Mittwoch, 29. Februar 2012

American River Birds: Paddlers, Hunters, and Wee Flyers

Many of you have probably rafted the South Fork of the American River and wondered about the wildlife that lives on the riverbank and in the canyon.  If you’ve been particularly curious about the feathered creatures, you’ll be interested in a special event hosted by the American River Conservancy this Saturday, January 28th.  Point Reyes [...]

Source: http://feed.aorafting.com/~r/aoblog/~3/q8J7uFc3CZo/

Richard Eierstedt Jimmy Ellis Jeff Emig Harry Everts

Roy Nelson’s excellent adventure includes sleeping in a capsule and, um, feasting on blowfish testicles


Roy Nelson probably didn't need to prove his toughness anymore after he survived the beating he took from Fabricio Werdum in their heavyweight match on Feb. 4 at UFC 143 in Las Vegas. In video from Dana White's video blog, Nelson is seen complaining that he felt he won the fight, which provokes a chuckle from UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta.

But if you didn't believe in the big man's toughness before, perhaps you will after watching the tour of Japan that he did while in Tokyo for UFC 144, which is Saturday at the Saitama Super Arena.

Nelson went to a Buddhist temple and showed off some strange sleeping quarters, which more closely resembles a dog kennel, at the Asakusa Capsule Hotel.

By far, though, the highlight of the tour is when Nelson & Co. went to a Tokyo restaurant and ate blowfish. Not only did Nelson eat blowfish filet, he also ate blowfish testicles.

It's hard to tell whether or not he likes it, though the odd guttural sound he made after swallowing the blowfish testicles might give away his true feelings.

Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
Bobby Knight's son says his players will be homeless without jobs
Virginia safety Joseph Williams goes on a hunger strike
Anger over fatal horse injuries in filming of HBO's 'Luck'
Y! Blogs: What to watch for this weekend in politics

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/roy-nelson-excellent-adventure-includes-sleeping-capsule-um-043328688.html

Rob Broughton  Mike Brown  Junie Browning Paul Buentello 

Video: Ryan Bader knocks out Keith Jardine

Though he has a strong wrestling background, Ryan Bader has plenty of power in his hands. He showed this when he knocked out Keith Jardine in the third round of their bout at UFC 110.

Bader had a long undefeated streak that was stopped by eventual champion Jon Jones. Tito Ortiz added to Bader's troubles by submitting him at UFC 132.

He got back on the winning track with a first-round knockout of Jason Brilz in November. This weekend, he has another chance to show he's in the upper echelon of light heavyweights against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Will he do it, or will Jackson get the win? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/video-ryan-bader-knocks-keith-jardine-151113024.html

Gesias JZ Calvancante  Luiz Cane  Dos Caras Jr   Phil Cardella

Paula Sack Interviews Demian Maia - UFC 131

Paual talks to Demian about his preparation for his upcoming fight versus Mark Munoz at UFC 131: Dos Santos vs Carwin. Watch the event Live on Pay-Per-View or www.UFC.tv this Sat Jun 11th at 6/9PM PT/ET

Source: http://mmalice.com/ufc-131/paula-sack-interviews-demian-maia-video_2ad01b3d5.html

Marcus Hansson Doug Henry Broc Hepler Rob Herring

Perth Street Montage


Check this rad montage from the streets of Perth, Australia. Via: SLAM.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/EfWi91_0Phg/perth-street-montage.html

Dos Caras Jr   Phil Cardella Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin 

Video gold: Just three years ago UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson was trying to get on TUF 9

There's all sorts of routes to UFC stardom. Benson Henderson is a great fighter, but his path to a fight with Frank Edgar could've been much different.

He graduated from WEC to UFC to the best fighter in the world's best division. How fast did it happen? Well just over three years ago, Henderson was trying to get a slot on Season 9 of the "Ultimate Fighter."

Cage Potato found this Bendo video as he tried to woo the UFC and Spike into choosing for the United States vs. United Kingdom season.

The lightweights that season were Santino DeFranco, Jason Dent, Cameron Dollar, Richie Whitson. They combined for one fight beyond the TUF 9 Finale. The field was smaller because of U.S. vs. U.K. theme, but clearly they whiffed on this one or they had bigger things in mind for Henderson. He debuted just months late in the WEC with a win over Anthony Njokuani.

At the end of the video, Henderson makes a promise.

"I fought my through the smaller shows. Now it's my time to dance underneath the lights," Henderson said. "I will win the UFC Season 9 Ultimate Fighter and I will fight for the title. You're looking at the future lightweight champ of the UFC."

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/video-gold-just-three-years-ago-ufc-lightweight-154944862.html

Paul Friedrichs Steven Frossard Eric Geboers Sylvain Geboers

Matchmaker, matchmaker: Fights for ‘Mayhem,’ Evan Dunham and Eddie Alvarez

Though MMA's spring schedule is not as dizzying as its winter pace, there are plenty of fight cards that need filling. To that end:

-- Jason "Mayhem" Miller will take on C.B. Dollaway at UFC 146 on Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas. This is Miller's first fight since losing the Michael Bisping at "The Ultimate Fighter" season 14 finale. Dollaway has been finished in his last two bouts, a TKO to Jared Hamman and a KO to Mark Munoz.

-- Evan Dunham and Edson Barboza will also meet at UFC 146. Dunham just fought at UFC on Fox 2, scoring a win over Nik Lentz. Known for his powerful striking, Barboza has never lost. His knockout of Terry Etim at UFC 142 was called one of the best knockouts in UFC history.

-- In Bellator, Eddie Alvarez and Shinya Aoki are expected to meet in April. Alvarez was submitted by an Aoki heel hook in 2008. After that loss, he won seven straight before losing a classic title bout to Michael Chandler. Aoki is currently holds the DREAM lightweight belt.

Who will win these bouts? Talk to us in the comments, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/matchmaker-matchmaker-fights-mayhem-evan-dunham-eddie-alvarez-163239878.html

Ao Hailin  Shinya Aoki  Andrei Arlovski  Ricardo Arona 

Stipe Miocic pounds Philip De Fries for quick KO victory at UFC on Fuel TV 1

Division 1 baseball and wrestling are on his resume, but if Stipe Miocic keeps going this way in mixed martial arts those accomplishments will be a footnote. The former elite athlete at Cleveland State put on a show on Fuel TV by finishing a fellow unbeaten Philip De Fries in just 43 seconds in Omaha, Ne.

After a plodding victory over Joey Beltran in his debut at UFC, Miocic looked to send a message here. He came out looking to bang and paid the price in the early seconds. Just 16 seconds in, De Fries (8-1, 1-1 UFC) drilled him with a three-punch combination. The Independence, Ohio native stood his ground stuffing a weak attempt at a clinch and reset himself.

