Eric Prindle gets title-shot after Thiago Santos fails to make heavyweight limit for Bellator 62 headliner

For the second time in as many weeks a bout between Bellator Season 5 heavyweight tournament finalists Thiago Santos and Eric Prindle was scratched from a card?s headlining slot due to one of the involved fighters? inability to compete. While last week?s cancellation involved Prindle suffering from an undisclosed illness, it appears his health was [...]

Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2012/03/23/eric-prindle-gets-title-shot-after-thiago-santos-fails-to-make-heavyweight-limit-for-bellator-62-headliner/

Crosley Gracie Gregor Gracie Ralek Gracie Renzo Gracie

Five to watch at NCAA Division I wrestling championships

The NCAA Division I wrestling national championships start on Thursday in St. Louis, and it will undoubtedly feature future stars of MMA. Randy Couture, Mark Munoz, Urijah Faber, Phil Davis, Ben Askren, Chael Sonnen, Tyron Woodley, Daniel Cormier, Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard, Josh Koscheck, Brock Lesnar and so many more familiar names from the fight world once wrestled in this tournament. MMA fans should tune in, so here's what you need to know.

Penn State has the ability to repeat as champions. They won the Big Ten title last week, but will have plenty of challengers. Minnesota won the dual meet championship earlier this year. Missouri won the Big 12 and was the only team in the country to qualify a wrestler at every weight class. (Ed. note -- GO TIGERS!) Cornell won their sixth straight EIWA title. Perennial powers Oklahoma State and Iowa will also be expected to challenge for a team trophy.

The 2012 field isn't as star-studded as some of the top wrestlers, like Mizzou's Dom Bradley, took a redshirt to focus on making the U.S. Olympic teams. Well known wrestlers like Anthony Robles and Bubba Jenkins from Arizona State and Jordan Burroughs from Nebraska have graduated. However, there are plenty of wrestlers to watch during the tournament.

Kyle Dake, Cornell: When Dake was a freshman, he wrestled at 141 lbs. and won a national championship. His sophomore year, he moved up at 149 lbs. again took home the title. This year, he is a junior and at 157 lbs. His goal is to keep the streak alive.

Ian Miller, Kent State: The freshman has taken the MAC by storm this season, going 28-3. He won the MAC at 149 lbs., and already has 11 pins and nine major decisions (winning by 8-14 points).

Frank Molinaro, Penn State: When you picture a wrestler in your mind, you are most likely picturing Molinaro. He's looking to become a four-time All-American and win his first championship in St. Louis this weekend and is the favorite at 149 lbs after winning the Big Ten title with a technical fall (winning by 15 points or more) in the finals.

Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State: The same school that produced Munoz, Cormier, Mo Lawal, Johny Hendricks and Shane Roller has another star in the making with Oliver, the returning national champ at 133 lbs. He won the Most Outstanding Wrestler award at the Big 12 tournament for plowing through competition and racking up bonus points. (Wrestlers earn their teams bonus points for winning by pin, technical fall or major decision.)

Zack Rey, Lehigh: As the returning champion at heavyweight, expectations will be high for Rey, who is known for having insane strength. He lost to American's Ryan Flores in a sudden victory match at the EIWA final, so he'll be on the lookout for revenge.

See a complete list of qualifiers and brackets here. The finals will air live on Saturday on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET. Other rounds will air on ESPNU, so check local listings. Also, follow me on Twitter for updates from the tournament.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/five-watch-ncaa-division-wrestling-championships-192840972.html

Josh Barnett  David Baron  Phil Baroni Don Barr

Eric Prindle wins Bellator tournament title without a fight

Eric Prindle won Bellator's heavyweight tournament, which includes a $100,000 prize and a shot at Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad. Prindle did this without having to step in the cage for a rematch of his final with Thiago Santos.

How did this happen? In the latest of weird bumps in the road between the two competitors, Santos missed weight by 12 lbs. With Santos so far over the heavyweight limit of 265 lbs, the fight was called off, and Prindle was declared the winner of the tournament.

Last week, their fight was delayed after Prindle came down with the flu. In November, they met in the cage for their first attempt at a final. That bout was declared a no contest when Santos threw an illegal kick to Prindle's groin.

