UFC Japan - Dissecting the UnderCard

For a moment, reflect upon the glory that was PRIDE matchmaking back in the day.  Nog running Rocky Balboa on Cro Cop before getting an armbar.  Cro Cop's devastating high kick unleashed on Wandy.  Wandy and Rampage's personal war.  Nick Diaz' gogoplata upset over Gomi.  Sakuraba versus Carlos Newton in a grapple brawl of the century.  Yoshihiro Takayama and Don Frye beating each other senseless.  The long-awaited match between Fedor and Cro Cop.  Royce, Hendo, Arona, Shogun, Minowa, Misaki, Sakurai, Aoki, Kawajiri.

from pridefighting.us

An era of pageantry and full-on world-class MMA came to an end when PRIDE's parent company lost their Fuji Network broadcast amid scandalous allegations of yakuza involvement and the subsequent sale of the promotion to Zuffa.  DREAM was born from the ashes, Sengoku rose in prominence, and some of the top talent returned overseas to fight in the cage.  But nothing yet has filled that void in the PRIDE fans' hearts.

from mmapast.com

Even at its inception, the UFC knew the importance of Japan's fight culture and held four events there - 15.5, 23, 25 and 29.  Right after that last event, parent company SEG's financial difficulties almost sidelined the promotion and Zuffa purchased it in early 2001.  For the next 6 years, they focused on their domestic market.  In 2007, the payoff came, with results of stunning PPV buys and regular gate attendance of over 10,000 people.  Then in 2009 they began an overseas push into the European market.  Australia and Abu Dhabi were added in 2010, and back to Brazil in 2011.  Rumors of a show in China circulated after the UFC opened an office in Beijing, but nothing materialized.   And now, a staggering 12 years later, the UFC will once more hold an event Tokyo, Japan on February 26, 2012.

This Week's Fighter Interviews

Takeshi "Lion" Inoue, Shoot the Shooto - 11/5
 after head-kick-KOing Caol Uno at DREAM 17, Lion Takeshi talks about his strategy for SHOOT BOXING -SAMURAI SPIRITS- Shoot the Shooto this weekend:

LION gave successive comments with self-confidence in open practice!!The open practice of LION Takeshi, who would fight against Hiroki Shishido in “SHOOT the SHOOTO 2011” (6th Nov, City Hall of Tokyo Dome), was performed in Shooto Gym Tokyo in Tokyo Area on 1st Nov. ... 

Will TheKill Chope of Engage MMA Academy, URCC XX - 11/5
here's a good fan post interview by James Goyder on Will TheKill Chope as he prepares for this coming weekend's UNIVERSAL REALITY COMBAT CHAMPIONSHIP (URCC) XX:

Will Chope: the world's tallest bantamweight ready to do battle at URCC XXwww.bloodyelbow.com

Pete Brooks, URCC XX - 11/5
another interview on a UNIVERSAL REALITY COMBAT CHAMPIONSHIP (URCC)fighter: get the scoop on how Pete Brooks intends to be the Cruiserweight Champion, by Zike Sugawara of MMAOrient.com

URCC XX: Pete “The Professor” Brooks ready to be the URCC cruiserweight ChampionThree days to go before URCC XX and all fight fans are pumped up for the biggest MMA promotion in the Philippines happening on November 5th, 2011 at World Trade Center, Pasay City, Philippines.

Breaking News: Pete Brooks’ opponent pulled out from the fight, Frank Navarro steps in for SabianoPete Brooks' opponent, Mac Sabiano pulled out from their scheduled match up due to motorcycle accident. Pete Brooks confirmed the news to MMAOrient: I just got a text from Willy

Honorio 'Lion Heart' Banario of Team Lakay, URCC XX - 11/5
He's excited with the change of opponents (Sabah Fadai is out with an injury) and sees it as a challenge.

Interview With URCC Lightweight Champion Honorio Banario

Brian Choi of Evolve MMA, Road FC 5 - 12/3
Brian Choi talks about returning to Korea to fight in Road Fc.

