“The Voice” And Hdnet Ink Long-Term Deal

In a time of great change in the MMA World, Schiavello tells the network,“I’m here to stay!”

DALLAS (March 21, 2011) Today, HDNet announced a long-term agreement with. In times of great change in the mixed martial arts world, Schiavello’s long-term commitment signals a dedication to quality and consistency in HDNet’s unmatched MMA coverage.

In less than two years, Schiavello has established himself as the signature voice of the network’s MMA programming and is regarded as the best play-by-play announcer in the sport. In 2010 he was the only broadcaster nominated for ‘Leading Man’ in the prestigious World MMA Awards, and was named runner-up to color commentator Joe Rogan as the sport’s ‘Best Commentator’ in all major online fan polls.

“Michael is unique and distinctive – the first time I heard him scream at K-1 that ‘Jerome Le Banner has more muscles than a seafood platter,’ I knew he was the perfect fit for HDNet,” said HDNet Chairman Mark Cuban. “Michael’s energy and humor is so great that it doesn’t matter if you are watching the main event at Dynamite on New Year’s Eve or an undercard of a small regional show –he always makes the event something special.”

“I’m here to stay and am thrilled to continue to be a part of the HDNet family,” said Schiavello, a 15-year veteran of commentary who lists the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and “The Contender Asia” on his extensive resume. “HDNet is the Home of MMA and to be a part of this remarkable team and to cover the very best array of MMA promotions is a constant thrill. I also want to thank the North American audience for their overwhelming response to me over the last 18 months. Keep watching HDNET and I will keep delivering enthusiastic and passionate commentary of each and every event. ”

“Michael is an integral part of our commitment to expanding MMA programming on HDNet,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “He is like a professional athlete that has the ability to make everyone around him rise to another level. I am honored to work with one of the best in the business.”
This month you can hear “The Voice” Michael Schiavello in an HDNet doubleheader this Friday, March 25 with “The Voice vs. Wanderlei Silva” at 8:00 p.m. ET and “HDNet Fights: Titan Fighting Championship 17” at 10:00 p.m. ET.

UFC Schedules Remaining Bouts For UFC 128: Shogun vs Jones

The UFC is pleased to announce the remaining bouts for its return trip to Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on March 19. The UFC again brings a star-studded lineup to New Jersey featuring must-see matchups in every division.

Having already announced the blockbuster headliner of Mauricio “Shogun” Rua defending his UFC light heavyweight championship against Jon “Bones” Jones and a co-main event featuring Urijah “The California Kid” Faber taking on Eddie Wineland in a battle at bantamweight, the UFC confirms 10 additional bouts for UFC® 128: SHOGUN vs. JONES.

The remaining bouts include: Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus, Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Nate Marquardt, Mirko Cro Cop vs. Brendan Schaub, Luiz Cane vs. Eliot Marshall, Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani, Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle, Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau, Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland, Raphael Assuncao vs. Erik Koch and Dan Miller vs. Nick Catone.

Tickets for UFC 128: SHOGUN vs. JONES are on sale now and priced at $500, $350, $225, $150, $100 and $60, not including applicable service charges. Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster locations and at the Prudential Center box office. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.prucenter.com or ticketmaster.com.

UFC 128: SHOGUN vs. JONES, which is presented by Affliction, will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition.

The Cane vs. Marshall and Barboza vs. Njokuani bouts will air live on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Two additional bouts – Almeida vs. Pyle and Pellegrino vs. Tibau – will air on http://www.facebook.com/ufc at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Having won six straight and eight of nine fights in his UFC career, lightweight Jim Miller (fighting out of Whippany, N.J. / 19-2) looks to continue his rise to the top of the division. Once a collegiate wrestler at Virginia Tech, the New Jersey native also holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and is coming off of a Submission of the Night victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 124. Miller will surely have home field advantage in his fight against unbeaten four-fight WEC veteran Kamal Shalorus (fighting out of Austin, Texas / 7-0-2). A freestyle wrestler originally from Iran, the “Prince of Persia” is hoping to continue his winning ways and make a statement in his UFC debut in New Jersey.

In an exciting battle at middleweight, top Japanese MMA star Yoshihiro Akiyama (fighting out of Osaka, Japan / 13-3, 2NC) is back in action for the first time since losing a close decision to Michael Bisping at UFC 120. A Judo ace, Akiyama has strung together three-straight Fight of the Night performances starting with his debut at UFC 100, and is hoping to get back on the winning path when he takes on Nate Marquardt (fighting out of Denver, Colo. / 33-10-2). Nate “The Great,” a former challenger to the middleweight title, looks to put his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and heavy hands to good use in his first bout since UFC 122 in Germany.

