UFC 129 official weigh-in results: Co-headliners all on weight (Updated)

TORONTO - MMAjunkie.com was on scene and reporting live from today's UFC 129 fighter weigh-ins, where all but one of the 24 fighters successfully made weight on his first attempt.

Today's festivities took place at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto. Saturday's sold-out event takes place at the nearby Rogers Centre.

Among those weighing in were UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (169.5 pounds) and top contender Jake Shields (169), as well as UFC featherweight titleholder Jose Aldo (145) and challenger Mark Hominick (145).

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/2YDRu07rFl8/ufc-129-live-and-official-weigh-in-results.mma

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Lunchtime Links

More NFL draft tonight! Where does Andy Dalton go? I agree with Mel Kiper ... to the Bengals in the second round. Now on to some links:

The best catch for Titus Young would be a secure team.

Blake Jurich could win the starting quarterback job at San Jose State.

The attorney for Rice cornerback Kevin Gaddis is confident his client will be cleared of theft and marijuana possession charges.

For Hawaii receiver Greg Salas, getting a draft call will prove the wait was worth it.

UTEP offensive line replacements are hard at work.

An indoor practice facility is one step closer to reality at Marshall.

UCF� coach George O'Leary said the team's rivalry with USF is back on.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/41429/lunchtime-links-132

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UFC 129 video report: Iole talks Rogers Centre and media presence

There's was plenty to talk about after a lengthy Wednesday press conference and the media session that followed with Dana White. Kevin Iole is Yahoo! Sports' man on the scene in Toronto for UFC 129. He joined us via Skype to talk about what the Rogers Centre may look like for this 55,000-seat setup. There's talk of a giant scoreboard and massive sound system. Maybe the scoreboard will look something like what Top Rank Promotions has used for several recent boxing events.

There was huge media contingent on hand. That included what seemed like of all the media in Toronto. Iole pointed out that maybe American media outlets should take a look at what's going down in Toronto this week. Why aren't U.S events always covered like this?

You can watch UFC 129 on PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) right here on Yahoo! Sports.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/UFC-129-video-report-Iole-talks-Rogers-Centre-a?urn=mma-wp1579

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UFC 129 preview: Are Shields and Hominick legitimate threats to dominant champs?

If you've just tuned into the UFC's regularly scheduled programming, you're probably wondering exactly who this Jake Shields character is, and why he's fighting for a title after but one appearance in the octagon.

You've been answered, of course, by promotional materials that trumpet the accomplishments that make him a threat to Georges St-Pierre's seemingly immovable welterweight crown.

In our official event preview, MMAjunkie.com's Steven Marrocco examines whether Shields really has a chance. He also breaks down the rest of Saturday's UFC 129 record-breaking show.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/sG9Fc9I4PCc/ufc-129-preview-are-shields-and-hominick-legitimate-threats-to-dominant-champs.mma

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ESPN the Mag story tabs Lesnar as highest paid fighter at $5.3 million in 2010

In the major sports, stories about athletes' salaries generally draw derision and jealous reactions. In the case of mixed martial arts, fans probably have a more supportive stance for the fighters. The combatants aren't making a killing relative to athletes from the NFL, NBA and MLB yet they're putting their safety on the line.

According to ESPN the Magazine, the highest paid MMA fighter in 2010 was Lesnar at ONLY $5.3 million. Boxer Manny Pacquiao led the way in the other major combat sport at $32 million.

On the surface, that makes MMA look pathetic. Should MMA stars like Lesnar, Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva be making $15 million-plus a year? Maybe, but the argument from MMA promoters is that the gap between boxing's haves and have-nots is massive while MMA can boast of dozens of fighters making in excess of $500,000 per year.

The StarPhoenix's Dave Deibert points out that Lesnar is actually a bigger draw than 99.9 percent of the fighters in the modern history of combat sports:

Lesnar has recently become the biggest pay-per-view draw in the world. In 2010, he joined Mike Tyson as the only athletes to twice draw more than one million buys on pay-per-view in a single year ? Tyson did it three times in 1996.

Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? Shakira anguished over soccer game
? Pitcher David Aardsma blames entrance music for wild rehab effort
? Kid steals towel from NBA player

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/ESPN-the-Mag-story-tabs-Lesnar-as-highest-paid-f?urn=mma-wp1366

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The ‘Pitbulls’ offer another awesome finish at Bellator 41

In a highlight that should bring a smile to some fans' faces, Patricio "Pitbull" Freire scored another devastating finish for the "Pitbull" Brothers. See, the UFC doesn't have every good fighter in the world under contract ... yet.� The smaller of the two dynamos, took out a high level featherweight in Wilson Reis. "Pitbull" dominated most of the fight. Reis, a top level grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt had trouble getting Freire to the ground, and eventually wore down on the feet as "Pitbull" scored the finish at 3:29 of the final round.

Freire (16-1) advances to Bellator Season 4 featherweight final where he'll face Daniel Straus. That won't be an easy fight. Straus is a monster at 145 pounds and very good grappler. He dominated Kenny Foster, finishing with a third round guillotine choke in the other semifinal on Saturday. The win was particularly impressive for the massive Straus since the fight began with Arizona afternoon temperatures around 99 degrees.

Patricio's older brother Patricky, 25, reached the Bellator Season 4 lightweight final where he'll face Lloyd Woodard.

Joe Warren was successful in a non-title fight, but barely against Marcus Galvao. Warren, a bantamweight by trade, holds the Bellator featherweight title as well. By the looks of Straus and the Patricio "Pitbull," he'll be hard pressed to exit 2011 with that Bellator 145-pound strap. Warren and "Pitbull" met in the Season 3 final, where the American posted an amazing comeback victory after getting torn up in the first round. It looks like "Pitbull" has shored up any weakness that he had with his takedown defense.

The "Pitbulls" are on the verge of stardom. The MMA blogger for the Daily Mirror in the U.K. says they have a chance to be the next Nogueira brothers.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/The-Pitbulls-offer-another-awesome-finish-at-B?urn=mma-wp1295

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McCaskey to speak with Ravens owner about snafu

Chicago Bears vice chairman George McCaskey expressed disappointment Saturday in the comments made by Ravens owners Steve Bisciotti regarding the botched trade between the teams on Day 1 of the NFL draft.

Source: http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/cbsports-mccaskey-to-speak-with-ravens-owner-about-trade-snafu-20110430,0,725648.story?track=rss

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Mann Dominates, M'Pumbu and Hale Advance at Bellator 42

by Michael David SmithIn an exciting if overlooked Saturday night fight card, Ronnie Mann put on an impressive showing in his Bellator Fighting Championships debut, while Richard Hale and Christian M'Pumbu advanced to the light heavyweight tournament final at Bellator 42.

Mann spent three rounds brutalizing an overmatched Josh Arocho, winning a unanimous decision in which one judge awarded him a shocking (but not completely unreasonable) 30-25 victory, while the other two judges gave him the more conventional 30-27 scores. The British Mann was making his Bellator debut, and he was confident and aggressive, displaying great positional control and violent ground and pound. Mann, who improved his professional MMA record to 19-2-1, showed that he's going to be a force to be reckoned with in Bellator's featherweight division, although he's going to have to beat much better opponents than Arocho, whose record fell to 6-10.

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/04/23/mann-dominates-mpumbu-and-hale-advance-at-bellator-42/

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The secrets behind GSP’s weight-cutting (and gaining) success

Mystery surrounds elite fighters and their ability to cut weight. How is it possible for Georges St. Pierre to drop 25 pounds by Friday afternoon before his fight with Jake Shields but gain most of it back and be full-strength by fight time on Saturday night?

It's no guessing game. Smart fighters treat nutrition as a science, carefully regulating their diet before fights. GSP's main trainer Firas Zahabi talked about what the UFC welterweight champ does to ensure a healthy weight cut.

Now he's on a protein and vegetable diet. Right now his exercise is significantly cut, but he's going to shed water. It's only temporary weight loss. It's not real weight loss. You're not dropping fat. (The final weight-cut) lasts about six days . . . By Friday he'll have six or seven pounds left and we'll put him in the sauna. I don't recommend this to anybody, even professional athletes. This is somebody who's very seasoned.

