More from the big three fights on the UFC 132 main card, including Ryan Bader vs. Tito Ortiz and Chris Leben vs. Wanderlei Silva.
Kenny Florian made his 145-pound debut at UFC 131: "Dos Santos vs. Carwin" back on June 11 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Also making its debut in "Hollywood North" were his patented "Hellbows," the razor-sharp elbow strikes that left a trail of leaky skulls throughout the lightweight division, most notably against Sean Sherk at UFC 64 and Joe Lauzon at UFC Fight Night 13.
Diego Nunes joined that prestigious list in a unanimous decision loss to "KenFlo" earlier this month, enduring (among other things) a few shots to the dome courtesy of some Bostonian elbow grease.
Following the contest, coach Andre Pederneiras asked to have the offensive strikes "reanalyzed" to determine whether or not they were in fact legal.
That didn't sit well with Florian, who tells Fightlinker that Nunes might want to do some reanalyzing of his own:
"I saw the quote and I think something got crossed up in translation but it was obviously how I was throwing them (the elbows). This is actually something I ask every ref before a fight. What does he consider a legal elbow and what is back of the head. Big John (who was the referee in that fight) is the standard for refereeing and what other referees try to be and we literally went over this for 5 to 10 min in the dressing room before the fight for what he considers legal or not. He is the best in the business and he would have said something if he saw something that was illegal during the fight. Often times, if a fighter moves his head after they have been hit straight on, they turn their head. This puts their head in danger, so they are putting themselves into danger by moving their own head. I don’t know if they are making excuses for the loss and I hope they aren’t. I know that Diego was holding the fence half a dozen times during the fight and I know for a fact that is illegal as he was warned numerous times during the fight. As a fighter does it make you a little upset when you hear things like that? That they are trying to pump their guy up or take something away from your win? Guys want to make themselves feel better and sometimes it can be hard and sometimes you search for those things to make you feel better. When I look back at my losses, each one the other fighters was better than night and they beat me. We both go through the same rules, the same camp, the same injuries and it’s up to the guys who get into the cage to fight and make it happen."
The rules state that a fighter cannot strike an opponent to the back of the head, nor are they allowed to strike downward using the point of their elbow.
Did Florian do either at UFC 131?
The most recent notable offense that led to a disqualification inside the Octagon was Jon Jones "loss" to Matt Hamill at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale in December 2009 after "Bones" delivered multiple crushing "12-to-6" elbows to "The Hammer's" face.
But did Florian do anything of the sort? Does Pederneiras have a legitimate beef here? Or is this just sour grapes?
Sound off, Maniacs.
For you Maniacs making the trip out to Las Vegas for the upcoming UFC 132: "Cruz vs. Faber" event set to go down on July 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the UFC has provided you with this handy-dandy schedule of events to work your weekend around. Who's heading out to "Sin City" to enjoy the festivities? For a hi-res version of the UFC 132 schedule of events poster click here.
Well, this is "Grim."
Strikeforce heavyweight Brett Rogers, who less than two weeks ago was defeated by Josh Barnett in the heavyweight grand prix tournament on June 18, has been arrested in Minnesota for multiple charges relating to assault of his wife.
MyFoxTwinCities has more:
Major-league Mixed Martial Artist and Apple Valley, Minn. resident Brett Rogers was arrested and jailed in connection with assaulting his wife Wednesday in their south metro home. She was reportedly strangled, punched repeatedly in the head and face and lost a tooth in the struggle.
Brett Charles Rogers, 30, has been charged with assault in the third degree, domestic assault by strangulation and pattern of stalking conduct -- all felonies --in Dakota County. He was also charged with endangerment of a child, a gross misdemeanor.
Read the full police report by clicking here.
The report goes on to state that during the altercation between Rogers and his wife, their child attempted to intervene after she saw what was happening to her mother. Just a terrible situation.
Bail was reportedly set at $100,000, which has yet to be paid, and Rogers will be back in court tomorrow (Friday, July 1).
No official word yet from either Strikeforce or UFC but we'll pass that along, as well as any other updates to this story, as they become available.
When Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber step inside the Octagon this Saturday night (July 2) in a bantamweight rematch of their 2007 bout, they're fighting for more than just redemption (in Cruz's case) and relevance (in Faber's case).
In fact, their fight isn't even entirely about the 135-pound title.
"The Dominator" and "The California Kid" are fighting for all the little guys out there; the bantamweights, the featherweights and even the soon-to-debut flyweights.
It seems they rarely get a fair shake in the realm of combat sports. Casual fans would much rather see two powerful goliaths slugging it out than two guys that weigh less than the average woman.
UFC 132: "Cruz vs. Faber 2" is only a couple of days away and with it, the first World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) crossover main event. The now-defunct promotion was home to many a great fighters at 155-pounds (and under) during its time and now they get the chance to shine on the grandest stage of them all.
We'll take a look back at Faber's submission victory over Cruz at WEC 26 and also what this bout could mean for the lighter weight classes in the UFC.
Let's go!
When the WEC opened its door in 2001, it didn't take long for the promotion to adopt smaller weight classes. As early as their second event, the now-defunct company was hosting featherweight bouts and crowned the weight class' first champion at WEC 5.
Cole Escovedo holds the honor of being the first 145-pound champion in the promotion's history and also defended it once. His second defense didn't end so well for the "Apache Kid."
He faced off against a fellow Californian by the name of Urijah Faber. Faber was the current King of the Cage (KOTC) top dog and former Gladiator Challenge champ (GC) when he made his WEC debut.
He walked away that night as a dual-promotion champion.
Three and a half months later, he would regain the GC strap to make himself the champion across three different companies. Not too shabby for a 27-year old kid less than three years in the game.
When Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, bought the WEC, he was forced to vacate his other two titles. But for Faber, it wasn't a big deal since he was about to become the company's poster boy.
A successful title defense at Zuffa's first show (WEC 25) put him in line for a bout with a young up-and-comer named Dominick Cruz.
"The Dominator" cut his teeth in his home state of Arizona fighting for the Rage in the Cage promotion before heading west to California. There, he continued his undefeated streak in Total Combat which is where he caught the eye of the WEC brass.
They signed the 9-0 youngster to a contract and placed him inside the cage with "The California Kid."
Let's take a look at their fight.
They meet in the center and Faber immediately throws a head kick and a looping hook that are blocked. Both fighters are swinging quickly but with sniper-like accuracy.
"The Dominator" lands a kick to the champ's skull that doesn't land entirely flush while Faber answers back with a punch. It seems the challenger doesn't seem to be afraid to stand and trade with "The California Kid."
Another solid shot from the champ connects and Cruz wraps him up for a takedown. But Faber grabs hold of his opponent's neck and despite "The Dominator" being in side mount, he still finds himself in trouble.
As Faber's hands begin to slide closer and closer together, he also begins to wiggle his left leg underneath Cruz's body so when the submission is finally sunk in, he's in full guard, a position much more apt to finishing the choke.
The challenger immediately tries to get out of this predicament but the champ remains calm and gets the sweep, landing in Cruz's full guard, with his arm tightly wrapped around the Mexican-American's neck like an anaconda.
Squeeze, gurgle, tap.
For Faber, it was just the second of what would be five title defenses in the two-year period he had a stranglehold on the featherweight division.
For Cruz, it was a wake-up call.
Despite having spent some time at 145-pounds, he made the cut down to bantamweight shortly after his loss to Faber.
On the same night that "The California Kid" made his final successful featherweight title defense, Cruz made his 135-pound debut by beating Charlie Valencia and that's also when their careers began to take opposite trajectories.
"The Dominator" rattled off four more wins culminating with a technical knockout (TKO) victory over then-champion Brian Bowles to become the new WEC bantamweight champion.
Faber dropped three of his next five including getting knocked out by Mike Brown and having his leg brutalized by Jose Aldo. The loss to the Brazilian -- much like Cruz's loss to Faber -- prompted him to a drop to 135-pounds.