Fan favorite Mirko Cro Cop (fighting out of Zagreb, Croatia / 27-8-2, 1NC) is back in action and looking to put his powerful legs to work. The former kickboxing and PRIDE Grand Prix champion has seen his share of success overseas as well as in the UFC. With wins in three of his last five inside the Octagon, the Croatian will continue his quest toward the heavyweight championship against Brendan Schaub (fighting out of Denver, Colo. / 8-1). “The Hybrid” is coming off of a unanimous decision victory over Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 121 and is hungry for more. A winner of three straight overall, the former University of Colorado football player is planning on using his knockout power to secure another UFC victory.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Luiz Cane (fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil / 11-3, 1NC) has used his aggressive style of fighting to find success inside the Octagon, including a Knockout of the Night performance in just his second UFC fight. “Banha” is fighting for the first time since UFC 114 in May, and is hoping that he can get back in the winner’s circle. He’ll take on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and former The Ultimate Fighter® season eight cast member Eliot Marshall (fighting out of Boulder, Colo. / 11-3). Returning to the UFC for the first time in nearly a year, “The Fire” is hoping to make the best of it by claiming a win in his home state.

Edson Barboza (fighting out of Jupiter, Fla. by way of Nova Friburgo, Brazil / 7-0) is looking to continue the dominance he displayed in his UFC debut at UFC 123 in November against Mike Lullo. The Brazilian nicknamed “Junior” impressed all with his vicious leg kicks that caused the TKO stoppage in round three. The 24-year-old Muay Thai ace will take on former WEC lightweight standout Anthony Njokuani (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. / 14-4). Originally from Nigeria, “The Assassin” has much to show for his seven fights in the WEC, including three Knockout of the Night performances. Having defeated Edward Faaloloto at WEC: Faber vs. Mizugaki in November, Njokuani is looking to continue the momentum in his UFC debut in the Garden State.

A veteran of 10 UFC fights, with the first one being at UFC 31, Ricardo Almeida (fighting out of Hamilton, N.J. / 13-4) knows what it takes to be successful inside the Octagon. Coming off a unanimous decision victory over TJ Grant at UFC 124, “Big Dog” is ready to display his third degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt skills in a tough welterweight battle. Standing in his way is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt and Xtreme Couture product Mike Pyle (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. / 20-7-1). Having scored the upset decision victory over John Hathaway at UFC 120, “Quicksand” is looking to make it three in a row in Newark.

New Jersey native Kurt Pellegrino (fighting out of Point Pleasant, N.J. / 21-5) is known for his slick submission game. Having won both Submission and Fight of the Night awards in past bouts, the fighter nicknamed “Batman” expect fireworks when he takes on the explosive Gleison Tibau (fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. / 31-7) in an exciting lightweight battle. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who trains with American Top Team, Tibau looks to continue his string of crowd-pleasing performances March 19.

A seven-fight WEC veteran who trains with co-headliner Urijah Faber at Team Alpha Male, Joseph Benavidez (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif. / 13-2) makes his UFC debut in Newark. Benavidez already made a statement in the WEC’s bantamweight division by winning both Fight and Submission of the Night, as well as fighting for the WEC bantamweight championship. He hopes to impress UFC fans when he takes on Ian Loveland (fighting out of Portand, Ore. / 14-7). “The Barn Owl” is coming off of a dominating debut victory over Tyler Toner at The Ultimate Fighter® Finale in December, and is looking to use his Tae Kwon Do to garner another win inside the Octagon.

Last winning a unanimous decision over LC Davis in November, five-fight WEC veteran Raphael Assuncao (fighting out of Atlanta, Ga. / 15-3) is hoping for the same victorious result in his UFC debut. He’ll put his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills to the test when he faces Erik Koch (fighting out of Milwaukee, Wis. / 11-1), who makes his long-awaited UFC debut at the Prudential Center on March 19. The featherweight is riding a two-fight win streak that includes a Knockout of the Night performance in November. Now, the 22-year-old Iowan nicknamed “New Breed” is hoping to continue his dominance in the UFC 145-pound class.

Middleweight Dan Miller (fighting out of Whippany, N.J. / 13-4, 1NC) is currently riding a two-fight win streak, most recently earning a split decision victory over Joe Doerksen at UFC 124. Like his brother Jim, Dan is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and has made great use of it in the past. Former NCAA Division I wrestler Nick Catone (fighting out of Brick, N.J. / 8-2) is standing in Miller’s way in this all-Jersey showdown. Having recently beaten Jesse Forbes, “The Jersey Devil” looks to start UFC 128 off with a bang by defeating his opponent in style.

