UFC 128
''UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones'' was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on March 19, 2011, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Background This event was expected to take place in Abu Dhabi, the promotion's first return to the United Arab Emirates since UFC 112. However, the organization scrapped the idea after a suitable location for the event could not be finalized in time, since the temporary venue that hosted UFC 112 had been dismantled. A bout between Tito Ortiz and Antônio Rogério Nogueira, was linked to this event, but was moved to headline UFC Fight Night 24. A bout between Brendan Schaub and Frank Mir was expected for this event. However, Schaub ended up fighting Mirko Cro Cop. A bout between Chael Sonnen and Yoshihiro Akiyama was briefly reported but Sonnen pleaded guilty to federal charges of money laundering and had his contract placed on hold by the UFC. Nate Marquardt was then signed to compete a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Yoshihiro Akiyama
, also known as and by his nickname Sexyama, is a Japanese mixed martial artist and judoka who won the gold medal at the 2001 Asian Championships for South Korea and for Japan at the 2002 Asian Games. A fourth-generation Japanese of Korean descent, he acquired Japanese nationality in 2001. He is the former K-1 HERO's Light Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament Champion. Judo career Before his professional mixed martial arts career, Akiyama was a decorated Judoka. He began training in Judo at the age of three. He has also trained Karate, Boxing, Kick Boxing, Wrestling and also Submission Wrestling with Greg Jackson. 2001 Asian championships Representing South Korea, Choo won the gold medal at the 2001 Asian Judo Championships. 2002 Asian Games Representing Japan, Akiyama won the gold medal at the 2002 Asian Games defeating Ahn Dong-Jin of South Korea in the finals. 2003 World Judo Championships controversy Akiyama defeated three opponents from France, Mongolia and ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA promotion company in the world as of 2011. It produces events worldwide that showcase 12 weight divisions (eight men's and four women's) and abides by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. , it had held over 600 events. Dana White has been its president since 2001. Under White's stewardship, it has grown into a global multi-billion-dollar enterprise. The UFC was founded by businessman Art Davie and Brazilian martial artist Rorion Gracie, and the first event was held in 1993 at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado. The purpose of the early Ultimate Fighting Championship competitions was to identify the most effective martial art in a contest with minimal rules and no weight classes between competitors of different fighting d ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Chael Sonnen
Chael Patrick Sonnen (; born April 3, 1977) is an American submission grappling promoter, mixed martial arts (MMA) analyst, and retired mixed martial artist. Beginning his MMA career in 1997, Sonnen competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he became a top contender in both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions and challenged for both the UFC Light Heavyweight and UFC Middleweight Championships. Sonnen has also fought in World Extreme Cagefighting, Pancrase, and most recently for Bellator MMA. Sonnen is often considered one of the best mixed martial artists never to have won a major MMA world championship and one of the sport's greatest trash-talkers. In 2014, Sonnen began working as a MMA analyst for ESPN and two years later, in July 2016, founded Submission Underground (SUG), his own submission grappling promotion. Early life Sonnen was born in either Milwaukie, Oregon, or West Linn, Oregon (sources differ), and began wrestling at the a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Maurício Rua
Maurício Milani Rua (; born 25 November 1981), also known as Shogun, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former model. He competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. A professional competitor since 2002, Rua is also the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion. Background Rua was born on 25 November 1981 and raised in Curitiba, Brazil and is of Italian, and Portuguese descent. Rua's father is a businessman and his mother is a former track athlete and now marathon runner. He has an older brother, Murilo (nicknamed Ninja, born 1980), and a younger brother, Marcos (nicknamed Shaolin). Both are mixed martial artists training at Universidade da luta, though Marcos does not compete at a professional level. The Rua brothers occasionally take 10-kilometre runs with their mother. Rua began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of six and Muay Thai at the age of seven. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rashad Evans
Rashad Anton Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist. Evans started his professional career in 2003, he was the Heavyweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 2 and is also a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and a 2019 inductee of the UFC Hall of Fame. In present day, he serves on the UFC broadcasting team as a desk analyst while also advocating for the health benefits of functional mushrooms through his companUmbo co-founded alongside former NFL quarterback, Jake Plummer. Wrestling career Wrestling out of Niagara-Wheatfield High School in Sanborn, New York, Evans twice made it to the state finals tournament of New York by winning his weight class for his region, in which he received All-State honors both times. In 1997 he placed 4th in the state at 145 pounds. In 1998 he placed 4th in the state at 171 pounds. In 1999 he entered the National Junior College Athletic Association National Championships for the 165 pound weight class in which he finish ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Joe Rogan
Joseph James Rogan (born August 11, 1967) is an American UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ... color commentator, podcaster, comedian, actor, and former television presenter. He hosts ''The Joe Rogan Experience'', a podcast in which he discusses current events, comedy, politics, philosophy, science, and hobbies with a variety of guests. Rogan was born in Newark, New Jersey, and began his career in comedy in August 1988 in the Boston area. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1994, he signed an exclusive developmental deal with Disney and appeared as an actor on several television shows, including ''Hardball (1994 TV series), Hardball'' and ''NewsRadio.'' In 1997, he started working for the UFC as an interviewer and color commentator. He released his first comedy ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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UFC 126
''UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort'' was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 5, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background Former Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort was scheduled to fight Yushin Okami at UFC 122. However, UFC President Dana White said that Belfort would instead challenge Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva for the belt. Belfort was originally scheduled to compete against Silva on January 2, 2010 at UFC 108, but due to an injury sustained by Silva, the fight had to be postponed until February 6, 2010 at UFC 109 and April 10, 2010 at UFC 112, respectively. However, both fights were cancelled. A bout between Kenny Florian and Evan Dunham was expected for this event. The fight was moved to UFC: Fight For The Troops 2. A bout between Jon Fitch and Jake Ellenberger was expected for this event. However Fitch was pulled from the bout and instead fought former two-division champion ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ryan Bader
Arizona State Sun Devils Ryan DuWayne Bader (born June 7, 1983) is an American mixed martial artist currently signed to Bellator MMA where he is the current Bellator Heavyweight Champion, the former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion, and the winner of the 2018 Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament. At Bellator 214, Bader became the first fighter in Bellator history to become champion in two weight divisions simultaneously. Prior to signing with Bellator, Bader competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the Light Heavyweight division and he was a cast member and winner of '' The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir''. As of December 13, 2022, he is #6 in the Bellator men's pound-for-pound rankings and #3 in the Bellator Light Heavyweight Rankings. Background and career Ryan Bader was born in Reno, Nevada and started wrestling at the age of seven. He entered mixed martial arts after a successful career in amateur wrestling. He attended ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jon Jones
Jonathan Dwight Jones (born July 19, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in which he has competed in the light heavyweight division. He is a former two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, holding the title from March 2011 to April 2015 and from December 2018 to August 2020. Jones also held the interim UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in 2016. As of November 14, 2022, he is #13 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings. Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history with his title victory over Maurício Rua at age 23. He holds many UFC records in the light heavyweight division, including the most title defenses, most wins, and longest win streak. During much of his championship reign, Jones has been widely considered to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Never stopped nor outscored during his career, Jones's only professional loss is a controversial disqualification against Ma ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Costas Philippou
Constantinos Philippou ( gr, Κωνσταντίνος Φιλίππου, born November 29, 1979) is a retired Greek-Cypriot mixed martial artist. He formerly fought for the UFC's Middleweight division. Early life Philippou was born in Limassol on 29 November 1979. Career Boxing Philippou began boxing in 1994 and had his first fight six months later. In 2005, his best friend and coach Polis encouraged him to move to the United States to become a professional. Costas fought in the Golden Gloves two months after coming to the United States, but lost in the finals at Madison Square Garden by a split decision to Nagy Aguilera. Philippou then turned pro and had three fights three wins, the third being featured on ESPN. Costas transitioned to MMA after disputes with his manager and coach. MMA Philippou made his professional MMA debut in May 2008 for the Ring of Combat promotion, losing to fellow future UFC fighter Ricardo Romero by split decision. However, he subsequently amassed a r ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Nick Catone
Nicholas Catone (born September 1, 1981) is a retired American mixed martial artist. Catone competed most recently in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in their Middleweight division. Mixed martial arts career Wrestling Catone began wrestling in middle school. Catone stayed with the sport all through his middle and high school years. While at Brick Memorial High School in Brick Township, New Jersey, Catone won numerous awards and titles in wrestling. He was a ''New Jersey State place winner'', ''Three-time Division I national qualifier'', ''2x Division I conference champion'' and ''100 Division I career wins''. He was rewarded with a scholarship to wrestle for Rutgers University but did not like the lifestyle of a large college. After spending a year at Rutgers, Catone transferred to Rider University where he won ''Male Athlete of the Year'' in 2004. Catone graduated from Rider with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Early mixed martial arts career After college, Catone realiz ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dan Miller (fighter)
Daniel James Miller (born June 30, 1981) is an American former mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. A professional from 2005 until 2014, he is perhaps best known for competing in the UFC, but was also the final List of IFL champions, International Fight League Middleweight Champion, representing the New York Pitbulls. He is the older brother of current UFC Lightweight Jim Miller (fighter), Jim Miller. Background Born and raised in Sparta Township, New Jersey along with two brothers, Miller began wrestling from a young age and continued competing at Sparta High School (New Jersey), Sparta High School. Miller then began his mixed martial arts career in 2005, when he began training at Planet Jiu-Jitsu. On January 15, 2010, Miller received his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Jamie Cruz. Mixed martial arts career Early career Miller had his first professional fight November 19, 2005 against Tenyeh Dixon at Reality Fighting 10 and was victorious by triangle choke in the first ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |