Andy Samuelson

Story Archive

California trumps Las Vegas for MMA news: WEC 41 sets attendance, gate records; Carano to face 'Cyborg' in August; Monday, June 8, 2009; Neighboring California became the hot spot for major mixed martial arts news over the weekend. World Extreme Cagefighting enjoyed its most prosperous night in the promotion’s eight-year history Sunday in Sacramento. The sister organization to the UFC set attendance and live gate records as 12,706 fans showed up to watch WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown defend his title against hometown hero Urijah Faber.
Evans says nightmare gave him needed wake-up call: Former 205-pound champ admits he learned lesson in loss to Machida; Saturday, June 6, 2009; Long before his nightmares became reality on May 23, Rashad Evans knew something wasn’t right during his fight preparation for Lyoto Machida. “I couldn’t even get any sleep before my fight,” said Evans, the former UFC light heavyweight champ. “Usually you have that down time before you have to report. And I was trying to sleep, but every time I slept, I lost in my dream,” continued Evans, who lost his belt to the karate expert via a second-round knockout at UFC 98.
Mosley trying to finalize deal with Pacquiao: WBA welterweight champion says catch-weight fight could happen in October; Wednesday, June 3, 2009; The contracts have yet to be signed, but on paper there seems to be at least a little intrigue for a matchup this fall between two of the top fighters in the world. World Boxing Association welterweight champion Shane Mosley 46-5-0 (39 KOs) said Wednesday that only a few obstacles stand between him and pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao 49-3-2 (37 KOs) securing a catch-weight bout for Oct. 17.
White says Kimbo Slice won't get special treatment: UFC president sticks to claim that Slice's only way into the UFC is via 'TUF'; Wednesday, June 3, 2009; Kimbo Slice could prove to be the biggest addition in UFC history, but company president Dana White said the former street brawler would not get any special privileges during his tenure on the popular Spike TV reality show “The Ultimate Fighter.” “Believe me when I tell you, Kimbo is getting zero (expletive) special treatment,” White said Tuesday at the UFC training center during the “TUF” media day, a day after the news broke that the highest-watched mixed martial artist of all-time would be taking his shot to earn a spot in the most successful MMA organization in the world.
Former Playboy model wins MMA debut: UFC champ's cousin also successful in debut at Tuff-N-Uff event; Sunday, May 31, 2009; LaTasha Marzolla got two of her three wishes granted Saturday night at the Orleans arena. She won her pro mixed martial arts debut and was rewarded with a vodka cocktail after her first-round victory over Christy Tada at the all day Tuff-N-Uff extravaganza. But the whole fixing her face thing might take a little time to get right. “You look fine, just put some cool glasses on,” said good friend and top female fighter Gina Carano as the two celebrated in the locker room afterwards.
Former Playboy model to make MMA debut tonight: Friday, May 29, 2009; LaTasha Marzolla always knew the time spent rough-housing with her younger brother, Michael, in the family living room would pay off some day. The 29-year-old mixed martial artists just hopes she can remember something from those long-ago fighting lessons when she makes her MMA debut tonight against Christy Tada at the Tuff-N-Uff event at the Orleans tonight. “I’m definitely ready to get back out there and fight, it’s been a while,” said Marzolla, who was set to fight earlier in the year before a pair of nagging injuries pushed her back to today’s card. “I’m really confident and I can’t wait to see how I do in my MMA debut.”
Country boy survives bitter rival: After win over Serra, Hughes says he's not quite ready to hang 'em up; Sunday, May 24, 2009; The hatchet might not be completely buried privately but on Saturday night it was at least squashed publically as bitter rivals Matt Hughes and Matt Serra actually hugged inside the Octagon at UFC 98.
Machida KOs Evans for crown: Hughes wins grudge match; Saturday, May 23, 2009; Moments after Lyoto Machida claimed the UFC light heavyweight title, he delivered a message to the buzzing crowd of 12,606 still on its feet inside the MGM Grand: "Karate is back!" And after the explosive performance the undefeated Machida (15-0) had just displayed in his win over Rashad Evans, the martial art may be around for quite some time.
