UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk (35-2-1) vs. Hermes Franca (19-5) Sherk has been hampered by a shoulder injury since beating Kenny Florian for the 155-pound title last October at UFC 64, but the powerful wrestler is healthy and ready to get back in the Octagon for his first title defense. Franca (19-5) has an eight-fight winning streak, winning all by KO or submission. UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva (18-4) vs. Nate Marquardt (28-6-1): Silva captured the UFC 185-pound title with a devastating first-round TKO over Rich Franklin(headliner for the ufc72 ppv and won) at UFC 64. The Brazilian superstar is one of the premier strikers in the division and has underrated BJJ skills. Marquardt, a seven-time middleweight King of Pancrase, has recorded impressive victories over Ivan Salaverry, Joe Doerksen, Crafton Wallace and Dean Lister. Light-heavyweight Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz (16-5) vs. Rashad Evans (15-0): Ortiz, a former five-time defending UFC light-heavyweight champion, is looking to bounce back from a third-round TKO loss to Chuck Liddell at UFC 66. Ortiz, whose specialties are his wrestling, cardio and ground-and-pound skills, will have his hands full against Evans, who won "The Ultimate Fighter 2" heavyweight competition. Evans is a former NCAA Division I wrestler at Michigan State that trains with Greg Jackson's camp in Albuquerque, N.M. Ortiz and Evans have engaged in a vicious war of words outside the Octagon since an altercation at UFC 69. Heavyweight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (29-4-1) vs. Heath Herring (27-12-1): Nogueira, a BJJ black belt with some of the best submission skills in MMA, makes his UFC debut against a familiar foe in Herring. Nogueira won a decision against Herring at PRIDE 17 to capture the PRIDE heavyweight title and "Minotauro" submitted Herring with a anaconda choke at PRIDE: Critical Countdown 2004. Nogueira also holds victories over Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, Dan Henderson, Ricco Rodriguez, Josh Barnett, Mark Coleman and Fabricio Werdum. Lightweight Kenny Florian (8-3) vs. Alvin Robinson (9-1): Light-heavyweight Stephan Bonnar (12-4) vs. Mike Nickels (5-1): Lightweight Jorge Gurgel (13-2) vs. Diego Saraiva (9-4-1): Welterweight Chris Lytle (32-14-4) vs. Jason Gilliam (11-1): Lightweight Frankie Edgar (6-0) vs. Mark Bocek (4-0): MY COMMENTS This PPV is going to OWWNNNN, 4 Sick headliner fights and in total 4 Lightweight fights, one being for the title.. Everyone knows that Lightweights are the funnest and most entertaining fights. I'm pumped, two title matches, a tito ortiz match, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira a sick bjj master debut and on top 3 more lightweight bouts and then some trash fights THIS PPV IS GOING TO BE OFF THE CHAIN, Stacked in a understatement... I love you UFC for throwing together this card!!!!!!!!
I've never seen Nate Marquardt fight, so that should be interesting. The Evans/Ortiz fight interests me simply because I have no idea how Evans is still undefeated in the MMA. After watching him on Ultimate Fighter, I thought he would be a decent fighter, maybe even a good fighter, but undefeated after 15 fights? Never. Of course he looks to be in a lot better shape than he was back then - he used to get winded quick. I think an in-shape and readied Ortiz should beat him. I'm also pretty stoked to see Minotauro fighting on UFC cards now.
Please post the results of the fights. I assume that you are going to view them. I don't have access to do so. I am really interested in Ortiz v. Evans. Thanks.
oh ok i didnt know that...i have never seen evans fight, my friend was telling me evans will prob get destroyed because he didnt fight anyone. I was going hes 15-0 had to have been pretty good.
Yeah, but he's had wins against Jason Lambert and Stephan Bonnar. I never would've guessed he'd beat Bonnar (steroids and all).
I think Rashad takes Tito, and he will be gone from the UFC for good, and end up in Strikeforce fighting Frank Shamrock.
ufc needs a featherweight division, sign Kid Yamamoto so he can destroy everyone. sign Gomi so he can take the lightweight title.
