UFC 97: Redemption

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7e/New97poster.jpg

UFC 97: Redemption, not to be confused with UFC 17: Redemption, is an upcoming mixed martial arts event to be held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on April 18, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Fights
Main Card
Middleweight Championship bout: Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites
Light Heavyweight bout: Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio Rua
Light Heavyweight bout: Brian Stann vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
Heavyweight bout: Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk
Light Heavyweight bout: Luiz Cane vs. Steve Cantwell

Preliminary Card
Light Heavyweight bout: Vinicius Magalhães vs. Eliot Marshall
Middleweight bout: Denis Kang vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam
Middleweight bout: Nate Quarry vs. Jason MacDonald
Middleweight bout: David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman
Lightweight bout: Mark Bocek vs. David Bielkheden
Welterweight bout: Ryo Chonan vs. TJ Grant
Lightweight bout: Matt Wiman vs. Sam Stout (http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=EventDetail.FightCard&eid=1921)


Dana White UFC 97 Video Blog - 4/18/09 Part I & II
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Dana White UFC 97 Video Blog - 4/17/09
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Weigh-ins
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Dana White UFC 97 Video Blog - 4/16/09
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Dana White UFC 97 Video Blog - 4/13
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Countdown
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Chuck Liddell Video Blog - April 2009
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Time For War - Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio Rua
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In-Depth Preview
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I wanna see Kongo get a push for the title.

I see a routine win for Silva.

Liddell vs Rua is make or break for both especially Chuck. Im going Chuck i just think his losses were more careless than a real drop in form. Rua looked a shell in the Griffin fight.

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9727/motivator7490926.jpg

Leites only shot is to get it to the ground, and even there its no guarantee. Anderson's done alot of training with Andre Galvao & Jacare to get reay for this fight. i think Anderson will come out looking to erase his performance of the Cote fight. Anderson wins by TKO in the 2nd round

nothing really left to say about Shogun. he better win the fight in the first 3min, after that i fully expect him to gas and gas hard. Chuck may not be what he was, but he'll have enough to put away Shogun late in the 2nd (i'm rooting for Shogun though)

i feel kinda bad for Cantwell. he's got a great skillset for his age, but they may be rushing him a bit throwing him in there with Cane. Cantwell's only 21 or 22, he could be a contender if they bring him up right.

Denis Kang needs a W in the worst way if he wants to remain relevant.

I really wanna see Shogun vs Liddell

It sucks to see what Shogun has become. I remember when he dismantled Rampage. (although it is rumored to be a fixed fight.) Then he blows out his knee and his career went downward.

I want Silva to give an exciting fight though. I hope he doesn't treat it like the fight against Cote.

i feel kinda bad for Leites, he's got slick jitz but Silva's gonna run a clinic. curious to see how Brian Stann does in the ufc. tbh, i'd much rather they televised the undercard...

I don't even know who that Leites guy is. I hope he's good, i like Silva but i think we have yet to see how he reacts to adversity.

And why isn't liddel retiring already? He has nothing else to prove. Dana White will probably try to milk the **** out of him for as long as he can.

And i agree, Cheick Kongo deservers a tittle shot. Big time.

I belive that LIDDELL wil smash SHOGUN and
I think SILVA will lose finally.
Thales needs to take his ass to the ground punish him just like
LUTTER did in first round!
Silva s ground game isnt that good!

Silva v Leites looks like a routine win for Anderson, even more so when it is widely considered that the challenger has only one way to win however fights such as GSP v Serra I and Silva's last fight have taught us that anything can happen.

Liddell v Rua is a more intriguing match in my opinion given that there is a general consensus that it could be the last fight, in the UFC at least, for the loser of this match. Shogun's last winning performance of note was more than two years ago however Chuck's is arguably even further in the past and we've seen with Wanderlei and numerous boxers that knockouts can take their toll on a fighter, especially the brutal kind that The Iceman suffered most recently.

alot of the fights should be good but the usual fighters should win silva and chuck by tko.
yeah i'd like 2 see alot of the undercard fights as well hopefully there are alot of quick ko's.
i also wanna see Cantwell get ko'd lost alot of respect for him when he was jumping around glad he broke the other guys arm.

I belive that LIDDELL wil smash SHOGUN and
I think SILVA will lose finally.
Thales needs to take his ass to the ground punish him just like
LUTTER did in first round!
Silva s ground game isnt that good!

Eh?? You do know that he became the 2nd guy in history to sub Dan Henderson, right?? The first being a guy who was 40lbs heavier than him and ironically also being the guy who gave Silva his BJJ black belt.

The big problem with these JJ guys (primarily the Brazilians), is that even though their sub skills are obviously ahead of the curve, their wrestling isn't so great. And so far what we've seen in the cage has shown that a good wrestler can hold off and beat a great JJ guy, simply because his takedown defense is much stronger than a JJ guy's takedowns and the GnP is enough to keep the JJ guy off of his rhythm. Of course there are exceptions, but the list is pretty short.

I'm not saying Silva is a good wrestler, in fact he's far from it. But his takedown defense will be better than Leites' take downs, and even if it does hit the mat his JJ knowledge will allow him to stall long enough on the mat to have the fight stood up. Then it's back to square 1 for Leites.

The only guy I see beating Silva is a powerful wrestler who can use his striking to set up a takedown, then control and land elbows and punches from the top position. Maybe like a MW Randy Couture or possibly this new version of GSP we've seen lately. Until then, it's Silva's belt until he retires.

i also wanna see Cantwell get ko'd lost alot of respect for him when he was jumping around glad he broke the other guys arm.

Ya same here, that was a douche move. Then he issues some phony BS apology like 2 days later. All the same though, that dude should've tapped. He was stuck in that **** for like 10 seconds. He also looked like this --->:afro:

Silva was actually the 3rd guy to sub Dan. Both Nogueira's tapped him with an armbar in Pride. Though they had far more trouble getting it than Silva did.

i also wanna see Cantwell get ko'd lost alot of respect for him when he was jumping around glad he broke the other guys arm.

Ya same here, that was a douche move. Then he issues some phony BS apology like 2 days later. All the same though, that dude should've tapped. He was stuck in that **** for like 10 seconds. He also looked like this --->:afro:

he didn't break his arm, he hyperextended his elbow. but yea, dick move (even though Al-Hassan didn't wanna tap). didn't he say "i've always wanted to do that" or something in the post fight interview?

he didn't break his arm, he hyperextended his elbow. but yea, dick move (even though Al-Hassan didn't wanna tap). didn't he say "i've always wanted to do that" or something in the post fight interview?

Yeah he did, then he was running around doing that snapping motion with his hands like you'd break a twig or something. Banha will likely blow his head off.

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9727/motivator7490926.jpg


:haha::lol1:
Good one Welter........

i hope to see quarry, herman, and vicious knock da living hell out of marshall and of course silva to look impressive further fueling the silvs-gsp super fight.....thats all i hope to see....chuck's fight will be exciting but irrelevant...both are done

totally forgot about this ppv and seems to be sneakin up on us quite quick. totally lookin forward to seein Chuck v Shogun and see how both fighters square up against each other.

i hope to see quarry, herman, and vicious knock da living hell out of marshall and of course silva to look impressive further fueling the silvs-gsp super fight.....thats all i hope to see....chuck's fight will be exciting but irrelevant...both are done

Vinny aint knockin the hell out of anyone anytime soon

he better get that fight to the ground as though his life depended on it

Whoever said Silva's ground game isn't that good. Silva tapped Lutter, and Hendo. Fought Marquardt from his back and then pounded his face into submission. The only reason Silva doesn't look like he has a good ground game is because majority of the time he is in a three point position, he is pounding someone's face in.

The only person I seen contain Silva on the ground and not lose was Okami. Even then it wasn't all that great, when he postured up he was kicked in the face.

added promo video

http://i44.tinypic.com/2hn75t1.jpg

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really hope chuck has some KO power in him and gives us a good performance

So what happens when Leites KOs Silva and Shogun destroys Liddell?

So what happens when Leites KOs Silva and Shogun destroys Liddell?

My guess would be plagues, famines and swarms of locusts etc...

Chuck via death

So what happens when Leites KOs Silva and Shogun destroys Liddell?

