MMA Junkie

Poll results: Who wins the Shark Fights 13 bout between Jardine and Prangley?
The Texas-based Shark Fights organization has put together a talent-laden card as it enters the pay-per-view market for the first time in company history.

And while there are a number of intriguing matchups on the Sept. 11 even, the main event provides a pair of UFC veterans with big-fight experience.

In our most recent MMAjunkie.com/"Inside MMA" poll, we asked readers to predict whether Keith Jardine or Trevor Prangley would claim victory in Amarillo, Texas, in the Shark Fights 13 pay-per-view headliner.



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MMAjunkie.com Radio: Bellator's Bjorn Rebney, UFC 120's Mike Pyle, TSJ winner
MMAjunkie.com Radio today welcomes Bellator Fighting Championships CEO Bjorn Rebney to the program, as well as UFC 120 competitor Mike Pyle.

Rebney calls in to preview tonight's Bellator 27 event, which features a title fight between featherweight champ Joe Soto and challenger Joe Warren. Pyle, re-scheduled from Wednesday's show, discusses his bout with John Hathaway at next month's Spike TV-televised UFC 120 event. "The Sunday Junkie" winner David Quan also calls in to discuss his winning entry.

MMAjunkie.com Radio airs from 12-2 p.m. ET (9-11 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. Listen to and watch a video stream of the two-hour show at www.mmajunkie.com/radio.



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Thiago Alves answers Mike Pierce's call, eyes UFC 123 meeting
Well, that didn't take long.

UFC welterweight Thiago Alves is more than willing to fight up-and-comer Mike Pierce this fall. Alves plans to text UFC president Dana White for a possible booking at UFC 123 on Nov. 20.

"I would be more than happy to beat [Pierce's] ass if the UFC allows me," Alves told MMAjunkie.com. "I will show him some love, definitely."



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Stephan Bonnar vs. Igor Pokrajac targeted for The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale
Stephan Bonnar, finalist in the original season of "The Ultimate Fighter," returns to where it all began.

Well, kind of.

While he'll compete at a different venue that the night of his legendary April 2005 battle with Forrest Griffin, Bonnar will fight Igor Pokrajac in Las Vegas on a live finale of "The Ultimate Fighter." This time, it's the soon-to-debut 12th season.



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"Rhino" vs. Uscola heads Tachi Palace Fights 6; MMAjunkie.com's Morgan broadcasts
Former WEC light heavyweight champion Doug "Rhino" Marshall returns to the venue that gave birth to his MMA career to take on "The Ultimate Fighter 11" cast member Kyacey Uscola under the Tachi Palace Fights banner.

Marshall and Uscola meet in the main event of "Tachi Palace Fights 6: High Stakes" on Sept. 9 at The Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif.

The card also features a co-main event between former WEC lightweight champ "Razor" Rob McCullough and "The Ultimate Fighter 5" cast member Corey Hill, as well as a middleweight title fight between dual challengers Anthony Ruiz and Leopoldo Serao.



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Thiago Alves vs. John Howard targeted for UFC 124
Well, you can't always get what you want.

One day after Thiago Alves welcomed a fight with Mike Pierce, who on Tuesday called him out on MMAjunkie.com Radio, the former contender is now expected to meet John Howard at UFC 124.

Sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com that verbal agreements are in place and contracts will be sent out shortly.



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Fight Path: With 10 titles to her name, Germaine de Randamie starting over
If an early childhood choice had gone another direction, Germaine De Randamie might've become a dancer.

Instead, she turned to something no less focused on movement but a touch more violent.

"When I was 8, my mother said I could choose between dancing and kickboxing," De Randamie told MMAjunkie.com. "I went to the first kickboxing class, and I never even made it to dancing. I told her I had found what I wanted to do."



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MSAC: UFC 118 draws 14,168 spectators for $2.8 million live gate
This past weekend's "UFC 118: Edgar vs. Penn II" event at the TD Garden in Boston drew 14,168 spectators for a live gate of approximately $2.8 million, according to the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission.

MSAC officials today emailed the preliminary figures to MMAjunkie.com.

Of the 14,168 fans in the arena, 11,205 purchased tickets and 2,963 were issued complimentary admission, according to the report.



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UFC 118 medical suspensions: Nate Diaz and John Salter out for up to six months
While this past weekend's UFC 118 event concluded without a single knockout, that doesn't mean the night's competitors escaped without issue.

The Massachusetts State Athletic Commission today emailed the list of UFC 118 medical suspensions to MMAjunkie.com.

The evening's four main-event and co-main-event competitors were each cleared to return immediately, though Nate Diaz and John Salter's six-month orders led a list of 10 fighters suspended by the commission.



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Brian Bowles vs. Wagnney Fabiano likely for WEC 52 in Las Vegas
A bantamweight contest between former champion Brian Bowles and Nova Uniao submission ace Wagnney Fabiano has been targeted for WEC 52.

MMAjunkie.com has confirmed with sources close to the event that verbal agreements are in place for the contest and bout agreements are expected to be finalized shortly. News of the matchup was first reported by SportsNet.ca.

While the event has yet to be officially announced, MMAjunkie.com has learned that WEC 52 is expected to take place Nov. 11 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.



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Karo Parisyan vs. Dennis Hallman slated for UFC 123 in Michigan
As it turns out, UFC president Dana White believes in second, or maybe third, chances.

Nine months after White gave Karo Parisyan his walking papers, the welterweight veteran is octagon bound once again for a meeting with Dennis Hallman at UFC 123.

Although not officially announced by the promotion, UFC 123 is expected to take place Nov. 20 at Palace of Auburn Hills in suburban Michigan.



