MMA HQ - Mixed Martial Arts News and Analysis

Affliction just announced today that Andre Arlovski and Ben Rothwell will fight each other at Affliction: Banned on July 19.

The “Banned” fight card will be the first show promoted by Affliction and has one of the best fight cards of the year. Rothwell still is under contract with Adrenaline MMA but is fighting with permission on the Affliction card. Since the inaugural Adrenaline event is just a month earlier, he will not be available for the Adrenaline show.

Here is the current fight card for the Affliction: Banned event:

• Fedor Emelianenko vs Tim Sylvia
• Josh Barnett vs Pedro Rizzo
• Ben Rothwell vs Andre Arlovski
• Aleksander Emelianenko vs Paul Buentello
• Matt Lindland vs Fabio Negao
• Renato Sobral vs Mike Whitehead
• Savant Young vs Mark Hominick
• Brett Cooper vs Mike Pyle
• Ray Lamaza vs Justin Levens
• JJ Ambrose vs Patrick Speight

** UPDATE **
The original story on Adrenaline MMA’s website has been taken down and as a result I removed the link from my post as well. Also, I have since updated the post to [Rumor] status and am trying to reconfirm the bout through some other sources.

** UPDATE 2 **
It appears that none other than Ben Rothwell himself has confirmed the story in the Sherdog.net forums. So, rest easy boys, I don’t post stories without the [Rumor] tag unless I’m sure they are legit.

Here are the quick results from last nights DREAM.3 event which included the second round of the Lightweight Grand Prix

• Jason Miller def Katsuyori Shibata via TKO in Rd. 1
• Melvin Manhoef def. Dae Won Kim via TKO in Rd. 1
• Daisuke Nakamura def. Bu Kyung Jung via KO in Rd. 2
• Nick Diaz dev. Katsuya Inoue via TKO in Rd. 1
• Tatsuya Kawajiri def. Luis Fermino via Decision
• Eddie Alvarez def. Joachim Hansen via Decision
• Caol Uno def. Mitsuhiro Ishida via Submission in Rd. 2

UFC.com is reporting that Jason Day will step in to replace Chris Leben and fight Michel Bisping at UFC 85 this June in London, England.

We reported earlier today that Leben had been pulled from the fight after being sentenced to 35 days in jail for a DUI warrant in Oregon.

“Obviously I was looking forward to the Leben fight but I guess it wasn’t to be,” said Bisping. “You have to respect Jason Day for stepping in on even shorter notice than myself. I am looking forward to really putting on a great performance in London.”

“I love this fight,” said Day. “Everybody’s been asking me who would I like to fight next, and I said Bisping, but who would have thought it would have come about so quickly. He’s a great fighter, an exciting fighter, tough as nails, and everybody wants that marquee fight where you get the guy that tests you and you slug it out for two or three rounds. I think he’s a pretty good test for me.”

We reported last week that Chris Leben has turned himself in to authorities in Oregon on an outstanding DUI warrant in an attempt to clear that way for his fight with Michael Bisping at next month’s UFC 85.

It now looks like that attempt was in vain as Leben was sentenced to 35 days in jail with a scheduled release date of May 27 - only 12 days before the June 7 event in London, England.

UFC matchmaker, Joe Silva has confirmed that the fight between Leben and Bisping has been postponed although he would not comment on a replacement to fight Bisping at UFC 85. Rumors are circulating that Nate Quarry will be Leben’s replacement against Bisping.

In what seems to be a last-ditch effort to stay in business, the International Fight League announced their next event today including a new fighting surface.

Rumors had been floating around over the past few weeks that the upcoming May 16 IFL event at the Mohegan Sun in CT could be the IFL’s last show. Today, however, the IFL announced their next event, the “IFL Summer Throwdown” to be held August 15 in New Jersey.

What is more important in the event announcement is the IFL’s announcement of “The Hex.” According to the IFL, the show in NJ

…will also feature the world debut of “The HEX”, the IFL’s brand new six-sided ring. This is the future fighting surface for all of MMA. To introduce this new era in fighting, the IFL Summer Throwdown fight card will present the most explosive Mixed Martial Arts action the East Coast has ever seen!

