Independent World MMA Rankings Mar. 2010
by EKP on Mar 12, 2010 4:07 PM EST
in MMA
3 comments
The March 2010 Independent World MMA Rankings have been released. These rankings are independent of any single MMA media outlet or sanctioning body, and are published on multiple web sites.
In addition to the numerous MMA web sites that publish the Independent World MMA Rankings, you can also access the rankings at any time by going to www.IndependentWorldMMARankings.com.
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1.5 Matches Added to DREAM.13
Featherweight's Yoshiro Maeda (26-7-2) vs. Cole Escovedo (15-4) has been added to the March 22nd card.
Josh Barnett will participate but with an opponent yet to be named.
about 19 hours ago
EKP
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Krush×Survivor - 3/13
by EKP on Mar 12, 2010 2:36 AM EST
in Fight Cards
0 comments
Krush hold their Krush×Survivor show this Saturday at Korakuen Hall in cooperation with FEG. Krush looks to be the place where FEG is developing new talent for K-1, perfect for their new 63kg weight class.
WPKC World Muay Thai Ligthweight champion Haruaki Otsuki will face J-Network Lightweight champion Akihiro Kuroda in the main event. Otsuki's had a few fights up in K-1, going 2-0 with wins over David Douge and Ryuji Kajiwara back in 2008. He's also the winner of the All Japan Lightweight the Strongest Tournament Champion '03. His opponent will be the reigning J-Network Lightweight champion Akihiro Kuroda.
RISE 55kg champion Nobuchika Terado will meet former New Japan Kickboxing Federation Flyweight champ KENJI. Another top match will see the #1 ranked J-Network Lightweight Junpei Aotsu face off against the 60kg Krush GP2009 runner-up Yuta Kubo.
Other notable fighters in action include Keiji Ozaki, who finished third in the K-1 World MAX 2007 Japan tournament going up against YOSHI and 2006 All-Japan Karate Lightweight Champion Takuya Shirahama meets Syunsuke Ohishi, the #1 ranked J-Network Super Lightweight. The K-1 Koshien 2009 runner-up Shota Shimada faces off against GMC/Pancrase mixed-martial-artist Daisuke Endo and the K-1 KOSHIEN 2008 third place finisher Ryuya Kusakabe will be in action against 60gk All-Japan Karate champion Shota Takiya.
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Jerome Le Banner in Training; Still Wants Fight with Tim Sylvia
by Fraser Coffeen on Mar 11, 2010 10:41 PM EST
in Fighters
4 comments
Jerome Le Banner's camp has been somewhat busy as of late with various news of the fighter's scheduled and desired fights for 2010, and some of it is pretty weird.
First up, what is confirmed: we already know Le Banner will fight Ruslan Karaev in Yokohama in April. To prepare, JLB just finished training with Georges St. Pierre and Denis Kang in Montreal (fans may remember them training together late last year) and is now working with Thom Harinck in Amsterdam. This is good news, as Le Banner was supposed to train with Harinck before last year's GP, but it fell through and the end result was a poor performance. Hopefully a tough, seasoned trainer like Harinck will help push Le Banner here. After that, Le Banner will face his sometimes training partner Brice Guidon in France on June 5.
Now, here's where things get a bit more strange...
Apparently, Le Banner has been clamoring to get a 2-fight contract with UFC. His hope was to come in for 2 fights only, then return to K-1. For understandable reasons, neither the UFC nor FEG were much interested in this, so it fizzled out. But that doesn't push his MMA hopes aside. In his goals for 2010, Le Banner has stated that he wants to face both Alistair Overeem and Tim Sylvia in MMA fights. Overeem should come as no surprise due to the MMA v. K-1 angle he pushed last year, while the Sylvia fight is a rehash from a few years ago. During Sylvia's UFC HW title reign, some heated words were exchanged over the internet between Sylvia and Le Banner, including Le Banner stating "I will fix his chicken legs with some good low kicks" and insulting Sylvia's boring style. Affliction reportedly considered the fight at one point, though in the end nothing ever came of it. Well, apparently Le Banner remembered and is ready for the fight now. And to be honest, now's not a bad time for it. Given each man's fading star, a clash in Dream is not as bizarre an idea today as it was in 2006.
Beyond this, Le Banner wants kickboxing fights with Schilt, Hari, and Overeem in 2010. Finally, he wants to face boxer Jean-Marc Mormeck in a boxing match, however it appears Mormeck has turned down the fight.
A lot of this is pretty delusional, but you have to give Le Banner this - with his time at the top rapidly drawing to a close, he's definitely trying to scratch out every last big fight he can.
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Raul Catinas v. Carter Williams Set for Bucharest
by Fraser Coffeen on Mar 11, 2010 10:20 PM EST
in K-1
0 comments
New fight announced for the K-1 East Europe GP in Bucharest May 21, and it's somewhat unexpected: #22 ranked fighter Raul Catinas will face the returning Carter Williams. As a reminder, this is the big GP event with the winner earning a place in the Final 16.
Catinas made his K-1 debut last year where he made the semi-finals of the Europe GP. He looked good in his quarter final win before falling to eventual tournament winner Zabit Samedov. Since then he's had just one fight, a highly entertaining battle with Dzevad Poturak for K-1 ColliZion, in which Catinas earned the decision victory. A young fighter at only 21, Catinas brings in an 11-3 record, with his biggest wins coming against Poturak, Stefan Leko and Mindaugas Sakalauskas. He's a tough fighter with a lot of potential, though his under 6' frame may prove to be a notable disadvantage as he moves through the rankings.
His opponent, Carter Williams, is a popular American fighter making his return to K-1 after a 3 year absence. Last seen in an August 2006 loss to Stefan Leko, Williams has a number of very impressive accolades under his belt, including a win in the 2003 Vegas GP and wins over Bjorn Bregy, Chalid Die Faust, and Gary Goodridge among others. With over 50 fights and 10 years experience to his name, Williams will have a huge experience advantage, but that will be coupled with a lot of ring rust. As mentioned, he has not fought in a pro kickboxing fight in over 3 years, though he did have 2 MMA loses in that time (one to UFC fighter Paul Buentello in Strikeforce).
Honestly, this one is virtually impossible to call as Williams is just too much of an unknown right now. Can he show the form that brought him the win in 2003, or is he returning to the spotlight too late? I'd love to see him do well, but I'd have to favor the hungry and rising Catinas here.
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Yoshihiro Sato Interview
by EKP on Mar 11, 2010 10:17 AM EST
in K-1 MAX
0 comments
Former Welterweight Muay Thai World champion and two time 2006, 2007 K-1 World MAX Japan champion, Yoshihiro Sato talks about his family, the turning point in his career and his game plan against Giorgio Petrosyan at the upcoming K-1 WORLD MAX 2010 -70kg Japan Tournament.
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Tyrone Spong v. Singh Jaideep Rumored for Yokohama
by Fraser Coffeen on Mar 10, 2010 10:18 PM EST
in K-1
1 comment
A new fight looks to be added to the K-1 Yokohama show on April 3 as #12 ranked fighter Tyrone Spong faces #18 Singh "Heart" Jaideep. This has not yet been announced by K-1, though Spong's management team indicate it is a done deal.
This is a tough fight for both men, and one where they both need to impress. Spong came into K-1 behind a whirlwind of hype, but was instantly deflated by a tough loss to Gokhan Saki and some time on the sidelines. He returned late last year with an impressive decision win over Kyotaro, but he has yet to show K-1 fans the kind of skills that made him such a sought after prospect. This will be a good test for Spong's continued work with Ernesto Hoost as he tries to work the kinks out of his transition to HW. Fighting a tall, rangy fighter like Jaideep may be the perfect kind of practice Spong needs before facing some of the top level big men in K-1.
Jaideep was a fighter who came out of nowhere in 2009, earning an impressive win in the Seoul GP and turning some heads with his well-utilized reach advantage. However, any fans he picked up along the way were soured by his terribly boring Final 16 fight with Ewerton Teixeira. After that loss, Jaideep was shuffled into an unaired prelim at the GP where he defeated Makoto Uehara via KO. Win or lose, Jaideep needs an exciting fight here, as another dull performance will leave him without many supporters among the K-1 fanbase.
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An interesting email just came through that states that ASTRA, Hidehiko Yoshida's retirement show will be broadcast online on Cavea.jp. The site looks like it is just starting up, the service will kick off on April 1st. They claim to be looking to broadcast the event worldwide via this website, so stay tuned for pricing and availability.
2 days ago
D.W.
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