Miocic (8-0. 2-0 UFC) landed a big right of own with 4:25 left that stopped De Fries in his tracks. A submission specialist, De Fries freaked out and tried to punch his way out of trouble. It didn't work. De Fries got pushed back into the cage when Miocic landed another big right. That was all it took. He dropped to his hands and his knees, and covered up. He didn't want to fight anymore, so referee Dan Miragliotta saved him after seven more shots.

Miocic's skill set is impressive. He was a high level college wrestler at 197 pounds and also played on the Cleveland State baseball team.

He's the rare wrestler, who also boxed at a young age. He's got a Golden Gloves title to his credit. At 29, he's getting a little bit of a late start to his MMA career, but it's also allowed to grow into his frame. The 6-foot-4, 240 pounder didn't have an ounce of fat on him. He continues the trend of new heavyweights, who are much more athletic than the big men of the part.

Dillashaw regains his status as a top 135-pound prospect to watch

The outcome of "The Ultimate Fighter" doesn't  always predict who'll be the best fighter to come off the show. T.J. Dillashaw wasn't up to snuff at the TUF 14 Finale, but he more than made up for it tonight by putting on a clinch against Walel Watson. Dillashaw rolled with a unanimous decision victory, 30-25, 30-25 and 30-26.

Dillashaw, 25, destroyed Watson from the opening seconds. He scored two takedowns early and worked what appeared to be three nasty chokes.  And that was all in the first round. In the second, Watson found himself on his back just 24 seconds in. By late in the second, he'd outstruck Watson 110-2.

At 5-11, Watson is extremely long for the division, but Dillashaw did a great job staying away from any submission predicaments by working mostly from half guard. He also mounted Watson on several occasions.

At the end of the fight, Dillashaw's advantage in the stats department was staggering. He outlanded 172-12.

TUF 12 champ Brookins looks explosive in easy victory over Rocha

If Jonathan Brookins can clean up one bugaboo in his game he has a chance to be a real player in the UFC's featherweight division. Brookins holds his chin a little too high, but it didn't matter tonight because he made such quick work of Vagner Rocha.

A flubbed Rocha takedown attempt turned into a dominant position for Brookins, who scored the rare top control knockout of Rocha at the 1:43 mark of the first round.

Rocha caught a Brookin kick and tried to drive forward to shoot for a double leg takedown. Brookins easily thwarted the attempt and pushed forward to get Rocha on his back. Instead of staying patient and protecting himself, the Brazilian started grasping at a leg to potentially attempt a knee bar and foot submission.

Brookins is too slick for that, so he started raining down right hands. the first three didn't land cleanly, but the fourth did. So much so that is appeared to knockout Rocha, who ate three more shots before the ref tossed Brookins to the side.

UFC on Fuel TV 1 undercard results:

Ivan Menjivar def. John Albert via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 3:45

Justin Salas def. Anton Kuivanen via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-27)

Tim Means def. Bernado Magalhaes vis unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26).

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/miocic-pounds-fries-quick-ko-victory-ufc-fuel-021549834.html

Larry Brooks Mike Brown Rick Burgett Jimmy Button

Dienstag, 28. Februar 2012

Bellator's Blagoi Ivanov Reportedly Stabbed in Heart, Clinging to Life Support

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/news/2012/2/27/2828781/bellator-heavyweight-blagoi-ivanov-stabbed-heart-bulgaria-life

Yoji Anjo  Ao Hailin  Shinya Aoki  Andrei Arlovski 

Go Big Shred 2


Jordan Johnson just let me know about the lengthy trailer for his new video, Go Big Shred 2.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/ge8IILiTABg/go-big-shred-2.html

Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo  Kyle Bradley  Jai Bradney 

Health Benefits Of Yoga For Seniors

Yoga may seem like a young woman’s activity, but seniors actually have a lot to gain from the practice. Many of the physical improvements that result from yoga directly address the health concerns of older individuals. Getting involved in the … Continue reading

Source: http://www.prana.com/blog/2012/02/21/health-benefits-of-yoga-for-seniors/

Mac Danzig  Karen Darabedyan Viacheslav Datsik Bengt Åberg

Wild and Scenic Film Festival: January 2012

Yes, it’s hard to imagine now, but after the holidays are over and it’s just you and your resolutions and cloudy skies and rainy days, you are going to be seriously glad you planned ahead and got tickets for the annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival in Nevada City!  This year’s line-up will include pieces [...]

Source: http://feed.aorafting.com/~r/aoblog/~3/Qqxo0HALpK4/

Marcio Pe de Pano Cruz Luke Cummo  Jeff Big Frog Curran Dai Shuanghai 

Farhad Mohamad for Vic


Vic continues to bring us video parts from New Zealand. Here we have Farhad Mohamad and friends.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/t02P3K57Gt4/farhad-mohamad-for-vic.html

Jean Michel Bayle Pit Beirer Christian Beggi Mike Bell

The more you climb, the better you’ll climb

I have had a few days away from climbing - in fact, my last session was 3 weekends ago at Froggatt - and so I got back to the gym this week. My local gym has an auto-belay setup so I was able to do some indoor routes without company.
And I struggled! Struggled to get [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rock-climbing-blog/~3/m7EzE0aQ8xw/philsheard

Marcus Aurelio  Mikhail Avetisyan Luiz Azeredo  Luciano Azevedo 

JZ Cavalcante Post Fight vs Wilcox Wants to Return to Action Soon - JZ Cavalcante

JZ Cavalcante Post Fight vs Wilcox Wants to Return to Action Soon Video by JZ Cavalcante

Source: http://mmalice.com/jz-cavalcante/jz-cavalcante-post-fight-vs-wilcox-wants-to-return-to-action-soon-video_3e43c6544.html

Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio

UFC 144 weigh-in extra: GTL, new Octagon girl and ‘Rampage’ vs. Franklin

Sure the weigh-in for UFC 144 was a little later than normal, but it certainly delivered. There was a new Octagon girl, one fighter appeared to have just walked off the set of "Jersey Shore" and Quinton Jackson already booked himself his next fight.

Yoshihiro Akiyama brought it big time channeling the powers of GTL. We're not sure about the laundry part, but Akiyama certainly hit the gym to get down from his old weight of 185 to his new division down at 170. He also put Snooki to shame with a beautiful tan.

Meanwhile, it was pretty clear Jackson missed a lot of his gym time. Jackson, who gave hints that he might miss weight during the Dana White's second vlog (2:03 mark), clocked in at a hefty 211 for his fight at 205 pounds. Fuel TV's guest analyst Rich Franklin was exasperated and basically called it a joke. "Rampage" got wind of the comments and snapped at Franklin.

