Sobral Officially Added to Affliction Card

Affliction Veep Tom Atencio told SI.com Thursday that light heavyweight “Babalu” Renato Sobral (29-7) has been matched versus Xtreme Couture fighter Mike Whitehead (20-5) for the apparel-company-turned-promoter’s debut 19 July in Anaheim, outside of Los Angeles.

Whitehead was dismissed from the UFC after losing a unanimous decision to Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked 205-pounder “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-3-1) in February 2006, his only official appearance in the big show.

Since that loss, Whitehead has wracked up 11 straight wins, nine by stoppage, in several promotions, including a four-fight stint in the IFL.

Sobral is 2-1 since challenging then-champ and sixth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) for the UFC title in August 2006.

He was dismissed from the big show after holding an anaconda choke several seconds after David Heath (7-3) obviously tapped out, then bragging about it.

Atencio also added the following fights to the official card:

Savant Young (9-7) v “The Machine” Mark Hominick (15-8)
Ray Lazama (5-5) v Justin Levens (9-8)
JJ Ambrose (9-1) v Patrick Speight (6-0)
“Quicksand” Mike Pyle (15-5-1) v Brett Cooper (7-4)

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Fighters.com’s May Light Heavyweight Rankings

The suspects are usual on Fighters.com’s May light heavyweight roster; but, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (4-2) fell three rungs to the seven spot as fourth-ranked “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine’s (13-3-1) 2006 loss to “American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar (11-4) and fifth-ranked Forrest Griffin’s (15-4) 2006 loss to ninth-ranked “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-5-1) passed their two-year expiration dates.

Of course, 205 king “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-6) is matched versus Griffin for July; and, we all await fireworks between the two jolly light-giants on season seven of TUF.

Third-ranked “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (12-0) and Ortiz cross paths at the end of May as their careers cross roads.

Who says UFC President Dana White doesn’t make big fights in his fighters’ last contract fights?  A win for Ortiz before his promised exit to greener pastures could reignite “The Bad Boy’s” box office appeal.

A notch in Machida’s belt may mean he has to shop for a new belt, a shiny, gold one.

Jardine and tenth-ranked “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1) will tell the same tale of fighters colliding as their careers move in opposite directions.

Sixth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) was yanked from his match-up versus “Suger” Rashad Evans(11-0-1) in London with a pulled hamstring, leaving on the table the originally scheduled UFC 85 main event between Liddell and eighth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3), also on the disabled list, to be fought in September.

Before being bumped down the Fighters.com rankings, Sokoudjou got bumped off the televised card at UFC 84, where he’s matched versus fellow judoka “Kaz” Kazuhiro Nakamura (11-7).

The next three months could turn the 205-pound division upside down with all of the top ten action.

May Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-6)

Jackson is 4-0 since bringing his “Rampage” to the cage. He’s out-wrestled Olympians Lindland and Hendo and became the only man to put Liddell on ice twice. He’s earned Fighters.com’s top rank, but losses to Rua and Silva whisper questions from the past.

2. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-6)

To think 205 is Hendo’s other weight class is astounding. A UD to Vitor Belfort paved a path for him to hold the PRIDE belt after a KO of long-time champ Silva. Henderson came up just short of unifying titles in a slog with ‘Page.  Until next time?

3. “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (12-0)

Versus Sokou, the undefeated “Dragon” proved he could fly high and finish. His measured style is as tough for opposition to decipher as it sometimes is for fans to watch. His “W” column reads like a who’s who of MMA, but Machida needs stoppages to ascend.

4. “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-3-1)

A blip on Jardine’s record to Houston Alexander belies focused performances over Liddell and Griffin; or, is it the other way around?  Regardless, “The Dean of Mean’s” roller coaster will play bumper cars with “The Axe Murderer” this month.

5. Forrest Griffin (15-4)

The TUF 1 champ dug himself out of the “one hit wonder” abyss with an impressive stoppage of touted Rua and earned a UFC gold run versus Jackson.  But like Jardine, Griffin has proven beatable on any given night.

6. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5)

Liddell has faced the toughest schedule the last two years, but fell consecutively to Jackson and Jardine.  He looked tough in his return to winning in the long-awaited face-off with Silva.

7. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (4-2)

Sokou had been punching fighters out of their top ten ranking until he ran into Machida, but there’s no shame in tapping to “The Dragon”. His career has been too brief to predict whether his future is north or south of his Fighters.com #7 ranking.

8. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3)

Whether injury, energy, or focus was the issue, Rua debuted in the UFC with a loss to then-struggling Griffin after earning the kudos of many with PRIDE wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem and Kazuhiro Nakamura.  His injured knee leaves him off active duty until a probable September date with Liddell.

9. “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-5-1)

Ortiz has served as gate keeper to the UFC gold in a win over Griffin and draw with Rashad Evans, but was unable to last three full rounds with then champ Liddell.  Machida at the end of May will show whether Ortiz is ready for another run at the top.

10. “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1)

It hasn’t been a bloody mess for “The Axe Murderer” that last two years, but he’s been the victim of two of the best light heavyweights in the world in Henderson and Liddell.

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HCF Caput

Keith Crawford, former CEO of Canadian promotion Hardcore Championship Fighting, confirmed to Fighters.com Friday morning that the promotion has ceased operations.

HCF’s demise was foreshadowed by Fighters.com last month when Crawford released a statement postponing a scheduled 10 May card in Calgary.

“Due to the fact that the due diligence process has been extended on our impending re-structuring we are officially postponing our May 10 fight card,” Crawford said then.

In response to a Fighters.com request for details Friday morning, Crawford replied, “I cannot comment on these things.”

The promotion’s last event was held 29 March in Gatineau and featured Quebecois middleweight “The Crow” David Loiseau (16-8) in the main event.

HCF debuted in July 2007 and held four events in Canada featuring fighters such as Fighters.com’s tenth-ranked heavyweight Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3), Gegard Mousasi (21-2-1), “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (13-3), and “Diesel” Joe Riggs (27-10).

Last November, HCF signed former UFC light heavyweight title contender “Babalu” Renato Sobral (29-7) to a contract, though the grappler never fought in an event.

HCF joins a list of MMA start-ups that couldn’t turn recognizable names into sustaining revenue.

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Speer To Sign With WEC

The Ultimate Fighter 6 welterweight runner-up Tom Speer (9-3) intends to sign with Zuffa-owned World Extreme Cagefighting after being released by the UFC, another Zuffa promotion, reported the Rochester Post-Bulletin Thursday.

“They’re pumped to have me back because they never wanted to lose me in the first place,” Speer told the Post-Bulletin.  “We haven’t talked about the money or length of contract yet, but I’ll definitely be in the WEC.”

Speer was released from the UFC after losing two consecutive fights to Mac Danzig (18-4-1) and “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (5-1).

His loss to Danzig was the finale of the sixth season of SpikeTV reality competition program The Ultimate Fighter.

Speer plans to fight in the WEC in August.  He’s currently taking a break from fighting after suffering a brown recluse spider bite on his calf.

Speer told the Post-Bulletin, “I won’t be down [at Matt Hughes's H.I.T. Squad gym] full-time because I still need to help on the farm.  But I’ll get down there whenever I can, and for sure before fights.”

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Leben Very Unlikely in London

UFC middleweight “Crippler” Chris Leben (18-4) was sentenced to 35 days in a Clackamas County, Oregon jail Thursday for violating his probation.

Leben is scheduled to fight “The Count” Michael Bisping (15-1) in London 7 June.  The fight remained on the card at the UFC’s official website Friday morning.

Leben was credited for eight days served, which means he will be released just days before UFC 85.

Since Leben will be unable to appropriately train, his fight with Bisping is likely to be scratched from the UFC 85 card.

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Thompson to Fight Costa at Sengoku III

Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked welterweight “The Goat” Nick Thompson (35-9-1) has been matched versus unheralded Michael Costa (5-2) at Sengoku III on 8 June according to the promotion’s official website.

Costa has won four fights by stoppage and one by decision and comes in on a two-knockout streak.

“The Goat” hasn’t lost in two years, piling up ten stoppages and, most recently, a unanimous decision over “Pitbull” Fabricio Monteiro (16-7) at Sengoku I in March.

