EDCOUCH, TX, May 21, 2013

Now for all this about how hard it is or what type of impossible challenge it may be, one guy is actually crazy enough to try and accomplish BOTH feats within 24 hours in BJJ black belt / undefeated MMA fighter Carlos Diego Ferreira.

You heard that right. As of this moment, CDF is slated to compete in the main event of Legacy Fighting Championship 20 on May 31^st (AXS TV) against well-respected UFC vet Carlos Prater and scheduled to depart early the next morning to compete in the 2013 IBJJF World Championship in Long Beach, CA that same day. And mind you, the second part of his double-header includes opponents like Clark Gracie, DJ Jackson, Magid Hage, and many others along with fellow Texans like Travis Tooke and Marcus Antelante.

This guy is crazy right?!

Who is Carlos Diego Ferreira?

To understand why he would do this, one would need to travel far back to his origins to get a better understanding of who this man is.

Born and raised deep in the Amazon city of Manaus, Brazil, Carlos Diego started training at the age of 10 with longtime coach and mentor Faustino Piña Martins Neto (Clube Piña – also home to MMA champ Bibiano Fernandes). By 18 years old he was already a black belt and wanted to use all the knowledge he gained to make a better life for himself. And so he went on to try by moving to the US, California to be exact, in 2008. Not long thereafter he moved south to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Through the past couple of years he’s made a name by winning most of the grappling competitions he’s entered. Just about everything here in Texas and also some notable finishes nationally too, including the 2011 US Nationals (2^nd place in the open) and at Grapplers Quest – where he ran away with a match versus Bill Cooper.

While BJJ remains his passion, he’s also built up an MMA record that stands at 6-0 today. His road hasn’t been easy either. He’s taken on tough opponents like Joseph Daily, Danny Salinas, and fellow BJJ black belt Hecto Munoz all in his first six fights. He’s asked for no easy ones. And now he’s headed into the greatest challenge of his MMA life.

“This is only the beginning for me,” Carlos Diego says about his evolution in the fight game. “I’m still growing, I’m hungry, determined and excited to continue my journey in MMA! All I think about is training and how I can better myself every day, I’m so focused for this fight and I am more determined than ever.”

His Last Fight and RecentTraining

Looking at his last fight, at STFC versus Danny Salinas for their 155 lbs. belt, Carlos has learned a bit more about how to deal with adversity in the cage. He was knocked down early in that fight but went on to win by submission in the second round.

“It didn’t go as expected but I did end up submitting him and winning the title. I learn something new in every fight and (it’s all) more experience for me. I take in whatever I learned and my main goal is to improve and better myself for the next one.”

With improvement as the focus, he’s been balancing his time between his home gym and getting training hours in elsewhere specifically for this fight.

“I’m focusing on building up Team Ferreira, for the academy to grow, also working on remodeling and making good changes to the gym. Training hard every day!  I also did most of my training at home with my teammates at Team Ferreira… Then did some training at Gracie Gym in Plano with Arjan Carlos Moreno working on Muay Thai and in Houston with MMA coach James Cooper and am also training at Silverback Fight Club.

His Thoughts on Legacy FC 20 and the 2013 Mundials

“Carlo Prater is a very experienced fighter snd has fought in the UFC but I know what I am capable of and I am going to bring my best come fight night. We are both BJJ black belts…I feel I’d have to watch for ground and pound from him but as for as me, I’m going to be smart, think fast, and we’ll just have to wait and see. I know it’s not going to be an easy fight but I am ready for the challenge and I’m going to do whatever it takes to win. I’m training for war!

After the fight I’m signed up for the IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Long Beach California the very next day… So I pray God keeps me safe and everything goes as planned. Maybe crazy, but like I said I’m hungry, determined and I’m going to keep fighting till I reach the top! I love BJJ and I do want to focus on that more. And as far as MMA, I am signed on a 3 fight contract with Legacy, so I’m anxious to see where that takes me…I just want to continue working hard and becoming the best fighter I can be.

I want to thank my team, Team Ferreira, coaches and all my family, friends, fans and sponsors. Without y’all none of this would be possible…they all inspire me in different ways to keep pushing and working hard towards my dreams so thank you. I will never stop pursing my dreams. I have faith that only time and God can tell what’s next for me.”

Nate Diaz | Photo: Getty Images / Zuffa LLC

MAY 17, 2013 – Mixed Martial Arts is in its final phase of transitioning from niche sport to a fully mainstream and globally enjoyed combat sport. Zuffa has been heading the charge into this new stage, and has made some compromises to shed the label of “Human Cockfighting” and the connection between mixed martial artists with cage fighting thugs.

One of those compromises was the UFC fighter conduct policy, which has led to what some consider, controversial disciplinary actions for fighters expressing their views outside of the octagon. Matt Mitrione was the first UFC fighter disciplined, under the new policy, for not letting his fists do the talking. Mitrione’s choice of words, when discussing Fallon Fox and her right to fight against females as a transgendered person, led to a fine and suspension that was recently lifted. Nate Diaz is also in hot water due to his choice of words in a recent tweet about Pat Healy’s loss of bonus money.

