Travis Fulton – A true Ironman!!

 

Name: Rashad Anton Evans
Born: September 25, 1979
Town of Birth: Niagara Falls, New York
Nickname: Sugar
Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight: 205 lb (93kg; 14.6st)
Record: 13-0-1

Rashad Evans was born in Niagara Falls, New York on September 25, 1979. Evans went on to be a two sport star in wrestling and football at Niagara-Wheatfield High School in Sanborn, New York. After graduating high school 1998, Evans went to Niagara County Community College where he won the National Junior College championship at 165 lb (75 kg) in 2000. After Junior college, Evans transferred to Michigan State where he received a degree in psychology and had good wrestling career.

In 2004, Evans made his MMA debut winning a four man tournament on April 10, 2004. Less than two months later, Evans won a two day light heavyweight tournament at Gladiator Challenge 26 and 27. With an MMA record of 5-0, he was selected to compete as a heavyweight on the UFC’s The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 2 in 2005.

Although Evans was one of the smallest competitors in the heavyweight field, he made it to the TUF 2 finale by defeating heavyweights Tom Murphy, Mike Whitehead, and Keith Jardine. In the finale, he was matched up with 6 ft 7 in Brad Imes who towered over him at the weigh-ins. Evans defeated Imes in a split decision victory at The Ultimate Fighter Season 2 Finale with several knock downs. After winning the show, Evans joined Greg Jackson’s Submission Fighting Team along with fellow TUF 2 alumni Keith Jardine.

After winning TUF 2, Evans decided to drop down to the UFC light heavyweight division. Evans easily defeated his next four opponents including Stephan Bonnar, Jason Lambert, and Sean Salmon to run his undefeated record to 10-0. At UFC 73: Stacked, Evans was matched up against former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz. The two fighters fought to a draw as all three judges scored the bout 28-28. However, Ortiz had won two out of three rounds on all scorecards, but was deducted a point for holding the cage fence to defend against a takedown by Evans.

After this minor setback, Evans went on to defeat fellow TUF 3 champion Michael Bisping by split decision at UFC 78: Validation. At UFC 88, Evans made worldwide news with his one punch knockout of former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell in the second round. With his dramatic victory, Evans earned a Knockout of the Night bonus of $60,000 and a title shot.

At UFC 92, Rashad Evans was matched up against TUF season 1 winner and light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin. This fight would be the first time two fighters from The Ultimate Fighter Reality TV show fought for the UFC title. In the fight, Griffin won the first two rounds until Evans caught him with a kick and finished off the champion with an effective ground & pound TKO victory in the third round. With the victory, Evans became the new UFC light heavyweight champion.

Evan’s will make his first title defense against the undefeated Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (14-0) at UFC 98 on May 23, 2009.

Click here to view Rashad Evan’s profile and to join his Fan Club.

(Photo via ESPN)

Name: Lyoto Carvalho Machida
Born: May 30, 1978
Town of Birth: Salvador, Brazil
Nickname: The Dragon
Height: 6 feet 1 inches
Weight: 205 lbs
Record: 14-0

Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida was born in Savador (Brazil), where he was son to a Japanese-Brazilian Shotokan karate master named Yoshizo Machida. Machida trained in several martial arts including Karate, Sumo, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu during his pre- adolescent years. In fact, Machida was a black belt at the age of 13 in karate. He won several Amateur events all over Brazil in several different fighting styles before getting into Mixed Martial Arts in 2003.

In college, Machida met the famous Japanese pro wrestler and promoter Antonio Inoki . On May 2, 2003, Machida made his MMA debut in Inoki’s New Japan Pro Wrestling: Ultimate Crush, where he defeated Kengo Watanabe by decision. In his next 2 fights, he defeated future The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 1 runner up Stephen Bonnar and future UFC middleweight champion Rich “Ace” Franklin.

At 3-0 in MMA, Machida joined K-1 organization where he defeated two highly ranked K-1 kick boxers Michael McDonald and Sam Greco. Then he took on former UFC welterweight and future UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn in a three round fight. The smaller Penn was at a disadvantage to Machida’s size, Machida won by decision. After his K-1 contract ended, he went on to defeat Lion’s Den fighter Vernon “The Tiger” White by a unanimous decision at the WFA: King of the Streets event in Inglewood, California.

After the WFA went out of business, the UFC acquired Machida’s contract in December of 2006. Machida made his UFC debut at UFC 67: All or Nothing, where he defeated TUF 1 veteran Sam Hoger by unanimous decision. He went on to defeat David Heath, Kazuhiro Nakamura, and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in successive order.

