From the not so luxurious accommodations in South Florida, to the familiar comfort of Canada, Miguel Torres has been dividing his training between two elite camps. After spending several weeks with the Blackzilians, he is now at the Tristar gym, training with Firas Zahabi, Rick Hawn and many other MMA specialists. I recently caught up with Miguel, and got his thoughts on his upcoming bout with Michael McDonald at UFC 145, and what it's like to be crammed into a one bed hotel room with three other guys.

Stephie Daniels: You mentioned Rick Hawn is at Tristar right now. Are you actively training with him, and incorporating some judo into your game?

Miguel Torres: I'm incorporating everything. I've been working on my wrestling for the last two years. Ever since I came to Tristar, I've been making wrestling the one thing that I train every day. I'm not a true wrestler at heart, but I do train like one. There's a lot of things that don't come naturally to me, so I've had to immerse myself in wrestling. Along with wrestling, you kind of have to incorporate some judo. I just watched Rick knock somebody out seven or eight days ago, and he's already in the gym training. He's fighting in three or four weeks, and he's already been here for four days already. He's a beast. He's one of the guys that I look up to. He's a great role model.

Stephie Daniels: Do you feel that you'll be McDonald's toughest challenge?

Miguel Torres: 100% yes. He's a great fighter. I'm not putting anything past him. I've studied his fights. He's a good counter striker, but he hasn't fought anybody super tough yet, and I'm going to be his biggest challenge to date. He's a good person, and I have nothing negative to say about him.

Stephie Daniels: Although the surrounding set of circumstances were different, you were recently in a similar situation as Mo Lawal, regarding public tweets. What are your thoughts on that whole affair, and do you have any advice for him?

Miguel Torres: I don't know. Our situations are a little bit different. I like King Mo a lot. He's one of those guys that I always watch when he fights, and there's very few that I always watch. It was messed up, what happened. The situation he got stuck in, and how it went down was bad. When I got put in that situation, I manned up. I know I made a mistake, and I owned up to it. I tried to rectify it as much as possible, and learn from it and grow. I would say he'd probably need to do the same thing. He has to own up to it, and rectify it. It's a step in the right direction. If he's true to that, and he sticks to it, then good things are going to come to him.

Stephie Daniels: Are you excited to be fighting in Atlanta, or does the locale not really make a difference?

Miguel Torres: I'd fight in a hallway, an alley, the back of a little bar. For me, it doesn't matter. The place I fight in is just a name. For me, the only place I'm fighting in, is the octagon. I don't get to take in any scenery. I get there, I'm stuck in a hotel or a gym. I'm a little upset, and I'm cutting weight. I'm hungry and thirsty, and I'm looking to kick someone's ass. There's nothing fun about that whole situation until after the fight, and even then, it's a blur. What you guys get to enjoy, when you go to a fight, I don't get to enjoy, so for me, it's just the octagon.

Stephie Daniels: What do you get that's different from the two camps you've chosen to train with?

Miguel Torres: To me, the two camps are very similar. The biggest difference in the Blackzilians and Tristar is just the training partners. With the Blackzilians, I have a ton of guys that are huge. I've got Marcus Aurelio, JZ, a ton of great coaches, great workouts. Mike Van Arsdale, Tyron Spong, Mario Sperry is there...there's just a ton of great pros. For me, the big difference is the amount of training partners I have. There are like 30 guys here at Tristar that are my size that I get to train with on a daily basis. Most of those guys are pros. They're in Bellator, Strikeforce or the UFC. For me, both are great places to train.

Stephie Daniels: Talk a little about being in full training mode, and your state of mind as your camp starts winding down.

Miguel Torres: I don't feel like I've hit my prime yet. I'm working with so many different guys. I'm picking up things from here and there. I'm only 31. I'm still young. My body has been holding up well. I've been training a lot smarter than the way I used to. I feel like I've gotten a second chance at life. I have no stress. Before the last two or three years, I had a ton of stress from my gym, but now I have my sister helping me out. She's doing a great job. I'm in a real good place right now.

Stephie Daniels: What are your thoughts on Faber and Cruz, and have you watched any of this season's TUF?

Miguel Torres: I haven't been able to catch it because I'm here in Canada. I did catch a couple of the fights online though. They're both great fighters, so they've got to be great coaches. I think their fight is going to be a good one. I think if Dominick is healthy, he might have Urijah's number. I think he has the riddle of a shorter wrestler solved. Me fighting either one of those guys would be a great fight, but eventually, down the road, I think I'll end up fighting both of them.

Stephie Daniels: Sharing your very modest lodgings in Florida with three other athletes had to lead to some comedic moments. Van you relate one of your funnier moments?