This is the second instance in which a fighter has been punished for violating Zuffa’s newly installed code of conduct policy. In both cases fighters were disciplined for using terms considered to be derogatory and offensive towards the LGBTQ community.

The UFC code of conduct states:

“Fighters shall conduct themselves in accordance with commonly accepted standards of decency, social convention, and morals, and fighters will not commit any act or become involved in any situation or occurrence or make any statement which will reflect negatively upon or bring disrepute, contempt, scandal, ridicule or disdain to the fighter or the UFC.”

This statement is in-step with the views of major American sports leagues regarding how to deal with athletes generating bad publicity for their teams, cities and sport. If the UFC wants to continue attracting brands like Reebok, Budweiser and Nike then playing PC ball is a necessary and logical progression. And if MMA fighters want to make NFL and NBA money they better step in line too.

That means Mitrione can’t describe transgendered people as “sociopaths” and that means Miguel Torres can’t make jokes about windowless vans. And that means that fighters who are trying to make it to the bigger promotions also need to watch what they say because people may not be paying attention to you now, but the words you choose to use will linger on in the Internet when you’re famous.

Going mainstream means guys like Nate Diaz can’t use words like “fag” to describe other fighters anymore. Nate’s use of the other F word led the UFC to make the following statement:

“We are very disappointed by Nate Diaz’s comments, which are in no way reflective of our organization. Nate is currently suspended pending internal investigation and we will provide further comment once the matter has been decided.”

Nate Diaz’s expected punishment is being met with some controversy because Dana White made similar word choices in the past. When White became unhappy with a report he referred to the writer as a “p*ssy and a f*ggot” in a now infamous 2009 vlog. The profanity laced video resulted in considerable backlash against White, and ultimately, the UFC brand as well because he is their public face. Since then, the UFC has made an effort to appear as a more politically correct organization.

Dana White has gone on record, when describing the 2009 vlog, as the sole regret he had throughout his tenure as president of the UFC during an interview with Ariel Helwani, and has made it a point to distance himself and his brand from any association with homophobia. For an organization and sport that is trying to become mainstream in the middle of a downturn economy it would make sense that they try not to alienate demographic groups which represent potential sources of revenue. And when discussing expanded sources of revenue Biggie Smalls said it best: Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems.

As the sport becomes bigger the magnifying glass used to scrutinize every MMA fighter’s words and actions is also increasing ten-fold. When this happens fighters and MMA promoters still retain their freedom of speech, but freedom of consequences for their choice of words becomes compromised. Dana White and Nate Diaz are public figures, their words might not carry more weight than that of the average Joe but they are certainly heard on bigger platforms. Fighters are free to say whatever they want in whatever outlet they choose. The only thing is that they have to remember that, once they hit the big time, a lot more people are listening…which means there are a lot more people out there to potentially piss off. Mo Money Mo Problems for real.

On paper it seems extremely hypocritical that White would punish Diaz for using a derogatory term that he has used on public record in the past. That said; Diaz’s statement was made after the new conduct policy was installed so he exercised his right to free speech knowing that his words might carry consequences. And they did.

Whether Dana White’s response to the Nate Diaz tweet was hypocritical or an honest attempt at “better late than never” isn’t the important issue here. What fighters should gather from this is that, unless you are of vital importance to the company, making the UFC look foolish won’t be tolerated. As the UFC becomes more mainstream their core demographic of 18-34 year old males has also grown to include more women, children, seniors and people from all walks of life, socio-economic status and YES even sexual preference. Gay dudes may not like MMA, but they may like wearing Reeboks and driving Fords. If the UFC seems to condone gay bashing behavior, these brands may feel hesitant to establish marketing partnerships with the promotion. From a business stand-point this potential loss of revenue is inexcusable.

MMA may be a sport, but it is also a business. In America being bigoted is bad for business, and the UFC has never hidden the fact that they are here to make money. And in this regard Zuffa is no different than any other business. They will not and should not allow their employees to interfere and compromise their ability to profit.

The case of Nate Diaz is a strange one. He is being penalized for being who he is. All he did was sprinkle some 209 dust on his opinion. The thing is someone didn’t hear him call Caraway a “fag” in a private conversation. He took to a social media platform that is heavily promoted by the UFC to use a word that is highly offensive to some people. The twitter account may be his, but any comments he makes on that platform are not just his own, they are also perceived as those of a UFC employee. Like in any business, when you speak on behalf of a company your words may carry consequences. And in the case of Nate Diaz, they did.

VINTON, LA, May 2, 2013

Although this is a Louisiana-based show, IXFA has strong ties to Texas with both Reed and Dawson residing in the Houston area. Likewise, the promotion held the bulk of their shows in Texas during 2010-2011 before making the move back out to Delta Downs and they continue to use many of the area’s fighters with IXFA 9 being no different.