Then Machida was matched against former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz at UFC 84. This would be Ortiz’s last fight in the UFC Octagon. Machida’s elusivness frustrated the former UFC champ Ortiz throughout his three round unanimous decision victory over The Hunington Beach Bad Boy. At UFC 94, Machida knocked out the previous undefeated Thiago Silva in the first round. Machida’s victory earned himself a UFC title shot in May.

Lyoto Machida (14-0) will face Rashad Evans at UFC 98 on May 23, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada for the UFC light heavyweight title.

Click here to view several Lyoto Machida fight videos and to join his Fan Club.

Name: Thales Leites Lourenço
Born: September 6, 1981
Town of Birth: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height: 6 feet 1 inches
Weight: 185lbs
Record: 14-1

Thales Leites made his mixed martial arts debut at Shooto Brazil in 2003, defeating Felipe Arinelli by arm-triangle choke submission. Leites fought in several promotions including Rumble on the Rock, Vitoria Extreme Fighting, MARS, and others before finding a home in the UFC. He defeated legendary Brazilian José “Pelé” Landi-Jons by arm-triangle choke submission in the first round at Jungle Fight 6.

After defeating Pele, Thales Leites at 9-0 was ready to make the jump to the UFC. In November of 2006, he made his UFC middleweight debut against Martin Kampmann at The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale. Kampmann defeated Leites by unanimous division giving him his first loss of his career.

At UFC 69, Leites rebounded from his loss by defeating Pete Sell by unianimous decision. After defeating Sell, Leites has gone undefeated beating fighters such as Ryan Jensen, Nate Mardquardt, and Drew McFedries. Leites will take on UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 97 on April 18, 2009.

Click here to see a highlight video of UFC middleweight contender Thales Leites.

Click here to join the Thales Leites Fan Club at TheMMAspace.com!

Name: Samuel James Stout
Born: April 23, 1984
Town of Birth: London, Ontario, Canada
Nickname: Hands of Stone
Height: 5 feet 9 inches
Weight: 155lbs
Record: 13-5-1

Samuel James Stout is a professional MMA fighter from London, Ontario, Canada since June 2003. Before fighting in the UFC, Stout was a fighter in the Canadian promotion called TKO. Stout lived up to his nickname of “Hands of Stone” by going 11-0 (8 by KO) in TKO.

Sam Stout made his UFC debut made his debut at lightweight at UFC 58: “USA vs. Canada” on March 4, 2006. Stout took on the more experienced Spencer Fisher of the famous Miletich Fighting Systems camp. Stout squeezed out a split decision victory over Fisher.

In his following bout, Stout was matched up with Kenny Florian in the Main Event of The Ultimate Fighter 3 finale on June 24, 2006. Florian easy defeated Stout by rear naked choke submission in the first round. Since then Stout has bounced back in forth from TKO and the UFC.

Click here to checkout some Sam Stout highlights.

Sam Stout next fight will be against Matt Wiman at UFC 97 this Saturday.

This video highlights the career of UFC Welterweight contender Josh Koscheck.

Former WEC light heavyweight champion and Iraq War veteran Brian Stann (6-1) will make his UFC debut at the Dec. 10th UFC Fights for the Troops showdown. Stann will be training with Team Jackson for his UFC debut. Brain Stann will be facing Steven Cantwell for a third time and the series is 1-1 after Cantwell got a TKO victory over Stann.

 

This is a tribute to Florida’s crunked out fighter Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett. Although “Krazy Horse” spends alot of time in jail, he’s labled as a cocky fighter, and he once said about ground fighting, “is like making love, it’s not real fighting.” You have to admit “Krazy Horse” is entertaining and he doesn’t dodge fights even though he admits to not training.

Bennett has fought top ranked MMA fighters like Urijah Faber, Takori Gomi, Jeff Curran, and Wanderlei Silva (He claims in the video below). “Krazy Horse” does have victories over former Elite XC champ KJ Noons and WEC contender Yoshiro Maeda.

Please enjoy these Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett videos:

Charles “Krazy Horse”Bennett HL

Charles “Krazyhorse” Bennett is ready to fight anyone

Krazy Horse “fought the law” (Pacman can’t hold his jockstrap)

Charles Bennett and Mark Coleman

KJ Noons Calls Out Krazy Horse at EliteXC

Krazy Horse vs KJ Noons

Krazy Horse talks about how he KTFO Wanderlei Silva

Charles Krazy Horse Bennett put to sleep backstage by Chute Boxe