World Series of Fighting 1 Discussion

This is going to be good. Nice preview up there too. I can't wait for this.

CDF47 wrote:

AA
Rumble
Moraes
Gracie
Spong
Torres
Burkman
Branch
Carl
JZ
Mello

I got the same picks.

damn this hit on a bad day for me im going to a football game, but I dont have the channel anyway.

This Saturday's going to be a good'un. Looking forward to what Spong can do in MMA.

When he got the offer to fight Anthony Johnson, D.J. Linderman didn’t hesitate to accept. He never does, though.

“My manager has problems with that,” Linderman said with a laugh Monday during an appearance on the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show. “I’m the guy he calls with any fight and I’m like, ‘Yes.’ He’s like, ‘Take 15 seconds.’ I was like, ‘No, this is a name and this is something I’ve been waiting for, a big name like this.’ It’s going to stand me out in front of the world.”

Linderman meets Johnson on Saturday at the inaugural World Series of Fighting. The matchup is one of four main card bouts that will air live on NBC Sports Network. Prelims will be streamed live on Sherdog.com.

“This is the biggest fight for me mentally and physically,” Linderman said. “… It’s going to be definitely the toughest for sure. He has a lot of stuff to bring to the table as well as me.”

Of course, after accepting the bout, there was a moment when Linderman realized that he would be fighting an opponent who had considerable success in the UFC.

“It kind of kicked in once I got to my coach and was like, ‘Hey, coach. This is my opponent,’” Linderman said. “He looked at me and was like, ‘We’ve got some work to do.’”

Linderman didn’t disagree. His record is similar to Johnson’s, but Johnson has fought much better competition on a much bigger stage. That’s why Linderman sees the matchup as a huge opportunity, though.

“Especially them throwing me on a co-main event on their very first show and especially against Anthony Johnson, they want to see an extravagant show,” he said. “Not just a good show -- they want to see guys out there putting everything on the line, and that’s what I’m striving for. I’m going to give them everything I have.”

Linderman will enter the bout on a three-fight win streak. Johnson has also won three straight, including two in a row as a light heavyweight. The UFC veteran moved up to 205 pounds after struggling to make 170 and 185. He’s trying to work his way back to the Octagon, but Linderman will look to derail him Saturday in spectacular fashion.

“I’m going to come into this fight banging with him, exchanging, taking the war either on the feet or I’m going to take it to the ground, wherever I feel he’s weakest,” Linderman said. “He’s going to end up getting submitted. I can’t tell you how I’m going to do it, but it’s going to work out that way and he just better be prepared for it.”

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/DJ-Linderman-Says-Hell-Submit-Anthony-Johnson-46971

http://www.mmaweekly.com/world-series-of-fighting-arlovski-vs-cole-press-conference-thursday-at-3-pm-et-on-mmaweekly

press conference right now...

Ought to be a blazing card. Hopefully Rumble makes weight.

Anthony Johnson Warns Opponents: Make a Mistake, You’ll be Counting Sheep

Anthony Johnson has become a new man over the last several months.
Following his exit from the UFC earlier this year, Johnson had to face some hard truths about his future as a fighter, and it forced him to look in the mirror and find out what kind of man he was going to become.

Gone are the days of cutting drastic amounts of weight to drop to 170 pounds, and even a brief move to middleweight didn’t work out when his body simply couldn’t not drain another ounce of water to allow him to make the 185-pound limit.

So Johnson made the move to 205 pounds and the results have been impressive. Through two fights at light heavyweight thus far, Johnson has two wins, two stoppages, and now he’s looking for his third at World Series of Fighting this weekend in Las Vegas.

As he approaches his latest endeavor in the cage, Johnson is more mature now not only in body, but in his mental approach as well. For years it seemed like Johnson was carrying a bit of a chip on his shoulder, running as a lone wolf without a pack behind him.

Now with a solid group of trainers and teammates at the Blackzilians in Florida, Johnson has not only found a home, but he’s found a family that’s helping him look at the positive things he has going into fights, while eliminating the negative that was always around him.

