MMA

After a 17-month absence, Niko Vitale is back for one last run. The 35-year-old X-1 world middleweight champion will defend his title against UFC veteran Kalib Starnes in the main event of X-1: Champions II tonight at the Blaisdell Arena. Vitale (26-9), who rivaled B.J. Penn in popularity five years ago, hopes to revitalize the local mixed martial arts scene that saw him selling out Blaisdell Arena for events as recently as 2006.  

Sarnia's John Fraser will be fighting for a championship tonight. The founder of the Sarnia Supreme Mixed Martial Arts club on Front St. will be fighting Toronto's Tom "The Bomb" Waters for the Canadian MMA featherweight championship at the Warrior-1 (W-1) "Bad Blood" event in Montreal. The 11bout card begins at 7 p.m. this evening.  

The UFC will be staging a sold-out mixed martial arts show next Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark. Naturally, it wants to make New York envious. Of the 48 states that have athletic commissions, New York remains one of just four that doesn't sanction MMA -- along with West Virginia, Connecticut and Vermont.

I don't think it's a coincidence [UFC 111] is taking place 15-20 minutes away from Manhattan   -Frank Mir

 

TFC welterweight champion Ryan (The Real Deal) Ford submitted American Tommy (Farm Boy) Speer to win in the first round at TFC 10: High Octane on Friday night. Ford (12-2) had the best of the action at the Shaw Conference Centre, locking in a choke at four minutes 29 seconds of the first round of The Fight Club mixed martial arts card. "I knew it was tight. He wasn't getting out," Ford, the local favourite who dedicated the win to his late grandmother, said of the rear naked choke.  

Jon Jones alone didn't put the Versus cable network back on DirecTV, but the public clamor and inside dealing that took place to get the rising star's Ultimate Fighting Championship bout in front of as many fans as possible did make an impression. Jones, a 22-year-old preacher's son from upstate New York, is matched against light-heavyweight Brandon Vera in the network's debut "UFC Live" card at 6 p.m. PDT Sunday in Broomfield, Colo. Until Monday, Versus had been kept off DirecTV since September, ...

I know the fans were upset about WEC fights not being on the air, and I can only imagine that the volume multiplied by a number I can't even guess with the fans knowing this UFC fight [with Jones] wasn't going to be on, either   -Lorenzo Fertitta

 

Jon Jones alone didn't put the Versus cable network back on DirecTV, but the public clamor and inside dealing that took place to get the rising star's Ultimate Fighting Championship bout in front of as many fans as possible did make an impression. Jones,...  

Of the many things Junior dos Santos takes with him to fight, compassion isn't one. That, said the 25-year-old heavy-fisted Brazilian, is reserved for sparring partners. And even then, not so much.

The goal is never to hurt someone you're sparring with   -Dos Santos

 

"Anyway I can beat somebody up -- I want to learn it." Dream.13 Preview: Bloody Elbow — Josh Barnett's press conference for DREAM.13 (March.22.2010 / Yokohama Arena, Japan). vs. Mighty Mo. - JOSH BARNETT:  

On March 26, in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, the stars will be shining brightly– the future stars of MMA, that is. Barry and Jeff Meyer are bringing fight fans their latest installment of Tuff-N-Uff events. With an explosive card on tap, a card that boasts three title matches, this is one fight fans wont want to miss. In addition to the title fights, this event will also mark the opening round of a four way women's tournament at 115 pounds.