Miguel Torres: You've got 4 dudes staying in one room. Clothes, shin pads, training gear, cups, food and garbage and haircuts...after like two or three days, we realized it was the biggest mistake ever. We had three and a half weeks like that. The funniest thing for me, was we'd get back from training. We'd be gone for eight or ten hours, and we'd get back from the gym, and the door to the room has been closed the whole time, so we'd have to open the door to air it out. We'd open the windows and open the door. People were calling to complain that there was a smell in the hallway. The security guard came up, and he was only in the room for five seconds before wanting to know what was going on in there. He was actually a fan, and talked to us for about 15 minutes, but the whole time, he was holding his nose, so that was kinda of funny.

Stephie Daniels: In the course of that three and a half weeks, did you ever get used to the smell?

Miguel Torres: You get used to it, but then again, you never really get used to that smell. It's like when you're using the bathroom after you ate something bad. It's your smell, but it's still a little disturbing. It's still a little off putting. Now imagine that, and you have three guys next to you, with no walls. There were other guys in the hotel, that lucked out and got their own rooms, they would stop by our room, because we're the cool guys [laughs], and the look on their face, from the beginning through about 15 minutes, was utter disgust. He'd be sitting there, with this look on his face, and I'd say, 'Well why don't you just invite us to your room. You're being a real jerk', but he didn't want to attract the smell to his room.

Stephie Daniels: Make a prediction for your fight, and what round you think it will end in.

Miguel Torres: I think the first round is going to start off very, very explosive. I know he's a great counter puncher, and the way you beat a counter striker is with pressure, so I think we're going to bang it out the first round. I think the second round is where it's going to end.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/4/4/2925718/ufc-interview-miguel-torres-twitter-michael-mcdonald

Alistair Overeem Tests Positive At Surprise UFC 146 Press Conference Drug Screen


Alistair Overeem has tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone according to testing done by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Nevada State Athletic Commissioner Keith Kizer notified MMAWeekly.com of the testing results on Wednesday.

According to Kizer, Overeem tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone with a 10 to 1 ratio for his T/E levels, which is the level of testosterone vs. epitestosterone. A normal, healthy adult male typically has a T/E ratio of about 1 to 1.

The pre-fight test was done in part because of Nevada’s out of competition testing system, so following the UFC 146 pre-fight press conference all six athletes there were tested.

The other five athletes – Junior Dos Santos, Roy Nelson, Antonio Silva, Cain Velasqeuz and Frank Mir – all had negative test results.

Now for Overeem to gain licensure in the state of Nevada he will need to request a hearing and appear before the commission before he can be cleared for his upcoming fight at UFC 146 against UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.

Overeem can request that a “B” sample taken on the same day be tested. If it comes back negative, he can still apply for a license in the state. Otherwise, Overeem could be pulled from the UFC 146 main event altogether after this positive test.

Overeem is not currently licensed in Nevada, so technically, he cannot be punished for testing positive in regards to a suspension or penalty from the commission, but without a license he can’t fight there. If that’s not taken care of prior to the May 26 date for UFC 146, he will be pulled from the bout with dos Santos.

The UFC has yet to make a statement regarding the positive test from Overeem.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/alistair-overeem-tests-positive-at-surprise-ufc-146-press-conference-drug-screen

Dana White ‘Pissed’ About Overeem’s Positive Drug Test; No Decision Yet Regarding UFC 146


UFC president Dana White is none too happy about the news that Alistair Overeem tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone prior to his fight at UFC 146.

White was on a media conference call on Wednesday with members of the Canadian press when he learned about Overeem’s test results.

Overeem, along with five other athletes fighting at UFC 146, were surprise tested following the pre-fight press conference as part of Nevada’s out of competition testing program.

Only Overeem’s test came back positive of the six athletes tested.

“I am beyond pissed about this,” White stated when speaking on the call as first reported by theStarPhoenix.com. “The worst part is that he sat in front of us and lied to us.”

White was reference a pre-fight meeting held between Overeem and UFC officials prior to UFC 146 being scheduled.

The UFC president railed on Overeem or any fighter that would test positive, and obviously this throws a major monkey wrench into the UFC 146 fight card should Overeem ultimately be pulled due to the positive test.

“How (expletive) stupid do you have to be? Seriously dumb. Anybody who’s using right now is an absolute (expletive) moron,” White stated.

“It’s beyond, what’s the word I’m looking for, it’s beyond belief. It’s beyond comprehension. You’re an absolute moron, a brain dead absolute (expletive) dummy. It goes beyond a guy have any common sense whatsoever.”

White’s anger is justifiable given the magnitude of the UFC 146 card, which was slated to be a five fight main card made up of just heavyweights, culminating in Overeem’s bout against Junior dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight title.

If Overeem is ultimately unable to take the fight, or the UFC opts to pull him from the bout because of the positive test, they would likely look to replace him with one of the other fighters currently on the fight card.

Right now in the midst of just hearing the news, White admitted there was never a back-up plan in place, nor do they have one in mind right now.

“I don’t have a plan-B,” he said.