Rising Korean Featherweight Brian Choi Talks One FC Network and Next Fight in Road FC | MMAWeekly.com
Rising Korean prospect Brian Choi talks to MMAWeekly.com about his next fight in Road FC and his new deal to fight under the One FC Network.

Vuyisilie Colossa, Road FC 5 - 12/3

Vuyisile “The Cheetah” Colossa interviewmmaorient.com
In 1998, aged 15, Vuyisile Colossa started participating in kickboxing, and this new and exciting sport brought out the champion in Vuyisile. He was awarded 3rd place in the Free State championshi...

Eduard "The Landslide" Folayang of Team Lakay, One FC
get to know a little more about Eduard "The Landslide" Folayang.

Featured Fighter of The Month: Eduard Folayang - The Fight Nationthefightnation.com
With his polite, understated demeanor and poster boy charm, one would not guess that Eduard Folayang is a man who fights for a living. Being labeled MMA’s answ…

Yang Seung Ho of Tiger Muay Thai, One FC
Ray Elbe just hipped us to this very in depth interview with Tommy Yang Seung Ho of Tiger Muay Thai, a young fighter with a record of 11-0 looking to increase his wins when he fights for ONE Fighting Championship in 2012.

http://www.buddhasport.com/community/articles/1163/the-tiger-chronicles-part-one

Over the past several years, the Thailand-based training facility known as Tiger Muay T...

Philippine Powerhouse URCC

URCC Bacolod Brawl was held on Sunday October 16th. Being outside of the Philippines, I couldn't watch it streamed or on broadcast, so I followed URCC and Deftac Team Founder Alvin Aguilar's twitter and URCC's Facebook page. I felt like I was there! Almost. The results aren't up on the URCC website yet, but you can read the Facebook page and find out the winners. In the first main event, Rex "T-Rex" Delara dictated the pace of the match to defeat Leonard Delarmino and became the new Visayas Bantamweight Champion. In last bout, what seemed to be a quick match with challenger Ruel Catalan dominating, Visayas Pinweight Champion Victor Torre got a tap out and kept his title.


If you attended the show and are pumped up to get your own MMA action, remember that the URCC also has an amateur division.  The deadline for the latest tryout is less than a week away, so make sure you act quickly.

Tribal Grassroots Amateur MMA Tryouts Manila. Oct. 29, 2011

Registration for the Manila Tribal Grassroots Amateur MMA try-outs is now open. Open to all Amateur MMA fighters ages 18-32 years old. Pro-boxers and Pro-Mua Thai fighters are not allowed to join the tournament. Weight classes fro 110-159 pounds only. E-mail entries will only be entertained. E-mail your Name, Age, weight, Height, Team and contact number to info@urccmma.com. Deadline of entries is on Oct. 21, 2011

The next event for the promotion is on November 5th: Colt 45 URCC XX. The card was shaping up to be epic, when URCC match maker Willy Carlos informed Anton Tabuena on Bloodyelbow that Kevin Belingon suffered a shoulder injury that would prevent him from taking on the URCC interim bantamweight champion Jessie Rafols. Then Zike Sugawara of MMA Orient reported that Sabah Fadai also suffered an injury in his previous MFC fight and will be unable to challenge Lightweight Champion Honorio Banario for the belt. We wish both fighters a quick and complete recovery. And we eagerly await the URCC's replacements or new card announcements!

TUF set for Philippines edition

"TUF" Philippines show coming closer to fruition, as reported here:http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/9/20/2437285/the-ultimate-fighter-philippines-edition-targeted-for-2012.

also talked about are future efforts in Japan and China.

with great Filipino fighters like Eduard "The Landslide" Folayang, Eric James Kelly and Kevin Belingon from the Asian promotions UNIVERSAL REALITY COMBAT CHAMPIONSHIP (URCC), Legend Fighting Championship and ONE Fighting Championship, it won't be hard to cast. but it would be difficult for Asia to handle losing the cream of the crop to an overseas promotion so quickly. 

The Ultimate Fighter: Philippines Edition Targeted for 2012

www.bloodyelbow.com

Officials have told BloodyElbow.com that TUF Philippines, the first international edition of the reality show, The Ultimate Fighter, is close to being finalized.