"My friend already texted me what Rich Franklin said and Rich Franklin need to watch his mouth before I smack him the next time I see him. He a fighter the same way I'm a fighter, he should watch what he say," Jackson said (1:50 mark). "You don't question if a fighter is taking his fight serious or not. I'm a fighter, I take all my fights serious and I'm tired of people saying that."

Jackson is dead wrong here. Franklin did his job and Jackson's focus for the fight is absolutely in question.

Looking for further satisfy the Japanese audience, the UFC held auditions for a new UFC 144 Octagon girl. They came up with a former Miss Japan contestant in Azusa Nishigaki.

Fuel TV's Ariel Helwani caught up with Nishigaki here.

Watch UFC 144 right here on Yahoo! Sports

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-144-weigh-extra-gtl-octagon-girl-rampage-151411443.html

Grant Campbell  Gesias JZ Calvancante  Luiz Cane  Dos Caras Jr  

Montag, 27. Februar 2012

Tjark Thielker in Rollen Aaller 3


Tjark Thielker's Rollen Aaller 3 part got me really stoked when I watched it. Good spots, cool tricks, and fast all around.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/Jxgl7KCSQxs/tjark-thielker-in-rollen-aaller-3.html

Alessio Chiodi Jaromir Cizek Guy Cooper Paul Cooper

Salt Lake City, Utah

8 reasons to stop for a visit Heading through Salt Lake City soon? Don’t just pass by this scenic city. If you have an hour or more, here are some of the best ways to experience the city. 1.)   Feast on local fare at the downtown Farmer’s Market in Historic Pioneer Park (June thru October). [...]

Source: http://whitewaterraftingblog.oars.com/post/salt-lake-city-utah

Kotetsu Boku  Tony Bonello Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo 

Grand Canyon: The Long Way Down (and up!)

IF YOU THINK HIKING NINE MILES IN OR OUT OF THE GRAND CANYON IS AS EASY AS WALKING TO THE STORE, AND IF YOU SORTA-KINDA GET IN SHAPE IN BETWEEN GOING TO THE MOVIES AND MAKING DINNER, YOU’LL BE JUST FINE, THINK AGAIN. VETERAN O.A.R.S. GUIDE, JEFFE ARONSON OFFERS INSIGHT INTO WHAT IT TAKES TO [...]

Source: http://whitewaterraftingblog.oars.com/post/grand-canyon-the-long-way-down-and-up

Marcelo Brito  Rob Broughton  Mike Brown  Junie Browning

The more you climb, the better you’ll climb

I have had a few days away from climbing - in fact, my last session was 3 weekends ago at Froggatt - and so I got back to the gym this week. My local gym has an auto-belay setup so I was able to do some indoor routes without company.
And I struggled! Struggled to get [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rock-climbing-blog/~3/m7EzE0aQ8xw/philsheard

Yoji Anjo  Ao Hailin  Shinya Aoki  Andrei Arlovski 

Revival

If 2011 was a year of learning and growth, then I predict 2012 to be a year of revival. Not only in the “I’m going to revive those parts of my life that have become stagnant for one reason or another” but also in the sense that bygones will really become bygones, giving way to [...]

Source: http://skydivechick.com/2012/01/revival/

Steve The Snake Claveau  Rich No Love Clementi  Mark The Hammer Coleman Wes Soldier Combs 

UFC 144 Results: Ben Henderson Claims the Lightweight Title in Close Fight

UFC 144 takes place tonight live from Saitama, Japan and MMAFrenzy will have complete coverage of tonight's card. Coverage will begin with tonight's Facebook and FX cards starting at 7:30pm EST and 8pm EST respectively. MMAFrenzy will also have play-by-play of tonight's PPV main card beginning at 10pm EST.

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/27707/ufc-144-live-results/

Danny Chandler Eric Cheney Alessio Chiodi Jaromir Cizek

Maui Sunset Cruises: The Perfect End to a Perfect Day

If you are looking for a spectacular finish to your tropical vacation, a Maui sunset dinner cruise is the perfect solution. Just imagine yourself sitting across the table from your favorite someone, enjoying a breathtaking Hawaiian sunset over tantalizing cuisine and live music. There is no better way to sit back and enjoy all the [...]

Source: http://www.prideofmaui.com/blog/cruises/maui-sunset-cruises-the-perfect-end-to-a-perfect-day.html

Steven Frossard Eric Geboers Sylvain Geboers Broc Glover

Red Bull Supernatural

Source: http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index.php?/archives/4372-Red-Bull-Supernatural.html

Peter Johansson Rick Johnson Gary Jones Mark Jones

Sonntag, 26. Februar 2012

Video: Matt Kurle and Dan Patrinellis on Ernie’s Canyon

This is a sweet video by whitewater kayaker Matt Kurle of him and Dan Patrinellis paddling the Ernie’s Canyon section of the North Fork of the Snoqualmie River in February 2011.  Apparently this video won first place at an outdoor film festival recently, so congrats Matt! Ernie’s Canyon is one of the most difficult whitewater kayaking [...]

Source: http://www.ireneskayakingblog.com/paddle-trips/video-matt-kurle-and-dan-patrinellis-on-ernies-canyon/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=video-matt-kurle-and-dan-patrinellis-on-ernies-canyon

Rui Goncalves Josh Grant Billy Grossi Davide Guarneri

UFC 144 Video Blog with Dana White (Episode 2)

UFC President Dana White is back with his second video blog for Saturday’s UFC 144: “Edgar vs. Henderson” event featuring a behind the scenes look from the pre-fight press conference on Wednesday. This is the first UFC event to take place in Japan under Zuffa management.

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/27691/ufc-144-video-blog-with-dana-white-episode-2/

Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo 

Watch Jon Jones get attacked by police dogs

Before winning the UFC light heavyweight championship, Jon Jones dreamed of working in law enforcement. He got a taste of what his alternate timeline would look like when he went through a sampling of police academy training in Broome County, New York.

Though the dog training does not go so well, and it takes him a while to apprehend the thief's gun, Jones does show he could take on a second career if this whole fighting thing doesn't work out.

Other popular MMA content on Yahoo! Sports:
Watch Jon Jones get attacked by a police dog
Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound MMA rankings
'Rampage', 'Dragon' or wait: What to do with Dan Henderson?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/watch-jon-jones-attacked-police-dogs-194725985.html

Siyar Bahadurzada Bao Ligao  Josh Barnett  David Baron 

Machida, Jackson or wait: What to do with Dan Henderson?

