Florian, Huerta All But Signed for Minneapolis

“There is nothing signed as of yet,” Ron Weinberg, agent for Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked lightweight “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (9-3), text messaged me Wednesday night in response to request for confirmation that Florian will fight “El Matador” Roger Huerta (20-1-1) in Minneapolis 9 August.

However, in a coy, non-committal explanation, Weinberg explained, “Kenny wants to fight Roger.  Kenny is also eager to fight again soon.  So, August 9th would seem logical.”

Sources had informed Fighters.com that Huerta was in fact training with UFC Welterweight Champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (16-2) in Montréal with a 9 August Florian fight in mind.

Thursday, in an interview with Arianny Celeste at MMA Rated, Huerta confirmed he’s training in Montréal with “Rush”.

“It’s possible,” Huerta commented on a fight with “KenFlo”.  “What better than to fight in August, in Minneapolis, Minnesota?  It’s where I live.”

Though Huerta seemed to shy away from confirming the fight, he ended the interview claiming, “I’ll be ready to fight Kenny in August.”

Florian issued the challenge to Huerta after his second-round TKO of “J-Lau” Joe Lauzon (16-4) in Denver at the beginning of April.

Huerta had planned to take a long break after a rear naked choke submission of “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (23-9) in Las Vegas last December.

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London UFC Card Getting Better

Friday the UFC announced two additional fights at UFC 85 in London.

Fresh from a first-round TKO of “Chainsaw” Charles McCarthy (10-5) in Montréal, “The Count” Michael Bisping (15-1) will fight “Crippler” Chris Leben (18-4).

Leben TKO’d “Legionarius” Alessio Sakara (12-7) in March.

Also, “Sugar” Rashad Evans (11-0-1) has been added back to the card after his original opponent, “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5), was pulled with an injury.

He’ll face “The Sandman” James Irvin (14-4), who comes off a UFC record eight-second KO of Houston Alexander (8-3) in Denver earlier this month.

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Adrenaline MMA: Emelianenko Holding Up Sylvia and Rothwell Fights

Apparel-maker-turned-MMA-promoter Affliction announced the label for their 19 July premier event in Dallas Friday night. 

Banned.

It’s a swipe at the UFC’s apparent ban of the company’s apparel due to Affliction’s relationship with UFC heavyweight co-titlist “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8), who is in litigation to tap out of his UFC contract.

“The Law” Matt Lindland (20-5) made the announcement on Inside MMA.  Lindland is scheduled to fight in Dallas, though no opponent has been named.

Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked heavyweight “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelinenko (27-1) confirmed at his websitethat a match-up versus third-ranked “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia will headline the card.

However, Adrenaline MMA, Emelianenko’s former promoter (then known as M-1 Global), won’t release the Russian from his agreement with them until Emelianenko repays a $1.5 million signing bonus.

Thursday, Adrenaline MMA VP Brian Patton told Fighters.com, “Fedor [fighting Sylvia] is still not official.”

Sylvia signed with Adrenaline MMAafter receiving his release from the UFC.  Adrenaline MMA’s CEO, Monte Cox, is Sylvia’s manager.

Patton confirmed Adrenaline MMA’s other heavyweight, Ben Rothwell (29-5), will also appear on the card if Emelianenko repays the final $500,000 he owes the promotion.

“Rothwell is scheduled to fight in July; but, I would think Fedor’s deal would need to come through in order to pull off both fights,” Patton explained.  “Big difference only having one of those fights to promote as a promoter versus both fights.”

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Melendez to Defend Versus Thomson

Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked lightweight “El Niño” Gilbert Melendez (14-1) will defend his Strikeforce title from “The Punk” Josh Thomson (14-2) 27 June in San Jose, Strikeforce announced today.

Thompson has been Strikeforce’s top contender at 155-pounds for awhile.  Last September “The Punk” TKO’d Adam Lynn (11-8) in front of Hef’ and the bunnies at the Playboy Mansion.

Melendez mopped up an over-matched Gabe Lemley (11-7) in March after losing his first professional fight last December to “Endless Fighter” Mitsuhiro Ishida (16-3-1).

MMA Junkie reports Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth (8-5) will defend his title versus Anthony Ruiz (20-10) on the same card.

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Hughes Versus Alves in London

Fighters.com’s fifth- and sixth-ranked welterweights, Matt Hughes (42-6) and “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (14-3) respectively, have stepped-up on late notice to fill the UFC 85 main event spot in London, Hughes announced moments ago on his blog.

The original main event matched light heavyweights “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) and “Sugar” Rashad Evans (11-0-1).  Liddell was injured last week and UFC President Dana White pulled the fight, promising U.K. fans an adequate replacement.

