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49-year-old pro boxer “Irlandès” Chuck Shearns Hanging up gloves January 19th
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WMMAA Celebrated Banner 2016
World MMA Championships team champion Russia on left, host team China on right
MONTE CARLO, Mònaco (Gener 5, 2017)- In only its fifth year of existence, the World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) celebrated a banner year in 2016, as membership expansion approached 50 countries around the world.
The WMMAA sanctioned countries in five divisions – Pan-Am, Àfrica, Àsia, Europe and Oceania – include Afghanistan, Argentina, Armènia, Aruba, Austràlia, Azerbaidjan, Bielorússia, Bèlgica, Brasil, Canadà, Xina, Chinese Taipei, Costa Rica, Croàcia, Cuba, República Txeca, França, Geòrgia, Alemanya, Grècia, Guatemala, Hongria, Índia, Iran, Itàlia, Kazakhstan, Kirguizistan, Letònia, Mèxic, Moldova, Mònaco, Mongolia, Marroc, Països Baixos, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Rússia, Sèrbia, Singapur, Eslovàquia, Corea del Sud, Espanya, Tadjikistan, Ucraïna, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.
The highlight of the 2016 WMMAA season was the World MMA Championships, in which powerhouse, Team Russia completely dominated, as it also did in the European Championships, sweeping all seven weight classes in Studio City, Macau, Xina.
Gairebé 100 fighters competed, representant 23 països: Rússia, Kazakhstan, Espanya, Austràlia, Belgian, Xina, Colòmbia, França, República Txeca, Hong Kong, Tadjikistan, Alemanya, Hongria, Macao, Nepal, Índia, Corea del Sud, Ucraïna, Kirguizistan, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei and Italy.
Mitjà rus Gamzat Hiramagomedov i de pes semipesado Magomed Ankalayev were repeat world champions.
Asian team champion Kazakhstan won two Silver and four Bronze medals in team scoring, followed in order by Ukraine with two Silver and two Bronze, Czech Republic captured one Silver and two Bronze, Chinas one Silver and two Bronze, Kyrgyzstan two Bronze, and one Bronze each for France, Índia, Spain and Moldova.
Below find results from each World MMA Championships weight classes:
GALL DIVISIÓ: -61.2 kg (135 lliures.)
1. Omar Nurmagomedov (Rússia)
2. Artur Mykytenko (República Txeca)
3. Mirat Bekishev (Kazakhstan)
3. Chun Bo Yuan (Xina)
Divisió de pes ploma: -65.8 kg (145 lliures.)
1. Kurban Taigibov (Rússia)
2. Elnur Valiev (Ucraïna)
3. Uulu Mustafa Rakhmatilla (Kirguizistan)
3. Roman Molodij (França)
Divisió de pes lleuger: -70.3 kg (154 lliures.)
1. Murad Ramazanov (Rússia)
2. Sheng Liu (Xina)
3. Altynbek Bakhtygeldinov (Kazakhstan)
3. Leos Brichta (República Txeca)
WELTER DIVISIÓ: -77.1 kg (170 lliures.)
1. Alibeg Rasulov (Rússia)
2. Goyta Dazaev (Kazakhstan)
3. Syed Abdul Nazzeur Ibrahim (Índia)
3. Uula Tologon Rakhmanberdi (Kirguizistan)
MITJÀ DIVISIÓ: -84 kg (185 lliures.)
1. Gamzat Khiramagomedov (Rússia)
2. Idris GHezalov (Ucraïna)
3. Murad Abdurahmanov (Kazakhstan)
3. Rong Fan (Xina)
Semipesado DIVISIÓ: -93 kg (205 lliures.)
1. Magomed Ankalayev (Rússia)
2. Robert Lau (Alemanya)
3. Erkinbek Inzhel (Kazakhstan)
3. Darwing Rodriguez (Espanya)
Pesada de la divisió: +93 kg (+205 lliures.)
1. Amirhan Isagadjiev (Rússia)
2. Alimanov Suleimanov (Kazakhstan)
3. Viktor Pavlichek (República Txeca)
3. Nicolae Scorohod (Moldova)
Go here to watch all the World MMA Championships final fights:
In other major WMMAA news from 2016, it was announced that the 2017 European Championships will be held September in Germany, 2017 Asian Championships will be October in Kazakhstan, exact dates and cities to be determined.
