Mixed Martial Arts

Fedor Emelianenko TKOs Brett Rogers in second round: Saturday, November 7, 2009; STRIKEFORCE: Russian fighter successful in Strikeforce debut on network television broadcast; By Brett Okamoto; Fedor Emelianenko delivered the result many were expecting in his nationally televised debut with the Strikeforce organization. The difficulties he faced in reaching that result was what may have surprised some.

Brett Rogers says he's ready to shock Fedor Emelianenko: Thursday, November 5, 2009; Strikeforce: Focused Rogers spent three months preparing for Nov. 7; By Brett Okamoto; The last time Brett Rogers fought, he finished off former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski by TKO in just 22 seconds. He's hoping to do something similar to Fedor Emelianenko Saturday.

Gunderson submits Sharp in MMA Xplosion main event: Sunday, October 11, 2009; Fighting:; By Hepi Mita; With all of the knockouts and submissions at the first-ever mixed martial arts event at The M Resort, promotion company MMA Xplosion could have forgone hiring judges. Only two of the ten fights on Friday night went to decisions and none of the main card bouts went the distance.

M Resort set to host MMA Xplosion tonight: Saturday, October 10, 2009; Fighting:; By Allison Duck; MMA Xplosion will host the first-ever mixed martial arts event at The M Resort tonight. A mix of professional and amateur fights, the MMA Xplosion will also feature a unique “halftime” show before the professionals take to the ring. The presentation will consist of a “tricking battle” featuring local mixed martial artist Rory Bratter.

Gina Carano, Randy Couture, Manny Pacquiao bare body, or parts, for ESPN: Friday, October 2, 2009; MMA Notebook: Kimbo Slice ready for rematch; Walker challenges UFC's White; Lashley to Strikeforce?; By Andy Samuelson; Three staples in the Las Vegas fight scene, Gina Carano, Randy Couture, and Manny Pacquiao, will appear in ESPN The Magazine’s first “Body Issue,” which hits newsstands next week. Carano, known as the face of female mixed martial arts, the legendary UFC Hall of Famer Couture, and pound-for-pound boxing king Pacquiao will be among 30 male and female pro athletes posing nude or semi-nude for ESPN’s version of Sports Illustrator’s famous swimsuit edition.

Former boxing champ Ricardo Mayorga wants to try MMA: Monday, September 21, 2009; Boxing/MMA:; Associated Press; MIAMI — Former welterweight and super-welterweight world champion Ricardo Mayorga will venture into mixed martial arts. In a news conference Monday, Mayorga said he anticipates his first MMA fight early next year. Mayorga, of Nicaragua, currently is in a legal dispute with promoter Don King and seeks a release from his boxing contract for an opportunity at an MMA career. “I am a fighter by nature, I learned to fight on the streets of Nicaragua before I learned to box,” Mayorga said. “For many years, I have wanted to try MMA. Now I hope to get my opportunity.”

Ex-NFL star Herschel Walker signs fight contract with Strikeforce: Monday, September 21, 2009; By Andy Samuelson; Former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL star Herschel Walker is back on the playing field, err, make that the fighting cage. The 47-year-old Walker, a longtime mixed martial artist, has signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce, the San Jose, Calif.-based MMA promotion.

Local promotion hosts first fighting event in NW Las Vegas: Friday, September 4, 2009; MMA:; By Andy Samuelson; The amateur mixed marital arts scene in Las Vegas has plenty of competition with top promotion Tuff-N-Uff mixing it up with a handful of other organizations, but Mark Birnbaum thinks there is room to squeeze one more fighting company into the city. And Birnbaum, the owner of two Rapid Rehab centers in Las Vegas and one in Brentwood in Los Angeles, Calif., is betting on a longtime boxing guy will make the difference. “It was really Robert (Johnston’s) idea (to start Las Vegas MMA),” Birnbaum said of his partner. “He’s been in the boxing business for several years and has ...

Kick boxer scores win with fourth round knockout: Monday, August 31, 2009; By Hepi Mita; Kevin Ross avenged his Jan. 19 loss against Kang En with a thrilling knockout victory in the main event of Sunday’s World Championship Fights: USA versus China at the Las Vegas Hilton

Looking back at UFC 102: Monday, August 31, 2009; By the numbers:; By Andy Samuelson; Randy Couture’s homecoming fight might not have been a Cinderella story Saturday night during UFC 102 as the Pacific Northwest native lost to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in a classic battle. But UFC’s first show in the region was a success, drawing 16,088 spectators, a live gate of $1.92 million and one of the loudest crowds in the promotion’s history.

Canadian team sweeps MMA event: Saturday, August 29, 2009; Allison Duck, Hepi Mita; A Canadian based mixed martial arts team invaded the Orleans Friday night, winning all five matches against American opponents in the Tuff-N-Uff Amateur Fighting Championships: USA vs. Canada.

Dustin Philips dominates fight at Worlds Collide: Sunday, August 23, 2009; By Case Keefer; PRIMM—Chad Dietmeyer slid under the ropes and stormed toward the locker room to a chorus of boos moments after his fight against Dustin Philips ended. Dietmeyer, a previously undefeated Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist from Tucson, Ariz., took no time to stay and listen to the judges’ decision or to tell Philips, a Las Vegas-based former college wrestler, how well he fought in the Worlds Collide semifinals.

Couture's son victorious, as is best-selling author: Sunday, August 23, 2009; Tuff-N-Uff: Six months of training in Las Vegas gave Matt Polly confidence, skills to walk away a winner in his first, 'and only,' MMA fight; By Andy Samuelson; The biggest storyline Saturday night at the Tuff-N-Uff event at the Orleans was Ryan Couture winning the main event against Palo Verde grad Jimmy Spicuzza. But what the couple of thousand fans crammed inside the Mardi Gras ballroom didn’t know, was the best story of the amateur show was that the middle-aged, pudgy, semi-awkward looking fighter being cornered by UFC legend Randy Couture — was actually best-selling author Matthew Polly.

Las Vegas boxer may need new nickname: Saturday, August 22, 2009; MMA/Boxing: Rynell Griffin won't be 'The Best Kept Secret' for long if he keeps winning in Worlds Collide tourney; By Case Keefer; If everything goes according to plan for Rynell Griffin in the next two rounds of the Worlds Collide tournament, he’ll need to come up with a new ring name. Griffin, a Las Vegas-based boxer nicknamed “The Best Kept Secret,” will fight Richard Ellis tonight in the Worlds Collide 132-pound class semifinals in at Buffalo Bill’s casino in Primm. Richard Steele, Griffin’s trainer, says the fight will be the first step in shedding the secret tag.

Ryan Couture ready to get back in ring after first setback: Saturday, August 22, 2009; Son of UFC legend faces Palo Verde grad Jimmy Spicuzza in tonight's Tuff-N-Uff event; By Andy Samuelson; This past March Ryan Couture tasted two bitter pills for the first time in his young mixed martial arts career. He suffered a near knockout blow from former training partner Elisey Yarovoy, and then eventually a unanimous decision loss to Yarovoy — the first setback for the 26-year-old son of UFC legend Randy Couture. But the sour moment in Bellingham, Wash., close to where Couture grew up in nearby Woodinville, he says was a necessary process for his continued development in the fight game.