Hughes had aimed at former UFC welterweight titlist “The Terror” Matt Serra (9-5) after Serra’s loss to “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (16-2) Saturday and has publicly and privately opposed a role as gate keeper in the UFC’s 170-pound division.

Alves knocked at the gate earlier this month, TKOing “The Heat” Karo Parisyan (18-5) in Denver.

Hughes lost to St. Pierre by verbal submission in Las Vegas in December.  On his blog, he promised, “No matter what happens in this fight, I’ve got Serra next.”

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Cro Cop Versus LeBanner at DREAM.4

“Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) will return to the ring versus K-1 kickboxer “Geronimo” Jerome LeBanner (3-1-1) at DREAM.4 16 June in Tokyo, reported Cro Cop’s sponsor MMA-ID today.

The Croation and Frenchman tangled under K-1 rules 12 years ago, making the match-up a rematch of sorts.

“Cro Cop” eked out a “W” by five-round unanimous decision in 1996 and is favored under MMA rules due to his experience.

LeBanner has taken a two-year hiatus from MMA since knocking out “The Titan” Jimmy Ambriz (11-9-1) in K-1 Hero’s.

“Geronimo’s” only loss was by submission to Tadao Yasuda (2-4) in LeBanner’s 2001 MMA debut.

The prolific kickboxer owns 73 wins against 14 losses in kickboxing.

Filipovic comes off 56-second KO of Tatsuya Mizuno (3-3) at DREAM.1.

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Trigg Replaced by Rookie

Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked middleweight “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (16-6) has been dropped from DREAM.2’s Middleweight Grand Prix.

Trigg had insisted to MMA Junkie over the weekend that he had never signed to fight on the card.

“Twinkle Toes” had been matched versus BJJ stud “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (7-1).

Souza will now fight American amateur wrestler Ian Murphy, who has never competed in professional mixed martial arts.

Murphy wrestled collegiately at Cal State Fullerton.

Trigg was the only Fighters.com top ten ranked middleweight in the Grand Prix.

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Lutter: ‘Fans of this sport just suck.’

“I think I can beat Franklin.  I think I can beat Silva.  I’m not lacking for confidence,” “The Serial Killer” Travis Lutter (9-5) told Fight Ticker’s Pramit Mohapatra today.

Saturday in Montréal Lutter was TKO’d on strikes by Fighters.com’s second-ranked middleweight “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3).

In February 2007, Lutter tapped out amidst furious elbows launched by Fighters.com’s first-ranked middleweight “Spider” Anderson Silva (21-4).

Though Lutter oozes confidence, he lacks wins over those two elite 185-pounders.

“I got caught,” Lutter explains his loss to Franklin.

After the fight, Franklin identified Lutter’s conditioning as a weakness “Ace” aimed to exploit.

“I don’t think my conditioning is usually a reason that I lose,” Lutter argued, but later explained, “I win in the first round against these guys, but I’m losing the war.”

Lutter also vented about “hate mail” he claims to have received, “Fans of this sport just suck.  The guy who is taking the time out of his day that lives in Kentucky to email me to tell me what a piece of shit I am.  You really have to question, what is his motivation?  How sad of an individual is that?”

(In interest of full disclosure, the author of this article lives in Kentucky and thinks Lutter sucks.)

Lutter back-tracked, “I’m not saying MMA fans.  I’m saying the people that are writing me this shit.  I think the average MMA fan rules.”

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McCarthy Retiring

UFC middleweight “Chainsaw” Charles McCarthy (10-5) announced his retirement to MMA Weekly after suffering a TKO due to an arm injury incurred while defending against “The Count” Michael Bisping’s (15-1) knee attack.

McCarthy is 27-years old, married, and runs an American Top Team affiliate gym in Boca Raton.

McCarthy told MMA Weekly, “My goal in my career was always to be the best; and, you know, it just didn’t work out this time.  I’m okay with that.”

McCarthy appeared in The Ultimate Fighter 4, but was eliminated by “Drago” Pete Sell (7-4) in his only fight.

McCarthy said, “It is now time for me to lay down my gloves and rededicate my attention towards my business, my fighters, my family, and my team.”

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Gumby Meets the Boogieman

Two of the most accomplished combat athletes in the world will fight on the undercard of the TUF 7 finale 21 June.

With over 100 fights on his official record, “Gumby” Jeremy Horn (79-17-5) is one of the most prolific mixed martial artists of all time.

In 2003, “Boogieman” Dean Lister (10-5) won the Abu Dhabi Combat Club Absolute Division championship by submitting “Cacareco” Alexandre Ferreira (16-5).

The two mixed martial artists will face-off in the Octagon at the TUF 7 finale.

Horn returned to the UFC last February, tapping out in guillotine choke to Nathan Marquardt (26-7-2).

Lister comes off a unanimous decision “W” over Jordan Radev (11-3) last December.

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