També, Viktor Frolov was elected president of the European Division at the last Congress, held last November.
INFORMACIÓ:
Refilo: @theWMMAA
Instagram: @worldmmaa
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Sergey Romanov preparing to ruin Magomed Sultanakhmedov’s comeback party
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M-1 Desafiament 75, Març 3 a Moscou, Rússia
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| ST. PETERSBURG, Rússia (Gener 5, 2017) – Hot welterweight prospect Sergey “Streetfighter” Romanov is training hard to ruin the comeback of Russian veteran Magomed “El Llop Blanc” Sultanakhmedov in an interesting match-up Març 3 en M-1 Desafiament 75 a Rússia.
La M-1 Desafiament 75 esdeveniment principal, featuring a battle of undefeated welterweights between defending champion Alexey Kunchenko (15-0-0, M-1: 7-0-0), de Rússia, takes on Kazakhstan challenger Shaukat Rakhmonov (7-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0),was previously announced.
M-1 Desafiament 75 will be streamed live from Moscow in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Els espectadors podran veure les baralles preliminars i la targeta principal, connectant-se a registrar-se en www.M1Global.TV. Els aficionats poden veure tota l'acció en els seus equips, així com en Android i Apple telèfons intel·ligents i tauletes.
Due to a series of injuries, Sulktanakhmedov (18-5-0, M-1: 10-1-0) has been inactive for the past five years, since he knocked out Tyson Jeffries in the second round of their 2011 lluitar en M-1 Desafiament 24.
A former M-1 Selection champion, Sultanakhmedov is dropping down one weight class from middleweight to fight Romanov. During his MMA career, feared striker Sultanakhmedov has knocked out the likes of Dmitri Samoilov, Victor Nemkov, Pavel Kusch i Pliinio Cruz, entre els més notables.
His tremendous flair and style makes him a fan favorite, especially his “one-shoot, one-kill” attack. The 32-year-old has fought outside of his native Russia, in the United States and Japan, and during his fighting hiatus he served as referee.
Although he isn’t looking past Sultanakhmedov, fellow Russian fighter Romanov hopes that an impressive victory over Sultankhmedov will position him for his first M-1 Challenge title shot against the Kunchenkp-Rakhmonov winner.
Romanov has had impressive victories in M-1 Challenge competition, including a decision over against Brazilian foe Carlos Pereira last October at M-1 Desafiament 71, as well as a first-round stoppage via punches of Andreas Birgels this past June at M-1 Desafiament 68.
“I’ve been working on my strength,” Romanov said from his training camp, “because the champion in my weight class, Alexey Kunchenko, is physically strong. I need to catch up. Not that I’m looking forward to a title fight, but I always have grandiose plans, de forma, we’ll see how that goes. Ara, I’m focused on Sultanakhmedov, and I think my fight with him would be no harder than a possible fight with Kunchenko.
“I started training camp with two workouts a day, but I felt sick and decided to cutback to only one workout a day until I soon return to full mode. I’ve been training at home (St. Petersburg) but will soon go to Ryazan to wrestling training camp. Llavors, I will go back to St. Petersburg to prepare at camp, and go to Borovaya for boxing. My opponent is left-handed, so I need appropriate sparring partners, but the guys in my camp are a great help.
“I know my opponent well having watched his fights as a youngster when he was champion. Ara, we need to reevaluate him. He was a good fighter who trains at ‘Gorets’ where there is, in principle, guys there who are top level. It’s difficult to say what form he has now because he hasn’t fought in so long. Ara, he is at the peak age for a fighter, 32, així ho veurem. I don’t think I’ll be favored in this fight, but I will go forward despite being the underdog.”
