FIGHT LEGION WELCOMES CURRENT TUFF-N-UFF MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION EDMOND XHELILI (6-1) TO THEIR TEAM!
Video Courtesy of tuffnuff.com
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Esteves Jones Back In Action September 17!
Eddie Arizmendi talks win over Jason Norwood at M-1 Global
By: mmainterviews.tv
Eddie ‘Crazy Face’ Arizmendi Makes M-1 Debut
July 1, 2011 By M1 Global Admin
Throughout Arizona, fans have been raving about Eddie ‘Crazy Face’ Arizmendi (14-4), watching him grow and mature as a fighter in the local ranks. Now signed to Europe’s leading mixed martial arts promotion, M-1 Global, the Apex Gym warrior makes his debut at M-1 Challenge: Bennett vs. Garner from The Hangar in Costa Mesa, California, Friday, July 8, LIVE on SHOWTIME starting at 11 p.m. ET (delayed on the West Coast). When the bell rings to start the action Arizmendi will stand opposite Captain ‘G.I’ Jason Norwood (11-2) and aims to break the US Army’s unshakeable will.
The 25 year old Native American of Mexican heritage is Tucson’s middleweight gem; standing a solid 6’ 3”, Arizmendi was a previously top-ranked high school football quarterback and the talented warrior still hits up the field during his training ‘downtime’. But it was a trip to a local fight card with his father that inspired him to dedicate his life completely to mixed martial arts and he hasn’t looked back since.
Training out of Apex Gym with trainer Joey Rivera and under the management and guidance of Sky Andren of Fight Legion Inc., Arizmendi is the former RITC champion and rides a momentous eight-fight streak into Costa ‘Mesa, California; for the first time in his so-far illustrious career as the ‘big fish in the little pond’, ’Crazy Face’ takes his amped-up fighting style head-on into the next level of competition.
Transitioning from the regional to National / International calibre of opposition should come easy for the talented warrior; his game is decorated with a versatile submission arsenal and he packs potent striking backed up with knock-out power. What stands out specifically about his style is the evident controlled anger and rage that is interwoven through all his elements.
His versatility is simply impressive and it seems he’s never at a loss when it comes to transitioning from boxing to wrestling to BJJ. Standing up, he throws combinations with laser-guided precision; wrestling, he can scoop a single or double leg effortlessly and rain heavy G&P bombs; submissions; slick and fluid.
Above all else, Arizmendi is a finisher; of his 14 wins, he’s seen the judges’ scorecards only twice – that’s a finishing average of nearly 86%, a stat intoxicating to the M-1 executive brass and a perfect fit with M-1’s reputation for producing action-packed events.
As the night’s telecast kick-off bout, Arizmendi’s Arizona fan-base will be tuning in intently to watch their hometown boy make the jump to the big league against Norwood, a twisted testament to the saying: ‘hate to see you leave but love to watch you go.’
M-1 Challenge: Bennett vs. Garner airs LIVE on SHOWTIME on Friday, July 8 at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and is headlined by the rematch between the 2010 M-1 Selection Americas Tournament heavyweight finalists Pat Bennett (4-2) and Kenny ‘Deuce’ Garner (6-3).
Tickets are priced at $75 for the front row and all other seats at $50 and can be purchased online at www.fightcluboc.com, or by calling Roy Englebrecht Promotions at (949) 760-3131.
Mauro Ranallo will call the action from ringside with Pat Miletich serving as analyst. The telecast will be produced by Chuck McKean and directed by Craig Farrell. The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is David Dinkins, Jr.
With M-1 Challenge champions established in all five weight classes, a true contenders system will fuel events throughout 2011, driving M-1 Global’s growth as a leading brand in the US and international markets.
2011’s full slate of M-1 Challenge events held in the United States and Europe are primed to be mega-event spectaculars where Champions defend their titles and contenders jockey for position for a coveted shot at the gold. Feeding the contention system will be two Selection tournaments in 2011 with details being announced shortly.