After GSP steps on the scale on Friday afternoon and weighs in at 170 lbs., his team will give him a carbohydrate-laden recovery drink. Then, he will eat normally and drink water to rehydrate. He'll weigh around 192 lbs. by the time he steps in the Octagon with Shields on Saturday night for UFC 129.

Some fighters start their eating plan months in advance. Mike Dolce, a nutritionist and former contestant on "The Ultimate Fighter," works with fighters to ensure a complete eating plan that helps fighters cut weight without the sauna. Like Zahabi, Dolce does not recommend sauna use.

"The guys who use the sauna to cut ten or twelve pounds, you're forcing your body to expel so much water so quickly that it's not discerning what water is safe to cut from the system and what water isn't. It's just taking it from wherever, and it becomes dangerous. That's where you see guys who don't recover from their weight cut. They look sluggish in their fight, and they defeat the whole purpose of all the training and the conditioning from their fight camp."

A recent study on wrestlers found that severe weight cuts could hurt their mental abilities in a match. Without using proper methods, fighters can find themselves in bad shape for their bouts.

Thanks to The Eh Game

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/The-secrets-behind-GSP-s-weight-cutting-and-gai?urn=mma-wp1628

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"The Sunday Junkie" deadline reminder, win a free Fighters Only subscription!

As a reminder, submissions for the upcoming edition of "The Sunday Junkie" are due Sunday at 10 a.m. ET.

All topics - including this tonight's massive UFC 129 event - are open for discussion. The person who sends in the submission we deem the best (based on timeliness of subject, clarity and overall persuasiveness) will be invited onto MMAjunkie.com Radio to discuss the topic.

Each winner also receives a free year's subscription to "Fighters Only," the world's leading MMA and lifestyle magazine!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/V85eoT5_abA/the-sunday-junkie-deadline-reminder-win-a-free-fighters-only-subscription-110430.mma

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2011 NFL Draft Picks: Jake Locker Changes Course Of First Round

Source: http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-rams/2011/4/29/2141411/2011-nfl-draft-picks-jake-locker

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Patriots not afraid of Ryan Mallett at No. 74

Pardon me for going out of order, but I have a feeling readers would like to digest this New England Patriots selection before their previous one. They drafted Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett with the 74th selection.

Why the Patriots took him: After his long slide, the Patriots ended Mallett's misery. He has tremendous physical skills but enough off-field question marks that every other team passed on him. The Patriots finally felt compelled to add an intriguing prospect so late in the draft. Risk is mitigated by the presence of Tom Brady, an ultimate leader and a chip-on-the-shoulder competitor who should provide the perfect example for Mallett to emulate.

How it affects the roster: Not much. The Patriots kept only two other quarterbacks last season. Backup Brian Hoyer should stick around. The other quarterback on the roster, Jonathan Crompton, probably doesn't have any hope.

Scouts Inc. says: Smooth over-the-top release. Follows through very well. Ball jumps off hand, and he possesses arguably the strongest arm of any quarterback we have evaluated in the 2011 class. Displays ability to make throw downfield off of back foot. ... Overall accuracy is good but still has room for improvement. Displays good mechanics and throws with great balance. Short accuracy is above average, but he can force receivers to open up on crossing routes on occasion. Needs to learn to take some heat off fastball at times.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/28530/pats-not-afraid-of-ryan-mallett-at-74

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Buffalo continues D upgrade in third

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills drafted a third straight defender, adding Louisiana State inside linebacker Kelvin Sheppard with the 68th pick Friday night.

Why the Bills took him: The Bills already have addressed each level of their defense with a lineman (Marcell Dareus), a defensive back (Aaron Williams) and now a linebacker, a position that was thin last year. Sheppard is considered a smart and emotional leader, and he might need that kind of passion to overcome limitations as a sideline-to-sideline tackler.

How it affects the roster: Veteran linebackers Paul Posluszny and Akin Ayodele are free agents. Sheppard could contribute immediately.