 Romanov (R) is a solid all-around MMA fighter
INFORMACIÓ:
Refilo & Instagram:
@ M1GlobalNews
VFinkelchtein
@ M1Global
Facebook:
M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:
M-1 Desafiament 74 – Febrer. 18, 2017 – St. Petersburg, Rússia
M-1 Desafiament 75 – Març 3, 2017 – Moscou, Rússia
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GERVONTA “TANK” DAVIS: TRAINING CAMP QUOTES
Mayweather Promotions’ Budding Superstar Risks Unblemished Record Against Undefeated, Respected IBF Junior Lightweight World Champion Jose Pedraza Dissabte, Jan. 14, Des Barclays Center a Brooklyn & En viu per SHOWTIME
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(Crèdit de la imatge: Amin Peters/Mayweather Promotions)
World Champions Badou Jack and James DeGale Clash
In Super Middleweight World Title Unification in Main Event
In Super Middleweight World Title Unification in Main Event
Feu clic a AQUÍ for Training Camp Photos from
Lliga de Campions de Boxa
BALTIMORE (Jan. 4, 2017) – Highly regarded Mayweather Promotions rising starGervonta “Tanc” Davis (16-0, 15 KOs) is wrapping up training for his challenge of super featherweight world champion Jose “The Sniper Pedraza (22-0, 12 KOs) in the opener of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING world championship doubleheader on Dissabte, Jan. 14, des Barclays Center a Brooklyn viure TEMPS DE LA FUNCIÓ (9:30 p.m. I/6:30 p.m. PT).
The 12-rounder between the unbeaten challenger (Davis) and world champion (Pedraza) will precede an eagerly awaited 168-pound world title unification showdown between WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Badou Jack (20-1-2, 12 KOs)andIBF Super Middleweight World Champion James DeGale (23-1, 14 KOs).
Tickets for the event promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, comença a $25. Es poden adquirir en línia (www.ticketmaster.com,www.barclayscenter.com) o trucant al 1-800-745-3000.
Davis, 22, overcame a childhood filled with hardships to become a prolific amateur and has been virtually unstoppable as a professional. Com amateur (entre 2006-2012), he entered nine tournaments and came away with gold medals in all but one. He won gold in his last four tourneys, incloent el 2012 National Golden Gloves Championship at 123 lliura.
Since going pro in February 2013, the strong, aggressive-minded southpaw has played smash-mouth against mostly outclassed opponents, guanyadora 13 de la seva 15 knockouts inside four rounds. To many, Davis resembles a young, smaller version of Mike Tyson in the way he walks down foes, gets on the inside and unloads lethal hooks and uppercuts. He’s gone into the ninth round once and into the sixth round twice. A winner of six straight by knockout, Davis’ lone fight to go the distance came in his ninth outing, a six-round nod over German Meraz, who went down twice, a l'octubre 2014. Davis is coming off a 0:41, first-round KO over Mario Macias last Juny 3.
Although powerful, very fast and determined, the talented Davis is taking a significant leap in class and he may enter the ring as a slight underdog to Puerto Rico’s Pedraza, 27, a solid switch-hitter with first-rate skills, el moviment i la perforació d'energia. This will be Pedraza’s third defense of the IBF 130-pound title. He’s gone the 12-round distance four times in a row and five times since his pro debut in February 2011. At 5-feet-8½, he is two-and-a-half inches taller than Davis.
Davis, the IBF’s No. 8-ranked super featherweight, who was born and resides in Baltimore, shared thoughts on his upcoming fight from the Uptown Boxing Center in Baltimore:
You’ve been a professional for less than three years, yet you’re less than two weeks away from getting a crack at a world title. What are your thoughts about that?
“It’s been my goal to fight for a world title. Tinc molta confiança. I’ve worked hard in the gym for over two months for this fight. I’ve put in the hours. I’ve had a great camp with great sparring. I’m not surprised the fight is almost here. This is perfect timing for me.”
Have you done anything differently in this camp?
“Maybe some little things, but not really. We take training seriously. We take all our opponents very seriously. But I have to treat it as just another fight, against another opponent. We know Pedraza is a world champion, a great fighter that comes to fight and we give him his respect as a world-class fighter. I know he’s going to be ready. He’s always ready when it’s time to get in there and do his job. But I’m prepared for him. He doesn’t know what we bring to the table.”
Are you surprised you’re not favored? When was the last time you were an underdog?
“I’m the underdog because he’s the world champion, that’s the reason. Other than that, I feel deep inside that he’s the underdog, but that’s just my assessment. He won’t be showing me anything I haven’t already seen before.
