PDA

View Full Version : UFC 144: Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson in Japan;26 Feb 2012



Kemal
25-11-2011, 09:01
'Rampage' Jackson Meets Ryan Bader at UFC 144 in Japan

Quinton Jackson is headed back to Japan (http://www.mmafighting.com/japan/).

After campaigning for a spot on the UFC 144 (http://www.mmafighting.com/tag/UFC144/) card immediately after his loss to Jon Jones (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/jon/jones/549/) in September, the UFC has granted Jackson's wish of fighting in the Land of the Rising Sun. Jackson (32-9) has agreed to meet Ryan Bader (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/ryan/bader/503/) (13-2) on the Feb. 26 card at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta confirmed the news with ESPN.com (http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/7276706/the-ufc-granted-quinton-jackson-request-fight-japan-february) on Thursday.

Amazingly, when Jackson meets Bader at UFC 144, it will mark exactly six years since his last fight in Japan. On Feb. 26, 2006, "Rampage" defeated Yoon Dong-Sik via unanimous decision at PRIDE 31. In total, the former PRIDE star competed in 20 MMA/kickboxing fights in Japan.

The 33-year-old Jackson is 2-2 in his last four fights. He had won two in a row before losing to Jones in a UFC light heavyweight title fight at UFC 135 (http://www.mmafighting.com/tag/UFC+135/).

Bader, 28, snapped his two-fight losing streak last weekend at UFC 139 (http://www.mmafighting.com/tag/UFC+139/) when he knocked out Jason Brilz (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/jason/brilz/227/) in the first round. Prior to that win, Bader had lost to Jon Jones and Tito Ortiz (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/tito/ortiz/234/) in 2011.

UFC 144 will mark the organization's first event in Japan since Dec. 2000. The main event will feature Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/ben/henderson/1066/) for the UFC lightweight title.

Mule-Kick
25-11-2011, 09:59
Vette match up; beide goede worstelaars met knockout power in hun vuisten.

amilster
25-11-2011, 10:07
Warrr Rampage :D

leuk voor hem dattie weer eens in Japan aan de bak kan onder de UFC vlag, hij is daar natuurlijk helemaal koning, ik heb der zin an!


Misschien ook wel goed om het Amerikaanse puubliek eens te laten zien hoe een vechtsport minnend publiek zich behoort te gedragen!

wrestler_nl
25-11-2011, 13:24
Leuke match up maar dit zal denk ik Rampage wel kunnen hebben. Staand/Boksend is Rampage veel beter dan Ryan Bader en ik denk niet dat Bader hem naar de grond kan brengen. Tenzij Bader een hele goede gameplan heeft denk ik dat rampage wint via tko in de tweede ronde.

XanaduNL
25-11-2011, 14:10
Prima matchup. Shogun was iets beter geweest, maar die ligt in de kreukels. :(

goro
25-11-2011, 17:30
Wanderlei vs sexyama in Japan zou wel leuk zijn.

alex026
26-11-2011, 11:15
:)

MaTo
26-11-2011, 11:30
:)

:)

wrestler_nl
26-11-2011, 17:16
Wanderlei vs sexyama in Japan zou wel leuk zijn.

Sexyama vecht tegen Jake Shields in Japan

Kemal
26-11-2011, 22:52
Ben Henderson plans eventual move to welterweight

Ben Henderson will challenge Frankie Edgar for his lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 144 on Feb. 26, 2012, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

If he wins, the plan is to defend the belt for as long as possible, of course. But either way, "Bendo" has bigger plans for his future.

The "Smooth" one wants to fight at welterweight ... eventually.

You knew it would happen sooner or later. After all, Henderson usually disrobes before he even tries to weigh in for the first time. That's how difficult it is for him to hit the 155-pound weight limit and as he gets older, it's only going to get harder.

Which is why he hopes his speed and technique can give him an edge in a division he doesn't have to cut weight for (via MMA Weekly):



"It is hard on the body. People don't realize how much of a factor it is. Thankfully, I hired a nutritionist, Travis Jeffries, full time and been a little bit smarter about it. As I get older, I eat healthier, try to eat the right things, make all these little sacrifices that it takes to be a champion. Hopefully, eventually my technique catches up where I can hang with guys that are freaking 20 pounds heavier than me, and use more of my speed when they're bigger and slower, and my technique makes up for them being stronger than me."


When discussing a move up to welterweight, Henderson references another UFC fighter with his namesake, Dan Henderson, who has made it clear he can fight at both middleweight and light heavyweight but prefers the 205-pound division.

Because, again, cutting weight sucks.

"Hendo" is a veritable title challenger in both divisions, though, as opposed to "Bendo," who has never actually competed at 170-pounds. And first-timers like him will quickly learn, the pool is deep and filled with sharks.

Kemal
26-11-2011, 22:55
Bouts in the works include:

Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson
Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader
Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski
Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso
Steve Cantwell vs. Riki Fukuda
Announced bouts

The following fights have been confirmed by UFC.com, but not yet added to the Official Fight Card.

Middleweight bout: Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch
Welterweight bout: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields
Lightweight bout: Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon

K-1sunstarr
27-11-2011, 18:21
Een zwaargewicht clash in het land van de rijzende zon werd door de MMA vechter Cheick Kongo aangekondigd. Hij beweert dat hij tegen Mark ‘Super Samoan’ Hunt zal vechten. Kongo meldde het nieuws aan zijn fans via Twitter:
Ja, het is officieel nu. Ik ga op het UFC 144 in Japan tegen Mark Hunt vechten. Het zal mijn eerste keer in Japan zijn. Ik ben dus heel blij en trots dat ik er deel van mag uitmaken.
Vindt plaats op 26 februari 2012.

Yogi1
27-11-2011, 18:24
Dit kan een mooie partij worden. Jammer dat Stefan Struve niet tegen Hunt staat had dat graag gezien.

Vinand
27-11-2011, 18:40
Hunt gaat hem helemaal slopen!!! Wat hunt!!!

yuko
27-11-2011, 19:52
Struve tegen Werdum dan maar?

marcelt
27-11-2011, 19:53
Denk dat HUnt degene is die gesloopt gaat worden.

Kemal
28-11-2011, 11:16
UFC 144 Fight Card: Edgar vs. Henderson

The entire UFC (http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc) 144 fight card has been announced for the promotion's return to Japan on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012 at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

In the main event, lightweight champion Frankie Edgar will defend his belt against former WEC champ Ben Henderson (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/ben/henderson/1066/).

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who last fought in Japan exactly six years removed from UFC 144, returns to the Land of the Rising Sun to face TUF 8 winner Ryan Bader (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/ryan/bader/503/).

Out of the 12 bouts scheduled for the card, seven of the competitors are Japanese. Check out the complete UFC 144 fight card below.

UFC 144 will air live in North America on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET.

