Ian Freeman to take Brits into IFL
Found this on MMA Universe. Not the most factually accurate article in terms of Freeman's achievements (we know he beat Mir, but it wasn't for the title).
I think it's great that the Brits are getting a team in this. I really do like the team format.
The International Fight League (IFL) today announced the beginning of expansion into Europe by naming world champion Ian Freeman as the coach of the IFL’s English team, which will begin participation in the IFL in 2008. The English team will begin training and participating in IFL activities later this year.
"We are very excited that Ian Freeman has decided to become the first of what we expect to be several IFL entries from various countries in the next few years," said IFL co-founder and commissioner Kurt Otto. "The United Kingdom has fervent support for fight sports in general and is a growing hotbed for MMA, and we are proud to be able to begin to establish our European base with Ian and his athletes."
"Being a part of the team concept that the IFL has put together is an honor for me," Freeman said. "The UK is the perfect starting point for the league in Europe, and I am looking forward to working with, and competing against, some of the sports greatest legends as well as training many of its future stars."
A former boxer, "The Iron Ambassador," is arguably one of the most popular figures in the fight game in Europe. He began his MMA career training with world champions (and now fellow IFL coaches) Renzo Gracie and Marco Ruas and competed in amateur vale tudo before turning pro in 1999. He steadily gained notoriety, eventually taking the UFC title over Frank Mir in front of a record British crowd at Royal Albert Hall in July 2002. Freeman has trained, coached and competed in various organizations over the past few years, most recently taking the British Light Heavyweight title from Mark Epstein in September 30, 2006.
The addition of a team in the UK now brings the total of teams outside the United States to three, with more teams expected to be named in the near future. The Sabres, based in Tokyo and coached by Antonio Inoki, and the Dragons, based in Toronto, Ontario and coached by Carlos Newton, have already begun play and will be part of the IFL inaugural 12 team season that will begin in the first quarter of 2007. The final two entries for 2007, which will both be United States-based, will be announced shortly, with the full 11 date IFL schedule to follow.
Talk about Ian Freeman and the IFL here.
Fedor vs. Monson fight in March 2007
“It’s a done deal. It looks like I will be fighting Fedor March 3rd in Russia” says Jeff Monson on the phone with InsideFighting early this week.
And with those words from Jeff Monson, the rumored fight with number one ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, is officially not just a rumor anymore.
While InsideFighting has not yet been able to get an official word from Emelianenko, and while it is impossible to guarantee that even the best laid plans will ultimately go through in any case, Monson is the first party involved in this situation to go on the record and confirm his intention to participate in a Bodog Fight super fight with Emelianenko in March, and his statement goes a long way towards providing a degree of certainty that the fight will indeed happen.
While Emelianenko is set to participate on Pride’s Shockwave New Year’s Eve card in Japan, InsideFighting does not know the details of his contract beyond that. But Monson says that his status with the UFC, where just last month he fought for the heavyweight title against Tim Sylvia and where he had fights remaining on his contract, is no longer such that it would prevent him from fighting for Bodog Fight against Emelianenko.
“My manager approached Bodog about fighting Fedor. We asked the UFC if we could get out of our contract because there was an opportunity to do this. Now we are out of it” he says.
But Monson denies that his departure from the UFC is an acrimonious one, and seems optimistic about returning to challenge for championship gold with the organization again.
“The UFC can’t lose. If I win they can say ‘here’s this guy who lost to Tim Sylvia, our champion, and he just beat the number one guy in the world’.
“I mean, what were they going to do with me now? Have me fight a few more guys and work towards another title shot? This is a good opportunity for me, and if I win, it would be a quick way back to another title shot in the UFC” says Monson.
Founded by billionaire Calvin Ayre, Bodog Entertainment Group is the force behind Bodog Fight, and is presumably a well-funded one. But Monson says that money wasn’t the biggest factor in his seeking out the fight with Emelianenko.
“They offered a pretty good sum, but it’s mostly about the opportunity to fight Fedor. It’s a good opportunity for me” Monson says.