Yes UFC 72 was pretty bad but this one is loaded. BTW that 15-0 record is infalted with alot of amateur fights, I'm pretty sure eveyr Ultimater Fighter fight also counts towards that Also, I'd LOOVEEEE to see Gomi come in and compete in the UFC, that would just be exciting. I also think if Tito loses, he is done.. gone to the showtime and other leagues Also I bet that Stephan Bonnar loses his fight... atleast I hope so
Ortiz the Don Imus of MMA? By JOSE RODRIGUEZ CALGARY -- The only thing mightier than Tito Ortiz's ground and pound, is his mouth. On the receiving end of his latest verbal volley is, not surprisingly, his upcoming opponent 'Sugar' Rashad Evans. But Evans says this time, the notorious trash-talker may have crossed the line. Taking a page out of the Don Imus 'how-to-get-fired-in-a-heartbeat' playbook, Ortiz recently wrote in an underground web forum that African-American fighter Evans "will be my nappy headed ho." "He crosses the line and those comments are offensive," Evans told Sun Media this week. Ortiz said he meant nothing personal by the crack, which cost CBS broadcaster Imus his job when he made the same comment about a U.S. college basketball team. "It was just a joke to get a laugh out of my fans," says Ortiz, whose UFC record is 16-5. Evans says the joke will be lost on throngs of blacks who will feel insulted. "Even if you're saying it in a joking around manner, a lot of people don't joke like that," said Evans who is undefeated at 15-0 in his Ultimate Fighting Championship career but will face his most formidable challenge in Ortiz in Sacramento on July 7. "It makes him look like a clown. My uncle called me and he said 'You gotta whoop that boy's ass. You gotta whoop his ass for all the years of slavery.' It rubs some people wrong." Evans took a couple of shots of his own at Ortiz saying he thought the 'Huntington Beach Bad Boy' lost his fight against Forrest Griffin last year despite the judges giving him the decision. Overall, says Evans, Ortiz isn't the fighter he once was. "He's just distracted in a lot of areas," says Evans. "Once you start reading your own press clippings, that's the end of anybody." The pair will be one of the feature fights at 'UFC 73: Stacked' in California. The event will see two belts up for grabs as lightweight champ Sean 'The Muscle Shark' Sherk takes on Brazilian powerhouse Hermes Franca and defending champ Anderson 'Spider' Silva battles Nate 'The Great' Marquardt for middleweight supremacy. The card will also feature the UFC debut of Pride heavy-weight star Antonio Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueira who will take on Heath 'The Texas Crazy Horse' Herring. http://www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2007/06/30/4302585-sun.html
Man I have been looking at some of the online spreads and Herring has some nice rewards, I just saw a + 400. I love Nogeira, and find that the top Pride fighters are far superior, but Herring did his time in Pride as well. Herring has pulled off some great upsets so even though he has lost twice to Minotauro +400 looks mighty good.... good thing I would never bet online....
If Minotauro is at the top of his game, there is probably only 1 fighter I'd take over him in all of MMA and that's Fedor. If Herring beats him, there is something wrong... (now watch him beat him... damn)
I agree with you Doc'O'Dunk. Fedor is the only guy who outclasses Minotauro. Do you remember Minotauro manhandling Bob Sapp.... Classic fight video there, talk about heart. I can't wait until Fedor starts handing these UFC punks their asses. The best fighter in the world by far and no one has heard of him... except in Japan and Russia and the educated dens of the US.
WTF was Heath Herring thinking? JUMP ON A DOWNED OPPONENT!@ Seeing how quickly these fights can change just amazes me.
I haven't watched the fight but fighting on his back is what Noguiera is all about. He's deceptive in sort of faking a knock down in order to bait a fighter on top of him so he can work a submission. But Nog can also take some of the hardest shots seeing as he's never been KOed ever. So for those sort of new to his style, it's very unique compared to most MMA fighters who tend to prefer GnP, or stand up fighting.
Trust me, he wasn't faking anything. He came back in the second round and could barely stand straight. It was a nasty landed head kick that came close to knocking him out, and Herring acted like he had the fight in hand and decided not to pounce. Hell, he didnt even charge the guy, who was obvsiously weak and not recovered, in the first minutes of the second round. I've can't remember seeing someone make such a boneheaded decision in the ring. Just idiotic.
I'm a big Tito fan, but damn...dude didn't look like he was ready for this fight at all. Almost looked like he had no interest. Can anyone describe to me what "over trained" means? I've been watching this since the 90's and that's the first I've heard of it when they mentioned Evans as possibly being "over trained."