And while the Arizona native has successful defenses under his belt, Faber also has two wins in his new weight class -- a scary submission victory over Takeya Mizugaki and a decision "W" over former champ Eddie Wineland.
Now their paths cross again.
Up until 2008, there was only one UFC pay-per-view (PPV) that was headlined by lightweights -- all the way back at UFC 35 when Jens Pulver defended his title against BJ Penn.
That fight was a classic and it helped sway the opinion that lighter weight fighters could be just as exciting and enthralling as their heavyweight counterparts.
The division just needed a face, a star to hitch its wagon to and "The Prodigy" eventually became just that. The Hawaiian put the 155-pound division on his back and put it near the forefront of the UFC.
Cruz and Faber have their own chance now for the newly adopted weight classes. While Jose Aldo and Mark Hominick's clash at UFC 129: "St. Pierre vs. Shields" introduced fans to the upper echelon of featherweights, Saturday's bantamweight title match is the headliner.
The entire evening will culminate in that fight and a disappointing bout will only reinforce stereotypes that the casual fans have about smaller fighters.
But a barn burner? An amazing back-and-forth battle between two top ranked 135-pounders?
That could be a game changer.
MMAmania.com Managing Editor Jesse Holland will be on WWL AM 870 | FM 105.3 discussing ... what else? All things UFC. "Nostradumbass" will talk turkey on "Sports Talk" with the "Big Chief" himself, Deke Bellavia. Tune in tonight (June 30) at 7:05 pm CT or click the "listen live" button at WWL.com.
This Saturday night (July 2, 2011), two of the most feared brawlers in all of mixed martial arts will throw down in the co-main event of UFC 132: "Cruz vs. Faber 2" as Pride legend Wanderlei Silva takes on TUF product Chris Leben.
Silva has been away from MMA for well over a year now after suffering a serious knee injury in his preparation for a UFC 116 fight. He's ready to shake off the rust and continue the momentum he'd been building in the middleweight division before he got hurt.
Chris Leben was on a roll at 185 in 2010. His big break actually came at the Wanderlei Silva's expense when he stepped in to take on Yoshihiro Akiyama in place of "The Axe Murderer." He's looking to get back on track against one of his heroes on Saturday night.
Will "The Axe Murder" crack "The Crippler's" titanium skull? Can Chris Leben overcome his hero worship and take care of business? Which middleweight will go down first after the initial flurry of wild strikes?
Let's find out:
Wanderlei Silva
Record: 33-10-1 (1 No Contest) overall, 3-5 in the UFC
Key Wins: Michael Bisping (UFC 110), Quinton Jackson 2x (Pride 28, Pride Final Conflict 2003), Keith Jardine (UFC 84)
Key Losses: Chuck Liddell (UFC 79), Quinton Jackson (UFC 92), Rich Franklin (UFC 99)
How he got here: Boy where do we start? We don't have room for a novel so we'll have the condensed version. Wanderlei Silva got his big break in Pride Fighting Championships. He'd gone 1-2 in the UFC including losing a title shot to Tito Ortiz at UFC 25 but he flourished in Japan.
Once in Japan, Silva went on a legendary four year unbeaten streak which included 12 knockouts and becoming the promotions defending 205 pound champion. Silva was considered the best fighter on the planet and his victory in the Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix which included the likes of Alistair Overeem, Sakuraba, Quinton Jackson and Chuck Liddell only cemented that fact.
Silva's fall from glory began with a vicious head kick from Mirko Filipovic and a knockout from the hands of Dan Henderson at Pride 33 where he would lose his precious title.
At UFC 79, Silva would finally fight Chuck Liddell in a match that was over five years in the making. No one cared that both men were coming off of two losses, it was still a big deal. The Brazilian would lose a unanimous decision but the fight was the stuff of legends with both men throwing bombs from start to finish.
Silva got back on track with a first round knockout of Keith Jardine but a devastating counter punch from Quinton Jackson in a trilogy fight would send him down to middleweight.
"The Axe Murderer" defeated current contender Michael Bisping in his middleweight debut but has since been sidelined for over a year with injuries. He's looking to rebuild his momentum against Chris Leben.