But after going 5 championship rounds before losing a decision to Tim Sylvia not a full month ago on November 18th at UFC 65, does Monson feel healthy enough to begin training again, and when will that training begin for the fight in March?
“I’m a little banged up. I’ll begin training in two weeks. I’ll get into an actual training camp after New Year’s” he says.
Source: InsideFighting.com (via MMA Universe)
Cage Gladiators IV announcement
Cage Gladiators IV Sunday March 25th @ Liverpool Olympia
Jim Wallhead(champ) v Jason Tan (welterweight title)
Terry Etim(champ) v Dave Metcalf (lightweight title)
Lewis Barrow v Carl Morgan (midleweight title)
Ronnie Mann (champ) v tba (featherweight title)
Kev Axeworthy v Aaron Barrow
plus;
Paul Cahoon
Mark Scanlon
Jay Gladdon
John Phillips
plus many more
Talk about Cage Gladiators here.
Hot of the press change to fight card for CW Enter the Rough House
Cage Warriors: Enter the Rough House
Saturday 9th December 2006
Harvey Hadden Sports Centre, Wigman Road, Nottingham, NG8 4PB
FightcardAll bouts are Professional MMA bouts held under 3×5 minute rounds unless stated. Fight card not in order. Fight card subject to change.
1. Main Event – Vacant CWFC 73kg Title Bout (5×5 minute rounds) 8. Heavyweight 11. Middleweight 11. Middleweight 11. Middleweight
Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy (12-5-0-1nc) Team Rough House vs. Alexandre “Xandinho” Izidro (6-4-0) Total Dojo, Brazil
2. Vacant CWFC Middleweight World Title Bout (5×5 minute rounds)
Gregory Bouchelaghem (5-3-0) Sankuno team, France vs. Jordan Radev (10-1-0) Sportcentrum KOPS, Bulgaria/Holland
Jimmy Wallhead (8-3-0) Rough House Gym vs. Dennis Siver (9-3-0) Outsider Club, Germany
Wayne Buck (Pro Debut) Tap or Snap/Derby Shoot vs. Will Coonie (0-2-0) Peterborough
Christian Smith (2-2-0) Tap or Snap/Derby Shoot vs. Michael Turner (2-0-0) Sunderland Jiu-Jitsu
Chris Cooper (Pro Debut) F’s Freestyle Gym, UK vs. Przemyslaw Mysiala (3-3-0) Total Dojo, Poland
“Psycho” Steve Tetley (Pro Debut) Rough House Gym vs. TBA
All B Class Pro Fights will be held over 2×5 minute rounds in-which elbow strikes (Both standing and on the floor) and Heel Hooks are not permitted.
Victor Aniolek (Pro Debut) Independent Fighter (Poland) vs. Rob Askew (Debut) Tap or Snap/Derby Shoot
Victor Aniolek (Pro Debut) Independent Fighter (Poland) vs. Rob Askew (Debut) Tap or Snap/Derby Shoot9. Middleweight
Tamai “Big T” Harding (1-0-0) Rough House Gym vs. Dave Campos (0-1-0) Sunderland Jiu-Jitsu 10. Middleweight
Matt Hasland (1-0-0) Tap or Snap/Derby Shoot vs. Cliff Hall (2-1-0) Total Dojo Milton Keynes
Dean Amasinger (Pro Debut) Team Rough House vs. Wayne Murray (0-0-1) Fight Factory, South Kirby
Dean Amasinger (Pro Debut) Team Rough House vs. Wayne Murray (0-0-1) Fight Factory, South Kirby
Dean Amasinger (Pro Debut) Team Rough House vs. Wayne Murray (0-0-1) Fight Factory, South Kirby
Dean Amasinger (Pro Debut) Team Rough House vs. Wayne Murray (0-0-1) Fight Factory, South Kirby
Two Champions Collide As Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy Takes On Alexandre “Xandinho” Izidro At Cage Warriors: Enter The Rough House
The main event for Cage Warriors: Enter the Rough House on December 9th has been confirmed as former Cage Warriors Welterweight World Champion Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy faces an old foe in the current CWFC Lightweight World Champion Alexandre "Xandinho" Izidro for the under CWFC Under 73kg World Title on December 9th in Nottingham. Dougie Truman and Warrior Promotions are pleased to announce the main event for their Cage Warriors: Enter the Rough House show on December 9th, as former Cage Warriors Welterweight World Champion Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy makes his 11th appearance inside the CWFC octagonal cage when he faces the current CWFC Lightweight World Champion Alexandre "Xandinho" Izidro at the Harvey Hadden Sports Centre in Nottingham, England.