Scouts Inc. says: Good communication skills. Quickly reads keys and reacts. Do not see many false steps from him. Has improved his discipline and rarely got fooled by misdirection or play-action in 2010. Flashes ability to sniff out draws and screens. Shows awareness to go for the strip when wrapping up ball carriers. ... Is technically sound with his hands and will almost always take on blocks properly. He is tough and fearless, but he does not have explosive upper body power. He rarely shocks the blocker with initial pop and he has some trouble disengaging from bigger blockers.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/28526/buffalo-continues-d-upgrade-in-third

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Kenny Florian likely to meet winner of 'Aldo vs Hominick' with a win over Diego Nunes on June 11

Source: http://www.mmamania.com/2011/4/29/2142358/kenny-florian-likely-to-meet-winner-of-aldo-vs-hominick-with-a-win

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Robert Quinn's Brain Tumor And Other Incredible Stories

Source: http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-rams/2011/4/29/2141869/robert-quinn-brain-tumor-nfl-draft

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Bills, Dolphins make safe picks, avoid QBs

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- As expected, a famous quarterback was the first pick in Thursday night's NFL draft.

Then things got a little strange. Another quarterback didn't go off the board until No. 8, and it wasn't the prospect anybody expected. Then -- boom, boom -- two more went.

Four quarterbacks were off the board inside the first dozen picks, a third of the selections. Quarterbacks were a hot commodity.

Yet the two AFC East clubs that went into the draft with quarterback curiosity steered clear of the frenzy. The Buffalo Bills certainly did so by choice, the Miami Dolphins perhaps by circumstance.

Either way, they made safer plays.

Will they regret their decisions?

The NFL is driven by quarterbacks. Neither club has one. Neither club drafted a prospect Friday night.

The Bills had their chance to add any quarterback other than Auburn star Cam Newton with the third pick. The Bills could've snapped up Missouri's Blaine Gabbert, but took Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus instead.

"I don't think there's any such thing as a safe pick," Bills general manager Buddy Nix said. "But I think [Dareus] is about as close as it gets."

Buffalo made the decision, knowing it still had the option of drafting a quarterback with the 34th selection Friday, but then the draft broke in such a way that made that scenario seem less likely -- for a bit.

Three more quarterbacks were gone in a hurry.

As expected, Gabbert was off the board, although he surprisingly slid to the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 10. The Tennessee Titans plucked Washington quarterback Jake Locker with the eighth pick, and the Minnesota Vikings took Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder 12th.

When the Dolphins were on the clock with the 15th pick, the value of quarterbacks had skyrocketed. Yet despite their uneasiness in Chad Henne and minus a second-round draft choice, the Dolphins avoided any temptation of reaching.

Arkansas lightning rod Ryan Mallett was available. So was Texas Christian quarterback Andy Dalton.

Like the Bills, the Dolphins played it safe and addressed a need in the trenches. They filled a need on their interior offensive line with Florida center Mike Pouncey.

Henne certainly appreciated that selection. Not only did his protection get that much better, but he also avoided competing with a high draft choice in training camp.

Even so, the Dolphins might have the chance to add a veteran soon enough. The NFL can't delay free-agent signings or trades forever. Those kinds of transactions could be permissible as soon as this weekend, allowing the Dolphins to pursue Carson Palmer or Kyle Orton or Kevin Kolb or Vince Young or whomever.

Buffalo still has options if it wants a quarterback Friday.

Four quarterbacks inside the first 12 picks indicated a couple more might come off the board before the first round concluded, but none did.

Mallett and Dalton still are around. Buffalo could have a decision to make on at least one of them Friday.

Nix didn't sound like he was going to be in that hunt. Nix declared he could "get another starter" with the No. 34 pick. Ryan Fitzpatrick still would project as the leading man over any quarterback left.

So all the AFC East quarterback situations look the same now as they did 24 hours ago because the Bills and Dolphins played the percentages. Other teams gambled a bit and snagged quarterbacks they hope will lead them into the future.

Let the speculation begin.

It is possible to be safe and sorry.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/28461/bills-dolphins-make-safe-picks-avoid-qbs

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Episode No. 5 recap: "The Ultimate Fighter 13: Team Lesnar vs. Team Dos Santos"

Welcome to MMAjunkie.com's recap for episode No. 5 of "The Ultimate Fighter 13."