Pay-Per-View Bouts
Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson
Rampage Jackson vs. Ryan Bader
Mark Hunt (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/mark/hunt/735/) vs. Cheick Kongo (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/cheick/kongo/238/)
Yoshihiro Akiyama (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/yoshihiro/akiyama/914/) vs. Jake Shields (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/jake/shields/1202/)
Anthony Pettis (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/anthony/pettis/1069/) vs. Joe Lauzon (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/joe/lauzon/524/)

Preliminary Bouts
Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch
Takanori Gomi vs. George Sotiropoulos
Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski
Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee
Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso
Leonard Garcia vs. Tiequan Zhang

Kemal
28-11-2011, 11:18
Rampage Jackson Excited to Perform In Front of 'Favorite' Fans in Japan at UFC 144

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/quinton/jackson/348/) is very, very excited to to fight in Japan (http://www.mmafighting.com/japan/). All you have to do is ask him.

In a Monday morning press conference in the Land of the Rising Sun, Jackson told the Japanese media that it took some effort on his part to ensure his place on the UFC 144 card, and that he finally had his request granted after a non-stop, one-man campaign.

"I had to fight and complain and b---- to my manager," he said. "Now I think the representatives of UFC (http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc) are upset with me a little bit ... But ask me, do I care?"

For Jackson, any amount of trouble was worth it because of his love of Japanese audiences, who in his opinion value effort above results, a seismic shift from American audiences.

Jackson, who will face Ryan Bader (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/ryan/bader/503/) in the co-main event on February 26 in Saitama, Japan, is no stranger to Nipponese culture. From 2001 to 2006, he fought there 18 times while under the PRIDE promotion.

"Back when I was fighting here, I had so much energy," he said. "I just wanted to put on a good show for the fans because all the energy they give. In America, you're under so much pressure to win at all costs because the fans talk s--- to you if you lose even if it's a good, exciting fight. In Japan (http://www.mmafighting.com/japan/), it's just a different energy. Who knows? Maybe I'll take more chances and not care because it's all about the crowd. I react to the crowd. I don't care about the people watching on TV."

It was in Japan where he authored some of his most memorable career moments, including the often-replayed powerbomb knockout win over Ricardo Arona (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/ricardo/arona/678/) in June 2004. That fight holds particular significance to Jackson because it took place on his 26th birthday.

It was also in Japan where Jackson became renowned for his slams, a particular favorite of the Japanese crowds who enjoyed his aggressive, improvisational style. In a rare bit of public introspection, Jackson noted that since signing with the UFC (http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc) though, his game has gotten standup-heavy at times.

"Actually my standup has evolved a lot since I last fought here, but at the same time that's what's gotten me in trouble a lot lately," he said. "Everyone sees me boxing a lot more, so they're creating great game plans to counter my boxing. In Japan, I used to slam a lot and put on more of a show because the energy from the fans gave me power and I don't feel the same energy in the US. So, I can't honestly say I improved or evolved in a good way since leaving Japan."

But in some ways, that doesn't matter to Jackson right now, because he's only concerned about entertainment value. One new wrinkle the fighters will have to prepare for is fighting early in the morning. While most fights take place late Saturday night, this event will occur in the morning in Japan in order to sync up with American TV viewing habits.

Jackson noted that as a youth, he was in plenty of fights that came unexpectedly, and he has the time to plan for an early morning peak. He also said that the hardest part of fight day is usually the anticipation of what is to come, and that competing early in the day would cancel out much of that nervous energy.

Beyond that, he said that the biggest obstacle in his way is Bader, and more specifically, making sure he and his opponent understand the collective mind set of Japanese fans.

"The only thing that matters when he steps in the cage in Japan is that he comes in to put on an exciting show," he said. "I'm all about putting on an exciting fight in Japan. One thing I love about Japanese fans and why I love them the most is that they don't care if you win or lose. All they care is if you have samurai spirit, that you put on a good fight. That's why Japanese fans are my favorite. And American fans are jealous that I say that all the time."

Tony
28-11-2011, 11:23
WAR Edgar, wat een gave matchup tegen Ben Henderson... Wordt een megazware kluif voor Edgar.

Kemal
28-11-2011, 11:24
trouwens wel een hele dikke card!

Lionheart
28-11-2011, 12:13
Een hele vette card!!! Wow!!

Benson vs Edgar wordt bij voorhand al gezien als de match vh jaar! Het wordt een zware pot voor Benson, maar hij zal Edgar hoop/denk ik op een submission pakken.

Bader vs Rampage wordt een beukpartij, het maakt mij niet uit wie deze pot wint, vind het beide leuke vechters.

Kongo vs Hunt wordt een kickboxpartij, maar beide vechters zijn wel iets vooruit gegaan wat betreft worstelen (Kongo) en Hunt (BJJ), dus ben benieuwd of ze het staande houden of daadwerkelijk ook naar de grond gaan!

Kemal
28-11-2011, 19:23
Yushin Okami: UFC Will Bring the Heat in Japan

Several UFC (http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc) fighters met the media in Japan (http://www.mmafighting.com/japan/) over the weekend to promote the Feb. 26 UFC 144 show at the Saitama Super Arena, and one of the big questions facing the promotion is whether it can engage Japanese fans who have largely turned away from combat sports in recent years.

One of the Japanese fighters on the show, Yushin Okami (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/yushin/okami/479/), thinks there is no question that the UFC will deliver just the kind of product that Japanese fans want.

"It's been a while since I've fought in Japan, so I'm excited. I would love to bring the heat and atmosphere of the real UFC over to Japan," Okami said at the UFC's press conference.

Okami has been the most successful Japanese fighter in the UFC, going 10-3 inside the Octagon and losing only to Anderson Silva (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/anderson/silva/235/), Chael Sonnen (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/chael/sonnen/296/) and Rich Franklin (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/rich/franklin/220/). But his long-term success in the UFC may actually make him less known to fans in his home country because he hasn't fought back home in almost six years. While other successful Japanese MMA (http://www.mmafighting.com/) fighters have been fighting in front of Japanese fans, Okami has been fighting in the United States, with occasional stops in Ireland, Germany and Brazil. And Okami was never a big star in Japan, fighting only a couple of low-profile bouts in Pride.

So Okami's name won't move the needle in Japan, but his fight with Tim Boesch is a good middleweight matchup, and the card -- headlined by Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/ben/henderson/1066/) -- is very impressive from top to bottom. What the UFC is bringing to Japan is just a very good fight card, the best that Japanese fans have seen in a long time.

wrestler_nl
14-12-2011, 15:24
http://cdn0.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/2460760/UFC_144_poster_large.jpg

VETTE POSTER

Kemal
14-12-2011, 15:28
hele mooie poster ja!