This bout will be a rematch of their clash in June 2005 year at King Of The Cage UK, when Izidro took the fight with Hardy on just one day’s notice in the Welterweight division. Their fight was a closely contested striker vs. grappler bout which saw the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt Izidro try multiple slick submissions in round 1 before Hardy’s superior conditioning and stand-up led him take the 2nd round and win via majority decision after 2 closely contested rounds.
Since then both men have travelled down different paths and have vastly improved their respective skills with Izidro working on his conditioning and adapting his grappling skills to MMA which has him defeat four of Europe’s best Lightweight fighters in the form of Jani Lax, Thomas Hytten, Mario Stapel and Franco De Leonardis. This excellent run of form has seen Izidro improve his Cage Warriors record to 5-0-0 and win the Cage Warriors Lightweight World Title outright in the process.
Whilst Hardy has increased his Cage Warriors record to 8-1-0-1nc with wins over the likes of Sami “The Hun” Berik, Matt “12 Gauge” Thorpe, Diego Gonzalez and Danny Rushton. Hardy has gradually worked on his all round game whilst sharpening up his striking. His exciting style led him to become a fan favourite as well as a top 3 UK and European ranked fighter. Hardy even won the Cage Warriors Welterweight World Title last year at CW Strike Force 4 before losing it in the USA during a unification bout with UFC veteran Forrest Petz.
Now some 18 months after their first encounter both Hardy and Izidro will meet again, this time inside the 32ft CWFC Octagonal cage as they look to settle their rivalry which has been smouldering in the background since their first bout in Sheffield last year.
As an added incentive Warrior Promotions have decided to make this eagerly awaited rematch a Title fight in the newly formed under 73kg division which is used by the Pride Fighting Championships in Japan, where both men aim to fight in the future.
So will Hardy be able to produce another explosive performance at this lighter weight? Or will Izidro make it second time lucky and add another Cage Warriors Title belt to his collection? Find out on December 9th as Cage Warriors bring their unique brand of Ultimate Cage Fighting to Nottingham with their debut “Enter the Rough House” event.
For more information on this show and others go to www.cagewarriors.com
Event Information
Cage Warriors: Enter the Rough House Ticket Prices VIP Table (Seats 7 Includes Buffet, Wine and Waitress Service) - £600.00 Tickets are available from www.clubtickets.co.uk on +44 (0) 870 246 2050, or at www.MMAUniverse.com and other outlets. www.clubtickets.co.uk on +44 (0) 870 246 2050, or at www.MMAUniverse.com and other outlets. www.clubtickets.co.uk on +44 (0) 870 246 2050, or at www.MMAUniverse.com and other outlets. www.clubtickets.co.uk on +44 (0) 870 246 2050, or at www.MMAUniverse.com and other outlets. www.clubtickets.co.uk on +44 (0) 870 246 2050, or at www.MMAUniverse.com and other outlets.
Saturday 9th December 2006
Harvey Hadden Sports Centre, Wigman Road, Nottingham, NG8 4PB
Doors Open 5.30 - Show Starts 6.30pm
Inner Ringside Seats - £50.00
Outer Ringside Seats - £35.00
Standard Tiered Seating - £25.00
To see fighter photos http://www.loveufc.com/forum/index.php/topic,592.0.html
Cage Gladiators 3 Full LoveUFC.com Review
This is the first ever official loveUFC.com fight review. We attended Cage Gladiators 3 last night in Liverpool and what an event it was. This was a huge rush to get everything right today.
To read the full review click here.
We will have a full fight review for Cage Warriors on the 9th December soon.
This week on TWC - 3/12 to 9/12
This week on TWC Sky Channel 427.