How he gets it done: Wanderlei Silva is always going to have that brawling style, it's in his DNA. There's a saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks and that is certainly the case with Silva. The fans adore him for it.
At middleweight, he was definitely lighter on his feet against Bisping and showed improved cardio. He'll need that against Leben because "The Crippler" always seems to pick apart opponents late after taking a hellacious beating early in the fight.
Look for Wanderlei to wade in throwing big bombs from the hips with semi-reckless abandon. If he hurts Leben, he absolutely needs to try to finish him because allowing "The Crippler" to recover just gives him an opportunity for a crazy comeback.
Silva's best plan of action would be to pin Leben against the fence and work his nasty knees. Silva also has some powerful hooks and, while he throws them wildly, it's a lot easier to hit a target that's stuck in one spot.
Chris Leben
Record: 25-7 overall, 11-6 in the UFC
Key Wins: Yoshihiro Akiyama (UFC 116), Aaron Simpson (TUF 11 Finale), Jorge Santiago (UFC Fight Night 6),
Key Losses: Brian Stann (UFC 125), Michael Bispiong (UFC 89), Anderson Silva (UFC Fight Night 5)
How he got here: After plowing through the west coast circuit with a 14-1 record, including becoming the inaugural WEC middleweight champion, Chris Leben rose to fame on season one of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) reality TV show.
Leben didn't have as much success fighting on the show but his drunken antics and overall personality made him a star. After the show ended, he would go on a very impressive five fight winning streak in the UFC middleweight division before earning a fight against UFC newcomer Anderson Silva. Silva obliterated Leben in just 49 seconds with a series of punches and knees.
Since the loss to Silva, Leben has gone 6-5 in the UFC middleweight division. He was close to being released from the promotion before a very impressive three fight winning streak over the likes of Jay Silva, Aaron Simpson and Yoshihiro Akiyama thrust him back into the realm of contenders.
Most recently, Leben didn't take UFC 125 opponent Brian Stann seriously and got crushed by a series of powerful punches from "The All-American."
"The Crippler" had asked for a fight with Silva after defeating Akiyama at UFC 116 and the timing just happened to be perfect for the match request to finally be fulfilled this Saturday.
How he gets it done: Chris Leben is a very straight forward guy. He loves to wade in and throw bombs. He doesn't jab much, hardly kicks (although foot stomps are a favorite weapon) and he's not known for having a great ground game.
What Leben usually does is absorb punishment and then capitalize on his opponent's tired state with a series of powerful strikes that puts them down. He's done it against Terry Martin, Aaron Simpson and capitalized on Akiyama's mistake at UFC 116 to pull off the dramatic upset victory via triangle choke.
Look for Leben to try to tire Silva out by taunting his hero and then trading blow-for-blow in the center of the cage. Chris isn't much of a game-planner, he just loves to scrap.
If he can force Silva into a brawl, you can throw the odds out the window and it'll simply be who's left standing after three rounds.
Fight "X-Factor:" The "X-Factor" for this fight is Wanderlei Silva's ring rust. Silva is a fighter who's always been extremely active. The longest break he's taken from fighting was when he dropped down to middleweight over a span of eight months. By the time he steps into the Octagon on Saturday night, he'll have been away from the cage for over 16 months.
At 34 years old, Silva has been in more wars in the cage than would be considered healthy for an entire lifetime. That started to catch up to him with three knockout losses in his last seven fights. Maybe the time off will be good for him, allow him to heal to 100% for the first time in years, but I'm not keeping my hopes up.
Bottom Line: This fight is the co-main event because Joe Silva expects both warriors to abandon the gameplan and just wing haymakers for 15 straight minutes or until someone goes down. Neither fighter has been known for being a master strategist in the past and this has all the makings of an absolute war. If you watch any fight at UFC 132, make it this one.
Who will come out on top at UFC 132? Let us know in the comments section below!
Poll Which middleweight brawler will reign supreme in the co-main event of UFC 132 on Saturday night? Wanderlei Silva Chris Leben392 votes | Results
Who wins the ground battle between Rafael dos Anjos and George Sotiropoulos at UFC 132 on July 2?