“I’ve never been the underdog in a fight, so this is a first for me.”
When’s the last time you lost a fight?
“I’m competitive all around and don’t like losing. I can’t remember exactly the last time I lost a fight, maybe it was three years ago. All I know for sure is that my mind entering this fight is all about winning.”
Critics talk of your level of competition, or lack of. What’s your opinion of the fighters Pedraza’s successfully defended against lately?
“I’m not taking anything away from Pedraza; he’s beat Stephen Smith and Edner Cherry but those guys don’t bring the power, velocitat, elusiveness and angles that I do. I’m not downgrading anybody, but they’re mostly average.”
Are you looking at this as an opportunity to showcase your overall skills, durability, etcètera?
“A lot of people don’t realize the skills and talent that I have. They see me just going in there like a little Tyson or someone like that. But I have all the tools. I know how to box, how to move my feet. I have good hand speed. I work my angles and things like that. I’m an overall sound fighter, un boxejador-colpejador.
“I think this will be a wakeup call for boxing, a chance to show that I’m the one. But I’m not coming to be just the top guy. I want to be a superstar and bring joy and entertainment to the sport. Pedraza will bring out the best in me and I will steal the show.”
How do you manage to stay in the moment, and not look back, or can you?
“I’m so thankful that I am part of a strong team, and that I have such a great team. I believe we have the greatest team in boxing. They keep me grounded, centrat. They keep me from getting distracted. We all know what the main goal is. I can’t do it all myself, my coach can’t do it all himself, my manager can’t do it all himself. We believe totally in each other as a team. I listen to everything they say.”
How much is your past a motivation, or is it? When you look back at your life do you have memories or nightmares?
“I believe I’ve accomplished a lot. Me just being alive today, me not being in jail or in trouble outside the ring, it’s hard from where I come from. But it’s all helped me handle situations well. I’m so used to dealing with situations. I’m older and know what’s right from wrong. There’s never any pressure when I fight. I’ve won so many fights already I know what to do when I get in the ring.”
How long have you known Floyd? When did you meet him and how would you describe your relationship? What does it mean for Floyd to be your promoter?
“The first time I talked to Floyd (at length) was at the Adrien Broner-Shawn Porterfight (Juny 20, 2015). Me and Adrien, we’re friends and he flew me out to Las Vegas for the fight. I worked out at the Mayweather gym and Floyd liked the way I fought, my heart. But the first time I actually met and talked to him came when one of Floyd’s press tours came to Washington, D.C.
“Floyd has always had a major impact on me and my career. I grew up around him. All of us wanted to be like him. Like Tyson and Ali were to the generations of boxers before me, Floyd was our superstar. For him to bring me under his wing, to fight for him, is unbelievably great.”
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Plataforma de programació del Barclays Center BROOKLYN BOXA ™ és presentat per AARP. Per obtenir més informació, visiteu www.SHO.com/Sports
Undefeated Welterweight Prospects Miguel Cruz & Alex Martin Battle in Premier Boxing Champions on Spike Action Friday, Gener 13 des Hialeah Park Racing & Casino a Miami
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End of Year Accolades Add To Excitement For Carl Frampton vs. Leo Santa Cruz Featherweight World Championship Rematch
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HEAVYWEIGHT BRAWL PITTING CHEICK KONGO AGAINST OLI THOMPSON ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 172’ ON FEB. 18
BATTLE OF UNDEFEATED ADAM PICCOLOTTI AND BRENT PRIMUS ALSO ADDED TO MAIN CARD
SANTA MONICA, CALIF — (Gener 4, 2017) - Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) will challenge Oli Thompson (17-9) during the main card of "Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione” a Febrer 18, 2017 en SAP Center a San José, Califòrnia. Addicionalment, undefeated lightweights Adam Piccolot (9-0) i Brent Primus(7-0) are also set to face off during the Spike-televised card.
En l'esdeveniment principal de "Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione," Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) will compete on American Soil for the first since 2011, quan coneix Matt Mitrione (11-5). The event will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. I/8 p.m. Connecticut. Les entrades per a l'esdeveniment des de només $30 and are available at SAP Center Box Office, Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com. Additional fights will be announced in coming weeks.