“I think I just needed to grow as a person and as a fighter to be who I am right now. Being around these guys, and being so supportive and all positive, you can’t help but be that way when you’re around a group of guys the way I am. Over these past couple years, this is where I need to be and where I’m supposed to be,” Johnson stated recently on MMAWeekly Radio.

Now, don’t think for a second that just because Johnson is walking around with a smile on his face instead of a grimace, that his killer instinct inside the cage has faded at all.

Johnson believes he’s more dangerous now than ever because the coaches he’s working with are instilling a new set of skills in him that he’s never had before.

It’s making him a finisher, and not just the kind that goes out there and looks for the knockout. Johnson wants to put an opponent away by any means necessary.

“With this fight, I plan on finishing it. That’s just how we train at my gym. We train to finish people no matter what. If I get on the ground, Mario Sperry taught me to control, damage and then submit the person, so that’s what I’ll do on the ground,” said Johnson.

“If I’m standing up, of course I’m going to put that pressure and as soon as you open up, I’m going to force you to give me an opening and then make a mistake, and as soon as you make a mistake, most likely you’ll find out you’re on your back counting sheep.”

In his fight this weekend, Johnson faces former heavyweight D.J. Linderman as the co-main event for the debut World Series of Fighting show in Las Vegas.

The chatter between the two fighters has remained fairly quiet, but Johnson did hear through the grapevine that Linderman plans on striking with him during their bout.

Easier said than done, according to Johnson.

“Everybody says that,” said Johnson. “If he wants to do that, that’s fine with me. I hope he does. If he wants to do that, more power to him. If he wants to go to the ground and wrestle, more power to him.

“I don’t see nothing D.J. can try to do that hasn’t already been tried before.”

http://www.mmaweekly.com/anthony-johnson-warns-opponents-make-a-mistake-youll-be-counting-sheep

Good to hear this from Rumble. I hope he does do well in WSOF. Linderman is no joke. He has a tough fight coming up but I think he takes this one.

The mixed martial arts (MMA) community will make room at the table tomorrow night (Sat., Nov. 3, 2012), as a brand new promotion, World Series of Fighting (WSOF), makes its debut on network television from Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada..

WSOF 1 will be shown LIVE on NBC, and it will feature a Heavyweight headline bout between between former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion Andrei Arlovski and Strikeforce veteran Devin Cole.

The card also features a Light Heavyweight bout between UFC veteran Anthony Johnson and former Bellator fighter, journeyman D.J. Linderman.

Additionally, former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) Bantamweight champion and UFC cast-off Miguel Torres will be making his return to the cage against up-and-comer Marlon Moraes.

Here's what you've got to look forward to.

265 lbs.: Andrei Arlovski (17-9 and 1 NC) vs. Devin Cole (20-9-1)

Cole has 10 wins by knockout, as well as three submission victories to his credit. He's certainly no stranger to finishing fights, but let's face it, he hasn't finished anyone of Arlovski's ilk in a very long time (if ever).

Cole is going to do his best to ugly things up. He'll stand as long as he's comfortable in the striking exchanges, and when that ends, he'll either shoot for a takedown or clinch against the fence.

Which version of Arlovski shows up is key. However, if the version that was beating the absolute hell out of Tim Sylvia at ONE Fighting Championship: Pride of a Nation, before an unusual ending and a brutal soccer kick caused the fight to be ruled a "No Contest" (NC), shows up to this fight, Cole is in for a short night of work.

It could go either way, but I think Arlovski knocks him out. Plain and simple.

Prediction: Arlovski def. Cole via knockout

205 lbs.: Anthony Johnson (13-4) vs. D.J. Linderman (14-3)

This is an interesting fight, because it features two guys who could fight at heavyweight (Linderman actually has), would probably be best suited to make the disciplined cut down to 185 pounds, but are actually competing in the middle at Light Heavyweight.

Neither fighter has probably lived up to their potential, but of the two, it has been "Rumble" who has fallen the shortest.

Johnson is one of those fighters who seems to always look either impressively devastating or embarrassingly unprepared and out of shape.

