Chris Weidman Battles Tim Boetsch at UFC 155

It appears Chris Weidman (Pictured) will have to prove his middleweight mettle at least one more time before getting a shot at the gold. The planet’s most prestigious mixed martial arts promotion announced Friday afternoon Weidman will battle Tim Boetsch at UFC 155. “I think I?m the number-one contender in the division but with Anderson [...]

Source: http://www.5thRound.com/127298/report-chris-weidman-battles-tim-boetsch-at-ufc-155/

Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo 

Vitor Belfort: ?I make my own odds. I make my own atmosphere.?

UFC middleweight-turned-205er Vitor Belfort may be entering his September 22 scrap with light heavyweight champion Jon Jones as a massive underdog but don?t tell him that. The 35-year old Belfort is busy training his tail off in Florida as part of the growing Blackzilians camp alongside the likes of Tyrone Spong and Rashad Evans. He also has a wealth of experience given his accomplishments over a fifteen-year career peppered with wins against some of MMA?s all-time greats.

Belfort recently spoke about his meeting with Jones at UFC 152 where he made it clear he?s not only going in there as a fill-in favor to management but to beat the title-holder and cement his legacy in the sport.

?I make my own odds. I make my own atmosphere,? explained Belfort in a video profile from GracieMag before acknowledging he understood why Jones was such a favorite in the fight. ?I recognize I have the phenom history, he has the phenom history too. This guy is amazing.?

Belfort Calls Jones the Greatest Fighter in UFC History

Regardless of Jones? current run or reputation for wowing against upper-echelon opponents, Belfort assured fans he?ll be leaving it all in the Octagon in a few weeks and hoping its enough to earn him the divisional strap.

?I?m gonna bring the fight. That?s what you can expect. A fight,? said a confident Belfort. ?I?m gonna go to win, not just to be there getting a paycheck. Because the bottom line is, the only reason I?m still fighting is because I love it. I don?t need it ? I want it.?

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Source: http://www.fighters.com/09/03/vitor-belfort-%e2%80%9ci-make-my-own-odds-i-make-my-own-atmosphere-%e2%80%9d

Melvin Guillard Cody Guinn Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao

Bobby Lashley Signs with World Series of Fighting

During Thursday’s press conference in Las Vegas, World Series of Fighting announced former WWE and Strikeforce superstar Bobby Lashley (Pictured) will be competing for the upstart mixed martial arts company when the promotion takes its talents to NBC Sports Network (former known as Versus). WSOF struck a one-year, eight to 10 event deal with NBC [...]

Source: http://www.5thRound.com/127210/bobby-lashley-signs-with-world-series-of-fighting/

Bao Ligao  Josh Barnett  David Baron  Phil Baroni

Michael Bisping "puzzled" by Jon Jones' decision to turn down Chael Sonnen fight

The opinions on UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones? decision to turn down a last-second scrap with Chael Sonnen have been plentiful considering the fallout involved including the cancellation of an entire event. However, few people are in a better position to address the matter than middleweight Michael Bisping who agreed to face Sonnen on equally short notice and under more difficult circumstances, as the similarly-sized Sonnen was actually preparing for a fight rather than coming off his couch.

Bisping opened up about the situation on this week?s episode of Ultimate Insider where he avoided taking any personal shots at Jones for his handling of things but disagreed nonetheless.

?I have no problem with Jon Jones. Jon Jones is a fantastic fighter, but I think the sign of a true champion is stepping up,? stated Bisping. ?You could say this is an easier fight than Dan Henderson. So I for one am quite puzzled as to why he wouldn?t take the fight.?

Henderson was originally slated as Jones? opponent but withdrew as the result of a torn MCL. Ultimately ?Bones? was booked against Vitor Belfort for a September 22 meeting, ironically fighting on the same card as Bisping (who will meet Brian Stann).

Bisping’s Take on Stann

The complete segment with Bisping can be seen below:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Source: Joachim Hansen

Showboating amateur fighter gets knocked out (VIDEO)

Showboating can give a fight a little bit of personality, but there are times it goes wrong. At the Tuff 'n' Uff amateur MMA card on Sunday, Shai Lindsey raised his arms at Carlo Juinio in the Nick Diaz-ian, "Come at me, bro," gesture. Unfortunately for Lindsey, Juinio did as he requested.

By the end of the video, Lindsey is sitting up and on a stool. The only lasting wound is on his pride.

A note to all fighters and future fighters out there: Only showboat if you're ready to accept the kick to the face it may inspire.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/showboating-amateur-fighter-gets-knocked-video-125917689--mma.html

Lyman Good Gary Goodridge Gerard Gordeau Jonathan Goulet

Chael Sonnen, Chris Weidman volunteered to take UFC 151 fight with Jon Jones

The UFC decided to cancel UFC 151 after Jon Jones passed on replacement opponents when Dan Henderson had to pull out because of an injury. Two of those opponents spoke up after the news broke on the UFC 151 cancellation.

Chael Sonnen started a Twitter beef with Jones last week after Sonnen announced his move up to light heavyweight. Sonnen took to Twitter again on Thursday.

Sonnen wasn't the only one to offer to step up and fight a five-round, championship fight on Sept. 1. Middleweight Chris Weidman also offered to move up a weight class and take the fight. Weidman was thought to have earned a middleweight title shot, but current champion Anderson Silva will not be fighting again before the end of the year.

Weidman saw a second chance at a title and and called UFC matchmaker Joe Silva.

"I heard that Dan Henderson was hurt," Weidman said to MMA Fighting. "I said, 'Wow, I'm not getting the shot at 185, let me get Jon Jones, he's freaking awesome."

Instead, Jones will have an extra few weeks of preparation before a fight with Lyoto Machida at UFC 152.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/chael-sonnen-chris-weidman-volunteered-ufc-151-fight-205103593--mma.html

Manvel Gamburyan Sean Gannon Edgar Garcia Leonard Garcia