XanaduNL
14-12-2011, 15:31
Zekers. Ben ook blij dat ze Japan zo goede card geven. :)

Naj85
14-12-2011, 16:17
http://cdn0.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/2460760/UFC_144_poster_large.jpg

VETTE POSTER

Cker weten!
Heb er zin in

Kemal
04-01-2012, 19:15
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6e/UFC_144_poster_large.jpg

Official fight card
Main card


Lightweight Championship bout: Frankie Edgar (c) vs. Benson Henderson
Light Heavyweight bout: Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader
Heavyweight bout: Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo
Welterweight bout: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields
Lightweight bout: Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon
Preliminary card


Middleweight bout: Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch
Lightweight bout: Takanori Gomi vs. George Sotiropoulos
Featherweight bout: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski
Bantamweight bout: Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee
Middleweight bout: Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell
Bantamweight bout: Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso
Featherweight bout: Tiequan Zhang vs. Leonard Garcia

smike
04-01-2012, 19:33
Vette card!

Maar waarom Gomi-Satiropoulos niet op main event?
Ook een wereldpartij!
Ben benieuwd naar Hunt, of hij nu door gaat trekken of dat zijn dagen voorbij zijn.
Bader is wel een erg overhyped, Jackson koed em en hij mag terug naar de preliminaries.

smike
04-01-2012, 19:33
De poster is trouwens ubervet!

Kemal
10-01-2012, 18:35
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5WjZ6-jzt64

ChingChong
10-01-2012, 22:01
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5WjZ6-jzt64

Kongo - Overeem lijkt ook wel wat!

mma80
11-01-2012, 12:53
Hele mooie poster! Doet mij denken aan de Pride tijd!

Lionheart
11-01-2012, 12:57
Hele mooie poster! Doet mij denken aan de Pride tijd!

Idd!

Kemal
24-01-2012, 07:54
Jim Miller Picking Edgar Over Henderson at UFC 144

UFC lightweight contender Jim Miller is picking UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar to retain his title against No. 1 contender Ben Henderson at UFC 144 in February.

Miller, who previously trained with Edgar and fought to a loss against Henderson last August, said Monday on The MMA Hour that he thinks Edgar is the better striker and wrestler.

The way Miller sees it, Henderson probably has the edge when it comes to submissions, but Edgar is too difficult of a grappler to submit. If Edgar doesn't get the knockout, he'll outwork Henderson for the decision.

"Frankie hits pretty hard," Miller told host Ariel Helwani. "I think Frankie is probably going to connect and if he can't finish him, then he's going to keep the pressure on him and beat him up the entire fight."

Miller last Friday stayed in a title contention by scoring a thrilling win over Melvin Guillard in the main event UFC on FX in Nashville. Miller wants at least one more fight before a title shot, possibly against Nate Diaz or the winner of Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis.

If Edgar and Miller both prevail in their next fights, the two New Jersey natives would be a perfect addition to the UFC on FOX 3 card, rumored to take place May in New Jersey.

"Maybe," Miller said with a laugh. "That sounds like fun."

Kemal
05-02-2012, 08:28
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NV0qI9z_690

Kemal
15-02-2012, 07:45
UFC 144 Broadcast Will Be Four Hours, Feature Seven Fights

Next weekend's UFC 144 pay-per-view broadcast will bring with it a bonus hour of action, and two additional fights.
On Tuesday, UFC spokesman Ryan Grab confirmed that the pay-per-view window for the event has been extended from its usual three-hour window to four, and instead of the usual five-fight main card, fans who purchase the event will get to see seven bouts.

The show, which will take place from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on February 26, will air at its normal 10 pm ET start time.

In addition to the main event title bout pitting champion Frankie Edgar against Ben Henderson for the UFC lightweight title and the co-main event of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson against Ryan Bader, the other five fights broadcast will be Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo, Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields, Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch, Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski and Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon.

The night's preliminary bouts will be seen on FX at 8 pm ET.

The event marks the first time the UFC has produced an event in Japan under Zuffa ownership.

Kemal
15-02-2012, 07:46
Rampage Jackson Reflective of Pride Days, 'Excited' to Return to Japan

In 2001, a 23-year-old junior college wrestler from Memphis, Tenn. by the name of Quinton Jackson traveled overseas to serve as an easy foil for Japanese folk hero Kazushi Sakuraba. Few could have predicted the chain of events that would follow.

Six years and 17 fights later, Quinton had become "Rampage," a Japanese folk hero in his own right, adored by a nation for his powerhouse style and violent victories over the best Pride Fighting Championships had to offer.
Now, over a decade since he first voyaged to the Land of the Rising Sun, Jackson returns with a new task in mind. Sure he would like to emerge triumphant over Ryan Bader at UFC 144's co-main event, but next weekend is also about something larger.

Jackson hopes to reignite the once-vibrant flame of Japanese mixed martial arts that was doused by the death of Pride.
"I think if anybody has a chance, it's the UFC," Rampage conceded during Tuesday's UFC 144 conference call. "The UFC is the biggest show on the planet right now. I remember back in the days when Pride was the biggest show, but the UFC has surpassed them. I think if anybody has a chance, it's the UFC, and if I have anything to do with it, I'm going to go there and fight my heart out. Put on a big show and try to put on the most exciting fight the Japanese fans have ever seen, to maybe want them to have the UFC come back."

That desire for excitement is the exact trait which endeared Rampage to Japanese audiences back in the old days. Between the iron chains, the howling, and ruthless performances personified by his slam of Ricardo Arona, Jackson cultivated an image by appealing to the eastern culture of showmanship.

"I was young, I didn't care. I just wanted to fight and put on the types of fights for the crowd," Jackson explained. "They love that type of stuff because pro wrestling is real popular there, and I kind of brought that type of factor to MMA."
It was inevitable the legend of Rampage would sprout quickly in a land where entertainment is at a premium. In retrospect, Pride's slew of squash matches and circus fights may not have been very sporting, but they produced an undeniable backlog of moments. And if you ask Rampage, those moments have mostly gone missing since he headed back west.
"Honestly, if I gave my thoughts on the match-making in the UFC, Joe Silva probably wouldn't even talk to me anymore, so I'm going to keep quiet on that," Jackson admitted, somewhat surprisingly. "Just to be honest, I think Pride had their match-makers make exciting fights.

"I don't think people understand, in America everybody is worried about who's going to win, and this and that. Who's winning and who's winning. Like, it ain't all about that. It's entertainment at the end of the day. The fans, they want to see entertaining fights, and fans got that. I don't think America has that yet."

If Jackson's remarks sound bitter, they surely aren't meant to be. Rather than digs at the UFC brass, his words hang in the air as wistful reminiscences of an era that exists only in memories of those that lived it.

"I really miss the fans, I'm not going to lie. I really miss fighting there," Jackson revealed. "It's something personal for me.
"My kids are from Japan. My kids grandparents are from there, and they never really watched me fight back in the day ... My two younger kids can come and watch me fight, and the in-laws can be in the crowd and watch me fight. I've never had that before, so it's just something I want to do."

To say Jackson is looking forward to Japan more than he is to Bader may not be that bold of an assumption. But just because the usual trash-talk has subdued into a starker form of reflection, it would still be unwise to think Rampage has gone soft.