As of now this pro-am card is currently slated for 13 fights overall with 7 of those bouts in the professional ranks. The bulk of the pros fighting on this card are from Texas and 5 out of 7 bouts are title fights so look for some continuity to be established on this card as IXFA decides a multiple of its’ latest champions in between the 135 lbs. – 185 lbs. divisions.

Let’s go over these championship fights and the rest of the pro card in further detail…

IXFA 9 – Main Card Preview for May 18, 2013

Brandon Farran

Middleweight Title: Abilene’s Brandon Farran travels all the way to Delta Downs looking to bounce back from a rough stretch of three losses in a row in his last fights, albeit to some tough competition in Derrick Krantz, Jason House, and Alex Morono. He’s be looking to bounce back again Louisianan Aaron Davis, 9 years his senior but definitely on the upswing career-wise with 4 straight wins heading into this title fight.

Welterweight Title: Making his return to the cage for the first time since July 2011 is defending IXFA middleweight champ Antonio ‘King Kong’ Flores. A knockout artist, Flores won the IXFA title with a 26-second TKO of Brandon McDowell in Houston in October of 2010 before similarly succumbing to Pete Spratt in his last bout at Legacy. Now a year later he’s looking to right the ship. Also looking to bounce back after two tough losses in a row is another hard-hitting fighter in Jonathan “Hulk” Harris. The former powerlifter opened his career at 6-1 prior to his last two fights so he’s definitely looking to get back to his winning ways and pick up a title in the process in this one. Looking at the styles at both men, this should make for one of more exciting fights of the night.

Lightweight Title: Jason “Karate Man” Carter travels all the way from Houston to take on LA native Marcus Andrusia in this one for the IXFA lightweight title. Carter is fairly familiar to us coming from the Houston area but the selection of his opponent here is perplexing considering he’s lost 4 out of 5 as a pro and is winless since the summer of 2010. How that merits a title shot is something beyond our realm of comprehension.

Rey Trujillo

Featherweight Title: When looking at fighters competing out of both Texas and Louisiana in recent years, you’d be hard-pressed to find many as exciting as Rey Trujillo. This knockout artist will be looking for his third win in a row on this card, having viciously knocked out Chris Jones at Legacy FC 19 in his last fight and scoring TXMMA’s KO of the Year in our 2012 Awards Season. This experienced fighter will be taking on a relative newbie in Todd Matarona – who despite winning both his amateur bouts lost his pro debut by TKO to Cody Williams at IXFA 8. He’ll be facing another uphill battle here as he tries to upend his veteran opponent.

Bantamweight Title: Last but not least in title action could be a ‘fight of the night’ between two exciting fighters looking to build some consistency at the pro level in Cody Williams and David Armas. Take away their records and what you have are two guys willing to go toe-to-toe with any opponent they meet. Will they do the same here? The best guess is YES they will but if not, this could also prove to be an interesting duel on the ground as well with Cody ever-improving there while Armas has proved almost impossible to submit in his own career thus far. Then of course there’s the battle on the scale as well. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention this but David’s last fight was at 155 lbs. and this fight is at 135 lbs. – a weight he’s had trouble making in the recent past. With a title on the line, will he make it here? We’ll find out on May 18^th.

Scotty Juarez

Best of the Rest: The rest of the pro card features only two more fights with Silverback Fight Club’s Scotty Juarez traveling to Vinton to take on another skilled newcomer Jordy Morgan out of United MMA and two other vets set to do battle with Edgar Verdin taking on RJ Knepp.

All in all it should be a good card overall at Delta Downs with some of the intriguing matchups they’ve put together so make sure to stay tuned to TXMMA.com for results if you don’t make out to Delta Downs to catch this one LIVE.

Here’s the IXFA 9 card below as it stands today.

IXFA 9 – Updated Fight Card

Professional Fights

185 lbs.: Brandon Farran (7-7) vs. Aaron Davis (5-3) <TITLE>
170 lbs.: Antonio Flores (5-3) vs. Jonathan Harris (6-3) <TITLE>
155 lbs.: Marcus Andrusia (1-4) vs. Jason Carter (2-2) <TITLE>
145 lbs.: Rey Trujillo (14-9) vs. Todd Matarona (0-1) <TITLE>
135 lbs.: Cody Williams (4-4) vs. David Armas (4-7) <TITLE>
155 lbs.: Scotty Juarez (1-1) vs. Jordy Morgan (1-1)
185 lbs.: Edgar Verdin (2-4) vs. RJ Knepp (2-2)

Amateur Fights

135 lbs.: Xavier Siller vs. Andy Stoute
115 lbs.: Halleigh Haak vs. Devaney Clayton
170 lbs.: Lewis Copeland vs. Trent Parker
185 lbs.: Isaac Castillo vs. Andrew Martinez
170 lbs.: Matt Cantelmo vs. Beau Koenig
155 lbs.: Hernan Vasquez vs. Charles McLendon
155 lbs.: Alec Williams vs. William Leads

Direct from Microsoft, we received a reminder that beginning today, April 25th, through April 28th, it’s Xbox LIVE’s Big Sports Weekend – with all sports apps on Xbox unlocked for use by both free and paid subscribers. Of interest to MMA fans are 7  fights of Jon Jones’ and Chael Sonnen’s leading up to this bout, that have been unlocked for free viewing. Additionally, you get access to the weigh-ins and pre-fight interviews.