Regarding Overeem’s future with the UFC, again White was none too happy with the former K-1 star, and didn’t sound enthusiastic about the first conversation he’ll have with the giant Dutchman.

“It doesn’t look good, does it? It doesn’t look good,” said White.

Junior dos Santos’ camp is just in “wait and see” mode until the UFC or the Nevada Athletic Commission makes their decision.

Ana Guedes, who represents dos Santos, responded via Twitter to the news that Overeem had tested positive.

“The UFC has made no announcement regarding Junior dos Santos’ fight,” she wrote. “We have no comment, this matter falls solely to Nevada Commission and UFC.”

Now it’s just the waiting game to see first what happens with Overeem’s testing results and the commission, and then if the UFC will pull the trigger on a change prior to that happening.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/dana-white-pissed-about-overeems-positive-drug-test-no-decision-yet-regarding-ufc-146

Frank Mir Ready To Take Alistair Overeem’s Slot In UFC 146 Title Shot

Frank Mir is slated to face fellow former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez in a No. 1 contender’s bout on May 26 at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, but in light of current challenger Alistair Overeem’s positive drug test result for elevated levels of testosterone, Mir may get a shot a little sooner than expected.

Mir had hoped to defeat Velasquez and then six or eight months down the road get a shot at the winner between current champion Junior dos Santos and Overeem, who were to fight on the same card. But unless something miraculous happens, Overeem is more than likely out of the fight and the UFC will have to tap a replacement for dos Santos.

Mir would be more than happy to step in.

“I would be excited if given the opportunity to compete for the UFC’s heavyweight title at UFC 146 if the reports released earlier today regarding Alistair Overeem failing his ‘A’ sample drug test are true,” Mir said on Wednesday.

“I have been fortunate to be able to fight in the UFC for more than a decade, and it is a dream of mine to become the first three-time heavyweight champion in the UFC. Being able to fight Junior dos Santos would put me one step closer to that dream.”

UFC president Dana White has yet to say what he intends to do, the situation is just too fresh. Right now, he’s still venting.

“It’s beyond — what’s the word I’m looking for — it’s beyond belief. It’s beyond comprehension. You’re an absolute moron, a brain-dead absolute (expletive) dummy. It goes beyond a guy have any common sense whatsoever,” White told the StarPhoenix on Wednesday, still reeling from the news of Overeem’s positive drug test result.

Having just learned of the test prior to talking to the StarPhoenix, White added, “I don’t have a plan-B,” when asked what he intended to do.

Mir would be the most logical choice to replace Overeem in the title fight. Velasquez’s last fight was a knockout loss to dos Santos, so an immediate rematch wouldn’t make much sense. Mir, on the other hand, has won his last three fights and seven of his last nine, including a win over UFC 146 cardmate Roy Nelson.

Just what happens next remains to be seen, but the UFC generally moves rather swiftly in such cases.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/frank-mir-ready-to-take-alistair-overeems-slot-in-ufc-146-title-shot

Sam Stout Faces Spencer Fisher In Trilogy Rubber Match At UFC On FX 4


2012 truly is the year of the trilogy.

The latest addition to the three-peat extravaganza features a lightweight bout between Sam Stout and Spencer Fisher who will meet at UFC on FX 4 in June.

Sources close to the bout confirmed the fight to MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday. Sportsnet.CA first reported the contest.

Sam Stout and Spencer Fisher first met at UFC 58 all the way back in 2006 with the Canadian Stout coming out on top via split decision.

Fast forward to June 2007 and the two powerful lightweights met again, this time with Fisher getting the best of Stout by decision.

Now they will do it all again at UFC on FX 4 in Atlantic City on June 22.

Fisher will definitely be looking to get back on track after two losses in a row, and coming up short in four out of his last five bouts. Stout meanwhile has compiled a 2-2 record in his last four UFC contests.

The bout order for UFC on FX 4 has yet to be announced, so it’s not official if Stout vs. Fisher 3 will make the televised card or the undercard.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/sam-stout-faces-spencer-fisher-in-trilogy-rubber-match-at-ufc-on-fx-4

John Alessio Back In The UFC, Replaces Injured Matt Wiman At UFC 145

John Alessio will finally get his wish granted… he’s back in the UFC.

An injury to Matt Wiman forced him off the upcoming UFC 145 card in Atlanta, so in to replace him will be the veteran Xtreme Couture fighter who now faces Mark Bocek.

Bocek made the announcement via Twitter on Tuesday.

“Hey guys my new opponent at UFC 145 is John Alessio,” wrote Bocek. “Wiman is out with a knee injury.”

Alessio is no stranger to the UFC, having fought there three times previously, all in the welterweight division.

Now moving down to lightweight, Alessio has had great success lately reeling off three wins in a row, most recently picking up a victory over Ryan Healy at the Score Fighting Series in March.