Talk about this weeks MMA events on the tele here.
Sunday, December 3rd 2006
13:00 CAGE WARRIORS FC
Step into the Octagon and the world of MMA with Cage Warriors. Featuring Diego Gonzales vs Arni Isaksson, Jesse-Bjorn Buckler vs Ross Mason and Peter Angerer vs Jim Wallhead.
Monday, December 4th 2006
20:00 UK MMA
This week on UK MMA: FX3: Battle of Britain, featuring Emmett McNally vs. Jose Ramaldo, Ricky Moore vs. Mark Chen and Danny Rushton vs. Lee Doski.
22:00 CAGE FIGHTER
Top UK Mixed Martial Arts action. Tonight in the studio, Andy and Dave take a look at one of the quickest knockouts you are likely to see in the cage and the epic war between Manhoeff and Cyborg.
Tuesday, December 5th 2006
12:00 CAGE WARRIORS FC
Step into the Octagon and the world of MMA with Cage Warriors. Featuring Diego Gonzales vs Arni Isaksson, Jesse-Bjorn Buckler vs Ross Mason and Peter Angerer vs Jim Wallhead.
18:00 CAGE FIGHTER
Top UK Mixed Martial Arts action. Tonight in the studio, Andy and Dave take a look at one of the quickest knockouts you are likely to see in the cage and the epic war between Manhoeff and Cyborg.
22:00 CAGE FIGHTER
Cage Rage promoters Andy and Dave take you through some of the greatest fights held at Cage Rage Championship events.
04:00 UK MMA
This week on UK MMA: FX3: Battle of Britain, featuring Emmett McNally vs. Jose Ramaldo, Ricky Moore vs. Mark Chen and Danny Rushton vs. Lee Doski.
Wednesday, December 6th 2006
18:00 CAGE FIGHTER
Cage Rage promoters Andy and Dave take you through some of the greatest fights held at Cage Rage Championship events.
22:00 CAGE FIGHTER
Cage Rage promoters Andy and Dave take you through some of the greatest fights held at Cage Rage Championship events.
Thursday, December 7th 2006
18:00 CAGE FIGHTER
Cage Rage promoters Andy and Dave take you through some of the greatest fights held at Cage Rage Championship events.
19:00 KING OF THE CAGE
Featuring exclusive fast-paced, hard-hitting, action from one of the leading independent MMA promotions in the USA.
20:00 CAGE WARRIORS FC
Explosive UK MMA. Featuring Stapel vs Alexandre Izidro and post fight interviews.
21:00 GLADIATOR CHALLENGE
Based in California, Gladiator Challenge has staged 56 MMA shows since its inception, and has also developed prominent MMA fighters such as Jason Lambert, Scott Smith and Rashad Evans.
22:00 CAGE FIGHTER
Cage Rage promoters Andy and Dave take you through some of the greatest fights held at Cage Rage Championship events.
Friday, December 8th 2006
06:00 GLADIATOR CHALLENGE
Based in California, Gladiator Challenge has staged 56 MMA shows since its inception, and has also developed prominent MMA fighters such as Jason Lambert, Scott Smith and Rashad Evans.
13:00 UK MMA
This week on UK MMA: FX3: Battle of Britain, featuring Emmett McNally vs. Jose Ramaldo, Ricky Moore vs. Mark Chen and Danny Rushton vs. Lee Doski.
18:00 CAGE FIGHTER
Cage Rage promoters Andy and Dave take you through some of the greatest fights held at Cage Rage Championship events.
21:00 KING OF THE CAGE
Featuring exclusive fast-paced, hard-hitting, action from one of the leading independent MMA promotions in the USA.
22:00 CAGE FIGHTER
Cage Rage promoters Andy and Dave take you through some of the greatest fights held at Cage Rage Championship events.
Saturday, December 9th 2006
18:00 CAGE FIGHTER
Cage Rage promoters Andy and Dave take you through some of the greatest fights held at Cage Rage Championship events.
19:00 KING OF THE CAGE
Featuring exclusive fast-paced, hard-hitting, action from one of the leading independent MMA promotions in the USA.
