost knocked him out).  This fight is without a doubt the most important and worthy #1 contender match for the UFC heavyweight title, which is currently held by Cock Chestnar, err…Brock Lesnar.  Given Brock gets past his little nemesis Frank Mir at UFC 100, I’m expecting the winner of the Velasquez/Carwin contest will be next in line to contend for the belt.  I think that this upcoming fight can go two ways:

• Carwin connects early and puts Cain to sleep like Kongo almost did.
• Carwin can’t land shit within the first couple of rounds, gasses himself out, and gets TKO’d in the third or loses a decision.

I’m not sold on Carwin’s conditioning yet, the longest he’s been inside a ring/cage has been 2:11, and that was in his MMA debut.  We all know, especially after seeing Cain’s last fight, that he can go hard for 15 minutes and look just as good in the first as he does in the third.  Carwin can no doubt win this fight though, considering the lunchbox sized fists he possesses combined with his brute strength.  If I were a betting man, I’d put money down on Carwin for the simple fact that it’s an MMA fight, he’s bound to connect at some point, and we’ve all seen, when Carwin connects, his opponents go down.

Needless to say, I’m pumped for this fight if in fact is does happen.  The rumored UFC 104 fight card can be seen after the jump.

Bustamante calling Nog out on his recent shittyness.

Props: Fighters Only

“After he left BTT, his fights were terrible. When he was training with us, he easily beat Heath Herring in Pride – twice. Then, the third time they fought, he’d left the team and his fight was horrible. He got knocked out but the ref was nice to him, so it was a very close fight,” Bustamante told Extreme Fighter.

“Some people think Heath Herring won that fight. His second fight was against Sylvia , who was winning the fight but he made a mistake and he took advantage of Sylvia’s mistake. The fight [against Mir] was the worst. It was like a soccer game where he couldn’t even touch the ball.”

Hard to disagree with the former UFC middleweight champion.  Anyone who watched PRIDE and knew of Nog loved and respected him win or lose because of his ability to endure the harshest of punishments.  The beating he took in the first round against Cro Cop, those head-bouncing shots he ate against Fedor, and that drop on the head he took from Bob Sapp are just a few examples of the hardships he’s endured in his rather dominant career.  He did look like shit against Herring, that fight could have easily been stopped (imagine what that would have done for Heath at the time), his fight with Timmy was a one-sided beatdown until Timmy’s brain stopped working and he got choked, and the Mir fight was just disgusting, staph infection or not.  I know I’m not the only one who hopes we can see the old Nog come his UFC 102 fight with former champion Randy Couture, I wish this fight could have happened 5 years ago, but we’ll take what we can get.

Will Vitor/Wandy II happen if Belfort comes back to the UFC?

Props: Fighters Only

Wanderlei Silva expects to be offered a rematch with Vitor Belfort if the UFC signs the Brazilian middleweight.

Silva – a Brazilian middleweight himself – fought Belfort at UFC Ultimate Brazil back in 1998. Belfort stopped him in 44 seconds with a lightning fast series of punches that ran Silva backwards across the Octagon.

“That sequence of punches… I don’t know whether that was technique or anxiety. Many people told me he was dying of fear to face me so that must have been anxiety [that drove him],” he told Brazil’s Sensei Sport TV.

Like the rest of us, Silva has only heard rumours that the UFC is working on a deal with Belfort, something acknowledged by UFC president Dana White.

But he says he is open to fighting the opponent who most embarrassed him whenever the match becomes possible. “Sooner or later [the rematch] is going to happen. I’m ready to face anyone, including him.”

For now, Belfort is fighting for Affliction and will face Jorge Santiago for them on August 1st when Affliction stages its third MMA event, which will be headlined by Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett.

I don’t know about you, but Vitor/Wandy II sounds amazingly good to me.  Vitor coming back to the UFC after such an up and down road to do battle with a veteran like Wanderlei for the second time.  The winner of this fight would obviously give the UFC substantial reason to create and Vitor vs. Anderson or a Wandy vs. Anderson mega-title fight, which I’m sure would bring in a huge profit.  Wanderlei is a fan favorite, even if you dislike the guy, you’re eager to watch him fight in hopes of seeing him get KTFO.  Vitor’s got a strong fan base as well, and nobody dislikes seeing a successful comeback, which it appears Vitor is currently on with KO wins over Terry Martin and Matt “The Law” Lindland.  I hope following his bout with Jorge Santiago that Vitor makes the jump back to the UFC, where he ultimately belongs.

Roger Huerta to possibly fight Gray Maynard at UFN 19

Props: MMAMania

Roger Huerta is reportedly in talks with Zuffa about a possible return to the UFC against Gray Maynard at Fight Night 19, which will serve as the lead-in for the upcoming tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City on September 16, according to Sherdog.com.

After an impressive 16-0 run, “El Matador” (20-2-1) dropped a unanimous decision to Kenny Florian at UFC 87: “Seek and Destroy” back in August 2008. The former lightweight title contender declined a five-fight contract extension with Zuffa to pursue a career in acting and modeling.