“I don’t feel like there’s anybody in the weight class that I’m scared of or don’t want to fight. I invite every opportunity there is,” Alessio told MMAWeekly.com about his desire to come back to the UFC.

“If you’re a lightweight, you’re in my way and I’m coming for you.”

Now he’ll get the chance to prove that at UFC 145 in Atlanta when he faces Mark Bocek.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/john-alessio-back-in-the-ufc-replaces-injured-matt-wiman-at-ufc-145

Bellator Fighting Championships will soon be in the reality TV business, and they’ve hired an eight-time Emmy award winner to lead the charge.

Spike TV and Bellator on Tuesday announced the creation of a new one-hour reality show that is set to air starting in 2013 surrounding the MMA promotion and its athletes.

Details about the show’s structure or what it will be about is being kept under wraps, but the reality program will debut in 2013 on Spike TV, alongside Bellator’s move to the network.

The man in charge of developing the series is award-winning producer Bertrand van Munster, who was behind the CBS hit The Amazing Race and several other series.

“Some of the most physically-gifted and fascinating athletes in the world fight in Bellator, and I believe they make ideal subjects for an innovative new non-scripted series,” said van Munster.

Bellator hasn’t set foot in the reality show arena yet, and CEO Bjorn Rebney seems excited for the opportunity to show a new side of the business to fans on Spike TV.

“We are thrilled to partner with an industry legend such as van Munster, whose creativity and ingenuity will help expose Bellator to an expanded new audience next year on Spike,” Rebney stated.

van Munster and Elise Doganieri will serve as Executive Producers for the new series. Sharon Levy and Tim Duffy, Senior Vice President, Original Programming, Spike TV, will oversee the project for the network.

The unscripted reality show will debut in 2013 along with Bellator Fighting Championships, who shift their programming from MTV2 over to Spike TV.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/bellator-developing-reality-show-for-spike-tv-debut-in-2013

Lloyd Woodard Would Consider It An Honor To Crack Rick Hawn Upside His Head

Lloyd Woodard’s nickname may be “Cupcake,” but don’t let the name fool you. This hungry lightweight entered Bellator’s Season 6 Lightweight Tournament knowing only one speed, and that’s full speed.

If you need proof, look no further than Bellator 62, where Woodard engaged Patricky “Pitbull” Freire in an epic back and forth war that had mixed martial arts fans on the edge of their seats. In the second round, Woodard was able to stun Freire yet again and then locked in arm-breaking Kimura to get the win.

With the win, it moves the Dogpound Fight Team pupil to the semifinals of the lightweight tournament at Bellator 66, where he will meet former Judo Olympian Rick Hawn. And Woodard believes that it’s truly an honor just to get the chance to crack the Judoka upside his head.

“I’m excited for the fight. He knows I want to beat him up. It’s an honor to crack him upside his head and that’s what I’m going out to do. Everybody knows the way I fight and I don’t know if he’s ever fought somebody like that, but it’s going to be fun to go in there and see. I wish it was tomorrow because I’m so excited for this.”

Woodard’s excitement to move forward with the tournament cannot be denied. If he could fight Hawn or Chandler tomorrow, he’d jump at the chance. But for now he will have to get back to the grind of training and plans to outwork anyone in front of him.

If the 27-year-old succeeds against Hawn, the light at the end of the tunnel will be a title shot and a chance at redemption against Michael Chandler, the man who handed him his first and only loss.

“Mike Chandler has made me a better fighter because I got outworked that day and I ain’t going to get outworked another day in my life. I’m going to work as hard as I have to, to beat him. I want that rematch and I just can’t wait.”

http://www.mmaweekly.com/lloyd-woodard-would-consider-it-an-honor-to-crack-rick-hawn-upside-his-head

No Trash-Talk? No Problem For Bellator 64 Headliner Ben Askren

Before his most recent win – and his first-ever Bellator title defense – welterweight champion Ben Askren (9-0 MMA, 6-0 BFC) engaged in a sustained and very public trash-talking campaign with opponent Jay Hieron.

But ahead of Friday's Bellator 64 headliner with challenger Douglas Lima (21-4 MMA, 3-0 BFC), cooler heads have prevailed.

Askren told MMAjunkie.com Radio (http://www.mmajunkie.com/radio) he loves trash-talking as much as the next guy, but he's not going to be the instigator.

"I'm cool either way," he said. "Jay brought it on himself and started with me, so I went back at him. But Douglas has been quiet, and I've got nothing against him, so I see no reason to go at him. I do enjoy talking trash, but I don't start it with people.

"But if they start with me, we can go from there."

Askren, a two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion (and two-time runner-up), has experienced a mostly flawless transition into MMA. He joined Bellator in just his fourth bout, won the organization's season-two tournament, and then won the belt from Lyman Good.