Dan Henderson appears to be a man with a world of options. Comfortable at both light heavyweight and middleweight, his winning streak and credentials in both Strikeforce and the UFC qualify him for a title shot. After his epic bout with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Henderson said he wanted to try for a title at whatever weight is first.

[Related: Y! Sports pound-for-pound rankings]

Unfortunately for Henderson, the light heavyweight belt will be contested in April, and the middleweight belt is up for grabs in June. He is involved in neither fight. The UFC's solution was to offer him Lyoto Machida, a former champ who most recently lost to Jon Jones in December.

"He doesn't want to fight Machida," [UFC president Dana] White said following Wednesday's UFC on FUEL event. "He doesn't want to wait. He's going to have to wait. Who does he want to fight? I don't know what to do with Dan. Dan's either going to have to wait for Jones or wait for Silva. Or fight somebody else."

Except, Henderson says he was never offered that bout. Via his Twitter account, Henderson disputed White's words.

Was never offered Machida. And even though he has lost 3 out of his last 4, I'm sure it would be entertaining.

Who to believe between the two? Though, as Henderson says, a bout with Machida could be interesting for fans to watch, it doesn't make any sense for Henderson. Dating back to when he held the belt, Machida has losses to Rua, Jones, and Quinton Jackson. His one win was over a retiring Randy Couture.

[Video: Watch Jon Jones get attacked by a police dog]

A win over Machida would get Henderson no closer to the title shot. MMA Fighting's Mike Chiappetta suggests that Henderson takes on the winner of next week's bout between Ryan Bader and Jackson. Though a win over Jackson would avenge a loss on Henderson's record, it could also jeopardize a chance to win a belt off Silva or Jones.

As much as it pains Henderson to sit idle, his best bet is to wait. What would you do in Henderson's shoes? Tell us in the comments or on Facebook.

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
Donald Trump in battle over green energy being used by his golf course
Kurt Busch to answer age-old NASCAR question: Is it the car or the driver?
Empire State building lights up in memory of Gary Carter

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/machida-jackson-wait-dan-henderson-152748699.html

Mikey Burnett  Murilo Bustamante  Grant Campbell  Gesias JZ Calvancante 

Reflecting and resolving – part 2

In an effort to keep my posts quick and easy to read, I broke up this posts into two part. Part 1 was posted yesterday, and I discussed 2011, took a look at the goals I set at the beginning of the year and where I netted out. This year, my goals are a little [...]

Source: http://skydivechick.com/2011/12/reflecting-and-resolving-part-2/

Damon Bradshaw Goat Breker Sven Breugelmans Larry Brooks

Norwegian Climbers Die In Tragic Accident

Source: http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index.php?/archives/4376-Norwegian-Climbers-Die-In-Tragic-Accident.html

Clement Desalle John DeSoto Tony DiStefano Jamie Dobb

Video: Ryan Bader knocks out Keith Jardine

Though he has a strong wrestling background, Ryan Bader has plenty of power in his hands. He showed this when he knocked out Keith Jardine in the third round of their bout at UFC 110.

Bader had a long undefeated streak that was stopped by eventual champion Jon Jones. Tito Ortiz added to Bader's troubles by submitting him at UFC 132.

He got back on the winning track with a first-round knockout of Jason Brilz in November. This weekend, he has another chance to show he's in the upper echelon of light heavyweights against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Will he do it, or will Jackson get the win? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/video-ryan-bader-knocks-keith-jardine-151113024.html

Ryan Dungey Vic Eastwood Daryl Ecklund Erik Eggens

Watch Jon Jones get attacked by police dogs

Before winning the UFC light heavyweight championship, Jon Jones dreamed of working in law enforcement. He got a taste of what his alternate timeline would look like when he went through a sampling of police academy training in Broome County, New York.

Though the dog training does not go so well, and it takes him a while to apprehend the thief's gun, Jones does show he could take on a second career if this whole fighting thing doesn't work out.

Other popular MMA content on Yahoo! Sports:
Watch Jon Jones get attacked by a police dog
Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound MMA rankings
'Rampage', 'Dragon' or wait: What to do with Dan Henderson?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/watch-jon-jones-attacked-police-dogs-194725985.html

Dan Bobish Vagam Bodjukyan Kotetsu Boku  Tony Bonello

Samstag, 25. Februar 2012

Strikeforce signs UFC veteran Nate Marquardt, fight with Tyron Woodley possible

In June, the UFC cut middleweight Nate Marquardt after he could not get medical clearance to fight at UFC on Versus 4 just hours before he was scheduled to weigh in. Now, he is back in the Zuffa fold, as Strikeforce signed him to fight in their welterweight division.

His signing will strengthen a promotion that has seen four champions flee to the UFC. A bout with Tyron Woodley is reportedly in the works. Marquardt brings a recognizable name and a well-rounded game to Strikeforce.

Marquardt fought in 14 bouts for the UFC before his out-of-whack testosterone levels caused the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission to deny his chance to fight in the main event. He was immediately dismissed from the UFC by an angry Dana White.

He briefly signed with the British promotion BAMMA, but a fight never materialized. Bellator's Hector Lombard invited Marquardt to fight him in Bellator, but Marquardt didn't take the bait. His last bout was a decision win over Dan Miller at UFC 128.

More from Yahoo! Sports: Frankie Edgar fooled by fellow UFC fighter

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/strikeforce-signs-ufc-veteran-nate-marquardt-fight-tyron-150502615.html

Rui Goncalves Josh Grant Billy Grossi Davide Guarneri

James Toney and Ken Shamrock Nearly Fight at a Press Conference - James Toney

James Toney and Ken Shamrock are supposed to fight sometime in the fall of 2011. The two had a short press conference in Van Nuys, California to announce the fight, but started to get physical a little early.

Source: http://mmalice.com/james-toney/james-toney-and-ken-shamrock-nearly-fight-at-a-press-conference-video_184a34575.html

Ebenezer Fontes Braga Chris Brennan Marcelo Brito  Rob Broughton 

UFC 144 picks, Vegas-style: Who’s still betting Quinton Jackson?

As if the travel, near-silent crowd and incredibly early start weren't enough to factor into betting UFC 144, along comes the weight snafu of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. The former UFC light heavyweight champ whiffed badly on making weight at 205 pounds.

He spoke about being injured in camp, not being able to do his roadwork and trying to cut over 21 pounds in the final days before the fight.

The severity of the injury is unknown. So is the location. One would have to guess Rampage is dealing with a leg issue. For a guy, who already lacks mobility that can't be a good thing against a wrestler like Ryan Bader. Is all of this enough to put you on Bader's side?

Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole, Frank Trigg and myself picked the fights on "The MMA Insiders" show.