The welterweights-only season of the reality show, which features Brock Lesnar and Junior Dos Santos as coaches, airs each Wednesday (9 p.m. ET/PT) on Spike TV and features 14 UFC hopefuls.

For a full rundown of the latest episode, which featured the fifth opening-round fight, check out this week's show summary. (Warning: Episode spoilers are included.)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/lf51Dd02-MI/episode-no-5-recap-the-ultimate-fighter-13-team-lesnar-vs-team-dos-santos.mma

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Lightweight crystal ball: The 2012 rankings

It's the deepest class in the world, so much so that the top of the 155-pound division could be turned on its ear by this time next year. UFC champion Frank Edgar escaped with his title after fighting to a draw against Gray Maynard at UFC 125. Edgar's a great fighter, but people doubt him because of his size and lack of finishing prowess. With challengers coming at him from all directions, will Edgar still be the No. 1 lightweight in the world in Apr. of 2012?

Maynard, Anthony Pettis, Gilbert Melendez and Jim Miller are probably all two wins away from being the undisputed top dog in the division.� With a hot 2011, Sean Sherk, Shinya Aoki, Melvin Guillard, Clay Guida, George Sotiropoulos and Evan Dunham could all force their way into the picture as well. Additional wild cards include Ben Henderson and Eddie Alvarez, if he can escape Bellator. Now that's depth.

Melendez certainly did his part last weekend against Tatsuya Kawajiri. He wasn't going to let judges screw up his first fight in front of Zuffa management. The Strikeforce lightweight champ made sure of that by unleashing a fury of elbows, knees and punches at Kawajiri.

Melendez is knocking at the UFC door for a fight against Edgar, Pettis, Maynard and the rest of the elite crew in the bigger fight promotion.

Melendez says his camp might be the best in the world. Looking at his competition with the "Skrap Pack," it's hard to disagree.

"It's discouraging in camp training with Nick [Diaz], Jake [Shields] and Nate [Diaz]," Melendez told HDNet's Inside MMA. "You question yourself, 'am I ready for this fight?' You know, you have these bad days. I'm getting smashed by these guys sometimes. And then you doubt yourself. And then you walk in there and you dominate, and then you realize that's how great your team is. We're evolving and we always constantly raise the bar against each other."

Yahoo!'s lead MMA writer Kevin Iole joined us to debate the future odds on an Edgar-Melendez fight and how he'd matchup against some of the other elite lightweights.

Here's my top 10 in Apr. of 2012:

1. Gilbert Melendez

2. Frank Edgar

3. Eddie Alvarez

4. Jim Miller

5. Anthony Pettis

6. Melvin Guillard

7. Gray Maynard

8. George Sotiropoulos

9. Ben Henderson

10. Evan Dunham

What's yours?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Lightweight-crystal-ball-The-2012-rankings?urn=mma-wp1234

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Lowe's DUI charge latest blow to Braves

ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves pitcher Derek Lowe was charged with drunken driving, another blow to a team already dealing with allegations that pitching coach Roger McDowell spewed homophobic comments before a game in San Francisco last weekend.

Source: http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/cbsports-braves-pitcher-lowe-charged-with-dui-20110429,0,7345575.story?track=rss

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Nowitzki has 33, Mavericks eliminate Blazers

Dirk Nowitzki had 33 points and 11 rebounds, and the Mavericks withstood a furious Portland comeback to beat the Trail Blazers 103-96 Thursday night and take the first-round playoff series in six games.

Source: http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/sns-ap-bkn-mavericks-trail-blazers,0,7536016.story?track=rss

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Jets tab Muhammad Wilkerson at No. 30

Wilkerson

The New York Jets drafted defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson with the 30th pick Thursday night.

Why the Jets took him: The Jets have needed to get younger and better on the defensive line for a couple years. They had only 8.5 sacks from their defensive linemen last season, ranking 29th in the league. Veteran defensive end Shaun Ellis had 4.5 of them, but he is a free agent and will turn 34 in June.

How it affects the roster: The Jets' depth chart is wide open at defensive end if they don't bring Ellis back in 2011. Ellis' backup, Vernon Gholston, was previously released.