Now, he looks for his second successful title defense when he takes on Lima at Bellator 64, which takes place Friday at The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It airs as part of the MTV2-televised main card following prelims on Spike.com.

Askren hopes his latest defense proves more dominant than his first, when he narrowly edged Hieron for a split-decision win. While he showcased his new standup in the fight, it wasn't nearly as effective as he hoped it'd be.

"I was disappointed in the fight overall and the standup," he said. "I thought I was going to beat Jay bad. ... I was really disappointed in that. I got a little predictable as the fight went on and didn't change it up."

Now, he's been extensively fine-tuning his striking at Duke Roufus' gym in Milwaukee.

"It's coming along nicely," he said. "Mixed martial arts these days isn't just one discipline and being great at that and using that to be good at everything and being able win everywhere. My first order of business was getting that jiu-jitsu under my belt. I got my brown belt within a couple years. But I knew my striking was lacking, and I needed to go out and find someone to improve that. Now I'm here at Roufusport doing that."

Lima earned his title shot with a season-four five championship. The run included a decision victory over Steve Carl and a pair of highlight-reel knockouts over Chris Lozano and Ben Saunders.

Color Askren unimpressed, though.

"He had a great tournament," he said. "He has that big right hand that we saw in the tournament. I think that's his best asset. Overall, aside from that, he landed two one-punch knockouts. I don't think he was overly dominant in those fights otherwise.

"I think there's a lot of room for me to take advantage of his weaknesses."

Askren, who was used to a busy wrestling schedule, competed just twice in 2011. And like Lima, he's had a five-month layoff heading into this weekend's event.

Askren has kept busy. But he won't mind if Lima hasn't.

"Hopefully Douglas Lima took a little time off, got a little fat, and will be coming in cutting some serious weight and not be as sharp as last time," he joked.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/28090/no-trash-talk-no-problem-for-bellator-64-headliner-ben-askren.mma

Jessica Aguilar Ready To Topple Megumi Fujii And Claim Top Spot In The World

Strikeforce bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey currently rules the roost in the women’s 135-pound division, but the women’s flyweight category is about to be renewed with a battle between two of the top pound-for-pound female fighters on the planet.

Bellator has been making a push with several top 115-pound fighters on the women’s side of the sport. Zoila Gurgel is the promotion’s current champion, but is sitting on the sidelines recovering from a torn ACL.

It appears that while she mends, Bellator is moving forward with a No. 1 contender’s bout between Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar. Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney recently revealed the bout for Bellator 69 to MMARising.com.

Without an official announcement from Bellator, Aguilar could not confirm the bout, but admits she has been chomping at the bit for a fight with Fujii.

“I have been asking for this fight for a very long time,” Aguilar told MMAWeekly.com. “Bjorn has often made statements that Bellator now has both the No. 1 and No. 2 MMA unified ranked 115-pound women fighters in the world between Megumi and myself, and that Bellator will make this fight happen sooner than later.”

Aguilar has gone 8-1 over the course of her last nine fights, having lost only to Gurgel in the semifinal round of Bellator’s Season 3 Women’s 115-pound Tournament; that being a split decision loss. She’s reeled off four consecutive victories since.

The only loss of Fujii’s career was to Gurgel as well, also of the split decision variety, in the finals of the same tournament. She has won all three of her bouts following that loss, improving her career record to 25-1.

So putting these two together in the cage was all but a foregone conclusion.

Gurgel has been out since October of last year, so the winner of this bout in May would set up well in regards to the timing of Gurgel’s return, likely over the summer or early fall.

Aguilar isn’t getting ahead of herself in the race to welcome Gurgel back, however. She knows the task before her in Fujii.

“As for me fighting Fujii Megumi, this fight is huge for me in many different ways. First, I have incredible respect for her incredible career accomplishments, plus she has been an awesome ambassador for woman’s MMA, a true professional in every way,” explained Aguilar.

“From a pure personal perspective, I am totally focused on becoming the No. 1 ranked fighter in the world at my weight. I cannot control belts or titles, but my performance and the results will definitely determine not only the No. 1 world ranking, but also my ranking in all of women’s MMA from a pound-for-pound perspective.”

Although Aguilar can’t confirm the bout, rest assured, it’s going to happen, and it’s likely going to happen at Bellator 69. Regardless of when or where, Aguilar can confirm one thing… she will be ready.

“My game is 100-percent on. I am in a full training camp mode. I will be ready to best represent Bellator, women’s MMA, and prove just how much I want this to happen.”

http://www.mmaweekly.com/jessica-aguilar-ready-to-topple-megumi-fujii-and-claim-top-spot-in-the-world

Pat Curran Loss Fuels Marlon Sandro For Bellator 64, Tourney Semifinal


Marlon Sandro was perfectly happy when Pat Curran recently won Bellator's featherweight title.

Curran defeated Sandro in the 2011 "Summer Series" featherweight-tournament finale, earned a title shot, and then dethroned reigning champion Joe Warren this past month.