SAN JOSE, Calif. -Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists Jorge Gurgel (15-5) and Joe "Hybrid" Duarte (9-2) will collide in the main event of STRIKEFORCE® Challengers on Friday, Aug. 12, from the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas , Nev. , live on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The card will also feature a 155-pound contest between Pat "Bam Bam" Healy (26-10) and Eric Wisely (17-5), plus an additional three televised fights that will be announced in the weeks to come.
"I'm so excited to be headlining this STRIKEFORCE Challengers card in Las Vegas , the home of MMA," said Gurgel, a tested veteran who has also fought seven times in the UFC®. "Everybody knows that when I fight, I bring it every time. This is going to be a fight that every fan goes home happy about and remembers for a very, very long time."
"This is the most excited I've ever been for a fight," Duarte , who has been to a decision only once in his career, said. "When I found out about the matchup with Gurgel, I couldn't say no, and when I found out that it was in Vegas it just made it that much better. Jorge is a guy that's been around for a long time and I respect him for what he's done for the sport. He doesn't put on boring fights and neither do I, so the fans at the Palms can expect a great show from two of the best on August 12."
Tickets for STRIKEFORCE® Challengers, which is presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, are priced at $150, $85 and $50 and go on sale Saturday, July 2 at 12 p.m. PT. Tickets will be available at the Pearl box office, online at ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices do not include service charges.
UFC® Fight ClubTM members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, June 30 starting at 10 a.m. PT via UFCFightClub.com. A special internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers and Strikeforce Insider subscribers on Friday, July 1 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com or the Strikeforce Insider through Strikeforce.com
Coming off a 44-second submission victory this past March, Gurgel, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black, is looking to once again show MMA fans that he's a force in the lightweight division. The four-fight STRIKEFORCE veteran and former two-time UFC Fight of the Night winner, fighting out of West Chester , Ohio , is more than ready for August 12 when he meets the always dangerous Duarte.
Originally from Dededo, Guam, and now fighting out of San Diego , Calif. , Duarte is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt who enlisted in the U.S. Army during the early years of his amateur MMA and boxing career. Following two tours of duty in Iraq , Duarte decided to turn pro in MMA and is currently riding a four-fight win streak, including a submission win over Saad Awad at STRIKEFORCE: DIAZ vs. DALEY in April.
Former UFC and WEC veteran Healy, fighting out of Portland , Ore. , now makes his home in the STRIKEFORCE lightweight division. The St. Louis native holds notable wins over Paul Daley, Dan Hardy, Carlos Condit and Lyle Beerbohm to name a few. He'll look to add another win when he meets Clinton , Iowa 's Wisely. The Team Conquest product holds recent victories over Hermes Franca and Matt Veach and is hoping to leave the cage with his fifth straight win.
For more information or the latest STRIKEFORCE news, visit www.strikeforce.com. All bouts live and subject to change.
When Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heads to Rio for UFC 134 on Aug. 27, they might want to leave Chael Sonnen off the scheduled press tour.
That's because the former middleweight number one contender is Brazil's public enemy number one, having ruffled the Portuguese feathers of just about every Zuffa fighter hailing from South America.
UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo asked the media not to print any of his "junk," former Interim Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira referred to him as a "disrespectful kid," and I don't think we even need to rehash what transpired in the build-up to UFC 117: "Silva vs. Sonnen."
Let's just say it was bad enough for Wanderlei Silva to warn him to mind his manners or lose his teeth.
Apparently Sonnen didn't heed "The Axe Murderer's" advice, and Wandy tells Luke Thomas of SBNation.com that after he fights Chris Leben at UFC 132 this Saturday night (July 2) in Las Vegas, he'll be more than happy to "talk to him again."
"Sonnen is a Twitter fighter. Of course I'll fight with him. He's talking a lot. He do the wrong way for the promotion. He's talking too much. Sometimes he talk about the wrong person, no? I need to talk to him again."