"I've got nothing against Ryan Bader at all," the fighter coolly concluded. "I'm still going to try to knock his head off, but there ain't going to be no hard feelings about it."

Kemal
18-02-2012, 08:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=javgp-M6fEE&feature=player_detailpage

KO.YOU.FOOL
18-02-2012, 11:12
Cool Mark Hunt!

Lionheart
18-02-2012, 13:36
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=javgp-M6fEE&feature=player_detailpage

Benson gaat knallen tegen Edgar, ik hoop/weet bijna 100% zeker dat hij de belt van Edgar pakt.
Benson heeft een talent waar je u tegen zegt!

Kemal
19-02-2012, 19:47
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&list=UU397nAyPEJPK r0OxcBQd_1g&v=hd2QJx2NZ7o

Splinta
19-02-2012, 22:56
Gruwlijke kaart en ik ben er LIVE BIJ!!! WOOOOW Het gaat SICK worden!

ZakKa!
19-02-2012, 23:55
Gruwlijke kaart en ik ben er LIVE BIJ!!! WOOOOW Het gaat SICK worden!

Vet!!

YoMarK
20-02-2012, 01:01
Gruwlijke kaart en ik ben er LIVE BIJ!!! WOOOOW Het gaat SICK worden!
Damn! :jaloers:

Lionheart
20-02-2012, 14:40
Ben eigenlijk benieuwd naar het tijdstip van uitzending, gewoon als een normale ppv on 4 uur s'nachts?

x2

Ralph
20-02-2012, 15:48
Gruwlijke kaart en ik ben er LIVE BIJ!!! WOOOOW Het gaat SICK worden!

Veel plezier man! Probeer wat mooie foto's te maken en te delen met je forumbroeders :)

Kemal
20-02-2012, 18:02
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=T8fyzQtZX_A

breahule
20-02-2012, 19:43
Ben eigenlijk benieuwd naar het tijdstip van uitzending, gewoon als een normale ppv on 4 uur s'nachts?
Pride en K1 in Japan was toch altijd rond 9 uur zaterdag s'ochtends nl tijd. Daar hoop ik nu ook eigenlijk op!

nick diaz
20-02-2012, 19:55
Pride en K1 in Japan was toch altijd rond 9 uur zaterdag s'ochtends nl tijd. Daar hoop ik nu ook eigenlijk op!

X2!!!!

The Company
20-02-2012, 20:02
Helaas begint de maincard gewoon om 4 uur volgens mij.

Kemal
20-02-2012, 20:07
Loss to Anthony Pettis Might Have Been the Best, Most Painful Thing to Happen to Ben Henderson

Ben Henderson isn’t sure how many times he’s seen the same highlight clip replayed over and over. "Hundreds and thousands," he estimates, and that doesn’t even count all the time spent talking about it in interviews. It was just a few seconds of his life lifted from a rare losing effort inside the cage, and a part of him knows that he’ll never fully escape it.

"I’m still not over it. I won’t lie to you," Henderson said. "I still get teary-eyed thinking about it. It affects me deeply to this day. It will affect me for the rest of my fighting career, for a long, long time. I’m very upset about it still. I can put it behind me, but am I totally over it, never think about it? No."

Even if he wanted to forget, the sport wouldn’t let him. The clip of Anthony Pettis launching himself off the cage and into a jumping kick that floored Henderson quickly found its way onto ESPN and into MMA lore. It also changed both men’s lives, though not in the ways they might have expected as they stood in the cage that night in Glendale, Ariz., waiting for the judges’ scores to be read aloud.

Pettis claimed the victory, the fame, and the promise of a UFC title shot that night, though it ultimately came at a price. Henderson ended up sitting at the post-fight press conference, visibly struggling to suppress the tears that came up in waves whenever he thought about what had just happened.

"It was heart-wrenching," he said. "I was sad, and I’m still sad. It was heart-breaking. ...Every time I’m out there, I give you guys everything. I open up my heart and soul. I hold nothing back. To come up short, and to come up short in that manner, that hurt. But I’ll never let that happen again."

That same night, Henderson said, he promised himself that he would not be defined by this one loss, this one kick. He would use it to make himself better, so that when people looked back on his career it would be little more than a footnote. After all, he told himself, didn’t Georges St. Pierre have to see clips of himself getting TKO’d by Matt Serra over and over again? Didn’t it only make him stronger in the end?

"It’s the same thing for me. I’ve had to see that kick hundreds and thousands of times. I have to talk about it over and over and over. But I’m using it. I’m using it to make myself better."

And he has. Even former foes like Pettis -- who will be forced to watch from the UFC 144 undercard this weekend as Henderson gets a crack at UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar in Tokyo -- can admit that.

"After our fight, he changed as a fighter," Pettis said. "He’s hungry. You can see it on his face, he’s ready to win this fight."

Henderson will tell you now that, despite the heartbreak of the moment, in the long run the loss was "absolutely beneficial to my career." He didn’t overreact the way some fighters do after a painful defeat, dumping all their coaches and making cosmetic changes in an attempt to fix a problem they haven’t even truly diagnosed yet.

"But I think what I did change was my approach during the fight," he said. "I think against Pettis, the biggest thing I took away was that I was not aggressive enough. I didn’t have enough ring control. I think I did fine in the fight, landed more strikes, all that. But the problem was, I think I was backing up too much."

If anything, the loss made him more aggressive. While he still insists he hates decisions -- "absolutely hate them" -- he resolved to make any fight that does go to the distance into an easy call for the judges and the fans.

"I can’t leave any doubt. There’s going to be no doubt in anyone’s mind after they watch one of my fights as to who won the fight."

That seems problematic against Edgar, a champion who’s never been finished in his MMA career, and who has yet to lose a five-round fight. His indefatigable style and his ability to bounce back from even the most punishing blows make him seem nearly impossible to put him away. Henderson, not surprisingly, doesn’t quite see it that way.

"If you make a mistake, you leave your neck out there for half a second too long, you leave your arm out there, you give me your knee, I will end the fight. If you leave your chin out there? Man, let me touch your chin. I will end the fight. It’s just a matter of a guy making a small mistake and giving me the opportunity."

As for Pettis, the man who gave him this renewed sense of purpose and this extra drive, it’s nice for Henderson to know that his former nemesis is picking him to win this one. And sure, he knows there might be some ulterior motives involved. Pettis could well be hoping that a Henderson win would make a rematch more likely, this time with a bigger title on the line. Henderson doesn’t necessarily disagree with the notion.

"Maybe my second or third title defense, I could see fighting him again. I’d have no problem with that."

After all, Pettis did stick him in that interminable highlight reel hell. It sure would be nice to return the favor. Sooner or later, Henderson said, he feels certain he’ll get the chance.

"I will say this: before I retire, before I leave this earth, I will see Anthony Pettis again in the cage."