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com . All bouts live and subject to change.

Jon Jones Pro Debut

Ever since Jon Jones entered the UFC he was always touted as a major prospect, and the more he developed as a fighter the more people saw just how talented Jon Jones really is. Jones’ first ever professional MMA fight was no different as he completely dominated his opponent and finished him in the first round. Although, Jones has become less and less of a showboat with each passing fight, his talent level has clearly excelled to new heights. Check out the video below, and don’t miss Jones’ shot at the title at UFC 128 on March 19th.

Diego Sanchez Has A Superfan

This gives a whole new meaning to reach out and touch someone. Although, it did provide quite a bit of humor.

UFC And Sportsnet Agree To Four-Year Deal

Broadcast Agreement Makes Sportsnet Home of the UFC in Canada

The Ultimate Fighting Championship and Rogers Sportsnet today announced a four-year agreement for broadcast rights to UFC television events in Canada.

Sportsnet, the live-event high-definition leader in Canada, will have a consistent schedule of UFC programming including preliminary fights of UFC Pay-Per-View events and UFC Fight Night events while also having the home sports position for the 10 p.m. (ET) timeslot for The Ultimate Fighter series. In addition, Sportsnet will broadcast live non Pay-Per-View international UFC events and provide UFC content on a non-exclusive basis across other platforms.

“This deal cements our commitment to bring fans the best UFC coverage in Canada,” said Scott Moore, President, Rogers Broadcasting. “Sportsnet is excited about this partnership with the UFC as the sport continues to rapidly grow in this country and beyond.”

“We’re excited to announce a new deal with Rogers Sportsnet that will put the UFC in millions of homes in Canada,” UFC President Dana White said. “Canada is an amazing market for this sport and we look forward to bringing the fans more UFC programming. We’re happy to have a strong television partner in Canada like Rogers Sportsnet.”

“This is great news for the UFC and our fans,” said Tom Wright, UFC Director of Canadian Operations. “Canadians are hungry for UFC shows and segments and now have so much to look forward to as we continue to grow the sport together with Sportsnet.”

“Showdown” Joe Ferraro is the featured UFC analyst for Sportsnet Connected and sportsnet.ca, reporting on all UFC events. He is also the host of MMA Connected, which presents highlights and news from around the mixed martial arts world every Monday night. Sportsnet has been broadcasting UFC programming for the past four years.

February 2011 MMA Fighter Rankings: Flyweights

The lightest fighters of the bunch are also the only division currently not part of the UFC. However, the UFC’s future plans does include one day adding the Flyweight division to its line-up. Until then, you will just have to settle for Yasuhiro Urushitani in the Shooto MMA promotion. This list was put together by our friends over at RantMMA.com. Feel free to let us know what you think in the comments section.

10. Ian McCall
Coming off a submission victory over Jeff Willingham, Ian McCall, a heavy underdog, came in and defeated a top contender in Jussier da Silva, making a strong case for himself as a top Flyweight.

9. Mitsuhisa Sunabe
Sunabe is a fighter who just can’t seem to put enough wins together to get to championship matches. A draw with Shimizu is not enough to move him higher.

8. Kiyotaka Shimizu
Shimizu’s rubber match with Mitsuhisa Sunabe at Pancrase Passion Tour 11 ended in a draw.

7. Fumihiro Kitahara
Kitahara recently lost against Mamoru Yamaguchi, stopping his ascent to the top of the division. Previously, he was on a 5 fight win streak in Shooto.

6. Alexis Villa
Villa is a rising star in the division, and it will be interesting to see how he does if he moves to Shooto to face the top 125ers in the world.

5. Ryuchi Miki
Miki got a 3rd opportunity to fight Mamoru Yamaguchi, but unfortunately came up short once again.

4. Yuki Shojo
Shojo holds his place in the division with wins over Junya Kudo and Jesse Taitano.

3. Jussier da Silva (“Formiga”)
Formiga had amassed an 9-0 record and established himself as the top 125er in the world, that is, until his loss to underdog Ian McCall. Jussier da Silva drops a couple of spots as a result.

2. Mamoru Yamaguchi (“Afro”)
He of the Afro recently won against rising star Fumihiro Kitahara to cement his position as one of the elite in Shooto’s 125 pound division.