So there you have it; the IFL’s attempt to stay afloat - a six-sided ring called “The Hex.” Gimmicky? Yes. Cliche? Absolutely. Will it work? Absolutely not. Really it’s too bad the IFL has come to this.

** UPDATE **

Here is the official IFL writeup about “The Hex” and a few high-res images:

DREAM returns this Saturday in Japan for their third show and the second leg of their 2008 Lightweight Grand Prix. The DREAM.3 card has seen some interesting developments over the past several weeks and, continuing with the Japanese tradition, we still are not 100% certain of the full final fight card.

We do know that Shinya Aoki will continue in the LWGP, but will not be competing at DREAM.3. Also, it appears now that Nick Diaz may have worked out an agreement with Elite XC to appear on the DREAM.3 card, although I’m not holding my breath until I see him walking into the ring.

Now onto the fight card preview…

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Adrenaline MMA has finally released some more details about their initial fight card via a press release today. The June 14 event is scheduled to take place in Chicago, IL at the Sears Centre.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — As a Chicago policeman, Mike Russow has become accustomed to dangerous situations.

So, it is understandable when Russow only smiles and refers to fighting veteran Jeff Monson in a professional mixed martial arts bout as a “great opportunity.” Russow, 9-1 in his pro career, takes on Monson, 23-7, in the heavyweight main event of Adrenaline MMA on June 14 at the Sears Centre.

A total of 13 pro bouts are scheduled in the inaugural Adrenaline event. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and fights begin at 6 p.m.

“Monson is far more than just a veteran,” said Adrenaline CEO Monte Cox. “He has fought in every major event in the world and competed for countless titles, including the UFC heavyweight title. He comes into the event having won 18 of his last 20 bouts and is looking to prove Russow is not yet ready for the big time.

“Russow, on the other hand, has been crushing opposition and has been tested twice in major events… losing to then No. 6 ranked Sergei Kharitonov in Pride, then crushing Roman Zentzov in Japan’s Yarennoka event last New Years Eve. He’s ready to show he should be considered among the world’s best.”

Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Sears Centre Box Office, online at www.searscentre.com or by calling 1-888-SEARSTIX.

A foursome of UFC veterans make up the two feature bouts. Chicago’s Terry Martin (16-4) will face Japan’s Daiju Takase (7-11) while Chicago’s Brian Gassaway (25-17) takes on Las Vegas’ Tony Fryklund (14-9).

Martin is a knockout artist, but will need to be cautious of the submission ability of Takase, who owns wins over UFC champion Anderson Silva and former UFC champ Carlos Newton.

Gassaway and Fryklund are two of the sport’s true veterans and both prefer the standup game, which should make for an exciting bout.

The International Fight League has allowed two of its standouts with Chicago ties — Bart Palaszewski and Mark Miller — to compete on the card as well as Zac George. And EliteXC provided striker Aaron Rosa and all-around standout Hector Urbina.

Other Chicago area fighters include Rory Markham, Herc Hayes, Kerry Schall, Clay French, Mike Stumpf, Ryan Williams and John Hosman.

Here is the current fight card as listed by Adrenaline MMA:

• Jeff Monson vs Mike Russow
• Terry Martin vs Daiju Takase
• Alberto Crane vs Clay French
• Tony Fryklund vs Brian Gassaway
• Jeff Cox vs Bart Palaszewski
• Rory Markham vs Taiwon Howard
• Mark Miller vs Jame Gibo
• Kerry Schall vs Herc Hayes
• Rob Kimmons vs Hector Urbina
• Ron Fields vs Aaron Rosa

It is interesting to note that the IFL is “allowing” several of its fighters to fight on the card, especially considering the recent tenuous relationship between the IFL and Adrenaline President Monte Cox. Cox made waves when several of his fighters including heavyweight Ben Rothwell did not resign with the promotion and were not allowed to compete in the first IFL World Grand Prix.