Evans, Machida ready for historic night: Pair of 205-pounders are the first undefeateds to fight for title; Saturday, May 23, 2009; Rashad Evans knows he has to get a grip on Lyoto Machida if he hopes to keep hold of his UFC light heavyweight title belt. Trouble is, nobody in mixed martial arts has been able to keep two hands on Machida, the Japanese-Brazilian fighter with an unusual hybrid technique and a fearsome overall skill.
Tarver's trainer shares tips, wisdom: Jimmy Williams has been around the game 60 years, says he has plenty more to share; Saturday, May 9, 2009; He’s trained champs and chumps. Kids, like Antonio Tarver made it all the way to the top. Others lay dead in the streets. Jimmy Williams’ message of a better life couldn’t save them from some of mankind’s biggest pitfalls: drugs and violence. Williams was a contemporary of Muhammad Ali, Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson. But all accolades and accomplices aside, the 81-year-old’s illustrious career, which also saw him perform a stint as a professional dancer, is best defined in the ring.
Tarver eager for rematch: 'Magic Man' says he's got a powerful game plan for Dawson; Thursday, May 7, 2009; The talk is a lot tamer this time around from Antonio Tarver. That tends to happen when you’ve had your head handed to you like the former light heavyweight champ did last fall, in a lopsided loss to Chad Dawson. But a rematch clause in their first contract allows a confident Tarver the opportunity to take his title back and keep his second-time around streak intact.
'Pac-Man' KOs Hatton in second round: Pound-for-pound king proves more dominant than De La Hoya fight; Saturday, May 2, 2009; After months of promoting "The Battle of East and West," pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao stopped the megafight in a matter of moments. Pacquiao dropped Ricky Hatton twice in the first round, and quickly finished the the IBO and Ring Magazine junior welterweight champ off in the final second of the second round. A vicious left hand left "The Hitman" on the canvas for several minutes while Pacquiao quietly celebrated in his corner.
Pacquiao's fights provide peace in Philippines: Pound-for-pound king dreams of being a politician and promoting change in home country; Saturday, May 2, 2009; Manny Pacquiao has a power that few people, if any throughout the world, possess. When the Filipino fights, men in the Philippines stop fighting. “I told them that if that can be the reason the guns will be silent in my country, I can fight every day — just for them,” said Pacquiao, who has been told by high-ranking military officials that during his boxing matches hostile guerrillas and the army call a truce.
All talked out: Pacquiao, Hatton have little left to say at final news conference; Thursday, April 30, 2009; So what’s the top-ranked pugilist on the planet do when he has answered practically every questioned that can be thrown at him? Grab the microphone and talk some more, of course. During the very end of an hour-plus press conference at the MGM Grand Wednesday, Manny Pacquiao sheepishly grinned as the majority of reporters filed away from him at the media center, before pulling a mic out of its stand and yelling: “Make some noise,” in his best DJ voice.
Dancing with the welterweights: Hatton and Pacquiao show a good watch; Wednesday, April 29, 2009; A thong, diet pills and too many verbal jabs to tally, if this Saturday’s action inside the ring is half as memorable as the antics leading up to the mega-fight, boxing fans are in for a treat.
'Pac-Mom' makes first U.S. visit to see her son fight: Pacquiao, mother swarmed at Mandalay Bay; Hatton makes Brits happy in grand arrival at MGM; Tuesday, April 28, 2009; The situation has played out so many times before in his native Philippines that Manny Pacquiao was nearly unfazed when it occurred Tuesday afternoon in the United States. But nothing could have prepped Pacquiao’s guest of honor for the mob scene that spilled out at Mandalay Bay. While all the attention and excitement was strictly reserved for the pound-for-pound king, Pacquiao’s mother.
Local wrestler back at it on different mat: Basic grad envisions pro career, one-on-one bout with Rebel roommate; Saturday, April 25, 2009; This is one arena where Weston Duschen’s UNLV basketball roommates know not to challenge him. “They’re always messing with me and trying to get me to come play basketball with them because they know I can’t play. But when I offer them the chance to come into my world, they’re like: ‘No way,’” Duschen said with a smile.
Pacquiao ready to perform for Filipinos: Arum says southpaw will go down as one of the best in boxing history; Saturday, April 25, 2009; Manny Pacquaio already was an international icon before his one-sided victory over Oscar De La Hoya in December, but his one-sided beatdown of the “Golden Boy” in Las Vegas cemented his status as boxing’s pound-for-pound king. “It was different after I beat De La Hoya,” Paquiao said during a teleconference Friday, searching for the right words to convey how his extreme popularity in the Philippines reached yet another level after his dominant win over De La Hoya. “It’s hard to describe. But there was even a different feeling back home.”