Scouts Inc. says: Consistently fires off the ball and gets into the pads of OL. Strong at point of attack. Can stack and shed as well as any 5-technique in this class. Has great size with good lower-body strength and excellent upper-body power. Can anchor versus the run but is also very adept at finding the ball, disengaging, pursuing and making the play.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/28455/jets-tab-muhammad-wilkerson-at-no-30

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The ‘Pitbulls’ offer another awesome finish at Bellator 41

In a highlight that should bring a smile to some fans' faces, Patricio "Pitbull" Freire scored another devastating finish for the "Pitbull" Brothers. See, the UFC doesn't have every good fighter in the world under contract ... yet.� The smaller of the two dynamos, took out a high level featherweight in Wilson Reis. "Pitbull" dominated most of the fight. Reis, a top level grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt had trouble getting Freire to the ground, and eventually wore down on the feet as "Pitbull" scored the finish at 3:29 of the final round.

Freire (16-1) advances to Bellator Season 4 featherweight final where he'll face Daniel Straus. That won't be an easy fight. Straus is a monster at 145 pounds and very good grappler. He dominated Kenny Foster, finishing with a third round guillotine choke in the other semifinal on Saturday. The win was particularly impressive for the massive Straus since the fight began with Arizona afternoon temperatures around 99 degrees.

Patricio's older brother Patricky, 25, reached the Bellator Season 4 lightweight final where he'll face Lloyd Woodard.

Joe Warren was successful in a non-title fight, but barely against Marcus Galvao. Warren, a bantamweight by trade, holds the Bellator featherweight title as well. By the looks of Straus and the Patricio "Pitbull," he'll be hard pressed to exit 2011 with that Bellator 145-pound strap. Warren and "Pitbull" met in the Season 3 final, where the American posted an amazing comeback victory after getting torn up in the first round. It looks like "Pitbull" has shored up any weakness that he had with his takedown defense.

The "Pitbulls" are on the verge of stardom. The MMA blogger for the Daily Mirror in the U.K. says they have a chance to be the next Nogueira brothers.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/The-Pitbulls-offer-another-awesome-finish-at-B?urn=mma-wp1295

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Looks like Jenna Jameson might want to go "Where the Boys Aren't (part 86)." That's because UFC...

Source: http://www.mmamania.com/2011/4/28/2139850/looks-like-jenna-jameson-might-want-to-go-where-the-boys-arent-part

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With addition of five Facebook fights, every UFC 129 match is ‘televised’

If you were worried about missing the atmosphere of 55,000 fans at Rogers Centre next weekend, you'll get a pretty good feel for it across three platforms. In addition to seven guaranteed fights on pay-per-view and Spike, the UFC announced all five of the remaining undercard fights will stream free on the UFC Facebook page.

UFC 129 viewing schedule (via Bloody Elbow):

Main card:
Georges St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields
Jose Aldo vs. Mark Hominick
Jason Brilz vs. Vladimir Matyushenko
Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida
Mark Bocek vs. Ben Henderson

On Spike:
Nate Diaz vs. Rory MacDonald
Jake Ellenberger vs. Sean Pierson

On Facebook:
Claude Patrick vs. Daniel Roberts
Ivan Menjivar vs. Charlie Valencia
Jason MacDonald vs. Ryan Jensen
John Makdessi vs. Kyle Watson
Pablo Garza vs. Yves Jabouin

Don't forget you can watch UFC 129 on PPV right here on Yahoo! Sports.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/With-addition-of-five-Facebook-fights-every-UFC?urn=mma-wp1427

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UFC Quick Quote: Georges St. Pierre could weigh as much as 193 pounds against Jake Shields on fight night

Source: http://www.mmamania.com/2011/4/28/2140227/ufc-quick-quote-georges-st-pierre-could-weigh-as-much-as-193-pounds

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Bellator's "Road to the Championships" special airs Saturday at 7 p.m. on MTV2

Bellator Fighting Championships takes its customary "off week" this week, and instead of a live show, airs its "Road to the Championships" highlights special.

The hour-long special airs Saturday at 7 p.m. ET/PT on MTV2.

