If contracts mean anything it appears we're closer to Nick Diaz stepping away from MMA to try his hand at boxing. Press releases were sent out today saying the Strikeforce 170-pound champion has signed a deal to fight former 168-pound boxing champion Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy in October.
Lacy's publicist Bernie Bahrmasel said his fighter has signed the deal. ESPN.com's Josh Gross spoke with Diaz's mentor Cesar Gracie, who said the MMA fighter also put pen to paper.
Diaz didn't actually sign a contract to fight Lacy. He's signed a bout agreement with Don Chargin, the promoter, with the understanding that it's going to be Lacy.
It's a surprising matchup on both sides. Lacy, a pro boxer with 30 fights under his belt, has a lot to lose. Diaz, who hasn't lost an MMA bout since 2007, has only fought professionally on the boxing side one time.
"It's a challenge when somebody calls him out," Bahrmasel told Yahoo! Sports. "It's a personal thing when somebody says 'you're this, you're that. I can come and kick your butt.' And Jeff's like, 'I'm Jeff Lacy pal. I've been a successful boxer for a very long time. You want to step in with me under boxing rules and prove yourself, it's absolutely personal.'
Two weeks ago, Lacy (25-4-1) spoke about Diaz calling him out.
"Honestly, I was a little stunned. Nick has accomplished a great deal in mixed martial arts and is certainly one of the best in the sport. But getting in the ring with me for a boxing match is a path he needs to be very wary of taking. I'm willing to put it all on the line anytime, anywhere!" said Lacy.
"For the right price, I'm more than interested in heading to his turf and put my fist in his mouth and silencing him."
That kind of trash talk surprised his publicist.
"For Jeff to use that kind of language, it's not typically the way he talks," Bahrmasel said. "He's always been very respectful. But you throw a sword in his direction then you're going to get Jeff Lacy."
The Lacy Camp has no worries about losing to Diaz (1-0).
"He's never lost to a guy who's 1-0 in boxing. How's that for a line? I'll leave it at that," said Bahrmasel.
Is Diaz taking a negotiating position to ensure an MMA fight against Georges St. Pierre before the end of 2011 or will he really go through with this? That's what it sounded like when Gracie spoke with MMAFighting. Seems like a risky proposition for Diaz. If he gets destroyed by Lacy, we're not so sure he can just walk back to MMA and expect anyone to promote a mega-fight against GSP in the near future.
MMA Fighting has a Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley live blog for round-by-round updates for one of the top boxing fights of the year. The main event will start a little after 11:30PM ET. Check out our Pacquiao vs. Mosley results page to find out what happened on the undercard.
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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/05/07/manny-pacquiao-vs-shane-mosley-live-round-by-round-updates/
Dana White was clearly blown away by the passion of Canadian MMA fans in Toronto for UFC 129, so when one of them had a crazy request, the UFC president granted the UFC diehard his wish.
Yahoo! Sports' Eh Game was on the scene as Trevor Fitzgerald rolled the dice during White's Friday Q & A:
"After Georges St-Pierre beats down Jake Shields," Fitzgerald started, to immediate cheers. "Can I have the honour of the putting the championship belt around his waist?"
The question seemed to daze White for a moment.
"That's a tough request," the president said. "But [expletive] it, I'll do it."
The place erupted. Disbelieving fans could be heard shouting, "Are you kidding me?" And moments later, Fitzgerald was near the stage sharing his cell number with White's bodyguard so that they can set this whole thing up.
If you paid close attention seconds after Bruce Buffer belted out the results and wondered who the Kevin Smith look-a-like was in the Octagon, now you have your answer - just some fan who asked.
Fitzgerald may be the luckiest man in Canada. He was only at the event because he won a contest!
A father of two from Fort Frances, Ont., Fitzgerald asked his wife if he could go to UFC 129. The answer was no. Corrina, his wife reminded him that his five-year-old daughter Emily had a dance recital today.
Fitzgerald had one card left up his sleeve. He'd entered a UFC 129 trip giveaway at a local Boston Pizza. Guess what happened? Fitzgerald has his name pulled, won two tickets, a hotel room and airfare, and the wifey had to relent.
Tip via Eh Game
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/75937/georges-st-pierres-eye-fully-healed-back-to-training-today/
It's Wednesday, so it's time for another episode of "The Ultimate Fighter." After tonight's episode, we'll know who most of the quarterfinalists are, as well as the recipients of the "second-chance" wildcard berths, awarded to two fighters who lost in the first round but deserve another chance. Who will win tonight's bouts? Who will get the wildcard? Will Junior dos Santos and Lew Polley appear to be coaching two different teams again? Is Dana White wearing a Stevie Nicks shirt as a cross-promotion with Glee's Fleetwood Mac episode from Tuesday night? Read on for spoilers and a recap.
Signals crossed of the night: After dos Santos gives a rousing speech to his fighters, who just suffered another loss, telling them that losing is part of the game, his assistant coach says, "No. It's your job to win, even if it is boring." Dos Santos tells Polley, in a very nice way, to shut up.