Trainers again trade verbal jabs: Roach and Mayweather recount who was the better boxer in their day; Thursday, April 23, 2009; While the two boxers taking part in the megafight at the Las Vegas casino have been about as cordial as possible in their dealings with the press, their trainers have exchanged verbal barbs on almost a daily basis. A teleconference on Wednesday saw another battle in Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr.’s escalating war of words — this time the two former boxers took it all the way back to their days in the ring.
Hatton says he has 'no doubt' he will defeat Pacquiao: Wednesday, April 22, 2009; Ricky Hatton’s not opposed to talking about his craft. After all, the Brit is one of the world’s best boxers. But rarely does “The Hitman” brag about his ring heroics. On Tuesday during a conference call with reporters for his May 2 fight against Manny Pacquiao, the confident Manchester, England, native sounded almost cocky. “There's no doubt in my mind who's going to win this fight,” Hatton said.
Gamboa takes next step: Featherweight wins interim WBA title with 10th-round TKO; Saturday, April 18, 2009; The moment was a big one Friday night, there’s no doubt about it. When you win you a world title, even if it’s an interim championship, the smile on your face becomes a frozen signal of emotion. Yuriorkis Gamboa had the look Friday night after his 10th-round TKO victory over Jose Rojas at Buffalo Bill’s casino, which earned the 27-year-old the interim WBA featherweight title.
Hatton-Pacquiao: Sideshow battle continues: Roach's joke gets Mayweather Sr. revved up again; Friday, April 17, 2009; The gesture seemed, well, almost genuinely nice. Then again that was only at first glance. Factor in the escalating war of words that Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao’s trainers have bombed on each other in the last few weeks, and every media member inside the cramped IBA gym Thursday afternoon knew nothing good could come from the gift setting on the table.
Pacquiao the prankster: Boxing's pound-for-pound king shows his punchy sense of humor; Thursday, April 16, 2009; Manny Pacquiao may be known as boxing's pound-for-pound champ, but he's also a world-class prankster. “He’s quite the jokester,” said Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach. “He likes to have fun, and he has a great sense of humor.” Pacquaio’s strength and conditioning trainer Alex Ariza seems to be the reigning fighter of the year’s favorite target.
The Golden Boy says goodbye: De La Hoya walks away from 17-year career as richest boxer ever; Tuesday, April 14, 2009; Oscar De La Hoya announced his retirement from boxing on Tuesday, four months after his final bout ended in a one-sided loss to Manny Pacquiao.
Mosley says Wright represented well: The Golden Boy may deliver a golden goodbye today; Tuesday, April 14, 2009; Forgive "Sugar" Shane Mosley for being a little partial and pulling for Winky Wright during his fight with Paul Williams Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The 37-year-old Mosley — the same age as Wright and also a stablemate in Golden Boy promotions — was looking for his good friend to put on a show like Mosley did against Antonio Margarito in January. And, of course, continue the trend that the so-called “older boxers” have showed in the last few months that they aren’t quite ready to hang the gloves up yet.
Prospect's personality matches his punches: Arreola scores most significant win with stoppage of McCline; Sunday, April 12, 2009; Chris Arreola kept his undefeated record perfect and added another victim to his knockout list when he stopped veteran Jameel McCline in the fourth round of their NABF title fight Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Williams defeats Wright: Arreola makes quick work of McCline; Saturday, April 11, 2009; Winky Wright had the crowd on his side. But Paul Williams had speed and energy. In the end, Williams' activity won out as he scored a 12-round, unanimous decision victory over Wright Saturday night at Mandalay Bay. "My 12th round felt like my first, and that was due to my hard training. Running seven miles a day helped my breathing, " Williams said. "I expected him to throw good shots and he did. We went 12 hard rounds and I anticipated it would be a tough fight.