Huerta still has one fight remaining on his UFC contract and would not be able to consider a career in combat outside of the Octagon until that fight is satisfied — and a three month no compete period is satisfied. While Huerta has made no mention of immediate plans to fight outside of the UFC, he did go on record as saying he would honor his commitment to the remaining fight.

Huerta vs. Maynard is an awesome fight for numerous reasons.  Firstly, Gray’s within reach of a title shot, and a victory over the 20-2-1 Huerta will no doubt give him just reason to stake claim as the #1 contender behind Kenny Florian.  If Huerta’s able to best the Team Quest fighter, he’ll definitely be bumped far up the list of title challengers, and would give him a lot more pull when negotiating a new contract with the UFC.  My guess is that Dana wants to send him out of the UFC on a loss, and Maynard is definitely capable of being that guy.  Huerta’s a crafty bastard though, and anyone who saw his comeback submission over Clay Guida at the TUF 6 Finale can tell you that.

If Huerta loses, and the UFC refuses to sign him again, I’d like to see Huerta move over to the newly formed Bellator Fighting Championship, where he could easily fit in with their environment.  I could definitely see him getting a couple solid wins in the organization which would probably set up a lightweight title fight between him and current champ Eddie Alvarez.  That would be a great fight.

Bottom line, wherever Huerta goes following this rumored fight with Maynard, he’s going to make an impact, unless it’s in Hollywood, sorry dude, just keeping it real.

A Cameldog Exclusive: Interview with James Thompson

Props: Cameldog.net

God_of_MuayThai, a moderator at one of the most interesting MMA forum’s on the web, Cameldog.net, just conducted an interview with former PRIDE, EliteXC, Cage Rage, and current Sengoku fighter James “Colossus” Thompson.  Anyone who’s followed MMA for the last few years, and anyone who watched the short-lived CBS broadcasts of EliteXC will no doubt remember his ear-exploding fight with internet brawler Kimbo Slice.  Thompson is 14-10 as a professional fighter, and currently riding a four-fight losing streak to include losses over Strikeforce heavyweight Brett Rogers and Jim York.

Be advised, this interview was conducted via online discussion, with no alteration to spelling or grammar:

Cameldog: what are your thoughts on the latest season of TUF with team UK winning both divisions ?

James Thomspon: I think it great for the uk mma scene shows what alot of people here have know all the time the uk has a lot of good fighter and gyms here.  I know James Wilks very well as trained with him in L A at Eric Paulson knew he done really well, but i though the whole team was strong.

Cameldog: how popular is MMA becoming in the UK ?

JT: Really popular has been for a long time now can only see the sport getting stronger here.

Cameldog: One of my favorite fights of yours is you versus don frye, an amazing fight what are your thoughts on that fight ?

JT: It was the last ever Pride and i was fighting my favorite fighter, it doesn’t get much better that, plus it was an exciting fight.

Cameldog: your fight with kimbo slice was very controversial, did you think the fight should of been stopped when you had him on the ground delivering strikes ?

JT: I think it could of been, but the ref gave Kimbo every chance to contiue. Which is fine but just wonder why i wasn’t given the same chance.

Cameldog: how bad did it hurt when he popped you in the ear ? what did mirgliotta say to you after the fight stopped ? what did you say to him ?

Cro Cop hospitalized, DREAM bout with Mighty Mo might not happen

Props: FiveKnuckles

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic has suffered yet another medical setback. According to a report on Index.hr, the popular Croatian champion has been hospitalized with possible salmonella poisoning, putting his upcoming DREAM return against “Mighty Mo” Siligia on in jeopardy. Cro Cop has suffered through multiple injuries and ailments since 2007 which have included a variety of hospitalizations.

According to the report, the 2006 PRIDE Grand Prix champion is suffering with diarrhea, dehydration, and stomach pain. He was admitted to the ER at the Paula General General Hospital and administered an IV and antibiotics.

Cro Cop is expected to make a full recovery, but there is no word yet on whether he’ll be able compete on July 20 — the date of his expected return to DREAM against Might Mo.

I was pretty pissed off that he didn’t continue with the UFC following his eye-poke/TKO win over Al-Turk at UFC 99, but as a longtime fan of the guy I have to support his justification for re-signing with DREAM and seeking to pursue his MMA career over in Japan.  I hope that he’s able to return for his fight against Mo, and if he does make the fight, hopefully he’s in good enough shape to get a dominant win underneath him.  The last couple of years have been nothing but bad luck for the Croatian, his last legit victory over top competition was against Josh Barnett in 2006, and since then his only wins have come over opponents far beneath his level of skill.  Mighty Mo is no slouch though, I have to say it’s probably his toughest fight since Overeem, and if he takes him lightly, Mo could pull the upset considering the punch he packs in those fists.

HKM’s Picture of the day

Props: Sherdog

That’s Jared Hess during his fight with Hector Lombard at Bellator 12 last Friday.  The fight was eventually called off at 1:40 of the 4th round (doctor stoppage), making Lombard the first ever Bellator Fighting Championships’ middleweight champion.  Props to Jared to hanging in there with a gaping wound on his head, good luck in the recovery and I know I’m not the only one who will look forward to your return.

