Pro MMA Now Articles in July, 2009

Kevin Jordan defeats Patrick Smith in UFC veterans Super Fight and Gordon submits Lamotte at American Steel Cagefighting debut

July 31, 2009July 31, 2009 by Jack Bratcher

Headlining American Steel Cagefighting’s inaugural show in Salem, New Hampshire Friday night, July 31, was a welterweight match-up between Doug “Flash” Gordon and Nate “The Future” Lamotte. Lamotte started off strong with a takedown and some ground and pound, but as soon as Gordon was able to get back to his feet he sunk in an arm-in guillotine for the tapout victory at just 2:01 of round one.

Other featured bouts on the card included a lightweight co-main event with Pat Audinwood taking on Al Buck and a Super Fight with UFC veterans Kevin Jordon (fought at UFC 53, 56) and Patrick Smith (fought at UFC 1,2,6) battling it out for heavyweight supremacy.

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Forrest Griffin will make you buy his book

July 31, 2009 by Jack Bratcher

The next time you are in your local bookstore and some guy comes up to you and tries to make you buy a book, it very well could be former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Grffin. This new video shows the secret of Griffin’s book sales. (Just a thought, but shouldn’t Forrest be focusing on … Read more

Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort returns at UFC 103

July 31, 2009July 31, 2009 by Jack Bratcher

LIVE FROM THE AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2009

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – It’s a staple on the list of most longtime UFC fans’ favorite images – Vitor Belfort, just 20 years old, blasting through his opponents with blistering hand speed and power. These displays rightfully earned him the nickname of ‘The Phenom’, and even as he matured into a man who eventually held the UFC light heavyweight title in 2004, the fans never left his side. On September 19th, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Belfort returns to the Octagon for the first time in over four years to take on former middleweight champion Rich Franklin in the light heavyweight main event of UFC 103.

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Listen to the July 31 UFC conference call with Dana White and Tito Ortiz

July 31, 2009 by Jack Bratcher

Mike Straka takes us through much of Friday’s conference call with Dana White as he announces Vitor Belfort’s return to the UFC, the ESPN U.K. deal, Tito Ortiz’s return, and the unfortunate news that it seems Fedor Emelianenko just does not want to fight in the UFC no matter what he’s offered. We also get … Read more

M-1 Global issues new statement regarding UFC negotiations

July 31, 2009July 31, 2009 by Jack Bratcher

On Friday morning, PRO MMA (promma.info) received the following statement from M-1 Global’s Co-Owner and President Vadim Finkelchtein:

“There have been recent reports stating that talks between M-1 Global and the UFC regarding Fedor fighting in the UFC have ended. Like some of the other reports that have surfaced, this is incorrect.

“It is unfortunate that so much incorrect information has been leaked to the public. It is M-1’s preference not to negotiate in public and we are unsure why people claim that Fedor and M-1 turned down a six fight, $30 million contract to fight in the UFC when no such offer was ever made.

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ESPN UK inks deal with UFC

July 31, 2009July 31, 2009 by Jack Bratcher

After an abrupt ending to their 17 month partnership with Setanta Sports in June, the UFC has officially paired up with ESPN UK to air live events in the United Kingdom.

Launching on both Sky and Virgin platforms, ESPN UK will begin airing UFC events on August 8 with “UFC 101: Declaration.” They will also be broadcasting UFC Fight Night events as well as UFC Unleashed on Thursday nights.

With the first month being offered for free, viewers in the UK and Ireland will be able to watch UFC 101 and UFC 102 free of charge.

Tito Ortiz is Back in the UFC

July 31, 2009July 31, 2009 by Richard Anderson Mann

After the never ending war of words between Dana White and Tito Ortiz kicked into high gear last May it appeared as if the former UFC lightweight champion would never return to the promotion.

For months the two traded barbs, and the former champion was completely excluded from the UFC’s historic UFC 100 weekend. Today, White and Ortiz announced via teleconference, in which PRO MMA (promma.info) participated, that the drama is now over.

Ortiz is now set to finish his career in the UFC. There were rumors Ortiz would return as soon as UFC 103, but those appear to be incorrect. Ortiz has recently recovered from back surgery, and says that he feels perfectly healthy.

Rich Franklin will Headline UFC 103 Against Vitor Belfort

July 31, 2009July 31, 2009 by Richard Anderson Mann

Although the UFC originally announced that the main event of UFC 103 would pit Rich Franklin against Dan Henderson for the second time, now the UFC has announced that Franklin will take on Vitor Belfort instead.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion had been scheduled to fight Jorge Santiago in a middleweight bout on Affliction Trilogy. Now, Belfort is going back up to the light heavyweight division for this fight with Franklin.

Dana White has indicated that Belfort would be an interesting challenge for UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Presumably, win or lose, Belfort would drop back down to the middleweight division after UFC 103.

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Dana White says the UFC will not co-promote

July 31, 2009July 31, 2009 by Richard Anderson Mann

UFC president Dana White confirmed today during his teleconference that the promotion has worked diligently to try and sign Fedor Emelianenko.

Emelianenko’s Manager, Vadim Finkelstein, has been all over the news recently claiming that the former PRIDE Heavyweight Champion will only fight on a card co-promoted by M-1 Global.

Dana White responded to this claim in his usual colloquial style, “M-1’s going to co-promote? They’re going to help us? That shit probably works in Russia. Not here.”

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Remembering Ivanov vs. Fedor in Combat Sambo

July 31, 2009 by Richard Anderson Mann

“The man who beat Fedor” will make his MMA debut against Kazuyuki Fujita on the Sengoku Ninth Battle card. Although Blagoi Ivanov claims to be a veteran of many underground fights in his native Bulgaria, his claim to fame is clearly his victory over UFC linear heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko. In preparation for this weekend … Read more