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49-year-old pro boxer “Ирландӣ” 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
Монти Карло, Монако (Январ 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, Африка, Осиё, Europe and Oceania – include Afghanistan, Аргентина, Арманистон, Aruba, Австралия, Озарбойҷон, Беларус, Белгия, Бразилия, Канада, Хитой, Chinese Taipei, Costa Rica, Хорватия, Куба, Ҷумҳуриӣ Чех, Фаронса, Гурҷистон, Олмон, Юнон, Guatemala, Маҷористон, Ҳиндустон, Iran, Италия, Қазоқистон, Қирғизистон, Латвия, Мексика, Moldova, Монако, Mongolia, Марокаш, Нидерланд, Никарагуа, Paraguay, Португалия, Руминия, Русия, Сербия, Сингапур, Словакия, Кореяи Ҷанубӣ, Испания, Тоҷикистон, Украина, 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, Хитой.
Қариб 100 fighters competed, намояндагї 23 кишварњои: Русия, Қазоқистон, Испания, Австралия, Belgian, Хитой, Колумбия, Фаронса, Ҷумҳуриӣ Чех, Hong Kong, Тоҷикистон, Олмон, Маҷористон, Macao, Nepal, Ҳиндустон, Кореяи Ҷанубӣ, Украина, Қирғизистон, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei and Italy.
Middleweight Русия Gamzat Hiramagomedov ва гаронвазн нур 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, Ҳиндустон, Spain and Moldova.
Below find results from each World MMA Championships weight classes:
Раёсат Bantamweight: -61.2 кг (135 lbs.)
1. Omar Nurmagomedov (Русия)
2. Artur Mykytenko (Ҷумҳуриӣ Чех)
3. Mirat Bekishev (Қазоқистон)
3. Chun Bo Yuan (Хитой)
Раёсат Featherweight: -65.8 кг (145 lbs.)
1. Kurban Taigibov (Русия)
2. Elnur Valiev (Украина)
3. Uulu Mustafa Rakhmatilla (Қирғизистон)
3. Roman Molodij (Фаронса)
Раёсат қабул намояд: -70.3 кг (154 lbs.)
1. Murad Ramazanov (Русия)
2. Sheng Liu (Хитой)
3. Altynbek Bakhtygeldinov (Қазоқистон)
3. Leos Brichta (Ҷумҳуриӣ Чех)
Раёсат Welterweight: -77.1 кг (170 lbs.)
1. Alibeg Rasulov (Русия)
2. Goyta Dazaev (Қазоқистон)
3. Syed Abdul Nazzeur Ibrahim (Ҳиндустон)
3. Uula Tologon Rakhmanberdi (Қирғизистон)
Раёсат Middleweight: -84 кг (185 lbs.)
1. Gamzat Khiramagomedov (Русия)
2. Idris GHezalov (Украина)
3. Murad Abdurahmanov (Қазоқистон)
3. Rong Fan (Хитой)
Раёсат Light гаронвазн: -93 кг (205 lbs.)
1. Magomed Ankalayev (Русия)
2. Robert Lau (Олмон)
3. Erkinbek Inzhel (Қазоқистон)
3. Darwing Rodriguez (Испания)
Шўъбаи гаронвазн: +93 кг (+205 lbs.)
1. Amirhan Isagadjiev (Русия)
2. Alimanov Suleimanov (Қазоқистон)
3. Viktor Pavlichek (Ҷумҳуриӣ Чех)
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.
Ҳамчунин, Viktor Frolov was elected president of the European Division at the last Congress, held last November.
МАЪЛУМОТ:
Twitter: @theWMMAA
Instagram: @worldmmaa
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Sergey Romanov preparing to ruin Magomed Sultanakhmedov’s comeback party
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M-1 даъвати 75, Март 3 дар Маскав, Русия
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| ҲА. ПЕТЕРБУРГ, Русия (Январ 5, 2017) – Hot welterweight prospect Сергей “Streetfighter” Romanov is training hard to ruin the comeback of Russian veteran Магомед “Дар Сафед Гург” Sultanakhmedov in an interesting match-up Март 3 дар M-1 даъвати 75 дар Русия.
The M-1 даъвати 75 чорабинии асосии, featuring a battle of undefeated welterweights between defending champion Алексей Kunchenko (15-0-0, M-1: 7-0-0), Русия, takes on Kazakhstan challenger Shaukat Раҳмонов (7-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0),was previously announced.