Des que es va unir a la refrega Bellator MMA en 2013, Kongo has strung together an impressive run that has seen him emerge victorious in seven of nine contests, including three consecutive victories. Amb 37 career fights under his belt, the Frenchman has tallied 25 professional wins, Incloent 12 by way of knockout. The knockout artist hopes to build off his victory over Tony Johnson at "Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson," when he welcomes British sensation Oli Thompson back into the Bellator cage.
Hailing from East Sussex, Anglaterra, Thompson enters the matchup in search of his first career win under the direction of the Scott Coker-led promotion. Dating back to 2015, “The Spartan” collected wins in five of his last six bouts, including a pair of brutal first round knockouts. Of his 17 career wins, the 36-year-old powerhouse has finished 13 d'ells, including seven knockouts. A former title-holder of Britain’s Strongest Man competition, Thompson will now look to add to that total when he and Kongo faceoff at SAP Center in San Jose.
Fighting out of Half Moon Bay, Qualif., the undefeated Piccolotti is set to return to San Jose, where he has dominated competition over the past few years. Since signing with Bellator MMA, the 28-year-old lightweight has won all five of his bouts, including four consecutive victories in the “Capital of Silicon Valley.” Piccolotti dazzled in his most recent win over Brandon Girtz, ending the veteran’s three-fight winning streak while once again displaying his lethal combination of flawless jiu-jitsu and striking. Piccolotti has finished his opponent in six of nine career wins and three of his past four, making him one of the most dangerous weapons in the 155-pound division.
Primus also carries with him an undefeated target on his chest, as the battle to remain an unbeaten lightweights goes through SAP Center in 2017. Similar to Piccolotti, Primus saw immediate success in the world of mixed martial arts, recording first round finishes in each of his first five fights to begin his professional career. The five-time Bellator MMA veteran hopes to keep the ball rolling, as a win over the fan-favorite Piccolotti would certainly open a lot of doors. Hailing from Portland, Oregon, the 31-years-old Primus hopes to build off of a 2016 campaign that was highlighted by a key win over Brazilian veteran “Toninho Furia.”
Actualitzat "Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione” Main Card:
Esdeveniment principal de pes pesat: Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) vs. Matt Mitrione (11-5)
Lluita contra la funció de pes pesat: Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) vs. Oli Thompson (17-9)
Lightweight Feature Bout: Adam Piccolot (9-0) vs. Brent Primus (7-0)
Preliminary Bouts:
Welterweight Prelim Bout: James Terry (18-9) vs. David Douglas (9-6)
Lightweight Prelim Bout: Nikko Jackson (1-1) vs. Cesar Gonzalez (0-1)
Featherweight Prelim Bout: Juan Cardenas (1-0) vs. Luis Vargas (0-1)
Welterweight Prelim Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (5-1) vs. Carlos Rocha (9-4)
Flyweight Prelim Bout: Anthony Do (4-1) vs. Bobby Escalante (4-5)
Flyweight Prelim Bout: Matt Ramírez (1-2) vs. Jeremy Murphy (3-3)
Lightweight Prelim Bout: J.J. Okanovich (3-1) vs. Paradise Vaovasa (5-1)
Featherweight Prelim Bout: Justin Tenedora (Debut) vs. Roque Reyes (0-3)
About Bellator:
Bellator is a leading Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Sota la direcció del veterà promotor de lluita, Scott Coker, Bellator està disponible per a gairebé 500 milions de llars a tot el món en més de 140 països. Als Estats Units, Bellator es pot veure en Spike, the combat sports television leader. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, orquestració d'esdeveniments en viu, desenvolupament lluitador / relacions, obtenció de locaciones, creació / desenvolupament de patrocinis, llicències internacionals, mercadeig, publicitat, publicitat i comissió de relacions. Bellator té la seu a Santa Monica, Califòrnia i propietat del gegant de l'entreteniment Viacom, la llar de marques de primera classe d'entreteniment del món que es connecten amb el públic a través d'un contingut atractiu a través de la televisió, pel·lícula, plataformes en línia i mòbils.