If you’re planning on watching the fights this weekend and have an Xbox, this might be a nice way to build up to the event. check it out.

Press release details are below, and full details are at:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/promotions/big-sports-free-weekend

“Next weekend (April 25^th through April 28^th), Xbox LIVE members in the US and Canada will get free access to some of the most popular sports apps on the service – including more than 50 MLB games and 7 UFC Fight Story fights for free.  Here are the details:

Enjoy free access to Sports on Xbox LIVE this weekend.

·       All sports apps from April 25^th-28^th will be unlocked for both Free and Gold members in the US and Canada, including ESPN, UFC, MLB.TV, NBA Game Time, and NHL Game Center.

·       Watch live coverage and highlights of the NFL Draft on ESPN, catch more than 50 MLB games for free, and watch all 7 UFC Fight Story fights in preparation for Saturday’s big UFC 159 Pay Per View fight between Jon “Bones” Jones and Chael Sonnen.

In addition, enjoy highlights, recaps, and clips from the best of the NHL as teams jockey for position leading into the NHL Playoffs, and catch up on highlights of first round clips and highlights of the NBA Playoffs.”

This bout marks the conclusion of their saga coaching opposing teams on Season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter reality show on FX.

Meanwhile, the co-main event will feature a middleweight contender bout with Michael Bisping taking on Alan Belcher while another interesting clash happens at light heavyweight with former NCAA champion wrestler Phil Davis taking on ADCC champion Vinny Magalhaes.

Bouts featuring heavyweight fan favorite “Big Country” Roy Nelson taking on Cheick Kongo and lightweight Jim Miller facing off against Pat “Bam Bam” Healy complete the main card.

Here’s the complete lineup for UFC 159 below followed by our fight picks!

UFC 159 – Main Card (PPV)

205 lbs.: Jon Jones (c) vs. Chael Sonnen

185 lbs.: Michael Bisping vs. Alan Belcher

265 lbs.: Roy Nelson vs. Cheick Kongo

205 lbs.: Phil Davis vs. Vinny Magalhaes

155 lbs.: Jim Miller vs. Pat Healy

UFC 159 – Preliminary Card (FX)

155 lbs.: Rustam Khabilov vs. Yancy Medeiros

265 lbs.: Gian Villante vs. Ovince St. Preux

135 lbs.: Sara McMann vs. Sheila Gaff

135 lbs.: Bryan Caraway vs. Johnny Bedford

UFC 159 – Preliminary Card (Facebook)

145 lbs.: Leonard Garcia vs. Cody McKenzie

170 lbs.: Nick Catone vs. James Head

145 lbs.: Steven Siler vs. Kurt Holobaugh

UFC 159 – Main Card Preview and Predictions

205 lbs.: Jon Jones (17-1) vs. Chael Sonnen (27-12-1)

Is anyone really giving Chael Sonnen a shot in this fight? The undisputed UFC kingpin at 205 lbs. has defeated wrestlers along the likes of Ryan Bader, Vladimir Matyushenko, Rashad Evans, and just about everyone else he has faced. Meanwhile, “The American Gangster from Oregon” is a blown-up middleweight version of those guys minus any type of striking threat on the feet. Not to say he’s not a respectable fighter but versus Jones’ skillset, he’s got a smaller chance of winning that Ron Paul in the last US presidential election. At least he’s only slightly less popular.

Sonnen might make this an entertaining fight in the beginning by coming forward like a man with nothing to lose but he’ll find that “Bones” has some wrestling chops of his own and won’t be as easy to take down as his last opponent (Anderson Silva). Look for Jones to make this look like a walk in the park or a plain and simple deconstruction of a smaller, limited opponent who belongs in a lighter weight class and has no business in there with him in the first place.

Prediction: Jon Jones over Chael Sonnen by TKO, RD1.

185 lbs.: Alan Belcher (18-7) vs. Michael Bisping (23-5)

There was once a time when Michael “The Count” Bisping was one of those that would outwork all of his opponents, impossible to put away and hard as hell to win a decision against. That was a few years ago though and now he finds himself having lost 2 of his last 3 fights, reeling after a brutal TKO in his last fight against Vitor Belfort. Belcher was never held to as lofty a status as Bisping has achieved in the sport (no title shots yet) but he has been hanging around on the fringes of the top level minus time of due to injury. He too is coming off a loss to Yushin Okami after winning 4 straight. This fight represents his opportunity to climb back.