Well, they would prob grant Silva and auto-rematch or possibly give Marquardt another shot at Leites.

Shogun would be lined up for either a title shot at the Evans-Machida winner or possibly a Rampage rematch... Should he win, Liddell has enough mainstream appeal that would probably make the case for him with the same matchups, though die hard fans prob dont want to see him versus Rampage or Evans again considering how soundly he lost.

So what happens when Leites KOs Silva and Shogun destroys Liddell?

i cant see Leites KO'ng Silva, subbing maybe, but KO'ng nawwwwwwww


if that does happen, i fully expect the world to spontaneously combust

Added Chuck's video blog.

LIDDELL: "I PLAN ON KNOCKING HIM OUT." (http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=8571&zoneid=2)

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight titleholder Chuck "Iceman" Liddell co-main events the UFC 97 fight card at the Bell Center in Montreal on April 18 pitted against former Pride standout Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, and as usual, Liddell is looking for the knockout.

"I've wanted this fight for a long time, since back in the Pride days, back in the UFC vs. Pride days," Liddell told MMAWeekly.com "I can't wait for this fight."

Liddell has deviated from his normal training camp, traveling to American Top Team and working with former Olympic Boxing Gold Medalist Howard Davis Jr., but Liddell hasn't left long-time trainer John Hackleman. In fact, it was Hackleman's idea to change things up following Liddell's UFC 88 loss to current champion Rashad Evans.

"It's good to get something fresh, something new in there, just get another mind out there with John (Hackleman)," said Liddell. "John's the one that suggested we going out there at American Top Team in the first place, and after we went out there he liked how Howard worked. He's the one that talked to them about coming out and having him for this camp."

Working with Davis Jr. on some finer points of the striking game including keeping himself in proper position when the the attack, Liddell plans on "mixing it up," but expects to knockout the Brazilian.

"I plan on mixing it up out there, but I plan on striking and I plan on knocking him out," stated the former champion.

Liddell has lost three of his last four fights and Rua hasn't looked nearly as dominant in his two UFC bouts as he did when he rose to the top of the 205-pound ranks while competing in the Japanese Pride organization, but Liddell feels this is the type of match up he needs to move himself closer to his ultimate goal of winning back the UFC light heavyweight belt.

"This is exactly what I need. I want fights that are going to get me closer to getting a title shot, and I think this is one of those fights," said the 39-year old fighter. "I'm ready man. I've been training hard. It's been a long camp for this one, and I'm ready to go."

"It's a fight that people want to see," commented Liddell. "I'm expecting him to come out ready to go. I think this is going to be a great fight for the fans. We're going to be going at it until someone gets knocked out."

hyped for this but wont be able to watch it til Monday with me goin London on Sunday to watch Everton.

Countdown to UFC 97 (http://mmaphilippines.net/stream) Apr-13-2009 11pm ET/PT . It will 2 hrs and 43 mins from time of posting.

Countdown to UFC 97 (http://mmaphilippines.net/stream) is now live

Liddell needs to seriously consider retiring if he gets KTFO again.

KTFO- Rampage
Decision- Beat Wandy
Decision(dropped in the fight)- Jardine
KTFO- Evans


1-3 his last 4 fights. :nonono:

The Spider will once again win an EASY fight.

and The Iceman losing to Shogun. Shogun needs this win badly or his contract with UFC will be thrown into garbage. He was the best in Pride but when he came to UFC, his conditioning and stamina was at level C. His last match with Coleman was worthless. I predict he'll come into the fight well conditioned and beat if not knockout the aging and now prone to knockout and one dimensional Lidell.

Added UFC 97 Countdown.

MAURICIO "SHOGUN" RUA: DEFINING A CAREER (http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=8547&zoneid=2)

There have been challenges of several varieties in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s young UFC career. He’s had serious injuries. He’s gotten married. He’s retooled his training regimen. On top of all that, his viewing public has expected perfection in the cage.

But after a quick turnaround from a disappointing victory – a term that exists only for fighters thought untouchable – against Mark Coleman at UFC 93, he says he’s back on track and ready for Chuck Liddell.

"I can tell you that I’m feeling much more prepared and much more confident right now,” Rua said in a media teleconference for this Saturday’s UFC 97. “When I fought Coleman, like it or not, I stayed almost one year and a half sidelined, and like it or not, this gets in the way of the training and physical condition.”

The Dublin fight was his first since two knee injuries took him out of the game for more than a year. Coleman wouldn't be put away, and Rua gassed midway through the fight, feeling the sudden effects of poor conditioning.

Afterwards, Rua moved from his home in Curitiba, Brazil, to Sao Paulo, where he picked up a new crew of trainers, including middleweight prospect Demian Maia, to help him prepare for the fight in Montreal.

Because he was away from home, he couldn’t get comfortable. And by all indications, that was the problem. Following the scattering of his former Chute Boxe team, he had gotten into a routine that wasn’t challenging him, and the injuries had sidetracked him further. Life had gotten in the way.

A change in scenery turned out to be the missing ingredient for success.

“For sure, it helped, and it has helped me mainly because of the focus,” Rua said. “Sometimes when we’re at home, we get a little acquainted and we tend to get distracted with problems and not push ourselves to the limit. So I think moving to another city got me 100-percent focused on the fight and I can tell that I feel much more prepared.”

If there’s a theme to his assurances, it’s preparation. He knows he’s due for the relentless, acrobatic performances that have marked his early career and made him a crown jewel of the UFC’s purchase of Pride two years ago. His prestige has taken a hit, but he still has the opportunity to turn it around.

“I know my potential, and I know that it’s only up to me to reverse this,” said Rua.

UFC cameras caught Dana White offering Rua the Liddell fight in the locker room after his victory over Coleman. He said yes, but it was hard to read his reaction to the news. Eventually, he gave a smile and sealed the deal with a handshake.

Despite the criticism he took for the Coleman performance, and maybe because of it, he believes he is primed well for Liddell.

“I only stopped for one week after the fight and already began training camp, and that training camp kept me with the training rhythm,” said Rua.

On Saturday, he’ll motivate himself with the expectations of others.

“I think it’s a weight in my favor, and pushes me forward,” he said. “This wasn’t any extra pressure in a bad way. I’m very focused on turning this into motivation and presenting my top game to the American audience."

Damn, Thales Leites is HUNGRY.

good watch was the countdown. cant wait for the fights now. think might throw afew points around on this card.

i hope shogun wins, but its doubtful he will

still not seeing much of a chance for Leites in his fight, but hey stranger things have happened in the sport

Added Dana's blog.

good watch was the countdown. cant wait for the fights now. think might throw afew points around on this card.


a little off topic, but your pic of gina is awesome

"THE BEST OF ALL TIME" MOTIVATES ANDERSON SILVA (http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=8585&zoneid=2)

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva says he doesn’t pay much attention to the media. He’s too busy training.

He does, however, pay attention enough to know the hopes placed on his shoulders – by his coaches, the UFC, and his fans. They want his best, and they want it every time.

By most estimates, he’s the pound-for-pound king, and if not, in the top three of the sport’s greats. In his division, he’s an undisputed world-beater.

But he's human, and the best is not always possible. After taking his time – many would say too much time – trying to break down Patrick Cote at UFC 90, his fourth title defense came to a screeching halt at the hands of injury. Cote got broken on his own.

For those weaned on his quick destructions, it was a jarring experience that spurred questions about how motivated he was to finish fights where he was clearly in control.

But Silva believes he caused – or at least was a major contributor to – the ending of the fight that night in Chicago.

“I believe in this fight what we trained was done in the fight,” said Silva through translator/manager Ed Soares during a media teleconference for this Saturday’s UFC 97 in Montreal, Canada. “I kicked him pretty well in the second round, which I think led to his knee popping out in the third, and that’s the way the fight goes sometimes. You can think about how you’d like the fight to end, and how you’d like the fight to go, but it doesn’t always work out that way in a fight. My technique, and everything I trained, I executed in the fight.”

While it’s true that Silva went back to his locker room at the Allstate Arena and sparred a few more rounds, it wasn’t just to blow off steam, as the pre-fight hype for UFC 97 indicates.

“It was because we trained to fight five rounds, so our muscle memory and our body is used to utilizing the full five rounds,” said Silva. “If the fight would have ended in the first round, then I probably would have went back there and done another four or five rounds, but it ended in the third, so I went and finished off my two other rounds.”