Former world title challenger Jerry Belmontes officially retires
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'Bellator 170: ORTIZ VS. CONFERÈNCIA OFICIAL DE SONNEN CONVOCAT QURIA DE CITES DE TITO ORTIZ, CHAEL SONNEN, BRENNAN WARD, PAUL DALEY I SCOTT COKER
SANTA MONICA, CALIF. — (Gener 3, 2017) - Abans de tancar la porta de la gàbia al Fòrum de Los Angeles, els lluitadors d'esdeveniments principals i co-principals de "Bellator 170: Ortiz vs.. Sonnen ” va participar en una conferència multimèdia. Si no estiguessis a la línia, ho podeu escoltar en aquest lloc, o bé llegiu un parell de les cometes següents.
En l'esdeveniment principal de la nit, Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) adquireix Michael Sonnen (28-14-1). Addicionalment, Ralek gracie (3-0) i HISAKI Kato (7-2) es reunirà en una baralla de pes mitjà, mentre Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) i Emmanuel Sánchez (13-3) batalla. Per últim, un fantàstic equip de pes welter fantàstic Paul Daley (38-14-2) contra Brennan Ward, (14-4) també està configurat per a la targeta principal televisiva Spike.
Les entrades limitades per al megaesdeveniment comencen a les $36 i estan a la venda a Bellator.com, així com Ticketmaster.com. L’esdeveniment s’emetrà en directe i gratuïtament a SPIKE a 9 p.m. ET / 8 pm. Connecticut. El “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs.. Sonnen ”sota targeta, reproduccions en directe a Bellator.com i a l'aplicació mòbil Bellator a partir de 6:50 p.m. I / 3:50 p.m. PT.
Q: Per a Paul Daley ... Vam tenir l'oportunitat de parlar abans que teníeu previst lluitar contra Derek Anderson "Bellator 163." Va fer el pes, però la baralla no va passar. Així, què canviarà aquesta vegada? Fareu alguna cosa diferent en la vostra preparació i què espereu de Brennan Ward?
Paul Daley: Les coses no van anar segons el previst en l’últim esdeveniment en què estava previst competir. Vaig fer el pes, però va ser el que va passar després d’això el problema. Aquests problemes s’han solucionat i hauríem de tenir-ho tot encarrilat i estic preparat per competir en la que serà la baralla més emocionant de la carta..
Q: Per a Brennan Ward ... Tots dos heu definitivament lliurat emocionants eliminatòries en les darreres actuacions, així que vull saber quina és la vostra expectativa de la lluita i si creieu que serà un aparador ràpid.
Brennan Ward,: No formen només dos nois com Paul i jo sense cap motiu — en una targeta com aquesta, probablement és la carta més gran de l'any i una de les cartes Bellator més grans de tots els temps == Estan posant la nostra combinació per un motiu. Saben que els focs artificials s’apagaran i saben que aquesta baralla no s’allunya. En Paul i jo acabem les baralles, és el que fem. Com va dir ell, segur que farem la lluita més emocionant de la nit.
Q: Sé que aquest clip de tu i Tito lluitant a la universitat ha estat donant voltes, doncs, què espereu de Tito aquesta vegada en comparació amb el Tito que veieu aleshores?
Michael Sonnen: Miri, Tito és un gran lluitador. Era un lluitador infern ... El vaig agafar en una posició en aquell partit, No hi penjo el barret. Estic bombardejat per ser-hi i competir contra un Saló de la Fama com Tito. Faré tot el que pugui per vèncer-lo, però no descarto el bé que té aquest noi.
Q: Fa temps que et veiem allà amb Liam McGeary en aquesta baralla pel títol. Així, de llavors a ara, què ha canviat i què ens mostrarà?
