UFN on Versus 3: Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann

[Kemal]

The UFC will make its Kentucky debut with UFC on Versus 3 on March 3 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, the promotion announced Thursday.

The main and co-main events, respectively, will feature fringe top 10 UFC welterweights Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann and middleweight wrestlers Mark Munoz vs. C.B. Dollaway.

Sanchez (24-4) returned to welterweight at UFC 114 this year only to lose to prospect John Hathaway, seemingly eliminating any hope of a future title shot for himself. However, Sanchez bounced back in October with a dominant win over Paulo Thiago at UFC 121.

"I want to fight the toughest guys out there to prove to the UFC and the fans that I'm ready for another title shot," Sanchez said. "I want the opportunity to show everyone what I can do when I am training the right way and focused."

Kampmann (17-4), who defeated Jacob Volkmann and Thiago in 2010, was selected to welcome former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields into the UFC. Although Kampmann suffered a loss to the No. 2 welterweight, the setback was a split decision and one in which Kampmann came out looking the better of the two.

"It's an honor being in the main event," said Kampmann, who trains out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. "I've never been to Kentucky before and I'm looking forward to beating up Diego Sanchez in Louisville and showing everybody what the UFC is all about."

Dollaway (11-2) is quietly riding a three-fight win streak over Jay Silva, Goran Reljic and Joe Doerksen. As a notable wrestler out of Arizona State University, he'll look to defend his school's honor against Munoz (9-2), who in November defeated former ASU coach and All-American Aaron Simpson at UFC 123.

Below is the current confirmed lineup.

Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann
Mark Munoz vs. C.B. Dollaway
Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page
Alessio Sakara vs. Maiquel Falcao
Thiago Tavares vs. Shane Roller
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Francisco Rivera

[micha]

KFC centre in kentucky?

[Kemal]

KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, is nog een flinke hal ook:

[Tony]

goeie matchup.. ben benieuwd of Kampmann het hoge tempo van sanchez aankan.

[Kemal]

The event will be the first that the UFC has hosted in Kentucky.
Bouts in the works include:

• Rousimar Palhares vs. Alexandre Ferreira
• Steve Cantwell vs. Cyrille Diabaté
• Matt Brown vs. Mark Scanlon

Official fight card

Main card

• Welterweight bout: Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann
• Middleweight bout: C.B. Dollaway vs. Mark Muñoz
• Middleweight bout: Alessio Sakara vs. Maiquel Falcão
• Bantamweight bout: Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page

Preliminary card

• Lightweight bout: Thiago Tavares vs. Shane Roller
• Bantamweight bout: Takeya Mizugaki vs. Francisco Rivera

[GilbertYvelFan24]

WAR DIEGO!!!!!

[Kemal]

Rob Kimmons and Dongi Yang slated for UFC on Versus 3 meeting


middleweight bout between Rob Kimmons (23-6 MMA, 3-3 UFC) and Dongi Yang (9-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will be part of the UFC on Versus 3 lineup in March.

A source said told MMAjunkie.com at least one fighter has signed a bout agreement for the fight, which MMAWeekly.com first reported.

UFC on Versus 3 takes place March 3 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., and the night's main card airs on Versus.

Kimmons vs. Yang likely will be part of the untelevised preliminary card.

Kimmons entered the UFC in 2008 with a stellar 21-3 record. However, he's since rotated between wins and losses with victories over Rob Yundt, Joe Vedepo and Steven Steinbess, and defeats came to Dan Miller, Jorge Rivera and Kyle Noke. The Missouri-based fighter's most recent win, which came over Steinbess, was his first victory via decision in 10 fights and four years. Nineteen of his 23 career wins have come via stoppage, 14 via submission.

Yang, a former DEEP and Sengoku fighter, signed with the UFC in 2010 after posting a 9-0 mark, which included eight consecutive TKO victories. However, in his octagon debut, the Korean fighter suffered a split-decision defeat to Chris Camozzi at UFC 121.