Other fighters who may get ring time at the event include former PRIDE heavyweights Hidehiko Yoshida (7-6-1) and “Ironhead” Kazuyuki Fujita (15-6), former UFC heavyweight “Pe De Pano” Marcio Cruz (3-2), Chute Box middleweight Fabio Silva (9-4), and Brazilian lightweight Rodrigo Damm (7-1).

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Bushido Sheet

Fighters.com’s numero dos heavyweight “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) told CagePotato today, “The exclusivity has to go away or else we’re going to have the same problems with becoming a fractured sport the way boxing has.”

With respect to MMA’s classiest act, I disagree.

The UFC’s stranglehold over the top of the sport has ensured the best fighters fight each other.

The best match-up in boxing right now is WBC welterweight titlist Floyd Mayweather, Jr. versus WBA and IBF welterweight titlist Miguel Cotto.

For those not in the boxing know, it ain’t happenin’.

Mayweather is ducking the young bull Cotto for more lucrative, less competitive rematches with Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton.  Those happen to be match-ups Mayweather is more likely to win.  Hell, he’s already beat them both.

It’s the UFC’s umbrella over the sport that has made sure champions fight contenders, not pretenders who allow champions to hold on to belts maximizing the marketability of their reign.

You see, when free agent fighters and their management pick their opponents, whether in boxing or MMA, they tend towards safe fights.

Exhibit A:  Everyone’s favorite MMA ducker, sixth-ranked heavyweight “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1).

While a showdown with third-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (21-5) has been an option, Emelianenko has picked fights against middleweight “The Law” Matt Lindland (20-5) and kickboxer “Techno Goliath” Hong Man Choi (1-1).

Such is matchmaking when managers and free agent fighters seek to prolong their marketability versus the safest reasonable opponents.

I mean, Lindland and Choi are both world champions, right?  Nevermind that their championships were in a different weight class and sport respectively than Emelianenko.

I’m not advocating for the UFC.  I could care less about which promoter logo is atop a fight card.  It’s the card itself that interests me.  The fact is, the UFC’s centralized organization of the sport has produced the best fights and, by definition, avoided “becoming a fractured sport the way boxing has.”

Notes From Around MMA

* Top Strikeforce lightweight contender “The Punk” Josh Thomson (14-2) maintains “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (23-9) oiled up before their March 2006 title fight, won by Guida by UD.  Thomson claims, “I mentioned it to Clay’s brother one time.  I said, ‘Clay was really slippery in that fight…’  He just looked at me, shrugged, and said, ‘You do what you have to do to win.’  I just thought, ‘Whatever, douche bag.’  But, Clay…I think his career has leveled off.  He got a few big wins, but he’s taken some losses the last couple of years.”

* Couture (16-8) told IGN he’s pursuing a video game deal with EA Sports.  He also claimed, “I don’t care where the fight happens,” in response to a question about fighting sixth-ranked Emelinanenko in the UFC.  Couture had previously expressed his desire not to fight Emelianenko in the UFC.

* UFC middleweight Rob Yundt (6-1), who lost his UFC debut in February to “Cachorrao” Ricardo Almeida (9-2), will return to the Octagon 21 June on the TUF 7 finale versus one of the TUF contestants.  The UFC won’t reveal Yundt’s opponent to him until that fighter is eliminated on the show.

* The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a bill to legalize and sanction MMA in the state by a vote of 95-2.  The bill is held-up in the Senate by Senators Dewayne Bunch of Cleveland and Bo Watson of Hixson.  The two southeast Tennessee legislators have attached an amendment earmarking the profits from MMA events for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Division I wrestling team.  According to the Nashville Post, the amendment may violate NCAA rules.  Tennesseans are urged to contact their state Senators and urge the passing of the bill next week without the earmarking amendment.

* Fourth-ranked welterweight “The Terror” Matt Serra (9-5) and UFC light heavyweight “The Hammer” Matt Hamill (4-1), both New York state residents, and UFC executive Marc Ratner were lobbying New York state Senators Tuesday to legalize and regulate MMA in the state.  A bill legalizing and regulating the sport in New York has passed the state’s assembly, but is opposed in the senate.

* Canadian kickboxer “Black Sniper” Michael McDonald (1-1), 2002 and 2004 K-1 North American Grand Prix Champion, won a decision over American kickboxer “The Jet” Rick Roufus (1-1) in an MMA bout fought under the radar in Romania last month.