The way he sees it, Cote did not take the fight from him, and the fight’s ending was an unfortunate, but inevitable, consequence of a highly unpredictable sport.

“Redemption” is the theme of UFC 97, and he’s one of a trio of fighters, along with Chuck Liddell and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, the organization believes is driven to re-gain the trust of fans. He’s never been the pay-per-view draw of Liddell, but until UFC 90, his knockout power was a sure bet.

To critics who believe his dominance of the middleweight division has bred complacency, he counters that the expectations of others continue to motivate him. When he fights fellow Brazilian Thales Leites on Saturday as a massive favorite, he’ll take them into the cage.

“On the contrary to what people think, I was very, very motivated for the Patrick Cote fight,” he said. “My motivation is to be one of the best mixed martial arts fighters of all time. With Thales, I’m very motivated for this fight, because everyone is always mentioning that I’m best pound-for-pound here or there, or one of the best fighters in the world. And having that type of label on me makes me very motivated. It motivates me to show my coaches and the world everything that I’ve trained to do in a fight.”

While Leites might not have been at the top of fans’ lists as his next challenger, Silva is taking the challenge very seriously. As a jiu-jitsu specialist, Leites’ ground skills are looked at as the only weapon that could put a ***** in his armor, and he plans on proving once again he’s a total fighter.

He won’t promise perfection, but feels confident his best will show on Saturday in Montreal.

“Thales Leites has obviously shown his performance and shown to the world that he deserves the title shot. He’s a very tough fighter, very well-rounded, very good on the ground,” said Silva. “But I feel that I’m very well prepared for this fight. I’ve trained very hard, and I’m going to give it my all. The most important thing is for us to go out there and put on a good performance to the world, and the most important thing, whether I win or lose, is that this belt is gonna stay in Brazil."

WIN OR LOSE, LIDDELL NOT READY TO HANG 'EM UP (http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=8584&zoneid=13)

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight titleholder Chuck Liddell heads into his UFC 97 co-main event bout with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua with talks of his retirement swirling in the media, but the 39-year-old fighter has no intentions of hanging up the gloves just yet.

"It's something for people to ask," said Liddell. "They were saying that before the Wanderlei (Silva) fight, and then after the Wanderlei fight they were saying, 'oh he's back.' I was winning the Rashad Evans fight until I got caught, and now everyone thinks I should retire again."

Liddell has lost three of his last four fights, but it wasn't until his brutal knockout loss to current light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans at UFC 88 in September of 2008 that the questions of retirement started being asked by nearly every interviewer the San Luis Obispo, Calif., fighter talked to.

"It's not like I walked out there and took a beating," he commented about the loss to Evans. "I got caught. I made a mistake and he capitalized on it. Good for him, but I'm not going to let it happen again. I want another shot at it."

Liddell doesn't take offense to the questions of retirement. He thinks it's a valid question considering his age in a combat sport, but asserts he doesn't feel like an athlete who'll turn 40 later this year.

"I will be 40 this year. That kind of stuff has to come up," he conceded. "My body still reacts well. I still feel fast. I still hit very hard. I can still react and move well, so I'm not worried about it yet. The time is not an issue yet."

UFC 97 preview: Stakes raised for both Anderson Silva and Chuck Liddell (http://mmajunkie.com/news/14603/ufc-97-preview-stakes-raised-for-both-anderson-silva-and-chuck-liddell.mma)

Anderson Silva and Chuck Liddell are two of the most iconic fighters in the UFC. Each is destined for the hall of fame. Yet, both fighters enter their UFC 97 bouts with something to prove.

Despite being the UFC's most dominant fighter since he stepped into the octagon in 2006, Silva was ripe for criticism after his most recent match against Patrick Cote at UFC 90. The Brazilian lacked the laser-like focus he carried into his previous UFC bouts and almost seemed bored and disinterested. Cote became the first UFC fighter to take "The Spider" to a third round as Silva failed to dismantle his opposition for the first time in eight UFC starts.

The fair question to ask following the bizarre fight, which Silva won by technical knockout after Cote couldn't continue due to a knee injury, was had the middleweight champion's wandering eye gotten the better of him?

Silva has talked candidly about the desire to test his striking skills in the boxing ring, going so far as to call it a "personal dream and professional goal." He's also said he has no intentions of being a 40-something fighter and instead is aiming for MMA retirement at age 35.

He turned 34 on Tuesday.

Those factors and his underwhelming performance against Cote notwithstanding, Silva says the four-ounce gloves still fit.

"On the contrary to what people think, I was very, very motivated for that Patrick Cote fight," Silva said. "My motivation is to be one of the best mixed-martial-arts fighters of all time. And, against Thales (Leites), I'm very motivated for this fight because everyone is always mentioning that I'm the best pound for pound here or there or one of the best fighters in the world. Having that type of label makes me very motivated."

The UFC 97 main event bout against fellow Brazilian Leites on Saturday night in Montreal affords Silva (23-4 MMA, 8-0 UFC) an opportunity to re-establish his supremacy in the 185-pound division – and make history. With a perfect 8-0 run in the UFC, he's tied with Royce Gracie and Jon Fitch for most consecutive wins in the octagon. While he doesn't need a ninth straight to cement his legacy, it would be another proof point that he's the top fighter in the sport today and one of the best ever.

In the 27-year-old Leites (14-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), Silva faces an opponent who should own the edge on the ground.

"The way I feel is that Thales Leites has obviously shown his performance and shown to the world that he deserves the title shot," said Silva, who actually sparred the equivalent of two rounds in his dressing room after the fight with Cote was cut short. "He's very well rounded and very good on the ground … and the most important thing is, whether I win or lose, that this belt is going to stay in Brazil."

After dropping his UFC debut to Martin Kampmann in 2006, Leites has reeled off five consecutive victories to move himself into title contention. However, the jiu-jitsu black belt has never stopped a pro fight with his fists, and while standing and trading with Silva is just short of a death sentence, Leites must demonstrate enough defensive proficiency on his feet to get Silva off his.

"I've been training a lot for all of the situations, all of the martial arts, and mainly jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai and wrestling," said Leites, who's coming off a submission victory over Drew McFedries at UFC 90. "I'm training a lot for Muay Thai because Anderson is an awesome Muay Thai fighter. He's very prepared for any situation to win. And some people say … if I take him (down), the fight is done. But, I don't think so. It would be a very hard time, too."

Liddell's last act?

Recent struggles aside, Liddell (21-6 MMA, 16-5 UFC) remains a lead face in MMA and one of the few mixed martial artists who transcends the sport. Silva might have the pound-for-pound mantle, but Liddell still has the edge in popularity. From bestselling author to magazine covers and TV appearances, there's arguably no other fighter more associated with MMA than Liddell.

Unfortunately for "The Iceman," his results in the cage haven't kept pace with his success outside of it. The man who ruled the light heavyweight division from 2004 to 2006 with seven straight wins is just 1-3 since. The lone victory in that four-fight span was an epic three-rounder with Wanderlei Silva, which showed Liddell still has something left.

However, the sheen of that victory was quickly washed away after Liddell was flattened by Rashad Evans at UFC 88.

"I got a little impatient, and I got a little overexcited, and I got in a bad position and got caught," Liddell said. "I mean I don't think it's because I'm predictable. I mean, you know (that) I'm predictable. I'm going to throw punches at you. I'm going to come and try to knock you out. But, I mean, I don't think it's that simple."

A one-dimensional Liddell worked when he was facing fighters such as Tito Ortiz, Renato "Babalu" Sobral and Jeremy Horn. Superior striking skills trumped anything those fighters could throw at Liddell. However, the stalk-and-strike game plan no longer produces highlight-reel KOs for Liddell, leading UFC President Dana White to say that Liddell needs to show something in his UFC 97 bout against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (17-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC).

"You'd have to ask him what (he means by it), but I don't know," said Liddell trying to sidestep what seems obvious to most. "I'm planning on coming out and performing like I normally do – planning on coming out and knocking him out. So, hopefully, that will be enough to keep him (White) interested in me fighting."