M-1 даъвати 75 will be streamed live from Moscow in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Тамошобинон хоҳад тавонист ба тамошои ин задухурдҳо пешакӣ ва корти асосӣ тавассути ворид оид ба қайд www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all the action on their computers, инчунин оид ба Android ва Apple телефонҳои смарт ва планшети.
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 ҷанг дар M-1 даъвати 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 ва Pliinio Cruz, дар байни notables бештар.
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 даъвати 71, as well as a first-round stoppage via punches of Andreas Birgels this past June at M-1 даъвати 68.
“I’ve been working on my strength,” Romanov said from his training camp, “because the champion in my weight class, Алексей 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, ҳамин тавр, we’ll see how that goes. Худи ҳозир, 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 (Сент. Петербург) but will soon go to Ryazan to wrestling training camp. Баъд, 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. Ҳозир, 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. Ҳозир, he is at the peak age for a fighter, 32, so we’ll see. 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
МАЪЛУМОТ:
Twitter & Instagram:
@ M1GlobalNews
VFinkelchtein
@ M1Global
Facebook:
M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:
M-1 даъвати 74 – Feb. 18, 2017 – Сент. Петербург, Русия
M-1 даъвати 75 – Март 3, 2017 – Маскав, Русия
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GERVONTA “TANK” Дэвис: TRAINING CAMP QUOTES
Аксияҳои Mayweather’ Budding Superstar Risks Unblemished Record Against Undefeated, Respected IBF Junior Lightweight World Champion Jose Pedraza Шанбе, Jan. 14, Аз Маркази Barclays дар Бруклин & Зиндагӣ дар Бадр
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(Аксҳо қарзӣ: 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
Click ИН ҶО for Training Camp Photos from
Premier Champions бокс
BALTIMORE (Jan. 4, 2017) – Highly regarded Mayweather Promotions rising starGervonta “Бак” Дэвис (16-0, 15 KOs) is wrapping up training for his challenge of super featherweight world champion Хосе “The Sniper Pedraza (22-0, 12 KOs) in the opener of a Бадр бокс world championship doubleheader on Шанбе, Jan. 14, аз Маркази Barclays дар Бруклин дар бораи зиндагӣ НИШОН ДОДАНИ ВАҚТ (9:30 Земле. ВА/6:30 Земле. PT).
The 12-rounder between the unbeaten challenger (Дэвис) 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 Яъқуб DeGale (23-1, 14 KOs).
Tickets for the event promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, сар дар $25. Онҳо мумкин аст онлайн харидорӣ (www.ticketmaster.com,www.barclayscenter.com) ё бо даъват 1-800-745-3000.
Дэвис, 22, overcame a childhood filled with hardships to become a prolific amateur and has been virtually unstoppable as a professional. Ҳамчун ҳаводор (миёни 2006-2012), he entered nine tournaments and came away with gold medals in all but one. He won gold in his last four tourneys, аз ҷумла 2012 National Golden Gloves Championship at 123 мино.
Since going pro in February 2013, the strong, aggressive-minded southpaw has played smash-mouth against mostly outclassed opponents, ѓолиб 13 аз худ 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, Дэвис’ lone fight to go the distance came in his ninth outing, a six-round nod over German Meraz, who went down twice, дар October 2014. Davis is coming off a 0:41, first-round KO over Mario Macias last Июн 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, ҳаракат ва punching барқ. 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.
Дэвис, 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. Ман боварии комил дорам, хеле. 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, суръат, 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, ѓайра?
“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, як муштзани-puncher.
“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, focused. 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 (Июн 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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Платформаи барномасозии Бруклин бокс ™ Barclays Маркази аст, бо AARP пешниҳод. Барои маълумоти бештар ба сафари www.SHO.com/Sports
Undefeated Welterweight Prospects Miguel Cruz & Alex Martin Battle in Premier Boxing Champions on Spike Action Friday, Январ 13 аз Hialeah Park Росарио & Казино дар Майами
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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
Санта Моника, CALIF — (Январ 4, 2017) - Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) will challenge Oli Thompson (17-9) during the main card of "Bellator 172: Федор против. Mitrione” ба Феврал 18, 2017 дар Маркази SAP дар Сан-Хосе, Calif. Дар Илова, undefeated lightweights Одам Piccolot (9-0) ва Brent Primus(7-0) are also set to face off during the Spike-televised card.