It just won’t be this weekend, when Pettis will have to content himself with watching on a monitor backstage while Henderson steps in the Octagon for the title shot he’s had to earn the hard way.

Asura
21-02-2012, 04:27
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsJihB3Qyl0


http://www.mixfight.nl/forum/images/smilies/laugh.gif Het liedje is van een southpark aflevering.

Kemal
21-02-2012, 07:43
Joe Lauzon Relishing Role of Underdog, Unapologetic About Aggressive Style

Ask Joe Lauzon about the last time he was the favorite in a big fight and you'd probably be met with silence. At least, if it did happen, he doesn't remember.
Somehow, after thundering through eight stoppage wins in over half a decade with the UFC, Lauzon remains the quintessential underdog. A congenial assassin trapped in a computer technician's frame. So ask him about facing Anthony Pettis as a 2-to-1 dog at UFC 144, and he'll tell you, any other way just wouldn't be his style.

"I like flying under the radar," Lauzon said to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. "I'm not really the guy that's looking to get all kinds of respect and appreciation, and all that kind of stuff. I like to go and have good fights. I like to have exciting fights. I have no problem being the underdog."

Though the title of perennial dark horse comes at a price, and even in victory, a lack of respect often lets its presence be known. Lauzon discovered as much in the aftermath of the biggest, and most stunning, win of his career -- a 47-second shellacking of Melvin Guillard at UFC 136, where, by the way, he was pegged as a 3-to-1 dog.

"I keep seeing all these interviews where (Guillard) is like, 'Oh, Joe didn't beat me. I beat myself,'" Lauzon testily said. "No, I smacked you in the face with my fist, and you went down and I choked you. I'm pretty sure I'm taking credit for that."
Even now, after a triumph so dominant in its result, respect seems hard to come by. Following the upset, Guillard went on to lose to Jim Miller in bizarrely similar fashion -- "How do you lose two fights the exact same way?" Lauzon offhandedly mused -- and now Miller has a date with Nate Diaz as the headlining attraction of UFC on Fox 3.

Many assume the bout will determine the lightweight division's next number-one contender, but with the help of a little inside information, "J-Lau" isn't sleeping on his own chances.

"[Because of] the timing of (Miller vs. Diaz), I think that still puts me and Pettis as the No. 1 contender fight," Lauzon explained. "Just because I don't think that Frankie (Edgar) or Ben (Henderson) are going to want to wait six or seven months before they actually fight again.

"From talking to Joe Silva, he kind of led me to believe a little bit that part of the reason why me and Pettis were going out there was because if something happened with Ben, then one of us would step up and fight for the title. He didn't completely come out and say it, but he was like, ‘it would be a really good thing to have two top-ranked guys out there in case something happened with Ben.'"

The merit of Lauzon's statements can be left to be debated by fans, but there remains one irrefutable backer of his point. The man comes to fight. From the moment the cage doors swing shut, to the moment Bruce Buffer tallies the official results, Lauzon has never left his employers unhappy, and his ridiculous collection of eight ‘Fight Night' bonuses can attest to that.

The weird thing is, no one ever suspects it either. With teenage features and a Twitter account populated with video game references, it's easy to assume the kid from Massachusetts with the funny nickname is out of his league. But underneath Lauzon's affable demeanor lies a slumbering lion just waiting to be awoken, sometimes even to a fault.

"I catch a lot of crap sometimes about gassing and cardio and things like that," Lauzon said. "But I come out and I push hard. I can be in great shape, but when you push as hard as I push, it's tough to maintain that pace."

"On one hand I could ... be like everyone else and have great cardio and never finish fights, but I would rather push and try to finish people. And you know what, if I get tired because I was trying to finish guys? I can deal with that. I don't ever want to be a guy that never finishes anyone but is known for having great cardio."

The words are likely music to Dana White's ears, and with another decisive win it would be hard to deny Lauzon's credentials for title contention. But could history repeat itself? The 27-year-old is once again a significant long shot heading into Sunday's event, but at this point it would almost seem odd if he wasn't.

The real question is, will Anthony Pettis be able to succeed where so many others have failed?

"We're just going to put it on him. I'm sure his gameplan is going to be to kind of ride out the pressure, pace in the first, and then take it to me in the second. But," Lauzon finished matter-of-factly, "A lot of other guys have had that same gameplan and I've still overwhelmed them in the first."
"Like I said, it's easy to have great cardio when you're not really doing a whole lot of work."

Kemal
21-02-2012, 07:57
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=C1y4CMS1ux4

Kemal
21-02-2012, 07:57
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UaBIm99w6YY

Kemal
21-02-2012, 08:00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OXvfGwIuYk&feature=player_detailpage

nick diaz
21-02-2012, 11:22
Joe Rogan responds to Rampage Jackson's comments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50PYQurRtU4

Kemal
21-02-2012, 18:20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-xSSzslN5ec

Kemal
21-02-2012, 18:20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctmN2T9W3UU&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
21-02-2012, 18:33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ijTT9hnrI8w

Kemal
21-02-2012, 20:37
After Almost Two Years As Champ, Why Does Edgar Still Have To Prove Himself To Us?

No one is scared of Frankie Edgar. Not really. No one in the UFC seems especially terrified of him, of what he might do to them, of the ways in which a fight with him might forever alter their lives and/or faces. That’s just not the kind of champion he is, and he knows it, even if he doesn’t know exactly why.

Fighters worry about him, maybe. They’re concerned. They know that Edgar keeps finding a way to win -- somehow -- and that’s a problem. Still, it’s not the kind of thing that keeps them up at night or keeps fans enthralled by his dominance, and even Edgar can’t quite explain why that is.

"I don’t know," he told MMA Fighting. "Maybe it’s because I’m a smaller guy. I’m not supposed to win." According to the oddsmakers, that was true until very recently. The first time Edgar fought B.J. Penn for the UFC lightweight title, Penn was a 7-1 favorite. Even after Edgar beat him via decision to claim the belt, Penn was still somewhere in the neighborhood of a 3-1 favorite in the immediate rematch. Edgar won that fight too, this time even more convincingly than the first, but he was still a slight underdog when he defended the belt against Gray Maynard some four months later.

It wasn’t until the third fight with Maynard, which Edgar would go on to win via knockout, that he finally entered a title fight as the (slight) favorite. Even now, coming off arguably the biggest and most decisive win of his career, he’s just barely a favorite -- currently hovering at -130, according to most oddsmakers -- to beat Ben Henderson in Tokyo at UFC 144.

At a certain point, how do you not take this personally, if you’re Edgar? How do you resist the urge to smack the oddsmakers and experts upside the head with your championship belt, WWE-style, and ask them why you don’t get the same respect as the rest of the UFC title-holders?