Williams looking to make statement against Wright: Saturday, April 11, 2009; Paul Williams knows he’ll have the reach advantage tonight when he steps into the ring against Winky Wright at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Few can outspan his freakish 82-inch grasp, but the South Carolina native says that’s not the only position of superiority he possesses over the 37-year-old Wright, 10 years his elder. "I'm going to take it to him and make him fight," said Williams, who said age could be a factor in the fight.
Campbell still on top at Masters: Former Rebel struggled with winds but remained tied for first with 135; Friday, April 10, 2009; Former UNLV golfer Chad Campbell — who nearly broke a two-decade scoring record Thursday at the Masters — struggled a bit on the back nine of Friday’s session, but remained tied for the lead with Kenny Perry with a two-day total of 9-under 135. "There's a long ways to go, but it's definitely nice to not be on foreign ground,” said the former UNLV golfer, who hung onto a share of the lead at the Masters on Friday despite a shaky back nine during second round play.
Heavyweight Arreola ready for his name to carry weight: Undefeated Californian plans to put on a show Saturday at Mandalay Bay; Thursday, April 9, 2009; Casual boxing fans may have no idea who Chris Arreola is, but the Los Angeles native’s camp says after Saturday night “The Nightmare” will be a haunting face in what has been a faceless heavyweight division.
Feature fights for UFC 100 made official: Lesnar-Mir, St. Pierre-Alves, Henderson-Bisping highlight historic card; Wednesday, April 8, 2009; While the bouts have been talked about for quite some time now, the UFC made the rumors official Wednesday afternoon by announcing three feature fights for its historic UFC 100 show on July 11 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
51s' Basso back in Vegas to rekindle winning ways: Former LV Stars catcher says his Triple-A team will battle for PCL title; Wednesday, April 8, 2009; 51s manager Mike Basso returns to Las Vegas for the first time in 15 years and hopes to bring with him a return to the glory days of when he was playing for the Las Vegas Stars and winning a Pacific Coast League crown in the late 1980s.
Liddell proves he's a 'deadly warrior': Frank Shamrock backs Mickey Rourke at Wrestlemania; Tuesday, April 7, 2009; Former UFC light heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell packs quite a punch. Need proof? How about a 1,000 pounds of force per pop. That’s the reading “The Iceman” tested out at for Spike TV’s newest show, “Deadliest Warrior,” which debuts tonight at 10 p.m. on Cox Cable Ch. 29.
Griffin still same guy despite 'cover boy' status: Former light heavyweight champ prepared for August bout vs. Silva; Monday, April 6, 2009; Former champ Forrest Griffin talks about making the cover of the UFC's upcoming video game, his injury status and preparations for his next fight against Thiago Silva.
A homecoming hit: WEC champ Torres returns to Windy City for first time in two years; Sunday, April 5, 2009; WEC bantamweight champ Miguel Torres plans on putting on a show in front of his hometown fans tonight in his title bout against Takeya Mizugaki in Chicago.
Griffin endures painful victory at UFN 18: Xtreme Couture fighter holds off Dos Anjos despite awkward leg injury; Wednesday, April 1, 2009; Tyson Griffin bounced back from his loss to Sean Sherk with a unanimous decision victory over Rafael dos Anjos at UFC Fight Night 18 despite suffering an awkward leg injury.
Kampmann ready to move forward against Condit: Danish striker says injury, lopsided loss are in the past; Wednesday, April 1, 2009; Having suffered a major injury and devastating defeat in his other prime-time fights, Martin Kampmann has other plans for his main event bout against Carlos Condit tonight in Tennessee.
Pacquiao, Hatton hit Hollywood: Fighters enjoy star treatment in build-up to superfight; Tuesday, March 31, 2009; Neither Ricky Hatton nor Manny Pacquaio had ever been to Hollywood before, but on Monday night the two boxing superstars stepped outside the ring and onto the red carpet as they were treated like Hollywood royalty during their promotional news conference for their May 2 title fight in Las Vegas. “That’s the first time I’ve been on a red carpet,” said a smiling Hatton. “If there was ever a fight worthy of a red carpet, I would like to think it’s this one." Pacquiao walked the carpet behind a T-shirt clad Mark Wahlberg, decked out in a dark suit with a light blue shirt and navy tie with white and pink stripes.
A (bumpy) trip down memory lane: Las Vegan rekindles glory by winning his class in historic race; Sunday, March 29, 2009; Last year may have been the rebirth of the legendary Mint 400, but many drivers and fans said they got their first full taste of the tradition from the historic event at Saturday's race at Moapa Valley.