Seeking a fresh perspective and a chance to add some new elements to his training approach, Liddell, 39, spent time this year working with Florida-based American Top Team. Following that stint, ATT's Howard Davis was part of Liddell's California training camp for seven weeks to help him prepare for Rua. The focal point was footwork and defense, deficiencies that Liddell has been long overdue in addressing.

Liddell says he's eager to show off those new skills in a fight that will help shape the rest of his career. He can ill afford another loss and still be viewed as a title contender.

"I haven't seen any reason to … start worrying now about my next fight," he said. "I never have before. So, I mean I'm going to go out there and fight this fight. I'll worry about what happens after."

Rua could be the right opponent at the right time for Liddell. Rua looked rusty and out of shape in his comeback fight against Mark Coleman at UFC 93 in January. It was the Brazilian's first bout in more than a year after two knee surgeries, so some slack is undoubtedly in order. However, if something close to that version of "Shogun" shows up against Liddell, Rua will be staring down his second loss in three UFC fights.

"I think there's a great amount of pressure, but this doesn't (really weigh) against me," Rua said. "I think it [weighs] in my favor and pushes me forward. I focus myself to the most, so this won't really put any extra pressure in a bad way and instead this will motivate me. I know my potential, and I know it's only up to me."

Regulatory officials in Quebec raised concerns about UFC 97 in February, saying that the UFC's use of elbows and knees to the head violated rules in the province. Officials ultimately relented and gave permission for the UFC to proceed with the promotion's second show in Montreal in the past year. UFC 83 was held at the same venue, drawing a crowd of more than 21,000 in 2008. UFC 97 sold out in a week.

UFC 97 – Bell Centre, Montreal

MAIN CARD (Televised)

* Middleweight champ Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites
* Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio Rua
* Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann
* Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk
* Luis Cane vs. Steve Cantwell

PRELIMINARY CARD (Un-televised)

* Vinicius Magalhaes vs. Eliot Marshall
* Xavier Foupa-Pokam vs. Denis Kang
* Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry
* Ed Herman vs. David Loiseau
* David Bielkheden vs. Mark Bocek
* Ryo Chonan vs. T.J. Grant
* Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman

Rua prepared to begin next chapter of once-dominant career at UFC 97 (http://mmajunkie.com/news/14597/shogun-rua-prepared-to-begin-next-chapter-of-once-dominant-career-at-ufc-97-against-chuck-liddell.mma)

At 27 years old, career crossroads are supposed to be somewhere in the distant future.

And earning wins in five of your past six bouts isn't supposed to leave your chances of success surrounded in doubt.

But as light heavyweight brawler Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (17-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) prepares for his UFC 97 co-main event bout with the ever-popular Chuck Liddell (21-6 MMA, 17-5 UFC), he finds himself suddenly surrounded by doubt.

"I think there's a great amount of pressure, but it doesn't really weigh against me," Rua said in a recent media call. "I think it weighs in my favor and pushes me forward. I've focused myself to the most, so it won't really put any extra pressure in a bad way and instead it will motivate me.

"I know my potential, and I know it's only up to me to reverse this (difficult period). So I'm very focused on this fight. And I'm very focused on turning [recent negativity] into motivation and really presenting my top game to the American audience."

A 13-time PRIDE veteran, Rua routinely treated Japanese audiences to ferocious displays of striking. The Brazilian owns first-round TKO victories over former UFC champ Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem (twice), as well as Kevin Randleman, Cyrille Diabate, Ricardo Arona, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Akihiro Gono, among others.

But two knee surgeries and a slow recovery process hindered his performances in a 2007 loss to Forrest Griffin and a lackluster win over Mark Coleman in January.

"Winning is always important, but I really didn't get happy with my performance," Rua said of his bout with Coleman. "I think I could have fought better.

"But if you stop to analyze for a second, Coleman is a tough fighter, and nobody has ever knocked him out quickly in his career. If you really check out his role in his MMA career, you'll see that he's always providing tough fights for everybody."

Regardless of your evaluation of his win over Coleman, it was apparent in Rua's most recent appearances that he needed to make some adjustments. The Chute Boxe slugger did so by training for Liddell in Sao Paulo rather than his native Curitiba, Brazil.

Rua believes the change has served him well.

"For sure [the change in training] helped," Rua said. "It was a new experience for me, and it has helped me mainly because of the focus.

"Sometimes when we are at home we get a little acquainted, and sometimes we tend to get distracted with problems and not push ourselves to the limit. So I think moving to another city to train got me 100 percent focused on the fight, and I can tell that I feel much more prepared and conditioned for this fight."

Liddell has similarly faced struggles as of late, earning just one win in his past four bouts. Also similarly, Liddell has adjusted his training in preparation for the contest.

"Shogun" expects to see the nothing but the best the "Iceman" has to offer.

"My take on Liddell is that he is a great fighter, very dangerous with great skills," Rua said. "And I enjoy – I like fighting tough fighters, top fighters. This is what motivates me.

"And I'm taking this fight as facing the best possible Chuck Liddell – (I'm) expecting him to come at the top of his game."

Both Rua and Liddell were once considered among the top 205-pounders in the sport. And if Rua holds true to his word, the lackluster performances of the past may soon give way to performances more fitting of his once-dominant career.

"I consider my career a very good career, but I think my lowest point was when I had the two knee surgeries in a row," Rua said. "Nowadays, though, I consider myself 100 percent healed.

"I intend to give my best in this fight and hopefully this will be the next great stage of my career starting April 18."

Thales Leites seeking to justify opportunity of lifetime at UFC 97 (http://mmajunkie.com/news/14592/thales-leites-seeking-to-justify-opportunity-of-lifetime-at-ufc-97.mma)

The late Admiral James Stockdale once said during a 1992 vice presidential debate with Al Gore and Dan Quayle: "Who am I? Why am I here?"

It's kind of the same question Thales Leites (14-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) has been answering lately as well. The UFC is the top mixed martial arts promoter in the world, but Leites has an even more anonymous profile than H. Ross Perot's first running mate.

Leites is answering that question a lot these days, though not because he's an unaccomplished fighter. He's won five in a row in UFC competition, a pretty significant achievement given that the promotional record is eight.

The problem for Leites is that his opponent at UFC 97 on Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal is Anderson Silva (23-4 MMA, 8-0 UFC). Silva is not only the UFC's middleweight champion and not only the co-holder of the UFC record with eight straight wins. He's also the man regarded by many as the best fighter in the world.

Silva isn't simply squeaking out wins – as Leites did in his biggest fight, a disputed split-decision win over Nate Marquardt at UFC 85 in London. Silva is sending his opponents to the hospital with all manner of ailments.

Leites may be a virtual unknown as UFC fighters go, and he may be a huge underdog. But he knows that underdogs have won before.

Matt Serra once knocked out Georges St. Pierre to win the UFC's welterweight title. Keith Jardine defeated Chuck Liddell in a light heavyweight fight in which many in the media were wondering why the UFC was feeding Liddell such easy opposition.

Leites is getting much the same treatment these days as Serra and Jardine were. Silva, though, knows as well as anyone how dangerous Leites can be.

"He's very well-rounded and he's very good on the ground," Silva said.

Leites' one advantage in the fight will be his Brazilian jiu-jitsu superiority over Silva. Though Silva is a black belt, Leites is among the finest Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists in the sport. He earned a black belt under Welton Ribeiro in just four years.

UFC president Dana White has frequently referred to Silva as a "stone-cold killer" as a way of paying homage to his lethal striking ability. Leites, though, is as proficient at the grappling arts as Silva is on his feet.

And that's ultimately his chance to deny Silva a shot at history. A Silva win would mark his ninth straight in UFC action – which would break a tie with Jon Fitch and Royce Grace for the most ever. It would also be his fifth successful title defense, which would also be a record.

Leites has developed great respect for his fellow Brazilian's accomplishments, but he gives a very clear feeling that while he's respectful, he's hardly intimidated.

"This is going to be a very explosive fight," Leites said. "I'm an Anderson fan because he looks for the knockout every single time. And I like looking for the submission every single time, so this will be a very interesting fight."

Perhaps, but Leites is still dogged by the question of how he got the fight instead of others perceived to be ahead of him. He seems to be behind men such as Yushin Okami, Dan Henderson, Demian Maia and Michael Bisping in the pecking order, perplexing some who wonder what he did to leapfrog them.