Only, for better or worse, that’s not the kind of fighter Edgar is. He seems more inclined to laugh and shrug than launch into the Rodney Dangerfield ‘no respect’ schtick. Maybe he hasn’t made a believer out of everyone, he admitted, but "[t]hat doesn’t bother me. I think the longer it took people to come around, it means the more proving I had to do. And once people do come around, I feel like they’re going to stick with me longer."

Besides, there’s not much you can take away from a champion who’s 14-1-1, and has avenged the loss and the draw with a dramatic knockout victory.

"You can’t deny what I did," Edgar said. "I beat B.J. Penn twice, and a lot of people considered him the best lightweight ever. Then I beat Gray, who had never been beaten before. Not only did I beat him, I stopped him."

And yet, even Edgar will admit that the public perception does have some effect, however slight, on the way he perceives his own title reign. This weekend’s fight in Tokyo will mark the first time in over two years that he’s fought someone not named Penn or Maynard, which, for a while there, turned his training into a real mental grind.

"I think that’s why I didn’t really get caught up in [being the champion,]" he said. "I remember coming home with the belt and getting a call from Dana [White] pretty much that next day saying, ‘You’ve got to fight B.J. again.’ I never really even got to settle in to being the champion. I had to get ready to defend it. ...Then I was the underdog my past few fights, so I never even got a chance to feel like a champion. I felt like I constantly had to prove myself, and I kind of still feel that way today."

But how long can that go on? If he beats Henderson, thus defending his title against its third consecutive challenger, who can still doubt him? Who can still look at him and see a champion on borrowed time?

Maybe the better question is, who still sees him that way now? If wins over Penn and Maynard aren’t enough, what will be?

Perhaps we’ll find out soon enough, but in the meantime it doesn’t seem to be bothering Edgar all that much. He’s had plenty of time to get used to it. At this point, maybe he wouldn’t even know how to be that terrifying, dominant champion who the fight world reveres. Maybe he wouldn’t want to be.

ChingChong
21-02-2012, 21:02
Hoop dat kid weer vecht als vroeger!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfgYGSIakRU

fightlove
21-02-2012, 23:50
http://cdn3.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/3127673/522254692_large.jpg

Splinta
22-02-2012, 02:16
Veel plezier man! Probeer wat mooie foto's te maken en te delen met je forumbroeders :)

Komt voor elkaar man!

fightlove
22-02-2012, 07:52
http://ironforgesiron.com/2012/02/video-countdown-to-ufc-144-japan-henderson-vs-edgar/

Kemal
22-02-2012, 09:16
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=nHzRLcwcv1I

smike
22-02-2012, 12:09
Ik hoop echt op een gruwelijke KO van Rampage, brute GnP, Flying knee, of een slam, zou mij weer in die extase van de PRIDE tijd brengen!

fightlove
22-02-2012, 13:00
http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/8d6f3795f26e787c2b7c55868bf36e63.mp4

smike
22-02-2012, 13:28
De bovenstaande reactie is of een spambot, of een debiele hacker met een viruslink.

Soulbringer320
22-02-2012, 14:54
Countdown to UFC 143
http://www.ufc.com/media/countdown-to-ufc-144-edgar-henderson

Kemal
22-02-2012, 18:11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FvhOjK20pFE

Kemal
22-02-2012, 18:11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=x-UENF5U6CM

Kemal
22-02-2012, 18:13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=A-9V2NGzbqA

Kemal
22-02-2012, 18:13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CmsuNsIWrss

Kemal
22-02-2012, 18:14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=leCWGhcuabU

Kemal
22-02-2012, 18:14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=U4dXhnYuhs8

nick diaz
22-02-2012, 18:16
Ik hoop dat BADER zwaar gaat verliezen op een K.O

nick diaz
22-02-2012, 18:18
UFC 144 Japan - Jake Shields says Nick Diaz will not retire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ae7tXP8Gm24

Kemal
22-02-2012, 20:21
Ryan Bader Hoping to Right 2011 Wrongs Against 'Rampage' Jackson

Watch below as Ryan Bader talks about his upcoming UFC 144 fight against Quinton Jackson, fighting in Japan for the first, his forgettable 2011 campaign, what he learned from the first losing streak of his career and much more.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/c19705d896466ba3570f5b9303eae8a1.mp4

Kemal
22-02-2012, 20:22
Frankie Edgar Doesn't See Any Holes in Benson Henderson's Game

Watch below as UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar talks about his UFC 144 title defense against Benson Henderson, fighting overseas, a potential drop to featherweight and much more.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/99b8aab1d25096708e5d370e54f2e305.mp4

Kemal
22-02-2012, 20:23
Jake Shields Doesn't Regret Fighting Immediately Following Death of His Father

Watch below as Jake Shields talks about his UFC 144 fight against Yoshihiro Akiyama, his return to Japan, why he doesn't regret fighting Jake Ellenberger immediately following the death of his father, how he is looking past his recent losing streak, and more.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/9c4b61613920a573200e7a5b8f6e07eb.mp4

Kemal
22-02-2012, 20:24
Takanori Gomi Thinks UFC 144 Will Help Reignite Japanese MMA

Watch below as lightweight Takanori Gomi talks about his UFC 144 fight against Eiji Mitsuoka, his return to Japan, the rise and fall of Japanese MMA, the differences between Japanese and American MMA fans and his current losing streak.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/2806b538de502a26232e5260e9ec0b75.mp4

Kemal
22-02-2012, 20:25
Benson Henderson: Frankie Edgar Is Great Champ but Leaves 'Openings'

Benson Henderson talks about being in the main event of UFC 144, his reception in Japan, possible holes in Frankie Edgar's game, if size will play a factor and more.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/28a0b927999a3b4021f93c2bcacf1e1b.mp4

Kemal
22-02-2012, 20:26
Yushin Okami Says He Learned 'So Much' From Loss to Anderson Silva

Yushin Okami talks about his UFC 144 fight against Tim Boetsch, training with Chael Sonnen at Team Quest and bouncing back from a loss to middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Check out the one-on-one interview below.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/7d3b9237ee6b7190c0785639d13a020a.mp4

Kemal
22-02-2012, 20:27
Kid Yamamoto Points to 'Secret' Injury for Disappointing UFC Performances

Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto discusses his elation to be fighting for the UFC in Japan, preparing for his UFC 144 opponent Vaughan Lee, and why he believes he's had disappointing performances thus far in his UFC career in this exclusive interview.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/b783b66da09b2ee088a0eb2e95ee06ae.mp4

Kemal
22-02-2012, 20:28
Cheick Kongo Wants Another Shot at Frank Mir

Cheick Kongo talks about his last performance against Matt Mitrione, the changes at Wolfslair, his upcoming UFC 144 fight against Mark Hunt, why he would want to fight Frank Mir if he won this weekend and much more.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/9816130738f2aff21b679e6760aad989.mp4

Kemal
22-02-2012, 20:29
Yoshihiro Akiyama Ready to Debut 'New Akiyama Style'