You can also bet the over/under on rounds in the Jackson-Bader fight. It's currently minus-165 to go over 2.5 rounds. The main event between UFC lightweight title holder Frank Edgar and Benson Henderson has risen between 15 and 20 cents with the steam on side of the champ.

UFC 144 betting odds:
Best plays in bold

Frank Edgar (-150) vs. Benson Henderson (+130) - Lightweight
Yushin Okami (-360) vs. Tim Boetsch (+300) - Middleweight
Bart Palaszewski (+150) vs. Hatsu Hioki (-170) - Featherweight
Ryan Bader (+180) vs. Quinton Jackson (-220) - Light heavyweight
Cheick Kongo (-280) vs. Mark Hunt (+240) - Heavyweight
Takanori Gomi (-210) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka (+175) - Lightweight
Yoshihiro Akiyama (+270) vs. Jake Shields (-330) - Welterweight
Norifumi Yamamoto (-320) vs. Vaughan Lee (+260) - Bantamweight
Joe Lauzon (+210) vs. Anthony Pettis (-250) - Lightweght
Steve Cantwell (+260) vs. Riki Fukuda (-320) - Middleweight
Takeya Mizugaki (-240) vs. Chris Cariaso (+200) - Bantamweight
Tie Quan Zhang (-270) vs. Issei Tamura (+230) - Featherweight

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-144-picks-vegas-style-still-betting-quinton-180856879.html

Billy Grossi Davide Guarneri Thomas Hahn Torsten Hallman

Free clips for Chris Sharma ‘King Lines’ climbing video?

Interested in downloading high-quality clips of Chris Sharma climbing?
Today I checked out the website for Chris Sharma’s King Lines movie - and there’s a new addition!
Early versions of the DVD didn’t feature all of the extras properly, so the website features downloadable clips from the extras.
This won’t replace the need to buy the DVD, but [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rock-climbing-blog/~3/v-YQWecn-lk/philsheard

Josh Burkman 

Thailand sport climbing: can you help?

Since an old friend told me about his climbing trips to Thailand it’s been one of my boxes-to-tick. Climbing by the beach and then relaxing in the blue seas sounds too good to be true. I’m about to find out - I’ve decided to do it later this year…



Photo kindly shared by HalonaCoast on Flickr
I’m [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rock-climbing-blog/~3/38U5UCpl448/philsheard

Ake Jonsson Julien Bill Pierre Karsmakers Vladimir Kavinov

JZ Cavalcante Post Fight vs Wilcox Wants to Return to Action Soon - JZ Cavalcante

JZ Cavalcante Post Fight vs Wilcox Wants to Return to Action Soon Video by JZ Cavalcante

Source: http://mmalice.com/jz-cavalcante/jz-cavalcante-post-fight-vs-wilcox-wants-to-return-to-action-soon-video_3e43c6544.html

Dan Cramer Alberto Crane Marcio Pe de Pano Cruz Luke Cummo 

Checklist for Scuba Diving Holidays

Scuba diving holidays have gained a great following and popularity over the years. Enthusiasts find that they can combine the sport of scuba diving with vacationing in numerous exotic locations. Planning and preparing for such trips is a must to insure that one has everything they need to enjoy their vacation and their dive. The [...]

Source: http://www.dailyscubadiving.com/checklist-for-scuba-diving-holidays/

Jeff Emig Harry Everts Stefan Everts Jaroslav Falta

Freitag, 24. Februar 2012

Kevin Rodrigues and Valentin Jutant


Really good French ripping from Kevin Rodrigues and Valentin Jutant.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MostlySkateboarding/~3/jw3-3j2SEfk/kevin-rodrigues-and-valentin-jutant.html

Clement Desalle John DeSoto Tony DiStefano Jamie Dobb

UFC on FUEL TV 1 weigh-in: Sanchez looks healthy at 170 pounds

Diego Sanchez was the man to watch during today's UFC on FUEL 1 weigh-in.

In this ever evolving sport, welterweights are getting bigger and bigger. At 5-foot-9 Sanchez is small for the weight. He looked bloated on fight night for his battle last March against Martin Kampmann. This afternoon, he looked much healthier.

Sanchez explained to USA Today that he screwed up the weight cut before the Kampmann fight.

The last fight for Martin Kampmann, I really messed up on the diet. I didn't cut out salt. I didn't cut out carbs. I ended up having to cut 14 pounds the day of the weigh-ins. That's three hours of cardio and another 30 minutes in the sauna.

Sanchez said it cost him late in the fight when he couldn't pour it on.

I felt it in the fight, and even though I still was able to fight hard and put a hard pace, if I would have done the weight cut properly, I would have been able to press the fight even harder in the second and third rounds and, I believe, finished the fight.

So there's no excuses for Sanchez and that means a victory for Jake Ellenberger is worth that much more.

UFC on FUEL TV 1 weigh-in: (Courtesy MMAjunkie)

MAIN CARD (FUEL TV)
Jake Ellenberger (170) vs. Diego Sanchez (170)
Dave Herman (234) vs. Stefan Struve (256)
Ronny Markes (185) vs. Aaron Simpson (186)
Philip De Fries (241) vs. Stipe Miocic (240)
T.J. Dillashaw (136) vs. Walel Watson (135)
John Albert (135) vs. Ivan Menjivar (135)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)
Jonathan Brookins (145) vs. Vagner Rocha (145)
Sean Loeffler (185) vs. Buddy Roberts (184)
Anton Kuivanen (156) vs. Justin Salas (155)
Bernardo Magalhaes (155) vs. Tim Means (155)

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-fuel-tv-1-weigh-sanchez-looks-healthy-003641493.html

Jai Bradney  Ebenezer Fontes Braga Chris Brennan Marcelo Brito 

Switching camps: Gray Maynard’s move from Xtreme Couture to AKA

With the massive growth of MMA, the stakes have gone through the roof for fighters in the UFC. Between improved salaries, discretionary bonuses, appearance fees and marketing deals, the difference between a champion and a contender can be staggering.

"These guys are making millions of dollar in every fight. If Gray Maynard was the champion right now, he'd be a millionaire. [...] He's not. He lost a lot of money by losing that fight," Frank Trigg said on "The MMA Insiders Show" on Las Vegas' ESPNRadio1100/98.9 FM.

Following a loss to Frank Edgar at UFC 136, Maynard felt that sting. He'd come so close, but in the end, Edgar has the belt and the big assignments.

[Related: Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound MMA rankings]

Maynard, faced with climbing back up the ladder, felt it was time for a change. A Las Vegas mainstay since 2006, he left Xtreme Couture and moved to American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Ca. But it wasn't simply about freshening things up.

