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Strikeforce Challengers Jorge Gurgel vs. Billy Evangelista Results

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:43:24 +0000

Last night's installment of the Strikeforce Challengers Series on Showtime came to us all live from Fresno, California. In sum, it was a great night of fights for some up and comers, and featured an excellent main event battle between Jorge Gurgel and Billy Evangelista.

Strikeforce Challengers Results

Zoila Frausto vs. Elisha Helsper: Helsper was the stronger and bigger fighter. That said, she waited until the third round before she began looking for takedowns, and by then Frausto, a longtime Tae Kwon Do practitioner, had accumulated points with a roundhouse kick to the face that opened a cut under her opponent's left eye, some nice jabs, and timely knees in the clinch.� And that was all she needed for victory.

Zoila Frausto defeats Elisha Helsper by way of a unanimous decision. Read more...

Strikeforce Challengers Jorge Gurgel vs. Billy Evangelista Results originally appeared on About.com Martial Arts on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 09:43:24.

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Strikeforce Waiting Patiently On Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers Results

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:20:54 +0000

Talk about risk. Imagine you're Strikeforce right now. You've signed Fedor Emelianenko, the person most fans believe is the greatest heavyweight fighter in the world. But instead of pitting him against another superstar- something that Strikeforce doesn't really have in the heavyweight division right now- you've got him up against Brett Rogers. The problem with Brett Rogers isn't his fighting skills; the man certainly poses a big time challenge on his feet. It's that a fighter that you've invested a ton of money is about to take on a guy that isn't all that well known to casual fans.

What if Emelianenko loses? What happens to his reputation? And consequently, what happens to Strikeforce? Make no mistake, Strikeforce is no Affliction; in other words, their entire livelihood is not caught up with Fedor exclusively. But an Emelianenko�loss would not help publicity for�his future�events, which would be harmful considering he's their biggest signing to date. That said, a dominant victory by the Russian heavyweight on CBS would do a ton for the promotion, even if his opponent's name�isn't Brock Lesnar.

Looking forward to the fight tonight.

Strikeforce Waiting Patiently On Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers Results originally appeared on About.com Martial Arts on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 08:20:54.

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Brett Rogers Doesn't Plan On Losing To Fedor Emelianenko

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:05:48 +0000

Maybe you're wondering what's on Brett Rogers' mind as the days countdown to his November 7 Strikeforce meeting with Fedor Emelianenko.� Well, let's put it this way- he's still not lacking any confidence.� Along with this, he recently told Fanhouse, "I don't plan on losing any time soon."�

Translation: I'll defeat Fedor Emelianenko this weekend.�

And Rogers didn't stop there, either.� He's not just planning on beating Emelianenko, he's planning on being impressive.� "Once everybody sees what I do in the cage," he noted, "jaws are going to drop."

The bottom line is that jaws will drop if Rogers wins.� Looking forward to seeing if his prediction comes true.

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Brett Rogers Doesn't Plan On Losing To Fedor Emelianenko originally appeared on About.com Martial Arts on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 17:05:48.

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Fedor Emelianenko And Brett Rogers To Be Interviewed On CBS Halftime Show

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:16:30 +0000

With Fedor Emelianenko set to take on Brett Rogers on CBS this weekend, many have wondered aloud why there hasn't been more advertising. Well, according to MMA Junkie�that's all about to change.� You see,��both Emelianenko and Rogers�are slated to appear at the Chicago Bears vs. Cleveland Browns game at Soldier Field in Chicago today. What's more, they'll also be interviewed on the CBS Football Halftime Show.

Now that's advertising.� The two are scheduled to tango on November 7th at the Sears Centre outside of Chicago, making a Bears game the perfect setting to introduce them to new fans.

Fedor Emelianenko And Brett Rogers To Be Interviewed On CBS Halftime Show originally appeared on About.com Martial Arts on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 13:16:30.

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Can Christianity And Martial Arts Work Together With Other Religions Present?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:50:01 +0000

Let's face it, when you hear about religion tied to something, one tends to think exclusivity, and for good reason.� In other words, a Catholic high school tends to have only Catholic students; a Jewish school tends to have only Jewish students, and so�on and so forth.��Now on one hand, Master Al Garza's Premier Martial Arts in League City (Texas)�reportedly has students from a variety of religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism.� On the other hand, Garza told�The�Galveston County Daily News the following: "We're not overt about the Christianity, but we don't try to hide it either.� It's who we are and what we believe -- a spiritual Christian martial arts academy."�

Garza isn't just playing games with all of this, either.��If you want to get a black belt at his academy, you must work three hours a day Monday through Saturday.� Up to an hour of this is devoted to Bible study.�Further, they discuss verses from the Bible as a part of the curriculum. But here's the question- can students of other religions stay happy and unconflicted in such an environment?

It's not that there's anything wrong with this idea.� There isn't.� If you are a Christian family, then this seems like it could be a great fit.� But if you're not a Christian, then there conceivably could be some conflicts.� There's no doubt that we could all learn�something from a variety of spiritual texts,�and maybe that's the idea behind it and why those of other faiths apparently find the setting a good fit.� Perhaps it's treated like a college course; in other words, you learn about another religion but don't necessarily have to believe.� Maybe the teachings�chosen to be utilized�are simply pertinent to�any religion, they are so universal.

Regardless, it would be interesting to hear how the school�manages to help those with other belief systems stay content, and if there are other schools out there doing similar things.

Can Christianity And Martial Arts Work Together With Other Religions Present? originally appeared on About.com Martial Arts on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 06:50:01.

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UFC 107 Knee Injuries Getting In Jon Fitch's Way

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:35:47 +0000

Jon Fitch can't seem to catch a break. First, his UFC 107 fight against Ricardo Almeida was cancelled due to�an Almedia�knee injury. That said, when the organization�offered up Thiago Alves, a man that had won seven straight inbetween losses to Georges St. Pierre and Fitch�himself, he probably couldn't have been happier.� As good an opponent as Almeida was, right now a win over Alves, a fighter that many believe is far improved over the version that already lost to Fitch, would've been huge.�

But now Alves is out due to a knee injury as well.� Specifically, he suffered a torn posterior cruciate ligament during training, according to manager Dan Lambert, and will be out three to four weeks.

Fitch just can't catch a break.

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UFC 107 Knee Injuries Getting In Jon Fitch's Way originally appeared on About.com Martial Arts on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 15:35:47.

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Will Randy Couture�s Age Show As A Light Heavyweight?

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:20:12 +0000

The last time we saw Randy Couture fight in the light heavyweight division, as he will when he takes on Brandon Vera at UFC 105, we thought that it might be the last time we saw him fight period. After being knocked out by Chuck Liddell for the second time, it�appeared that he just didn't have what it took anymore to compete at a championship level. Furthering this notion, sandwiched inbetween the two Liddell losses was a win over Mike Van Arsdale, where, to be frank,�Couture�looked a bit slow on his feet. Of course, soon after that he came out of retirement to defeat heavyweights Tim Sylvia and Gabriel Gonzaga, reaffirming his already legendary status.

But now,�Couture has�dropped consecutive heavyweight contests to Brock Lesnar and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, looking good despite the defeats. Interestingly, the last time�he lost two straight as a heavyweight,�Couture also chose to�drop down to�the 205 pound weight class.� And everyone knows what they say about age- it takes speed first and power second.�

So let's cut to the chase. Has age taken the hand speed he needs to successfully take on a�guy like Brandon Vera at UFC 105?� It's often assumed that a fighter will automatically look better when they drop down in weight, but that isn't always the case.� Sure Couture is the better wrestler and will likely be able to get Vera to the canvas.� But they start each round on their feet.� So if speed is an issue, if age has begun to take that away, it could prove to be more of a problem for Couture as a light heavyweight- where the fighters are faster- than at heavyweight.

Then again, this is Randy Couture we're talking about, a man that defies age.� So we'll see.

Will Randy Couture�s Age Show As A Light Heavyweight? originally appeared on About.com Martial Arts on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 11:20:12.

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Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin Off - UFC 106 Is Going Downhill Fast

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:14:57 +0000

Brock Lesnar is out of his scheduled UFC 106 main event fight against Shane Carwin. The culprit?� A lingering sickness that�kept him�from training�for over three and a half weeks. And with that, an event that held so much promise is beginning to look pretty ordinary.

First, a fight between Tito Ortiz and Mark Coleman went by the wayside when Coleman dropped out due to injury. Though the UFC made a valiant attempt to make up for that disappointment by pitting�Forrest Griffin�against Tito Ortiz in a rematch, the loss of�Lesnar does real damage to the card that probably isn't rectifiable.�Though no definitive decision has been made regarding going�forward with the event or postponing it, the answer is simple.� Postpone.� People want to see a fighter with size go against Lesnar, and Carwin is the ticket.

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Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin Off - UFC 106 Is Going Downhill Fast originally appeared on About.com Martial Arts on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 15:14:57.

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Ong Bak 2 In Theaters

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:47:00 +0000

Ong Bak 2 is a movie that the Hollywood Reporter had identified as,�"the most anticipated Thai movie ever."� Got your attention?� Well, here's another little tidbit- star Tony Jaa and the film hit North American theaters this past weekend.

Ong Bak 2 is about�a young Thai boxer from the 1400's who learns the inner meaning of martial arts as he battles his way through several adversaries (we're talking vampires and more).�In the end,�the film grossed�$2m �during a period of political unrest in the box office in Thailand when it opened back in December.� Initial reports would seem to indicate that it's going to do well here as well.

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Ong Bak 2 In Theaters originally appeared on About.com Martial Arts on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 16:47:00.

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Lyoto Machida's Victory Over Mauricio Shogun Rua Was No Robbery

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:36:49 +0000

Back in 1993, Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker fought Julio Cesar Chavez in a boxing match. At the time, Chavez was undefeated and a living legend. That said, Whitaker absolutely schooled him. Throughout their encounter, he slipped Chavez's punches easily and continuously punished him for even thinking he could connect. It was one of the more obvious decisions I've ever seen. Whitaker probably won every single round.

But when the judges scorecards were read, the fight was labeled a draw. And the aftertaste of that decision still bugs me even today�(by the way, I was a Chavez fan, so that had nothing to do with it).

Now there are a lot of people out there saying Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was robbed this past weekend in similar fashion at UFC 104�when he lost a decision to current UFC light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida. They're saying that when the judges scorecards were read, all of them should have resoundingly said that Shogun was the new champion. I say, not so fast my friends (thanks Lee Corso).

First off, there were no truly dominant moments in their fight. In fact, the only round I walked away from with a definitive opinion on was round five (in Shogun's favor). Every single other stanza was simply too close to call. So to say that Rua was robbed is incorrect. This was not Matt Hammil vs. Michael Bisping, nor was it Chavez vs. Whitaker.�Who won this fight was more about opinion than obvious dominance.� It�was a close�battle that could've gone either way. If you had Rua winning, fine. If you had Machida winning, fine. But�all�this talk of a robbery is a little overzealous. No one walked out of this�fight an obvious winner.

Which�makes UFC President Dana White's�assertion that an�immediate rematch should be�scheduled that much more appropriate.

Lyoto Machida's Victory Over Mauricio Shogun Rua Was No Robbery originally appeared on About.com Martial Arts on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 15:36:49.

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