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MMAToday: How are you doing?

TO: Great! I just got back from a month of vacation and I am feeling good.

MMAToday: Have you returned to training since your last fight?

TO: Just started training again lightly about a week ago getting ready to get all the way into it

MMAToday: How much training time do you plan to put in before your next fight?

TO: About 2 full months

MMAToday: What brought you into competing in MMA?

TO: I was in wrestling in high school and college, started as Tank Abbot’s training partner. I started really getting into the UFC when they started having weight classes since I competed at 199 so 205 was a natural fit for me. Just the love of competition. I fought my first fight for free because I was still in college and would lose my scholarship if I was paid.

MMAToday: What training and experience did you have that made you know you would be successful at it?

TO: Just wrestling, growing up with older brothers who used to beat me up a lot, and I started training boxing in my garage in high school

MMAToday: What fighters early in your career did you admire and maybe try to model your training and fighting style after?

TO: Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock and Tank, tried to take lessons from what they had done and been successful at and incorporate it all. Guys like Frank Shamrock knew the whole game and his cardio was awesome. I didn’t try to be like anyone else really but learn from them and take that and add it all up to make the perfect fighter.

MMAToday: Are there any fighters you look up to now?

TO: Not anyone now currently, but I look at people who put it all together like Ali, Bruce Lee 30 years ago. GSP and BJ are great fighters. I can’t respect anyone in my weight class anymore because I get caught up in watching them and being in awe instead of stomping on them, which is what I need to be do doing.

MMAToday: One fight that is noted as making a big difference early in your training and career was against Frank Shamrock, how did that fight affect you?

TO: I trained with Frank after the loss for a couple weeks, got to see what it took to be a top contender. I lost to Frank because of conditioning. Frank helped teach me about heart rate and rest. I learned about recovery times. After only fighting for almost 2 years and training with Frank I was able to go at it with Wanderlei Silva for 5 full rounds at full speed.

MMAToday: How was it the first time you won a UFC Championship? How did you feel afterwards?

TO: When I first won it was amazing but I had another goal and that was to keep the belt. Don’t get me wrong I slept with that belt for the first month after I got it, but I wanted to keep it. I wanted to keep it longer than anyone ever had and break the record for it, and be dominant and I did that.

MMAToday: What fight or fights for you are the most memorable of your career?

TO: There’s a few. First beating Silva for the title and my first fight with Ken. The other two fights with Ken just made it more memorable. I really took it to heart the first time against him, that I was good when I beat Ken and was dominant.

MMAToday: Which fight brought you the most satisfaction and which brought you the most disappointment?

TO: Satisfaction: The first fight with Ken, I came off a knee surgery and ACL injury and was dominant after 6 months being healthy. Second against Vladimir Matyushenko and dominated, that was the best shape I have ever been in.

Disappointment: Losing the title to Randy, that hurt the worst, I wasn’t right for almost two months after. I had to find the motivation to keep going forward.

The second fight with Chuck this past December, I felt I let my fans down and I was in the best shape and brought my “A” game.

MMAToday: This past year was a busy one for you, after a year long layoff, with 4 fights. Are you planning on taking it a little slower this year?

TO: I am trying for 3 fights this year, I like being in the octagon. When I wasn’t there it was about the money and paying bills, now it’s not about the money. I am having fun, and I’m fighting to get my title back. I keep working and getting better and trying to be a better fighter. I would like to fight Chuck, I will fight him 5 or 6 times however many times it takes. I’m confident now that I stood with him, and I’m confident I can fix the mistakes I made. First thing I think of is who I have to fight to get back to the top and be in contention. I will crush anyone in the LHW division. I only lost to the top guys in the game Randy Couture, Frank Shamrock and Chuck Liddell. I still have a bright future ahead and my body feels good. I have no injuries my knee is great and my back is great.

MMAToday: What can we expect from you in 2007?

TO: More movies? My heart is really in fighting right now and I’m in fighting mode. I want to keep going with Punishment Athletic. I’m a business man then a fighter and then actor man but fighter first and foremost now. My next fight is in May against Keith Jardine.

MMAToday: Where do you see yourself in the UFC title picture at Light Heavyweight?

TO: I’m in the top 3. I will fight any of them, I fought Liddell and made some mistakes but that won’t happen again. He has been dominant and done what he has done, so have I and I will do it again.