All in all this should be a close fight with both guys likely to choose striking on the feet as their weapon of choice. With that being said, no matter what happens (on the feet or on the ground), this one should be a very close fight with Belcher edging it out by decision unless he can somehow find Bisping’s chin like Vitor did.

Prediction: Alan Belcher over Michael Bisping by unanimous decision.

265 lbs.: Roy Nelson (18-7) vs. Cheick Kongo (18-7-2)

Always a fan favorite, “Big Country” Roy Nelson has been a career resurgence as of late, winning two and a row and looking much like the MMA version of Charles Barkley when he went to the Houston Rockets in the 96-97 season – round, impressive, and wanting to get to a title run that probably won’t ever happen for him. In this fight he’ll face another heavy-handed fighter in Cheick Kongo. The Frenchman also happens to be coming off a win after winning a decision over Shawn Jordan this past July but lost to another round heavyweight in Mark Hunt just one fight prior.

So what happens in this fight? Let’s see. Nelson is the better grappler of the two but more importantly, he’s only been KO’d once in his entire career and that was to an absolute homerun punch by a prime Andrei Arlovski five years ago. He’s still as durable as they come while Kongo seems to have seen his best days put behind him. I don’t see any way Kongo can win this one. Look for Roy to prove himself the better fighter and keep knocking on that door to title contention a la Sir Charles.

Prediction: Roy Nelson over Cheick Kongo by TKO, RD2.

205 lbs.: Phil Davis (10-1) vs. Vinny Magalhães (10-5)

This fight is pretty straight-forward.

ADCC winner Vinny Magalhães is looking for the fast-track to notoriety in the 205 lbs. division and called out the top-ten ranked fighter he thinks he can beat in wrestling standout Phil Davis. Styles often make fights so in that respect he may have been smart to do so considering he likely does have the ground edge but that doesn’t mean it will be easy to get him there or that Davis is a walk in the park.

…Quite the contrary actually.

In his 11 fight career Phil has only lost once – via decision to another top wrestler (Rashad Evans) in a standup-oriented fight. This fight might actually turn out to be that type of fight again if Vinny can’t take Davis to the ground long enough to sub him – which is a highly-probably scenario. In that type of fight it’s anybody’s ballgame and it might be a sloppy ballgame at that but Davis should have enough of an advantage to take the win.

Prediction: Phil Davis over Vinny Magalhães by unanimous decision.

155 lbs.: Jim Miller (22-4) vs. Pat Healy (29-16)

Fighting in front of his home state crowd in this one will be grizzled veteran Jim Miller as he takes on Northwest-based Pat “Bam Bam” Healy.  Miller won a tough bout against Joe Lauzon in a fight that garnered FOTN honors in his last one and seems motivated to string together two in a row for the first time since early 2011. Meanwhile, Healy is another tough vet that’s done better as of late with six wins in a row but those were all in Strikeforce against slightly-less than top competition.

As inconsistent as he’s been with wins as of late Jim Miller has never lost to less-than-top-level competition and Pat Helay is not quite at that level. Look for the hometown favorite to prove he’s the more well-rounded vet in this one.

Welcome to the UFC Pat.

Prediction: Jim Miller over Pat Healy by decision.

UFC 159 – Undercard Quick Picks

Rustam Khabilov (15-1) over Yancy Medeiros (9-0) by submission, RD2.

Ovince St. Preux (12-5) over Gian Villante (10-3) by decision.

Sara McMann (6-0) over Sheila Gaff (10-4-1) by decision.

Johnny Bedford (19-9-1) over Bryan Caraway (17-6) by TKO, RD2.

Cody McKenzie (13-3) over Leonard Garcia (15-10-1) by submission, RD1.

James Head (9-3) over Nick Catone (9-4) by decision.

Steven Siler (21-10) over Kurt Holobaugh (9-1) by decision.

Headlining the card in San Jose will be UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson defending against a local favorite Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez who finally makes his long-awaited UFC debut after winning 7 straight as the champ under the Strikeforce banner before that organization was gobbled up and purchased by UFC parent company, Zuffa.

Co-headlining in NorCal is another highly-touted import in former top NCAA wrestler and Strikeforce grand prix winner Daniel Cormier. He’ll be putting his undefeated 11-0 record on the line against former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir in their long-awaited clash that was inititally supposed to happen this past September.

Completing the lineup for the main card will be nearby Stockton, CA resident Nate Diaz taking on another Strikeforce import in Josh “Punk” Thompson and Matt Brown taking on Jordan Mein.

UFC on FOX 7 Main Card – Preview and Predictions

155 lbs.: Ben Henderson (18-2) vs. Gilbert Melendez (21-2)

What a way to step into the UFC for Gilbert Melendez – giving him a shot at the strap right away but I guess it’s only fitting considering he’s won 7-straight and never relinquished his title in Strikeforce. Meanwhile, the champ Henderson is on one heck of a streak himself and is coming off a dominant win over Nate Diaz. Add it all together and this is a very fitting unification match.