22:00 CAGE FIGHTER
Cage Rage promoters Andy and Dave take you through some of the greatest fights held at Cage Rage Championship events.
01:00 CAGE WARRIORS FC
Explosive UK MMA. Featuring Stapel vs Alexandre Izidro and post fight interviews.
Paul Cahoon Returns to the cage at Cage Gladiators 3 this weekend
This Sunday sees the return of Liverpools mma legend Paul Cahoon. Paul fights tough Lithuanian Nikolas Cilikinas who has fought pride veterans like Alistair Overeem and James Thompson.
Cahoon has fought against some of the worlds top fighters and is raring to get back in action. He fights anybody, anywhere , anytime.A true gladiator.
More news on Micheal Bisping at UFC 66
Big things are expected of unbeaten Michael Bisping, the British striker who blasted through the field to snatch the Ultimate Fighter 3’s light heavyweight contract over the summer.
As the only Briton inked to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, ‘The Count’ not only has an entire nation of MMA fans on his back, but glowing appraisals from the likes of TUF III coach Tito Ortiz (‘Bisping has a great shot at becoming a champion‘) and even UFC President Dana White (who compares Bisping’s charisma and excitement factor to compatriot champion boxer Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton) have focused the spotlight on Bisping like a laser beam.
“I’m getting a lot of attention,” Bisping laughs.“Since winning the reality show I’ve done loads of interviews with newspapers, magazines and things in England. The BBC even sent a reporter to the gym to talk to me and I’ve been invited to sporting events and things like that.
“It’s been great, to be honest. I like doing the PR things - talking about myself isn‘t exactly hard work (laughs)! But what I like doing best is fighting in a cage and I can‘t wait [to] get back to doing that.”
Although the 27-year-old smashed Kristian Rothaermel, Ross Pointon and finally Josh Haynes during his TUF 3 rampage, Bisping considers his upcoming bout against Eric Schafer (9-1-2) at UFC 66 on December 30th to be his true Octagon debut.
He explained: “The reality show was almost like a shortcut to my dream of getting into the UFC. I think I’d have got into the UFC even without the show, anyway, but the show was a great vehicle if you like. But I never felt like a UFC fighter until about a month after I got back home after winning the final; it took a while to sink in. I proved that I belong here in the UFC and now there’s the even bigger challenge of moving up the rankings to, hopefully, a world title shot.”
A challenge for the 205 pound (or 14 stone 9lbs as they’d say in the UK) UFC Championship may be a little way off, but, confident and aflame with ambition, Bisping said: “I’ve got a three-year deal with the UFC and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think one of those fights wouldn’t be a title fight.
“It is very early days yet, of course, and I’m not getting ahead of myself, but I’m a fighter and the belt is my ultimate goal. I’m not here to make up the numbers and while I don’t expect to be challenging Chuck (Liddell) or Tito next week, I aim to just keep improving and keep winning fights and, if I do that, I’ll get a title shot sooner or later.”
In the meantime, Bisping is certainly training like a champion in the making. The Briton turned up to the TUF 3 house as one of the fittest of the 16 competitors; and having traveled to his camp to observe a typical day in the office for Bisping, I can understand how…
The Wolf’s Lair MMA Academy is located in Runcorn, in the northwest of England. Runcorn is 200 miles or so north, northwest of London but, with what Americans would consider strange accents (Bisping was subtitled on TUF) and even stranger food (take blood pudding, for instance, a kind of large sausage made out of fat and congealed pig’s blood) the north of England is a galaxy away from the stereotypical images of British pomp and circumstance.
The Wolf’s Lair is to be found at the end of an industrial estate, past a row of workshops and warehouses. Inside, though, the MMA facilities are world class.
“When Spike TV sent their cameras here before TUF final they admitted they were a bit surprised that we had all the facilities we’ve got,” Bisping said of the gym. “I don’t know what they were expecting but they said they hadn’t seen too many gyms as good as this outside of the UFC training center in Vegas. We‘ve got everything from a proper full sized cage and boxing ring to padded mats for grappling, everything, really. We’ve got a weights section as well, although I do my weights at a gym closer to where I live and my running in the woods.”