Sonnen recently satisfied his suspension with the California State Athletic Commission, becoming eligible to re-apply for his fight license on June 29, 2011. While the likelihood of him gaining instant access to California Or Nevada is slim, there are plenty of others states (cough, Texas) that would probably rubber stamp his return.
But will Wanderlei be waiting?
How about it Maniacs, can the former PRIDE smashing machine knock some respect into the trash-talking ex-Realtor? Or would Sonnen put his money where his mouth is against the popular Brazilian?
Opinions?
Streaking welterweight contender Carlos Condit is expecting to earn a 170-pound title shot by disposing of fellow division stalwart Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 132: "Cruz vs. Faber 2" this Saturday night (July 2) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
And if friend and training partner Georges St. Pierre is still the champion after defending against Nick Diaz at UFC 137, then so be it.
Condit (26-5) recently arrested British "Outlaw" Dan Hardy at UFC 120 last October to push his current win streak to three. In fact, the "Natural Born Killer" is 12-1 since 2006 with a staggering ten stoppages.
Prior to freeze-drying Hardy across the pond, the former WEC welterweight champion disposed of Rory MacDonald at UFC 115 after squeaking past Jake Ellenberger at UFC Fight Night 19 just a few months prior.
While he may not have yet convinced the court of public opinion, who are in no "Rush" to declare a new number one contender now that Diaz has filled the void, stifling Kim's wrestling on fight night will go a long way in further establishing his credibility as a legitimate threat to the Canadian crown.
And Condit tells MMA Fighting the door swings both ways:
"I've been on a tear and Dong Hyun Kim is an undefeated fighter. I think whoever wins this fight deserves a title shot. I wouldn't [have a problem fighting Georges St. Pierre], my goal is to get the UFC title belt around my waist and whoever has that belt is fair game."
Like Condit, Kim (14-0-1) has also been tearing up the Octagon in recent appearances, racking up points on the judge's scorecards en route to unanimous decision victories in his last three fights.
After outworking TJ Grant at UFC 100, "Stun Gun" stymied the efforts of Amir Sadollah (UFC 114) and Nate Diaz (UFC 125) with his suffocating top control and relentless takedowns.
Expect more of the same on July 2 -- just as you can expect Condit to be ready for it.
Alright Manics, let's hear it. Does the winner of Condit vs. Kim deserve a title shot? Or is how they win just as important as if they win?
Let's hear your choice for the next number one contender after Diaz.
UFC 132: "Cruz vs. Faber 2" is all set to go down this Saturday night (July 2) live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In main card action, German kickboxer Dennis Siver looks to continue his march through the 155-pound weight class when he takes on former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) contestant Matt Wiman.
The Kiboju kid is currently the -125 favorite against "Handsome's" +105 underdog.
Siver (18-7) is fresh off his bookie-busting upset win over George Sotiropoulos at UFC 127: "Penn vs. Fitch" back on February 27 in Sydney, Australia.
It was the third straight dubya for the stocky super-striker, who's quietly assembled a 7-1 record over his last eight fights and could find himself cutting the contender's line with a decisive win in "Sin City."
But that's hardly a foregone conclusion against his streaking opponent.
Wiman (13-5) has been doing some feather-ruffling of his own, battling back from a two-fight losing skid (and possible pink slip) to rattle off three straight wins including his recent upset over Cole Miller at UFC: "Fight for the Troops 2" earlier this year.
A win over Siver is likely to earn him a top five opponent in the promotion's stacked 155-pound division.
Dennis Siver (-125) vs. Matt Wiman (+105) at UFC 132.
Who ya' got?
For more MMA odds and betting lines from UFC 132 or to see how the numbers stack up for different events check out odds aggregate OddsShark by clicking here.
UFC vets in action: Houston "The Assassin" Alexander will take on Razak "Razor" Al-Hassan in a light heavyweight tilt and Coty "Ox" Wheeler will lock horns with UFC and WEC legend Jens "Lil Evil" Pulver when MMA Fight Pit presents "Genesis" at The Pit on Saturday, August 13, 2011, in New Mexico. "Genesis" will include five fights that will be distributed nationally on pay per view by MultiVision Media and five undercard bouts. Tickets go on sale Thursday, June 30 at 8 a.m. MT and can be bought at the UNM ticket office at The Pit, online at unmtickets.com or at any Alberston’s location.