Дар чорабинии асосии "Bellator 172: Федор против. Mitrione," Федор Емельяненко (36-4, 1 NC) will compete on American Soil for the first since 2011, Вақте ки ӯ мулоқот Мат Mitrione (11-5). The event will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 Земле. ВА/8 Земле. Ч.. Чиптаҳои барои ин чорабинӣ дар танҳо оғоз $30 and are available at SAP Center Box Office, Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com. Additional fights will be announced in coming weeks.
Зеро ҳамроҳшавии канорагирӣ кунад Bellator MMA дар 2013, Kongo has strung together an impressive run that has seen him emerge victorious in seven of nine contests, including three consecutive victories. Аз 37 career fights under his belt, the Frenchman has tallied 25 Пирӯзии касбӣ, аз ҷумла: 12 by way of knockout. The knockout artist hopes to build off his victory over Tony Johnson at "Bellator 161: Kongo новое. Ҷонсон," when he welcomes British sensation Oli Thompson back into the Bellator cage.
Hailing from East Sussex, Англия, 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 аз онҳо, 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, Calif., 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 Брэндон 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.”
Навсозӣ "Bellator 172: Федор против. Mitrione” Main Card:
Heavyweight Main Event: Федор Емельяненко (36-4, 1 NC) против. Мат Mitrione (11-5)
Heavyweight Feature Bout: Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) против. Oli Thompson (17-9)
Lightweight Feature Bout: Одам Piccolot (9-0) против. Brent Primus (7-0)
Preliminary Bouts:
Welterweight Prelim Bout: Яъқуб Терри (18-9) против. David Douglas (9-6)
Lightweight Prelim Bout: Nikko Jackson (1-1) против. Cesar Gonzalez (0-1)
Featherweight Prelim Bout: Juan Cardenas (1-0) против. Luis Vargas (0-1)
Welterweight Prelim Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (5-1) против. Карлос Rocha (9-4)
Flyweight Prelim Bout: Энтони Оё (4-1) против. Bobby Escalante (4-5)
Flyweight Prelim Bout: Мат Ramirez (1-2) против. Jeremy Murphy (3-3)
Lightweight Prelim Bout: J.J. Okanovich (3-1) против. Paradise Vaovasa (5-1)
Featherweight Prelim Bout: Justin Tenedora (Debut) против. 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. Таҳти роҳбарии Обунакунанда мубориза собиқадори Scott Кокер, Bellator ба қариб дастрас аст 500 миллион хонањоро дар тамоми љањон дар бар 140 кишварњои. Дар Иёлоти Муттаҳидаи Амрико, Bellator карда метавонед хӯшае дида, the combat sports television leader. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, orchestration сурати зинда, рушди муборизи / муносибатҳои, хариди бурунмарзї, таъсиси спонсорон / рушди, иљозатномадињї байналмилалӣ, маркетинг, реклама, муносибатҳои ошкорбаёнӣ ва комиссияи. Bellator дар Санта Моника асоси, Калифорния ва моликияти бузурги вақтхушиҳо Viacom, хона ба тамгахо ба вақтхушиҳо сарвазир дар ҷаҳон, ки бо тамошобинон ба воситаи маводи тасдиќкунандаи саросари телевизион пайваст, расм Motion, платформаҳои онлайн ва мобилӣ.
Former world title challenger Jerry Belmontes officially retires
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"Bellator 170: ORTIZ VS. SONNEN’ OFFICIAL CONFERENCE CALL QUOTES FROM TITO ORTIZ, CHAEL SONNEN, BRENNAN WARD, PAUL DALEY AND SCOTT COKER
Санта Моника, CALIF. — (Январ 3, 2017) – Before the cage door closes at the Forum in Los Angeles, the main and co-main event fighters from "Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” participated in a media conference call. If you weren’t on the line, you can listen to it ин ҷо, or read a couple of the quotes below.
Дар чорабинии асосии ин шом, Тито Ортис (18-12-1) меандешад Chael Sonnen (28-14-1). Дар Илова, Ralek Gracie (3-0) ва Hisaki Kato (7-2) will meet in a middleweight feature fight, ҳол он Георгий Karakhanyan (26-6-1) ва Эмануэл Санчес (13-3) мубориза. Lastly, a fantastic welterweight co-main event pitting Павлус Daley (38-14-2) бар зидди Бреннан Ward (14-4) is also set for the Spike-televised main card.
Limited tickets for the mega-event start at $36 and are on sale at Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com. The event will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 Земле. ЕТ / 8 p.m. Ч.. The “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” undercard, streams live on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 6:50 Земле. ВА / 3:50 Земле. PT.
