UFC gives Boston fans a chance to train

Fans in the Boston area would probably love the opportunity to learn how to throw a fastball like Red Sox star pitcher Josh Beckett. They’d be equally excited to shoot from beyond the arc with Celtics’ sniper Ray Allen too. Well, at this summer’s UFC FAN EXPO, the opportunity to learn strategy and techniques from the most influential figures in mixed martial arts presents itself. The Ultimate Fighting Championship announced today that the UFC Fan Expo Boston will feature five Training & Development sessions sure to thrill UFC fans.

On Friday, Aug. 27, former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin heads to Boston to teach an intense session starting at 4pm. Former UFC light heavyweight champion, Tito Ortiz, will also lead a Training & Development session sure to reflect The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’s aggressive ground and pound style, as well as renowned coach Shawn Tompkins.

The action continues on Saturday, Aug. 28 with Training & Development sessions featuring UFC lightweight star Clay Guida and former World Extreme Cagefighting® featherweight champion Urijah Faber. With five of the sport’s most respected individuals offering Training & Development sessions, the UFC Fan Expo Boston continues to become the can’t miss fan event in the Northeast this summer.

“Fans have watched guys like Tito and Forrest coach on The Ultimate Fighter and now this is their chance to train with them,” White said. “Whether you have been training for a long time or just beginning the sport, there is something for everyone at these Training and Development Sessions. Each one of these guys brings something unique to the table and it makes this a cool experience for fans.”

Tickets for UFC FAN EXPO and Training & Development sessions are on sale now and can be bought exclusively at UFCFanExpo.com. Please note that tickets for each Training & Development Session are limited; the cost to participate in a session is $100 per person, per session.

Training & Development Session Schedule
(All Times Eastern)

Friday, Aug. 27
10am-12pm – Tito Ortiz
1pm-3pm – Shawn Tompkins
4pm-6pm – Forrest Griffin

Saturday, Aug. 28
10am-12pm – Clay Guida
2pm-4pm – Urijah Faber

UFC: Subpoenas issued to streaming companies

Zuffa, LLC, (“Zuffa”), the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®), announced today that it has served subpoenas on two streaming video websites, commanding them to reveal the identities of users who have uploaded video of live Pay-Per-View UFC events.

The websites, Justin.tv and Ustream.tv, enable anyone with an Internet connection to broadcast live streaming video to an unlimited audience. Although originally developed to bring user-generated content to a large live audience, these sites have been exploited by some users to broadcast illegally uploaded content, including UFC events.

UFC: Boston weigh-ins for UFC 118 set for Aug. 27

The TD Garden will host the UFC 118 weigh-ins on Aug. 27, the night before the company debuts in Massachusetts. The doors open at 6 p.m. with the first fighters taking the scales at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The event is headlined by Frankie Edgar defending his title against BJ Penn, who he upset earlier this year. James Toney will look to silence critics when he faces UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and Boston’s own Kenny Florian will face Gray Maynard.

UFC: Toney-Couture garnering heavy local interest

We’re based out of Boston, home of UFC 118 next month at the TD Garden. Among the MMA community, there is obvious excitement for the debut of the world’s biggest MMA company right in our backyard.

At least I assumed that the masses would be looking forward to the rematch between BJ Penn and Frankie Edgard after their knockout, dragout brawl earlier this year. If not, maybe it would be Kenny Florian, the hometown kid, who fights Gray Maynard in what could prove to be a No. 1 contender’s bout for the Edgar-Penn winner.

But all the talk around here seems to be focused on a tubby boxer with a big mouth and a UFC Hall of Famer.

James Toney and Randy Couture – if you weren’t an MMA fan – is what you would think the main event is.

This whole fight has a very “pro-wrestling” feel to it. The build up between Toney and Dana White has been fabulous, with each side getting their jabs, White even going so far as to mention Toney at the UFC 116 presser.

Locally, there have been articles in newspapers and Boston-based websites hyping the event, and it all seems to focus on Toney-Couture.

On MMA: Where is Carwin’s belt?

The following is a re-print my of my weekly “On MMA” column in The Eagle Tribune

If Saturday’s fight followed precedence, Shane Carwin would be walking around with the UFC heavyweight belt around his waist.

He’s not, but he should be.

