Post subject: Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II at UFC 119 and...
Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 12:11 am
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Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:55 am Posts: 400
A rematch between heavyweights Frank Mir (13-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) headlines September's UFC 119 event.
UFC president Dana White today confirmed the fight with MMAFighting.com, and MMAjunkie.com has confirmed the booking with a source close to one of the fighters.
An official announcement of the fight and event is expected as soon as this week.
UFC 119 takes place Sept. 25 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Nogueira vs. Mir II, of course, wasn't the first choice for the UFC 119 headliner. As MMAjunkie.com first reported, UFC officials planned to have UFC 116's main-event winner (champ Brock Lesnar and interim champ Shane Carwin) fight top contender Cain Velasquez at UFC 119. However, Lesnar, who earned a second-round submission win, and his wife are expecting the birth of a child in the next few weeks. Additionally, the booking would have required an abbreviated fight camp for the now-undisputed champ, who returned from a yearlong layoff (diverticulitis) for the fight.
Mir, of course, won the first meeting with Nogueira with an impressive second-round knockout at UFC 92 in December 2008. Only after the fight did we learn that Nogueira was slowed by staph-infection recovery and a knee injury. Still, Nogueira praised his opponent's performance and said he was surprised by Mir's noticeably improved striking skills.
Mir is just 1-2 since that big win, which marked Nogueira's first stoppage loss, with knockout losses to Lesnar and Carwin and a submission win over Cheick Kongo. The Carwin loss, which came at UFC 111 in March with an interim title on the line, marks his most recent outing.
Nogueira, meanwhile, also is coming off a loss. In February, he was stunned by a first-round knockout at the hands of Velasquez. The former PRIDE star set up the No. 1 contender's bout after earning a decision victory over Randy Couture this past August.
Post subject: Re: Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II at UFC 119
Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 12:15 am
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Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:55 am Posts: 400
Next to the headliner the co-headliner spot is being filled according to http://www.mmajunkie.com.
That co-headliner spot goes to a light-heavyweight bout between contenders Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Ryan Bader (11-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC).
Sources close to both competitors told MMAjunkie.com that bout agreements have not been signed but that verbal agreements in are in place.
Although not officially announced, UFC 119 takes place Sept. 25 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Nogueira enters the fight with seven consecutive victories, including UFC wins over Luiz Cane (TKO) and Jason Brilz (close and controversial split decision). Nogueira, a former PRIDE fighter who briefly competed for Affliction Entertainment, picked up a "Knockout of the Night" bonus in the Cane fight and a "Fight of the Night" award in the Brilz fight.
He now meets Bader, who's a perfect 4-0 in the UFC, which included "The Ultimate Fighter 8" light-heavyweight championship. Since knocking out Vinny Magalhaes in the show's live finale, the former two-time Division I wrestling All-American has earned decision wins over Carmelo Marrero and Eric Schafer and a KO win over Keith Jardine.
UFC 119, which marks the UFC's Indiana debut, still needs a main-event fight. As MMAjunkie.com recently reported, the UFC approached UFC 116 headliners Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin prior to the fight and said the winner would likely meet Cain Velasquez at UFC 119. However, UFC president Dana White since has confirmed the fight has been pushed back, possibly because UFC 116 winner Lesnar and his wife are expecting a baby in the coming weeks.
Post subject: Re: Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira II at UFC 119
Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 12:18 am
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Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:55 am Posts: 400
More news about UFC 119...
Former K-1 and PRIDE heavyweight Mark Hunt (5-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC) was about to hop on a plane when he spoke today to MMAjunkie.com. And when asked to explain his sudden move into the UFC's octagon, he had one thing to say.
"Why not?"
The 36-year-old fighter confirmed a four-fight deal with the UFC and a Sept. 25 UFC 119 meeting with Midwest standout Sean McCorkle (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC).
FiveOuncesofPain.com first reported the Hunt vs. McCorkle fight, which takes place in Indianapolis.
Hunt, who hails from South Auckland, New Zealand, has not fought since May 2009, when former Strikeforce and DREAM champion Gegard Mousasi submitted him in the first round of DREAM's open-weight "Super Hulk" tournament. It was his fifth consecutive loss in MMA.
Despite his recent rough road, Hunt's earlier performances bring nostalgia to hardcore fans who witnessed his tremendous upset victories over Wanderlei Silva and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic in PRIDE's heyday.
The heavyweight also gave fans a jolt at PRIDE Shockwave 2006 when he threatened the once-invincible Fedor Emelianenko with an Americana arm lock before falling prey to the submission hold's cousin, a kimura.
As a kickboxer, Hunt has amassed a 30-13 record and holds notable K-1 victories over Stefan Leko and Jerome Le Banner.
McCorkle, an Indianapolis resident, also makes his UFC debut at UFC 119, which takes place at the 18,000-seat Conseco Fieldhouse. Thus far, he has fought as a super heavyweight with four of his seven victories coming by way of first-round stoppage.
Most recently, McCorkle stopped veteran journeyman Johnathan Ivey by second-round TKO for the Indianapolis-based Legends of Fighting promotion.
Hunt vs. McCorkle will be part of UFC 119's un-aired preliminary card.
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