The win over Marquardt clearly carried a lot of weight, but he only took a split decision despite the fact that Marquardt was docked two points in the fight. Silva, who watched Leites submit Drew McFedries in little more than 90 seconds in UFC 90, has no doubt that Leites is deserving of the shot.

"Thales Leites has obviously shown through his performance and (proven) to the world that he deserves the title shot," Silva said. "Thales Leites is a very tough fighter."

Leites is used to hearing the doubts. He's 14-1 in his MMA career and is 5-1 in the UFC, but he still has to fight for respect.

When he was 8-0, he was pitted against highly respected striker Jose Landi-Jons, who has wins over Pat Miletich and former UFC champion Matt Hughes. Not many gave Leites a chance, but Leites won by arm triangle in just 2:40.

Nobody is predicting he'll have such an easy time with Silva – not even Leites. But Leites is convinced he belongs, and that he's going to win.

"Anderson Silva is a great fighter and everyone knows that," Leites said. "And everyone has seen him for so long and they're so familiar with him, maybe that is why [they don’t give me a chance]. They don't know me so well, so I have to make my point in this fight. And I truly believe that the way I've prepared and the way I've trained – I've sacrificed a lot, for three or four months – that it will pay off [on Saturday]."

It will pay off if he's somehow able to turn it into a grappling contest. This, though, is an MMA fight and not a grappling contest.

And it seems pretty clear that after the fight, we'll be asking at least one of the questions that Admiral Stockdale posed at the debate in 1992: Why was he here?

"UFC 97: Redemption" official fighter weigh-in results (http://mmajunkie.com/news/14606/ufc-97-redemption-live-and-official-fighter-weigh-ins.mma)

MONTREAL - MMAjunkie.com was on scene for today's "UFC 97: Redemption" official fighter weigh-ins.

The weigh-ins took place at the Bell Centre in Montreal and featured, among others, UFC middleweight champion and headliner Anderson Silva and his opponent, Thales Leites.

In front of a vocal gathering, Silva registered a slim 182 pounds. Leites used every ounce of the middleweight division's limit, tipping the scales at 185 pounds.

Both fighters appeared confident in the face-off, and each left the stage without addressing the crowd.

UFC 97 is just the UFC's second-ever event in Canada. Last year's show, UFC 83 with Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra II, set a UFC and North American MMA attendance record with 21,390 spectators. This year's event proved another quick sellout, and today's weigh-ins drew several thousand of those ticket-buyers.

The full results included:

MAIN CARD

* Anderson Silva (182) vs. Thales Leites (185)
* Chuck Liddell (206) vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (206)
* Cheick Kongo (232) vs. Antoni Hardonk (249)
* Luis Cane (206) vs. Steve Cantwell (205)
* Krzysztof Soszynski (204) vs. Brian Stann (206)

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Vinicius Magalhaes (204) vs. Eliot Marshall (205)
* Xavier Foupa-Pokam (185) vs. Denis Kang (185)
* Jason MacDonald (186) vs. Nate Quarry (186)
* Ed Herman (186) vs. David Loiseau (185)
* David Bielkheden (157) vs. Mark Bocek (154)*
* Ryo Chonan (171) vs. T.J. Grant (169)
* Sam Stout (155) vs. Matt Wiman (155)

added new blog

my picks:
Silva: TKO, 2nd Round
Liddell: TKO, 3rd Round (i hope Shogun wins though)
Kongo: Unanimous Decision
Cane: TKO, 3rd Round
Sosynzski: Unanimous Decision
Kang: TKO, 2nd Round (he better win this one. lol)
Marshall: TKO, 1st Round
The Crow: Unanimous Decision
Jason MacDonald: Unanimous Decision

Silva at 182, thats good.

Thales will make him fight, I dont think we will see another Cote "version" of Silva again.

Can't wait for tomorrow night! :)

Kongo will win by a Knockout, I really hope Shogun wins, he has to.

Come on Shogun!

DOING HIS JOB AT 185, SILVA AGAIN HAS EYE ON 205 (http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=8599&zoneid=2)

On the eve of a possible record-breaking win streak against a heavy underdog, talk of Anderson Silva’s next move is already in the air.

He’s a big enough middleweight to make the jump up to light heavyweight – he’ll probably walk into the Octagon tomorrow at around 200 pounds – but equally important, Georges St. Pierre is big enough to make the jump to middleweight.

Flanked by two of the light heavyweight division’s biggest stars at the pre-fight press conference for UFC 97 – Chuck Liddell and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua – it was clear Silva had options, both big for the UFC.

“The experience fighting at 205 was a good experience for us,” Silva said via translator Ed Soares. “It’s in our plan to fight more at 205 pounds.”

UFC president Dana White offered little resistance to the idea, provided the champ was victorious against Thales Leites on Saturday, and St. Pierre got past Thiago Alves at UFC 100.

“That’s the way this guy built his career, terrorizing me all the time: ‘I want to fight, I want to fight,’” White said. “Nobody can call me and tell me they want to fight too much. They want to fight; I’ll let them fight. If they want to take some time off, I’ll give them time off. If he wants to fight at 205; I love it.”

White mused about a December superfight between Georges St. Pierre in Toronto, a market he expects to open by year’s end.

“Maybe we could do that,” he said. “I’d like to do it. We’ll see what happens.”

Silva took the speculation in stride and said he would terrorize wherever needed.

“It doesn’t bother me too much,” he said. “I’m pretty focused, and I’m focused on this fight with Thales. As far as Georges St. Pierre, that problem I’m sure is going to get dealt with a little bit later.”

Silva’s teammate, Lyoto Machida, is due for a shot at light heavyweight gold next month against Rashad Evans. The bout has yet to be put under the microscope by most pundits, but if Machida’s recent performances have been any clue, he’s got a good chance against the tough Evans.

While a Machida victory would put the 205-pounds divisional belt off-limits, there would still be plenty division left for Silva to ransack.

“It’s not a focus to have both belts,” he said. “I feel that belt is Lyoto Machida’s. He just hasn’t had the opportunity to fight for the belt yet. But who knows? If he isn’t able to get the belt in his next fight, maybe I’ll come up and get it for him.”

If that wasn’t the case, the men next to him at the press conference, Chuck Liddell and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, could provide a challenge.

“Definitely,” he said. “I look at these guys as opponents in the future.”

First on the list is fellow Brazilian Leites, the last hurdle to beating Royce Gracie and Jon Fitch for most consecutive UFC wins and Matt Hughes for most title defenses.

Silva says it’ll be just another day at the office.

“I’m looking forward to just going and doing my job.”

added weigh-ins

added new blog

Stream links anyone?

I was gonna try stay up and watch this but found out it starts at 3am. lookin forward to seein what shogun is gonna turn up and how anderson will perform after the cote fight. exciting night.

Eliot Marshall vs. Vinny Magalhaes
Round 1
Evenly aggressive and circling in the first part of round one. Trading punches with a few leg kicks by Magalhaes. A head kick by Marshall blocked. The crowd starts to boo the lack of action. Good left jab to the face by Magalhaes. Marshall continues to jab. The crowd boos some more as Marshall blocks another head kick attempt. A stiff right from Marshall snaps Magalhaes’ head back. The round ends with the pair against the cage. 10-9 Marshall.

Round 2
Vinny is the aggressor as he presses Marshall into the cage. Marshall pushes him away and fires a high kick that is easily defended. Two nice left body kicks by Magalhaes follow. Marshall is caught partially by a kick countered with right straight. The crowd is booing due to tentative single shots. Right hand to the body by Marshall then more circling. Nice three punch combination from Marshall, followed by more circling and more fan booing. They trade kicks and Maghaeles catches Marshall's leg and scores a nice takedown before moving into side control. Straight to mount, Magalhaes is getting a few elbows in. Marshall squirms out and gets into half guard, before finally getting to his feet to end the round. 10-9 Maghales.

Round 3
Marshall starts the round with a low kick and then the pair reverts to being tentative and the crowd boos once again. One-two combination finds the mark for Marshall and Magalhaes is bleeding from the nose. This round should decide the victor but neither fighter seems to want to press the action. Magalhaes presses forward with left and right body kicks that are both blocked. Right body kick by Magalhaes is countered by a right straight by Marshall. Magalhaes pushes Marshall against the cage and takes him down with a thud into side control and immediately into mount with some elbows to follow. Marshall rolls over to escape and the round ends with Magalhaes throwing down punches from above. 10-9 Magalhaes.