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After latest opponent switch, UFC's Gunderson says Edwards a better matchup
Short-notice and last-minute are two terms that describe the bulk of John Gunderson's career. By now, the UFC lightweight is used to opponent switches. He grumbles for a minute, then moves on. It doesn't much change his job in the gym.

Gunderson is from the school of year-round training. There are no fight camps - just a never-ending loop of gym sessions broken up only by his daughter's soccer games.

He admits he was disappointed when he couldn't fight "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner Efrain Escudero, who instead ended up taking a fight with Charles Oliveira on the main card of UFC Fight Night 22 on Sept. 15 in Austin, Texas. But Gunderson also thinks Escudero's replacement, veteran Yves Edwards, is just as good a name, and a better overall opponent.



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UFC 118 salaries: Toney ($500K), Couture ($250K) top $1.428 million fighter payroll
Co-headliners James Toney ($500,000) and Randy Couture ($250,000) garnered the most attention heading into this past weekend's UFC 118 event, and they also walked home with the evening's largest disclosed checks.

MMAjunkie.com recently requested and today received the list of officially disclosed paydays from the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission.

The total disclosed payroll for the Aug. 28 event was $1.428 million.



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Late replacement Gabe Ruediger promised another UFC fight
Despite a less-than-impressive return to the organization, Gabe Ruediger will get another fight in the UFC.

Ruediger, who failed to make weight and then flamed out of "The Ultimate Fighter 5" cast back in 2007, posted a six-fight win streak to earn his way back into the UFC.

But this past weekend as a replacement for injured Terry Etim, Ruediger suffered a one-sided beatdown and eventual submission loss to Joe Lauzon at UFC 118.



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Danillo Villefort added to Shark Fights 13, faces Joey Villasenor
Drew McFedries' loss is Danillo Villefort's gain.

MMAjunkie.com has learned from sources close to the American Top Team Fighter that he has verbally agreed to replace an injured McFedries on just one-week's notice and fight Joey Villasenor on the main card of Shark Fights 13.

Bout agreements are expected to be finalized shortly.



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New Bellator signee Chris Lozano targeted for Bellator 31 fight with Yoshiyuki Yoshida
Undefeated welterweight prospect Chris Lozano was recently announced as the newest member of the Bellator Fighting Championships' roster, and it appears his first matchup has already been determined.

MMAjunkie.com has learned from sources close to the fighter that Lozano has agreed to meet five-time UFC veteran Yoshiyuki Yoshida at Bellator 31.

Bellator officials have yet to officially announce the contest, which takes place Sept. 30 at L'Auberge du Lac Casino and Resort in Lake Charles, La.



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Karlos Vemola drops to 205, meets Seth Petruzelli at UFC 122
More European talent is headed toward UFC 122 in Oberhausen, Germany.

MMAjunkie.com today learned from multiple sources close to the event that Karlos "The Terminator" Vemola is moving from heavyweight to light heavyweight and is expected to meet Seth Petruzelli.

UFC 122 takes place Nov. 13 in Oberhausen's Konig Pilsener Arena and airs stateside on Spike TV via same-day delay.



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WEC officials announce "Best of WEC" DVD for Sept. 7 release
While DVD sales have long provided a consistent revenue stream for the UFC, the company's sister promotion just recently joined the market.

Now, a little less than two months after releasing its first title, "WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber," under an agreement with Image Entertainment, Inc., the promotion has announced a follow-up.

On Tuesday, Sept. 7, a selection of some of the best fights under the WEC banner from 2008 and 2009 will be released on a "Best of WEC" DVD.



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Drew McFedries, Marcus Hicks scratched from Shark Fights 13 event
All mixed martial arts promotions are forced to deal with the reality of injuries, and the upstart Shark Fights organization is no exception.

While the Texas-based promotion will host its first-ever pay-per-view event with next week's Shark Fights 13 card, the organization will need to secure a pair of late replacements.

Shark Fights head Brent Medley on Friday confirmed with MMAjunkie.com Radio that both Drew McFedries and Marcus Hicks have been forced to withdraw from the event and replacements are currently being sought.



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MMAjunkie.com Radio this week: Jardine, Silva, Belfort, Cruz, Daley and more
With a holiday here in the U.S., MMAjunkie.com Radio this week has an adjusted schedule.

No shows take place today or Friday, but the radio crew offers a special "Primetime" edition on Tuesday in addition to the rest of the lineup.

Special guests this week include notables such as Keith Jardine, Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort, Dominick Cruz, Antonio Silva, Paul Daley and others throughout the week.



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Best Buy manager led Carey Vanier to pro MMA, Thursday's Bellator 28 event
Carey Vanier probably still would be cruising the aisles of Best Buy had one of his managers not asked him about risk.

The Bellator lightweight was interviewing for a promotion at the big-box retailer and realized he hadn't taken any.

He had always been scared that he wouldn't be able to provide for his son if he pursued his true passion of fighting professionally in mixed martial arts. But if he didn't give it a try, he couldn't live with himself.



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Ready to embrace heel role, Mike Pyle promises British beatdown at UFC 120
Twenty-three-year-old British welterweight John Hathaway has made a big splash in the his division. But Mike Pyle is not impressed.

Pyle, who meets Hathaway at UFC 120 as a replacement for injured Dong Hyun Kim, says his young opponent is in over his head this time.

"I will beat the [expletive] out of John Hathaway," Pyle recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio.



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Friday's "Shine Fights: Lightweight Grand Prix" moves from Virginia to Oklahoma
Friday's "Shine Fights: Lightweight Grand Prix" event, which features a single-night eight-man tournament, has moved from Virginia to Oklahoma.

After issues with the Virginia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Program, Shine Fights officials were forced to find a new venue.

Today, company COO Jason Chambers posted a Twitter message confirming the Sept. 10 pay-per-view show now takes place at the First Council Casino in Norman, Okla.



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