Lesser-named fighters show they are TUFF-N-UFF: Promoter says star power doesn't equal staying power in amateur events; Saturday, March 28, 2009; The only Couture in attendance Friday in The Orleans was Kim Couture, who offered commentary for TUFF-N-UFF's broadcast team, but that didn't stop the amateur event from being a success, according to President Barry Meyer.
Pacquiao named fighter of the year: Friday, March 27, 2009; The man known as the world’s pound-for-pound champ proved it again, at least in the eyes of boxing pundits as Manny Pacquiao was voted fighter of the year by the Boxing Writers Association of America this week.
'Grease Gate' still a slippery subject: Formal conclusion still uncertain after NSAC advisory hearing; Tuesday, March 17, 2009; The Nevada State Athletic Commission spent two more hours Tuesday listening to testimony, watching video and searching for any additional insight into the controversy surrounding Georges St. Pierre’s title fight against B.J. Penn at UFC 94.
Athletic Commission to hold 'Grease-Gate' hearing: UFC to host first fan expo; Ortiz the proud papa of twin boys; Tuesday, March 17, 2009; The Nevada State Athletic Commission will try to put an official end to the six-week circus that has comically been labeled as “Grease-Gate” today during a hearing to review alleged misconduct during Georges St. Pierre’s title fight with B.J. Penn at UFC 94.
UFC to hold first-ever Fan Expo: Monday, March 16, 2009; The Ultimate Fighting Championship announced today that it is hosting its first mixed martial arts exposition this summer to coincide with the promotion’s historic UFC 100 event.
Arum: Despite drug violence, Tijuana 'a very safe place': HBO to follow Hatton/Pacquiao; Mayweather Jr. preparing for comeback?; Friday, March 13, 2009; Lacking the U.S. Department of State’s ringing endorsement for his upcoming boxing event in Tijuana, Mexico, Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum decided to take matters in his own hands this week — declaring the largest city in the Mexican state of Baja California as “a very safe place.”
UFC's Penn files formal complaint: Ken Shamrock suspended; Evans to face Machida; Tapout's 'Mask' dies; Thursday, March 12, 2009; After more than a month of accusations and posturing, B.J. Penn and his representatives have filed a formal complaint requesting official sanctions be taken against Georges St. Pierre and his team for improper actions performed during St. Pierre’s win over Penn at UFC 94 on Jan. 31 at the MGM Grand.
'TUF' No. 9 will have an international twist: U.S. vs U.K. highlights latest installment of popular reality show; Tuesday, March 10, 2009; The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s hit reality television series will look a little different this spring as the ninth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” features the first-ever battle between two countries when the United States competes against the United Kingdom.
Brown ready for return home: Welterweight says relocation to Las Vegas has improved training; Saturday, March 7, 2009; Matt Brown won't be fighting for a UFC welterweight title tonight at UFC 96, nor in the main event of the show set in Columbus, Ohio, but few fighters on the card will find more support. "It's a dream come true," said Brown, who was born in nearby Xenia, Ohio, about an hour west of Columbus. "To be in my hometown, fighting on the main card of a UFC event is unbelievable. "The only thing that would be bigger is fighting in the main event or for the UFC title."
Fun has begun for Hatton-Pacquiao bout: Boxers will square off May 2 at the MGM Grand; Thursday, March 5, 2009; While Manny Pacquiao fans line the streets by the thousands in his native Philippines to watch the universally regarded pound-for-pound champ box, another prize fighter thinks he’s got just the type of style to stop Pacquiao’s legendary status from growing.
Biffle finds luck at LVMS: No. 16 cars holds off teammate to stop 76-race winless streak; Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009; Greg Biffle had some bad breaks Saturday at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He was caught speeding, heck Biffle even ran out of gas, not once, but twice — while leading the Sam’s Town 300. But the No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford overcame all of those problems and got lucky at just the right time as he held off teammate Carl Edwards down the home stretch of a green-white-checkered-flag finish. "It feels great to get back in Victory Lane," said Biffle, who snapped a 76-race winless streak by crossing the finish line .391 seconds ahead of Edwards in a race that was plagued by 12 cautions, one short of the race record.