The official scorecards read 30-27 (twice) and 29-28 for Marshall, who takes the unanimous decision.

Ryo Chonan vs. T.J. Grant
Round 1
The Canadian Grant walks out to thunderous applause, while Chonan comes out with Dan Henderson to meet an indifferent crowd. Low kick by Grant to start the fight and Chonan counters. The fighters are trading hooks and Chonan judo throws Grant to the ground and moves into side control. Grant works busily on his butterfly guard and makes for Chonan's arm but no luck. Grant gets full guard and Chonan attempts a few week hooks from top. Grant attempts to throwpunches from the bottom and the crowd chants "TJ, TJ." Grant goes for an arm again and again Chonan escapes. Chonan stands up to drop a right hand and falls back into full guard. Pretty sweep by Grant and he regains his feet. Trading punches and Grant skips underneath a Chonan left and takes him down into half guard. Chonan escapes and they get back to their feet. Wild haymakers from both end the round. 10-9 Grant.

Round 2
A four-punch combination from Grant and then they clinch against the cage. Chonan works a single-leg takedown and gets Grant down. They’re on their feet and it's Grant’s turn for the takedown, and ends up on Chonan’s back briefly before going to guard. Chonan posts up and drops ineffective single shots. Again in Grant’s full guard, Chonan tastes an upkick to the face. Chonan tries for an ankle and Grant rolls out to take his back. Again Chonan rolls into guard to end the round. 10-9 Chonan.

Round 3
Chonan connects with a few punches to the face and misses with an uppercut. Grant ducks underneath another punch and takes him down into half guard. where he delivers short elbows and is looking to pass. Chonan grabs a leg and puts Grant to his back in half guard. Now in Grant’s full guard, Grant tries for a triangle, but Chonan has none it. Both fighters looking tired as Chonan stands out of guard, only to have Grant kick his foot out and Chonan falls back into guard. Grant takes a single and puts Chonan down and Chonan gives up his back. He looks to escape but Grant won't let him up and briefly traps his left arm to deliver some solid shots to Chonan’s unprotected face. 10-9 Grant.

The official judges see the fight: 29-28 for Chonan and 30-27, 29-28 for the winner by split decision, T.J. Grant.

Mark Bocek vs. David Bielkheden
Round 1
They come out and touch gloves then clinch against the cage, where Bocek presses and lands some knees to the thighs. Two reverses off the fencing and Bocek grabs a leg and takes Bielkheden down to half guard. Bocek is grinding his forearm on Bielkheden’s face and he moves to side control. Bocek is looking strong on top and moves to full guard. Bocek posts and lands a few punches. Bocek tees off and moves to half guard, then immediately to side. A hard elbow by Bocek and then he goes back to half guard. The crowd starts to chant “Ole.” Bocek takes mount begins to unload as the crowd goes nuts. Bielkheden gives his back and Bocek wins by an amazingly quick rear-naked choke at 4:57 of the first.

David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman
Round 1
Montreal's own David Loiseau emerges to thunderous applause while Herman is roundly jeered. Two spinning back kicks to Herman's face to start the round. Herman body locks Loiseau and takes him to the mat, where he gives up his back. Herman pounds away while Loiseau covers up. Loiseau tries to stand but Herman bullies him down. Herman tries to take his back and gets one hook in. Loiseau tries to stand and Herman takes him down where he continues to chip away with punches. Herman is on Loiseau’s back and drops some nice knees to his body. Loiseau is covering up and making no attempt to escape. More knees to the body from Herman before Loiseau finally stands into the clinch against the cage to end round one. 10-8 Herman.

Round 2
Loiseau misses with a spinning back kicks that sails over Herman's head. Herman takes Loiseau down and goes into his full guard, where he drops punches and elbows. Herman gets full mount and Loiseau gives up his back. Herman loves the knees to the body and again Loiseau is on his knees covering up. No effort from Loiseau and Herman is completely controlling the fight. Loiseau gets to his feet, and yet again Herman gets him down. Up again, and the pair clinch against the fence. The crowd cheers when Loiseau avoids a takedown. Loiseau launches a right hand, but slips and falls. 10-9 Herman.

Round 3
Loiseau stuns Herman with a snapping-left hook and then they clinch against the cage. Herman is pressing into Loiseau and lands some knees to the torso. Herman rushes in and gets a powerful double leg takedown. Loiseau gives up his back and stands up. Loiseau slips again as he tries to throw a left jab and Herman gets three knees to the body of his downed opponent. Herman in full mount and Loiseau finally squirms out. Loiseau with a weak body kick, then ends the round with a “Superman” punch. 10-9 Herman.

The official judges see the bout 30-27 (twice) and 30-26 for Ed Herman.

What's the over/under for how many knees to the groin Hardonk is going to recieve from Kongo.

damn, sounds like Crow got his ass beat again

Franklin beat the spirit out of that dude

Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry
Round 1
They briefly trade in the middle before MacDonald takes Quarry to the cage and ducks for a single. Quarry counters the takedown and lands in MacDonald's half guard. MacDonald avoids some elbows from top but eats a few. MacDonald is tying Quarry up but gets cut on the forehead by an elbow. GNP by Quarry and MacDonald is busted up. Quarry is relentless in his attack, forcing referee Mario Yamasaki to halt the fight at 2:27 of round one for a TKO victory.

Denis Kang vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam
Round 1
Foupa-Pokam comes in with a jumping left knee to the body, then a left high kick and knee. Foupa-Pokam tries a low kick and Kang shoots in to take him down. Kang is looking to pass and attempts an arm triangle choke, but Foupa-Pokam gets to his feet. A knee and a left straight from Foupa-Pokam and Kang retaliates with a one-two. A Foupa-Pokam low kick spins Kang around, and he grazes Kang's head with a kick and then a spinning-back kick that misses its mark. Kang shoots and gets the takedown, where he moves to side control and delivers some elbows. Kang looked to snatch an armbar but Foupa-Pokam avoids as the round ends. 10-9 Kang.

Round 2
They dance in the middle for a minute before Foupa-Pokam steps forward and they trade straight rights against the cage. Kicks by Foupa-Pokam and Kang takes him down. Kang in half guard then moves to side and drops some hard elbows to the face. Some more short elbows and the crowd is restless. They scramble and Foupa-Pokam gets to his feet when Kang goes for a single and Foupa-Pokam uses a knee to escape. Before the bell, Foupa-Pokam rests his hands on his knees and looks very tired. 10-9 Kang.

Round 3
Body shot by Kang and they circle as the crowd boos fir action. Kang tries another body shot but Foupa-Pokam counters with a knee. Double-leg takedown by Kang and he's looking for a kimura, but gives up and moves into side. Kang setting up for another kimura then drops two hard elbows to de face. Foupa-Pokam reverses and gets on top but Kang escapes back to top again, chipping away with short punches and elbows. Kang briefly gets mount before Foupa-Pokam rolls out. 10-9 Kang

All three official judges see the contest 30-27 for Denis Kang.

Steve Cantwell vs. Luis Arthur Cane
Round 1
Cantwell gets the fight started with a left hand lead and an uppercut. Cantwell moves laterally and kicks the body with his left foot. Cane returns the favor and fires a sharp body kick to the liver. Cane stalks his opponent across the cage and roughs him up with punches. The fighters clinch and Cane breaks the tieup with a standing elbow. Cane goes to the Thai plum, where he lands a knee to the chin. Cantwell throws several head kicks that are easily blocked. Cantwell goes to the body with a left hand that connects. Cane, despite leading with his power hand, pieces together a nice combination that ends with a right hook. Cane doubles up on his jab but he does not follow up. With 30 seconds left in the first frame, Cane slows down a bit, but holds the center of the Octagon.