UFC 132: "Cruz vs. Faber" is set to take place this Saturday night (July 2) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring a bantamweight title fight between current champion Dominick Cruz and division number one contender Urijah Faber.
In addition, middleweight head-breakers Wanderlei Silva and Chris Leben will throw leather, while "The Huntington Beach Bad Bay" Tito Ortiz will attempt to save his job against Ryan Bader.
In preparation for this weekend's return to "Sin City," the UFC will hold a pre-fight press conference featuring the major players from the upcoming event including Cruz, Faber, Leben, Silva, Ortiz, Bader and, of course, UFC President Dana White.
The press conference will air LIVE right here on MMAmania.com at 4 p.m. ET after the jump.
Live updates: Hemmi here, the conference is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET.
Tito Ortiz: The only thing I'm thinking about is getting my hand raised. My wrestling and boxing and takedowns are on point and I won't make the same mistakes I made against Matt Hamill this Saturday night
Dominick Cruz: I'm always trying to get as big as I can in between fights before I start training camps and I put it on slowly. I've got it down to a science. My weight is under control but it's not fun making weight.
Ryan Bader: I'm coming off the first loss of my career and it made me reevaluate everything. It put me back to the drawing board and start over. I'm rejuvenated and want to get better. I put a lot of pressure on myself for every fight. You don't want to let anybody down. Going in and having a loss now, I don't want to have another one so there's still a lot of pressure. I just want to get back to winning.
Dominick Cruz: Urijah's done a lot for the sport and the weight class. I can't deny that. Jealousy is just his big head talking again. I'm getting questions about losing to Urijah Faber and now how I won and defended my title. I'm ready for those questions to stop come Saturday night.
Dominick Cruz: I really focused the last four years on improving everything. My jiu-jitsu is light years better. My grappling is all-around better. My striking has excelled and I feel stronger and faster than I've ever been. It's pretty much the same match-up, just four years later.
Urijah Faber: I think we've both changed a lot. It's apparent I've improved a lot in my hands and Muay Thai which I attribute to my coach Master Tong. I've submitted countless guys who are black belts that have never been submitted and never been stopped. It's one thing to see Dominick against different people and one other thing to see Dominick against me at my best.
Dominick Cruz: I make adjustments in the fights and I don't throw the same thing over and over again. I only throw the same thing twice if it works. I've fought everyone in his camp and I've beat them. I've got multiple set-ups to the same strikes.
Wanderlei Silva: I never want to be out for so long like that and I can't believe how much the sport changes in just that time since my last fight. More pressure, more promotion. I love the pressure, I fight better with the pressure. I know I'm gonna have a great show on Saturday and I'll make my fans happy around the world.
Chris Leben: Some guys come in with ring rust and others come in with a fire underneath them. I'm training like thsi guy needs to come in and destroy me to prove he's still Wanderlei Silva. I train for the worst and hope for the best. I see a three round battle and neither of us goes down.
Tito Ortiz: I think the lighter weight guys have been given a great opportunity. Just to be on the card and help sell pay-per-views, we've always sold out the arena. Everything's at a faster pace for the lighter weight guys. All I care about right now is me getting the win, getting my hand raised. It's 14 years later and we're on the same card again.
Chris Leben: I've improved a lot. I've been in the gym every day working hard. Wanderlei has improved as well. He has footwork, stays on the outside and he has set-ups now. He's continued to evolve just as the sport does.
Urijah Faber: There's so many posers out there that think they're fighters these days. It's just nice for the confusion to be gone. I've been one of the few guys that's been at the top of my weight class since starting out in the sport. It's all been about lifestyle. I'm not at my most competitive weight class and I feel incredible. I'm ready to seize the opportunity.