For information on M-1 Global, go to the official M-1 website, www.M-1Global.com and M-1 Global facebook fan page.
For information on SHOWTIME Sports programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go to the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.
Strikeforce Post-Fight Video: Chad Griggs Just Won’t Go Away
Posted on June 19, 2011 by MMAWeekly.com Staff
Chad Griggs was brought into Strikeforce last August to be a lamb to slaughter for Bobby Lashley. Thing is, Griggs saw it differently, and on Saturday night at Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum in Dallas, he racked up his third consecutive victory for the promotion.
Now, with his win over Valentijn Overeem at the American Airlines Center, Griggs is one of the top heavyweights on the sidelines waiting in case one of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix fighters is unable to continue.
In just 2:08, Griggs pounded Overeem into submission.
After the fight, he spoke with Showtime Sports’ Heidi Androl about his unlikely success in Strikeforce and dispatching Overeem, the older brother of heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.
April 8 Fight Legion comes to Texas!
Chad Griggs Pulls off the big win!
Esteves Jones is the new King of the Cage Champ!
'Sho Nuff' Has The Stuff - Wallace signs three-fight deal with MFC
Article provided by maximumfighting.com
Rodney Wallace is hoping a new three-fight contract with the Maximum Fighting Championship could ultimately lead to a change in his rather unique nickname.
Tagged “Sho Nuff the Master,” Wallace has desires on propelling his new deal into wearing an MFC title belt, and becoming “Sho Nuff the Champ.”
“My aim is to become the champ,” said Wallace (10-3), who had a successful debut in the organization at MFC 26.
“I’m excited to be part of the Maximum Fighting Championship. I hope to become a fan favorite by being a real crowd pleaser.”
At MFC 26, the Charlotte, North Carolina, product came in on short notice as a replacement for Glover Teixeira to face David Heath in a light heavyweight bout. Despite the lack of prep time, Wallace was the aggressor in the fight, scored with a couple of solid takedowns, and eventually pulled away to a unanimous-decision victory. Based on the numbers from Comp-U-Strike, Wallace scored 70% of his standing strikes and 92% of his ground strikes, along with going 3-for-5 in takedowns.
While that performance wasn’t a particularly exciting effort, Wallace expects to be much more electrifying with ample time to set himself up for his return at MFC 27. That card, coming in February 2011, could see Wallace go head-to-head against title contender and popular home-grown product Dwayne Lewis.
“That fight would be very cool. He’s tough ... I like ’em that way,” offered Wallace on the potential battle.
Wallace shows growth in MFC 27 win, looks to stay busy
By BRIAN LINDER, T&D Sports Editor | Posted: Tuesday, November 16, 2010 5:32 pm
Rodney Wallace looked into the camera Friday night and flexed, showing off his black Untamed Industries shirt.
Fitting, the whole "Untamed" thing, because, Wallace (10-3), the former Bamberg-Ehrhardt High star athlete, had just capped off a wild win over fellow former UFC veteran David Heath (16-7) at MFC 27, pulling off a unanimous decision win, 29-28, on all three judges' score cards. It was his first win since Sept. 5, 2009 when he defeated Antwain Britt via armbar at Vendetta Fighting Championship'S "A Night of Vengeance."
"It feels good," Wallace said. "It's been about a year. It feels good, catching that feeling again. It felt real comfortable out there. The atmosphere and the feeling afterwards was great."
Wallace took the fight against Heath, who had bouts against the likes of Lyoto Machida and Renato "Babalu" Sobral under his belt, on just five days notice. After a short feeling out period, and a couple of crisp shots landed from Heath, one of which opened up Wallace's brow, the muscle-bound fighter known as "Sho Nuff the Master," displayed a new side to his striking arsenal - kicks.
"I'm just trying to grow," Wallace said. "I'm never real complacent. I think I can get better. I realized it's a different range. Before, when I was just boxing, people noticed and used that to my disadvantage. I felt like I had to change up my range and add kicks to keep them at a distance and not let them know I want to come in all the time."
And, late in the first round, Wallace landed a kick - a leaping double front kick (for pro wrestling enthusiasts, think drop kick) - that blasted Heath across the ring. The move, rarely, if ever, seen in MMA, was the talk of the event.
"That is just one of those spur of the moment things," Wallace said. "I played around with it once in the gym. It's something we do, just playing, and I think when he had some distance on me, I was going to go up to him and do a push kick or something.
"Even looking back at the tape, I can't tell you what I was thinking."
Wallace dominated the second and third rounds of the fight.
"The whole time, I knew my hands were faster than his," Wallace said. "My whole goal was to be patient. In a lot of my other fights, I tried to show that I was superior real early. I felt like I was going to be real patient and wait. He caught me a couple of times, and I knew he could get a good shot off, a combination and that was really going to put me in a bad situation. But, I was just working his body a lot because I knew he was soft in the body. I could tell at the end of the first round that he was tired.
"And, I could have thrown a lot more hands, but my right hand, my manager didn't even know, but my right hand was killing me," he continued. "I injured the bone right behind the pinky on my right hand. The one time I did throw and hit him, I hit him on top of his head, and I was like, ‘Man, I'm not throwing that hand a lot.'"
Tuesday, Wallace was back in the gym getting ready for his next fight. He said he plans to stay busy and hopes to fight in December and January. He has also been busy with his new school, "Sho Nuff Self Defense," which he recently opened in Salisbury, NC.
"You have to plan for the future," Wallace said of opening the school. "You have to invest on the future. I like teaching. I'm always in my school showing guys stuff and teaching, and 5-10 years from now, when I decide that fighting isn't beneficial anymore, I will be teaching guys fighting."
Contact the writer: blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553.
NEW SIGNATURE CHAD GRIGGS SHIRT AVAILABLE NOW AT WWW.UNTAMEDINDUSTRIES.COM
Chad Griggs Says Bobby Lashley's Excuses Are 'Bad Sportsmanship'
Ben Fowlkes
MMA Writer / Fanhouse.com
Ever since Chad Griggs defeated former pro wrestler Bobby Lashley at Strikeforce: Houston, things in his life have been, as he puts it, "pretty crazy, but good crazy." The calls have come in a steady stream. His website traffic has jumped tremendously. Suddenly people in the MMA world know his name. That'll happen when you beat an 8-1 favorite on national TV.
But recently Lashley appeared on "The MMA Hour" and offered a handful of reasons why he wasn't at his best on that particular night, even claiming at one point that had he been completely healthy, he would have notched "a pretty quick win" over Griggs in Houston.
Not surprisingly, this is the kind of thing that rubs Griggs the wrong way.
"Everybody can kind of take it however they want. It's an excuse," Griggs told MMA Fighting. "I know a couple days before he said he was 100% and he was going to smash me and all that. I've never been much of a trash talker and I'm not going to talk any now, but I would have hoped that he would have given me a little credit and said he made a few mistakes or would have done things different or it just wasn't his night, but I guess he's trying to find a reason why he lost. It is what it is, but I feel like it's a little bit of bad sportsmanship."
The way Lashley tells it, he was suffering from mono and dehydration going into the fight, and that's why he couldn't maintain the pace he set in the first round.
While Griggs admits he has no way of knowing how much of that is legitimate and how much is a comforting tale for Lashley to tell himself, he points out that Lashley didn't start the fight like a man with health issues, though he did end it more or less exactly how Griggs hoped he would.
"The first round I'd say he was pretty dang explosive, pretty powerful. Then he got tired. He used a lot of energy. That's pretty much what we counted on the whole training. He's carrying so much muscle mass, [the game plan] was to survive that first round, make him work and make him tired, and then take advantage of him being tired in the second part of the fight. That's what happened."
And though Lashley claimed that the cut he suffered near the end of the first round didn't affect his mental state, Griggs still sees it differently.
