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For Holly Holm, chasing MMA passion worth passing on six-figure boxing payday

BAD MMA News — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 00:30:00 +0000

Holly Holm had her reasons for walking away from a successful boxing career after 11 years, several world titles, and nearly 40 professional fights. Money wasn’t one of them. “She’s turned down a lot of money,” Holm’s longtime coach, Mike Winkeljohn, told MMAjunkie.com (mmajunkie.com). “I’ll throw a figure out there: She turned down a quarter-million dollars, because she had decided, hey, I want to do MMA.” The question is, why? Why would such a decorated boxer leave the sport she knows best in order to devote herself to one she’d previously only dabbled in

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For Holly Holm, chasing MMA passion worth passing on six-figure boxing payday – MMA Junkie

Pioneering Fighter Aaron Riley Calls It Quits on 16-Year Career Following UFC on Fox 8

BAD MMA News — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 22:48:37 +0000

Courtesy of Damon Martin and official MMAWeekly.com content partner Bleacher Report . After 45 professional fights, with nine of them taking place in the UFC , veteran lightweight Aaron Riley retired from the sport on Saturday night. Riley competed at the UFC on Fox 8 show where he lost a split decision to Justin Salas. Following the bout, Riley took to Twitter to announce that his fight in Seattle was the last of his 16-year career. Fight my last MMA fight tonight. It’s been fun but after 16 years I’m calling it good

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Pioneering Fighter Aaron Riley Calls It Quits on 16-Year Career Following UFC on Fox 8 – MMA Weekly

Chris Weidman’s Knockout of Anderson Silva Wasn’t an Upset to Coach Ray Longo

BAD MMA News — Sat, 20 Jul 2013 15:00:21 +0000

It’s been well documented that many professional fighters were picking Chris Weidman to upset Anderson Silva at UFC 162 on July 6. When Weidman did just that, it sent shockwaves throughout the mixed martial arts industry, but not all were that stunned with the outcome. Weidman’s coach, Ray Longo, didn’t see Weidman’s knockout of Silva as an upset at all. “With Weidman, anybody that’s been in the gym with him, or who has sparred with him or rolled with him, I don’t think one guy thought that was an upset,” Longo told MMAWeekly.com content partner Shameless Radio . “This kid is for real. I think that’s why the pros were picking him. I think that grapevine was all over the place. The pros have a nice grapevine. I think GSP trained with him a little bit. He was at least in the room with him. Once one guy says one thing, it’s that whole telephone line; it starts going down the line. Anybody that’s trained or been in the room with him, this kid is a beast,” added Longo. Weidman’s confidence leading up to the fight was that of a veteran and less like a fighter with nine professional fights taking on the greatest fighter in mixed martial arts history. “Weidman was a four-time All-American. I think he went out for the Olympics. You don’t get to that level without being mentally strong,” Longo pointed out. Experience wasn’t the only thing Weidman had to overcome to defeat Silva. Weidman had been out of action for a year prior to the Silva fight. He underwent shoulder surgery and lost his home in Hurricane Sandy and was in financial ruin. Weidman stayed poised in the face of adversity. He was unfazed by the taunts, the antics and Silva’s mystique

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Chris Weidman’s Knockout of Anderson Silva Wasn’t an Upset to Coach Ray Longo – MMA Weekly

Jared Downing replaces Rob Emerson, meets Patricio ‘Pitbull’ at Bellator 97

BAD MMA News — Sat, 13 Jul 2013 03:45:00 +0000

After nearly three years away from the promotion, featherweight Jared Downing (9-2 MMA, 2-0 BFC) returns to the Bellator MMA cage to face Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (17-2 MMA, 5-2 BFC) at Bellator 97. Bellator officials recently announced the switch, which sees Downing step in for an injured Rob Emerson . Bellator 97 takes place July 31 at Albuquerque’s Santa Ana Center. The evening’s five-fight main card, which includes the new Downing vs. Freire bout, airs on Spike TV. The preliminary card streams on Spike.com. “It takes a ton of heart to accept a fight less than 20 days out, especially when you have to step in the cage with one of the most dangerous men in the world in ‘Pitbull,’” Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney stated. “Jared is a guy we’ve had our eye on for a while, and win or lose, he’ll make a great addition to our featherweight ranks.” Two of Downing’s first five professional fights took place in the Bellator cage, where “Demon Eyes” earned wins over Danny Tims and Chad Vandenberg