Just days ahead of his bout with Jake Shields at UFC 144, Yoshihiro Akiyama discusses how the Japanese fans will receive him, the arrival of a 'new Akiyama style', how he felt about the drop to welterweight and which leading Hollywood actor inspires his fashion choices.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/c0193847fbd6bc2a1340e98a352f6e3b.mp4

Lionheart
22-02-2012, 20:36
Thanks Kemal voor de updates!

oscardavila
23-02-2012, 00:20
Heb er zin an..

http://oscardavila.blogspot.com/2012/02/ufc-144-voorspellingen.html#links

Kemal
23-02-2012, 08:57
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UU397nAyPEJPKr0OxcBQd_1g&feature=player _detailpage&v=1vhyPTzSVq8

Kemal
23-02-2012, 09:00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hcmdP5n_pEU

Kemal
23-02-2012, 09:00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=4wjHqVJowXE

Kemal
23-02-2012, 09:01
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf10Ab6KQHY&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 09:01
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSh9-9YQ9YU&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 09:03
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU0Ud-FPwfA&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 19:53
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InYsn1V8rgc&feature=player_embedded

Kemal
23-02-2012, 19:57
As UFC 144 Nears, Shadow of PRIDE Looms Large

With its unique brand of glitz and grandeur, Japan injected life into mixed martial arts when it was needed most, during its darkest days in North America. If the UFC's return into Japan now, several years after it became the world's preeminent promotion, isn't a return of the favor, it at least comes pre-packaged with a respectful bow and a nod to history. For example, it comes as no coincidence that for UFC 144, the promotion chose as a venue the Saitama Super Arena, the de facto home of PRIDE which held 24 of the promotion's events during its 10-year history.

It's just the scale that will change. While that venue can be configured to seat nearly 50,000 fans, on fight night, it will instead house around 20,000. As for the tone, well, that is the mystery of UFC 144. While a UFC event traditionally hosts a raucous group of fans, part of the allure of the show is to see whether the event will be populated by the typically quiet and respectful Japanese observer or a new age fan.

UFC's reception is part of the story. Like during Thursday's press conference, when a Japanese reporter asked White about his own personal expectation.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but still, some of the Japanese MMA fans believe that Zuffa destroyed PRIDE, and if they see your face on the screen…" "Oh, you're saying I'm not very popular over here," White responded, a smile on his face. "I don’t know. Listen, I can take some boos. We didn't kill PRIDE. I’ve said this many times. PRIDE is the only other organization that I've ever respected. PRIDE was an organization here in Japan that did huge sellout shows. They had tons of fans in the U.S., and a lot of the big stars not just in Japan but worldwide came form Japan. It’s the only other organization I’ve given respect or credit to. If I get some boos, I can handle it. I’m pretty thick-skinned."

Keep in mind that when the interpreter originally translated the reporter's question, he changed it to ask White about the reaction the referees might receive. It was only after the reporter stood up and asked his question again, this time in English, that White could understand that he was saying.

That tone of respect is one that permeated the press conference, but so did a singular topic. Over and over, White along with the six fighters -- Frankie Edgar, Ben Henderson, Quinton Jackson, Ryan Bader, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Jake Shields -- on the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo dais were asked about MMA in Japan, Japan, Japanese MMA and every permutation thereof.

They said all the right things and gave all the right answers, even if they have no idea what to really expect on Sunday morning, when the event will begin at 9:30 am local time.

"Anywhere else in the world we go it’s loud and it’s crazy," White said. "You know how it is when we go live on pay-per-view, the whole place is going insane. It’s going to be interesting here to see if that's what it’s like here, if it’s the same reaction they had at the PRIDE events or more like the other places we go. I’m curious to see."

On fight night, the UFC will present its standard production, complete with multiple replay screens and music blaring at a pounding decibel level. How that "UFC experience" that White talks about will go over for the first time is anyone's guess, but the organization has to believe the fans who purchased tickets know what they're getting themselves into.

For now, about 2,000 tickets remain from turning the event into a sellout, according to White, and the arena is expected to be full by the time the main card begins.

That's a positive development for a promotion that has waited over a decade to return to what many consider to be one of the most instrumental countries to the development of martial arts.

From White's perspective, the return is already a success. Not only is the event likely to sell out, but due to a sudden deal, a broadcast of the event will be available on TV Tokyo, a free channel, albeit in the wee hours of Sunday night. It also airs live on cable channel WOWOW.

"This is the first show back in 12 years," White said, "You heard 'Rampage' and [a reporter] saying the UFC isn't as big as PRIDE was here, and for us to come in and do an event and sell out the way we have, we’re very happy with the results. I know what we're going to do on Sunday and what kind of show we're going to put on for the Japanese fans. I think they’re going to be very excited and this is going to help spread the word in Japan."

White said the UFC does plan to come back to Japan in the future, and that this is not a one-off show for the sake of going into a market that has been a target ever since Zuffa ownership bought the UFC. Instead, this is a show that matters not only for the long-term growth of the UFC, but for MMA in Japan.

Despite not being in the main event, Jackson has essentially been the face of the show, having fought in Japan 18 times during his PRIDE days. In discussing his return to the Land of the Rising Sun after five years away, he's been downright wistful.

"Japanese fans just really know how to treat a fighter," he said. "That’s why I love them. That’s why whenever I fought here, I always tried my best to put on an exciting show no matter what. I took risks, and was slamming people so much. It took a lot of energy to slam people and do the stuff I did. I lost a lot of fights just trying to excite them because I really love them. That’s the type of energy they give to me and that’s exactly why I wanted to come here and fight. That’s exactly how I’m going to fight, like I did when I was 25, and put on a great show for these Japanese fans because they’re the best in the world."

PRIDE may be long gone, but there is hope that at least for one day, the glory days can return to Saitama Super Arena, and the clock can be turned back to a time when Japanese MMA was king and the love affair between fighters and fans was at its best.

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:02
Dana White Talks UFC's Return to Japan, Culinary Union and Nate Marquardt

MMA Fighting spoke to UFC president Dana White following Thursday's UFC 144 press conference about the organization's return to Japan, the rise and fall of Japanese MMA, Saturday night's card, the Culinary Union's MMA bill of rights suggestion, the return of Nate Marquardt, and much more.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/0a0263ecdaa73be9b0588681103e1179.mp4

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:15
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=W7gIAFoItR8

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:15
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=SRMRjjAMfNA

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:36
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5fbNVzfvMc&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:36
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZsvkF3gCgI&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:36
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGUZQnMzvD4&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:37
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OiglrOZJ8w&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:37
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEYBr-qwJaQ&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:38
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu_KdHqXBw4&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:39
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yTJk_EOUmA&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:39
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt1KmsXcnSQ&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 20:39
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7mydInRr74&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
23-02-2012, 23:58
A Night in Tokyo With Rampage Jackson