"No question at all [the cut] affected him. Like I said before, he hadn't really been in a fight up to that point. He hadn't really been hit by anyone. He was in fights where he would take guys down and they would lay there and let him punch them out."
Lashley said he's already asked Strikeforce for a rematch with Griggs because, as he put it, "when you have certain events like I did that sort of hindered me from being able to open up and fight, I've got to go back."
But according to Griggs, Strikeforce officials have not mentioned the possibility of a rematch, though they have suggested other potential opponents.
"They have not said anything to me [about a rematch]. I know they promised me another big fight. I want to keep moving up, so I'm pushing for another big name. We've heard Brett Rogers, and there's been a few times thrown out there. I'd prefer not to fight Bobby again because I feel like we've already done that. ... If he comes in and wins then it's like, okay, he was sick and that was a fluke. If I win again, then I'm in the same place I'm already at."
For now Griggs is content to return to his normal life as a firefighter and paramedic in Tucson, Arizona while he waits to hear what Strikeforce has planned for him next. He knows the organization wasn't planning on him winning that fight, he said, but none of that mattered once the cage door closed. The aftermath of his victory has been an education unto itself.
"It's funny how the fight world works," said Griggs. "You're nobody and then you have a big fight and all of a sudden you're somebody. Then you can't stay off the phone. But it fizzles out, and if you lose then you're nobody again. They're quick to throw you off to the side. It's an interesting sport."
Fight Legion Fighters take part in PSA against Dog Fighting!
NEW CHAD GRIGGS WEBSITE!! SIGN UP FOR HIS OFFICIAL FAN CLUB
www.fight.tv/chadgriggs
Fight Legion fighter's Ty Lee & Steve Siler Fight for Showdown Sep. 24
AFTER WIN OVER LASHLEY, GRIGGS NOW EYES ROGERS Monday, September 06, 2010 - by Ken Pishna - MMAWeekly.com
Following the success of Brock Lesnar, who rocketed to the UFC heavyweight championship in record time, fellow former WWE Superstar Bobby Lashley had the weight of the MMA world on his shoulders.
At least that was the case before Chad Griggs, not so graciously, removed the burden.
Despite an overall record of 8-1 heading into his fight with Lashley, Griggs was largely overlooked by the MMA community. That all changed when he TKO’d the man with the weight of “the next Brock Lesnar” tag firmly affixed to him.
He took that fight without hesitation.
“It was a great opportunity for me. I had nothing to lose,” he admitted.
And he is already looking forward without flinching.
“I have a pretty strong feeling we're gonna stay at heavyweight because (Strikeforce) needs some heavyweights,” said Griggs, who had been contemplating a move to 205 pounds prior to the Lashley bout. “They're trying to build on their heavyweight division there. I've been hearing a lot of rumors and I hope that it happens, Brett Rogers' name has been thrown around a few times.”
Rogers, much like Griggs, entered the limelight with his win over former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski, but has stalled out with back-to-back losses to Fedor Emelianenko and Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.
The fight would seem a decent bridge for Griggs to try and step up in the heavyweight ranks, while conversely being a solid retooling fight for Rogers should he win.
“I know he's actually fighting outside of Strikeforce in Canada next,” added Griggs, “but I'm hoping that one goes through. He's another huge guy, but it would be the exact opposite of the fight that Bobby was. He's a stand-up guy and I think it would be a real exciting fight, so I'm hoping that gets put together.
“There was talk of December, I guess they're gonna be doing a big show. They haven't given me any solid details or anything. We're hoping to hear in the next few weeks or so.”
If it isn’t Rogers, Strikeforce still has a few other options, depending on how they intend to handle Griggs. Arlovski is on a three-fight skid, looking to rebuild, or if they want to pit Griggs with another up-and-comer, Daniel Cormier is another avenue.
“Scott Coker has told me that I've earned a shot at another big name, so I'm hoping that they give me a legitimate chance to fight another one of their big name fighters,” said Griggs, obviously focused on the Rogers/Arlovski route.