It recaps the organization's quartet of season-four tournaments, all of which conclude in the next few weeks.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/N4YULQ5jifo/bellators-road-to-the-championships-special-airs-saturday-at-7-p-m-on-mtv2.mma

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Gegard Mousasi, Keith Jardine Draw in Bloody Strikeforce Fight

by Michael David SmithAs almost everyone expected, Gegard Mousasi bloodied and battered Keith Jardine on Saturday night's Strikeforce card. But as almost no one expected, Jardine showed a tremendous amount of toughness, Mousasi had a point deducted for an illegal kick, and the result was a majority draw.

It was a mess of a fight, with Jardine's face becoming a bloody mess and the referee calling a halt to the action three separate times: Once for an illegal kick, once for a low blow and once because Mousasi's mouthpiece fell out. One judge scored the fight 29-27 for Mousasi, but two judges scored it a 28-28 tie.

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/04/09/gegard-mousasi-keith-jardine-draw-in-bloody-strikeforce-fight/

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GSP’s training is just messing with us now

Georges St. Pierre has flirted with the idea of trying for the Olympics, but in wrestling, a sport that's a natural departure from mixed martial arts. Now, as he trains for his UFC 129 bout against Jake Shields, methinks he might want to be a gymnast:

My goodness. That man is a sick, sick athlete. Doing pull-ups like that is hard enough on stationary objects, but the unfixed nature of the rings ups the difficulty level.

Look out, Jonathan Horton. GSP is coming after you.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/GSP-s-training-is-just-messing-with-us-now?urn=mma-wp1303

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Georges St. Pierre Works on Striking, Gymnastics to Prepare for Jake Shields

by Michael David Smith

With just a week and a half to go before UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre puts his title on the line against Jake Shields at UFC 129, the Official GSP YouTube channel is offering up some inside looks at St. Pierre's preparation.

Some of the videos, like the one above of St. Pierre working on his striking, are about what you'd expect from any MMA fighter. But a few of the videos show how unique GSP is when it comes to his strength and conditioning work.

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/04/19/georges-st-pierre-works-on-striking-gymnastics-to-prepare-for/

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Rex Ryan's book doesn't tell all, but enough

When I heard Rex Ryan was working on an autobiography, I wondered what he could put on those pages that we didn't already know.

Ryan has been an open, nearly unabridged book his entire life. It's one of the main reasons he's so beloved by his players and fans. Since he became head coach of the New York Jets two years ago, seemingly every aspect of his life has been reported.

But it turns out Ryan's entertaining style makes "Play Like You Mean It" a page-turner with fresh ideas and revelations.

About the only aspect of his life not illuminated was last year's foot-fetish storyline, but he did comment on the Jets' other prominent scandals that drew league investigations: the Ines Sainz sexual harassment claim and the Sal Alosi sideline trip of Miami Dolphins gunner Nolan Carroll.

ESPNNewYork.com's Rich Cimini previewed the book and shared some of the sexier passages.

Ryan gave details about the transition away from Brett Favre, revealed his disgust over Tony Dungy's criticism of his language and knocked former players such as safety Kerry Rhodes and defensive draft bust Vernon Gholston.

Ryan called Rhodes "a selfish-ass guy. He wouldn't work and he was a Hollywood type, flashing and needing attention."

While still defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, Ryan said he warned then-Jets head coach Eric Mangini not to draft Gholston.

"Truth be told, I didn't like the kid coming out of college," Ryan said. "He's a good athlete and a smart guy, but I thought he was a phony."

Ryan also took a dig at New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who last year spat how much he hated the Jets.

"I really don't know Tom Brady, but who wouldn't hate him?" Ryan said. "Look at his life. Actually, look at his wife. Every man in America hates Tom Brady, and he should be proud of that."

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/28362/rex-ryans-book-doesnt-tell-all-but-enough

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Bellator 42 ratings rebound, average audience increases by 51 percent

After season-worst ratings a week prior, Bellator Fighting Championship saw a solid rebound with this past weekend's Bellator 42 event.

Overall, ratings for the April 23 event were up 51 percent from the previous week and resulted in an average audience of 199,000 viewers on MTV2.

MMAjunkie.com today confirmed the figures with an industry source.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/D_zilld7BxM/bellator-42-ratings-rebound-average-audience-increases-by-51-percent.mma

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