1. Yasuhiro Urushitani
The Shooto flyweight champion jumps into the #1 spot, having won the Shooto title by defeating Ryuichi Miki. He then won a non title fight against Takuya Mori.

February 2011 MMA Fighter Rankings: Bantamweights

The UFC‘s Bantamweight champ showed the world why he is #1 with a lopsided win over Scott Jorgensen. Unfortunately the MMA champ severely injured his hand in the bout and has not fought since. Urijah Faber and Miguel Torres have both made some big strides in the division and are both determined to get the next shot at the title. This list was put together by our friends over at RantMMA.com. Feel free to let us know what you think in the comments section.

10. Masakatsu Ueda
The former Shooto champion rebounded from an upset loss to start his climb back to the title.

9. Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson
Johnson picked up an upset win over the ranked Damacio Page to enter the top 10.

8. Brad “One Punch” Pickett
Pickett lost a #1 contenders match, but is still established as a top talent at 135, having won his previous 9 fights.

7. Takeya Mizugaki
The tough as nails Mizugaki slips, but only a little. Getting beat by the man who used to rule 145 doesn’t drop your stock too much.

6. Miguel Torres
The old poster boy of the bantamweight division got back in the swing of things with a win over Charlie Valencia.

5. Urijah “The California Kid” Faber
Faber made his debut at 135 in impressive fashion, submitting Takeya Mizugaki, who has only been stopped twice.

4. Scott “Young Guns” Jorgensen
Jorgensen earned a title shot with a win over Brad Pickett. He’s riding a 5 fight win streak where he avenged his most recent loss.

3. Brian Bowles
The former 135 champ was injured again and missed WEC 52. With only 1 loss on his record which was to Cruz, Bowles is still a top dog in the bantamweight division.

2. Joseph Benavidez
Benavidez came close to beating Dominick Cruz, but it wasn’t enough. He bounced back with a win over submission ace Wagnney Fabiano. There is talk of Benavidez going down to 125 when the UFC gets that division up and running.

1. Dominick Cruz
Cruz remains on top of the bantamweight division with a split decision win over Joseph Benavidez in his 1st title defence.

February 2011 MMA Fighter Rankings: Featherweights

The UFC‘s Featherweight champ Jose Aldo has been dominating this weight class since he took the title away from Mike Brown at WEC 44. Aldo has been sidelined for quite some time due to injury, but his return at UFC 129 in Toronto is highly anticipated. A win over Mark Hominick could make a strong argument in Aldo moving up the list of top pound for pound MMA fighters in the world. This list was put together by our friends over at RantMMA.com. Feel free to let us know what you think in the comments section.

10. Josh Grispi (“The Fluke”)
Grispi drops to the 10 spot after getting upset by Poirier.

9. Marlon Sandro
Sandro lost his belt to Hioki at the end of year Sengoku event.

8. Mark Hominick
With a 5 fight win streak and much movement in the division, Hominick makes it onto the top 10. He has been rewarded with a title fight against Jose Aldo.

7. Hiroyuki Takaya
The trend of new entrants in the featherweight rankings continues, as Takaya took out Bibiano Fernandes in a hard fought title match during the traditional NYE event in Japan.

6. Chad Mendes
Do you see a pattern here? Mendes took out the highly regarded Michihiro Omigawa in Omigawa’s UFC debut.

5. Dustin Poirier
Along with Nunes, Poirier threw the 145 pound rankings into confusion with his win over Josh Grispi, who was originally slated to face Aldo.

4. Hatsu Hioki
Hioki picked apart Marlon Sandro to win the Sengoku belt at the end of 2010.

3. Diego Nunes (“The Gun”)
Nunes beat the former champ and previously #3 ranked Mike Brown in their UFC debuts.

2. Manny Gamburyan (“The Anvil”)
After beating Mike Thomas Brown, Gamburyan was stopped by Jose Aldo. He’ll look to get back on track against Raphael Assuncao in March.

1. Jose Aldo (“Junior”)
Aldo is showing that he is a dominating force on par with GSP and Anderson Silva. In his 2nd title defence, he demolished Manny Gamburyan. Aldo was recently presented with the UFC Featherweight championship as a result of the formal absorption of the WEC into the UFC. He might be holding that belt for a long time.

**Notes:
Mike Brown drops from the top 10 after losing to Diego Nunes and Rani Yahya.
Bibiano Fernandes drops from the top 10 after losing to Hiroyuki Takaya.
Michihiro Omigawa drops from the top 10 after losing to Chad Mendes.