He's won his last two fights by way of knockout, and he appears to have really come into his own as a 205 pounder.

That's bad news for Linderman, who, despite his recent three-fight winning streak, looks to be well overmatched in his pairing versus Johnson.

Linderman's best bet would be to get the fight to the ground and to possibly employ his submission skills. He's won five fights that way, and if he has any hope of pulling out the "W," that's how he gets it done.

But that's a best case scenario.

In all likelihood, Linderman will have a hard time taking Johnson down, and he'll have an even harder time getting inside and landing effectively.

I think Linderman will make it out of the first round, but I don't see him lasting a lot longer than that before Johnson turns the lights off.

Prediction: Johnson def. Linderman via TKO

135 lbs.: Miguel Torres (40-5) vs. Marlon Moraes (8-4)

Torres has the clear experience advantage. It pretty much goes without saying. A veteran of 45 professional contests, Torres has amassed almost four times as many fights as his opponent.

But, here's the thing. Fighting 45 times in 12 years is no picnic. The body can only take so much before it says, "See ya. You're on your own now."

Torres has lost four of his last seven fights, all to quicker more athletic opponents. Unfortunately, we may be looking at a repeat of just that.

If he's able to turn this fight into a jiu-jitsu competition, Torres wins and wins easily. I'm just skeptical that he's still able to effectively do that.

I'd love to see "the Mullet" turn things around on national television, but I think his run may sadly be over.

Prediction: Moraes def. Torres via unanimous decision

170 lbs.: Gregor Gracie (7-2) vs. Tyson Steele (9-1)

You might not be well acquainted with who Gregor Gracie, but if you're a fan of MMA, the name sounds familiar.

That's because the 170 pound Brazilian comes from a long line of fighters, most notably his cousin Royce Gracie, who was the inaugural UFC champion and the man who many feel put MMA on the map.

Gregor isn't quite as renowned, but like the rest of his family, if the fight hits the canvas, he almost always holds the advantage.

Gracie is 7-2 as a professional, and has spent the last couple of years fighting for ONE FC.

Gracie's opponent, Steele, has earned seven of his nine wins via first round submissions. His one loss came the same way (only in the second round), when he took on Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC) veteran Curtis Demarce.

There's the rub.

Steele is confident in his ground game, but he may not yet be experienced enough to know when that's not where he holds the edge.

Make no mistake about it, if Steele gets caught up in Gracie's web, it will be curtains.

Picking a Gracie to win by submission might be the easy way out, but I never claimed to be a genius.

Prediction: Gracie def. Steele via submission

205 lbs.: Tyrone Spong (0-0) vs. Travis Bartlett (7-2)

Kickboxing legend Tyrone Spong will be making his MMA debut against Maine product Travis Bartlett.

Bartlett has powerful hands, and he likes to stand and trade. Spong is far from a slouch in the striking department, as evidenced by his long resume of opponents whom he's put down.

I think fans can expect a "bangfest," which just doesn't work out in Bartlett's favor at all.

I predict a quick and violent fight that ends with Spong's hand being raised in the air.

Prediction: Spong def. Bartlett via knockout

http://www.mmamania.com/2012/11/2/3588490/world-series-of-fighting-1-predictions-preview-analysis-las-vegas-mma

MR.WILLIE wrote:

Rumble seems like a humble and nice guy in this vid but I heard some bad rumours about him earlier. I always root for the humble fighters. I always thought he belongs at LHW and he should stay there.

The curtains part for the sport's most intriguing new promotion this Saturday. Captained by kickboxing veteran and Xtreme Couture rep Ray Sefo, the World Series of Fighting will air it's inaugural main card at 10:00 p.m. ET on NBC Sports, but the fight league's undercard lineup is available beforehand through a free stream on Sherdog.com.

Having walked through the featured roster in an earlier Dissection, we'll concentrate on the impressive collection of preliminary fights set for the Sherdog stream at 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday. Five of the six undercard match ups are laden with former UFC or Strikeforce talent and watching it all transpire free of charge makes for a can't-miss preliminary appetizer.