According to Sandro, it's only going to make his revenge all the sweeter after he wins the season-six tournament and gets a shot at Curran's belt.

"I loved watching Pat Curran become the Bellator featherweight world champion because now I know I can fight him one more time," Sandro told MMAjunkie.com (http://www.mmajunkie.com). "The opportunity to fight Pat again motivates me every single day in the gym."

Sandro (21-3 MMA, 4-1 BFC) has carried that motivation into the current season-six tourney. He recently submitted Roberto Vargas in an opening-round matchup and now meets Alexandre "Popo" Bezerra (13-1 MMA, 5-0 BFC) in the semifinals at Friday's Bellator 64 event. The show takes place at The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Sandro vs. Vargas is one of four main-card bouts airing on MTV2 following prelims on Spike.com.

Sandro, who suffered a violent head-kick KO loss to Curran in the August finale, was stung by the defeat – which marked the first time he had been stopped in eight years of pro competition. But it also forced him to refocus as he entered the latest eight-man field and his opening-round matchup.

"Without a doubt, my loss to Pat Curran motivated me during my victory over Roberto Vargas," he said. "I want my rematch with Pat, and to get my rematch, I have to win this tournament."

However, the former World Victory Road/Sengoku champion and ex-King of Pancrase has his hands full with Bezerra, who's riding an eight-fight win streak with five consecutive victories in Bellator. All of the wins have come via stoppage, including a second-round submission of Kenny Foster in their tourney opener.

"I have a lot of respect for 'Popo' Bezerra," said Sandro, a member of the famed Nova Uniao team. "He is a really good fighter, so I have to respect him. At the same time, I know I can beat him. I just don't know how I will beat him. But I'll know once we enter that cage, for sure."

Bezerra, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt, has twice as many submissions as knockouts on his record. But Sandro, a black belt, has more knockouts than submissions. Sure, we haven't seen Sandro register a knockout since he won the Sengoku title from Masanori Kanehara in 2010, but many fans of the Japanese-MMA scene fondly remember his string of highlight-reel knockouts before he joined Bellator.

Sandro believes those striking skills again will be on display this weekend.

"I definitely believe that I have the power in my hands to knock 'Popo' out,'" he said. "I just have to connect with the right punch, and the fight will be over.

"I definitely don't see this fight making it to the judges. I plan on being the only judge when I fight 'Popo.' I will finish him before the start of the third round."

http://mmajunkie.com/news/28104/pat-curran-loss-fuels-marlon-sandro-for-bellator-64-tourney-semifinal.mma

Will Free Agency Take Both Eddie Alvarez And Hector Lombard From Bellator?


In the realm of baseball names like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Willie Mays are synonymous with most sports fans, but if you’ve ever heard the name Curt Flood, he’s a player that helped change baseball forever.

In 1969, Flood challenged the status quo of the contracts in Major League Baseball, and although it took a few years, the ultimately decision led to free agency in the national pastime.

Free agency has become commonplace in every sport from football to baseball to basketball and even mixed martial arts.

For Bellator Fighting Championships, they are about to feel the real bite of free agency for the first time in their 4 years of existence.

Former Bellator lightweight champion and arguably the face of Bellator Eddie Alvarez, along with middleweight champion Hector Lombard are both coming up to the end of their respective deals and now the organization has to get into the business of negotiating to keep two of their biggest and most popular stars.

“We’ve got two fights left, we’ve got the (Shinya) Aoki fight then we’ve got one more after that,” Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney told MMAWeekly Radio about Eddie Alvarez’s contract. “The guy has been just unbelievably good and positive for this organization. He’s been good and positive for Bellator, he’s also been good and positive for the entirety of MMA. Much like our situation with Hector Lombard, right now Hector’s a little bit further along cause I signed him earlier than I signed Ed, but you remember Hector and Ed were signed in 08′.

“It’s coming up on four years and that’s the length of the deal when you win world titles and the extensions are done. We don’t have any champion’s clauses in our contracts, which locks guys in for life, so those contracts are going to come to an end. You’re going to have a brief exclusive negotiation period, and when that ends you’re going to have the right to match an offer that anybody else would make, and we’ve got the right to match.”

Currently, Alvarez is gearing up for his rematch with Shinya Aoki on April 20 in Ohio, and then he will have one more fight remaining on his Bellator deal. Obviously, Rebney would love to keep Alvarez, who has been one of the mainstays of the promotion for the past few years, but he also understands this is a business and all’s fair in love and money.

“We’ll see what happens in the Aoki fight, and we’ll see what happens in Ed’s last fight under the banner and then we’ll address the Ed situation, much like we’ve addressed the Hector situation,” Rebney explained.

“I’ve maintained really good relationships with both guys, I kept an open dialogue with both guys. I consider them both friends.”