Ultimate Chaos Video Preview

This weekend’s Ultimate Chaos event might not have the most prime and well known fighters in the sport, but it’s still a pretty interesting card with at least two decent fights.  The main event is between Japanese celeb and former NFL washout Bob Sapp and former professional wrestler-turned-MMA fighter Bobby Lashley.  This fight doesn’t really do anything for each guy, it’s more or less to determine who is really the biggest, toughest black dude in mixed martial arts.  My money is on Lashley, he seems to be taking the sport a lot more seriously and he’s actually a personable guy, unlike “The Beast”, who’s just a big joke and a freakshow attraction.

The other fight on here worth mentioning is the Pedro Rizzo/Gilbert Yvel fight.  Both guys are coming off losses to Josh Barnett under the Affliction promotion, and the winner of this bout is expected to fight Paul Buentello at Affliction: Trilogy in August.  I’m hoping Rizzo wins, as a longtime fan of the guy, I still believe he’s got some fight left in him, and I’d love to see him beat a dangerous striker like Yvel and then get a victory over Buentello.  Sad truth is Pedro’s better days are behind him, but I still want to see him find success in the sport, especially over credible, same-skilled opponents.

The above video is actually done pretty well, and although I won’t dish out the $29.99 they’re asking for the Pay-Per-View, I’ll definitely watch a live stream of it on the net.  The full fight card can be seen after the jump, with some other well known people in the sport to include Chris Horodecki, Tom Attencio, and Din Thomas.

UFC Rumor: Carwin vs. Cain and Swick vs. Hughes at UFC 103.

Props: InsideFights

A heavyweight contenders fight between prospects Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez could serve as the co-main event for UFC 103 on September 19th in Dallas, sources have told Inside Fights.

The bout, which has not been agreed to, could potentially serve as the co-main event alongside a welterweight bout between Texas native Mike Swick and future UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes. The heavyweight fight would elevate either Carwin or Velasquez into instant contendership for the heavyweight title, and a win by Swick would make him the number one contender to Georges St. Pierre’s welterweight championship.

No real surprise there, even if it’s only a rumor.  Cain and Carwin are the top two heavyweight prospects in the UFC right now, and in my eyes they’re the two front-runners for a shot at the winner of Mir/Lesnar II.  The winner of this fight would no doubt deserve a crack at the belt, and I think both guys are definitely capable of becoming a UFC champion.  My money’s on Carwin in the first two rounds, those lunchbox-sized hands he has connecting to Cain’s now questionable chin will probably give us a nice highlight reel knockout.  After the second round though, I’d bet on Cain.  Carwin’s conditioning hasn’t been tested in the least, and Cain just proved to us he’s a relentless fighter who shows no signs of fatigue.  To dumb it down, here’s how it looks from my perspective:

• 2 rounds or less = Carwin via KTFO
• After the 2nd round = Cain via TKO due to Carwin having no gas left in the tank

Hughes and Swick makes no sense for me.  I don’t think Hughes won that fight with Serra, and he’s looked like utter shit for the last two years. Swick’s looked awesome minus that questionable fight against Josh Burkman, but he’s forgiven due to his victory over Davis, his knockout over Goulet, and his TKO win over Saunders.  Swick will beat old man Hughes down and further reinforce the fact that Hughes’ glory days are dead and gone.

Cameldog – An MMA forum like no other.

If you’re an MMA fan with an internet connection, chances are you’ve stumbled across at least one forum dedicated to the sport of MMA.  The most frequently visited forum on the web is the one over at Sherdog, and the reputation it has isn’t one to be proud of.  From the over-abundance of MMA newbies who only know anything about the sport from watching Spike TV’s The Ultimate Fighter, to the forum moderators who are on a power-trip and love imposing the ban hammer on anyone who speaks their mind and/or shows any type of “disrespect” towards a professional fighter (especially one who apparently visits the site; like Tim Sylvia).  The amount of members banned each day is probably inbetween 20-60, and the quality of posters currently hanging onto their accounts is in serious jepoardy.

Bottom line, Sherdog might be a decent news site with a solid fight finder (and even that’s been going downhill, it took three goddamn days to update Sylvia’s record after he got raped by Ray Mercer), but the forum fucking sucks ass.  If you’re looking for a site to talk MMA, and avoid the corrupt-bozo-mods over at Sherdog, then Cameldog might be your salvation.  The only rules on Cameldog are the following:

• No porn
• No poop
• No gore

Other than that, it’s a free-for-all.  Don’t like a moderator, tell him to go fuck himself.  Don’t like the head admin, call his mother a whore.  The amount of freedom a basic user has on this site will blow some people’s minds, especially those coming from heavily moderated and highly regulated sites.  Cameldog isn’t for the faint of heart, it’s a honest-to-god, no bullshit type of site, and if you’re not prepared for brash insults and smartass remarks, best bet is to seek business elsewhere.  Click the logo up top to visit the site and become a camel.