MMAToday: What motivates you to continue fighting and training after an almost 10 year professional career of fighting?

TO: My fans and the drive to be the best. It’s a mixture of both.

MMAToday: Who are your favorite fighters to watch?

TO: GSP #1. He has a hard work ethic and is very exciting, what he did to Matt Hughes was impressive. Brandon Vera is exciting and hits hard, he’s a good wrestler and has good Jiu-jitsu.

MMAToday: Are there any fighters you want to fight that you haven’t had a chance to yet?

TO: Shogun Rua would be an awesome fight, I’d love to fight him, Wanderlei just lost and Id love to fight him again. Dan Henderson would be great. I’ll fight anyone and make it exciting for the fans. I just want to keep people buying pay per views and keep the fans entertained, me and chuck did it right and broke records for pay per view buys.

MMAToday: You have done a small bit of acting in recent years, is something you are looking to pursue?

TO: I was just on CBS Numbers in a small part last week. , I did a MadTV episode that will be airing in April or May. I have to make the right choices and I want to stay away from the fight movies and go more into action films.

MMAToday: Is there anything you would change in the UFC currently to make it safer rules wise for the fighter? Or any changes you would make?

TO: Everything is good; sometimes the referees need to be a little more knowledgeable in a championship fight. The fight with Liddell, the referee (Mario Yamasaki) was never in a huge fight. Big John knows what its like to be in those fights. He should have let us fight; I’ll take a lot of damage, but don’t stop the fight when I’m getting hit in the arms. Let the fight go if I’m defending those shots, a lot of them were hitting my forearms.

MMAToday: Can you request a referee for a fight?

TO: Athletic Commissions assign the refs, and they changed it to Yamasaki at the weigh-ins.

MMAToday: What do you think of the recent explosion of MMA’s popularity over the last 2 years? Is it beneficial for everyone? The fans, the fighters and the promoters alike?

TO: I think it’s better for the fighters. As it gets bigger guys will be paid more. Making 2 grand a fight is BS, comes down to the fighters. You have to have more respect for yourself and not let them walk all over you. You have to hold out and demand more money. I think I was the first guy to really hold out; I was willing to hold out for what I believed in. But it’s a catch 22, if you sign the contract for making less money everyone bitches that you don’t make enough, but they bitch if you ask for more. We top fighters are making good money, but it’s not about the money anymore for me, I just want to fight, I love to compete.

MMAToday: Any chance you would leave UFC?

TO: I really don’t want to, I started here and I plan on finishing here. I hope they would promote me more. I don’t see going anywhere else but you never know what happens, but my heart sticks with the UFC till they start treating me bad. I and Dana are having good feelings right now though.

MMAToday: Would you consider leaving to fight Silva and Shogun?

TO: I could make that decision but I worked hard to be where I am but I would go if they set it up, I think it just comes down to I’ll fight any of them. I’ll stomp anyone at 205, I’m in the top 3 in the world and I’ll beat Shogun, Henderson and Silva if I get the chance.

MMAToday: How did the TUF appearance change anything for you?

TO: The misconceptions people had of me. I’m two separate people, I have a cocky attitude in the octagon but, but I’m a caring person outside. It was a chance for my fans to see another side of me. You have to have charisma to be successful in the ring. When I’m in the ring I know the angles I need to take like Muhammad Ali and Hulk Hogan, you have to be cocky and brash and that’s how you attract the fans. My team did great and went 9-3; it was nice to know I had even a small part in that.

MMAToday: Would training young fighters be a goal after your fighting career is over?

TO: Maybe not but maybe, maybe do my own TV show, I love training and helping out with guys. I loved training kids when I was in college helping training at the local high school.

MMAToday: Is there anyone currently training with you that we should be on the lookout for?

TO: Not yet, after my fight I’ve had a few guys trying to get a hold of me for training but I’m picky, you need to be a hard worker and have the right attitude to train with us. Like Melvin Guillard, he’s training with us, he’s a hard worker and is rising fast. But we need a HW for Team Punishment, a big like around 6’-3” to 6’-5” around 265 pounds preferably a wrestler. We work hard and there’s no one that trains like we do at Team Punishment.

MMAToday: You have been involved in numerous charities over the years, anyone you are working with now in particular?