Regardless, the victory over Lashley opened some doors for Griggs, who has a golden opportunity to make his way up the Strikeforce ranks.
CHAD GRIGGS UPSETS FORMER WWE SUPERSTAR LASHLEY
Saturday, August 21, 2010 - by Ken Pishna - MMAWeekly.com
All good things must come to an end. And on Saturday night, Bobby Lashley’s good thing finally came to an end. His unbeaten streak fell by the wayside at the Toyota Center in Houston when the unsung Chad Griggs took advantage of his one-dimensional fighting style.
Lashley came out as he always does, shooting the takedown, and ground and pounding. It worked well for him for the better part of the fight, but Griggs caught him with a series of uppercuts on one of the takedowns in the first round, opening a gash under the left corner of the former WWE Superstar’s left eye.
Lashley was able to continue in the second round, but continued his one-dimensional style of takedowns and ground and pound. The problem being that Griggs adjusted enough to continue wearing on Lashley.
Griggs sprawled out on a takedown near the end of round two and made Lashley pay dearly for it, hammerfisting the side of his head until the round ended.
Lashley made it to the bell, but shortly after, the referee took a look in Lashley’s eyes and waived off the fight.
Griggs, a firefighter and paramedic by day, immediately put himself on the Strikeforce heavyweight map, upping his professional record to 9-1.
“It feels so good. It’s like a dream,” he said after the fight. “I think there’s like 15 people here that thought I was gonna win and that’s my family.”
Griggs still has a lot to prove in a division that includes the likes of Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum, Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Silva, Brett Rogers, and other, but he took a huge step forward at Strikeforce: Houston.
Wallace vs. Nedkov among five UFC 117 preliminary-card additions
Following Thursday's official announcement of UFC 117 and three main-card bouts, including a headliner of UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen, UFC officials have unveiled the night's preliminary card.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) previously reported most of the matchups, including light heavyweights Thiago Silva (14-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) vs. Tim Boetsch (11-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) and welterweights Dustin Hazelett (12-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) vs. Rick Story (10-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC).
A new addition, though, is light heavyweight Rodney Wallace (9-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) vs. UFC newcomer Stanislav Nedkov (11-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC).
UFC 117 takes place Aug. 7 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, and the night's main card and airs on pay-per-view.
In addition to Silva vs. Boetsch and Hazelett vs. Story, additional bouts previously reported and now official include welterweights Ben Saunders (8-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) vs. Dennis Hallman (41-13-2 MMA, 1-4 UFC) and 170-pounders Johny Hendricks (8-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) vs. Charlie Brenneman (11-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC).
Wallace, meanwhile, is fighting for his life in the organization following back-to-back unanimous-decision losses to Brian Stann and Jared Hamman. Although most fighters are dropped from the organization following a 0-2 start, Wallace likely got a reprieve because the Hamman bout at UFC 111 was a "Fight of the Night" award winner that netted each fighter $65,000.
Wallace, an accomplished Division II running back for Catawba College's football team, now meets Nedkov, an undefeated Bulgarian fighter who comes to the UFC after stints with organizations such as Shooto Bulgaria and World Victory Road's Sengoku event series, where he scored wins over former UFC fighters Travis Wiuff and Kevin Randleman. Despite a wrestling and jiu-jitsu background, he's comfortable on his feet and has scored five knockout wins. In fact, only two of his 11 career wins went to a decision.
The latest UFC 117 card now includes:
MAIN CARD
Champ Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen (for middleweight title)
Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Hughes
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Clay Guida
Thiago Alves vs. Jon Fitch*
Junior Dos Santos vs. Roy Nelson*
PRELIMINARY CARD
Tim Boetsch vs. Thiago Silva
Dustin Hazelett vs. Rick Story
Dennis Hallman vs. Ben Saunders
Charlie Brenneman vs. Johny Hendricks
Stanislav Nedkov vs. Rodney Wallace
* - Not officially announced