Prindle got to the final with a decision win over Abe Wagner and a 40-second knockout of Ron Sparks. He will now face Konrad at a later date to challenge for the Bellator heavyweight belt.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/eric-prindle-wins-bellator-tournament-title-without-fight-025507296.html

Andrei Arlovski  Ricardo Arona  Noboru Asahi Marcus Aurelio 

A Look at the Middleweights of Bellator 61

Last Friday we saw Bellator kick their season off with a very entertaining opening round to the featherweight tournament. Capping off the card was one of the more prolonged, brutal finishes MMA has seen in quite some time, as Pat Curran usurped Joe Warren as the promotion?s 145-pound champion. Curran put the remaining four tournament [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/03/16/a-look-at-the-middleweights-of-bellator-61

Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger 

?Bellator 62? Live Weigh-Ins Video at 6PM ET/3PM PT

The official weigh-ins for ?Bellator 62? take place today inside La Posada Hotel in Laredo, Texas. Stream Thursday?s weight contest live right here on 5thRound.com starting at 6PM ET/3PM PT. Eric Prindle and Thiago Santos will headline the show. The Season 5 Heavyweight Final was slated to go down last week, but Prindle was forced [...]

Source: http://www.5thRound.com/109919/bellator-62-live-weigh-ins-video-at-6pm-et3pm-pt/

Delson Heleno Dan Henderson Josh Hendricks Ed Herman

The Rock rocks Cleveland with musical stylings on WWE RAW

Few professional wrestlers light up an audience the way ?The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment? does as The Rock once again proved on this past week?s episode of WWE RAW. Visiting the city of Cleveland, also known as the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rock brought back one of his [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/03/14/the-rock-rocks-cleveland-with-musical-stylings-on-wwe-raw

Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger 

Chael Sonnen Wants to Help You Be a Better Person

Chael Sonnen has worn many hats during his lifetime. Now, the number one contender can add author and self-help guru to a list of past occupancies that includes real estate agent, political hopeful. Sonnen recently penned the self-help book, "The Voice of Reason: A VIP Pass to Enlightenment", to help you become more like him.

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/27950/chael-sonnen-wants-to-help-you-be-a-better-person/

Don Barr Pat Barry  Vitor Belfort  Robert Berry

SFL 2 starts to take shape with Duffee-Grove, Minowa-Shlemenko, Kelly-Ruediger

India’s Super Fight League and its ever endearing theme music return April 7 for an event about a month after the promotion’s initial unveiling.  This event, the second of seven booked throughout the country for 2012, will be held in Chandigarh in the Northern state of Punjab. A previously announced main event between Todd Duffee [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/03/20/sfl-2-starts-to-take-shape-with-duffee-grove-minowa-shlemenko-kelly-ruediger

Edson Drago  Tomasz Drwal Joe Hybrid Duarte Aldrin de Jesus 

Editor?s note: Ch-ch-changes at Cagewriter

Happy Monday, everybody. After a weekend full of armbars, smack talk, controversy, judging issues, and a new champ, we have plenty to discuss in the MMA world. I promise that we will get to that in short order.

But before we do, I wanted to let you know about some changes at Cagewriter. I'm Maggie Hendricks, and I'm your editor. Steve Cofield will focus on his ever-growing sports radio empire, and you can still find him on Twitter and at ESPN 1100 in Las Vegas.

Cagewriter is here to cover the ins and outs of mixed martial arts. Sometimes that's fun, like enjoying Rousimar Palhares' first birthday cake with him, or chronicling some of the ridiculous swag that has found its way into our sport. Sometimes that's analytical, like when we break down fights or judges' decisions. Sometimes it's hard, like when society's ills find their way into our sport. Mostly, it's a place where we can discuss how MMA brings people from all over the world together to use the common language of fighting.

The site won't be the same, but I will work hard to bring you all the madness MMA has to offer. I'll need your help, too. I want to know what you want to see on Cagewriter. Talk to me on Facebook, on Twitter, or via email.

It's time to turn and face the strange of MMA. Hope you enjoy.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/editor-note-ch-ch-changes-cagewriter-124914509.html

Akihiro Gono Gabriel Gonzaga Lyman Good Gary Goodridge