TO: Doing motivational speaking at high schools and speaking to the Marines. I’m going to the Armed Forces Day top speak in front of the Marines that just came back from and some that are going out to Iraq on May 19th in Banning, California from 11am -1pm . I’m looking to work with inner city kids and training camps with them, nothing etched in stone yet but I really want to help kids.

Brian Robertson
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/interview-with-tito-ortiz-112472.html

Originally posted 2010-02-11 17:42:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

After Losing His Belt, He Has Fought Two Unknow Fighters, And Bam Already Title Shot. I Think That Is Pathetic On The Part Of The UFC. Why Not Put Dan Henderson Against Franklin To See Who Gets A Shot At The Belt, They Are Both Middle Weight. Noooo, Henderson Has To Fight Jackson. What About Wanderlei Versus Jackson. Wanderlei Would Knock Him Out For The 3rd Time. What Happened To Pride. No More PPV, No More News. Is UFC Throwing Pride Away So They Have No Competion. If Thats The Case, Bring In Fedor, So He Can Rape All The Heavy Weights. Man Im PIssed.

The UFC likes to keep current champions or better contenders constantly striving for and defending the belt, that is why Chuck will get a shot at the belt after he fights two opponents and wins, but that won’t happen because he is due to fights Wanderlai in october or december. Franklin went through mcdonald pretty easy in my opinion and barely through okami, i think if they fought 10 times it would be 5 wins a piece, I do not like franklin but I think he deserves it i has defended so many times and has such an outstanding record he deserves it, I do however think hughes does not deserve one as soon as he is his next fight is Serra and hughes hasn’t fought once since he lost it to GSP. Then GSP and Koshceck will fight either in ufc 74 or 75..

Originally posted 2010-01-28 10:42:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Welcome to UFCentral, your one stop shop for all UFC news. Our 3rd episode is dedicated to UFC Fight Night 20 (Maynard vs Diaz) and UFC news.

All information is sourced to the websites below.

www.ufc.com www.
mmajunkie.com
www.sherdog.com (mostly for rumors)
www.wikipedia.com (mostly for rumors)

Duration : 0:3:36

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Originally posted 2010-01-08 15:26:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/couture-vera-tops-ufc-105-19658

Do you really want to see this fight?
Who do you think will win?

iRather see Couture vs Rashad Evans since the Evans/Rampage fight has been postponed.
iThink Couture will win by TKO in round 2
Brandon Vera has 10 fights in the UFC going 7-3

this is a pretty odd matchup, but a very interesting one….
not sure what Joe Silva was thinking, but i’m sure there’s a method to his madness….and i wouldn’t say that the UFC is just trying to give Randy 1 in the win column…Vera does pose some strong muay thai skills against Couture’s Greco-Roman wrestling….
Vera will win if he can stay out of Randy’s clinch & avoid being taken down…we’ve seen lack-luster Vera is in these certain situations…also, I don’t believe Randy has dealt w/an opponent who utilizes as many kicks as Brandon Vera…could also be seen as an advantage to "The Truth"…
on the other hand, Randy is a master in the clinch….and he could possibly grind out a decision against Vera…i’d say his best opportunity to do so would be tying up Vera; take him to the ground, utilize some good old fashioned G&P…impose his will & try to win by stoppage…
if not, then at least keep him on the mat for all 3 rounds….

Originally posted 2010-07-29 14:52:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

For UFC 98 we have Rashad Evans vs Lyoto Machida. Both are undefeated. We also have Matt Hughes vs Matt Serra. Here are my predictions for the main event and co-main event. For my predictions on the rest of the card visit ChannaLovesMMA.com

Duration : 2 min 2 sec

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Originally posted 2010-06-20 06:21:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

For more from the world of Combat Sports, head over to http://twicbs.com

Show notes for This Week in Combat Sports:

Strikeforce: Overeem destroys Rogers

Strikeforce Bigfoot Silva boxes his way to a unanimous decision victory over Andrei Arlovski

Arlovski-Rogers Rematch a Possibility

CEO’s of Strikeforce and Bellator want to make Melendez vs Alvarez happen

Dan Henderson’s Future Uncertain

Noons vs Krazy Horse 2 set for Strikeforce on June 26th

Strikeforce St. Louis: Heavy Artillery takes a ratings dive

Shine Fights canceled. Don King wins court fight to keep Mayorga out of bout with Thomas.