On the day I visited the Wolf’s Lair in September, Bisping was already approaching fight-fitness, and the Count’s performances in sparring and rolling were as razor sharp as his namesake’s vampire fangs.
After warming up, Bisping stood in the gym’s cage and, giving his five sparring partners one minute each, completed 3 x 5minute rounds wearing boxing gloves, training stand-up and takedowns, then grappling. Bisping would do a minute standing, then a minute starting from his back, then a minute starting from his opponent’s guard and each successive minute started with a fresh opponent.
First up for the Count was Ian ‘The Machine’ Freeman, who famously stopped one-time UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir at UFC 38 in London. Freeman, now 40, was just weeks away from a fight in London and the mini-sessions between the two biggest British names in UFC history were a fanboy’s dream.
But no sooner had Bisping’s advantages in speed begun to assert themselves, it was another sparring partner’s turn, then another, then another. After a quarter of an hour of this, Bisping trained submissions alongside BJJ expert Mario Neto.
Then the Englander worked the bags for half an hour, slamming in piano heavy punches and kicks - including a series of those photogenic, Matrix style flying knees which accounted for compatriot Pointon in that memorable TUF semi-final.
Finally, boxing trainer Tony Quigley took Bisping on the target pads before driving the entire class through a brutal circuit of press-ups, pads, sit-ups, squat thrusts, sit-ups, burpees and sprawls.
There were some very athletic fighters in the gym and, of course, every one of them would be at a different stages on the road to match fitness. However, only Bisping kept pace with cheerful sadist Quigley as he called out drill after drill.
Roaring out loud as he went, ‘The Count’ hit every press-up, every sit up, every squat-thrust. It was intimidating stuff.
“Every day is a little different in the gym,” Bisping said afterwards. “I’d get bored out of my mind doing the same things all the time, and I enjoyed today.”
Quigley, a former boxer himself, added: “I have to keep an eye on Mike in the gym because, if you’d let him, he‘d train flat out all day every day. He’s train full-blast all the time, that‘s why no one (TUF) could handle him in training. He’s a complete workaholic. He trains like you’ve just seen every day in here, plus he does his weights and runs plus he also teaches his own classes closer to where he lives in the evenings. He’s a fighting machine.”
Bisping said: “Winning TUF was the biggest thing in my career, I‘m proud of that achievement, but I can either leave it at that or push harder, get better and go for bigger things in the future. And that’s what I want to do, one fight at a time.”
Which brings us to the MGM Grand, December 30th, and Milwaukee submission specialist Eric Schafer.
“Easier said that done, I know, but I want to put him to sleep nice and fast,” Bisping said of his opponent. “I’m not going to rush in but I think I will knock this guy out, maybe in the first round. He’s a decent fighter and he’s coming off a win in the UFC, but I think I’m the better fighter all round; just because he’s good at jiu-jitsu doesn’t mean he can out wrestle me, and I have massive advantages in striking.”
However, the Count admitted Schafer was impressive in his previous Octagon appearance, when ‘Ravishing Red’ (as he likes to be known) submitted Rob MacDonald in little over two minutes at UFC 62.
Unable to secure footage of any other Schafer fight, Bisping has gone over those 146 seconds of action with a fine-toothed comb and offers the following appraisal of Schafer:
“You could say he looked impressive on the ground but, to be honest, I thought MacDonald made some horrible, nasty mistakes when the fight went to the ground. I was watching the fight thinking ‘what are you doing?’ when MacDonald didn’t even close his half-guard. MacDonald was just asking to be mounted and submitted, so I’m not sure how good Schafer actually is, although in training I’ve prepared harder than ever, y’know, just in case.”
It’s no great revelation that Bisping - who has won all but one his fights via strikes - wants to stand up with an opponent whose nine wins came from submissions.
“His striking looks pretty average,” Bisping said. “He had some half-decent leg kicks, they looked hard, but I didn’t think much of his punches at all. There was no real speed, no footwork to put anything (powerful) behind the punches, and no head movement. I think I’ve got him (done) when it comes to stand up, so obviously I’ll be looking to strike.”