As far as Hector Lombard goes, the reigning and defending Bellator middleweight champion, his contract situation is a further along than Alvarez’s and they are hopeful to have a final decision made on him in the coming weeks.

Rebney approached the situation with Lombard as a friend as well as an employer because he understood that fighters are like any other worker. They need to go where they feel the best opportunity presents itself for them to succeed, whether that’s in Bellator or another promotion like the UFC.

“I had a sit down with Hector Lombard, this was about 8 months ago, and we’re coming up on the end of our deal, but it’s getting closer and he asked me what’s going to happen. I said I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I can tell you that 2012 is going to be an awesome, epic year for Hector Lombard. And whether it’s an awesome, epic year in the Octagon, or whether it’s an awesome, epic year at Bellator, I’m not sure. I can’t tell you how that’s all going to play out, but I can tell you it’s going to be a great year for you, you’re going to make a lot more money,” Rebney said.

“I would say we’ll know where the whole Hector thing falls out in very short order.”

Alvarez will have at least one more fight with Bellator beyond the bout coming up with Aoki in April, and then they will once again enter into a negotiating period with their former champion.

In a perfect world, of course Rebney would like to keep both fighters, but in a realistic situation he knows that may not happen.

“I’d love to keep them both,” said Rebney. “But I don’t know if that’s going to be how it all plays out.”

http://www.mmaweekly.com/will-free-agency-take-both-eddie-alvarez-and-hector-lombard-from-bellator

Lima, Hieron Revealed he Road To Victory Over Champ Askren


Douglas Lima flew 700 miles just to crash a co-worker's party and steal his most prized possession.

Who invited this guy, anyway? What's wrong with him?

Nothing, actually. Lima earned the right to be there by zigzagging North America and punching quality MMA fighters in the face (among other things). Three of them, to be exact.

Bellator season-five tournament winner Lima (21-4 MMA, 3-0 BFC) now challenges welterweight champion Ben Askren (9-0 MMA, 6-0 BFC) in the main event of Bellator 64, which takes place tonight at The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The event's main card, including Askren vs. Lima, airs live on MTV2 (and in high-definition on EPIX). Meanwhile, the preliminary card streams on Spike.com.

After an initial scare in the tournament's opening round against Steve Carl in the form of an equilibrium-disrupting punch behind the ear, Lima went on to grind out a unanimous decision. Then, in the semifinals, he really hit his stride by knocking out power puncher Chris Lozano in the second round – before delivering the same fate to Ben Saunders in the finals en route to capturing the tournament crown.

For his efforts, he was granted $100,000 in total pay – and the opportunity to fight Askren for the belt.

"I earned it," Lima told MMAjunkie.com (http://www.mmajunkie.com). "Here we go. I can't wait to get that title."

His three wins inside of three months was a nice feat, but the most impressive aspect was his back-to-back highlight-reel finishes, which really put a stamp on the festivities.

"It (the tournament run) felt really good, especially because it was against strikers," Lima said. "I beat them at their own game. It was pretty exciting. I got to showcase my skills against tough opponents."

Furthermore, that victory over Saunders is arguably the best to date in the 24-year-old's still relatively young career.

"For me, every win is the biggest," Lima said. "But, of course, Ben Saunders had a lot bigger name than myself at the time. You know, UFC veteran. So it was pretty exciting to beat a guy like that. (He's a) great guy as well. I know him personally. It was really exciting. It was a big win for me."

The downside of running the Bellator gauntlet is the toll it takes on a competitor's body. But luckily for Lima, all he received were the typical bumps and bruises that would heal just fine in due time.

"The tournament format it pretty hard because you have to be on a diet the whole time," Lima said. "You have to fight every month. It's a little hard on your body because you are training so much. But, overall, it's perfect. You're always busy."

Lima still took some time off and was able to travel back to his home country of Brazil and spend some quality time with his family.

"But as soon as I got back to the U.S., I went straight back into training," he said. "I've been working on a lot of wrestling and counter-wrestling since that's his (Askren's) game – plus my usual muay Thai and such."

As per usual, Lima's training camp was stationed at his home base at the American Top Team affiliate in Atlanta. Those he credits with helping him along the way include Roan Carneiro, Brian Stann, George Lockhart, Diego Saraiva and the Assuncao brothers; Raphael, Fred and Junior.

The race to double digits is officially on as Lima and Askren both head into the bout riding nine-fight win streaks.

Askren, a former two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion, seeks his second title defense. The 27-year-old is coming off a razor-thin split-decision victory over Jay Hieron this past October in his first title defense.

Due to the fact that Hieron was able to thwart a healthy percentage of Askren's takedown attempts, he was able to score points on the feet, where he had a distinct advantage over his still-developing opponent.

Lima also will be the superior striker when the cage door closes and likely be looking to replicate a sizeable portion of Hieron's game plan in order to give him a path to victory.