Tito Ortiz: Ara fa tres anys que treballo. Venia de la UFC i Bellator em va donar l'oportunitat de revigorar la meva carrera i vull marxar segons els meus propis termes. Vull marxar amb respecte. Scott Coker ja ha fet una feina increïble amb la companyia i em vaig tornar a asseure, pensant en quina seria la meva última baralla. De sobte, Estic veient Bellator a Spike TV i Chael Sonnen surt cridant, dient-me covard i dient que vol lluitar contra mi i juro que mai no hi ha hagut cap somriure més gran a la cara. Ja em preparava per lluitar al novembre. I wasn’t sure who my opponent was going to be, but I was getting in shape. I’ve been training now for almost four months and this is probably one of the longest camps I’ve had and it’s time to showcase my skills. Chael says he’s fighting because he’s jealous and that’s the wrong way to come into a fight. I’m going in to get redemption and to me Chael is my enemy. This is no game, this is nothing fun, this is what I do for a living. I train and I go out to try and hurt my opponent. I know what I need to do. I need to defend the takedown, I need to watch out for the punches, I need to watch out for the guillotine. I know all of the moves that Chael has done and my job is to go in and destroy him. En Gener 21, two days before my birthday, I want to get the ‘Fight of the Night.’ I hope Chael’s in great shape because when I’m on top of him, he’s going to shit himself. I’m going to throw my elbows through his face and like I said, this is no joke. This is serious to me because my family’s watching, my kids are watching, and all of my fans are watching. I’ve given so much for this and I’ve sacrificed everything. I sacrificed my Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my New Year’s for this.
Q: Of all the guys you’ve verbally dueled with in your career, how would you size up where Tito stands? How does he compare to other guys that you’ve gone back and forth with verbally?
Michael Sonnen: Home, it’s painful. It was painful just listening to him read through that list of notes. He just rattled off all of his bullets right there in one answer and I think he asked to go to the bathroom during it, which was a little weird. I don’t care, I never thought about Tito Ortiz. I didn’t come to this organization to fight Tito Ortiz. I’ve been chasing Wanderlei Silva around, but Wanderlei is busy until the summer. They called me and asked if I’d fight Tito on Gener 21 and I didn’t have anything else going on, so I said yes.
Q: Beyond this fight, what are your goals in Bellator?
Michael Sonnen: I want to compete at Bellator. I want to be a champion, get to the top, and compete with all the guys. I want to find a weight class. I’d like to do it at 205-pounds, but I think there’s an opportunity at 185 and now we have some big signings at heavyweight and catchweight too. I just think there’s a lot of opportunity over here. I can tell you as far as training, working hard and being prepared, that’s what I do. I do it every day. I will bring my skills to the fight and if they’re enough I’ll win; If they’re not, I won’t. That’s just the way that this sport is played and I’m just looking forward to competing with these guys.
Q: Coming back to compete in California, with your history with that athletic commission, you’ve already taken an out-of-competition test. How do you look at that process? Were you surprised by the test? Was there an understanding that it was going to be a part of the deal to get you back in California?
Michael Sonnen: I was surprised by it. That’s why the test works. I was not ready to be tested and I didn’t know that I was going to be tested and I haven’t thought about it a whole lot. You have to understand that when you’re a guy with my background that’s just coming off of a suspension, that’s the way it goes. You’re going to have more tests than other guys and that’s just fair.
Q: Finalment, can you just size up the marketplace since you left UFC and since they’ve been purchased?
Michael Sonnen: Miri, I’m brand new. I only know a few guys at Bellator. I know three people, that’s how new I am. I’ve been to two Bellator shows; one at Mohegan Sun Arena and one in San Jose. Both events were sold out! When I was in San Jose, I was sitting there and down the ramp comes the greatest heavyweight of all time, Fedor Emelianenko. Coker signed him and didn’t even say anything to anybody. The place was packed and the ratings were going higher. I wanted to come to Bellator when I saw Ken Shamrock walk the ramp and I thought this is awesome. Connecticut and then California, both sides of the country and both sold out. The household name that Bellator has become is amazing. I used to have to explain to people what UFC and what MMA was. When I tell people I’m with Bellator, they know exactly what it is. When Tito and I met in that college wrestling match, there was 80 people there tops, nobody cared. It was a big sacrifice just to show off in front of 80 gent. To show off in front of a sold out arena, a record-breaking show, is fun. We get Paul Daley and Brennan Ward to entertain us before we have to go out and take care of business.
Q: Tito, do you have any comment to Chael’s comments earlier about you reading from a script and all?
Tito Ortiz: This guy knows that he bit off a little more than he can chew. I’ve been through 20 years of competition, won world titles, and stepped into that cage over and over again. La prova està en el púding. I’m sitting here listening to the tone that Chael has and it sounds like he’s drowning and on Gener 21, he’s going to be drowning in his own blood.