Dominick Cruz: The WEC put me on the map. They did big things for me and this whole experience, fighting the people I've fought is life changing for me. I've given up everything, or been willing to give it up to be here and have this title and to fight on this platform. I always said I wanted to in the UFC but I never dreamed that my first fight in the UFC would be the July 4th weekend with all these legends.
Dave Scholler: The featherweight and bantamweight divisions have arrived. I couldn't be more proud of these guys.
Chris Leben: We are entertainers and I hate guys that fight not to lose. I'm gonna have a controlled explosion out there. It's me and Wanderlei. I don't think it'll be hard to live up to it.
Ryan Bader: As far as MMA wrestling, I might not get 100% of my takedowns but at the same time, I have a different shot. I'm not down there on my knees or in danger of guillotines. Sometimes it's a set-up for punches. I worked on a lot of different things, getting more technical and my takedowns got better while working on that.
Dominick Cruz: I'm thankful for the nerves because that keeps me sharp and keeps me focused.
Chris Leben: I've got my coach Burton Richardson and I bought in Greg Thompson. He helps map my conditioning and he actually lives with me and slaps my hand when I go for the fridge. I've got so many great guys at my gym and they're fantastic. The whole school has been working hard and we're really excited for this one. This is the best camp I've ever had and I'm excited to see how this goes on Saturday.
Tito Ortiz: Rankings don't mean sh*t. You can rank anyone you want but when it's time to come to the fight, the man with the smile on his face, that's what it comes down to. That's why it's called betting. If you want to make money on me, bet on me.
Ryan Bader: I've been through enough amateur wrestling competition to know that anybody can beat anybody on any given day.
Tito Ortiz: I think just getting a win over a top contender is what I want. Bader is fast, young and strong. I want to show that I'm still a force in the top division. Dana trying to use me to help step guys up is fine. My back's pressed up against the fence and I'm going to swing for the fences.
Tito Ortiz: I've fought in some of the biggest fights in UFC history. I defended my title more than anyone in the UFC. All the pressure is on Bader. He knows what it feels like to lose. My speed is better now. I've put everything together like a Rubik's cube and I'm excited and focused. I'm supposed to lose as the betting people say and all the pressure is on Bader.
Chris Leben: I'm a grunt. If I hadn't fought I'd be putting a roof together or framing. Thankfully I found fighting. I have my gym and I'm going to continue to do that as long as I can. My true passion is coaching. I've got pros and amateurs that fight underneath me and that helps me feel good. I love turning kids' lives arounds.
Live stream and replay courtesy of UFC.com.
Bad Left Hook reports on the bidding war taking place to air the November 12th Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez fight. Pacquiao’s legal counsel is requesting that Pacquiao have a say in choosing the network.
HBO has made a proposal to Bob Arum and Top Rank which Arum says is a blockbuster. Arum will now field Showtime’s proposal for the fight.
According to Bad Left Hook, HBO will win the battle:
HBO is rolling out the red carpet for the Mayweather vs Ortiz fight on September 17, and have the available money and resources to lock down the other “big event” fight this fall, which is of course the Pacquiao fight. HBO was stung by losing Pacquiao’s last fight to Showtime earlier this year, a move that stunned most in and around boxing, as Showtime had not put on a major PPV boxing event in years. The experiment was a success, but in the end it could simply result in HBO upping the ante and knocking Showtime back down a peg.
Payout Perspective:
It will be interesting who will win the bidding war. Bad Left Hook speculates that the bidding war could see Showtime throwing in a network TV fight on CBS in the future. HBO will be using all of the resources of Time Warner to promote the fight if it lands it. Arum estimated that the proposals would be around $15 million. While Pacquiao’s counsel has requested to have a say in the negotiations, its unlikely that Pacquiao’s input will block any potential deal.
Props: UFC.com (Click the link to check out the complete gallery)
More from the UFC 132: "Cruz vs. Faber" fight card participants after the jump.
Rest easy, fight fans, the truth has come out. Oh, and Ortiz plans on using his wrestling to combat Ryan Bader's wresting (because wrestling is the kryptonite to wrestlers, you see) at UFC 132 on July 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada.