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Couture Back in UFC Fold

Tuesday, September 02, 2008
by Sherdog.com Staff


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Six-time UFC champion Randy Couture (Pictures) will return to the Octagon this November, ending an 11-month legal battle with the promotion he’s called his home for the last 11 years.

As part of a new multi-fight contract with Zuffa LLC, parent company to the UFC, Couture (16-8) will face Brock Lesnar (Pictures) (3-0) at UFC 91 on Nov. 15 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. The bout will be waged over five rounds for Couture’s heavyweight championship title.

“As you all know, we’ve had problems with Randy over the last few months, but we’ve got them all worked out now. Randy has always been our heavyweight champion,” said UFC President Dana White.

A previously announced bout between UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir scheduled for December will determine the next contender for the UFC heavyweight crown, said White. White described the scenario as a “heavyweight tournament.”

Under the new agreement, the UFC will also attempt to lock down a bout between Couture and No. 1 ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko in 2009. The highly anticipated bout has been heralded as the fight of the decade.

We’re gonna do everything we can to make that fight happen,” said White. “Emelianenko’s under another contract right now to another promotion and if we can work it out with the other promotion we will, but we’re not going to screw around with another contract.”

It is believed Emelianenko recently signed an exclusive U.S. contract with the rival promotion Affliction Entertainment. It is not known how many fights Emelianenko has committed to. White said he would not be open to a co-promotion effort with the rival organization.

“I think a lot of compromises were made on both sides,” said Couture, “but we’re both ready to try and move forward. We’ve cleared the air and we’re both in different places than we were a year ago. Sitting last year in legal fights was not something I’ve enjoyed.”

Couture’s abrupt departure from the UFC last October dealt a significant blow to the world’s most visible MMA promotion. Zuffa’s inability to land Pride heavyweight champion Emelianenko played a prominent role in the Couture’s decision to walk away, as did the fighter’s discontent with his pay and treatment by the Las Vegas-based company.

With his resignation, Couture left behind two contracted bouts, his UFC heavyweight crown, and a separate employment contract for on-air commentary services.

The 45-year-old Couture’s return to the UFC signals the end of arbitration proceedings over the fighter’s promotional contract that were underway in Las Vegas. A separate lawsuit filed last January against Couture for breach of his employment contract has also been squashed.

Couture called his return to the UFC “a step in the right direction” to getting a bout with Emelianenko down the line.

A three-time All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, Couture won four national championships in Greco-Roman wrestling and made four attempts at qualifying for the Olympics. He made his MMA debut at UFC 13 on May 13, 1997, where, at age 33, he won its heavyweight tournament.

Over the course of the next decade, Couture emerged as one of the most decorated mixed martial artists in history. The UFC’s only six-time champion, he captured the heavyweight belt three times, the light heavyweight title twice, and an interim light heavyweight title as well. Couture was the first fighter to win UFC championships in two weight classes.

His run through the promotion included a memorable trilogy with light heavyweight rival Chuck Liddell (Pictures), the only opponent to beat Couture twice. Following his third bout with Liddell in February 2006, Couture announced his first retirement. Couture returned in March 27 to topple 6-foot-8 giant Tim Sylvia (Pictures) for the UFC heavyweight crown.

Couture has not stepped back into the Octagon since his third-round pummeling of Gabriel Gonzaga (Pictures) at UFC 74 in August 2007.

Credit Sherdog.com

UFC will make Couture's return official at Noon PT

After 11 months of fighting in the courts it looks like the UFC and Randy Couture have buried the hatchet. The promotion is holding a press conference on Tuesday at Noon PT to announce a new deal with the heavyweight champion.
Couture is expected to face Brock Lesnar at UFC 91 in Portland in what could be the biggest pay-per-view show in the UFC's history. There is also talk now that with a win over Lesnar, Couture could face Fedor Emelianenko in 2009, under the UFC banner.

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Graciefighter.com Break Downs Kj Noons

We break down the KJ Noons cryfest point by point.

"Honor my contract. Elite XC wants to talk about honoring the contract. How about when Elite XC honored the contract and my pay to fight Edson Berto went down after I lost my first fight. That was not part of my contract. Or how about the contract Gary Shaw breached by not promoting my boxing career? Gary Shaw only gave me one out of four of the agreed upon fights. I have not boxed for over a year. When I signed with Elite XC, I was promised they would promote both my boxing and MMA careers. I could have signed with another MMA only company, but I wanted to box too."

GF- 1) Earth to KJ; you don't have a boxing career. No one in the boxing world knows who you are. 2) Another MMA company would have paid you less and not given you a title shot, especially when you were 1-1.
3) If you will not fight Diaz due to a breach of contract by EliteXC then why would you fight Alvarez for the same terms?


KJ- "Elite XC does me a favor after I lose, by putting me on the first ShoXC against Edson Berto? Berto’s father is good friends with Jared’s father, Gary Shaw who wants Berto’s brother on a boxing contract. Berto was the next guy Elite XC wanted to build. But I win that fight and now I am 1-1. Elite XC gives me an opportunity to fight Diaz. Elite XC puts me against Diaz because Elite XC’s roster was so light and there was nobody else to fight him.

Elite XC creates a new weight class for Diaz because he beat Gomi. Giving Diaz a belt and creating a weight division (160) he can make, will make your belt legit. Sorry to ruin Elite XC’s plans and beat him.

Elite XC never promoted or took care of me as their champion
KJ- "Elite XC does me a favor after I lose, by putting me on the first ShoXC against Edson Berto? Berto’s father is good friends with Jared’s father, Gary Shaw who wants Berto’s brother on a boxing contract. Berto was the next guy Elite XC wanted to build. But I win that fight and now I am 1-1. Elite XC gives me an opportunity to fight Diaz. Elite XC puts me against Diaz because Elite XC’s roster was so light and there was nobody else to fight him.

Elite XC creates a new weight class for Diaz because he beat Gomi. Giving Diaz a belt and creating a weight division (160) he can make, will make your belt legit. Sorry to ruin Elite XC’s plans and beat him.

Elite XC never promoted or took care of me as their champion."

GF- EliteXC weight classes were never dictated by Nick Diaz. Diaz would have preferred a 165lbs class. That's why he likes fighting in Japan at 167lbs. He has difficulty cutting to 160lbs. 2) Jake Shields has been promoted the same way and is quite happy.

KJ- "In the Elite XC’s DVD where Diaz and I fought there are two (2) baseball cards of Diaz and Kimbo. Hello! I won the fight and Elite XC’s promoting Diaz after I beat him? Or how about the day Elite XC flew Diaz in to do a signing on the DVD where he lost. Wow, that must have been uncomfortable Nick? Signing a DVD, and it is a fight that you lost. Why wasn’t I flown in for the signing?

Elite XC has never promoted me on either of their websites, EliteXC or Pro-Elite.

Elite XC offered me a fight on the first CBS show, but only if I signed a new long-term contract. Instead of promoting their best fighters on CBS, you have to be on a long term contract for them to promote you. That was not our deal."

GF- 1) Nick Diaz, Jake Shields and Frank Shamrock were flown in to shoot an instructional trailer on grappling for the CBS show. The signings were an after thought. You weren't flown in because you aren't a grappler. We are sure they will fly you in if they need an instructional on whining. 2) Your contract was for Showtime. Diaz and Shields both signed longer deals for CBS. Nathan Diaz signed a special long term contract for Spike TV etc...
This is a business not Burger King, you can't have it 'your way'.

KJ- "Consider when Elite XC gives a couple thousand tickets away at their CBS show in Stockton.

Elite XC gives me a hard time about comping me one extra ticket for my cousin that helped me train for my fight. I only get four tickets per show. I am the main event in Honolulu, my home town! I did not ask for any tickets for my family and friends and they gave me a hard time about one extra ticket!

Or how about when Elite XC brought Diaz into the ring after my last victory in Hawaii to disrespect me and my family."

GF- Diaz got no extra tickets in his home town of Stockton and isn't complaining. 2) Bringing a fighter into the ring to promote an upcoming fight is standard practice. Your (I could of been a contender) drunk father, started a near riot and should be banned from further events and immediately placed in an Alcoholics Anonymous treatment center for his own self respect.

KJ- "Chuck Champion (President Elite XC) threatens me, my family and my manager with lawsuits and how he’s going to sue me. HAHA. Pretty hard to sue a guy who does not make jack with your company. I’m glad $kala disclosed how much I make, which breached the confidentiality clause of the contract. I will break down the real numbers for you. I am the defending world champ, I have been the main event for Elite XC three out of four times on Showtime. In almost two years I have made approximately $83,000?

After paying my trainers and managers fee, I have $50,000 thousand. After taxes, probably 30 grand. Divide that by two years for $15,000 thousand a year. Divide by 52 weeks that amounts to approximately $300 a week. I do not know anybody that can survive on that amount of money. My buddies make more money than that in a couple days being a bus boy or bar back. And yes you can argue I should fight more. Elite XC doesn’t give me fights or promote me, they ice me. Gary Shaw Productions only gave me one of the agreed upon four fights per the boxing contract.

And I do not want to ramble on about all the little small stuff that I can keep going on about. But the straw that broke the camel’s back is they want me to fight Diaz for the second time. Diaz is not the number one contender and they are paying Diaz three times more money than me. Diaz complained after the Stockton fight, he was not paid enough. How do you think that made me feel? Yes you can argue that Diaz gets more for the draw, therefore I do not deserve as much compensation. If that is the case, it is a result of Elite XC terrible job promoting me. Instead of promoting me as their champ and upcoming athlete, Elite XC has resented me for ruining their plans to make Diaz their champ. That is just total disrespect. So it comes down to money and what is fair. I am tired of being bent over by Elite XC with no Vaseline."

GF- Promoters will sue when you don't fulfill the terms of your contract, just ask Randy Couture. By the way, you are not Randy Couture and the fight world is not holding it's breath waiting to see if you will fight again. 2) $83,000? There are several fighters that are a lot better than you fighting for a lot less. Pay your dues and quit being a little bitch. 3) You are paying your management too high of a percentage and here's some advice you should consider, "they are completely incompetent". 4) Chuck Liddell makes 100s of thousands more than Keith Jardine even though he lost to him. Diaz does not complain that Kimbo makes much more. He understands marketability, why can't you? 5) Divide this and then multiply it several times: KJ = little bitch > KJ = real champion
6) We agree you do need more Vaseline. You are used to it and damn those EliteXC guys for not using it when they bend you over.

KJ- "I am right when I say Diaz is not the number one contender. Elite XC is trying to force this fight for their ratings. Eddie Alaverez is the number one contender and anybody with half a brain knows that a fight with Eddie is a way harder fight for me than Diaz. I will fight Diaz, but Elite has to be fair. I’m not ducking Diaz, why the hell would I be scared of someone I already beat.

With that being said, I am going to focus on my boxing career. I can make more money doing 6 and 8 rounders every other month and make more than I did being the Elite XC defending world champ. At least I will be able to sleep at night and be able to look myself in the mirror everyday. That right there is worth more than $300 bucks a week or fighting a guy I cannot stand for less money than him the second time around.

Will the Diaz fight happen, yes. Will the fight happen on Elite XC on October 4, 2008, probably not. The way things are being run by Chuck Champion, a guy whose history is newspapers, not fighting, and $kala, someone who talks a lot of game, but has never put on a pair of gloves, never stepped in a ring or cage. $kala has had everything handed to him with a silver spoon from daddy. Does anyone else but me think $kala just wants to be famous and stir up all this dirty laundry? I guess any publicity is good publicity. When I think about it, it has been good promotion for their October card since nobody is talking about it until you bring up the Noons vs. Diaz match up."

GF- 1) It is not up to you to decide who the #1 contender is. That is EliteXC's sole discretion. Patrick Cote will soon be fighting Anderson Silva at the UFC's sole discretion. Silva is not complaining because he fights whomever they put in front of him. Silva fought Rich Franklin after wrecking him the 1st time. Serra rematched GSP his very next fight after demolishing him. Serra got paid less than GSP even though he was the Champion after the 1st fight. These men are true Champions and fight anyone. This is a concept you cannot seem to grasp. 2) You are scared because Diaz, despite having a terrible showing last time was stopped by cuts. God forbid the doctor that let the fight continue against Gomi had been calling the shots at your fight. In your heart you know what would have happened and you would rather live the lie of being a paper champion. 3) What will EliteXC ever do without you? I guess you will have to watch from your couch. Drink a beer. Prepare to make a ritual of it.