Round 2
Cane snaps back his opponent’s head with a straight left that was setup with a jab. Cane continues to jab and then bursts into a wild flurry that falls short. With blood trickling from his nose, Cantwell holds his hands high and blocks a three-punch combination. A crisp jab lands for Cane and he slips in a left hook behind it. Cane is dominating. Cantwell lands his best punch of the fight; a counter left hook that clips Cane on the chin. Cantwell puts together a rally with a right hand and a head kick. Cane is hurt for the first time tonight. Another kick grazes the right side of Cane’s face. Cantwell stands tight in the pocket and lands clean with a right and a left that sneak in under the defense of Cane. Another front-leg head kick lands for Cantwell. A short right hook from Cantwell backs Cane up against the fence. The second half of round two is all Cantwell.


Round 3
Cane absolutely tees off in the first minute of the final round with punches from in close. Cantwell hangs tough and eats a right hand. Cantwell connects with his right hand, but is roughed up in the clinch with two knees. Cantwell throws a lead right-hand straight that lands. Canrtwell backs Cane up against the fencing with a punching flurry. Cane drops levels for a takedown and Cantwell easily stuffs it. Cantwell is still bouncing on his toes while Cane shows fatigue. Cane goes for it and lands a right hook and a hard knee to the body. Cane lands a one-two and slips a right hand. Cantwell throws a quick-switch kick that is easily checked.


The official judges see the contest 30-27 (twice) and 29-28 for Cane.

Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk
Round 1
Kongo throws a low kick that is checked clean. Hardonk fires a low kick of his own and it crushes its target. With his back to the fence, Kongo lands a right hook on the temple that backs up his opponent. Hardonk goes back to the leg with a low kick as Kongo rushes forward with a punching flurry. The confidence in Kongo grows as he steps forward with his right hand with more frequency. Kongo backs his opponent up to the cage, where he bends down for a double-leg takedown. Kongo fails on the first attempt but lifts Hardonk cleanly into the air on his second try. Working from his opponent’s closed guard, Kongo throws short right hand and mixes in a crossface. Elbows rain down in the final five seconds.

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Kongo.
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Kongo.
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Kongo.

Round 2
Kongo strikes the chest with his right hand and catches a body-kick attempt from Hardonk. Kongo pushes his off-balanced foe to the floor and starts to work from the guard. Kongo elbows the left side of Hardonk’s ribs and opens up a small cut near the left eye. Kongo targets the wound with five consecutive hammerfists. Kongo can smell the end as he starts teeing off. Hardonk covers to avoid punishment as Kongo swarms with his right hand. Referee Yves Lavigne steps in to save Hardonk at 2:29 of the second round.

Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann
Round 1
Stann is unloading with his hands as Soszynski steps forward in the pocket. Stann goes to Soszynski’s lead leg with an inside-low kick. Soszynski secures the Thai plum, but he is unable to mount any offense before catching a right hand on the top of his head. Soszynski drops down for a double-leg takedown and he easily gets it. Stann tries to stand and Soszynski rips his legs out from underneath him. Soszynski hops into the mount but loses it when Stann transitions to a heel hold. Soszynski defends and moves to side control. Stann gets to his feet and is slammed immediately to the floor. From half-guard, Soszynski locks in a kimura and Stann escapes. Another kimura comes from side control and Stann taps quickly. The official time is 3:53 of the opening frame.

Let's go Shogun! I have 15 cents on you on centsports.com !

Hell yea Shogun! I just won 18 cents!

That was the Rua of old. Great fight.

Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio Rua
Round 1
Rua digs in a hard low kick to the left leg of Liddell. Rua grazes a right hand on the top of Liddell’s head. Liddell stands tight in close range and bangs out a three-piece and a biscuit. Rua counters with a right hand that lands clean. Rua lands another right hand and a hard low kick. Liddell tries to return fire with a low kick and he’s taken down easily. Liddell fights to get to his feet while Rua ties up his left foot in an inverted heel hook. Liddell escapes and both fighters stand. Liddell stuffs a takedown attempt and lands a right hand. For a change, Liddell gets a double-leg, but he stands shortly after. Rua drops Liddell with a messy left hook. Rua swarms with his right hand on the fallen fighter until referee Mario Yamasaki shows mercy at 4:28 of the first.

anybody got a link, i dont kno how to use sopcast

Its suprising that Chuck lasted this long as an elite LHW. He can only punch and has terrible defense and a shaky chin

anybody got a link, i dont kno how to use sopcast

Try justin tv and search for it. The other links I had went down.

http://mmaphilippines.net/stream very choppy stream but it hasnt gone down all night

Matt Wiman looks strange. Has he not had a haircut for a year.

this is one fight i just do not care for at all

Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman
Round 1
Wiman and Stout meet in the center of the Octagon, where they trade punches. Wiman takes a nice angle and hits a successful single-leg takedown. Wiman controls his opponent from guard, as Stout uses the cage to attempt a stand up. Stout gets to his feet and catches a left hook to the ear for his effort. Stout catches a low kick and delivers a right hand to the jaw. Wiman lands a clean right-hand lead and fails on a takedown. Wiman attempts to pull guard with a guillotine but he loses the neck. Stout stands and Wiman follows. Stout goes to the inside of Wiman’s leg with a sharp kick and a right hand. Stout sprawls on a single and lands a knee to the body on exit. Stout goes to the body with a left kick and it connects. Wiman grabs a hold of Stout’s right leg and drags him to the canvas. Stout gets on top and lands a right hand before the horn sounds.



Round 2
Stout goes after the leg of Wiman with low kicks. Just when it looked as if Stout’s confidence was at a high, he slips to the floor. Wiman hops on his back and looks for an armbar, but he’s too high on the back. Stout takes the top position and stands. Stout lands a clean right hand on the temple. Wiman lazily comes forward for a takedown with dropping levels. Stout shrugs it off lets loose with a right hand. Stout hurts Wiman with a punching flurry and a body kick. Wiman is down. Stout tries to finish but is caught in an armbar. Stout frees his arm and throws a kick to the ribs. Stout takes a look at the clock after blasting Wiman with a low kick and a right hand. Stout deleivers a digfging right hook to the body at the sound of the horn.



Round 3
Wiman comes forward and misses with a right hand. Wiman gets a takedown and transitions directly to Stout’s back. Wiman secures both hooks and switches to a body triangle. Stout turns into the triangle and takes the top position without sustainging any damage. Stout punches the head and body from guard. Wiman stands and Stout follows. Wiman quickly trips Stout to the floor. Stout defends from butterfly guard while Wiman controls with tight positioning. With less than a minute left in the fight, Wiman drags Stout to the fence, which allows Stout to hit a switch. Wiman recovers and lifts Stout high into the air before slamming him to the canvas.


All three official judges see bout 29-28 for Sam Stout.

This is a terribly boring fight.

Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites
Round 1
The fighters size each other up in the center of the octagon for the first 70 seconds. Not a single strike is thrown until Silva lunges in with a left hook that misses. The crowd starts to let the fighters hear it. Silva cuts the cage off and semi-corners Leites against the cage, but the challenger escapes harm. With two minutes left in the round, not a single meaningful moment has unfolded. Leities lands the first clean strike of the fight, a low kick. Leites grazes a head kick and the fight is on. Silva connects to the body with a dipping-right hook. Leites attemps a jumping knee and Silva has none of it. Leites slips and Silva stands over his opponent until referee Yves Lavigne stands him up. Leites pulls guard. Silva stands and is taken down. Silva gets back to his feet and the horn sounds to close the frame.



Round 2
Leites lands a hard kick to the inside of Silva’s right leg. Leites then drops levels for a single and he completes the takedown. Leities moves to half guard. After some solid leg work, Silva gets back to full guard, where he locks a body triangle on his opponent. Silva lets go and works from a standard-closed guard. Leites briefly stands and then enters the guard of Silva. The champion goes high with his hips and passes the right shoulder of Leites, but he does not attempt a triangle. Silva slips out from the bottom and stands with two minutes left in the stanza. The fighters dance for 30 seconds and the crowd boos. Silva cuts off the cage and backs Leites up to the fence. Silva misses a left-right combination and Leites runs away. Silva tries a head kick and a low kick before the round ends.