Oh No of the Week: At Lesnar's training practice, Len Bentley, their main wildcard hope, injures his knee. Clay Harvison is getting his finger, which was mangled in his last fight, checked out at the hospital. Both fighters assume that they're done.
But Wait! of the Week: Harvison's finger is easily fixable. Bentley's knee dislocated, but no ligaments were torn. I've dislocated my knee. It's awful, terrible, horrible, not-so-much-mind-numbing-as-blinding pain, but afterwards, it heals pretty quickly. (The surgery to keep it from dislocating again? I don't recommend.)
Junior vs. Lew of the Day: Dos Santos is ticked that Polley went to the fighters' house without telling him, and he feels like Polley is constantly going over his head. Probably because he is. Dos Santos lets the hammer come down, telling Polley it's time to go home. Polley is obviously disappointed, but there was only so many times that he could contradict dos Santos before this was going to happen.
Fight picks of the week: With control in their hands, Team Lesnar pits Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Edwards, which will put two wrestlers against each other. That means Lesnar's Chuck O'Neil will fight Zach Davis from Team dos Santos.
Good-Bye, Lou of the Week: Dos Santos' fighters are worried that they won't understand anyone from their corner ... and that's all they have to say about that.
Fight One of the Week: Tony Ferguson (Team Lesnar) vs. Justin Edwards (Team dos Santos)
Round One: Edwards comes out throwing every single punch ever invented ever. He then tries for a takedown, but can't get it done. Lesnar then announces, "He just blew his wad." Classy. Ferguson takes advantage, lands more strikes and shakes off an Edwards takedown. Just when it appears that Lesnar was right, Edwards starts coming back and gets a takedown. But Edwards' good fortune doesn't last long he stands up to reset, and Ferguson lands a heel kick, knocking Edwards out.
"That's the [expletive] that makes you want to get out of bed on a Saturday and watch a fight," Dana White said after the bout. Fighters can not have a more ringing endorsement than that.
Edwards is disappointed, but he should take consolation in the fact that he impress White. For Ferguson, the win is a great birthday celebration.
Fight Two of the Week: Chuck O'Neil (Team Lesnar) vs. Zach Davis (Team dos Santos)
Round One: Davis shoots in and gets an immediate takedown. O'Neil tries for a guillotine, but can't hold onto it. Though O'Neil gets back to his feet, Davis continues to be in control in the clinch. He throws several knees into O'Neil's body, and then takes it back to the ground. Davis works on the ground before standing over O'Neil, allowing him to stand back up, and then taking him down again. This time, O'Neil sneaks out the back and gets top position, landing several blows. But Davis doesn't give up. He maneuvers around to slap a triangle choke on O'Neil, causing him to tap.
Again, White was impressed with both fighters and the way they had a war on the ground.
Heartbreak of the week: White calls Justin Edwards into the office to tell him that he was picked for the wildcard spot but (dramatic pause) he has a medical suspension for 90 days and he can't fight. He's broken-hearted, but will thank the commission when he's 53 and remembers his kids' names.
Missed opportunity of the week: As is the custom, White and the coaches ask every wildcard candidate to come in and say why they want the fight. Though they all seem to want it, no one blows White and the coaches away. Have they not watched the show before?
Confidential to future "The Ultimate Fighter" contestants: If you want the wildcard spot or the spot of an injured fighter, jump up and down. Yell. Swear. Write it on your chest then rip your shirt off, Hulk Hogan-style. It's obvious that this is the hoop that White wants you to jump though, so jump through it.
The coaches and White finish an oddly civil discussion about the wildcards, and announce that the wildcard fight will be:
Javier Torres (Team dos Santos) vs. Chuck O'Neil (Team Lesnar)
Consider Len Bentley pissed. But get excited. Next week is the coach's challenge!
Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive
When Randy Couture said his goodbyes and walked out of the cage for what he would have us believe is the last time in his pro fighting career, Mark Coleman stood there with the 55,000 fans in the Rogers Centre, and just like them he felt a range of emotions swirling inside him. "I felt a lot of different things," Coleman said. "Randy's somebody who I don't have a bad word to say about, who helped me a lot in my career, who opened his gym to me. I don't know if you want to use the word hero, but yeah, he was sort of a personal hero of mine." He was also a contemporary of Coleman's from the early days of MMA, and a fellow UFC hall of famer. And now here he was, just a little over a year removed from a win over Coleman at UFC 109, and he was calling it quits. When you're a 46-year-old pro fighting legend watching one of your peers hang up the gloves, it's the kind of thing that makes you think.Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/05/13/mark-coleman-fighting-was-a-dream-and-i-lived-the-dream/
Source: http://www.fighters.com/05/12/stephan-bonnar-vs-karlos-vemola-tapped-for-ufc-on-versus-5
Dennis George Kultar Gill Allan Goes Takanori The Fireball Kid Gomi
Source: http://www.fighters.com/05/14/jeff-curran-dominant-at-xfo-39