Looking at this match in more detail, what you have is a contest pitting two very well-rounded fighters against each other. Both have a true MMA skillset without a glaring weakness. The difference here might be the fact that Benson has kept relatively busy fighting (and doing grappling tournaments) as of late while Melendez hasn’t fought in nearly a year. Will ring rust be a factor? Maybe, maybe not but it’s worth noting. His last fight against Josh Thompson also left a bit to be desired and Henderson is a whole different animal at this stage of his career.

Prediction: Benson Henderson over Gilbert Melendez by unanimous decision.

265 lbs.: Daniel  Cormier (11-0) vs. Frank Mir (16-6)

Finally, Frank Mir and Daniel Cormier get to step into the cage and settle all their trash talk in a bout that has been a long time coming. Both are not short on credentials heading into this one with Mir being a former UFC world champion while Cormier has been a world-beater in Strikeforce and won their big-time HWT Grand Prix last year.

Heading into this fight, “DC” (Cormier) has come in as the big favorite and justifiably so considering he’s dominated the likes of Josh Barnett amongst others to win that Grand Prix. He’s also got some clout as the main training partner for UFC HWT champ Cain Velasquez who says he’s by all accounts the toughest person he’s gotten to work against.

Frank Mir is a very experienced opponent and has recently moved to train with noted trained Greg Jackson in preparation for this fight but will it be enough? Don’t get me wrong, he’s a crafty vet but I still can’t help but think Cormier is a horrible matchup for him. He likely won’t win any decisions and he’ll have a heck of a time trying to get him to the ground, much less sub him. Meanwhile, Cormier is only getting better and better and will probably wear on Frank as the fight goes into the later stages.

Prediction: Daniel Cormier over Frank Mir by TKO, RD3.

155 lbs.: Nate Diaz (16-8) vs. Josh “The Punk” Thomson (19-5)

A trip to Northern California wouldn’t be complete with a Diaz brother on the card. In this one, Nate Diaz will look to resume his winning ways by taking on San Jose resident and AKA fighter Josh Thompson.

Diaz should come into this fight well-versed in the fighting style and tendencies of his opponent. After all, Diaz’s training partner Gilbert Melendez has fought Thompson more than a few times now so he should be able to give him so tips. Stylistically Nate is much like his brother Nick and exhibits great boxing to go along with his exceptional BJJ skills. Meanwhile, Thompson is also pretty well-versed on his feet but will definitely come in as the better wrestler of the two.

This will all come down to who wants it more but something tells me neither guy will get finished on the way to the judges’ scorecards. In that type of fight I’ve got to give the edge to the guy who should be able to use some timely takedowns to dictate where the fight takes place.

Prediction: Josh Thomson over Nate Diaz by unanimous decision

170 lbs.: Matt Brown (16-11) vs. Jordan Mein (27-8)

Opening the FOX main card will be this bout between two guys defending some impressive win streaks in Matt Brown and Jordan Mein. A win for either one of these guys brings them one step closer to title contention so expect this one to be either a chess match or a dog fight. Either way the fans should win.

The younger of the two, Jordan Mein has finished his last two opponents in the first round by TKO – including tough vet Dan Miller. Meanwhile, Brown has brought new life to his career with a 4-fight win streak after he was thought to be on his way out of the UFC as recently as 2011.

Talk about one heck of a gatekeeper…. “Immortal” (Brown) is the type of guy that just won’t quit. So what do you against a guy like that if you’re Jordan Mein? Try to exploit his technical weaknesses is the right answer here. And despite the fact that he’s 9 years younger, Mein has just as many fights on his record and a better penchant for winning. Look for him to show that here until Brown proves us wrong… yet again.

Prediction: Jordan Mein over Matt Brown by submission, RD3.

Undercard Quick Picks: Chad Mendes by TKO (RD2), Francis Carmont by decision, Myles Jury by submission (RD1), Joseph Benavidez by TKO (RD2), Jorge Masvidal by submission (RD2), TJ Dillashaw by submission (RD2), Anthony Njokuani by TKO (RD2), and Yoel Romero by unanimous decision.
 

UFC on FOX 7 – Quick Card

Main Card (FOX)

155 lbs.: Benson Henderson (c) vs. Gilbert Melendez <title>

265 lbs.: Frank Mir vs. Daniel Cormier

155 lbs.: Nate Diaz vs. Josh Thomson

170 lbs.: Matt Brown vs. Jordan Mein

Preliminary Card (FX)

145 lbs.: Chad Mendes vs. Darren Elkins

185 lbs.: Francis Carmont vs. Lorenz Larkin

155 lbs.: Ramsey Nijem vs. Myles Jury

125 lbs.: Joseph Benavidez vs. Darren Uyenoyama

155 lbs.: Tim Means vs. Jorge Masvidal

135 lbs.: T.J. Dillashaw vs. Hugo Viana

Preliminary card (Facebook)

155 lbs.: Anthony Njokuani vs. Roger Bowling

185 lbs.: Clifford Starks vs. Yoel Romero

Stay tuned for results here on TXMMA.com or log on to our TXMMA Facebook Page on fight night to discuss UFC on FOX 7 in real-time with the rest of the TXMMA Community!