Q: For Paul Daley…We had a chance to talk before you were schedule to fight Derek Anderson at ‘Bellator 163.’ He made the weight, but the fight didn’t happen. Ҳамин тавр, what’s going to change this time? Are you going to do anything different in your preparation and what do you expect from Brennan Ward?
Павлус Daley: Things didn’t go according to plan at the last event that I was scheduled to compete in. I made the weight, but it was what happened after that was the problem. Those problems have been ironed out and we should have everything back on track and I’m ready to compete in what is going to be the most exciting fight on the card.
Q: For Brennan Ward…Both of you have definitely delivered exciting knockouts in recent performances, so I want to know what your expectation of the fight is and if you think it will be a quick showcase.
Бреннан Ward: They don’t just line two guys up like Paul and I for no reason — on a card like this, that is probably the biggest card of the year and one of the biggest Bellator cards of all-time == They’re putting our matchup on there for a reason. They know fireworks are going to go off and they know this fight isn’t going the distance. Paul and I end fights, it’s what we do. Like he said, we’re going to put on the most exciting fight of the night for sure.
Q: I know that clip of you and Tito wrestling in college has been going around, so what do you expect from Tito this time around compared to the Tito you saw back then?
Chael Sonnen: Нигоҳ, Tito’s a great fighter. He was a hell of a wrestler…I caught him in one position in that match, I’m not hanging my hat on that. I’m pumped to be in there and compete against a Hall of Famer like Tito. I’m going to do everything I can to beat him, but I don’t dismiss how good this guy is.
Q: It’s been a while since we saw you in there with Liam McGeary in that title fight. Ҳамин тавр, from then to now, what’s changed and what are you going to show us?
Тито Ортис: I’ve been at work now for three years. I came from the UFC and Bellator gave me a chance to reinvigorate my career and I want to leave on my own terms. I want to leave respectfully. Scott Coker has done an amazing job with the company already and I sat back, thinking about what would be my last fight. All of a sudden, I’m watching Bellator on Spike TV and Chael Sonnen comes screaming out, calling me a coward and saying that he wants to fight me and I swear there has never been a bigger smile on my face. I was already getting ready to fight in November. 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. Ба Январ 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?
Chael Sonnen: Одам, 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 Январ 21 and I didn’t have anything else going on, so I said yes.
Q: Beyond this fight, what are your goals in Bellator?
Chael 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?
Chael 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: Дар охир, can you just size up the marketplace since you left UFC and since they’ve been purchased?
Chael Sonnen: Нигоҳ, 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, Федор Емельяненко. 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 Кен Шемрок 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 мардум. 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: Тито, do you have any comment to Chael’s comments earlier about you reading from a script and all?
Тито Ортис: 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. Ба далели он аст, ки дар ин pudding. I’m sitting here listening to the tone that Chael has and it sounds like he’s drowning and on Январ 21, he’s going to be drowning in his own blood.
Chael 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?
Chael 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. Ҳамин тавр, 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, ду маротиба дар як рӯз. 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. Ман барои рафтан тайёр дорам, Ана тамом.
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?
Chael 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. Ҳамин тавр, 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, Тезтар, better with more technique and better strategy and it all takes time.
Пурра "Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Main Event: Тито Ортис (18-12-1) против. Chael Sonnen (28-14-1)
Welterweight Co-Main Event: Павлус Daley (38-14-2) против. Бреннан Ward (14-4)
Middleweight Main Card Bout: Ralek Gracie (3-0) против. Hisaki Kato (7-2)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Георгий Karakhanyan (26-6-1) против. Эмануэл Санчес (13-3)
Lightweight Main Card Bout: Дек Fields (17-6) против. Дек Андерсон (14-2, 1 NC)
Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chinzo Machida (4-2) против. Jamar Ocampo (2-0)
Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Jack May (8-3) против. Dave Cryer (11-2)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Хенри Corrales (12-3) против. Cody Bollinger (19-6)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Casey (9-5-1, 2 NC) против. Keith Berry (15-13)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Guilherme “Bomba” Vasconcelos (8-3) против. Юҳанно Mercurio (8-7)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Green (3-0) против. Jalin Turner (2-2)
Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Gonzalez (2-0) против. Daniel Rodriguez (2-0)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jacob Rosales (4-2) против. Ян Butler (3-2)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Johnny Cisneros (9-5) против. Куртис Millender (9-3)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Segura (4-4) против. Tommy Aaron (2-1)
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Rob Gooch (4-3) против. Яъқуб Барнс (6-2)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Rebecca Ruth (6-2) против. Colleen Schneider (10-7)