"Gray just was not prepared. It was really one of those deals where a coach within his staff just would not pay attention any other coaches. He was getting really upset if any other coach tried to explain to him 'hey, this is how hard I'm going to push Gray in my session. You need to back off in your session so he can recover," said Trigg, a former trainer partner of Maynard's at Xtreme Couture. "[Maynard] wasn't prepared. It's ultimately up to one coach that didn't pay attention."

John Gunderson, another former teammate of Maynard's in Sin City, echoed the same sentiment about Maynard being less than prepped for the biggest fight of his life."The last fight Gray wasn't mentally prepared or physically prepared for that fight. I don't think he trained hard enough and he knows that. I think if Gray really put the time in and the work in, Gray could finish him," Gunderson said.

Maynard made to decision to extricate himself from the drama well before the Edgar fight took place.

"We knew six weeks before the fight," Trigg said. "Gray said 'look win, lose or draw, this is my last fight. I'm out of here. I gotta leave Xtreme Couture."

[Video: Watch Jon Jones get attacked by a police dog]

Randy Couture, who was away from the gym for much of the early part of 2011, returned to find a big mess and one of his top fighters leaving. Couture cleaned house with coaches Gil Martinez and Ron Frazier moving elsewhere.

Martinez, with a boxing background, was Maynard's main coach. Whether it was his fault or not that Maynard underachieved, it's pretty clear that the former Michigan State wrestler was way too boxing-centric in his fights against Edgar.

It sounds like Maynard is never going to make the mistake of putting his eggs all in one basket.

"He's not officially joining AKA, he's going up there to train. We've all come to the realization that you can't be in one spot anymore," Trigg said. "If you want to be a great MMA fighter, you have to go down and train with Jose Aldo in Brazil. [...] You've got to go to different places. That's why GSP got so good so quickly. He didn't stay in Montreal. Gray has realized that's what he has to do."

Listen to the rest of the conversation as Trigg talks about whether fighters who bounce around to different camps need a head coach to pull everything together.

Here's hoping the change allows Maynard to take things to the next level. He may still be the best guy in the world at lightweight, but with all the competition out there at 155 pounds, he's probably got a long climb back up the ladder.

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
Donald Trump in battle over green energy being used by his golf course
Kurt Busch to answer age-old NASCAR question: Is it the car or the driver?
Empire State building lights up in memory of Gary Carter

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/switching-camps-gray-maynard-move-xtreme-couture-aka-212402619.html

Bob Hannah Donnie Hansen Torlief Hansen Marcus Hansson

MMA Marketplace: Nick Diaz in miniature form

I truly apologize for not getting this to you before Valentine's Day because this would be the best gift ever for your valentine. Still, bookmark this and remember it for any occasion: Mother's Day, birthdays, graduation, new baby, Sweet 16 -- there isn't an event where you couldn't give this as a gift.

Ready for the best thing ever? Yes, it's the limited edition Nick Diaz Round 5 doll figurine.

He's fallen on some hard times lately, what with the razor-thin loss to Carlos Condit and the positive drug test result right after the fight. But his straight-out-of-Stockton style makes Nick Diaz in miniature form the perfect gift for your mother, wife, brother, friend, mail carrier or perfect stranger.

Unfortunately, the fingers aren't movable, so you can't get Diaz to give the old Stockton Heybuddy, but you can have him grimace at your loved one throughout the day. Buy it in April at select stores.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/mma-marketplace-nick-diaz-miniature-form-124953476.html

Bob Hannah Donnie Hansen Torlief Hansen Marcus Hansson

Family Rafting

Moving water is the greatest stress reliever I know. On rivers, life is reduced to its simplest form: your only tasks are to make and break camp, make sure the kids are safe and let the current carry you downstream. Everything else is superfluous. Phone calls, emails, play dates, deadlines, errands, current events, schedules—none of [...]

Source: http://whitewaterraftingblog.oars.com/post/family-rafting

Jimmy Ellis Jeff Emig Harry Everts Stefan Everts

UFC 144 Video Blog with Dana White (Episode 2)

UFC President Dana White is back with his second video blog for Saturday’s UFC 144: “Edgar vs. Henderson” event featuring a behind the scenes look from the pre-fight press conference on Wednesday. This is the first UFC event to take place in Japan under Zuffa management.

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/27691/ufc-144-video-blog-with-dana-white-episode-2/

Dan The Sandman Christison  Logan The Pink Pounder Clark  Steve The Snake Claveau  Rich No Love Clementi 

MMA Pioneers From Last UFC Event in Japan Look Back on Strange Times in a Strange Land

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/2/23/2818966/mma-pioneers-from-the-last-ufc-event-in-japan-look-back-on-strange

Jeremy van Horebeek Kent Howerton Neil Hudson Ryan Hughes

Revival

If 2011 was a year of learning and growth, then I predict 2012 to be a year of revival. Not only in the “I’m going to revive those parts of my life that have become stagnant for one reason or another” but also in the sense that bygones will really become bygones, giving way to [...]

Source: http://skydivechick.com/2012/01/revival/

Gilbert De Roover Clement Desalle John DeSoto Tony DiStefano

Donnerstag, 23. Februar 2012

Whitewater Kayaking Gear: What to Buy – Drysuits and Paddles

As soon as you start shopping for whitewater kayaking gear you realize there are quite a few choices to make about each item, and it can be hard to know what to buy when you don’t have a ton of experience.  The stuff’s expensive too, so you really want to buy gear that you won’t want [...]

Source: http://www.ireneskayakingblog.com/gear/beginner-whitewater-kayaking-gear-what-to-buy-drysuits-paddles/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=beginner-whitewater-kayaking-gear-what-to-buy-drysuits-paddles

Ernesto Fonseca Lauris Freibergs Paul Friedrichs Steven Frossard

Reflecting and resolving

The week between Christmas and New Year’s always seems a bit like limbo – the family holidays have ended, yet the new year hasn’t quite begun yet. I find that, for myself anyway, this week tends to be a time of reflection and goal setting. I’m not one of those people who, year after year, [...]

Source: http://skydivechick.com/2011/12/reflecting-and-resolving/

Daryl Ecklund Erik Eggens Richard Eierstedt Jimmy Ellis

Alistair Overeem finds a home with the ‘Blackzilians’ in Florida

The man looking to take over the UFC's heavyweight division has found his comfort zone at the fastest growing major camp in the sport. In an exclusive conversation with the MMA Fight Corner, Alistair Overeem said that he's going to work out of Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Fl. He also signed a new management deal with Authentic Sports Management.

"ASM has everything that I need to expand. This goes from sparring partners, trainers, training facilities, Legal advice, business advice ... you name it they got it," Overeem said. "America is the future. I am committed to the States. I'm guessing this is going to be a permanent move."