Jarret Jones | photo: Envi Photography

ODESSA, TX, April 17, 2013 – Professional Mixed Martial Arts action once again returns to West Texas this coming Friday night with Fabian Butler’s Twenty Four Seven Entertainment MMA bringing their latest to at the Ector County Coliseum in Odessa.

Entitled 24/7: Enemy of the State, this event has high hopes of being the most legit card that’s hit the region in some time.  With a fight card that features some of the best West Texas has to offer along with some top up-and-coming prospects from North Texas (DFW) along with the Central Texas / Austin area, that distinction may not be too far out of reach.

At the top of the card, West Texas MMA’s Jarret Jones (6-6, Odessa) is slated to do battle with Future Fight Team’s Mitchell Hale (6-4, Abilene). Both these local fighters are coming off wins heading into this one with Jones besting Alejandro Siller by first round TKO last March and Hale won a decision over Zac Kelley this past February.

No doubt Jones will be the hometown favorite but Hale should be bringing his own score of fans west down HWY20 from Abilene so this should be a fun one to watch.

Meanwhile in the co-main event undefeated fighter and Missouri native Damon Jackson (4-0) will step into what will likely be hostile territory Seminole, TX native Anselmo Luna (7-3).

Jackson has been impressive finishing his first four opponents at the pro level along with 6 out of 7 on the amateur level but Luna will no doubt be his most experienced opponent yet so expect this to be a tough test for the out of town fighter.

Neal Ewing | photo: Mike Calimbas

The rest of the card features some noteworthy talent worth keeping an eye on.

Perhaps the most interesting fight of the card features El Paso’s Ricky McCall taking on Neal Ewing of Dallas’ Octagon MMA. Both these guys will enter the cage undefeated and McCall also has the distinction of being the guy who TKO’d Midland-based BJJ black belt Bruno Bastos in his Texas MMA debut. Ewing has spent some time training with Bruno in the past so there’s at least some form of retribution at stake in this one. Aside from that, these two guys are right up there (with Roger Narvaez) as the state’s top rising middleweights so there could be big things in store for whoever leaves this one with their hand raised.

Also on the card are some other undefeated prospects including Geoffrey Neal (2-0, Twin Wolves) and Klayton Mai (4-0, Octagon MMA). Both take on formitable opponents in Martin Sano (5-1) and Randy Hinds (6-5) respectively so there’s no gimmes here. Be that as it may, both Neal and Mai have impressed as late and have come on strong headed into this first half of 2013 so it will be interesting to see how both have improved given they’ll be facing two tough tests come Friday night.

Either way, it should be a good one and there’s more.

Here’s the full card as it stands today.

YREKA, CA, April 8, 2013 – “We both have something to prove,” says D.J. “Da Protege” Linderman ahead of his clash with Robert Drysdale at Legacy Fighting Championship 19. The two meet in the co-main event of the event scheduled or the Allen Event Center in Texas and LIVE on AXS TV this Friday Night.

With 17 fights worth of experience now behind him, Linderman will be the most experienced opponent yet for the much-ballyhooed top prospect and grappling world champion out of Las Vegas yet he’s not looking to be merely somebody else’s test. He’s looking to pass his own and push own career ahead too.

Headed into his last fight with a three-fight winning streak, D.J. had big plans to put on a big showing against Anthony “Rumble” Johnson before he succumbed to the first knockout loss of his career against the UFC veteran. It’s not a loss that sits well with him and he’s eager to get back in the win column to finally put it behind him unless and until they meet again.

“I want to prove that Anthony Johnson fight (WSOF 1, November 2012) was a fluke. Then I want to fight 4 more times this year and own a Legacy FC title.”

Beginning his MMA career at 261 lbs. and now fighting at the light heavyweight limit of 205 lbs. D.J. says that hard work has been his focus as of late, and it’s all leading up to this Friday night.

“I’m pretty laid back but there are days where I use want this fight to happen now. But I also know what I have to do and that is to be mentally ready when the time comes so that means being patient. I think this matchup is great, and Drysdale is great fight for me. I’ve been working a lot of ground defense with great guys like Adam Dobie from Cedar Creek MMA, wrestlers like Byle Keeney, and then doing more striking at 4OZ Fight Club in Houston. Training in the thick air in Smithville, TX has helped too.”

“Obviously this is a jits guy vs. a striker type of fight but at the end of the day this is an MMA match. I’m looking for the KO. Then I hope World Series gives me another big fight to redeem myself. Drysdale I’m coming for you!”