Caol Uno, Hermes Franca Return to UFC in Grappling Superfights

Welterweight Phil Baroni returns at UFC 118, opponent yet to be determined

Manager says Vitor Belfort will fight for UFC middleweight title in November

Dana White confirms Rampage vs. Evans winner to get first crack at Shogun

Moosin: Tim Sylvia vs Mariusz Pudzianowski

Pacquiao vs Mayweather ball back in Mayweather’s court.

For links to news and events, go to http://twicbs.com. questions or comments, send your emails to twicbs@gmail.com

Duration : 0:10:7

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Originally posted 2010-05-21 14:24:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

http://gamerlive.tv UFC 2010 Undisputed game details were revealed at THQ’s UFC 109 Relentless MMA fight pre-party. THQ’s GM of the UFC game tells us exclusively about some of the exciting new features for this year’s upcoming version of the THQ UFC game title. The UFC 109 “Relentless” fight featured Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman as its title card. This is Part 2 of a two part interview.

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Thanks for subscribing, watching, commenting and rating!
Check out the latest game trailers, videos and news at http://gamerlive.tv

Duration : 0:4:17

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Originally posted 2010-02-08 06:59:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Most UFC fans had their first introduction to Anderson “The Spider” Silva when he knocked out Chris Leben on UFC’s Ultimate Fight Night in June of 2006. Chris Leben was, and is, considered a durable striker with a great chin. Leben came straight at Silva and paid the price when Silva landed a couple of crisp punches, followed by a devastating knee to Leben’s head.

The victory was so devastating and so one sided that UFC president Dana White immediately gave Silva a shot at Rich Franklin’s middleweight belt. I think most UFC fans thought that even with a decisive victory over Leben that Franklin’s experience and strength would be enough to counter Silva’s obvious striking ability.

Most UFC fans would have been incorrect. Silva’s work from the clinch was unbelievable. He literally held the back of Franklin’s head for 2 minutes while he repeatedly kneed Franklin to the body. When Franklin went to protect his now bruised torso, Silva went to the head landing a couple of hard knees. It was those knees which broke Franklin’s nose and won Silva the fight.

So, now Anderson Silva must face Ultimate Fighter season 4 winner Travis Lutter on February 3rd, 2007. Even though he took out the champion and a highly regarded contender, some people still have their doubts. Unlike many UFC fans, I also have followed the Pride organization for many years. The first time I took notice of Anderson Silva was when he brought Carlos Newton to the ground with a flying knee, not unlike the one given to Leben. At the time, Carlos Newton was thought to be one of the best fighters in the world. That was 2003.

Anderson Silva is no newcomer to Mixed Martial Arts, he is a seasoned veteran. He’s beaten people standing up and on the ground. He is deceptively strong and the only word to describe his striking is “amazing”. I once saw him knock out an opponent with an uppercut elbow. Just try that yourself and ask yourself this, how do you get close enough to a guy to throw that and how do you throw it hard enough to knock the other guy out. Amazing!

On the other hand Travis Lutter is an excellent submission specialist, but who has he submitted? He certainly defeated Patrick Cote easily in the Ultimate Fighter Final. But other than that, his victories don’t come over top notch guys. You could argue that his victory over Marvin Eastman, who is facing Rampage Jackson on the same card, was against a top notch guy. However, I would argue that Marvin Eastman also hasn’t won a big fight in a while. At least not against UFC level competition.

I believe that Anderson Silva will come out of this one with a victory. He has holes in his game, but it might take a newly motivated Rich Franklin to exploit them. I don’t think Travis Lutter is ready.

Jon Murray
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/anderson-silva-is-the-real-deal-98758.html

Originally posted 2010-02-04 18:04:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Subscribe for the latest entertainment news, latest blogs, and music video’s from Edibido the cat.

Duration : 0:1:9

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Originally posted 2010-09-21 01:25:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

UFC 102 on August 29th in Portland, Oregon was originally scheduled to have Randy Couture vs Antonio Nogeuira for the main event, but the UFC have announced that the main event will Be Anderson Silva vs Thales Leites in a rematch for the title. Information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_102 and http://www.sherdog.com.
BQ: I think this is stupid, to have a rematch for one of the worst fights in the past 10 years.. what do you think?

I think they’re just giving Anderson Silva a chance to redeem himself because that last fight sucked.

Originally posted 2010-01-16 06:11:16. Republished by Blog Post Promoter