Overeem said his travel load will have him away from south Florida quite often. He still does a lot of work in Japan and Dubai, and his homebase will always be Holland.

Overeem toured and worked with gyms in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego before choosing Florida. He said warm weather was an important factor in his final choice. He  also has a familiar face in Tyrone Spong and his trainer Harry Hoeft.

Overeem is already focusing on his May matchup for the title against Junior dos Santos.

"The gameplan is already good to go. I already know how to beat him," Overeem said. "It's just a matter of training and getting my body and mind in the 100 percent condition it needs to be in."

ASM also works with Rashad Evans, Miguel Torres, Matt Mitrione, Jake Shields and Melvin Guillard amongst others. Check out the entire interview. Overeem talked about his winner over Brock Lesnar. It sounds like he's a getting tired of some fans and media members discounting the victory because Lesnar retired after the fight.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/alistair-overeem-finds-home-blackzilians-florida-220952982.html

Phil Cardella Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin  Jason Hollywood Chambers

Don't Eat the Snow, For Real

Source: http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index.php?/archives/4379-Dont-Eat-the-Snow,-For-Real.html

Clement Desalle John DeSoto Tony DiStefano Jamie Dobb

Derek Brunson Pulled From Strikeforce: “Tate vs. Rousey” Due to Failed Physical

During today's conference call for the upcoming Strikeforce: "Tate vs. Rousey" event, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker announced that undefeated middleweight Derek Brunson has been scratched from his scheduled matchup with Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza. Coker announced that Strikeforce officials are now looking for a replacement opponent for Souza.

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/27656/derek-brunson-pulled-from-strikeforce-tate-vs-rousey-due-to-failed-physical/

Marcus Aurelio  Mikhail Avetisyan Luiz Azeredo  Luciano Azevedo 

Talking Strikeforce MMA at the Dallas Mavericks Victory Parade - Strikeforce

Talking Strikeforce MMA at the Dallas Mavericks Victory Parade Video by Strikeforce

Source: http://mmalice.com/strikeforce/talking-strikeforce-mma-at-the-dallas-mavericks-victory-parade-video_a7962dda3.html

Eric Cheney Alessio Chiodi Jaromir Cizek Guy Cooper

Pirates of the Caribbean: Salt Cay and Bohio, Grand Turk (Part 1)

The Salt Cay is the southernmost inhabited island in the Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies. It is 90 miles north of the Dominican Republic, 650 miles southeast of Miami. It is only a 30-minute flight from Providenciales (or 20 minute by ferry from Grand Turk further north). Yet this island of only 101 [...]

Source: http://scubadivergirls.com/blog/?p=9623

Jimmy Button Michael Byrne Antonio Cairoli Trey Canard

Once a title challenger, Diego Sanchez views himself as MMA’s ‘Cinderella Man’

UFC 107 wasn't that long ago and yet it seems like another lifetime for Diego Sanchez.

The 30-year-old challenged B.J. Penn for his UFC lightweight title. Over five rounds, Penn tore apart Sanchez and essentially finished him with a kick to the face. Twenty seven months later Sanchez, fighting to remain relevant, is a minus-320 underdog to a guy who had just made his UFC debut just a few months earlier back in Dec. of 2009.

Sanchez is a respectable 2-1 in three fights since the Penn loss, but it's the way he's looked. His decision to move back to 170 pounds was questionable at best. He doesn't appear to be in tip top shape at the heavier weight and his defensive abilities have slowed. Sounds like he's in big trouble on Wednesday against Jake Ellenberger, right? Sanchez isn't shying away from these thoughts. He's using them as a motivator going into a fight that could get him back on track (FUEL TV 8 p.m. ET).

"I love to watch that movie Cinderella Man. He comes from the top and he goes to the bottom and he makes it back up to the top. I just kind of see myself as a guy like him. Before I was just fighting for my own selfish goals. I had the goal of being champion, and that's fine; that was my dream," Sanchez told USA Today.

Sanchez (23-4, 12-4 UFC) says the up and down nature of the last three years has given him a chance to reevaluate what's important.

"Now I have better reasons to train harder, to fight harder. It's not just me anymore. I have my wife, my son; it's a lot more. I feel like I'm a grizzly bear protecting the cubs," Sanchez said. "I'm just going to fight my hardest. I'm going to fight with all my heart. I'm going to leave it all in the cage."

Sanchez referenced the story of James Braddock. In the late 1920's, Braddock was a rising heavyweight star with a 44-2-2 record before chronic injuries derailed his career and turned him into a card-filling journeyman who went 11-20-2 over his next 33 fights. Braddock achieved the impossible by bouncing back in 1935 to challenge Max Baer for the world heavyweight title. The 30-year-old Braddock pulled off one of the biggest upsets in boxing history as a 10-to-1 underdog.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/once-title-challenger-diego-sanchez-views-himself-mma-075651595.html

Andrea Bartolini Willy Bauer Jean Michel Bayle Pit Beirer

Mittwoch, 22. Februar 2012

Jorge Masvidal Makes the Case for Title Shot - Strikeforce

Jorge Masvidal Makes the Case for Title Shot Video by Strikeforce

Source: http://mmalice.com/strikeforce/jorge-masvidal-makes-the-case-for-title-shot-video_817181133.html

Neil Hudson Ryan Hughes Georges Jobe Gunnar Johansson

Women’s star Rousey thinks commission testing for marijuana is flat out wrong

And you thought Ronda Rousey was a beast when she has a limb in her grasps. The real animal inside emerged recently when she was asked about Nick Diaz's positive test for marijuana following his fight at UFC 143.

Rousey is outraged that marijuana is part of athletic commissions' banned lists across the United States.

"The athletic commissions testing for marijuana is an invasion of privacy. I don't think that's constitutional at all. There's no real reason that they should be able to test and make the athletes conform to their political ideas," Rousey told MMAWeekly radio.

This was the second time Diaz tested positive in the state of Nevada. Due to attention deficit disorder, Diaz has a medical marijuana card in California, but that doesn't supersede commission policy. Rousey said that's Diaz's personal business and state commissions are poking their beaks where they don't belong.

"They have just as much of right to say that 'you know what? We don't believe that athletes should be promiscuous so we're going to start testing for genital herpes and genital warts,'" said Rousey.

Then Rousey went completely off the rails.

"'We're going to start testing women for birth control because we don't think you be having premarital sex,'" Rousey said. "They don't have a right to do it. It has nothing to do with sports."

Nevada State Athletic Commission chairman Keith Kizer disagrees.