MMA Fighting spent Thursday night walking the streets of Tokyo with Quinton Jackson, just days before his first fight back in Japan in six years. Watch below as Jackson speaks candidly about why he loves Japan so much, his PRIDE debut, his legacy, the highs and lows of his MMA career, and much more.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/a47f513fb0786e5a9c1e39c6a7eb0472.mp4

Kemal
24-02-2012, 08:46
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igOsvIwBgHY&feature=player_detailpage

XanaduNL
24-02-2012, 17:32
Dana White vlog day 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fLfxAzgZEY

The Company
24-02-2012, 19:15
State of Japanese MMA


http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/2/24/2821521/state-of-japanese-mma

Goede video. Ik weet nog dat mmafighting het zelfde deed in een stad in Amerika en daar wist 90% niet wat MMA inhield.

nick diaz
24-02-2012, 20:13
Will Ferrell introduces the fighters for UFC 144
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=InYsn1V8rgc

Kemal
25-02-2012, 08:10
UFC 144 Weigh-In Results: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight

After twelve long years, the last hurdle to the UFC's return to Japan has been cleared. Lightweight title challengers Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson both made weight during Friday's UFC 144 weigh-ins at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, rendering their championship tilt official.

Henderson, the former WEC titleholder, hit the crowded stage first, tipping the scales at 154 pounds. Edgar soon followed suit, measuring in at 154 pounds to a respectful round of applause from the Japanese audience.

Despite a tense staredown, both men remained gracious throughout the proceedings. "Ben's a tough dude. It was a good camp to prepare for him," said Edgar, the UFC's reigning champion. "Obviously a new face, a new name. Let's do it."
"Frankie's the man," Henderson replied. "He has a great chin, has a great heart. He has proved himself time and again. He's a great champion. It's going to be an honor for me to take a belt away from a champion like that."

Not surprisingly, light heavyweight co-headliner Quinton Jackson received the loudest ovation of the afternoon. A former star of PRIDE FC who doggedly lobbied to land on the card, "Rampage" somehow came in far overweight for his first Japanese contest since 2006, hitting 211 pounds on the official scale. Jackson agreed to forfeit 20-percent of his purse to Ryan Bader.

"I really wanted to fight here. You guys have no idea what I went through," Jackson said. "I had a lot of up and downs in my camp, and a lot of struggles to get here. Me and Dana (White) almost bumped heads again, but Dana's a cool man and he understood how badly I wanted to be here in Japan, so he allowed me to not fight in Chicago and be here to put on a show for you guys. I love you all."

Jackson further explained his failed cut on FUEL TV. "I thought I was going to make the weight, but I got injured in my camp and it kind of hindered me from doing a lot of running," he revealed. "I didn't want to miss this fight because this fight was so important to me and I fought so hard to get it... I cut 21 pounds. I just couldn't get the last six."

Bader, meanwhile, found his mark at 205 pounds. Hoping to notch the biggest victory of his young career, the TUF 8 winner appeared unfazed at his opponent's warm reception and size advantage.

"It's an honor to fight (Rampage), especially here in Japan," Bader said. "I (grew) up watching PRIDE and watching it here in Japan. I always dreamed of fighting here one day, so a dream came true."

Full weigh-in results are below.

Main card (Pay-Per-View):
Frankie Edgar (154) vs. Ben Henderson (154)
Quinton Jackson (211)* vs. Ryan Bader (205)
Mark Hunt (264) vs. Cheick Kongo (229)
Yoshihiro Akiyama (169) vs. Jake Shields (170)
Yushin Okami (185) vs. Tim Boetsch (186)
Hatsu Hioki (145) vs. Bart Palaszewski (146)
Anthony Pettis (155) vs. Joe Lauzon (156)

Preliminary card (FX):
Takanori Gomi (155) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka (154)
Norifumi Yamamoto (136) vs. Vaughan Lee (135)
Riki Fukuda (185) vs. Steve Cantwell (185)
Takeya Mizugaki (135) vs. Chris Cariaso (136)

Preliminary card (Facebook):
Zhang Tiequan (146) vs. Issei Tamura (145)

*Has agreed to forfeit 20% of his purse.

Kemal
25-02-2012, 08:47
Guest Octagon Girl Azusa Nishigaki Talks UFC 144 Debut

Watch below as Miss Japan finalist Azusa Nishigaki talks about her UFC Octagon debut at UFC 144, how she got the gig, and more. Plus, veteran UFC Octagon Girl Arianny Celeste also stops by to show her a few pointers before tomorrow night's event.

http://assets.mmafighting.vid.io/a45faccee593959af3a0a2daeb099cd6.mp4

Kemal
25-02-2012, 08:51
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NUz0jHzvFXo

Kemal
25-02-2012, 08:52
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd2PONcqGIw&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
25-02-2012, 09:09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5fQcJkffsA&feature=player_detailpage

boudstyle
25-02-2012, 09:54
Hmzzz, 211 is wel een beetje veel qua gewicht missen.
Is echter Rampage zijn eerste keer, en volgens mij is die 20% purse voor Bader een verdubbeling van zijn purse.

Emilio
25-02-2012, 10:16
Hoe laat begint het nu onze tijd. vanmiddag toch al?

Lionheart
25-02-2012, 11:58
Benson zag er ripped/huge uit!!!

Silat
25-02-2012, 12:14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGUZQnMzvD4&feature=player_detailpage

Als Saku Dana's favorite fighters is, waarom zit Saku niet in UFC Undisputed 3?? Dat kan toch niet.


ontopic:

Hoe laat begint die shizzle??

Turboknecht
25-02-2012, 12:18
4 uur 's nachts, er staan nu nog 16 uur en 42 minuten op de UFC site teller.

Silat
25-02-2012, 12:32
WTF, geen Japanse tijden dus.
Ze gaan daar in Japan speciaal 12:00 locale tijd beginnen zodat de PPV in de US op normale tijd is...

Logisch maar kut voor ons. Ik dacht een keer vroeg te kunnen slapen..

Kemal
25-02-2012, 21:38
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=v3b_wLouqlk

Kemal
25-02-2012, 21:39
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI_u1S859W4&feature=player_detailpage

Kemal
25-02-2012, 21:39
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxuVCImwCMY&feature=player_detailpage

Shikoku
25-02-2012, 22:00
Prelims beginnen dus gewoon uur of 12-1?

Of later zeker.. omdat er zon lange main card is.

fild156
25-02-2012, 22:38
UFC 144: Edgar vs Henderson Live Stream right here online :D

http://smashing-tech.net/ufc-144-edgar-vs-henderson-live-stream/

The Company
25-02-2012, 22:41
Heb er zin in!

Nu al een kandidaat voor beste event van het jaar.

redjuh
25-02-2012, 23:57
prelims va 0200??? kk laat ouwe

Shikoku
26-02-2012, 00:07
Wat is dit nou. Verwachten ze dat ik nog 3 uur met mijn jongeheer ga zitten spelen ofzo :wacko:

Hoeft voor mij niet weer, zo'n langere main card..