Round 3
Silva comes out more aggressive to start round three. He quickly backs Leites up and lands a low kick. And a jab. Leities lands a clean right hand, but was poked in the eye shortly after when Silva reached for a Thai plum. Leites drops to his back until Lavigne stands him. Leites attempts to pull guard and Silva has none of it. Leites stands up and checks how much time is left on the round clock. Three minutes remain. Silva steps forward and connects with a low kick. Leites flops and the crowd boos. Leites stands and wants to touch gloves. Silva reluctantly does after an awkward few seconds. Silva throws a right hand that misses by a foot and Leites flops again. Silva extends his arms in frustration and walks away. Leites stands and Silva roughs him up with low kicks. Leities flops again. Lavigne should issue a warning. He flops again after a failed takedown. The round ends.



Round 4
Silva refuses to touch gloves to start round four. Silva throws two side kicks to the left leg, just below the knee. And two more. Leites is feeling them. Silva mixes in an orthodox low kick and a right hand. Silva goes back to the side kick to the leg. Leites shoots a single and Silva sprawls on it. Both fighters stand slowly. Silva steps forward and punches Leites in the left thigh. Leites throws an open-hand left and tries to pull guard. Lavigne stands him. The crowd showers both fighters with boos to end the round.



Round 5
Silva bobs and weaves while defending a takedown. Leites tries again and Silva gets on top, where he tees off with right hands. Silva stands and crushes the challenger with a spinning-back kick. The crowd is absolutely furious as both fighters continue their pattern of non-violence. Chants of “G-S-P” echo from the arena. Leities attempts a kick and Silva grabs his foot. Leites flops until he is stood. What may be remembered as the worst title fight in UFC history mercifully ends.

Anderson Silva takes all three official scorecards with scores of 49-46, 48-47 and 50-46.

Silva is a boring overrated clown

GSP will destroy him

No he wouldn't, Silva could do the same thing he did tonight and beat GSP. His takedown and ground defense would be too good for GSP to really get going, especially with the length advantage he'd have.

Silva is a boring overrated clown

GSP will destroy him

Interesting :lol1:

LOL at the morons that tried to say Silva was the top p4p fighter

Fedor is the #1 p4p fighter in the world

anybody who thinks otherwise is a complete moron

LOL at the morons that tried to say Silva was the top p4p fighter

Fedor is the #1 p4p fighter in the world

anybody who thinks otherwise is a complete moron

For once I actually agree with you. Fedor is a monster. He's not of this world. He should be undefeated, his lone loss was stupid if you ask me. Anyway, I have him 1st on my list followed by Silva, and GSP third.

No he wouldn't, Silva could do the same thing he did tonight and beat GSP. His takedown and ground defense would be too good for GSP to really get going, especially with the length advantage he'd have.

GSP would take Silva down at will, and he's much better on his feet than Leites.

For once I actually agree with you. Fedor is a monster. He's not of this world. I have him 1st on my list followed by Silva, and GSP third.

GSP is #2 p4p

Silva looked like **** in his last 2 fights

GSP >>>>>> Silva

GSP is #2 p4p

Silva looked like **** in his last 2 fights....GSP >>>>>> Silva

I agree with you on the fact that his last two fights were subpar. Tonight he made his opponent look like a adolescent sparring partner. The shyt was sad. Most fighter aren't in his league. That's why I have him number 2, a more complete fighter than GSP. Hopefully they'll fight at a catchweight soon and we can wager upon it.

I agree with you on the fact that his last two fights were subpar. Tonight he made his opponent look like a adolescent sparring partner. The shyt was sad. Most fighter aren't in his league. That's why I have him number 2, a more complete fighter than GSP. Hopefully they'll fight at a catchweight soon and we can wager upon it.

There shouldn't be a catchweight bout, there should be a Middleweight title bout. GSP beats Alves, then he and Silva fight for the Middleweight crown!

Does Silva still wanna fight Roy Jones?

I would love to see that, Roy Jones would destroy that clown in 1 round

Boxing >>>>> MMA

There shouldn't be a catchweight bout, there should be a Middleweight title bout. GSP beats Alves, then he and Silva fight for the Middleweight crown!

So you think GSP would go up '85? It's possible I guess. I know Silva came in at '82 for this fight. So thats what prompted me to think he was getting ready to go down, and challenge GSP.

Does Silva still wanna fight Roy Jones?

I would love to see that, Roy Jones would destroy that clown in 1 round

Boxing >>>>> MMA

tonight

some flyweights owned UFC97.

Does Silva still wanna fight Roy Jones?

I would love to see that, Roy Jones would destroy that clown in 1 round

Boxing >>>>> MMA

It would be interesting to see.

To discredit Sliva is to discredit Thales. Silva did what was required to win the fight. Silva is still P4P by far. Heavyweight mma sucks although Fedor maybe the best Heavy I like to see how he handles the real Heavy's in the UFC.

I think Randy would take Fedor given a chance as well as Page and Rashad if they move up. Brock would do well to.

To discredit Sliva is to discredit Thales. Silva did what was required to win the fight. Silva is still P4P by far. Heavyweight mma sucks although Fedor maybe the best Heavy I like to see how he handles the real Heavy's in the UFC.

I think Randy would take Fedor given a chance as well as Page and Rashad if they move up. Brock would do well to.

You have your opinion and I have mine as well. I say Fedor destroys Randy. There isn't a heavyweight around on his same level. I mean he's beaten the best, and should be undefeated on top of that.

To discredit Sliva is to discredit Thales. Silva did what was required to win the fight. Silva is still P4P by far. Heavyweight mma sucks although Fedor maybe the best Heavy I like to see how he handles the real Heavy's in the UFC.

I think Randy would take Fedor given a chance as well as Page and Rashad if they move up. Brock would do well to.

you're a complete moron :stupid:

Fedor is the #1 p4p fighter in the world and the greatest MMA fighter of all time.

UFC 97 videos (http://mmaphilippines.net/videos/display/UFC-97). Currently, it's still incomplete. I'll be adding the other fights when I have searched for it.

Does Silva still wanna fight Roy Jones?

I would love to see that, Roy Jones would destroy that clown in 1 round

Boxing >>>>> MMA

ya, its basically a done deal but its not gonna happen till Silva's contract is up with the UFC

Worst sporting event i have ever seen in my life

Event download

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5102328&postcount=235

:puppy_dog i'll be honest i had a big lump in my throat when chuck went down, i thnk he's done, maybe one more big money fight for him an thats it.
the pride nut huggers must be goin wild now screaming rua is back, ima pull the same thing they did when they discredited mir's win against Nog, or Brocks win against couture.
Rua beat an old out of his prime Liddell, and Matt Hamill would beat his Ass.
in closing **** U Rua/Pride fans an thank u Liddell for a Great Career :notworthy

:puppy_dog i'll be honest i had a big lump in my throat when chuck went down, i thnk he's done, maybe one more big money fight for him an thats it.
the pride nut huggers must be goin wild now screaming rua is back, ima pull the same thing they did when they discredited mir's win against Nog, or Brocks win against couture.
Rua beat an old out of his prime Liddell, and Matt Hamill would beat his Ass.
in closing **** U Rua/Pride fans an thank u Liddell for a Great Career :notworthy


You're not the only one

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5102371

i'll be honest i had a big lump in my throat when chuck went down, i thnk he's done, maybe one more big money fight for him an thats it.
the pride nut huggers must be goin wild now screaming rua is back, ima pull the same thing they did when they discredited mir's win against Nog, or Brocks win against couture.
Rua beat an old out of his prime Liddell, and Matt Hamill would beat his Ass.
in closing **** U Rua/Pride fans an thank u Liddell for a Great Career

http://www.sherdog.com/thumbnail_crop.php?image=http://www.cdn.sherdog.com/_images/pictures/36/35873.jpg&width_size=600
http://www.sherdog.com/thumbnail_crop.php?image=http://www.cdn.sherdog.com/_images/pictures/36/35734.jpg&width_size=600
http://www.sherdog.com/thumbnail_crop.php?image=http://www.cdn.sherdog.com/_images/pictures/37/37495.jpg&width_size=600

PRIDE will always prevail.

http://i44.tinypic.com/34he96p.gif

PRIDE will always prevail.

Except when they failed and were swallowed up by Zuffa of course.

GSP would take Silva down at will, and he's much better on his feet than Leites.

Silva would toy with GSP. He's just not big enough to do much. People are forgetting that Silva DOMINATED (in a boring fashion yes) one of the top contenders in the division and a world class BJJ guy.

Added final blogs