* “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) and “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (1-1) will go head-to-head 31 May in a ratings battle.  SpikeTV will air Ultimate Iceman to compete directly with CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights at 9:00 PM EST.  SpikeTV will air an entire day of UFC programming on 31 May, beginning at 11:00 AM EST.

* Star magazine reported that actress/singer Mandy Moore has a crush on top-ranked welterweight “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (16-2).  Moore was in the UFC 83 crowd last month when St. Pierre claimed the UFC welterweight title from Serra (9-5).

* You know it’s a slow MMA news cycle when eighth-ranked lightweight “The Muscle Shark” Sean Sherk (32-2-1) testing negative for steroids in a Nevada State Athletic Commission test is a headline.  Of course he tested negative!  The headline is if he had tested positive…again.

* As I concluded after the first episode of this season’s The Ultimate Fighter, Jeremy May (5-5) is a douche bag and nothing could’ve made me happier than seeing him get smashed by fellow-Cincinnatian Matt Brown (9-6) last night.

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Cro Cop Versus LeBanner Rescheduled

DREAM heavyweight “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic’s (23-6-2) match-up versus “Geronimo” Jerome LeBanner (3-1-1) has been rescheduled to 21 July’s DREAM.5 card, according to Cro Cop in an interview published at Nokaut.

The bout was originally scheduled for DREAM.4 on 16 June.

Croatian news site Javno reports Cro Cop has been spotted in Zagreb wearing a brace on one of his legs.

Cro Cop described it as a “special bandage” to Nokaut and explained, “I suffered a minor leg injury last week, but it doesn’t affect my trainings.  During a wrestling session, I slipped and felt pain in my left knee, but the medical exams have confirmed that no damage was done.”

Cro Cop’s left leg delivers the infamous high kick Filipovic has ominously described as a sentence to the “cemetery”.

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Can Anyone Topple the Tobikan Judan in DREAM’s GP?

“Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (15-2), clad in spandex armor, is expected to surf atop the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix, and, when his last opponent taps, take home the big prize.

That’s what most believe, but, not so long ago, most believed the world was flat, or, at best, the rounded shell of a very large turtle.  Since “time and chance happeneth to all”, let’s take a quick peek at what could happen.

On 11 May, we’ll see if one the following warriors has the equipment to give Aoki his first loss since 2005.  Since several of these fighters (complete with difficult-to-pronounce names) aren’t quickly recognized among the North American MMA mainstream, where Affliction brands and “GSP” references are as common as stop signs, all the more reason to break’em down.

Which lightweight might stop the flexible “Tobikan Judan”?

From least likely to most:

Katsuhiko Nagata (4-2)
  
Aoki, after suffering injuries in his decision win over “JZ” Gesias Calvancante (14-2) at DREAM.2, will face Nagata at DREAM.5.
  
Nagata is one busy fighter as long as he’s on top. A silver-medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2000 Olympics, Nagata can clinch well and might toss Aoki to the mat.  But, what happens when Aoki’s on his back?  Brer Rabbit and the brier patch come to mind.

Aoki should hand Nagata his first submission loss.

Eddie Alvarez (13-1) v “Hellboy” Joachim Hansen (17-6)

Alvarez is fireworks, blood, and guts.  He’s always been dangerous, but after losing to Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked welterweight “The Goat” Nick Thompson (35-9) in Bodog and his subsequent weight drop, he’s unpredictable as well.

Before Thompson pounded him out, Alvarez had one gear and one direction: forward with fists flying.  He’s a smarter fighter now with improved takedowns, though his lust for hitting hard is still on board.

Hansen had the skills to give third-ranked lightweight “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (28-3) his first-ever lost.  Those skills have only gotten better.

“Hellboy” has brutal leg kicks, which is what toppled Alvarez in Bodog.  But, Hansen isn’t nearly as lanky as Thompson; and, Alvarez will get the better of the Norwegian if Hansen employs his kicks.  If Alvarez manages a single-leg, don’t expect him to play in Hansen’s ever-dangerous guard.
  
