By Steven Kelliher on February 6, 2010
When ADCC Champion and world-renowned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master Demian Maia first burst onto the international MMA circuit, many held high expectations for the ground wizard. True to his roots, Maia did not disappoint, winning five straight fights after debuting for the UFC in 2007, all of them via submission. Unfortunately for Maia, that momentum came to a screeching halt at the hands of the number two-ranked middleweight in the world–Nate Marquardt–when he was knocked out early into the first round of their fight last August. Eager to bounce back from his most recent performance and confident that he still has the skills to challenge for the belt one day, Maia maintains that he is strictly focused on his main card bout with fellow middleweight contender Dan Miller on tonight’s UFC 109 broadcast.
Maia recently spoke with Tapology’s Steven Kelliher about his loss to Marquardt and what may have contributed to it, his training heading into tonight’s fight, and his thoughts on the middleweight title fight between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort set for April of this year.
Continue reading “Maia Focused on Task at Hand on UFC 109 Main Card”
Posted in Exclusives | Tagged demian maia
By Gregory Saks on February 6, 2010
Randy Couture has long been one of the UFC’s most popular fighters and has been the headliner for the last six UFC events he has been a part of. While it is uncertain if he will contend for another title at this point in his incredible career, the UFC is still comfortable in his ability to deliver as a main event draw. Couture takes on fellow veteran and hall-of-famer Mark Coleman in the main event of UFC 109 in a showdown that appears poised to deliver just enough fan interest and buzz to carry the UFC forward towards its blockbuster March and April schedule. The build-up of online interest surrounding UFC 109 is slightly above what took place for UFC 108, which delivered an estimated 300,000 buys a month ago. Online activity from the past few days suggests a buy rate for UFC 109 in the neighborhood of 315,000. Breakdown below.
Continue reading “UFC 109 Pay Per View Buy Prediction: In Line With 108″
Posted in Events | Tagged chael sonnen, mark coleman, Nate Marquardt, randy couture
By Gregory Saks on February 4, 2010
Eight upsets took place among the major MMA organizations in January, making it a relatively quiet month of oddsmaker surprises to kick of 2010. Topping the list was Sam Stout’s impressive decision victory over Joe Lauzon in the lightweight division at UFC 108. Stout survived a dangerous first round submission attempt and then put on a striking clinic to win the evening’s ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus as a +240 underdog. Following in second place was Evan Dunham, who as a +209 underdog defeated the heavily hyped Efrain Escudero at UFC Fight Night 20. Also on the list was Mackens Semerzier who had scored one of the biggest upsets of 2009 when he defeated Wagnney Fabiano, but this time had the tables turned when he was defeated by the +131 underdog Deividas Taurosevicious at WEC 46. Full results below.
Continue reading “MMA Odds Watch: January Upsets”
Posted in MMA Odds | Tagged odds, upset
By Steven Kelliher on February 3, 2010
When a November title fight failed to materialize with sidelined Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar, undefeated contender Shane Carwin used the extended layoff following his knockout win over Gabriel Gonzaga to rehab a nagging injury. With Lesnar recently announcing that his return to the cage is on for 2010, it is full speed ahead for Carwin’s camp. He is currently preparing for a March showdown with former champion Frank Mir, set to take place at UFC 111 for the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship and a chance to challenge Lesnar this summer. While Carwin was sure to point out his respect for the man he will be facing on March 27, he also revealed in an exclusive interview that he fully expects the knockout to come, sooner or later.
Tapology’s Steven Kelliher recently caught up with Carwin in order to get his thoughts on Mir and the trash talk he is almost sure to bring with him, his training heading into the biggest fight of his professional career to date, and his official prediction for the fight.
UFC 111, which also features a title fight between UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre and Dan Hardy, takes place Saturday, March 27 from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey and airs live on Pay Per View
Continue reading “Shane Carwin Interview: Talks All Things Mir; Predicts Knockout”
Posted in Exclusives | Tagged Exclusives, heavyweights, interviews, ufc
By Gregory Saks on February 3, 2010
Four events were held in January across the major MMA promotions. This produced a total of 42 bouts including three title fights. The UFC held two events, Strikeforce and the WEC each held one apiece. Americans continued to make up the majority of the active fighters, with Brazil, Canada, and the Netherlands having good January representation. Welterweights were the most active division, decisions were the most common fight outcome, and the oddsmaker’s favorites won an impressive 78% of the time. Full results below.