Bisping added: “But though I like to strike, I’m not worried about going to the ground. I’m pretty talented on the floor. There’s no doubt in my mind that I can out-grapple and submit almost anyone. But why take the fight to the ground - where Schafer’s best chance is - when I can stand up and probably waste him in one or two rounds?”
To that end, Bisping has worked very diligently on his takedown defense.
He laughs: “I’ll actually be pissed off with myself if he even gets a takedown; I’ve pushed myself that hard in training I’d actually offend myself if I get taken down.”
If Bisping, 11-0 continues to win, there’s little doubt he will be used to spearhead the UFC’s triumphant return to British shores in 2007.
“That’s one of the reasons there’s pressure on me,” Bisping said, “Some people have talked about me being like a poster boy for the UFC in England and that’d be a great honour if it happens like that. I’m fighting to win for myself and my family but, again, I’m honoured to fly the flag for England and British MMA.
“There are expectations on me but, believe me, after the hard work I do in the gym I expect a lot from myself.”
Source: UFC.com
Talk about Bisping and UFC 66 here.
More than 150 hopefulls tryout for Ken Shamrock’s fight team
Talented Athletes From Across USA On Hand; Team To Be Determined In RENO, Nev., November 29, 2006- The International Fight League, the “I was impressed with not only the depth of talent in the attendees, Shamrock will be reviewing the grades and notes he and his coaches took While many of the athletes came from as far away as Honolulu and Shamrock met with athletes at each weight class, first giving a “Training under Ken Shamrock was exceptional because he is one of the Goodman concurred. “[Shamrock] brings so much experience, he Shamrock will select five starters and three alternates to complete the Shamrock’s Lions, competing for the first time as one of 12 IFL teams 
MORE THAN 150 HOPEFULS PARTICIPATE IN TRYOUT FOR KEN SHAMROCK’S
INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE (IFL) 2007 LIONS TEAM
Coming Weeks
world’s first team-based professional mixed martial arts league, and MMA
legend Ken Shamrock, head coach of the new Nevada-based Lions team,
today conducted an open tryout, with more than 150 athletes vying for
spots on his eight-member 2007 squad. The event, held at the Stadium Sport
and Fitness Club lasted more than six hours, with athletes at all five
official weight classes going through numerous drills and sparring in
several mixed martial arts disciplines.
but also with how many of the guys showed the desire and ability to
learn and work within the team framework,” said Shamrock. “Skills and
talent are important, but I’m looking for those guys that will be
willing to do the things that make a team successful, while knowing that
they can be the best and aren’t afraid to go out and prove it. I saw
a lot of that in the gym today.”
on each athlete, as well as video of the session. He noted that he
would be determining his roster in “about a week or two.”
Harrisburg, Pa., several of the Reno-based contenders also impressed.
“B” Niimi, 33, got a long look, continuing to be called late into the
lightweight division drills, and was excited for the chance to test his
mettle against top competition. “This was a great opportunity to come
out and train with some of the top fighters in the world,” he noted.
“It was a fun thing to do.”
synopsis of how the tryout would be conducted, then emphasizing the importance
he placed on teamwork and always working hard in determining the best
candidates for him. That was not lost on veteran MMA athletes like John
Gunderson, 27, of Medford, Ore., or relative newcomers to the sport
like Herbert Goodman, 29, of Green Bay, Wis., a former running back for
the NFL’s Packers.
icons of this sport,” said Gunderson. “The training was stern and
he definitely wanted us to work hard. I think that’s what attracted
so many elite guys to an event like this.”
instills such confidence, you know he can mold you into the kind of fighter he
wants, and that it will bring out the best in you.”
Lions squad. He indicated that spots will be contested each year at
similar tryouts, with those surviving the tryouts going up against the
incumbent Lions for spots on the team the following year.
competing in the 2007 season, will open on January 19 at the ORACLE
Arena in Oakland, Calif., with a match against his brother Frank
Shamrock’s Razorclaws, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Each IFL team will compete in
three matches during the regular season (January through June); the four
with the best records advancing to the postseason (August, September).