New XCP champion Hector Munoz

CORPUS CHIRSTI, TX, March 25, 2013 – There was no shortage of mixed martial arts action going on around the state this past weekend and the Rio Grande Valley was no different with Rock Balboa (XCP) bringing his Rocks Xtreme MMA 2 event to the American Bank Center this past Saturday. Featuring some of South Texas’ top fighters on the nine bout fight card, Rock once again succeeded in capturing plenty of local attention with his second pro event.

The headlining fight of the evening featured Hector “H-Train” Munoz in title action versus West Texas fighter Gabriel Vasquez. The BJJ black belt (Munoz) was able to send his opponent packing for the long drive home sans title belt as he picked up his second win in a row and brought his overall record up to 10-4 courtesy of a first round triangle choke.

Meanwhile in the co-main event, Brownsville-based Luis Vega picked up the split decision victory over CC hometown fighter and TXMMA 2012 Comeback Fighter of the Year winner Chris Pecero in what was said to be a Fight of the Night contender. Vega now moves to 9-3 overall while Pecero’s record drops to 8-5.

As for the rest of the card, the results are littered with some impressive victories’ from some of South Texas’ most notable up-and-coming prospects.

Roger Narvaez, Patrick Ybarra, and Elias Garcia all picked up wins and are looking at a quick turnaround with all three slated to fight at Legacy FC 20 scheduled for Corpus Christi on May 31^st. The KO win scored by Ybarra at Rocks Xtreme MMA 2 may be especially pivotal as he is rumored to be first in line to get a crack at incoming UFC-turned-Legacy fighter Damacio Page.

Check out the rest of the winners from this past weekend below.

Rocks Xtreme MMA 2 – Quick Results from March 23, 2013

Hector Munoz over Gabriel Vasquez by submission (triangle choke), RD1 *new 155 lbs. champion

Luis Vega over Chris Pecero by split decision

Audrey Alvarez over Anita Rodriguez by unanimous decision

Roger Narvaez over Matt Jones by TKO, RD1

Paulina Granados over Sarah Lagerstrom by unanimous decision

Patrick Ybarra over Bobby Huron by KO, RD1

Santos Rosales over Roland Williams by KO, RD3

Elias Garcia over Daryl Thompson by KO, RD3

Leville Simpson over Kirck Hubble by TKO, RD2

GSP wins | photo UFC.com / Getty Images

MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CA, MARCH 17, 2013 – UFC 158 came and went at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada last night with Georges St. Pierre successfully defending his title against would-be nemesis Nick Diaz. It was a dominating experience for the highly-lauded GSP with him combining his wrestling acumen and ground control with quick-footed striking from outside to defend his title for a record 11^th time in a row.

Meanwhile, Texas’ own Johny Hendricks improved his own case for the welterweight title by winning his number-one contender eliminator over the always dangerous Carlos Condit by unanimous decision. “Big Rigg” landed takedowns seemingly at will after being forced to alter his gameplan after sustaining a fractured hand in the first round of what would ultimately be crowned Fight of the Night by UFC brass. With this, Johny takes home his sixth straight win and presumably a future title fight against GSP.

Hendricks earns his shot. | photo: UFC.com / Getty Images

Elsewhere on the main card, Jake Ellenberger completed the welterweight showcase with an impressive knockout of returning Strikeforce-to-UFC fighter Nate Marquardt. This is his 8^th win out of 9 fights now with his lone loss since 2010 coming against Martin Kampmann last June so look for him to make his own case for title contendership here in the near future.

Chris Camozzi and Mike Ricci completed the winner’s circle for the UFC 158 PPV card with wins over Nick Ring and Colin Fletcher respectively.

See results for the entire card including prelims below.

UFC 158 – Main Card Results (PPV)

UFC Welterweight Title Fight: Georges St-Pierre (c) over Nick Diaz by unanimous decision (50-45,50-45,50-45)

Johny Hendricks over Carlos Condit by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Jake Ellenberger over Nate Marquardt by KO (strikes) at 3:00 of Round 1

Chris Camozzi over Nick Ring by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Mike Ricci over Colin Fletcher by unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27)

UFC 158 – Preliminary Card (FX and Facebook)

Patrick Côté over Bobby Voelker by unanimous decision (29-28,29-28,29-28)

Darren Elkins over Antonio Carvalho by TKO (strikes) at 3:06 of Round 1

Jordan Mein over Dan Miller by TKO (strikes) at 4:42 of Round 1

John Makdessi over Daron Cruickshank by unanimous decision (29-28,29-28,29-28)

Rick Story over Quinn Mulhern by TKO (strikes) at 3:05 of Round 1

TJ Dillashaw over Issei Tamura by knockout (headkick and punches) at 0:26 of Round 2

George Roop over Reuben Duran by unanimous decision (29-28,29-28,30-27)