The undercard match-ups are listed below and followed by the specs for each bout.

World Series of Fighting 1 -- Saturday, November 3

Preliminary Card: (streaming on Sherdog.com)
Ronys Torres vs. Brian Cobb
Gerald Harris vs. Josh Burkman
David Branch vs. Dustin Jacoby
Gesias Cavalcante vs. T.J. O'Brien
Steve Carl vs. Ramico Blackmon
Waylon Lowe vs. Fabio Mello

Ronys Torres (25-4) vs. Brian Cobb (19-7) -- lightweight bout

Ronys Torres is an absolute beast out of the renowned Nova Uniao academy. He's best known for a winless, two-fight tour in the UFC in 2006, but those competitive decision losses deserve a closer look: the unanimous vote against Melvin Guillard was tight enough to inspire an editorial claiming it should've been a draw. Jacob Volkmann accounts for Torres' second loss, which was a split-decision that could've gone in either direction. Though he incurred a third loss immediately after his UFC exit, Torres' has quickly accrued an impressive body count since then with 11-straight wins and 8 stoppages.

Brian Cobb was not graced with much patience in the Octagon either, getting one shot against Terry Etim at UFC 95, losing via head-kick and follow-up punches and being handed his walking papers. Cobb was a standout wrestler in college, twice becoming a Pac-10 finalist and D1 national qualifier. Like Torres, Cobb's striking is average but his true venom lies in his combination of powerful wrestling and submission savvy.

Cobb bears the wrestling credentials and will enjoy a 3" height advantage, but Torres is a mean and broad-shouldered 5'8" with a scathing BJJ arsenal and significantly more power in his strikes (7 career TKOs vs. 3 for Cobb). This should be an evenly matched scrap with the potential for high-level scrambling and transitions, in which I give Torres a slight edge for his comparable wrestling and superior power and submissions.

My Prediction: Ronys Torres by submission.

Gerald Harris (21-4) vs. Josh Burkman (23-9) -- welterweight bout

The Utimate Fighter (TUF) alumni square off here, as Season 2 entry Josh Burkman meets Season 7 contestant Gerald Harris in another wrestling-oriented pairing. Initiating with consecutive 2-1 sequences, it seemed like Burkman would be a permanent fixture in the Octagon, but he fizzled out with another win followed by 3-straight defeats and an even 5-5 UFC record overall.

Harris, then a middleweight was defeated by eventual winner Amir Sadollah on TUF 7 and left the UFC on semi-controversial terms after an oddly complacent and urgency-lacking 3rd-round performance against Maiquel Falcao when he was clearly behind on the cards. Harris had been flawless in the Octagon until then with 3-straight wins, the last of which was an indelible, highlight-reel knockout via power slam of fellow WSOF fighter David Branch.

Post-UFC, Harris is fresh off a successful debut at welterweight (split decision over Mike Bronzoulis) and Burkman has won 5 of his last 6. This is a tough one to call: both are strong wrestlers, athletic, with comparable success against comparable opposition. Burkman seems a bit more consistent but the difference maker should be Harris' size and strength as a welter after a career at middleweight.

My Prediction: Gerald Harris by decision.

David Branch (10-3) vs. Dustin Jacoby (8-2) -- middleweight bout

Branch is a Renzo Gracie black belt who complements his submission grappling with sound kickboxing skills. He split matches in the UFC with wins over Tomasz Drwal and Rich Attonito and losses to Rousimar Palhares and Harris. Jacoby is a Finney's HIT squad rep with good height for a welter (6'4") and a decent combo of striking and BJJ. He dropped both UFC turns: Clifford Starks by decision, Chris Camozzi by submission.

Jacoby has room to grow at age 24 but hasn't proven himself against upper-level competition like Branch has, who can also mirrors Jacoby's strengths and should have the edge in both striking and sub-grappling.

My Prediction: Dave Branch by submission.

Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante (16-6) vs. T.J. O'Brien (18-5) -- lightweight bout

Having made waves overseas early in his career, ATT lightweight JZ Cavalcante didn't live up to expectations in stateside bids. In his last 8 outings, Cavalcante has 5 losses, 1 No Contest and just 2 wins. O'Brien dropped both of his UFC opportunities (Paul Kelly by decision, Cole Miller by submission) but has since pieced together a pair of wins.

O'Brien is a towering lightweight at 6'2" with a high-powered submission arsenal (17 of 18 wins by catch) and, considering Cavalcante's epic downturn in the last few years, it's too hard to give him the benefit of the doubt here.

My Prediction: T.J. O'Brien by decision.

Steve Carl (18-3) vs. Ramico Blackmon (8-1) -- welterweight bout

Carl is an entirely legit but unheard of welterweight who's only lost to Dan Hornbuckle, Douglas Lima (in Bellator) and former UFCer Brian Foster. He picked up promising wins over Tyler Stinson and Brett Cooper under the Bellator banner and boasts a sturdy finishing percentage with 13 wins by submission and 2 TKOs.

Blackmon is a once-beaten product out of the Colorado Fight Factory with only 2 years of MMA experience under his belt. At 40-years-old, he'd seem unfit for a prospect like Carl were it not for his stellar wrestling background, the most notable of which is being a two-time Olympic alternate. His ungodly wrestling is reflected in his decision-heavy victories (5 of 8) and his best weapons are takedowns and control. Check out this footage of Blackmon wrestling against Josh Koscheck, a four-time D1 All-American:




That leaves the stifling properties of Blackmon's wrestling vs. the potent finishing prowess of Carl, who I think is young, hungry and talented enough to overcome Blackmon's resplendent accolades ... though I wouldn't wager on it.

My Prediction: Steve Carl by submission.

Waylon Lowe (13-4) vs. Fabio Mello (11-6) -- featherweight bout

Lowe split results in the UFC with decision wins over Steve Lopez (split) and Willamy Freire (unanimous) and losses to Melvin Guillard (TKO) and Nik Lentz (submission). Lowe was a three-time national champion wrestler at the Division 2 level; he's finished 3 wins by submission and 6 by TKO, the latter being a testament to the power of his ground-and-pound.

Fabio Mello has quite a deceiving record. The numbers aren't pretty but losing to the likes of Jose Aldo, Takanori Gomi, Masakazu Imanari and Dokonjonosuke Mishima sheds a different light upon it. Mello's wins include former WEC fighter Anthony Morrison and former Pride and King of the Cage brawler Charles Bennett, which puts his level of opposition at a comparable point with Lowe's despite a lack of big-show recognition.

This is a bit of a coin-flip ... Mello's on a 7-fight surge, 37-years-old and nearly impossible to finish; the 32-year-old Lowe's won 3-straight. I think Lowe can pull this out if he's cautious of Mello's submission attacks and protects his chin during standing exchanges.

My Prediction: Waylon Lowe by decision.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/11/2/3591166/world-series-of-fighting-preliminary-card-predictions-preview-dissection-ronys-cobb-harris-burkman

Travis Bartlett (7-2) is having fun with his perceived role on Saturday at the World Series of Fighting 1.

Bartlett welcomes Tyrone Spong (0-0) into the world of MMA, and from the impression he's gotten from others, he's a warm body for the renowned kickboxer.

"I've got zero focus, they're bringing me in as an opponent, and I love it," Bartlett on Thursday told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).

Mind you, Bartlett doesn't get this impression from Spong, who on Thursday also appeared on the radio show and was soundly neutral toward his opponent. But reading media reports about the fight, which kicks off a five-bout main card that airs live on NBC Sports Network, he feels written off.

"All the reading I've done and all the side interviews people have done, they're banking on (the fact that) this guy is a world-class striker and I'm going to stand with him and it's going to be my biggest mistake."

The thing is, Bartlett, who's trained with boxer-turned-UFC fighter Marcus Davis and currently trains in Las Vegas, is planning on standing with Spong, who was a standout in the 2010 K-1 Grand Prix. But he doesn't look at it as a mistake.