The latest UFC on Versus 3 lineup now includes:

• Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez
• C.B. Dollaway vs. Mark Munoz
• Maiquel Falcao vs. Alessio Sakara
• Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page
• Shane Roller vs. Thiago Tavares
• Takeya Mizugaki vs. Francisco Rivera
• Alexandre Ferreira vs. Rousimar Palhares*
• Eric Koch vs. Cub Swanson*
• Cyrille Diabate vs. Steve Cantwell*
• Matt Brown vs. Mark Scanlon*
• Rob Kimmons and Dongi Yang*

* - Not officially announced

[Tony]

Ik hoop dat die Ferreira een pootje van Palhares uitdraait. (nee ik mag Palhares niet)

[Slome]

Main card

• Welterweight bout: Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann
• Middleweight bout: C.B. Dollaway vs. Mark Muñoz
• Middleweight bout: Alessio Sakara vs. Maiquel Falcão
• Bantamweight bout: Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page

Preliminary card

• Lightweight bout: Thiago Tavares vs. Shane Roller
• Bantamweight bout: Takeya Mizugaki vs. Francisco Rivera
• Light Heavyweight bout: Igor Pokrajac vs. Todd Brown

Bouts in the works include:

• Rousimar Palhares vs. Alexandre Ferreira
• Steve Cantwell vs. Cyrille Diabaté
• Matt Brown vs. Mark Scanlon
• Erik Koch vs. Cub Swanson
• Rob Kimmons vs. Dong Yi Yang

[Slome]

Maiquel Falcao has been forced off the card with an injury. Stepping in to replace him against Alessio Sakara will be Renzo Gracie student Rafael "Sapo" Natal.

Alessio "Legionarius" Sakara (15-7)
Win James Irvin - TKO (Punch) UFC Versus 1
Win Thales Leites - Decision (Split) UFC 101
Win Joe Vedepo - KO (Head Kick) UFC FN 15

Rafael "Sapo" Natal (12-3-1)
Draw Jesse Bongfeldt - Draw UFC 124
Loss Rich Attonito - Decision (Unanimous) UFC FN 22
Win Travis Lutter - KO (Punches) Moosin

[Kemal]

Maiquel Falcao out at UFC on Versus 3; Alessio Sakara now faces Rafael Natal


Brazilian middleweight Maiquel Falcao (26-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has been forced to withdraw from a planned UFC on Versus 3 meeting with Alessio Sakara (15-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC), and Rafael Natal (12-3-1 MMA, 0-1-1 UFC) has stepped into the open slot.

MMAjunkie.com confirmed the switch, which was first reported by MMA Weekly.com.

Featuring a welterweight matchup between perennial contenders Martin Kampmann and Diego Sanchez, UFC on Versus 3 takes place March 3 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Natal seeks his first UFC win in three trips to the octagon. "Sapo" suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Rich Attonito in his debut at UFC Fight Night 22, and a return bout at UFC 124 ended in a draw with Jesse Bongfeldt following a back-and-forth three-round affair.

Sakara is anxious to get back in the cage and hopes to extend a recent three-fight win streak. With a bit of a career resurgence, the Italian striker has posted knockout wins over Joe Vedepo and James Irvin and a split-decision win over Thales Leites. Due to a mixture of scratched bouts, injuries and a family death, the UFC on Versus 3 bout will be just the third Sakara has had in the past 19 months.

Falcao had been looking to build off of a UFC-debut victory over Gerald Harris, which extended the Brazilian's current win streak to eight. Falcao nearly ended the bout with a first-round rear-naked choke, but the round inexplicably ended six seconds early, and Harris was saved by the bell. The following two rounds proved rather lackluster, and Harris (despite a 3-1 UFC record) was released after the heavily panned bout.

[se3207]

jammer had hem wel willen zien.hij heeft vorige x niet echt laten zien wat ie kon,helaas

[Kemal]

Matt Riddle out at UFC on Versus 3; Matt Brown again without opponent

Matt Brown (11-10 MMA, 4-4 UFC) has been left to wonder once again.

Matt Riddle (5-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC), who was expected to face Brown at March's UFC on Versus 3 event, injured his right hand in training and has been forced to withdraw from the matchup.

MMAjunkie.com today confirmed Riddle's withdrawal, which was first reported by Versus.com. Brown now awaits a new opponent.

It's the second time this month Brown has found himself without an opponent, as Riddle replaced an injured Mark Scanlon one week ago.

Brown has yet to be officially announced as a UFC on Versus 3 event by UFC brass.

An eight-time UFC veteran and cast member of "The Ultimate Fighter 7," Brown finds himself in desperate need of a victory.

After winning four of his first five UFC contests, Brown has since dropped three-straight matchups in the octagon. All three losses, suffered in bouts with Brian Foster, Chris Lytle and Ricardo Almeida, came via second-round submission.

[lopez86]

VETTE fightcard.
Met name de bantamweight bouts.

[Slome]

An elbow injury has forced Brazilian Paulo Thiago to withdraw from his scheduled welterweight showdown with the once-beaten Johny Hendricks at UFC Live 3 on March 3 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Thiago (Pictured) will undergo elbow surgery in order to remove bone fragments from the joint at the end of the week. According to his manager, Wallid Ismail, the 30-year-old expects a quick and full recovery.

“This surgery is quite simple, but it is something that was making him suffer a little,”.

“His elbow got stuck. He wanted to fight, but the UFC understood the problem and gave us the total support.”

[Kemal]

Dave Branch vs. Rousimar Palhares official for UFC on Versus 3 prelims

[Slome]

Maiquel Falcao has been forced off the card with an injury. Stepping in to replace him against Alessio Sakara will be Renzo Gracie student Rafael "Sapo" Natal.

Alessio "Legionarius" Sakara (15-7)
Win James Irvin - TKO (Punch) UFC Versus 1
Win Thales Leites - Decision (Split) UFC 101
Win Joe Vedepo - KO (Head Kick) UFC FN 15

Rafael "Sapo" Natal (12-3-1)
Draw Jesse Bongfeldt - Draw UFC 124
Loss Rich Attonito - Decision (Unanimous) UFC FN 22
Win Travis Lutter - KO (Punches) Moosin

Sapo Out of UFC/Versus 3 Fight Against Sakara

If Alessio Sakara is going to fight at UFC on Versus 3, it will be against a third opponent, since he was first slotted on the March 3 card.
Renzo Gracie fighter Rafael “Sapo” Natal has been forced off the UFC on Versus 3 card against Sakara due to a knee injury suffered in training.

Sakara has been out of action since March 2010 when he defeated James Irvin. He has been set to fight a couple of times since then, but his own injuries and illness have kept him out of action.

[Kemal]

Alessio Sakara to Face Newly Signed Chris Weidman at UFC on Versus 3

Blue-chip MMA middleweight prospect Chris Weidman has signed with the UFC and will make his debut against Alessio Sakara at UFC on Versus 3 on March 3, the UFC has confirmed.

The 26-year-old Weidman is 4-0 in his career. A two-time NCAA Division I wrestling All-American, Weidman beat current UFC light-heavyweights Ryan Bader and Phil Davis on the collegiate mats. But he's picked up jiu-jitsu very quickly, qualifying for the esteemed Abu Dhabi Combat Club submission fighting world championships after only eight months of formal training.

Weidman trains with Ray Longo, who helped guide Matt Serra to the UFC welterweight championship. Last August, Longo told MMA Fighting that Weidman was "probably the most talented guy I've ever come across so far."

Weidman tried out for the current season of The Ultimate Fighter, but the UFC ultimately decided to film a season with all welterweights.

The New Yorker will be replacing Rafael "Sapo" Natal, who was forced out to due to injury. It is not the first opponent switch for Sakara, who was originally scheduled to face Maiquel Falcao on the card.

Sakara (15-7, 1 no contest), hasn't fought since last March, when he defeated James Irvin via TKO. The winner of three straight, Sakara has been inactive due to some bad luck. He was scheduled to fight Nate Marquardt at UFC 116 but withdrew after the death of his father, and he also missed scheduled fights with Jorge Rivera at UFC 118 and 122, the former due to a Marquardt injury, the latter due to a Sakara illness on fight night.

[Kemal]

Duran vs. Mizugaki official; UFC on Versus 3 again complete with 12 contests


After a little last-minute scrambling, the dance card for the UFC's first-ever trip to Kentucky is again complete.

As MMAjunkie.com first reported, newcomer Reuben Duran (7-2-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has signed on with the promotion and will face Takeya Mizugaki (13-5-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) on the preliminary card of "UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann."

Duran replaces an injured Francisco Rivera, who was forced to withdraw from the bout due to an undisclosed ailment. UFC brass recently made the switch official.

Featuring a headliner between perennial welterweight contenders Martin Kampmann and Diego Sanchez, "UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann" takes place March 3 at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Duran steps up on short notice on the heels of a four-fight win streak in regional promotions. All but one of his professional victories come by way of stoppage due to strikes or submission.

Mizugaki recently closed out his WEC career with a 2-3 record, which included a recent submission loss to Urijah Faber in the headliner of November's WEC 52 event. The former Japanese fight-circuit competitor opened his WEC career win a title loss to then-champ Miguel Torres but then won two of his next three, including decision wins over Jeff Curran and Rani Yahya.

With the change, the UFC on Versus 3 fight card now includes:

MAIN CARD

• Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez
• C.B. Dollaway vs. Mark Munoz
• Alessio Sakara vs. Chris Weidman
• Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Danny Castillo vs. Joe Stevenson
• Cyrille Diabate vs. Steve Cantwell
• Shane Roller vs. Thiago Tavares
• Eric Koch vs. Cub Swanson
• Reuben Duran vs. Takeya Mizugaki
• Rob Kimmons and Dongi Yang
• Dave Branch vs. Rousimar Palhares
• Todd Brown vs. Igor Pokrajac

[Kemal]

Diego Sanchez: Lightweight Division, 'Nightmare' Nickname Both In the Past

Diego Sanchez has made plenty of changes in the last few months as he's adjusted back to life in New Mexico and re-focusing on his career.

Among the differences in the 29-year-old? A serious weight-lifting regimen that has added muscle to his 5-foot-11 frame. Also, he's dropping the "Nightmare." The long-held nickname no longer applies to his new way of life, Sanchez says.

Of course, one change is symbolic while the other is functional, but to hear Sanchez tell it, they're equally as important.

"I let that go. I let the 'Nightmare' go," he said on a Tuesday teleconference. "To me, I see some negative in it. A nightmare is something that is negative and kind of evil. I don't want to represent that. I want to represent positivity and good.

"I look back on my career. The 'Nightmare'? The nightmare was myself," he continued. "All the times I fell off track and got into drinking, got into smoking weed, the things that brought me down, the partying. That was my nightmare. I was my own nightmare. I'm grown up. I'm going to let that name go. I just want to be Diego Sanchez. I don't even need a nickname. I'm me."

Sanchez (22-4) faces Martin Kampmann in the main event of March 3's UFC on Versus event. It will be his third straight fight as a welterweight, and he says the future for him will only be in the 170-pound weight class.

Back with his first coach Greg Jackson in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sanchez has embraced weight-lifting, working alongside top-level wrestler Willie Parks in adding muscle to his frame. Sanchez told MMA Fighting that he's currently walking around between 187-190 just about a week before weigh-ins.

"The options are closed for me to ever go down to 155 again," Sanchez said.

"In my last fight I was really prepared, I worked hard, but I wasn't physically strong," he explained. "That's something that you have to have at welterweight. Be physically strong. It's something I really worked at it in this training camp. I think the fans will be real surprised when they see the way I look, the way I feel, and how I impose my will with my physical strength."

[Kemal]

UFC on Versus 3 to Be Broadcast in 3D

The growing trend of 3D television is finally ready to marry itself to the growing sport of mixed martial arts.

The UFC's upcoming UFC on Versus 3 event will be broadcast in 3D on select cable outlets, sport trade journal Sports Business Daily reported on Friday. It will mark the first time a UFC event is telecast in the format, though the UFC has privately tried out the technology in the past.

According to the report, the 3D telecast will have a different production crew from Versus' regular HD setup. Versus is also planning to occasionally utilize a split-screen presentation that will air live arena content like locker room views alongside commercials.

The report notes that among cable distributors, Comcast, Cox, Verizon, Massillon Cable, Blue Ridge and Armstrong have signed on.

UFC on Versus 3 takes place on March 3 from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky and features a main event pitting Diego Sanchez against Martin Kampmann, alongside a co-main event pairing of former All-American collegiate wrestlers CB Dollaway and Mark Munoz.

[Kemal]

Stevenson vs. Castillo Leads Facebook Prelims for UFC on Versus 3

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The UFC will continue its recent utilization of Facebook on Thursday, bringing another pair of preliminary card fights to the website.

A lightweight bout between Joe Stevenson and Danny Castillo and a light heavyweight fight between Steve Cantwell and Cyrille Diabate will stream live on the UFC's Facebook fan page leading into the promotion's main card for UFC on Versus 3. The card takes place at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., and is the UFC's debut in the state.

Though not yet announced by the promotion, a UFC source confirmed to MMA Fighting on Tuesday in Louisville that the two bouts would stream at the site. This will mark the fourth straight event for the partnership, which the UFC tried for the first time at its Fight for the Troops 2 card in January.

To gain access to the two fights, which will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern, viewers must "like" the UFC's Facebook page. As of Tuesday afternoon, the UFC had more than 4.8 million fans at the site.

Stevenson, a former lightweight title challenger, has lost two straight fights, including a knockout to Mac Danzig at UFC 124 in December that earned Danzig Knockout of the Night honors. Castillo, who trains at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento with former featherweight champion Urijah Faber, makes his UFC debut after going 5-3 in the WEC prior to the two promotions' merger.

Cantwell, the former WEC light heavyweight champion, is also on a two-fight skid with losses to Luiz Cane and Brian Stann. He has been on the shelf for nearly 18 months. A much-talked about, but never disclosed issue kept the Nevada State Athletic Commission from licensing him prior to UFC 108. Once he was cleared last year, injuries kept him out of a pair of planned bouts. Diabate started his UFC career with a knockout of Cane, but was submitted at UFC 120 against Alexander Gustafsson.

The main card for UFC Live on Versus 3 begins at 9 p.m. Eastern on the cable station, featuring a main event welterweight bout between former lightweight title challenger Diego Sanchez and Martin Kampmann and a co-main event featuring former All-American wrestlers Mark Munoz and CB Dollaway.

[Dutchmuaythai]

Ik ga voor Diego. Als je kijk naar de skills liggen ze dichtbij elkaar, maar ik denk dat Diego veel druk gaat uitoefenen en daardoor de partij naar zich toe zal trekken. Daarbij heeft Diego natuurlijk een hele goede groep coaches en dat heeft Martin niet helaas.

[Kemal]

UFC on Versus 3 Weigh-In Results

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The 22 fighters for Thursday's UFC on Versus 3 card hit the scales Wednesday in Louisville, Ky., and all of them made their required weights. The weigh-in event for the UFC's debut in the Bluegrass State took place at the Kentucky International Convention Center in downtown Louisville.

Main event fighters Diego Sanchez and Martin Kampmann each weighed in at 171 pounds for their welterweight bout. In the co-main event, former Division I All-Americans CB Dollaway and Mark Munoz meet in a clash of elite wrestlers. Dollaway weighed 185 for the middleweight contest; Munoz was 186.

Two fighters needed to remove their shorts completely in order to make their limits. Bantamweight Damacio Page weighed in at 136 on his second try for his fight with former WEC champion Brian Bowles. And Reuben Duran also needed a second attempt to make 136 for his fight with Takeya Mizugaki.

The main card for UFC on Versus 3 airs live on Versus at 9 p.m. Eastern on Thursday. The preliminary card fights between Steve Cantwell and Cyrille Diabate and Joe Stevenson and Danny Castillo will be streamed live on the UFC's Facebook page starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.

The complete weigh-in results are below.

Main Card
Diego Sanchez (171) vs. Martin Kampmann (171)
CB Dollaway (185) vs. Mark Muñoz (186)
Alessio Sakara (186) vs. Chris Weidman (186)
Brian Bowles (135) vs. Damacio Page (136)

Preliminary Card
Steve Cantwell (206) vs. Cyrille Diabaté (205)
Joe Stevenson (155) vs. Danny Castillo (155)
Thiago Tavares (156) vs. Shane Roller (156)
Takeya Mizugaki (136) vs. Reuben Duran (136)
Rob Kimmons (185) vs. Dong Yi Yang (186)
Rousimar Palhares (186) vs. Dave Branch (186)
Igor Pokrajac (204) vs. Todd Brown (205)

[Mule-Kick]

Benieuwd naar Sanchez vs. Kampmann. Hoop dat Martin deze pakt.