"The drug is banned because of the damage it does to the person taking it. It could make you lethargic, slow your reflexes, and those are dangerous things in a combat sport," Kizer told the L.A. Times in 2009.

Apparently Rousey has never seen that explanation.

"Anyone who is stupid enough to say that smoking weed enhances your performance has never fougt or never smoked weed," Rousey said. "It actually lowers your testosterone. It doesn't help you in anyway at all."

Diaz is likely to appear in front of the commission in April. The normal suspension for a positive marijuana test is six months, but this is offense No. 2 for Diaz. Boxer Matt Vanda appeared for a second offense last month. He received a one-year suspension and was docked 40 percent of his purse.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/women-star-rousey-thinks-commission-testing-marijuana-flat-153747504.html

Rui Goncalves Josh Grant Billy Grossi Davide Guarneri

Artist update – Céline Chat

[...]

Source: http://www.clubofthewaves.com/blog/artist-update-celine-chat/

Thomas Hahn Torsten Hallman Bob Hannah Donnie Hansen

Instant analysis: Nick Diaz’s positive test, what should happen next?

It's not the first time Nick Diaz and a state commission have battled over his marijuana use, but this time it could be a trend setter.

Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole broke the story that Diaz tested positive after his fight at UFC 143. If his penalty mirrors the one boxer Matt Vanda got last week from the NSAC, then Diaz will be fined $80,000 and be given a one-year suspension.

Is that fair? Should a violation for a marijuana test be the same as steroids? Iole reacted just minutes after the story broke on Las Vegas' ESPN1100/98.9 FM.

UFC president Dana White released a statement on the Diaz slip:

"I am beyond disappointed that he tested positive for marijuana," White said in the statement that the UFC distributed to the media. "It is now in the hands of the Nevada State Athletic Commission."

Tip via MMAMania

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/instant-analysis-nick-diaz-positive-test-happen-next-235919405.html

Paul Friedrichs Steven Frossard Eric Geboers Sylvain Geboers

Scott Coker Discusses Overeem vs. Werdum, Gina Carano's Health Status - Strikeforce

Scott Coker Discusses Overeem vs. Werdum, Gina Carano's Health Status Video by Strikeforce

Source: http://mmalice.com/strikeforce/scott-coker-discusses-overeem-vs-werdum-gina-caranos-health-status-video_0d2529a6d.html

Ryan Dungey Vic Eastwood Daryl Ecklund Erik Eggens

Jake Ellenberger survives against Diego Sanchez at UFC on Fuel TV 1; was it enough to earn a title shot?

Just when Jake Ellenberger could see himself signing a contract to fight for the UFC interim welterweight title, along came a relentless Diego Sanchez in the final minutes of what was previously a one-sided fight.

Ellenberger survived an absolute onslaught down the stretch to gain a unanimous decision victory, 29-28 on all three cards, in the main event of the UFC's first main card on Fuel TV.

Georges St-Pierre's status for the remainder for the rest of 2012 is very up in the air. The promotion looks like it wants interim champ Carlos Condit to fight at least one more time before he could possibly get GSP. Ellenberger (27-5, 6-1 UFC) is in the mix, but one has to wonder if he did enough against a guy who many feel is on the downside of his career.

[Related: Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound MMA rankings]

At minus-350, Ellenberger entered the fight as a sizable favorite, but Sanchez wouldn't give in.

The Nebraska native was schooling Sanchez on the feet. The former "Ultimate Fighter 1" champ looked tired by the middle of the second round and was whiffing on most of his shots. All that while eating jabs and counterpunches. A hard punch in the first appeared to have broken Sanchez's nose, but he kept coming.

"Diego's known for that. He's the toughest guy I've ever fought. No matter what, he's in there every minute of the fight. It's a great test for me. It's an honor to fight him," Ellenberger told UFC announcer Jon Anik.

By the middle of the third round, Ellenberger had outstruck Sanchez 85-32. He was cruising but then mysteriously hit the wall and stopped using his right hand.

With just over two minutes left, Sanchez caught Ellenberger with a left body kick that forced the hunter to become the hunted. Sanchez landed a straight left that jarred Ellenberger. That's when the underdog decided it was go time.

He landed a left to the body which convinced Ellenberger to go for a takedown. He got it with 1:30 left, but Sanchez refused to stay down and got right back up where he scrambled to work hip control. Ellenberger was exhausted so Sanchez jumped on his back and got a hook in. He tried to get a choke on two occasions in between getting off 29 shots. There were still 34 seconds left and Sanchez actually flattened out Ellenberger for a few seconds. Sanchez again tried to get his arm in there for a choke, but Ellenberger had just enough presence of mind to keep his chin tucked.

"That's a tough position. I was tired, but I'm just trying to fight through. I've been there a million times. You just gotta stay in it mentally," said Ellenberger.

[Also: 'Rampage', 'Dragon' or wait: What to do with Dan Henderson?]

Sanchez, 30, explained after the fight that he battled an ankle injury three weeks before the event but didn't want to pull out of this televised fight.

"Jake's incredibly tough. I was hitting him with some hard shots. I thought he was going to go out. I thought he was going to give me the back. I was just trying to get the stoppage. but it didn't go my way this time," said Sanchez.

Sanchez (23-5, 12-5 UFC) finished the fight with a huge lump on his nose and deep vertical cut on his eyebrow. He absorbed three huge elbows in the second round that could've finished a lot of fighters in the welterweight division, but that's not what Sanchez does.

Struve's improved striking too much for Herman

Stefan Struve got off to a slow start, but once he heated up Dave Herman was in big trouble.

The tallest fighter in the UFC began putting his strikes together in the second round. A left hook, inside kick-uppercut combination dropped Herman to his back where Struve mounted him and got off 52 unanswered shots before referee Josh Rosenthal stopped things at the 3:52 mark of the second to give the 23-year-old Struve his seventh victory in the UFC.

[Also: Watch Jon Jones get attacked by a police dog]

Herman (21-3, 1-1 UFC) is either crazy or fearless. Those aren't always good qualities when you reached the highest levels of fighting. He's super athletic at 6-foot-4, 235, but Herman simply made it too easy for the 6-foot-11 to reach him on the feet.

Herman won the first round with a varied striking game and good head movement. But he got too comfortable at the end of the round. His corner told him to standing right in front of Struve (23-5, 7-3 UFC), but he didn't he listen and continued to do so in the second.

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
Donald Trump in battle over green energy being used by his golf course
Kurt Busch to answer age-old NASCAR question: Is it the car or the driver?
Empire State building lights up in memory of Gary Carter

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ellenberger-survives-again-sanchez-ufc-fuel-tv-enough-042140418.html

Jimmy Button Michael Byrne Antonio Cairoli Trey Canard