Alvarez should likely pound this one out, but, if he ends up with Aoki under him, his ground game won’t be enough to keep himself clean of armlocks and triangles galore.

“Endless Fighter” Mitsuhiro Ishida (16-3-1) v “Uno Shoten” Caol Uno (24-10-4)

There’s not much Uno can’t do well.  He is exciting and capable of showing up on someone’s back when neither the opponent, nor the crowd expects it. He’s slick and fun and will keep this fight interesting with bursts of opposition.
  
Fifth-ranked lightweight Ishida is a great wrestler and doesn’t get punched much while waiting for a shot.  He moves very well.  His footwork will keep him out of trouble when the fight is standing; and, he’ll power through the submission attempts.  And, although he’s not super exciting (or, maybe because he’s not), Ishida will likely stay on top, throwing just enough leather to keep the ref from forcing the duo to their feet.

Should Ishida wrestle out a ‘W’, he might face off with Aoki; but, it’s not enough to just put Shinya on his back.

“Crusher” Tatsuya Kawajiri (21-4-2) v “Buscape” Luiz Firmino (12-3)

Firmino moves well enough off his back and has good cardio.  And, his back is exactly where Kawajiri could put him quickly as Firmino seems to have problem giving up takedowns.

Once down, though, Firmino must work for submissions, and; Kawajiri will make it everything but easy.  Firmino will take a lot of damage, with only brief respites thanks to the occasional submission attempt that will never be sunk.
  
Kawajiri is a thick beast of a wrestler and tough to submit.  Gomi got him with a rear naked choke, but only after he was hurt with body shots, left hands to the face, and knees that drove him down and ripened him for a tap-out.

Kawajiri still punches like a wrestler when standing, but is a dangerous contender for this Grand Prix.
  
If Kawajiri takes Firmino by TKO or late decision, he could prove more than a handful on the ground for Aoki…should they meet.

“Crusher” postures well and hits hard, but with control.  If he doesn’t expose his legs when he’s on top, Kawajiri will be the fighter to push Aoki the hardest.
  
Unlike the myth of a flat Earth, Kawajiri is one fighter who’s for real and his name, tricky as it seems now, could become a household moniker if he’s the one to topple “Tobikan Judan”.

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Fight Card With Adrenaline

Thursday Adrenaline MMA, formed of the American executives from the now defunct M-1 Global promotion, issued it’s official fight card for the promotion’s Chicago premier 14 June.

As reported by Fighters.com, the main event matches grappler “The Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-7) versus wrestler Michael Russow (9-1) in a mat struggle.

“The Snowman” will fight Russow just two weeks after taking on Fighters.com’s third-ranked heavyweight “Babyface Assasin” Josh Barnett (21-5) at Sengoku II in Tokyo.

UFC fighter turned boxer Terry Martin (16-4) will fight Japanese middleweight Daiju Takase (7-11-1) before his hometown crowd.

Martin comes off UFC losses to “Crippler” Chris Leben (18-4) and “Beastman” Marvin Eastman (15-7-1), but won his boxing debut 12 April with a knockout of Ricardo Upchurch (0-2 in boxing).

Lightweight jiu-jitsu player Alberto Crane (8-2), who lost both of his UFC fights, will bounce back matched against King of the Cage vet Clay French (15-2).

IFL lightweight standout “Bartimus” Bart Palaszewski (28-11), who’s taken three tough losses consecutively, will rebound in his hometown versus Jeffrey Cox (9-5), who lost his UFC debut to “Pitbull” Manvel Gamburyan (8-2) last month in Denver.

Also on the card to be held at the Sears Centre:

“The Freak” Tony Fryklund (14-9) v Brian Gassaway (28-17-2)
Taiwan Howard (4-1) v Rory Markham (13-3)
James Giboo (11-2) v Mark Miller (8-3)
“Herc” Antoine Hayes (6-5) v “Meat Truck” Kerry Schall (21-9)
Rob Kimmons (20-3) v Hector Urbina (11-4)
Aaron Rosa (10-2) v “Killing Fields” Ron Fields (22-25-1)
Dom O’Grady (4-0) v Mike Stumpf (9-1)
Joe Jordan (39-12-2) v Ryan Williams (5-2)
Christian Reynosa (6-2) v John Hosman (7-3-1)

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