"I fight one way," he said. "The only way I'll take him down is if he's starting to get crazy with kicks. Because I have a big advantage on the ground. But if I'm not being overwhelmed with kicks, I know I can handle his hands, and I'd just as soon knock him out."

Such statements are often mistaken for a thinly veiled ruse in the fight game, but Bartlett said he's got no tricks up his sleeve.

"I tell it how it is," he said. "I don't have any secrets, any flying armbars. I'm going to bang."

The good thing, he said, is that no matter what he says about the upcoming fight, which represents his first in over two years following a death in his family, people will probably discount it.

In nine pro fights, Bartlett has stopped five of his opponents via strikes and fallen short just twice – and neither loss came by knockout.

Now a training partner of Frank Mir, Bartlett believes he has the tools to win the fight on the ground if it goes there against Spong. But he'd prefer to use his hands and shut a few writers' mouths.

"I really don't need any extra motivation," Bartlett said. "The guy is a great striker. It's right up my alley. I feel zero pressure. I think all the weight is on his shoulders, and I really believe he's underestimating me big time. He's already got a fight planned for December and he's (planning on) coming out unscathed, so he's in for a rude awakening."

http://mmajunkie.com/news/31401/wsof-1s-travis-bartlett-says-reports-of-his-demise-are-highly-inaccurate.mma

Miguel Torres said the Tristar Gym where he's gone for virtually every fight camp in his recent career is usually packed.

These days, it's a traffic jam. He estimates there are at least five fighters training for the upcoming UFC 154, which takes place Nov. 17 in Montreal, and another 10 fighting in gym head Firas Zahabi's new event 13 days later. Another 10 or 12 are competing elsewhere.

Hence, Zahabi wasn't available to corner Torres for his next fight, which takes place Saturday at World Series of Fighting 1.

Torres (40-5) meets Marlon Moraes (8-4-1) on the five-bout main card of the event, which takes place at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and airs on NBC Sports Network.

Torres said upcoming Bellator lightweight title challenger Rick Hawn will pick up the slack in addition to two trainers who have helped him every day in preparation for the fight.

Torres previously briefly trained with Moraes at the Blackzilians camp in South Florida. Moraes comes into the bout with two recent wins under his belt, and said winning is just a matter of staying smart.

Attempts at a more tactical approach to fighting have met with mixed results for the ex-WEC champ. Torres' UFC debut against Antonio Banuelos ended in a lackluster decision win, and he split a pair of bouts before suffering a vicious knockout against Michael McDonald, which preceded his exit from the promotion.

Torres has excelled at submissions earlier in his career, which might give him a basis to take Moraes to the ground. But the veteran said he doesn't necessarily need to do that to win.

"I'm going to stand with this guy," Torres on Thursday told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I'm going to fight smart. I just can't run and try the takedown. He knows I'm going to try to bring the fight to the ground. But for sure, I'm going to stand with him and engage him standing.

"(I'm going to be) a lot smarter than my last fight. I'm not going to bring out the old, crazy Miguel Torres. I've trained with him before, so I know where he's dangerous. So I've just got to avoid those things and be make him be impatient and press forward. Then he makes mistakes that way."

http://mmajunkie.com/news/31421/camp-gridlock-keeps-firas-zahabi-from-miguel-torres-corner-for-wsof-1.mma

Torres' record is ridiculous.

Spong's going to be dropping someone in a bit.

CDF47 wrote:Spong's going to be dropping someone in a bit.

SandmanFC wrote:Torres' record is ridiculous.

Yeah it's kind of padded though, 32 fights in the state of Indiana.

Granted that doesn't discount the accomplishments he had in the WEC or UFC.

SandmanFC wrote:Torres' record is ridiculous.

i personally find him to be over rated. decent but over rated and his record is padded

Main card starts 10:30 p.m. ET. We´ll watch together in chat

stu3ufc wrote:

SandmanFC wrote:Torres' record is ridiculous.

i personally find him to be over rated. decent but over rated and his record is padded

So is Hacran Dias and other nova uniao fighters (like Leo Santos) who are fighting on shooto brazil