Graciefighter.com

Thiago Alves interview

Thiago “Pitbull” Alves
By Guilherme Cruz
"I’m looking forward to exchange some punches with Sanchez, to show him the difference between a Striker and somebody that just learned it now"


The most natural destiny for Thiago “Pitbull” Alves after the impressing knockout against Matt Hughes is a titleshot, but after that he’ll have to prove his talent one more time against a tough opponent: Diego Sanchez. “I’m preparing something different (for Sanchez). He developed his stand-up game, I’m looking forward to exchange some punches with him, to show him the difference between a Striker and somebody that just learned it now”, said Pitbull. In an exclusive interview to TATAME, that you’ll read here tomorrow, the ATT athlete spoke about the fight, the next match (if wins) against St. Pierre and a dream fight against BJ Penn, and a lot more. Check tomorrow, here at TATAME, the exclusive interview with Thiago Alves.

How is the preparation for the next fight?

It’s great… I still have nine weeks for the fight, but I’m ready for tomorrow if I needed. I’m doing a good diet and my preparation is fucking great, couldn’t be better.

How do you think will be the fight?

I’ll knock him out. He’s tough, goes for the fight, and that’s what I like, come right to me. He brings a lot of pressure for the fight, a strong pass, and I wanna see if he handles my pass too. My intention is always a knockout.

Will you fight like you did against Matt Hughes or you prepared something different this time?

I’m preparing something different... He developed his stand-up game, I’m looking forward to exchange some punches with him, to show him the difference between a Striker and somebody that just learned it now. I’ll wait and work on his mistakes too.

After this fight, will you finally face Georges St. Pierre for the WW belt?

Yes. We had a press conference last week and went to Chicago , and Dana (White) said that who wins this fight will get a title shot. Is kill or die now!

Were you expecting a title shot after you knockout over Hughes?

Man, I were expecting that, but UFC always does this type of things… I had my fight, put me on media, grew my image and now I’ll have to beat another one to sell more pay-per-view… I expected this type of thing too…

How would be a fight between you and GSP?

It would be awesome. I respect him a lot, he’s a good person, a gentleman, don’t keep saying shit about the other fighters, and is complete. He’s a huge Striker, has a good Wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu, but I believe I’m a better Striker than he is. With all respect, I bet on me.

Did you watched his fight against Jon Fitch?

Yes, I was there and it was a hell of a fight. Jon impressed me a lot because he kept until the end, but I expected more from him… He’s tough, but St. Pierre was better, but he didn’t impressed me neither.

Which was Jon Fitch’s mistake?

He waited too much, and GSP is great on strategies and put him down on the beginning. He works well on the others mistake. When you see a guy like him on TV you create this image in your head, and it can’t happen… You both are humans, has two arms and two legs, and up there is only you, God and no one else.

Which do you think would be GSP’s strategies against you?

I don’t think too much and what will be my opponent’s strategies against me, but he’d probably wouldn’t stand with me and try to put me down. He would try to do everything, and I’m ready for that, I want that, because it’s all about me, I control the fight.

BJ Penn said he’d like to face St. Pierre … What do you think about that?

BJ is great, man. I’m a big fan of him, he’s a phenon. On the first fight (between them), BJ got tired, but he was doing well. I think it’s great, I wanna fight the best and it would be great to face him. Win St. Pierre and then BJ, I don’t wanna nothing more in my life (laughs).

How do you think will be Thiago Silva’s fight with Lyoto Machida?

It’ll be a great fight. He’s a great fighter and is training hard… UFC will watch one of 2008’s greatest fights. I’ll be there and Thiago will win!

How are you doing your weight cutting now that Andre Benkei left ATT?

Benkei left ATT because he had too, he wasn’t well here, but I’ll continue with him. Where Benkei is, I’ll be with him. He will continue with some ATT athletes and now he’s a freelancer, he can train whoever he wants and it won’t be a problem. I support him, but I’ll continue at ATT.

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