"I got to learn a lot watching that fight," Lima said. "I keep watching it and studying it. It's definitely going to help my game."

While some may go as far as to say Askren is one-dimensional on the feet, you won't hear anything remotely close to that characterization come from Lima. As a general rule, if you're a high level athlete and train with Duke Roufus and company on a regular basis, there's a good chance it's only a matter of time before your kickboxing technique and skills evolve.

To what degree depends on a laundry list of factors, but you can't take anything for granted in MMA. Assumptions have consequences.

"He's a good fighter," Lima said. "He's learning his striking. He trains with good people, good coaches (and is a) fantastic wrestler. (I've got) nothing against the guy, but I'm going to go in there and try to rip his head off."

http://mmajunkie.com/news/28133/for-bellator-64s-lima-hieron-revealed-the-road-to-victory-over-champ-askren.mma

Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren once again showed off his wrestling credentials winning an unanimous decision over top contender Douglas Lima to cap off Bellator 64.

In the main event of the evening, the Bellator welterweight title was on the line as defending champion Ben Askren faced off against Season 5 Welterweight Tournament Winner Douglas Lima. Quickly becoming a staple of Askren fights, the five rounds were dominated by the two-time National wrestling champion. Frustrated, Lima attempted submissions off his back but failed to overcome the grinding style of the U.S. Olympian. With “Funky” holding steady in the dominant position throughout the duration of the fight, the outcome was clear as the champion won every round on the judges’ scorecards.

“This packed house at Caesars Windsor saw why Ben Askren is widely considered one of the best welterweights on the planet,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Ben put on a display of complete dominance tonight, and will be a force in this division for a long time.

With the unanimous decision win, Ben Askren successfully defended the Bellator Welterweight Championship and moved his record to a perfect 10-0. Lima, defeated for the first time in over two years, fell to 21-5.

When it was announced that Marlon Sandro would face his fellow countryman “Popo” Bezerra in the first semifinal fight of the Bellator Season 6 Featherweight Tournament, many fans circled April 6 on their calendars. Through the first two rounds of the contest, Sandro was constantly landing the inside low kicks while “Popo” was looking to counter. Nevertheless, the third round saw a much different Bezerra. Sensing the end of the fight, “Popo” aggressively pursued Sandro, landing solid strikes that moved Sandro backwards. However, it would not be enough as the bell to end the fight sounded, and Sandro was awarded the split-decision victory.

“This guy is a tough guy. I came here to put on a good show for everybody,” an ecstatic Sandro said of the win.

With the split-decision victory, Sandro becomes the first entrant in the Bellator Season Six Featherweight Tournament Finals and improves his record to 22-3. “Popo,” who lost for just the second time in his career, tastes defeat for the first time since 2009.

For Bellator newcomers Travis Marx and Masakatsu Ueda, the opportunity to fight for a future bantamweight title fueled an outstanding back-and-forth affair that had the fans at Caesars Windsor on the edge of their seats. In the opening frame, Marx landed a huge slam that led to effective use of ground and pound while the striking seemed to favor Ueda, who was landing plenty of leg kicks. In the second, both fighters showed excellent grappling skills that had the Windsor crowd on their feet. Ueda landed more kicks to the body; however, Marx was more dominant on the ground. The action continued throughout the final round as both fighters attempted to out-grapple the other until the bell signaled the end of the fight. When the final scorecards from the judges were read, Travis Marx walked away with the hard-earned decision victory.

“I never perceived myself as the underdog from day one. I came out here wanting to win it, and that’s what I did,” said a satisfied Marx.

With the unanimous decision win, Travis Marx punched his ticket to the semifinals of the Bellator Season 6 Bantamweight Tournament and earned the 19th win of his career.

In the first quarterfinal fight of the Season 6 Bantamweight Tournament, undefeated Rodrigo Lima and his opponent, Hiroshi “Iron” Nakamura were both looking to send a message to the rest of the tournament field. In the first round, an aggressive Lima found himself on the mat early after a takedown from Nakamura. While still being active from the guard, Lima attempted submissions while Nakamura worked for a better position. After a one-point deduction in the second round for an illegal blow to the groin, Nakamura again scored a takedown and remained in the top position. Lima, comfortable off his back, attempted submissions and tried to get the finish. In the third, another Nakamura takedown led to much of the same. Both fighters were aggressive on the ground until the sound of the final bell. When the judges’ scorecards were read, all three scored the bout in favor of Hiroshi Nakamura.

“This is my first time fighting in North America so I was feeling uncomfortable in the beginning,” Nakamura said. “But I’m feeling very good about going to the second round.”

With the unanimous decision win, Hiroshi Nakamura improved his record to 15-5 and advanced to the semifinals of the Bellator Season 6 Bantamweight Tournament. Lima, who lost for the first time in his career, fell to 10-1.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/bellator-64-results-askren-holds-onto-his-title-sandro-moves-on