Continue reading “January MMA Fight Stats Roundup”
Posted in Fight Stats | Tagged Fight Stats
By Steven Kelliher on February 2, 2010
Disappointed with his recent Unanimous Decision defeat at the hands of Chael Sonnen, New Jersey’s favorite middleweight, Dan Miller, is eager to get back on track inside the Octagon. Next up on the list for the newly-crowned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Jamie Cruz is an upcoming main card battle with ADCC Champion Demian Maia. Maia is — to put it bluntly — the kind of fighter that eats black belts for breakfast. With both men coming off of losses, Miller believes that his stand-up skills, wrestling, and overall MMA game will give him what he needs to pull out the victory when UFC 109 kicks off on Saturday, February 6 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Tapology’s Steven Kelliher recently caught up with Miller to discuss his most recent performance, his thoughts on going to the ground with Maia, and where he stacks up with the upper echelon of the UFC’s middleweight division.
Continue reading “Dan Miller Interview: I Can Survive Maia’s Ground at UFC 109″
Posted in Exclusives | Tagged Exclusives, interviews, middleweights, ufc
By Gregory Saks on February 2, 2010
Randy “The Natural” Couture takes on Mark “The Hammer” Coleman in the main event of UFC 109, live this Saturday night from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. While both fighters are in their mid-forties and in all likelihood in the twilight of their respective careers, they are also both coming off of impressive victories in their last outings. These victories, plus an undercard of talented middleweight fighters, will help draw enough fan interest for a successful event and bridge the gap to what looks to be a blockbuster next few months for the UFC.
Continue reading “UFC 109: Relentless Fan Buzz”
Posted in Events | Tagged chael sonnen, mark coleman, Nate Marquardt, randy couture
By Steven Kelliher on February 1, 2010
His name has been known to the majority of hardcore fans for several years now, but Roy “Big Country” Nelson did not truly emerge on the mainstream MMA scene until he won the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter last month, defeating Kimbo Slice on the show and following that up with a first-round knockout of previously-unbeaten prospect Brendan Schaub in the live finale in December. Although he was unable to say whether or not a rumored March showdown with rising heavyweight prospect Stefan Struve was in the cards when reached for comment, Nelson maintained that he would be confident facing anyone in the UFC’s heavyweight division from this point forward.
Tapology’s Steven Kelliher recently caught up with Nelson in order to get his thoughts on his most recent fight, his beginnings in MMA and his current training habits, as well as his thoughts on taking on the upper echelon of the UFC’s heavyweight division going forward.
Continue reading “Roy Nelson Exclusive: Confident Against Anyone in Heavyweight Division”
Posted in Exclusives | Tagged Dana White, Exclusives, heavyweights, interviews, ufc
By Steven Kelliher on January 29, 2010
For Robbie Lawler, his upcoming fight with feared striker Melvin Manhoef this Saturday night in Sunrise, Florida represents a chance to reestablish himself within the middleweight division of the Calfornia-based Strikeforce promotion following a disappointing first round submission loss to reigning Middleweight Champion Jake Shields last June. Tapology’s Steven Kelliher recently caught up with Lawler to get some quick thoughts on his last fight against Shields, his advantages going in against Manhoef, and what he expects out of the exciting striker-versus-striker contest on Saturday night.
Strikeforce: Miami, which features a pair of title fights pitting Nick Diaz against DREAM Welterweight Champion Marius Zaromskis for the vacant Strikeforce Welterweight Championship as well as Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos against Marloes Coenen for the Women’s Lightweight Championship takes place this Saturday, January 30 from the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise Florida and airs live on Showtime.
Continue reading “Robbie Lawler Exclusive: “We’ll See What Happens” Striking With Manhoef”
Posted in Exclusives | Tagged Exclusives, interviews, middleweights, strikeforce
By Steven Kelliher on January 28, 2010
When he entered 2009’s Bellator lightweight tournament, Jorge Masvidal was considered an early favorite–along with eventual tournament winner Eddie Alvarez–to clear the field en route to the first-ever Bellator Lightweight Championship bout. Unfortunately for Masvidal, a veteran fighter by the name of Toby Imada had other plans, defeating Masvidal with a picture-perfect inverted triangle choke that has since gone on to earn him multiple Submission of the Year awards in the international MMA community. With the sting of that defeat still painfully fresh in his mind, Masvidal is looking forward to his chance at revenge when he battles Imada for the second time this April in the first round of Bellator’s second lightweight tournament.
Tapology’s Steven Kelliher recently caught up with Masvidal to discuss his first fight against Imada as well as his thoughts on the rematch and his plan of attack for his second attempt at a Bellator title in as many years.
Continue reading “Masvidal Exclusive: Looking for Revenge in Second Bid for Bellator Title”
Posted in Exclusives | Tagged bellator, Exclusives, interviews, lightweights
