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UFC releases onetime middleweight title challenger Yushin Okami

BAD MMA News — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 00:15:00 +0000

The UFC has released perennial Japanese contender Yushin Okami.

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UFC releases onetime middleweight title challenger Yushin Okami – MMA Junkie

Bellator 102 hosts Season 9 middleweight tournament semifinals Oct. 4

BAD MMA News — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 04:25:00 +0000

The quest for Bellator’s middleweight title will continue for four fighters next month in California when the Season 9 185-pound tournament continues at Bellator 102.

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Bellator 102 hosts Season 9 middleweight tournament semifinals Oct. 4 – MMA Junkie

WSOF 5′s Elvis Mutapcic wants continued big challenges on path to a title

BAD MMA News — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 23:45:00 +0000

Elvis Mutapcic already has one middleweight title on his mantle Now he wants another. He sets his sights on a belto for World Series of Fighting this week in the middleweight tournament.

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WSOF 5′s Elvis Mutapcic wants continued big challenges on path to a title – MMA Junkie

Bellator 98 video highlights: Shlemenko beats Cooper in a classic

BAD MMA News — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Check out the video highlights from Saturday’s season-opening Bellator 98, where the middleweight title was on the line and eight fighters squared off to work their way toward a shot at the 185-pound belt.

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Bellator 98 video highlights: Shlemenko beats Cooper in a classic – MMA Junkie

Brett Cooper replaces Doug Marshall, faces champ Shlemenko at Bellator 98

BAD MMA News — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 23:05:00 +0000

A broken hand has forced Doug Marshall out of a planned bid for Bellator MMA’s middleweight title, and Brett Cooper has stepped in to take his place and now faces champ Alexander Shlemenko.

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Brett Cooper replaces Doug Marshall, faces champ Shlemenko at Bellator 98 – MMA Junkie

USA TODAY: Jose Aldo next great Brazilian hope for UFC

BAD MMA News — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 17:00:00 +0000

(This story appears in today’s edition of USA TODAY .) The best news for UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo might be that Anderson Silva can’t keep fighting forever. Brazil’s most famous fighter eventually has to retire, and when he does it could be Aldo (23-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) who fills his shoes. Regardless of whether Silva (33-5 MMA, 16-1 UFC) regains his UFC middleweight title when he has a rematch with new champ Chris Weidman at the end of the year, Brazil’s king of MMA superstardom is closing in on 40. Aldo is 26, and in excellent position to assume the throne once Silva’s fighting days are done. That’s the hope, anyway, both for Aldo and for the UFC. After another successful title defense at UFC 163 in Rio de Janeiro, however, it’s tough to tell whether Aldo can inspire the same fierce passion in one of the UFC’s key markets. In 2011, when Silva led the charge for the UFC’s first Brazilian event in more than a decade, tickets sold out in less than two hours. The return to the same venue two years later revealed clumps of empty seats on the pay-per-view broadcast, with UFC executive Marshall Zelaznik telling USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com this latest event was probably within 1,200-1,300 seats of a sellout

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USA TODAY: Jose Aldo next great Brazilian hope for UFC – MMA Junkie

UFC 163 results and photos: Thales Leites dominates Tom Watson in return

BAD MMA News — Sun, 04 Aug 2013 06:54:00 +0000

RIO DE JANEIRO – It took Thales Leites about four years to get back to the UFC, but a successful return was sealed up about 30 seconds in. Leites, a former middleweight title challenger, took down Tom Watson 30 seconds into the fight, then dominated the bout on the ground en route to a unanimous decision sweep of the judges’ scorecards. The middleweight bout took place today at UFC 163 at Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena. It aired as part of the pay-per-view main card following prelims on FX and Facebook. Leites used a good combination early to bully Watson to the cage.

UFC 163 results and photos: Thales Leites dominates Tom Watson in return – MMA Junkie

Demian Maia vs. Jake Shields targeted for fall UFC show

BAD MMA News — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 17:00:00 +0000

A welterweight bout between Demian Maia (18-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) and Jake Shields (28-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) will be part of an upcoming fall UFC show. Although an exact date hasn’t been determined, verbal agreements are in place, according to FUEL TV’s “UFC Tonight.” The recently rumored bout features two 170-pound grapplers coming off recent victories. Since a move down to welterweight, former middleweight title challenger Maia has won three consecutive bouts. The Brazilian, who made the drop after a decision loss to now-champ Chris Weidman in early 2012, has defeated Dong Hyun Kim (TKO via injury), Rick Story (submission) and Jon Fitch (decision). Maia was expected to fight Josh Koscheck this weekend at UFC 163 but was forced off the card when his opponent suffered an injury

Demian Maia vs. Jake Shields targeted for fall UFC show – MMA Junkie

Video: Mike Goldberg, Joe Rogan’s shock over Weidman’s UFC 162 KO of Silva

BAD MMA News — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 05:15:00 +0000

Much of the MMA world was shocked nearly two weeks ago, not that Chris Weidman beat Anderson Silva to win the UFC’s middleweight title, but the manner in which he did it. Weidman stopped Silva in the second round, stopping his 16-fight UFC win streak and 10 straight title defenses, but also becoming the first man to ever knock out the Brazilian pound-for-pound great. Count UFC commentators Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan among those who were left stunned by the way the fight went down. Now you can go behind the scenes of UFC 162, which took place July 6 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and see some unique footage of Goldberg and Rogan seconds after Silva was laid out on the canvas by the challenger. Check out the video above.

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Video: Mike Goldberg, Joe Rogan’s shock over Weidman’s UFC 162 KO of Silva – MMA Junkie

Manager: Anderson Silva anxious to reclaim UFC belt, will fulfill contract

BAD MMA News — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 17:15:00 +0000

Anderson Silva is anxious to reclaim his UFC middleweight title from Chris Weidman . In fact, the 38-year-old expects it to be just one of the nine remaining fights he plans to fulfill on his existing contract. Just prior to this past weekend’s announcement that Weidman (10-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) vs. Silva (33-5 MMA, 16-1 UFC) II will take place Dec. 28 as UFC 168′s pay-per-view headliner at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, the ex-champ’s manager, Ed Soares, told AXS TV’s ” Inside MMA ” that the fighter is anxious to reclaim his belt. Silva, of course, suffered a shocking second-round TKO loss to Weidman on July 6 at UFC 162. It ended the longtime champion’s streak of 16 consecutive UFC wins and 10 straight title defenses

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Manager: Anderson Silva anxious to reclaim UFC belt, will fulfill contract – MMA Junkie