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Jared Downing replaces Rob Emerson, meets Patricio ‘Pitbull’ at Bellator 97 – MMA Junkie

UFC 162′s Charles Oliveira: Due to judges, ‘it’s necessary to go for broke’

BAD MMA News — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 20:45:00 +0000

UFC 162 co-headliner Charles Oliveira : Due to judges, ‘it’s necessary to go for broke’ In 20 professional fights, UFC 162 co-headliner Charles Oliveira has been to a decision just once. The reason, he said, is simple: He doesn’t trust judges, so that forces him to take gambles where other won’t. “I do think it’s necessary to take chances when attempting to win,” he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “Look at my fights. I may win or lose, but I almost never go to decision. I only have one decision on my record, an old bout in Brazil. If one doesn’t take risks, the decision is left to the judges, and that’s why it’s necessary to go for broke.” However, this isn’t a new sentiment, despite MMA judging’s recent woes. Oliveira said it’s something he learned early in his career, when he was still cutting his teeth on the regional circuit in his native Brazil.

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UFC 162′s Charles Oliveira: Due to judges, ‘it’s necessary to go for broke’ – MMA Junkie

Three ONE FC Super Fights Set For Malaysian Invasion Grand Finale on June 15 in Kuala Lumpur

BAD MMA News — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 22:04:45 +0000

Malaysian Invasion Mixed Martial Arts (MIMMA) has joined forced with ONE FC for a card in Kuala Lumpur on June 15. It will feature three professional fights as well as seven amateur bouts, which will crown Malaysian national champions for the first time. MIMMA is organized by Tune Talk, a telecommunications company that also sponsors ONE FC. It is open to all fighters of Malaysian nationality with a total of RM 150,000 (48,000 USD) worth of cash prizes on offer to the winners. A field of over 300 participants was narrowed down to 112 fighters spread across seven weight categories after an open trial. A panel of experts selected the most qualified candidates for MIMMA, who then competed in an elimination style tournament with fights conducted under amateur rules. Footage of the fights, which have been taking place at a major shopping center in Kuala Lumpur, has been broadcast every week on Star Sports. For the finals, MIMMA is moving to the 11,000-capacity Stadium Negara and there will be three ONE FC fights on the card.

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Three ONE FC Super Fights Set For Malaysian Invasion Grand Finale on June 15 in Kuala Lumpur – MMA Weekly

USA TODAY: Ex-UFC champ ‘Big Nog’ focused on final title run, not retirement

BAD MMA News — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:30:00 +0000

(This story appeared in today’s edition of USA TODAY. ) FORTALEZA, Brazil – At 37 and with more than 40 professional fights to his name, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is surely on the tail end of one of the most impressive heavyweight careers in MMA history. But “Big Nog” isn’t thinking about hanging up the gloves just yet. In fact, he thinks there may be one more title run left in his future. “I’m not quitting yet,” Nogueira told USA TODAY Sports and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “You guys always want to put me out of the game, but I’m hungry.” Nogueira (34-7-1 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and Fabricio Werdum (16-5-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) meet in Saturday’s UFC on Fuel TV 10 main event, which takes place at Paulo Sarasate Arena. The main card airs on FUEL TV (8 p.m. ET) following prelims on Facebook (4:45 p.m.

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USA TODAY: Ex-UFC champ ‘Big Nog’ focused on final title run, not retirement – MMA Junkie