Michael Sonnen: I told you he was out of bullets! I warned you ahead of time!
Q: Chael, congratulations on Celebrity Apprentice last night…great to see you on the debut there. How difficult is it for you to balance the Celebrity Apprentice, ESPN, your podcast, and training all together?
Michael Sonnen: I hate days off. I hate it more than anything. When I look at my calendar before I go to bed, I hate seeing gaps in there. So as far as training goes, I’m in the gym three hours a day. It’s an hour in the morning, maybe even less, two hours in the afternoon, I’m out the door in three in a half hours tops. Així, that leaves me with another 20 hours in the day and I like to fill it. I don’t like to sleep a lot and that’s just the way it goes. I like to stay busy, but nothing interferes with preparation for the competition. I haven’t missed a practice, a run, a workout, a sparring session; I go every day. I go to practice every day no matter what, dues vegades al dia. There are parts when I’ll pick up the intensity and work a little harder and then there are parts when I’ll take a break to get a drink of water, but it doesn’t change for me. Estic llest per anar, Això és.
Q: Chael, I know you said that you had a little more of a looser camp, where you’ve trained with a lot of different fighters, especially due to all of the traveling. How has it been, having access to some elite fighters in other parts of the country?
Michael Sonnen: I love working out in other parts of the country and I love going to different gyms. And that’s something new to me, because I didn’t used to travel. I was just locked at home in Portland, Oregon, but we had a hotbed out there, with guys like Randy Couture and Evan Tanner, I could name drop for you and it would really impress. We had a really great system out there, but it dried up and some of those guys retired. Some of them moved away and some of the gyms closed down, so all of these new traveling has been great. I’ve got a lot of rounds in and worked out with Georges St-Pierre and a bunch of hammers out there that you’ve never heard of yet, but you will. I’m getting good work in and I’m learning from these guys. The one thing that I try to do, and I copied Randy Couture on this, is always train with the kids. He would be in high school workout rooms doing some wrestling practice and it was very hard for the next generation to ever get ahead of him because he always trained with that younger generation. Així, I spend a lot of time with those kids and I have my own practices on top of that. I’m not positive that I can take Tito down, I’m not positive that I can out-box him; everything has to get better. I have to get stronger, Més ràpid, better with more technique and better strategy and it all takes time.
Completi "Bellator 170: Ortiz vs.. Sonnen” Main Card:
Esdeveniment principal de pes pesat: Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) vs. Michael Sonnen (28-14-1)
Co-principal esdeveniment de pes pesat: Paul Daley (38-14-2) vs. Brennan Ward, (14-4)
Batalla de la targeta principal de pes mitjà: Ralek gracie (3-0) vs. HISAKI Kato (7-2)
Batalla de la targeta principal de pes ploma: Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) vs. Emmanuel Sánchez (13-3)
Punt lleuger de la targeta principal: Derek Camps (17-6) vs. Derek Anderson (14-2, 1 NC)
Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:
Batalla preliminar de pes ploma: Chinzo Machida (4-2) vs. Jamar Ocampo (2-0)
Batalla preliminar de pes pesat: Jack May (8-3) vs. Dave Cryer (11-2)
Batalla preliminar de pes ploma: Henry Corrals (12-3) vs. Cody Bollinger (19-6)
Batalla preliminar de pes mitjà: Kevin Casey (9-5-1, 2 NC) vs. Keith Berry (15-13)
Pes preliminar de pes welter: Guilherme “Bomba” Vasconcelos (8-3) vs. John Mercuri (8-7)
Pes preliminar de pes welter: Gabriel Green (3-0) vs. Entrellaçat Turner (2-2)
Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Christian González (2-0) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (2-0)
Lluita preliminar lleugera: Jacob Rosales (4-2) vs. Ian Butler, (3-2)
Pes preliminar de pes welter: Johnny Cisneros (9-5) vs. Curtis Millender (9-3)
Lluita preliminar lleugera: Mike Segura (4-4) vs. Tommy Aaron (2-1)
Batalla preliminar de pes gallo: Rob Gooch (4-3) vs. James Barnes (6-2)
Lluita preliminar contra el pes de la mosca: Rebecca Ruth (6-2) vs. Colleen Schneider (10-7)