And I blame the Nevada State Athletic commission.

Referee Josh Rosenthal called a great fight at UFC 116 last Saturday, not stopping the fight despite a first-round barrage by Carwin that saw 57 punches crash into champion Brock Lesnar’s skull.

Lesnar wasn’t mounting any offense, but he was active in defending himself. There was no reason for the fight to be stopped.

But that’s not what we’ve grown accustomed to with Nevada officials. If the fight were called with the precedence set by nearly every other official under the governing body, Carwin would have taken the fight via first round TKO.

UFC: Lesnar-Velasquez will meet at UFC 121

Cain Velasquez will get his shot at Brock Lesnar and the UFC heavyweight championship.

Dana White said during the buildup to last week’s UFC 116 that the winner of the Lesnar-Shane Carwin fight would face Velasquez for the title. The bout was rumored to main event UFC 119, but plans later changed.

Velasquez will now get his chance at Lesnar at UFC 121 in Anaheim on Oct. 23.

The American Kickboxing Academy rising star has a perfect 8-0 record, finishing seven of his opponents (5 inside the first round), including an impressive stoppage of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria inside of two minutes at UFC 110 in February.

The 27-year-old has six UFC fights on his resume, beating the likes of Nogueria, Ben Rothwell, and Cheick Kongo.

UFC reaches settlement with over 500 for illegal broadcasts

As a part of its ongoing efforts to combat piracy, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that it reached confidential settlements with over 500 businesses and individuals as a result of illegal broadcasts and views of UFC events.

The settlements, reached over the past two years, are only part of the UFC’s campaign to combat piracy, which includes working closely with Federal and state law enforcement agencies.

“We are committed to standing toe-to-toe with anyone trying to illegally broadcast or stream UFC events,” UFC President Dana White, said. “Today’s announcement further drives home the fact that we are fully prepared to pursue any business or individual that steals our programming.”

UFC: Lesnar-Velasquez could headline UFC 119

According to MMAJunkie.com’s Dann Stupp, Brock Lesnar, health permitting, could defend his UFC heavyweight title against Cain Velasquez at September’s UFC 119 in Indianapolis.

UFC president Dana White confirmed over the weekend that Lesnar’s next title defense would come against the undefeated Velasquez, who has six straight UFC wins.

UFC 119 takes place Sept. 25 at the Conseco Fieldhouse; it will be UFC’s debut in Indiana.

If the fight takes place, it would mean just a little over two months off for Lesnar, who beat Shane Carwin on Saturday to unify the heavyweight belts. Velasquez last fought at UFC 110 (Feb. 21), knocking out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria.

UFC: Kenny Florian talks about UFC 118

TheSteelCage.net’s Mike McMahon had the opportunity to  speak UFC lightweight contender Kenny Florian last week about his upcoming fight with Gray Maynard at UFC 118 in Boston on Aug. 28 as part of his weekly “On MMA” column in The Eagle Tribune.

Florian also talked about getting MMA sanctioned in Massachusetts and recovering from a staph infection that sidelined him for a period in April after his win over Takanori Gomi.

Florian played a major role in helping MMA get sanctioned in Massachusetts, allowing the UFC to hold its first event at Boston’s TD Garden later this summer. He was featured in advertising campaigns on the web and lobbied the athletics commission to finally sanction the sport.

Florian also talked about his regular training, his specific training for Maynard, and how he feels about his fight at UFC 118 possibly determining the No. 1 contender for the winner of that night’s main event between B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar for the lightweight championship.

Florian also praised UFC and president Dana White for their contributions to the success of not only UFC, but MMA around the world.

UFC: Lesnar beats Carwin, retains UFC heavyweight belt

As Shane Carwin beat on the head of Brock Lesnar in the first round of their heavyweight title fight on Saturday, I turned to the person next to me and said, “he needs to finish him here, or he’s toast.”

Sure, Brock was bleeding quite profusely from his eye. Didn’t matter. I had been saying for the start that if Carwin can’t beat Lesnar in the first round, then he can’t beat Lesnar, period.

And not that I’m the type of guy to say “I told you so,” but that’s just what happened.

Lesnar made Carwin tap in a triangle in the second round of what proved to be the biggest fight the UFC heavyweight division has ever seen.